Chapter 23
When Harry had waded out to his knees, he lost his footing and fell into the icy water. He immediately began coughing out a mouth full of water. He could feel the water rushing over his body, threatening to carry him away if it had not been for a pair of too strong arms wrapping around him and lifting him out of the water.
Severus whirled around to the best of his ability in the river. Harry's arm had suddenly been ripped from his grasp. The boy had gone under. Terrified, he buried his arms in the water, trying to find the boy. The few seconds that it took to locate the body seemed like minutes.
Harry's head was the first thing to emerge from the water. His wide eyes locked onto Severus' gaze. The wizard held the boy tightly as he coughed up the water that had gotten into his lungs.
"Are you all right?" he asked as Harry expelled the last bit of water.
Harry quickly nodded.
"Be careful. It's going to get deeper," Severus cautioned.
Harry nodded again. "I know," he said, having finally rid himself of all the water in his lungs. "I'm sorry."
Severus cautiously put Harry down, waiting to make sure that he had his proper footing before only using one hand to maintain physical contact with the teen.
Harry tried to focus only on getting across the river. The water was up to his waist now and it was getting more difficult to keep his balance.
Severus could since the drag in Harry's progress and judging by the difficultly he was having on his own he could only guess how hard this must be for him.
Harry finally reached the point to where he could no longer touch the ground. The current immediately began tugging at his body and he kicked upstream trying to maintain his position.
Severus could feel Harry's body lift. He was considerably taller than the boy and could still touch the riverbed. He pulled the young Gryffindor's body against his own, wrapping an arm around him and holding him tightly to his own body.
Harry was gasping for breath and Severus was careful to keep his head above water. The teen took this opportunity to make out their progress. The rain was lessening a bit and the full moon was reflecting off the white heads of the rapids. If he had to make a guess, he would say that they had only made it a quarter of the way across. He sensed from Snape's slow pace that the man was about to reach the point to where he was about to lose contact with the bottom.
Severus struggled to keep his footing with the added burden and the rising water level. They were approaching a bolder that protruded through the river's surface. There, Severus planned to take a break and assess their situation.
Reaching the bulging stone, Severus leaned against its support, allowing the water to flow around himself and the child. His muscles relaxed a bit as he caught his breath.
Harry clung to the man, resting his chin on the sheltering wizard's shoulder to keep from taking in water. He didn't want to move from the spot. He didn't think that he had the strength to cross the remainder of the river. He desperately wanted to make it through this. He wanted to see Ron and Hermione's smiling faces and joke around with them again. But he didn't know if he was strong enough to make it through. Part of him just wanted to die there. He was so tired and it would be so easy. He mentally chastised himself for thinking like that. Everyone that he cared about was counting on him. He had to fight and make it through this. He tilted his head, still resting on Snape's shoulder, chancing a look at the man. The Potions Professor looked pale as if all of his life force had been drained out of him.
For a moment, Harry felt a pang of guilt. It was really his fault that the man was in the predicament in the first place. If he hadn't tried to save he and Ron back at Hogwarts that night, he would still be there, away from danger. It seemed as if death and suffering plagued those who were associated with him. He desperately wanted to be normal like everyone else, but nothing could change who he was. His fate was to be tormented by the Dark Lord until one of them destroyed the other. His friends were counting on him and he had to be strong and triumph over Voldemort for their sake.
"Are you ready?" came the inevitable question that Harry had been dreading.
The teen closed his eyes for a moment, mentally mustering up his strength to prepare for the challenge. He opened his eyes and they held a new determination. Projecting his gaze into the eyes of the older wizard, Harry nodded resolutely.
Severus stared back into the boy's eyes. They held the characteristic tenacity of a young man of his age, but this was of a different sort. He couldn't put his finger on it exactly, but it wasn't the usual stubbornness associating with adolescents. This was something different and he had seen it before in the eyes of those who had fought the Dark Lord many years ago, when this boy was still an infant. It troubled him to see this look from someone so young.
Harry noted the hint of pity deep within Snape's eyes and interpreted it to mean that the man was doubtful of the possibility that they would survive the night.
Shaking himself from his thoughts, Severus eased Harry out of his grasp and let the boy gain his own support from the boulder.
Harry clung to the side of the sizable rock. Feeling the current's forces trying to sweep him down stream, he tightened his hold.
Severus stared across the churning gap. He mentally plotted out the safest course before turning to Harry. "Stay with me. Hold on, understand?"
Harry made out Snape's words and nodded to indicate that he did. He wasn't quite sure what the man meant by 'hold on' but he figured he would find out soon enough.
Severus took a deep breath and hoisted Harry up piggy-back style. Surprised, Harry accidentally took in a mouth full of water but spit it out quickly. He hadn't been expecting that, but he wouldn't argue. Getting a good look at the gushing white caps above the black water made him a bit doubtful of his ability to make it across on his own.
"All right?" he heard Snape say.
"Yeah," he answered. "Just surprised."
Harry could see the Potions Master give a quick nod to indicate that he had heard him and was about to set off.
Steeling himself, Severus pushed off the stone and was immediately carried a few meters down stream with the full force of the current. He had to practically swim directly up current to keep from being swept down. With the added burden of the boy, this process was made much more difficult. However, leaving the child to his own devices could prove to be disastrous. He simply couldn't take that chance.
Harry's arms hung on as tightly around his professor's neck as possible without choking him. They were making very little progress across the river and time was not on their side.
Severus' arms trashed forward cutting into the river. His head went under a few times but he managed to keep Harry above the water level for the most part. The wind was picking up so he couldn't hear Harry but he could feel the boy's chest convulse with coughing every time he fell too far under the surface.
Another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. The storm was picking up again. Not a good sign.
Severus began thrusting harder through the river. There was no telling if they had seen the worst of the rainstorm but he had a foreboding feeling that they had not.
Harry's fingers and hands were stiffening against the freezing water. He felt like he would slip away from Snape at any moment. The current was getting stronger and he could tell that his professor's progress was getting slower by the second. In fact, Harry guessed that in a few seconds they would actually lose some of the ground they had covered.
It only took a few moments for Harry's guess to be confirmed. The man couldn't keep up with the gushing force against him.
To make matters worse, Harry's grip did begin to loosen. He made a vain attempt to regain it but failed as he saw the Potion Master's neck slide from his fingers. He managed to stay afloat just long enough to see Snape's body turned half by the current and half by his own accord and his arms frantically grabbing for the boy.
Severus' heart stopped when his hands came up empty. The river was carrying him swiftly downstream and closer to the bank where they had begun. He was pulled under by the current but fought his way back to the surface. The moment under water was enough to fill his gasping lungs full of water. Between trying to expel the unwanted liquid from his lungs and doing his best to stay afloat and search for any sign of the boy, his energy was waning.
But with a sudden gush of hope, he saw Harry's head resurface and gasp for oxygen. Severus' moment of relief was shattered when he realized that Harry was roughly being tossed in the rapids. He didn't know how much longer Harry could last on his own. With a restored spirit, Severus directed his body toward Harry's route.
Harry, for his part, had caught sight of his professor and was putting forth his best effort to lessen the distance between himself and the man. However, the river seemed to have a mind of its own and the most Harry could accomplish was to slow his way downstream.
Severus had almost come within an arm's length of the teen.
Harry threw an arm forward but missed Severus' own outstretched arms. This cost him. The current accelerated his body down the river when he came to a sudden stop with a dull thud of his head against a boulder.
Severus reached Harry a moment too late to keep him from colliding with the boulder, but just in time to save him from slipping under the surface again.
The soaked man clung to the boulder for refuge with one arm and held the child with the other.
"Harry? Can you hear me?" he cried out above the torrent of the river engulfing them. No response came from Harry.
Severus closed his eyes tightly in exasperation. This proved to be a fatal mistake. Within seconds he felt the impact of a large, solid object ram into his chest. His eyes bulged open and he gasped a painful intake of air. Looking down, he found a log had come to rest against his torso which was now screaming in pain.
He was pinned against the boulder. Fortunately Harry was not, but it didn't do any good seeing as how the boy was unconscious. In the bone chilling water of river, he wasn't sure if he had the strength left to get them to safety but he knew that he had to get them out of this.
Severus, deciding that sooner was better than later, placed the arm that had clung to boulder onto the log and pushed against it. The force of the river was working against him, making his job more difficult.
But the log was relenting gradually. Finally, the current worked for him for the first time and swept the log downstream.
Severus remained against the rock for a few moments, trying to catch his breath. A stab of pain punctured his chest with each breath but he didn't have time to stop now. He had to get himself and Harry back to shore. The river had been a blunder. If only the storm hadn't picked up, they might have made it. It was too late now. His only option was to make it back to bank where they had started out or to at least make it back to that side. They had been carried so far downstream that Severus didn't recognize where they were anymore. However, he could tell by how close they were to the bank that his legs should be able to reach the river bed within a few meters.
His breathing having returned to an acceptable level, he pushed off the stone that served as their only shelter. His chest clenched in pain, but he gritted his teeth together and pushed onward. They were still being carried downstream, but every meter brought them closer to the bank.
Finally, Severus felt his feet skid across the bottom of the river. Gradually, he carried himself and Harry to solid ground, attempting to ignore the growing pain in his chest.
When he made it to the bank of the river, Severus gently lowered the boy's frame placing him on his back on the ground. Thankfully, his breathing seemed normal.
Exhausted, the Potions professor collapsed to the ground breathing raggedly. He placed a hand on Harry's chest to monitor the teen's breathing while he rested.
Shivering, he closed his eyes and desperately prayed that the werewolf would not find them. He knew they couldn't stay long. He needed to get them both dry and warm.
Bringing his hand from the boy's chest to his face, Severus felt his cheeks and forehead, brushing the hair from his eyes and exposing infamous scar. Harry's skin was icy to the touch, a fact that did nothing to comfort the man. He would have to move quickly to find shelter and he doubted that there would be any dry wood around to build a fire.
Bringing his hand away from Harry's face, Severus propped himself up on one elbow but a sharp protest from his ribcage brought him back down. He found himself positioned on his stomach trying to keep from breathing excessively which proved to be difficult considering how out of breath he was.
But his thoughts were diverted from his pain unexpectedly. The downpour seemed deafening and yet he thought that he could make out some noise coming from the edge of the forest. His eyes widened and his heart began beating faster.
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky and for an instant he could make out the outline of the werewolf closing the distance between them.
Severus' heart felt like it was trying to break out of his chest. He forced himself into a sitting position that made him look as if someone had just pushed him down. He purposefully placed his own body as a protective barrier for Harry's unconscious form though he didn't know exactly how this was going to help him.
Throwing a glance at the child's pale face, Severus found a parental protectiveness rising within him.
His head jerked back to the forest's edge. The beast would emerge at any moment. He didn't know what to do. They were trapped. He needed for Harry to be awake. He needed the boy to run away while he distracted the monster, though he doubted if he would be able to last long enough for Harry to escape. What he really needed was a miracle.
But just as he was wishing for a miracle, the werewolf cleared the forest, savagely eyeing the two. Ignoring the stabbing pain in his chest, Severus practically jumped to his feet. There was only one thing left to do really. He had to stand up to the beast and hope that Harry would wake up soon enough to escape. However, he couldn't allow himself to be bitten and live. He would have to die.
As these morbid thoughts ran through the wizard's head, the werewolf began to circle the waterlogged pair, giving Severus a chance to see the huge wolf from a different angle as he turned with beast, keeping it in his direct line of vision and keeping himself in front of Harry at all times.
Its eyes were amber and reflected the moonlight. As it stalked around them as if forming an invisible perimeter, its vast muscles flexed with each step.
Severus' heart seemed to have no limit as to how fast it could beat. He felt like it was now in his throat, constricting his already harsh breathing. He had never felt this type of adrenaline before. He didn't like it. In fact, he hated it but he knew that this would be his most valuable tool in defending Harry. He really had nothing else to depend on at the moment.
Severus swallowed as it stopped pacing. It was now crouching, flashing its inhuman fangs at him and seemingly waiting for the right moment to attack.
That moment came with a powerful crack of thunder accompanied by flash of lightning which lit up the sky.
Severus' eyes followed the animal as it pounced toward him with its claws and pointed teeth flashing. Caught up in the moment, everything seemed to move slowly. When it landed on him, he was able to push it off without losing his footing but it had managed to do some damage to him, leaving a gash in his upper right arm. Blood trickled down his arm and out of his sleeve separating into smaller streams through the valleys between his knuckles and finally dripping from his finger tips.
The werewolf landed and regained his stance, turning his attention back to the man. Severus slowly edged away from Harry to bring wolf's attacks further away as he seemed to have its full attention.
An angry snarl preceded another attack but Severus was not so lucky this time. The monster landed squarely on his chest and he fell under its weight. Severus instinctively ignored the beast's clawing and concentrated efforts at keeping its jaws away from him.
The wolf's claws sunk deeply into his shoulders, pinning him to the ground. He gasped painfully under the burden but frantically clung to its neck keeping the jaws as far away from him as possible.
It did not seem to take well to this and snapped its fangs dangerously close to his face. Severus' teeth were clenched tightly with the exertion. He could feel the claws being extracted from his shoulders but resting in his arms and chest as it tried to get him to yield his own grip.
Severus was surprised at his own strength and could only attribute it to the adrenaline pumping through his veins. But he knew that he wouldn't be able to hold up much longer. He could feel his arms shaking in exhaustion and found himself wondering what he would do once they gave out.
In an effort to free itself from Severus' grip, the werewolf bucked its back. It did achieve its freedom but at the cost of Severus' as well.
The bloodied wizard rolled out from under his assailant and managed to get back to his feet barely in time for the next assault. He staggered back a few paces before it was able to launch itself at him again. His clothes were becoming soaked with the warm, sticky blood that was leaking from his wounds. The next attack easily brought him to the ground. The adrenaline that had fueled him before was now diminishing. His quivering hands held only enough strength to keep the snarling jaw inches from his neck.
Harry gradually drifted into an unwelcome consciousness. His head was pounding and his whole body felt like it was frozen. He was vaguely aware of a noise that sounded like a struggle was going on very near to him. His eyes snapped open after hearing a choked gasp which confirmed his suspicions. He hastily pushed himself up but had to stop by the time he was on his hands and knees. He was beginning to feel woozy like he was about to slip into unconsciousness again. He heard a grunt of pain which seemed familiar. He peered out into the night through the curtain of rain with already blurry eyes.
The last thing that he remembered was being in the river and he couldn't recall how he'd gotten out. His mind wandered to Professor Snape. He must have taken Harry out of the river but where was he now?
The wind suddenly picked up knocking an already unstable Harry on his side. He let out a pained groan when he hit. His head still seemed to be swimming.
Another sound entered his ear and this time he recognized who it belonged to. His professor sounded as if he were scuffling with something. Then, a thought occurred to Harry. He had almost forgotten with the excitement of the river. But they must have made it to the other side. Why else would he be on solid ground? The werewolf wouldn't cross the river after them, would it? He supposed it was possible. Remus hadn't seemed too logical in his werewolf state. A crack of lightning followed by the rumble of thunder lit up the area giving him a full view of the struggle that was going on only meters away from him.
He felt his heart begin to race. "Professor!" he cried out panicking at the scene laid before him.
Severus' head jerked in the direction that he heard the voice. Finally the boy was awake. "Harry, run!" he shouted back.
Another gust of strong wind blew across Harry. Despite the fact that he was freezing, he felt something hot in his stomach begin to form. He couldn't discern what exactly it was. It felt like something between love and hate, actually, if he had to put his finger on it. Whatever it was, it was growing. He tried to stand up but could only manage to make it back to his hands and knees. Whatever it was seemed to both strengthen and weaken him. It was beginning to engulf him. He could no longer feel the stinging chill of the rain as it drenched his garments and soaked into his skin.
The wind continued to pick up, moving the clouds with it. Bits of moonlight were penetrating through to the ground. Harry could now see there werewolf clawing and snapping at Snape and could see the man's eyes lock onto his own with a pleading look.
"Harry-"
He was cut off when one of the beast's massive paws laid into his neck cutting off his air flow.
Harry's heart dropped at the look of agony on the man's face. He couldn't run away and leave him there. Snape obviously had not run away and left him there. But he could barely even move. What could he do now? He was becoming so hot that he was now short of breath. His whole body seemed to glow an orange-red color. He felt like he would collapse and pass out in any moment but at the same time he felt like he was going to explode with whatever it was that was taking over him.
Severus was panicking. He couldn't hold out much longer without being able to breath but Harry hadn't moved from that spot. His vision was becoming blurred. He would blackout within a matter of seconds and would inevitably be bitten. He could only pray that the monster would finish him off if that were the case.
But why wasn't Harry running away? Could he run away? Questions raced through his fading awareness.
And suddenly, when hope seemed very far away, Severus felt the weight lift off his neck. A rush of incoming air brought the stabbing pain back to his chest.
A sharp slash across his cheek with the added effect of the excruciating agony being experienced in his chest allowed the beast enough time to sink its claws into Severus' forearms, pinning him defenselessly against the ground.
Harry watched helplessly as the werewolf's fangs dripping with saliva came closer to the man's blood-spattered neck. He seemed to be a statue. He desperately wanted to help his professor but whatever was engulfing him was prohibiting him from moving. It now seemed to be concentrating itself in his chest directly where his heart would be.
The wolf's jaws opened widely, exposing a collection of sharp incisors. Severus could only watch as they closed in on him. But just at the moment that he thought that he should feel them puncture his skin, he witnessed a bright flash of light that didn't seem to originate in the sky. It seemed to come from where Harry was.
Abruptly, the weight of the beast was lifted off of his mangled body. He saw it lifted from him with the force of a tidal wave but did not see where it landed, only hearing a dull thud, what he assumed to be the werewolf coming in contact with a tree.
His energies were now completely spent, the adrenaline completely drained from his body. His head fell weakly to the side that the child was on just in time to see Harry collapse to the ground in exhaustion. Whatever that force was, it must have come from him.
He tried to call out to the young wizard but it only came out in a whisper which was drowned out by the rain. His body was weak and broken. Harry would have to go it alone from now on. Severus wanted to tell him what to do and where to go before he died but it seemed that neither he nor the teen had the strength left now. With the rain beating down, leaving him in a mixed puddle of water and his own blood, Severus drifted into a dark oblivion.
Harry remained in the mud for several minutes catching his breath. Whatever that energy was within him was gone. He didn't know where it came from or what it was but it seemed to have saved Professor Snape, at least for the time being.
Mustering the last of his strength, Harry got back to his hands and knees and crawled the short distance to the bloody heap. He had to help him. He had to do something. He needed someone right now. He vainly wished that Sirius was there to help them.
When he reached the man, he fell back to the ground on his stomach. His vision was going dark again. Reaching out a shaking hand, he grabbed the closest hand of Severus' before the world went black.
Author's Note: Ok, sorry for the long delay, but everything in my last author's note is finally over and I now have my laptop set up in my grandmother's dining room next to the two mattresses that I sleep on at night and under the chandelier that I bang my head on every morning. Along with the deer that roam the neighborhood, the chandelier has become my nemesis. Anyway, I should have the next chapter up some time next week. Hope that all of you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you thought. Thanks for all the reviews from the last chapter. I'm glad that you guys like where this is going so far. Oh, I'm also thinking about writing a prequel to this when I finish it. It would pretty much be Snape from his days at Hogwarts up to the night that Harry became an orphan. Let me know if you think that would interest any of you. Thanks again and please review!