Disclaimer: Anything related to the Harry Potter franchise is copyrighted and owned by J.K Rowling. As much I dream of owning it, I sadly don't. I am just borrowing the characters to play out this story

Hatchling
Chapter two

Summary: Professor Snape gets exposed to a faulty potion that leads to interesting results

Notes: AU, set during the Book 5.

"Speech"

'Snape Thoughts'

Neville Thoughts

Ok, this chapter took me awhile but finally its out. I am pretty proud of myself. Lots of things got in the way BUT the story prevailed. Anyways as I am not a native English speaker, I think I should find myself a beta. Any suggestion on how to find one, please feel free to send me note.

Without further adieu, I bid you Dear Reader a welcome to my made up world.

Inscribe-sin,


Am going to die….Am going to die …. Am going to die….

Fists pumping, feet slamming unmercifully on the hard stone floor, Neville ran through the cold hallways leading towards the dungeon. The classroom door finally came into view; his gasp of elation was cut short as he stumbled, coming down in a mass of flaying arms and a shower of parchment. The contents of his bag spilling out, books scattered and potion bottles rolled every which way.

Scrambling on all fours, he grabbed what he could, stuffing it haphazardly into his bag.

Am going to die….Am going to die …. Am going to die….

Rushing to the door his fingers barely touched the wood before the door was yanked open. Crying out in distress, he fell face first into the class, parchment raining again all around him.

"Well … Well Mr. Longbottom so nice of you to join us"

Am going to die….Am going to die …. Am going to die….

Lifting his head slowly he gazed at the ominous figure standing before him.

Am DEAD…..

A whimper of terror escaped Neville's lips, his eyes wide open. Blood rushed down leaving his face ashen white.

A snicker broke the silence but was cut short as Snape snapped around glaring threateningly at the entire class.

"50 points off of Gryffindor" He boomed" and anyone who utters another word well make it 100 points…shall we" he sneered at Ron Weasley who promptly snapped his mouth shut.

"You" glaring down at Neville "I will deal with later" he hissed menacingly promising a fate worse than death

Neville froze like a dear stuck in the headlights.
"MOVE" growled Snape.

Snapping from his trance Neville stumbled clumsily to his seat beside Hermione, leaving behind him a trail of discarded parchments. Collapsing on his chair he started to unpack his supplies rabidly.
"Bugger" He muttered as he noticed some of his supplies missing. A scuffing noise caught his attention as he noticed Hermione inconspicuously pushing some of her supplies towards him. Smiling hesitantly he snatched the offered supplies.

"Now as we were before Longbottom's interruption, you have 40 minutes…begin" ordered Snape.

A look of abject horror crossed Neville's face. Turning around he stared, eyes begging Hermione for help. Hermione was quick to act, whispering the name of the potion and page, she pushed him towards the supplies cupboard.

"Jobberknoll feathers, third self to the right" she whispered as she kept her eyes trailed at Professor Snape's stalking between the tables.

Muttering a thanks, Neville scurried towards the supply cupboard.

"Longbottom…Where do you think you are going"

Stopping dead in his tracks, his eyes locked on the figure of Snape looming behind him.

"Su..Supply..Cup..Cupboard..Uhm ss…sir" stuttered Neville

"100 points off of Gryffindor" He growled.
A roar of indication erupted from the Gryffindor's side.
"QUIET!! One more word and I will THROW ALL OF YOU in detention. Do I make myself CLEAR"

As silence rained again on the class, Snape glared menacingly back at Neville.

"As Miss. Granger saw fit to disregard my instruction…YOU will be working in front" he hissed as his long finger pointing to a solitary desk facing the entire class.

Neville gulped as he inched slowly backwards, before turning and running full speed towards the supply cupboard.

Snape sneered in disgust before turning towards the boiling mess of a potion, the product of Ron and Harry's brand of genius.

Stumbling into the supply cupboard Neville franticly searched for the Jobberknoll feathers.

Jobberknoll feathers, fifth self to the right....NO…no it was third self to the left..NO right..

His eyes blinked rapidly as they tried to adjust to the darkness shrouding half of the bottles.

"30 MINUTES" Snape voice echoed through the confines of the cupboard.

Squeaking in panic Neville rummaged around the third self to the left for the bright blue feathers. A whimper of despair escaped his lips as his hands felt nothing…no bottles. Not discouraged he stood on his tiptoes, and low and behold right there, in the back barely hidden behind a huge bottle of Aconite powder, he found one.

Grabbing the bottle, he stared at it intently. Inside the bright albeit dusty blue bottle was a whole bundle of feathers in varying sizes.

This is it...

Sighing in relief, he hurried out and grabbed his potions kit, noticing that Hermione has replaced his missing ingredients. Smiling back in thanks he edged his way to the front of the class, keeping a sharp eye on Professor Snape who was currently looking over Nott's cauldron.

Hurriedly Neville set up and started his potion. Opening his potions book to the chapter titled "Memory Potion" he gave a silent prayer to whatever God that was watching and started.

Everything went smoothly for the next 5 minutes before Snape announced that they have less ten minutes to be done.

Neville instantly panicked, he was only half way through and for once his potion was turning out decedent.

"Well Well Longbottom…your cauldron still seems intact" hissed a voice behind.

Jumping in fright Neville dropping whatever was in his hand into the cauldron. He gulped as he started at his Professor. Snape in turn sneered down at Neville as he scrutinized the potion in-front of him, seeing no fault yet he grumbled, before begin distracted by the fumes erupting from Crabbe's cauldron. With a swish of his robe Snape stalked towards Crabbe's cauldron, which was now emitting bubbles.

Sighing in relief Neville went back to work. Both of them never noticing those extra ingredients accidently added to the potion.

Time quickly passed after that.

"5 MINUTES" Shouted Professor Snape, as the last of the students started bottling their potions.

Neville stared nervously at the rest of the class then back to his potions. The damn thing wasn't boiling. Fidgeting he tried to remember what he did wrong. Maybe he added too much Jobberknoll feathers….No he didn't think so.

He remembered that after adding one of the feathers the potion turned black and in panic he threw the rest of the bundle in and for one tortuous minute, the potion stayed black, before slowly turning back to the required bright blue.

Fidgeting nervously on his feet he increased the fire under the cauldron again.

"LONGBOTTOM…. ARE YOU TRYING TO BURN THE CASTEL DOWN"

Snapping his head up Neville saw Professor Snape stalking towards him, his wand brandished. Snape muttered lightly as the blazing fire under Neville's cauldron shrunk itself into a docile state

"Explain" he hissed as he hunched over the desk.
Taking a step back in fright Neville tried to explain.

"Th..The po..potion …wa..wasn't..b..boiling..sir"

Snape muttered a curse before extinguishing the flames from under the cauldron. Towering over Neville he leaned forward and hissed threateningly

"You choose a bad day to test me Longbottom…… a month's dete… what the?" His words cut short as he felt the desk he was leaning on start to shake.
Staring amazement Neville saw some kind of grey goop swell from with in his cauldron.

"GET DOWN" roared Snap, before pushing Neville away. Half of the class dropped down, some took refuge under tables others behind chairs, as a tower of sticky goop erupted from Neville's cauldron, blasting like fierce jet and slapping mercilessly on to the ceiling.

Slowly the students started to emerge from their hiding places, clear from any globs. Neville barely got some splatters on his clothes, which by know were evaporating. Professor Snape on the other hand was covered from head to toe in grey muck.

Leaning heavily on the desk Snape tried to cough out all of the potion he swallowed during the explosion, but the mixture was coating his throat, his lungs…everything.

' SHIT SHIT SHIT ' Snape felt the concoction work its way through his body, worming in. He tried to cough, to breathe, but it was clogging everything. He tried to wipe it from his face, but it stuck like glue.

Gasping around for breath he heard someone yelling but his hearing was slowly dimming, his vision started to sway. Trying to steady himself leaned on the desk, but the grey goop made it impossible. He slipped and collapsed onto the floor, barely making out the distance sounds of people running towards him.

Raising his hands weakly….he gasped out
"StOop….call *Gasp* Pom.." Suddenly he felt his throat closing up on him, choking back his words. In panic he clawed desperately at his throat, screaming silently for help, before collapsing in a convulsing heap. Chaos surrounded him as students screamed in panic and fear.

Inscribe-sin:*grins* poor Snapey *cackles evilly* I have more torturous things lined up for you. As always your reviews are mighty appreciated.