A/N: ah forgot I need to excuse myself for all the grammar/spelling errors...so sry it was written in a rush X3 needed to update, y'know? and all the ideas that's been filling my head lately XD dunno if I chose the right ones or not...gaah never mind go on with the story ;)

Wake Up

Chapter 10: From this moment on

He wasn't the type of person to whish for the pain to stop, nor actually voicing it. "One day, it will be the death of you", he remembered someone telling him. Who, he couldn't recall at this moment. He was busy trying to keep himself conscious long enough to see if that bastard had gotten a hold of Tonks, or if the Aurors had made it in time.

Sharp, slightly un-focused black eyes scanned his surroundings once more. His arms were strained; being held up high into the air by magic and keeping him from collapsing on the ground. Voldemort, in all his glory, was walking around him idly while tapping his thin fingers along the black wood of his wand. This indicated that his patience was running thin. Nott and Malfoy were running late, and the Dark Lord didn't take lightly on having to wait.

A step from perfection. Loss of control because of Dumbledore and "that woman"? Severus gritted his teeth, blood being pressed out through them and dripping down his chin. How, indeed, did that woman get to him? Normally, he wouldn't admit this was true and certainly not consider pondering about it. But right now, his weakened mind was in the type of chaos he hadn't known for years. Still he managed to keep up a barrier around his thoughts, and only let the darker and more sinister thoughts slip out. Voldemort was, after all, the hardest person to try and fool. Even Dumbledore would be easier, if it wasn't for the old man's unnatural ability to read into your character and determinate with frightening accurately if you were trustworthy or not. Breathing in with a wheezing kind of noise causing him great pain, which only meant broken ribs, Severus began a slow progress to calm his nerves. Voldemort was inches from losing every ounce of patience and if he blamed Severus…well, that wouldn't be a pretty sight.

"My Lord!" the voice of Lucius Malfoy startled Severus from his quiet and painful existence and he barely managed to choke down on a gasp. Lucius seemed to be slightly out of breath, and though he couldn't see his face due to the mask, Severus could imagine the distress written clearly all over his handsome face.

"The woman wasn't there; it seems as if the Aurors came before us." At this statement Voldemort's pacing and tapping was abruptly stopped. His red eyes seemed to flash before he lifted his wand and caught a kneeling Malfoy and Nott in his wicked curses. Severus suppressed a smirk as he watched the eldest Malfoy writher in pain. It'd been a while since Voldemort punished the blonde in front of his dark eyes, but here he was looking down at an old friend and enemy feeling a sick kind of contempt he had begun to fear long ago.

"Lucius," Voldemort hissed, towering over his victims with his red eyes glowing once again and his nostrils flaring. "Weren't you fast enough, my dear Lucius? Was it not a simple enough task for you to complete?"

"M..master, I beg of you to forgive me," Lucius began, panting heavily on the ground. "Perhaps I wasn't fast enough, but my Lord, please, what if it was planned? Severus could've set it up!"

Severus froze. The beating sound of his heart in his ears quickened and the world seemed to stop. A though went through his mind then, 'Is this it?'. Ignoring the desperate tone Lucius were using, focusing only on his Lord, Severus allowed himself a frown. He wasn't aware of the composed image he was displaying; perhaps he was too used to this acting to know its effects in situations like these.

"Tsk, Malfoy, that won't get you out of this," Voldemort sneered. Nott seemed to have been forgotten, Severus noted as relief washed over him for a second, but he was soon proved wrong as two raw screams hit his ears.

Several moments later, Voldemort turned to face Severus. His skeleton body moved if not gracefully, then at least smoothly, towards him. The dark-haired man had a sinking feeling that this would seal his fate somehow.

"It seems, my dear Severus, that the Metamorphmagus got away. If it was because of you, or something you did, Snape, then I am going to find out. But for now, it was just Dumbledore who worked his magic once again," the Dark Lord drawled before finally coming to a stop right before Severus dangling body. Thin, inhuman lips turned down in a frown. "But, these turn of actions has slowed the progress of my plan. What to do now, Severus?"

Severus tried his best not to flinch away from the cold touch as Voldemort's fingers took a hold of his sharp chin and titled his head to the side. Red eyes scanned his pale features, making the man shiver in disgust.

"Maybe I should remove you from Hogwarts and that old man's lap? Yess, that would be the easiest solution. But then again; I've never liked the easy way out, when something this fun of a challenge has occurred, have I?" he continued in a low hiss that could resemble a whisper. Severus pressed his bleeding lips together and breathed heavily through his nose, trying so hard to not pass out. Loss of blood, pain and uncontrolled emotions and thoughts had his power diminishing swiftly.

"Hn," Voldemort snorted, cold eyes glittering in the dark. His bony fingers tightened around his chin as he jerked Severus' head back to face him entirely. Whatever nails the creature before him possessed ripped at his bruised skin as he dragged his thumb along his jawline before speaking again. "From this moment on, Severus, you'll be working with me to finally destroy the senile old man at that blasted school. Perhaps going after Potter was a bad thing to do, with him alive, since it's progressing so slowly. But with him out of the way, Potter will be an easy target, no? You've said it yourself many times. The boy's useless and weak."

Finally, Severus thought, the chilly contact was broken. Slightly dazed and struggling to keep panic at bay, Severus' black eyes met the red ones of his master. He wasn't free of him, even though he'd turned his back on him secretly, and he couldn't refuse him any orders. For a moment, something he'd forbidden himself to consider again, flashed through his mind. Yes, perhaps that was for the best. Perhaps….no, Dumbledore needed to know. He needed to know everything, and the last thing he should is to take matters in his own hands. But…maybe, just maybe, he could take this monster on with his own power. Nudge Potter in the right direction, make things happen, take action. Dark magic against dark magic…would it be easier that way?

As he stared at the man before him, his numb mind began to form a plan. He knew it was wrong, knew he would dismiss the finished plot as soon as he come to his senses, but what harm would it do in his mind? No one but him would know he dared to consider this, knowing he would betray more than one if he should put it into action, rushing to his death as blindly as a noble knight or rather a desperate creature that has had enough of life's downsides.

No one but him.

Yes, it's alright, he thought. No one but me…like before.

Whatever had kept him from collapsing suddenly disappeared, and he let his eyes close in what felt like slow motion. Like a leaf falling from a high tree, he slowly made his way towards the ground; already blacked out but clinging to life desperately out of reflex. He had to inform Dumbledore. He had to inform Dumbledore. He had to report…

"Albus?" Minerva McGonagall called out softly. Well, as softly as he strict voice would allow her. The old man by his desk snapped out of whatever musing he had been in and met her gaze with crystal clear blue eyes. A slight smile tugged at his lips as he sat up straighter and motioned for her to sit down in his usual warm and friendly way.

"Yes, m'dear?" he answered as she took the seat opposite of him. She frowned and folded her hands in her lap, ready to break the news.

"Severus has been found in the forest, right outside the school's ground," she stated, spine rigid as she remembered the sight of her colleague on the centaur's back. Observing her old friend before her, she saw how the warmth drained from his eyes and the wrinkles around his mouth and eyes took on a worried look.

"I didn't feel the barrier waver….right outside the school's ground in the forest, you say? How did you find him?" he asked as he stood and walked towards the door. Minerva followed suit and pursed her lips before answering.

"A centaur came carrying him on his back; Filch spotted them on his rounds around the castle." Dumbledore nodded as he stepped down the stairs, his pace fast and steady.

"I trust he's in the hospital wing?" McGonagall shook her head slightly, knowing he couldn't see, before answering with a no. He turned his head slightly and frowned.

"He's on his way Albus. Poppy and Hagrid are taking him there now as we speak. He's badly hurt, from several dark spells and curses, so they are carrying him without magic just in case. Poppy will need to examine him properly before risking any permanent side affects," she explained quickly, hurrying her own pace to walk beside the man and placing a calming hand on his shoulder.

"I just hope nothing has gone wrong," Albus mused. "In mind or body alike."

A/N: review? even though I've been a bad author? -puppy eyes-