Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it! One more chapter after this one! Also, Internal Fury will be updated soon as well!
Severus shifted his bag on his shoulder before he knocked on Professor Slughorn's office at precisely seven o'clock.
"Come in," Slughorn's voice boomed.
With a sigh Severus opened the door and stepped into the office.
"Severus," Professor Slughorn said seriously from behind his desk, "Please have a seat."
Severus sat in the chair and faced his professor.
"Please remind me why you have detention, my boy," Slughorn said, though it was obvious he knew the reason why.
"Because I reminded Lupin that Pettigrew is a poof, sir," Severus replied with an obvious sneer.
He would never have had the courage to take that kind of cheek with Professor McGonagall or any other teacher for that matter. But he knew that Slughorn was not likely to give him another detention for being fresh mouthed. However, Professor Slughorn's eyes unexpectedly widened at his answer.
"This is exactly what I am concerned about," Slughorn scolded him, "I would like to know what is going on between you and that Gryffindor lot."
Severus looked down at his feet. He didn't know how to answer Slughorn. He didn't like the professor's meddling. He was used to handling his own problems. Besides, it was embarrassing the way the four of them bullied and taunted him. He always did what he could to even the score here and there. But it was difficult to do with there being four of them and only one of him.
"Severus?" Professor Slughorn softly prompted.
"There's nothing wrong, sir," Severus mumbled, "We just don't like each other."
"Are you certain?" Slughorn asked him, "I don't want any repeat occurrences from last year."
Severus's thin, sallow cheeks flushed. He hated to think that anyone still remembered his humiliation. Slughorn shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he watched Severus squirm. His heart went out to the boy. He knew that Severus had few friends and that Potter and his gang were often unjustifiably cruel to him. The boy in front of him was too serious, too sad for being all but fifteen years old. He was determined to get to the bottom of it.
"All right, Severus," he said, throwing his firm tone to the wind, "For your detention tonight why don't you just help me begin to brew some Felix Felicis."
"Really, sir?" Severus looked up hopefully.
Detention would be quite bearable if he only had to help Slughorn with the potion, one he had been most anxious to brew anyway.
"Of course," Slughorn replied jovially, "Who else should assist me but my best student?"
Severus's cheeks glowed with pleasure. Praise was something he had never much received. Slughorn smiled then led him out of his office and into the classroom. He was glad he suggested the potion, as it seemed to please the boy. He knew Severus was having a difficult time recently, especially where James Potter and his friends were concerned. Perhaps if the boy would relax a little, he could get him to open up a bit and talk about what was troubling him. If was, after all, his job as Head of Slytherin House to make sure his students were coping well with their problems.
An hour later he was no closer to getting Severus to talk about the Gryffindors than he had been in his office. He sighed. Severus seemed to have selective hearing, especially when he tried to get him to talk about anything other than the potion. He knew if not today then someday soon he would pressure Severus to talk about it.
"You may go now, Severus," he said, releasing him against his better judgment.
"Thanks, sir," Severus replied and quickly left the classroom.
He swung his bag over his shoulder and proceeded out of the dungeons. He needed to go to the library quickly before it closed to get a book he needed for an herbology essay. He successfully located the book and checked it out just before the library closed at nine. He flipped through the book as he began to make his way back to the Slytherin Common Room. He made it to the stair landing on the first floor when something did not seem right. Just as he reached into his robes for his wand the Marauders all jumped out at him from all directions. He immediately knew that they had been waiting on him and he had walked right into their ambush. He was surrounded and they all had their wands pointed at him.
"Well, well Snivellus," James sneered, "You brave without Avery or Mulciber around?"
"Naw," Sirius jeered, "He's nothing more than a skinny, greasy git!"
"We know it was you, Snape," Remus said seriously, "We know you were the one who put nettles in James and Sirius's caldron and then made it fall on them."
Severus looked at Remus. He wondered how he could have known. He had told Professor Slughorn that he had seen nothing. Surely, if he had suspected Severus he would have piped up and told on him. His thoughts must have betrayed him on his face because Sirius gave a triumphant roar. Peter looked from Sirius to Severus with perverse anticipation, hopefully anticipating what would happen next.
"You see!" he cried to the others, "He doesn't even deny it!"
Severus quickly reached into his robe pocked and grabbed his wand. He quickly pulled it out.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Expelliarmus!"
"Expelliarmus!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Severus caught all four spells squarely in the chest. Before he could even think his wand flew from his hand and he felt himself forcefully propelled off of the landing and onto the ground floor below. A bright light flashed in his head before all went dark.
Up on the landing the four boys looked at each other with wide eyes. Severus had hit the ground floor with a sickening crunch. Peter let out a terrified squeal.
"I-I-I didn't think you all would try to disarm him too," James cried in astonishment.
But Remus was already halfway down the stairs. He ran over and knelt beside Severus's still form. Severus was face down on the floor, his head turned to the right. His breath was coming in painful wheezes.
"One of you get Professor Slughorn" Remus's panicked voice called, "I think he's really hurt."
Peter took off toward the dungeons without a word.
"No, he's not…." Sirius began then stopped when he saw the increasing crimson puddle on the floor around Severus's head.
He and James carefully approached the fallen boy. Remus looked quite frantic now but also looked afraid to touch Severus.
"Severus? Severus?" he called, trying to rouse him.
He gently placed a hand on Severus's shoulder. He looked wide eyed up at James and Sirius. James noticed that Severus's right leg was lying at an impossible angle, obviously broken. It made his stomach turn. Just then Peter returned with Slughorn huffing and puffing behind him.
"Merlin," Slughorn gasped as he sank to his knees beside Remus. The boy had just been in his office not fifteen minutes before.
He too looked afraid to touch Severus.
"Severus?" he called as he leaned down to try to peer into the boy's face, "Severus?" He looked up at the boys.
"How did he end up here?" Slughorn growled at them.
The four boys looked at each other.
"Answer me!" Slughorn uncharacteristically shouted, "How did he end up here?"
"We just cast an expelliarmus at him," Sirius said as innocently as he could.
"Get the headmaster, Black. Potter, fetch Madam Pomfrey," Slughorn ordered.
Horace turned his attention to his Slytherin. He gently attempted rousing Severus again.
"Did all of you hit him with the spell at the same time?" he asked in a grave voice.
"Yes," Pettigrew squeaked, "Then he f-f-fell off the l-l-landing."
A few moments later Dumbledore and Sirius were running into view. Dumbledore immediately went to Severus's side. He gently brushed some of Severus's dark hair out of his eyes and looked into his face the best he could. He could see blooding steadily pouring from the boy's nose and what appeared to be a gash near his hairline.
"Severus?" he called softly, "Can you hear me?"
Miraculously, Severus stirred a little at the sound of his voice. His dark eyes suddenly fluttered open and he winced in pain. A soft groan escaped from his lips and he closed his eyes again.
"Severus? Thank god!" Slughorn gasped.
Remus, Peter and Sirius looked at each other before sighing with relief that Severus was coming around. Severus whimpered again in pain.
"Try to lay still, Severus," Dumbledore said in a low, soothing voice, "I know you are in a lot of pain right now but just try to keep still."
Dumbledore looked down the boy's body and quickly surveyed the visible injuries. He obviously had fractured his leg and there was bleeding from his head injuries. But his breathing was rather abrupt and jagged. Dumbledore reached down and felt his pulse. Slughorn looked over at him.
"Weak and thready," Dumbledore murmured softly so no one else could hear.
Slughorn nodded gravely and placed a comforting hand on Severus's shoulder as he gave another pain racked gasp. Dumbledore looked over at the three boys who were looking quite scared and guilty. But Madam Pompfrey and James Potter came bursting into the room a moment later, interrupting his thoughts. James quickly joined his friends, his face grave and pale for once.
"Merlin!" the mediwitch cried out when she saw Severus.
"We were afraid to move him, Poppy," Dumbledore told her, "We don't know the extent of his injuries. He is starting to come to and is, understandably, in considerable pain."
"No, you did well, headmaster," she said as she pulled out her wand and performed a quick diagnostic spell, "The poor boy's neck and spine aren't broken so we can turn him over so I can get a better look. Be sure to mind his broken ribs, I daresay."
"Severus? We need to turn you over now," Dumbledore said in a calm tone as he reached over and helped Slughorn gently turn the boy over.
Severus didn't reply but cried out in agony as he was turned over. Hot pain seared though his right leg and his chest. It took his breath away. The room was spinning so fast and his head ached miserably.
Poppy gasped. The Marauders all quickly looked away.
"Merlin," breathed Slughorn.
Severus's thin face was already starting to swell and purple bruises and abrasions were beginning to form. Blood was still freely running from a gash near his scalp, his nose and his mouth.
"Bring him to the infirmary," Madam Promfrey said, "But he is going to have to go to St. Mungo's, especially taking that many spells to the chest."
She cast a severe, disapproving look at the Marauders. Then hurried away in the direction of the infirmary.
"Horace, please escort these boys to my office," Dumbledore said solemnly, "I will join you as soon as I see to the necessary arrangements that need to be made."
"Yes, Headmaster," Slughorn agreed.
He grunted as he stood and gestured the boys out of the room with blatant anger. Dumbledore reached down and gently lifted the thin, mangled boy to his chest. Severus cried out in torment again. Pain induced tremors wracked his body.
"Shhh," Dumbledore tried to soothe him as he carried him the short distance to the infirmary, "It's all right, Severus."
Albus gently laid him on the nearest bed. He gently reached down and patted the semi unconscious boy on the cheek as Poppy bustled up to the bed. Albus stood up and noticed that his pale blue robes were stained with the boy's blood.
"I will send an owl to his family to go to St. Mungo's," the headmaster said, "I am sure he needs to be transferred immediately."
"Yes, he will be there in minutes," Poppy replied.
Dumbledore nodded and left. He quickly sent an owl to Severus's parents before returning to his office. The four boys' eyes widened at his bloodstained robes. Dumbledore silently walked over to his desk and sat down behind it. Then he took out his wand and conjured three more chairs and motioned for them to take a seat. The Marauder's looked quite scared. They had never seen the Headmaster look so angry before.
More to Come…
I think one more chapter should finish this up. Thank you for reading and reviewing!