Hey guys! Now that I have finally got my lazy bum off my bed here is the eighth chapter.

A word of warning: Things are gonna get as weird as they can.

Thanks to JulieSnape who is truly an angel in the making! Severus salutes you Julie!

(Neville's POV)

I turned around as soon as I heard the screams. They were coming from the hospital wing.

"What was that?" (Ron)

"It came from the hospital wing." (Luna)

"Isn't that where Harry is? I hope he's OK." (Ginny)

"He would be ok if you all stop acting like idiots!" That came from Snape which startled Neville. Harry had told them of how much he had hated Harry's dad and now he was acting concerned and worried for Harry's safety.

He cocked his head curiously trying to work Snape out. Then he snapped out of it and said, "Let's go!"

They ran to the hospital wing.. Their breath hot on their faces and hearts thumping. He was wrong, they were wrong they had to be. He would kill himself if anything else happened to Harry. The boy who had taught Neville so much and had gone through so much.

How right he was.

Snape was lagging behind panting. Neville couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of his old potions professor's discomfort.

However the sight he was greeted with at the large doors made him freeze.

Was…..was t-that harry. No. he shook his head trying to clear it. Of course it wasn't Harry. However the figure standing over there laughing looked so much like the Harry he had grown to trust. The Harry who had given Neville confidence was now torturing Malfoy with the…..the c...Cruciatus curse.

His knees gave way. He was trembling from head to toe as he tried to grasp what was happening. Tears sprang up in his eyes as he imagined that would be how his parents looked as Bellatrix Lestrange had tortured them.

He heard the others approaching fast. A hand fell onto his shoulder as someone helped him up.

"What's up Neville?" Came the voice of his girl.

He pointed to the doors and buried his face into her shoulder.

Something was so off. His brain was jumbled off with crazy suspicions he had and he wondered if he had finally cracked.

"Is….is that Harry?" Ginny asked white faced pointing with shaky hands. "It can't….can't be Harry. My….our Harry w-wouldn't use the you-know-what's. This has to be some sick joke. Right Neville?"

Why did they always look at him for answers? Every since the trio had gone on the run it was like that. Now he knew how Harry felt. He lifted his head and looked Ginny in the eye.

"I don't know Gin but I have a feeling it is."

"I don't know Neville maybe it is not him. It could be a sesicent. A creature that becomes what other people love the most. The nicest, gentlest and least likely to go bad. "Luna said soothingly although I could feel her shaking.

"Luna I think I know my ex when I see him."

"Ex?" Ron asked startled, "Are you guys over?"

"Yes. For good this time."

Then Ron got angry, "You have to give him a chance Gin. If you ditch him you'll regret it. Luna's right. This is not the Harry we know and love."

Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes, "Fine Ron I'll give him a chance, his last one just for you though. You know you are my favorite brother."

"If you've finished with the cozy conversations we have a crazed psycho in the wing hurting an innocent kid. We have to do something!"

"A: Harry is not a psycho and b: Draco Malfoy is not innocent."

"Whatever."

"Why Snape have you grown fond of the boy," Neville asked with a twinkle in his eye. Ginny muffled a laugh as Ron grinned amused.

"What? I'm only doing this to save my own butt.

"Sure you are Snape. Sure you are."

(Sev's POV)

He felt their eyes on him.

"What?"

"Well what's your plan?" Ron asked arms folded.

"Plan? What plan? I never said I had any plan did I? "Severus asked weariness taking over him. More than anything he wished he was back home where he belonged. Even if they were going to expel him for what he did to Potter it would be a hell lot better than if he was here. He would be able to see his Lily's face everyday and not because….oh god! Lily….

"Great! He doesn't have a plan. What do you plan on doing Mr. Smart guy? Just strutting in there going oh hello Harry if that even is you would you mind just to stop cursing Malfoy with the cruciatus curse and tell us why the freakin' heck you're doing it in the first place!"

Severus's eyes flashed with annoyance. Why was the burden on him? Why couldn't they do anything about it. It wasn't his friend in there torturing some one but no, it was all up to him and one wrong action would have an equal and opposite reaction. More like worse than equal. They would blame him.

Behind him he heard a hollow laugh. He turned. Ginny Weasley, Potter's girl who resembled his flower so very much was laughing. He eyes were sunken as though she had been crying for a long while. Her face was a sickly waxy yellow color and she was shaking.

"Isn't any one going to do anything? Harry is down there probably possessed and no one is doing anything about it? No one has a plan? Harry nearly died trying to save me and no one has a plan?"

He stared at her with such intensity it would have had any one running. But she held her ground. If she thought she was so clever why didn't she think of something? Why were she and the rest of them relying on him to have an answer? He came to the conclusion that his older dead self had had some great elaborate plans in his time.

"Maybe Harry got a smellful of Nifflepoots. They are tiny pink furry animals with multi color eyes and if you get even a small whiff of it your worst wishes come to life."

Nifflepoots? This girl was defiantly that weird kid, Xeno Lovegood's. He shook his head. He felt another headache coming on. He couldn't stand the gryffindorks talking like ten year olds. They were seventeen for Merlin's sake. They should act their age.

Of course Potter and Black never did.

Well sorry to disappoint you all, he thought grimly, but I'm afraid I have nothing zilch…..wait. There was something however it was rather reckless and stupid. He was neither both of them but then again they were all Gryffindors so they probably were and well he had to do something for lily. He said to himself this is for lily no one else. I'm doing this to redeem myself in front of her. Hope she's watching. To redeem myself for what I said to her. So that she can take me back.

"Well I have just thought of something that…that could possibly work." He slowly said weighing out each word. The others looked up at him interested.

"Go on Snape. What's your plan?" Longbottom said twirling a piece of gravel in his hand.

"We take them by surprise. One of us goes and stuns Potter by surprise of course like sneaking up on him. He'll be too busy taking it out on the Malfoy kid that he won't notice."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Trust me I know it is."

Shit! He'd said too much already. What if they suspect him to be a death eater? He decided to just keep going.

"Any way then some one'll have to drag Potter away and some one'll have to see if Malfoy is ok."

"That's your plan?"

"Hey Ginny that does sound like a good plan from where I'm standing."

"Yeah but what if he see's us. Then that's out of the bag isn't it."

"Well we can use the clock."

"The cloak? You bought it back?"

"Course I did."

"Ok then let's do this."

"So me and Neville go for Harry and you and Snape goes for Malfoy. Oh and Luna can you go get Hermione and McGonagall."

"Sure thing Ron," Luna said and skipped away.

"Ok now let's go!"

Severus cursed under his breath. He had been half hoping they'd say no but one thing Severus knew was that Gryffindors were stupidly brave and never refused. However he wasn't brave. He was a slytherin for crying out loud. They weren't supposed to be brave.

He looked at them. They all looked as though they had come from a battle. And all looking at him.

Once Severus had actually dreamt of leading. Had been envious of those who did but now saw it for what it was. Tiring, the world on your shoulders and people who all look at you for the 'what's next?'. If you did one wrong choice they would all suffer. Especially in this case.

He gulped. Why couldn't Granger be here?

Well. What do you think? I know this hasn't led any where yet but this was necessary. Please some reviews and comments would be nice. Some constructive criticism or advice too.

Luv Miss Bella xxx