-1Title - To Consort With the Devil 11/14

Rating - PG-13/T

Disclaimer - I own none of this, it all belongs to Rowling

Spoilers - None I can think of, AU from OotP

Warnings - Discussions of suicide

Summary - Exploring boundaries

A/N - My muse has returned with the DH movies so I hope to have the rest of this posted quickly. It's been a while since I've dabbled in this fandom and story, so please forgive any inconsistencies. Many thanks to those who have patiently hung in there!

To Consort With the Devil

Chapter 11

When Snape opened his eyes next he was not surprised to see Minerva McGonagall sitting at his bedside, absorbed in grading papers as she waited for him to wake. He was content to watch his colleague for a while before the needs of his body forced him to act. Shifting in bed Snape could feel the restraining charm still in place and cleared his throat to get McGonagall's attention. The witch looked up and set aside her work.

"Good to see you awake Severus. How are you feeling?"

"Well I've obviously been better Minerva. Are you my current watchdog?"

McGonagall frowned slightly and gazed at him reprovingly over her glasses.

"Well I'm glad to see you haven't lost your scathing wit and yes, it is my hour to keep you company. The Headmaster will be arriving shortly."

"Ah. Any chance of losing this charm so I can use the washroom?" asked Snape as he tested the limits of his confinement. McGonagall hesitated, searching Snape's face for any sign of deception before nodding and waving her wand to disable the charm.

"I will not hesitate to stun you at any sign of trouble Severus so please don't try. Let me check the main ward to make sure it's clear first."

While McGonagall opened the door of the secret room and checked the main ward, Snape gingerly sat up in bed and slowly stretched his body, checking his own healing progress. There were some residual aches and pains and his hands were still bandaged but overall it was nothing he couldn't handle. He ruthlessly pushed down the blood craving that had taken root in his heart and waited for McGonagall's all clear. The witch nodded and returned to his side to help him to his feet.

"Don't want the children knowing what a monster their potions professor has become right Minerva?" Snape asked bitterly as they made the slow journey through the empty infirmary to the washroom.

"Nonsense Severus," tsked McGonagall "You've always seem to have been a monster to them."

Snape snorted and they exchanged grins in the shadows.

"The Headmaster does not wish your return to become widely known until plans have been put in place for your safety. The longer we can keep your, ah, transformation from the Ministry the better, although we fear they may know soon." McGonagall explained. They reached the washroom and she opened the door for him. "There is nothing in there you can use to harm yourself; let me know when you are finished."

Snape nodded his thanks and shuffled into the washroom, closing the door securely behind him. Despite McGonagall's admonishments, he couldn't help but sweep his eyes around the small room looking for anything that he could use for harm, seeing nothing but maybe the mirror on the wall. He shut his eyes against the temptation and took care of business. It was only after he washed his hands that he dared to look at the mirror again. Expecting to see the hideous countenance of a murderer, Snape was surprised to see his own normal face gazing back at him. He had the same hooked nose, the same stringy black hair, even the same perpetual frown. His skin was a bit paler around the vivid bruises and his eyes were a bit more haunted over the dark circles of exhaustion. It's only when he opened his mouth that the changes began to register.

His new sharp fangs, keener senses and when he felt past his self-healing powers he could sense the coiled strength of a predator ready to hunt and kill.

Sudden, hot anger at his situation rushed through him and before he was quite aware of what he was doing, Snape smashed a fist into the mirror, sending shards across the washroom and though the bandages on his hand.

"Severus! What is going on?" exclaimed McGonagall as she burst into the room a second later, wand drawn. Her eyes took in the broken mirror, Snape's bloody knuckles and the way he was braced over the sink and thought the worst. She waved her wand, the beginnings of a stunning spell on her lips, when Snape raised up and displayed his empty hands.

"NO! Wait! It's not what you're thinking!"

"I'm thinking it was a mistake to leave you on your own! Explain yourself!"

Snape grimaced and knew how poor this situation looked. He had to try and convince McGonagall though.

"I unfortunately let my temper get the best of me and took it out on my reflection." answered Snape wearily. The anger had left him as suddenly as it had arrived and he was left shaky and drained, pain radiating up his still healing hand. "I assure you it will not happen again."

McGonagall studied him over the tip of her outstretched wand before deciding Snape was being truthful and putting away her wand with a sharp nod.

"I should hope not. Now let's get you back to bed and I'll fetch Poppy to look at your hand."

The return journey was made in silence and Snape was left with his thoughts while McGonagall went to find the nurse. So absorbed in his own misery was Snape, that he had not noticed he was no longer alone until a voice asked,

"Have an accident in the washroom did we?"

Snape looked over to see Dumbledore settling himself in the bedside chair, blue eyes gazing at him curiously. An urge to justify his actions to his mentor came over Snape and he looked down to study the bloody and ruined bandages.

"That's all it was - an accident. I wasn't trying to harm myself. I became…angered at the sight in the mirror and overreacted. That's all."

Dumbledore hummed knowingly and said,

"Well, we will just have to teach the mind and heart to accept the image in the mirror my dear."

McGonagall's return with Madame Pomfrey interrupted any further discussion and Snape's hand was tended to with minimal chastisement on the nurse's part. The witches shared a few quiet words with Dumbledore and left.

"No restraining charm?" asked Snape as he settled back under the blankets.

"Do you need one?" returned Dumbledore.

Snape realized what a gesture of faith the Headmaster was giving him, even after the incident in the washroom. Grateful and determined not to abuse this trust Snape shook his head and tried to find a comfortable position for sleep. Dumbledore reached into his robes and removed a pile of correspondence and a quill, settling down to answer his mail. Snape didn't think sleep would come easily after the events of the evening but he was surprised to feel himself drifting off, quill scratching steadily in the background.

Snape was ready to be discharged a few days later with instructions from Pomfrey to take it easy with his hands until they were fully healed. But a discharge came with its own set of problems. The students and a majority of the faculty did not know their former Potions instructor was in the castle and they were fortunate no one had discovered the infirmary's secret occupant. Snape's replacement, a nervous old witch from St. Mungo's, was currently occupying his old quarters so he could not return to the dungeons and guest quarters were too close to the Gryffindor common room to be safe. The solution actually came from Snape himself.

"What about one of the abandoned towers? There are a few that are still habitable and far enough from nosy students to be safe." said Snape to the group that had gathered in his recovery room.

"A good idea Severus, but I think it would be better if you weren't so far away in case an emergency should arise." replied Dumbledore.

"Are we sure there are no unused dungeons? Surely the children don't venture too far down there?" McGonagall added.

"There are, but again they are too isolated to be of use to us." Dumbledore answered. His eyes twinkled as he looked to Snape thoughtfully. "However there is room in the Headmaster's tower for an expansion of a suite of rooms. Severus will be safe there and faculty and Order members are always coming and going from my office so no suspicion will be aroused."

Snape could find no fault with this plan and he was moved into a nice set of rooms off the Headmaster's office later that night. All of his personal possessions had been brought up from the dungeons to make the rooms familiar and comfortable and Snape was secretly pleased that he had a place to come to terms with everything and actually think about the future now that he had one. Fawkes the phoenix would warble out a warning if unapproved visitors were on their way to Dumbledore's office so Snape felt secure enough to spend a few days reading and getting caught up with the latest developments in the war against Voldemort.

A week after he left the infirmary Snape was settled in an armchair in Dumbledore's main office, fire blazing in the hearth and book on blood based potions open in his lap. He had reluctantly given into the need for blood earlier that day and had carefully killed and drained several rats to satisfy the urge. The animal blood had helped although it had not been what his heart was craving and he was desperate to find an alternative before it needed bigger prey. Dumbledore and Fawkes were away on Order business and Snape was taking advantage of the quiet and lack of a guardian to read through some of the rarer books in Dumbledore's private library.

With his curiosity piqued by a fascinating chapter on dragon's blood infusions and their effectiveness on blood disorders, Snape was gripped by a great desire to begin tests with this potential alternative immediately. As the necessary ingredients and tools to begin a preliminary infusion were down in the potions dungeon, Snape eyed the exit to Dumbledore's office and debated the risks and rewards of a nighttime excursion. Surely there would be no one roaming the halls this late at night and he knew exactly where everything he needed would be; he could be down to the dungeons and back up to the Headmaster's office in a matter of minutes.

Snape made his decision and began to stealthily make his way through the castle sticking to shadows and empty hallways always keeping an eye out for Mr. Filch and Mrs. Norris. Luck was with him as reached the dungeons and found the Potions classroom unlocked. He began to load a copper cauldron with some basic potion making tools before moving over to the ingredient cupboard. Engrossed in trying to decide between powdered or dried leeches, Snape did not hear the sound of someone shuffling into the room until they screamed.

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRGH!"

Startled, Snape dropped both jars and shielded his sensitive eyes against the bright light coming from the end of someone's wand. With no wand to defend himself and no reason to explain his presence in the castle Snape could only meet the horrified eyes of the potions witch from St Mungo's as she yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!"

Snape fell rigidly to the floor and could only stare at the ceiling, listening to the harsh panting of the witch. After a heart-pounding minute she finally appeared in his line of sight, trembling as she looked him over then she gave a great gasp in fright as she noticed his vampire fangs. He saw her frown and then she disappeared, shuffling in the direction of the office next door. Snape's stomach gave a lurch as he saw the flash of green floo power and she called out,

"Ministry of Magic, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!"

TBC

Next Chapter - Policies and Politics