A/N: SPOV

Severus had revived the young Ravenclaw, and understood her natural reticence for trusting him at a time like this. Try a different tactic, then.

"Do you remember your name, girl?" He knew to try and be as gentle as possible right now.

She nodded as Severus healed the bite wound and saw that it wouldn't leave a scar. "Orla."

Severus nodded once. "Very well, Miss Quirke. Now, I'm going to take you back to the Hospital Wing, so please hold on while I apparate us to the front gates of Hogwarts." He swooped her up into his arms, and she fastened her arms around his neck. It felt horribly paternal, and he recognized that it was his own biological clock ticking away that was urging him to have children.

Apparating to the front gates of Hogwarts, he was amazed that she didn't seem nauseated in the least. He recalled Flitwick telling him something about her doing well in Quidditch tryouts. As he ascended the stairwells to the Hospital Wing, he wasn't surprised to see his Nymphadora attempting to refuse treatment as Poppy was sending a student through the Floo Network. His Nymphadora? He filed that thought away for later.

"...she was unresponsive to every spell I could use, and can only attribute it to some sort of spell damage." Poppy's head was in the fire, and her voice was high-strung. Minerva had seen the girl off to St. Mungo's and beckoned Severus to follow her.

"Minerva, there was an attack in the Shrieking Shack, and I wanted to be sure that..." Severus began, but was cut off at once by the Tartan-clad woman.

"One disaster at a time, Severus! Poppy can tend to them; I need your expertise with this."

Severus and Minerva went over to where the Golden effing Trio were standing sheepishly with a carefully wrapped necklace. Severus' eyes were starting to blink away the red vision, but there was enough for him to be able to ascertain enough details from this. It was definitely Dark, as well as cursed. Katie Bell would be lucky to survive for having barely touched it.

Harry had accused Draco of putting the Imperious Curse on the girl to deliver it to Hogwarts, but his godson had an alibi of doing detention with Minerva. Severus realized that his ability to protect the lad was becoming much more difficult with every reckless attempt to assassinate the Headmaster.

"Severus, see to it that this curse gets nullified or that the necklace be destroyed." Minerva said with a finality, dismissing him and returning to the Hospital Wing.

Where is that doddering old man Albus when you need him? He asked himself, securing the item in a cloth wrapper and stuffing it into a pocket. He wanted to see if Nymphadora was okay, but found his way blocked by none other than Remus Lupin.

"Severus, I'd like to have a word with you." Lupin looked as shabby as ever, but his nostrils flared as something hit his senses.

"Have an entire sentence, if you must. I need to check on..." He was cut off by Lupin.

"Madame Pomfrey is doing her best and will do better without your hovering over her." What is it with me not being able to finish a sentence around here? Lupin's voice held a threatening level to it.

"My, Lupin, I hadn't known it was that time of the month for you again already." Severus bared his teeth at the werewolf, the last vestiges of his pink vision bleeding out of his eyes. A bloody red tear ran down his cheek defiantly.

"I had wondered how you were able to single-handedly kill a vampire in the middle of a feeding frenzy. Here I thought you simply goaded him to his own demise. You're good at doing that, aren't you? Slithering away from any guilt or remorse for those who lay dead at your feet?"

Severus stepped closer to Lupin, letting him get a full whiff of the Brimstone that was escaping his body. "I tire of this banter, Moony. It was so much better when I was being bullied four against one. At least then I was able to prove that I was four times the Wizard than any of you."

Lupin tried a different tactic. "Last time we saw each other, Severus, you were almost civil with me. Well, as civil as we can expect from a cowardly snake like you. Tell me, is this some sort of side effect from your potion abuse?"

Severus sneered, the blood drop entering the corner of his mouth, causing his eyes to momentarily flare red once more.

"I made a promise to a lady."

Lupin looked at him with shrewd, calculating eyes. "Is that what you're calling it these days? It's a shame James isn't here to see your downward spiral. Oh, wait, you betrayed him and Lily to your Master, didn't you? Tell me, what's it like to have been responsible for the death of someone you owed a Life Debt to? I may be a werewolf, but at least I'm not going from twice to thrice damned."

"Is this where you tell me to stay away from your woman?" Severus sneered, "Because I don't see any collar on her stating 'Property of Remus Lupin. If found, kindly delouse her whenever possible.'"

Lupin's eyes narrowed at the mention of Nymphadora. "She's nobody's chattel. And if I had to say that to you, she wouldn't be mine. All the same Snape, stay away from my woman."

Severus burned to fire off a vicious retort, but his body was overtaxed and his skin was starting to itch in need of rest. He knew soon he would have the skin-crawling sensation and would rather be unconscious for that part.

Back in his room, he uncorked his bottle of Scotch and poured himself a generous measure as he drank for the welcoming oblivion that was fast approaching.