Snape walked down the street quickly, he needed to get away just in case the ministry decided to check out the unusual amount of magic. The boy didn't have his wand so it would be legal, but it was still quite a bit. He looked at his wand. He'd need sage oil, just in case. It wouldn't wipe the wand's memory, nothing was powerful enough for that, but it would definitely make reading past spells a bit hazy. Especially the farther back they were. He'd just have to cast a lot of mundane spells in the meantime. Easily enough done.

Snape turned the corner. He'd need an apothecary. He may not be able to increase the potency of his old potion, but he could perhaps find something that would alleviate or remove the symptoms of addiction that would surely rear their head soon.

Perhaps a book on wandless magic was in order as well, or a book on the energies involved in it. His best recourse in obtaining blood would be that new blood replenisher. St. Mungo's would send some to Poppy soon enough, along with the recipe and he could easily make some. Recreating that exact potion from the mess that that student had made, only going on the base and his blood, without knowing at what point the potion was at, or what wrong ingredient or stirring method or preparation method or…. it would take months. He had started but had only made it through forty one of the possible two hundred and fifty three variations.

However it could take just as long for Saint Mungo's to reverse engineer and then stringently test the potion. If he had the blood sample he could do it five times faster. However… There was no way he'd be able to get inside the hospital and not set off alarms without his medallions or lotions showing him as alive.

That would all have to wait. His current problem was the energy addiction. He had no idea if he was more or less susceptible to it. He had been drinking false blood for nigh on 10 years, but he had also gained near 400 false years. He would have no trouble finding regular food out here, but the addiction possibility was not a pleasant one. Although considering what, or rather who, he was addicted to right now he wasn't sure he'd be able to become addicted to anyone less powerful, and there were few more powerful than Dumbledore. A small boon perhaps.

How did regular vampires deal with this? He pondered the question as he walked. Perhaps by eating muggles and being around wizards, or just not caring if they killed their meal every time. By eating frequently, subtly? Building up an immunity over the years? Having donors that were tested beforehand?Snape shuddered at that thought. Although, while not as satisfying, perhaps a donor providing a meal in a vial wouldn't be so bad. But the thought of anyone he knew willingly letting him feed off of them directly, knowing he needed them? Not counting the pleasure or pain feeding could induce. It all sounded horrid.

Perhaps he could find a way to figure out just what his threshold for being addicted was… However, that could put others at risk… unless he found a way to distill the energy he needed out of the blood and then remove any traces of the 'person'. As far as he knew that was impossible.

He turned another corner and sighed. He needed information. The biggest source of books on the subject would be the place they would be searching for him, and have sensors up for his arrival. The next biggest town with multiple bookstores that might carry such items was very far away indeed.

He could floo he supposed, but there were sometimes charms in public floo points to detect undead. They didn't stop him from using them, but there would be a record. Apparate? He hadn't been to the bookstore in Kettleblack for near a decade, he was not familiar enough with it to apparate. He'd have to request a portkey, there would be a record of that. No he'd have to take the knight… there'd be a record of that too. He'd have to take Muggle transportation. Or fly. On a broom. For over a day.

No. It was far enough that in an emergency one of his allies would not reach him in time. Far enough away that by the time he got there he might be suffering from his new addiction and unable to use any book he bought. Even if it was next to the famous Potcalin Apothecary, it wasn't worth it.

Well, even if he went to where his colleagues were surely looking, they still had to catch him. And he knew the back streets like only a spy on the losing side could.

To Diagon Alley.

And with a pop he was gone.

As Snape landed amongst the late evening shoppers he transfigured the raincoat back into his robes. He slid in amongst a larger group in the stream of people that was headed toward Flourish and Blotts. He might as well start with the basics. They'd expect him to go to the more erudite and expensive shops that held rarer items first after all. Not the basics of wandless magi-

His step faltered. He could smell something. Through the mix of evening fare and perfumes he smelled something familiar.

His face darkened with displeasure at his discovery. Minerva was here. He made a hard right. Of course she'd be in the main section of Diagon Alley. Dumbledore would only trust the best to manage an area that might be open to the public. Maybe he was trying to tempt him. Fortunately he was over that addiction, and onto the next.

Snape sniffed the air once again. Dumbledore wasn't here. He frowned, upset and also relieved. If he smelled that man at all it might trigger something. He didn't want to take the chance. He needed to focus. If he could just get to the bookstore.

No, the cat's smell was getting stronger as he walked. She was catching up, somehow. He turned down a small alley between houses where the Ministry vanished trash once a week. He walked a few moments, confirming its vacancy, and then with a quick leaping spell headed for the rooftops. Once there he took a deep breath and tried to pinpoint the cat.

His face sported a dour grimace at the information his crooked nose returned to him.

He could smell them, all of them. Every faculty member of Hogwarts that knew about his condition was here. Sprout with her decidedly earthen aroma was… three blocks away. Poppy and her mild pepper smell was four down to the left and behind him, Hagrid was six off to the right…Hooch was…Snape dropped off the roof and ducked down into a different alley. Hooch was above.

He walked while he continued his olfactory survey, turning seemingly randomly in the maze of back streets. He could smell the D.A.D.A professor to the left and sneered and kept walking. The fool barely knew how to cast protego let alone teach it. He doubted they would recognize him if he wore anything other than his normal robes they stayed so far away from him. The pusillanimous putrescence was so afraid of him, a… well he couldn't really call himself benign any more, but still how Dumbledore convinced the fool to come was beyond him.

The Potions Master turned right again at the smell of rose water, the heavy scent preceded Aurora. He turned left at the smell of hot sauce, Kettleburn doused his robes in it to prevent unwanted chewing from his creatures. Snape curled the corner of his mouth in his customary near smile. He could do this for hours.

—

Snape was not happy. He had indeed been evading them for ten hours now. He could do it for longer but it was growing tiresome. They seemed to be taking shifts, they had started that seven hours ago. He should have at least found a half hour's respite to go through a small bookstore or apothecary if there were fewer of them to cover the whole of Diagon Alley, and yet he hadn't had five minutes to himself. How they were tracking him so well was… The Potion Master paused, then turned into an alley with a thought weighing heavily on his shoulders. In the dim light he patted himself down and after a good minute frowned as his hand drew something from a small rip in the seam in his robe.

A gold galleon. As he turned it in the light it shimmered with magic. A tracking spell. With enough matching locator coins they could triangulate his position. If he was far away it would take hours, they only showed direction after all. With multiple teachers trying to find him, this close…

He frowned, and then his lip twitched upward. With a flick his wand was in his hand pointing at the coin.

"Fragmentum." The coin flew into the air and shattered in a small flash of light. Another spell sent the fragments of the spell laiden coin in 7 directions. And they wouldn't even know they were chasing different targets.

Now, the hunters would become the hunted. He stopped and shook his head. No, he came out here to find a solution. But...This would be the perfect chance to indoctrinate more people into his own little order… No. That was a hunger driven fantasy, the red mist tugging at his mind. But he could at least test his skills further. Now that he wasn't starving or in the throes of addiction he wasn't liable to kill someone he could- No, he needed answers for… He sniffed the air. The smell of flowery cologne and gold dust. Flitwick.

A, quite literal, small snack wouldn't be remiss. One's mind always worked better on a full stomach. His gut and veins ached lightly at the thought. He hadn't eaten in almost a day. He could feel it, it was ignorable, easily. But he had quite unequivocally said that he would not tolerate anyone following him. This would send his message loud and clear. Besides, Poppy always made sure she was stocked with blood replenisher. It wasn't like his colleagues could hate him anymore after this, especially if they knew what had happened to Dumbledore and Minerva. At least this way they wouldn't fall to the other option, pity.

Snape halted his train of thought. This was the red mist, again. These excuses being put forth to 'allow' his behavior. He pushed it away and tried to really consider the consequences. What would happen if he actually did this? He wouldn't kill the man. He might be hated more. Ostracized more. He saw absolutely no problem with that. Mainly, and he could admit this to himself silently, he wanted to eat dammit. He had an 'excuse' now. As soon as this was over he'd be back to, most likely, something far less satisfying. He could take advantage of the mental turmoil his colleagues supposed he was in. They did not know the actual extent. The fact that he was also unsure of the actual extent as well was besides the point. It would only be able to be examined after the fact after all. One couldn't know they were insane until they were no longer insane.

Now, the moral dilemma. Would this traumatize the man? Possibly. Flitwick had a weak stomach. Snape could make him forget, but that was a moral study in and of itself. Of course, if his actions were discovered it would only cement his colleagues' distrust in him, which could only be good for his spying career. If any side trusted him too much, the other would become suspicious. He could find no downsides.

But could he live with himself if he did this? He thought for a moment, long and hard about things he regretted, things that kept him up at night. Things he had done because he had wanted to and now despised himself for it. Things he had done despite not wanting to and despised himself for them anyway. Yes… he could live with himself.

Would he be happy? Undisturbed by his psyche?

Was he ever? In the long run, was he ever? But for brief shining moments… Still… It was a dangerous path to think 'what is one more sin to a damned man?' But was he damned because of this action specifically? Something he needed to do to survive? To stay sane? Of course the act was vile, he was attacking another person. But what sane person would willingly offer up themselves as food just so he, an ex Death Eater spy laden with sin, could 'live'?

Very few. None that he could actually drink from. Minerva and Albus were out after all.

And he was hungry. It wasn't imperative, but it felt essentially as if he had missed lunch and it was almost dinner time. Peckish was the word he supposed.

And he had a valid excuse! His lack of mental fortitude was a valid excuse, even if he was battling quite well at the moment. However, using that excuse meant admitting he had a lack of mental fortitude. How many of them knew about his current state?

It was besides the point. He knew this was wrong, but he wanted it. Why did he always end up wanting the wrong things!? Of course the thought came back again; was it wrong for him to want to eat? Not really. The complicated part was that what he ate happened to be living.

The question essentially was, could he do this, and leave both his victim and himself not too much worse for wear? And of course, could he control the red mist and not take things too far? He steeled himself. A small meal wouldn't hurt anyone.

He felt the red fog shudder at this and he pushed it away once again. At least he knew this acceptance and plan was fully, or at least mostly, his own.

Decided in his course of action, the spy skirted walls and walked with purpose down the streets and around corners. The smell of cologne got stronger with each turn, and a heartbeat grew louder as well. Soon he could tell the diminutive professor was around the corner, smell that hint of gold. He turned one last time in the maze of streets and looked at the back of his fellow teacher.

The suit the man sported was different from the one earlier that day. It was dark blue with thin yellow pinstripes that seemed vibrant even in the dark. The man was walking slowly forward, almost aimlessly, although Snape doubted that it was so.

The spy was as quiet as only the dead can be as he closed in on the unwary man. Despite that, Flitwick's gait shifted suddenly. Then he halted in his tracks.

Snape did as well.

"Proximity charm?" Queried Snape, knowing he'd been sensed.

"Exactly. Hello Severus." Affirmed Flitwick, turning around, although no smile graced his normally cheery face.

"Professor." Snape replied.

"We're here to bring you back, there are aurors about." Flitwick said in a helpful voice as Snape sneered.

"I avoided you, I can quite easily avoid them."

"And yet here you are, found." He squeaked.

"You're quite mistaken, I found you." Severus took a step forward but found his foot held to the stone with a sticking hex. He looked at his ex-teacher with annoyance. "Really? I'm not a student anymore, Filius."

Flitwick's eyes widened briefly as Snape melted into mist and barreled forward. Flitwick's wand came out in a flash and the duel began.

"Solify!"

Snape couldn't dodge the spell as a bulky mist. It hit his gaseous form right in the center and he fell, solid, through the air. He landed crouched in two feet, then redirected the momentum to jump up and continue forward, casting a spell of his own.

"Muffliato!"

The charms professor raised a brow at the decidedly not duel oriented spell. It had taken a while but the professors had eventually learned of Snape's spell, though that had not impeded its usefulness.

"Odd choice there. Somortus!" The spell blasted out, a line of blue smoke tinged with black feathers, but Snape jumped to the left, easily sidestepping it. "Everyone else will be here in moments! Crepusculum radiorum! You don't have time! Impotens! A muffled area won't really help."

Snape parried the spell, sending it off to the side in a shower of sparks, then twisted in the air to avoid the second and second spell, moving ever closer.

"I have all the time in the world. And all I have to do is reach you. Torpens!"

"Protego duo! Reach me? Obstupescere! You can't be serious? You do remember that I am a master duelist?"

"Over thirty years ago." Snape dismissively reminded as he walked forward, deflecting spells and dodging attacks. Despite his lackadaisical front, this might be a challenging duel indeed.

Flitwick waved his wand in a circle and ended the motion with a flick, causing the numerous pebbles from old cobblestone fragments to hover for a moment before turning dark and streaking at Snape.

With a wave of his own wand the black slivers of obsidian melted and swirled around the Potions Master before flying back at the Charms Professor as a long chain. A single slash through the air from Flitwick sent the liquidy chain falling to the ground in a splash.

"Really? I thought you were just attempting to capture me." Questioned Snape as he threw a wall of fog filled with screaming faces at the small man.

"And I thought you were attempting to avoid capture!" Parried Flitwick as the wall turned into a rain of silver which Snape blew away with a half figure eight motion and a thought.

Spells ricocheted off walls, shattered stone, splashed against piles of crates. Each man was skilled, but Snape was moving ever forward.

"You should, in all theory, be running if you wish to avoid capture. Expelliarmus!"

"Repercussu. Langlock."

Flitwick was sweating a bit as Snape approached. The closer he got the less reaction time Flitwick had. Snape seemed to be having no trouble though, wand moving in a blur. Flitwick's, on the other hand, trembled slightly as he waved it. "Repercussu… Unless you aren't here to avoid capture."

Severus' face remained unchanged, but somehow through the lack of response the charms Professor seemed to infer a lot.

"Oculutimoris!" Snape's wand made a horizontal arc before slashing down in a diagonal.

Flitwick's eyes narrowed at the spell but bounced off his shield, returning to its sender. They had left the boundaries of approved dueling. Dark magic, true dark magic, was not usually allowed. Spells that even had the slightest possibility of driving a person insane were rather frowned upon. This was no longer a duel, this was a fight.

Snape on the other hand had been confident that the man before him would parry the spell. It was not a hard spell to counter and it was more intended to show his seriousness than actually hit the man. As Snape saw his opponent's eyes narrow he knew his point had gotten across. He let the ricocheting spell hit him, with seemingly no effect. The Ravenclaw's face quickly went from concern, to horror, to curiosity.

"Strange. You should be seeing rather terrifying visions. Or at least be tinged with-"

"What could it possibly show me that I haven't seen, or done?" Said Snape clinically, half interested in a possible answer.

The sorrow and pity Flitwick clearly felt were quickly tempered with those last two words, and Snape did not get a verbal response. A pride of fiery lions leapt from the small man's wand, prowling towards the vampire. Snape just sliced his wand through the air sending a torrent of water through them and they started to dissipate. A quick wave from Filius brought them back, their edges intangible as they moved towards their quarry as scalding steam.

Severus walked forward, unconcerned now that burning flames didn't threaten him. Flitwick's wand hand shook harder as he watched Snape's skin blister and his robes and flesh tear under steamy claws. Snape didn't seem to notice them, skin starting to heal after each swipe. The Charms Professor threw a bolt of red at his opponent but was blocked when one of his lions was thrown in front of the spell and exploded. This happened again, and again, until the pride was no more, and then the spell slinging once again came from both sides.

Back and forth they went until Snape was less than five meters away. Flitwick now had little time to go on the offensive against the very quick vampire.

"Expelliarmus!"

The shield charm went up, and Flitwick's wand stayed firmly in his grasp. Flitwick started to cast but Snape was faster and sent a white bolt his way. The Charms Professor abandoned the offensive once again in favor of blocking. The spell rebounded and Snape ducked, the bolt of light missing by millimeters. Both professors' eyes were unwavering and focused on their target. Both trying to subdue rather than kill. Both decidedly not interested in what would result from the other's success.

Ropes flew out of Snape's wand only to be burnt and the ashes blown back at Snape, who ignored them. Neither one was talking at all anymore, they were too close for verbal spells.

Flitwick tried once more to go on the offensive, starting to cast a quick freezing charm before he let go of the Protego spell. However the moment his shield spell dropped he was hit with a bolt squarely in the chest. Flitwick's wand went flying as Snape stood less than a meter away.

Dark eyes flashed red with triumph as Snape dashed forward, grabbing Flitwick by the throat and lifting him up.

"I'm not after escape at the moment. Why should I be? I'd like to continue my search for a resolution in peace."

"Pomfrey-" Flitwick's voice faded as he struggled to breathe, grasping at the hand holding him, legs dangling and kicking in desperation. Snape sheathed his wand and changed his grip on the small man, holding him up by the back of his coat. Flitwick took a breath of air and coughed before continuing. "Pomfrey got the first batch of blood replenishing potion this afternoon, the one that works on contact, not ingestion. It should work -cough- with blood in a bowl just as well as in a body, in theory."

This was good news, it solved ⅓ of his problems. "It does. I've tested it. Does she have blood readily available?"

"No, but the teachers -cough- are willing to donate, and the replenisher should thin out the magic."

"Including you?"

"What?"

"You're willing to donate?" Asked Snape with a curious glance and a raised brow. Apparently he had been wrong about others' willingness to be food for the bat of the dungeons. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, besides hungry.

"Of course! Anything to help a fellow professor in need!"

"How…generous. I can't imagine what you shall ask for in return." Snape said, but continued before he could get a response. "Now I just need to fix my other problem without going anywhere near a castle full of children. However, since you so kindly offered."

"Well I- Wait! No!" Flitwick's head was pulled to the side as his back hit the wall. In the dark alley lit only by stars and candles behind window panes not a single drop hit the pavement with that first swallow, nor the one following.

Sweet candy and scotch meandered across Snape's tongue along with the hint of gold that told of Flitwick's goblin ancestry. A memory of days spent practicing wand movements flashed with the third swallow.

Snape's potion, the one that sustained him for years, paled in comparison to this. To the flavor that came directly from a vein. He wasn't sure he could go back if he wanted to.

He wasn't sure he wanted to.

Flitwick grunted and something fell from his hand, Snape ignored it. He had a moment or two to relax, to just enjoy the warmth, the false peace, life, that he stole and could pretend was his. Pretend salvation was something attainable because he was not dead, he was alive and able to change. He considered briefly just not stopping, but the idea was thrown out. He would not be forgiven for that, by others or himself. Still, a few more swallows, just a few.

Then he tasted it. Chamomile, lavender, and bitter almond. He spit the blood in his mouth on the ground and slammed Flitwick against the wall again.

"What is this?" Snape hissed out angrily.

Flitwick's head just lolled groggily. "Just… bide time until… cavalry… sleep."

He looked toward where the object fell earlier and a flashing red orb encased in gold filigree lay on the ground. An alarm charm. An alert had been sent out. Snape snarled and bit the side of his palm, jamming it into the professor's mouth. He might just have enough time to tell the duelist to abandon the chase, to learn something of Dumbledore's plans.

The Charms teacher's eyes bolted open, and he scrabbled against the wall, clawing at Snape's hands to no avail. He refused to swallow, breathing through his nose instead.

Snape sneered.

"Drink." The command floated in the air and Flitwick's eyes glazed over briefly as he swallowed once. As soon as he did his eyes widened, cleared, and then relaxed as the man slipped slightly into a sort of torpor.

A huff of amused laughter escaped Snape's nose. There was a reason vampire blood was a class A untradeable substance. Another swallow. It was a euphorigenic in even small quantities, even a thimbleful. Three swallows. It was what allowed regular vampires to enthrall, or make thralls, without magic to trick or force. Four swallows. Heavy footsteps accompanied the drumbeat behind Snape and he turned to see a large shadow.

"Professor? That you?"

The cavalry had arrived, in giant form. He had been so focused on Flitwick and the duel he hadn't noticed the man and Snape cursed himself for his lack of attention. He was slipping, this damned red fog and his excitement.

Hagrid stood at the end of the alley filling it up. He had no wand, but black bottles hung at his waist from thick leather cords. Bottled sunlight.

"Come to study me, have you?" Snape asked, hoping to buy some time. Five swallows. Flitwick had no training in mental fortitude, and no aptitude for it it seemed. Smarts and willpower were not one and the same. The command and the euphorigenic were too much for him. It was possible to command minds without using his blood, but it was risky. It could fade, be broken out of. With blood, it was a tad closer to a latent command in the back of the mind. It could be broken out of, but it was far more difficult when one didn't know they were being influenced. If he could just tell Flitwick that this hadn't happened, to stop looking for him.

"I can't hear ya Professor. Is there…" Hagrid stepped into the alley and gasped. "Is that Professor Flitwick? Are yeh turnin him?"

Snape almost choked on his tongue at the comment before he snapped back. "Yes, that is exactly what Hogwarts needs. A diminutive vampire." Seven swallows. That was more than enough, but Snape's curiosity at what he could do with someone who had actually had more than a sip or two buzzed at the back of his mind. Also, it should get some of whatever was in Flitwick's blood out of him.

"Oh. Oh! I'm gonna have ter ask yeh ter stop Professor. Yeh know most o' the teachers would help yeh if yeh asked. And...did yeh put up a silenced area? Why?"

Ten swallows. Just under half a pint. Snape removed his hand and wiped it on his robe before setting the Charms Professor down.

"What possible reason could I have to want silence. Yes, the mind truly boggles at such a question. Do be careful not to step on his wand."

Hagrid's eyes widened for a second before he looked around frantically.

Snape sighed and swished his wand. The wand flew through the air to land in Snape's hand as he looked at the dazed Charms Professor.

"Do not tell anyone what happened here, and stay there until I leave. Do not attempt to search for me during this escapade… You shall forget everything after the duel, I stupefied you at wandpoint."

"Quite right." Mumbled the lightheaded Professor as his wand was tucked under his arm.

Snape sneered at the man's dazed state, he might be brilliant but he was very susceptible to mental attacks. Or perhaps that was the bloodloss talking. Either way, Snape wanted him to remember that he had lost this duel. It had been a rather impressive one, if he did say so himself.

Snape turned back to the half giant, who had been looking on in fascination.

"Yeh...enthralled' 'im."

"I…" Snape staggered as he stepped toward the half giant, suddenly tired, sleepy even. A very strange feeling for someone who hadn't strictly needed sleep for years. "What…"

"All o' the professors got it. Yeh'll be ok. It'll go 'way soon nuff. We'll just get yeh back ter the castle and get yeh through detox. We got the blood potions and soon we'll have blood and-"

As Hagrid talked Snape stumbled forward, bracing himself on a nearby box to stop his descent. A plan, a small hope formed as his eyelids grew heavy. He refused to go back to the school like this, with his willpower less than perfect. With temptation there. He refused to be tied to a chair again. He looked at the half giant.

"And you?"

"What?"

"What do you think?" Asked Snape acerbically. "What could be at the forefront of my mind? Do you have Somnem Sanguine in your blood as well?" Snape staggered forward again, but lost the strength in his legs and fell to his knees on the ground in front of the half giant.

Hagrid looked down at the professor, but seemed wise enough to still keep his distance.

"Course. M'not stupid."

"But did you take double the dose?"

Quiet. "C-cour-"

The full body bind flew out of Snape's wand before Hagrid could finish the word, hitting him square in the chest. Giant feet thudded against the ground unevenly as Hagrid stumbled back with the force of the spell, but shook it off. Snape cursed and quickly threw out another that was a bit less direct before his target could recover. Chains flew from his wand and wrapped themselves around and around the groundskeeper from the neck down till he looked like a cocoon. Hagrid wobbled, then fell to the ground with a loud thud and a crunch as his weight decimated numerous crates. Various quills and crystal ball stands tumbled out onto the cobblestones, their houses demolished. Hagrid struggled against the chains, and a few creaked, but there were too many.

"Hey Now! We're here to help!"

"I do not want your help!" Snape retorted with as much energy as he could muster. "Why is that so hard to understand? It has gone poorly twice now. I doubt it will go any better a third time!"

Snape moved up toward the half giant's head slowly, a near crawl on all fours now, each limb weighed down with a bag of Morpheus' sand. He needed to put something else in his system, thin out the drugged blood. No time for talk. Find a vein. So tired.

Snape froze, ceasing his search. Footsteps. More drums. He had to think fast. There was little to work with except the numerous crates lining the walls. It would have to be enough. "Mobili Multissimo." The crates sprung to life and with a directing wave of Snape's wand jumped on top of each other, forming a wall just inside the dome of silence. The wall most definitely wasn't high enough. It could be looked over by a determined wizard. "Ilusiffingo." The incantation was ground out, Snape too tired to even think about wordless magic. The boxes multiplied, shimmering slightly as the wall grew in height. The footsteps grew louder just as the shimmering stopped.

Hagrid looked at the wall with hope and desperation as the footsteps got louder and louder, and then paused.

Snape sunk to the ground with exhaustion, head on the stone for a second. He was even more tired after that display, but he shook his head and pushed himself up, wand pointing toward the crates, wobbling slightly but ready.

"It's coming from here. It should be right here!" That was Aurora.

"Perhaps Flitwick went around the other way?" Pomfrey.

Snape cursed quietly and looked at the dazed Professor. He himself was too tired to quickly make it over there and Flitwick was too dazed to move; blood drunk and light headed as he was. The problem was the alarm charm anyway. If the two searching professors stayed too long they would notice the hastily cast illusion. Speed was of the utmost importance, he had to get rid of the charm.

"Here! Over here! He's here!" Cried Hagrid.

"They can't hear you." He said before he muttered the levitation charm and the orb flew through the air sluggishly as Snape's hand shook with exhaustion. A more decisive large arc of his wand sent the orb flying away over the rooftops.

"It's on the move!" Pomfrey's exclamation echoed through the alleyway.

"It's fast! Severus must have him. Hurry, before he does something he'll regret!" Aurora yelled. Feet loudly smacked the cobblestones and quickly faded into the distance.

"No! Come back! We're right here! Dammit!" Hagrid yelled again.

Snaoe was quiet. He waited a moment then took a breath, satisfied with the silence after Hagrid's desperate exclamation.

"We have some time now I believe. So…" Severus looked at the half giant. Getting at a vein, any vein, in his current position would be a hassle. "Mobilicorpus." Snape grabbed onto the half giant as the spell thankfully took effect. Hagrid floated into the air horizontally bringing the exhausted man with him as he rose. Snape was having trouble keeping his eyes open. He fought it off, he was almost to his goal. He put his full weight on the floating man's shoulder as he brushed a mass of hair out of the way.

"Professor Snape, yeh dont have ter do this! We can help!"

"You tried. I nearly turned Minerva into a full blown thrall and attacked one of the greatest wizards of the century. I've had enough of this unsolicited assistance."

"But-"

"Unless you're going to volunteer to shut your mouth, I have no interest in what you have to say."

"But-"

Snape ignored the protest and transfigured a bit of shattered stone into a cloth which he stuffed into the half giant's mouth. The grousing and muffled protests were met with a tired eye roll.

"Both Minerva and Dumbledore used your blood in an attempt to help me detox before. Now I am using it for the same purpose here."

Hagrid's eyes looked back and forth frantically before finally settling on the tired vampire before him, pleading.

They were ignored.

Teeth pierced skin deeply. It was a bit difficult with a neck so large but he found an angle that worked. This was not about hunger, or pleasure, or revenge. It was purely about cleansing the potion from his body. He had no idea if this would work, it wouldn't in a human.

The pine flavor was strong enough that he tasted it even though it barely touched his tongue with how quickly he drank. It was faint when he drank from the pitcher before. The bitter taste of pine was unique and melded well with the honey and overwhelming feelings of curiosity and compassion.

The giant of a man thrashed beneath the chains, trying to shake his head and dislodge Snape's teeth. Blood rushed out as the wound widened from razor sharp teeth being pulled about by momentum and gravity. A fistful of wild mane was grabbed by dexterous fingers and pulled down, stilling the struggles.

Snape stood up on his own after a minute, still groggy but no longer exhausted. He took a few more swallows before letting go and looking up to check on Flitwick.

He was still dazed, blood loss and his first drink of vampiric blood a bit much for his small frame. The Potions Master looked back at the half giant and his eyes narrowed as they moved up his frame.

He was large. Much larger than the average human. He could provide twice the amount a normal human could before being in danger. He could easily help cleanse the rest of the potion, and then some.

Snape looked back over at Flitwick and raised his wand. "Somnus." The Professor fell to the side and Snape nodded then looked at the crates piled high, and cancelled the spell with a flick. With the magic gone the illusory boxes vanished. He threw a small healing spell back at Flitwick as he slept, healing the neck wound. It would not truly hide his actions, but it might sow doubt and confusion. He then turned to the half giant. He couldn't very well cart him through the streets. He would have to hide him, but with his magic resistance that would take some creative wand work.

Snape cast a quick gemino charm and a few crates sat atop the half giant as if he were nothing more than a board for transporting things. Snape then took off his robes and cast an enlarging charm on it. Tossing the fabric over the giant it now covered him completely. With the tears from the fight it barely looked like a robe as well. A few adjustments so the crates stuck out from the cloak via the holes and only if someone were to look closely would they see something amiss. There were ways of getting around the half giant's magic resistance.

He turned to the ravaged contents of the alley and set about righting everything. Soon it looked like there had never been an altercation. Satisfied, and once again slightly weary, he beckoned with his wand and the chained Hagrid followed. Desperate mumbles came from under the cloak and Snape looked back at him.

"Nobody likes to be interrupted during meals. I am no different and actually prefer more privacy. For... obvious reasons."

Snape dropped the muffliato as he left. They navigated the streets quickly, taking many turns and keeping to the dark alleys. Overhangs and broken street lamps were allies. Snape knew these backstreets as well as he did the halls of Hogwarts, and he put that knowledge to good use.

As they neared their destination Snape waved his wand and cast confundo five times before it stuck. It would not do for Hagrid to remember the turns, or have them pulled from his memory. If this went well, Hagrid would not remember what happened inside anyway. If it went well.

Eventually Knocturn Alley and Burgen and Borks lay in front of them. Snape entered the storefront without knocking and the clerk at the desk seemed only mildly surprised.

"Snape, to what-"

"I require the back room. Now. As well as privacy. I expect alacrity and obedience."

"I-"

"Unless… you wish to join me for a meal?"

The clerk paled and nodded, running around the back. Snape returned to the half giant and with him in tow headed around to a large door a building over. He heard the metal clink as it unlocked and felt a ward fall. Snape waited for the footsteps on the other side to fade before opening it and ushering the restrained Hagrid inside. He locked the door after a brief look around the alley for prying eyes. Fortunately no one was out at 3 in the morning on a Wednesday.

Once inside he took a deep breath and sighed. He leaned against the door and looked around the room, the room he had been turned in. The room he had killed at the behest of the Dark Lord in, whether he wanted to or not. So many meals. Snape looked at Hagrid. And now another. But first things first. He quickly shot a locking spell at the door to the main storefront before pausing to listen for a sound that would tell him if someone was nervously eavesdropping on the other side.

Satisfied at the lack of sound Snape vanished the crates atop Hagrid and removed his robes, shrinking them back to their normal size before throwing them on some boxes in the corner which had burnt books and broken artifacts sticking out of them. He then took a good five minutes to pat the half giant down, removing and inspecting everything. He eventually found what he was looking for; the unactivated alarm charm and the locating token. He pocketed both after casting stasis on them, just in case.

During this the confundo had worn off and Hagrid began vocalizing quietly. He was ignored as Snape looked at the bottled sunlight and curled his lip with distaste. He didn't have his potions or charms protecting him from the vile substance, so these would have been a last resort. He removed the bottles and put them on the ground before throwing his robes over them. With satisfaction verging on joy the bottles were broken beneath his foot one by one, the glass ground into the floor a bit with his heel. He watched as the liquid seeped nearly inert into the floor. Lacking the catalyst of an impact to make the potion light up to its greatest potency, it glowed slightly through the robes, his hands and face a bit warm with proximity. After a moment he picked up the robes and cast cleaning and freshening charms on them, then a repairo for the many holes.

Finally, he turned back to Hagrid as he donned the article of clothing once more. Snape was only mildly tired now instead of bone dead exhausted. He had only taken two pints, he could have many more if he wanted. He did some quick arithmetic as he circled the floating body. At 365.76 centimeters and 226.796 kilograms, if the body was 7-8% blood, Hagrid had about 40 to 46 pints of blood as opposed to the average 10. You could take 3 pints from a normal human before it became truly dangerous, that translated to somewhere around… 12 for the half giant. If he had taken 2…

"A full meal." Severus looked at the half giant and then at the neck wound he had left. He didn't really feel like going through the same mental gymnastics about morality again, he was still tired. Too tired for a philosophical debate that had been stumping mortals since they could think.

He was annoyed and angry. It wasn't fair that everyone else could just bite into an apple if they were hungry. That they didn't have to ponder on morality and convince themselves it was ok to simply eat, to survive. He was quite aware he was basically cranky because he was tired; even if the weariness was drug induced, the point remained valid. Never mind that this was just punishment for his failings in life. Never mind that the punishment perpetuated more violence in a cruel, if ironic, catch 22.

He was angry. He was tired. And of course, as always, he was hungry. He drew himself up to his full height, as much as he could through the weariness, and addressed the half giant that had begun to struggle against the chains and under his baleful gaze.

"You may vocalize once if you wish to remain awake, otherwise remain silent. I do not care either way."

Hagrid mumbled frantically multiple times, obviously concerned about something else.

"That was not one of the options." Snape continued to circle Hagrid as if he were a student taking a test. There was silence except for heels clacking on stone.

"Mmmph!"

Snape nodded. "Very well." He circled around one more time then stopped where he made his mark before.

Hagrid's vocalizations returned in full force and Snape raised a brow. Hagrid's eyes switched between looking at Snape and down at his own arm. Ah. Not the neck then, that's what he wanted. Did the man actually have a sense of self preservation? That was good, if a bit too late.

He did not like to be watched when he ate, but Hagrid had been kind to him with his… condition. He'd never been one to judge. He'd even supplied a generous amount of blood during his involuntary rehabilitation. That kindness could be repaid a bit at least, this once. The man wouldn't actually see much anyway, if he positioned himself correctly. Snape nodded.

"I will eat from there. However, I would be an idiot to trust anyone to act against their own self interest, so this may take some time."

Snape aimed his wand at the half giant and began casting. It took a full five minutes of casting the same spell over and over again before it took and the half giant was partially petrified. With another wave the chains were unwrapped from the upper torso and rewrapped around his lower body.

Snape rolled up the sleeve on the half giant's left arm. Snape stood there, considering the thick skin on the rather hair fringed arm. He lifted it up, and with his back facing Hagrid, spoke quietly. "I never did thank you for your donations earlier. Instead I will thank you for that, and tonight."

Fangs slid easily into the skin on the half giant's wrist and pine and honey washed over Snape. He let himself drown in it. He felt surrounded by the scent of pine and the buzzing of bees.

Minutes passed, Snape stood up straight. He could almost hear pine needles rustling ever so slightly in the wind.

Minutes passed and he no longer felt drowsy at all. He could swear that he felt the sticky sap of pine on his fingers.

Minutes passed, and the wood floor behind the door creaked, and a heartbeat on the other side increased its pace.

Snape paused. He calmly let go and wiped his mouth before heading to the door in a flash. In an instant it was unlocked and open. The offending eavesdropper was pulled inside, and the door quickly shut behind them. Snape's wand rested between the clerk's eyes as his other hand pinned him to the wall by his neck.

"Obliviate, or -"

"Obliviate! Obliviate!"

Snape sneered at the coward before him and nodded. He pulled the eavesdropper up, but the sandy haired man was still a good head shorter than him, so he kept lifting. The man's feet dangled, kicking out in terror. If he was so afraid, Snape might as well live up to it.

"It's a pity when people are impatient and fail to listen to all their options. The other option involved a distinct lack of teeth."

The clerk tried to scream but he didn't have a chance before fangs struck and a wand took his voice. Mere moments passed before the poor man fainted and Snape dropped him. He dusted off his hands and pointed his wand at the slumped figure.

"Obliviate." There was a flash of light and then Snape dragged the clerk out of the room and back to the store where he sat him on the stool. A quick wave to cancel the silencing spell followed by an episky to the neck preceded the rennervate that brought the clerk to. He spluttered and nearly fainted again as he saw who was towering over him.

"I have gracefully decided not to kill you for eavesdropping. You will not get a second chance. I will return later for some books. I would like anything you have on wandless magic, blood, and vampires."

The clerk nodded frantically as Snape returned to the back room, robes billowing wildly. The door closed behind him and Snape sighed, looking back to the floating half giant. He locked the door with a thought as he strode forward. The giant had an odd look on his face, concern. The problem was Snape could not tell whether it was directed at him, or the giant himself. Either way the emotion was not a welcome one. The giant should not be concerned for him, not right now, he should be concerned for himself. But if he struggled as he did before there would be a large wound, and with the man's skin being rather resistant to magic that could be problematic.

Perhaps he could mitigate it, although the half giant could do with a dose of fear based on how he ran towards dangerous creatures. He would see what happened. He walked forward and began to verbally meander.

"Pity that vampires can never truly be satiated. I have felt full before, for brief moments, but they don't last. Nothing does." Snape circled watching as the half giant's eyes followed him as best they could. He stopped near the stack of crates with broken merchandise and refuse and removed his robe, hanging it over a barrel. He could hear Hagrid's heart beat increase rapidly, the man unsure of his intentions. "I do not wish to rip my robes. The shirt however, is a lost cause. It has been mended too many times for repairo to even work anymore."

He turned to reveal a jacket and shirt with many tears, the largest being in the back, right by the shoulder blades. He waved his wand and his shoes and socks sat atop a barrel. He turned back to Hagrid and raised his brow at his confused gaze.

"You asked to see, months ago. You always love to get up close and personal with monsters, maybe this will teach you that that is not always wise. Though I somehow doubt it." The talons burst out first, followed quickly by the wings and claws. Severus looked at his nails, musing at their sharpness and took one to the wooden barrel. It cut through easily, leaving a thin line down the side.

Snape looked up at Hagrid whose usually curious eyes were tinged with trepidation. Snape frowned. He didn't want the man tense, he just wanted to eat in peace. He had hoped showing that he remembered the request might mean something to the man. Maybe he could try another direction. The man was a Gryffindor after all.

"You're saving lives tonight. I shouldn't require another meal for at least a day or two. Now that I know to stay away from my fellow professors in that regard, who knows where I would have gone."

Hagrid's eyes were doubtful, and he shook his head. Snape could practically hear his thought process. The half giant knew him well enough to be aware of his acumen. Leaving bodies, killing, garnered attention. Attention he did not currently want. Severus frowned. He repeatedly underestimated the half giant's intelligence. He always upped his estimation each time they met, but it never seemed high enough. There was another reason he could give however.

"Fine. Vampire thralls are theoretically impervious to the imperius curse, even wizards who are just enthralled are less susceptible, did you know that?" Hagrid's eyes widened. "Yes. I asked Dumbledore years ago if I could provide this protection to members of the Order. I was… declined." Snape shook his head in disappointment. He had found this information in a crumbling book in the restricted section. Most of the pages were missing and its ink still smelled of blood despite being so old the title was worn away. Snape had yet to test it, but the theory was sound. How could you control a mind that was already controlled by another, and in a way that a spell couldn't cancel. Enthrallment wasn't a spell after all, but a state of being.

Snape looked at the half giant. He floated in the air, encircled by layers and layers of chain. Snape could hear his heart beating quickly, and see the chains clinking as he tried to break them. It would be of no use, and he had all the time he needed.

"I wish to test this information, and I would like you to be part of that. It shall require a great deal of blood to enthrall someone of your size, so… I might as well use yours."

Hagrid shook his head wildly and Snape raised a brow. "Do you think you have a choice?" Hagrid continued to shake his head. "Then what?" Hagrid just looked at Snape's wand. Still, it was enough for the Potions Master to understand. "Ah, yes, you are already resistant. I suppose I have run out of half truths then."

Snape's eyes darkened as he leaned over Hagrid and whispered angrily. "You really hoped to use potions against me? Me!? Somnum sanguine stays in a person's blood for 12 hours. If they do not have more, which I saw none of on Flitwick, my foolish colleagues will need to leave soon, and I know I have very little in my stores. This was for emergencies, as draught of living death does not work on me anymore. I'm not 'living'. So, to outfit everyone more will need to be obtained and eventually, made. Unless…" Snape looked at the liquid seeping into the floor amidst the ground bits of bottle. He took a deep breath, nostrils flaring. Quartz, and sunflowers. That would be the bottled sunlight, but it was mixed with lavender and bitter almond.

Snape smiled slightly. "Ah, so that was your job, to provide them with more potion. Pity. They'll have to leave soon. I wonder if they will leave without you if they feel they are in danger? Classes start in a few hours as well, absent teachers would garner attention. Do you think they will return? I do not."

Hagrid looked unsure and Snape sneered. He was done trying to placate and prevent injury. He was sure Dumbledore would be disappointed if he was here, but he had tried 'being a good person'. He had fulfilled his quota for failed attempts today.

"Well, I suppose we will find out. I'm not in a rush for once." He looked between the two wounds, and deciding he rather liked not being attacked by a lion's mane he bit down on the arm and relaxed; let himself sink.

Eating always felt exquisite, but here he was relaxed… And it was euphoric. A peaceful river that he never really sailed down when he was alive. Not since he was a child sitting with his best friend. After that everything was always tense and stressful. But when he ate, really ate, really took his time? It was dangerous. If he lost himself, he wouldn't stop. But here, there was little danger of that. He could drink slowly for fifteen minutes and the man would be right as rain.

So that's what he planned to do.

He let the flavor of honey and pine fill him. It was so strong he could almost see it. He drank and felt as if he sunk through sap. When he had a meal with McGonagall it was rushed for revenge and addiction, the euphoria was from relief. Here, time seemed to slow as he just ate for once. Enjoyed a meal.

He never slowly enjoyed a meal. It was always a job, or survival, or need. Now, it was just for want. To satisfy that slight hunger that was always there, the hunger he usually ignored with ease. So he drowned, and not needing to breathe, it was relaxing.

He closed his eyes and sank. The scent of fresh pine was sharp in his nose. The wind that carried that scent brought the sound of buzzing to his ears. The breeze whispered as it played through the thin needles of evergreens.

He opened his eyes and found he was lost in a forest of conifers with bees flying about curiously, in search of pollen from needles. He could walk for hours here unbothered by another soul. There were only bees and a drumbeat off in the distance. The trickling of a stream nearby joined the chorus. When he turned and looked he found it was red from iron deposits in the ground and burbled lazily. Snape sighed, he did not want to leave this place. Still…

He watched as the stream's water level dropped slightly, and the drum in the distance grew quieter. Snape walked, hands behind his back looking up at the soft sunlight that played through the clouds and branches. No, he didn't really want to leave. It felt safe here, removed from the urgency of daily life.

He looked back at the stream, it had grown thinner. The drum faltered. Snape sighed again. He somehow knew that meant it was time to leave. He looked around him at the endless pines.

But which way was out?

(Yooo, sorry it's a day late. Please let me know what you think. I have some qualms with this chapter so I went over it twice and would appreciate feedback. )