Title:
Twenty-one days

Prequel to:
A few days more

Author:
evil minded

Date:
November, 10th 2009

Timeframe:
Fourth year at Hogwarts

Summary:
AU / Death Eaters besiege Hogwarts. A spell from Dumbledore is going astray. A cauldron explodes during potions class. And the old castle enfolds its own magic. Can some students survive for the next twenty-one days?

Disclaimer:
Did you see Severus alive at the end of 'The deathly hallows'? no?
Do you think I would have had him died if I had written those books? no?
Then you know that 'Harry Potter' does not belong to me … nor does Severus … regrettably …

Rating:
M – Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16

Author's Notes:
Uhm … alright … I have to admit … English is not my language by birth … so … please do not kill me while reading … neither for the – perhaps – sad language, nor for the subject of my writing …
Also, this is a story written for NaNo, a story written within thirty days only and even though I go over the chapters before uploading them – I do apologize if it might not have the same quality at one point or another than those stories of mine you are used to by now … thank you …

Warning:
Story contains bad language and swearing.
Don't ever use such, it's neither good manners nor proper use of language and never mind how 'cool' it might sound, it surely isn't a sign of intelligence. It won't get you anywhere and people will think less of you if you are unable articulating properly.
Story contains references to child neglect.
Child neglect is a really, really serious thing, and there are a lot of children in our world that are neglected, children that lack food, clothing, often love, and perhaps even a roof over their head – and closing our eyes, and pretending it does not exist – is no solution …
Story contains references to child abuse.
Child abuse is one of the most evil things, and there are a lot of children in our world that really would need help but have to live without hope – and again, closing our eyes and pretending it does not exist – is no solution … instead show sympathy, and understanding … and handle people, children as well as adults, which are showing any signs – whichever – of once having been abused … with understanding and with help …
What does not mean I am not as evil as I pretend to be … ^.~ … believe me – I am …

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Previously in twenty-one days
Snape just nodded and then sat down onto the chair beside Longbottom, taking the pieces of parchments Finnigan had left on the table and lifting his eyebrow he turned towards the Gryffindor when the boy looked at him shocked.
"I do hope that your facial muscles are still working, as I do need you to explain this game of Potter's to me, Mr. Longbottom." He said with a smirk. It definitely felt good to startle students into a heart attack from time to time.

Chapter ten
Day five - Friday, sixth of September
Or – dear Merlin

"Wait a moment, all three of you." Snape said, keeping Potter, Theodore and Draco from entering the kitchen, and all three turned towards him. It was unnerving, having the Gryffindor boy standing between the two other boys. Neither Theodore nor Draco was overly large or heavily built, both boys were rather slender, but contrary to those two, Potter looked rather like a small child that was too skinny – as if a first year stood between the two fourth years.

"I understand that both of you, Harry and Theodore, have used the wireless yesterday." He said and both boys nodded at him. "I will, of course, not forbid you listening to the news as I do know how important it is having some contact to the outside world. I, however, do not want you taking it seriously what you hear there. I have listened to those reports of – 'the tragedy of Hogwarts' – last night myself to have a clue what is mentioned there, and I must say, they don't – know – anything. They only guess and speculate, and I do not want you believing their words about how long one can survive in our situation. Did I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." All three boys answered, nodding their heads and they actually looked sincere.

"Good." He said. "And remember, it might not be too much work there, but nevertheless, I want you to work slowly and to take a pause whenever you feel the need to. I do not really know why all of you are so keen about the kitchen duty, but I do not want you to overstress yourselves."

Again, all three boys nodded, and he lifted his eyebrow at them for a moment before he, too, nodded his head in answer to dismiss them, not sure if he should follow them or not.

Not only that he really didn't understand why they were so keen on it, but he, too, wondered how they had managed to get along so well to a point where they fought about kitchen duty with Potter. Not to mention his own advice. 'I don't want you to overstress yourselves.' Well, that – definitely was no comment he would have said to any student a week ago.

But now, he meant it.

They had to keep their bodies as well as their minds as calm as possible to save the energy they needed to survive as long as possible. Well, the day had passed calmly, and he just wanted to keep it that way. The less stress they had, the better it was.

And honestly, the fact that they had taken a nap in the afternoon had told him enough about their condition. Fourteen year old teenagers that by free will took a 'nap' – sleeping in the classroom on mats like pre-school children, that surely was not normal, and he took it as it was. They were getting weak and easily exhausted.

The next step would be that he read them a children's story before they took their nap, and that he would hand out cartons of milk while they listened to his story. He actually snorted at that thought. His next position after that would be being a teacher in nursery school.

Well – he just was glad that no other crisis had taken place since Weasley's attack on Potter.

Potter – that boy was another matter and he had to admit – even if reluctantly only – that the boy would fit well into his house. He had misread the boy completely and he could just hope that it wasn't too late. He had promised Harry that he wouldn't have to go back, even if he would have to take the boy in himself, and honestly, after living with him down here for five days now, it wasn't such a horrible thought anymore. He had learned that there was a completely other side to Potter than the one he always had seen, and he was, actually, ready to accept that precise thought of taking Potter in. He just wasn't sure if the boy trusted him enough to accept his offer.

Another matter was Theodore. He knew that Theodore was abused, too, and he knew that he had come back to Hogwarts this year in a much worse condition than the years before, even though it wasn't as bad as Harry's. However, he was glad that Harry got along with the other boy as well as he did, because …

Well, he wasn't sure because of what precisely.

He surely didn't imagine taking both boy's into his home, to start a small family with those two boys. He wasn't a father. And he surely didn't imagine Harry and Theodore growing up as brothers, surely not. That would go beyond anything. He would give Potter a home, if necessary, if no other solution could be found, but surely the term 'family' was out of question for all of them.

No – he didn't imagine that!

And yet – a small part of him just did imagine that particular situation, as foreign as it felt to him.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

"I don't care, Malfoy." Crabbe growled. "I don't care what you call it, but my son is locked in that dungeon, too. And all I do care about right now is my son. His life, too, is … he, too, is about to die. He, too, will be starved to death, and soon if no solution is found."

Goyle, standing beside Crabbe, nodded eagerly with his head, agreeing with his comrade's words. His son, too, was locked in the potions classroom, and his only relief was that Snape was with them. He trusted Snape.

He knew that Snape didn't like him, that Snape took him for being an idiot, but he didn't mind. He trusted Snape nevertheless, if someone could get them out alive, then it was Snape.

"Just shut up, Crabbe!" Malfoy's words got him out of his thoughts, and he looked at the blond. "My son is down there, too." Malfoy hissed impatiently. "It just didn't go as it had been planned, and now we have to find a solution to get them out of there."

'It didn't go as it had been planned' – well, that was the understatement of the year and honestly, he hadn't heard that sentence for a long time now, since the downfall of the Dark Lord, in fact.

And honestly, it always had been Malfoy.

Of course, Crabbe and he had been blamed for jobs that had gone wrong all the times, because they all thought that they were stupid and had messed up, but actually, it had always been Malfoy's wrong planning and scheming, because the man always wanted too much, and too soon. And honestly, overtaking the castle with a handful of Death Eaters – had been a stupid thought, even for him.

"I don't care about the Gryffindors, but if it means to get my son out of there, then, Merlin forbid, I will get them out, too." Malfoy continued his rambling. "So just go and do as I said. I want free access to McNair's and Nott's libraries."

"You won't find anything in there, Malfoy." He said, joining into the conversation. "All their books are dark magic, and you can't use dark magic in the castle. Your own library is much larger than theirs, and you have books of all sorts."

"Just do as I say and get out of my eyes!" Malfoy screamed at them, and he retreated quickly, Crabbe close behind him. He knew, if Malfoy was in one of his tempers, then it was best to do as he ordered.

"Vence?" He heard Narcissa's low voice the moment they reached the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor, followed by a low "Gordon?" and he turned, facing the lady of the house who hurried over to them with a pale face, paler than normally at least.

"Don't worry, Narcissa." He quietly answered her unspoken question. "Severus is with them, and he will get them out alive. He will find a way."

"I know." She whispered. "I had my reasons as to why I made Severus Draco's godfather after all, and I do trust him with my son's life. But even Severus is not almighty, and Lucius is a fool, concentrating on dark magic only. He won't success using dark magic at Hogwarts. Please, help to get our children out of there."

"I will, Narcissa." He whispered back, placing a calming hand at her arm. "We will, I promise. Don't worry too much. Just prepare everything else we spoke about. And be careful of Lucius, you will be in serious trouble if he gets suspicious."

"I will be careful." She promised, barely keeping her calm facade. "Just do all you can."

"We will." He promised once more before nodding one last time at her and then leaving the manor.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

"Do you know how the wording 'dear Merlin' came into existence?" Potter asked, his face serious, and snickering Theodore shook his head while he, Draco, leaned against the counter, fighting against his own chuckles.

"It was during one of the greatest battles Merlin ever fought." Potter said, his voice so serious that both, Theodore and he himself, couldn't help snickering again. "He was standing atop the hill, overlooking the fields of battle."

Draco heaved himself atop the counter, watching Theodore trying to wash the dishes and Potter – Harry, damn – standing in the middle of the kitchen, the towel around his shoulders like a cloak, playing Merlin. And Merlin! The smaller boy was thin enough so he, actually, could place the simple towel around his shoulders in the first place! It seemed to be a too small cloak, but it nearly could be compared to one.

"All the way to the North his sharp eyes penetrated the mists that covered the hills of Durham. To the East he could overlook the seas of Norwich where once, centuries ago, his ancestors fought their own battles."

Draco's snickers went into fits of laughter at the smaller boy's serious face and eye-squinting, of the big words, added to Theodore's laughter.

"To the West he could glimpse the white-crested waves thundering against the cliffs of the Isle of Man, and to the South he could observe the mighty warriors battling for the Isle of Wight."

"As if his eyes were so good!" Draco blurted out, trying to catch his breath and holding his belly with laughter.

Potter just looked at him piercingly, seriously, nearly accusingly, what made him laugh just the harder.

A soft 'thud' caused him to look over to Theodore and he could see the other boy had lost his footing and had landed on his knees, his palms on his thighs to keep his balance while he gasped for breath. Harry shot him an accusing look, too, before he continued.

"It was to the South Merlin had directed his eyes at, the moment King Arthur approached him and stood by the ancient wizard's side, and suddenly Merlin's old and wrinkled face twisted with concern, misery and pain.

'What does have you worried, dear Merlin?' King Arthur asked the old wizard, his face now worried too. 'Do you sense ill foreboding? Are the forces of evil bringing doom?'

'No, Milord.' Merlin gasped, his face still grimacing in pain and his hands clenched into fists. 'No, the evil forces are not prevailing.'

'Then what is it that ails you, dear Merlin?' The King asked, still worried.

Merlin, however, hissed out between clenched teeth: 'You are standing on my toes, Milord.'"

Draco curled up into a ball with laughter and he shook his head watching Theodore still sitting on the floor, holding his sides. Never mind what, he had to admit that Potter was funny. The joke itself had been not at all that good, but his serious looks, his accusing stares at them, and his stern voice were just priceless.

"Hey … would … would you … would you just stop … I'm … I'm going … I'm going to pee." Theodore gasped while trying to somehow catch his breath with laughter, but he didn't really manage.

"Not here, please." Potter, Harry, seriously answered, looking wide-eyed at Theo and his, Draco's, laughter just increased too at those innocent green eyes, while he wondered how the other boy managed to stay so serious. "Imagine the mess, Theo. Just use the loo instead."

"Can … can't … just shut … shut up." Theo gasped, and Potter looked back at him with a look that bordered on hurt before he turned and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Ph …" He made. "I won't play with you anymore!"

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Coming back to the classroom Theodore and Draco snickered and chuckled, while Potter had a serious face. He, however, could detect a twitch here and a twist there, while the green eyes sparkled with silent laughter, and the Potions Master wondered what the cause for that had been. It wasn't that their situation was overly funny. He, however, had to admit that he liked this sparkle in the boy's normally so haunted eyes.

Draco was no one who easily laughed openly, but he openly chuckled now, while Theodore nearly had tears in his eyes with laughter he held back. And Potter? He never before had seen the boy with eyes as bright with fun as right now. What in Merlin's name had they been doing in that kitchen?

The other students looked up at them, their faces curious and somehow Theodore wasn't able to keep up his facade any longer, and he burst out with laughter – Draco following his example, and he lifted his eyebrow at the boys.

Well, Potter kept his face straight, just the muscles around his mouth and eyes twitching again, and he could see that the boy took a deep breath to keep himself from laughing too – anyway, he just shrugged his shoulders at him, as if to say 'I don't know what's their problem'.

What in Merlin's name had they been doing? With what kind of prank would he have to deal now?

"What's up?" Longbottom asked, coming over, followed by Granger and Blaise.

"Nothing." Potter – Harry, answered seriously, his eyes innocent and his face still straight. "Why?"

"Those two are laughing their heads off, and you're looking as if you just had the fun of your life." Blaise said, looking from one to the other.

"I don't know why they're laughing." Harry answered calmly, shrugging his shoulders, and Snape wondered how the boy kept his face that straight. He would make a good spy, he had to admit, even if he never would want seeing the boy on this particular path.

"Theo?" Blaise asked, turning to the other two who laughed just the harder at Harry's words. "Draco? What happened?"

"Potter happened!" Draco gasped, leaning with his right onto the desks that still stood in the middle of the room while his left pointed towards the black haired teenager.

"Me?" Said boy asked innocently, shocked, his sparkling eyes growing large. "I didn't do anything!" He said.

Well, it didn't help Theodore who fell onto one of the mattresses, holding his midsection with laughter and Harry's next words didn't help the situation at all.

"I'm innocent!" The boy called out, his eyes still large and his face still serious. Snape couldn't help snorting with disbelief at those words, causing the boy to turn towards him, looking at him with the same innocent large eyes.

"Really, sir!" Potter exclaimed, turning towards him with the same large green eyed look of innocence and shock.

Well, that – as it seemed – had been the last straw, and Draco, too, went to the floor, leaning with his back against the leg of the desk, gasping for breath, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

"Merlin!" Snape groaned out, turned and left the classroom, went into his office just the moment Potter, too, burst into a fit of laughter while the other students looked at the three of them, not understanding what exactly had caused them to act in such a strange way.

Silly children!

He didn't admit, not even to himself, that he'd just had to turn so the crowd of teenagers didn't see his lips curling into an amused smirk.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

"Theodore, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter, come with me, please." He said upon returning to the classroom after he had calmed down and was sure that his face would be its serious self and not traitorously grinning, and then he turned and led them towards the laboratory and their cauldrons.

"Your potions are resting, and so you should not stir them, or touch them." He explained. "But you should, nevertheless, check them before leaving them alone during the night. The potions should be clear now, with a hint of silver, and it should smell of honey and peppermint."

Harry looked at him, his brows furrowed, and he looked as if he didn't understand – what surely was the fact as none of the ingredients contained peppermint in any way, form or shape. The others, too, looked curious.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?" He asked, coming over towards the boy.

"Uhm … well … sorry, sir, but … peppermint?" The teenager asked. "There is nothing in this potion that would contain peppermint."

"You are quite correct, Mr. Potter." He said. "What is the only ingredient that has absolutely no use in a potion such as this?"

"The crushed echinus roots." Came the immediate answer that suggested that the brat had already wondered why this particular ingredient was in a nutrient potion in the first place. He just wasn't sure when exactly the boy had wondered about that - during his holidays while starving and needing information? Or during brewing the potion earlier?

"Correct, Harry." Snape said, leaning close, the boy's given name still foreign on his tongue, but he kept his eyes steadily at the teen in front of him. "I wonder however, if you do know that this is the only useless ingredient in this potion, why did you not ask for the reason of its use in it earlier?"

"Well, I thought it would have one reason or another, sir." The teenage boy answered.

"But you didn't know what reason." Snape lifted his eyebrow at the brat.

"No, sir." Came the answer and it sounded definitely apologetic.

"So, why did you not ask?" The Potions Master inquired.

"I didn't think of it." It was only a whisper, but - well, he was sure that the boy actually had thought of asking, but that he had just not dared to ask, and suddenly he understood. He had been so busy making the boy's potions lessons a living hell throughout the past three years, that he had never stopped to really looking into the boy's work.

Harry always had handed in passable essays. His work with the knife, too, had been rather sure handed and acceptable – as had been the stirring and handling the heat when it came to brewing the potions themselves. What mostly had messed up the boy's potions had been ingredients that had not belonged into them or their measuring being incorrect, and he suddenly wondered why.

This morning the boy had answered his questions correctly, hesitantly and scared a bit, yes, but correctly. His potion, too, had come out correct up to now. And Potter had been able to name him the only useless ingredient in the potion. So, the boy actually was capable of brewing a decent potion, but with his actions during the child's first potions classes he had, perhaps, ensured that Harry had lost his interest in the subject and in asking questions, probably was simply too scared of him now for doing so.

"If you now add two and two together, to what conclusion do you come then?" He asked calmly. He would have to remedy that. He would have to awaken the boy's interest anew. And he would manage, he promised himself.

"Well, the echinus root itself doesn't smell like peppermint, nor should the potion." Harry slowly answered. "And so, I guess, that the only useless ingredient, the echinus root, is causing this effect while mixed to the other ingredients, sir. Whatever reason for."

"That is correct, Harry." Snape nodded satisfied. "That will be two points to you. The reason, however, is, that the echinus roots, if crushed and added to the potion after being heated and completed, are reacting to the vitamins that are in the dry chemicals. Why?"

"So it doesn't taste like old socks for a change?" Potter said before realizing what he had said and his face turned beet red. "Uhm … well … sorry, sir … I mean …"

"That – is the exact reason, Harry." Snape answered, holding up his hand to stop the brat from making a fool out of himself. If Potter was comfortable enough around him now to joke, then be it, and strangely – it actually meant something to him, even if he didn't really dare to think about what exactly that something was.

"Nutrient potions are made for people suffering from serious eating disorders – whatever reasons for that disorder presented itself in the first place." He explained. "And considering that people with eating disorders have enough problems at their hands to begin with, a potion that concerns nutrients and is taken regularly in order to keep those people alive, should not taste like – old socks, as Mr. Potter so eloquently put it."

He turned towards Weasley's cauldron and looked inside, intently, while breathing in the fumes and then he nodded, walking towards Miss Granger's cauldron.

"Why the smell of honey, Miss Granger, as no honey is in the potion either, but …"

A short hiss and a bright, blinding light caused him to abruptly stop midsentence and to wheel around, and two steps were all it took him to reach Potter who was laying on the floor, curled up into a small ball, while at the same time he reached into the pocket of his robes, and he took out a small vial.

He had known this might happen, damn, but honestly, while just checking the potion? He had thought it could happen during the brewing itself, but surely not while simply checking them, and honestly, that had been the reason as to why he had been so reluctant to let the students brew this one in the first place. It was a potion easy to make, but if made a mistake, it could be deathly.

Uncorking the vial and kneeling down on one knee beside the boy Snape stretched out his hand and touched Harry's chin, turned his head, and he actually had to force himself to keep his hands steady, cursing inwardly. His hands barely trembled. But seeing one of his students laying on the ground, curled up into a small ball and whimpering with pain, he actually remembered why he had been so reluctant in the first place – and his hands did tremble.

Forcing himself to keep a clear mind he forced the boy's mouth open and poured the potion down the teen's throat, ignoring the small sounds of protest and distress the boy made the moment the potion came in contact with his throat when he forced him to swallow the blue liquid and he waited for the lines around Potter's eyes and mouth to relax, but they only tightened, and he frowned.

The potion should have helped immediately, but the teen that had to force air into his lungs more and more, had difficulty with this simple task of breathing.

"A pain reliever, Theodore." He ordered. "A healing potion and a calming draught."

Theodore, knowing what was needed and where to look for it, reacted immediately, and Snape wondered why it was always Potter he had underneath his hands recently, while at the same time he tried – not without an edge of desperation leaking into his voice – to somehow calm said boy.

"Breathe slowly, Potter." He said, trying to sound as calm as possible. "The slower you breathe, the less it will hurt. I know that it is difficult, but you have to take slow breaths. Oh, no, Potter! You won't!" He ordered the moment he realized that the boy started to panic. "You won't panic now! You just will take slow and calm breaths and you will be fine."

He could hear the teenager wheezing as Potter was trying to breathe and he shifted his position, so he was able to prop him up a little to ease his distress.

The moment Theodore came back with the vials of potions he knew would help the boy in his arms, he nearly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hush now, Potter." He said, forcing the boy's mouth open, and ignoring the boy's struggles and distressed whimpers he forced the healing potion down the teen's throat, massaging the delicate throat and thus forced the boy to swallow.

"That's a potion for healing. I have one for the pain here, too." He said, trying to sound reassuring. "Just swallow it. I know it hurts, but you have to swallow."

Opening the first two buttons of the teen's shirt Snape focused once more on the boy, watching the slow and painfully irregular rising and falling of the thin chest, and he reassured himself that Lily's child – damn, that his child – was still alive and would - Merlin willing – recover.

"Oh, no! You won't Potter!" He growled darkly, again, the moment he noticed that the boy was about to fall unconscious. "You won't sleep now! I need to give you some more potions and you won't fall asleep before I say you can! You will have detention until the rest of your life if you fall asleep now!"

The moment he noticed that the boy had swallowed the healing potion completely, he uncorked the next vial and poured the pain reliever down the teen's throat, again massaging the delicate throat to force the boy to swallow the liquid, and again he waited for the wrinkles around the child's eyes and mouth to disappear, but they only lessened.

Well, it was better than nothing at least, and he repeated the same procedure with the calming draught and finally he reached a state of mind where he knew that he could deal with it. He knew, if the boy just stayed awake for a bit longer, then things would be going to be alright.

Unconsciously the older man reached out and very gently he touched Harry's face to get him to respond, to get his attention, and he began to softly run his hand through the soft raven hair, trying to comfort the child, while he ignored the soft murmur of voices in the background.

"Potter!" He growled darkly, startling the boy that started to lose consciousness again. "What did I say about following my directions! I will not tolerate your disobedience!" He hated using that voice with the already sick boy, but he could tell that it worked, and Potter was pulling himself together once more, forcing himself to stay awake.

"That's better, Potter!" He growled and he shifted the boy so that he was lying with his head in the middle of his, Snape's, chest, directly over his beating heart. The child still had his eyes closed and his palms pressed against them. Gently he took the small wrists and pulled them away from the boy's eyes while at the same time he placed his hand over the boy's eyes to shield them from the bright torchlight down here in the laboratory.

The next few minutes were rather tense. It was silent, no one talked and the only sounds they could hear were Harry's rattling breaths, the boy trying to stifle his painful sobs, and Snape whispering to him reassuringly while he tried to make him drink a few sips of plain water.

Just when Potter's breathing finally had calmed down to steady breathes, he placed his free hand onto the boy's forehead to press his head against his chest and he slowly took his hand away from Potter's eyes, kept it just in front of them to keep the boy's eyes in the shadows if necessary.

"Okay Harry." Snape said gently increasing the pressure he had on the boy's forehead so he couldn't squirm his head away. "You can open your eyes now, slowly."

Well, if he had thought that it would be so easy, then he had definitely thought wrongly. Of course, it wouldn't be easy. Nothing ever was easy when it came to Potter, was it now?

"Come on, Potter, open your eyes, you can't keep them close forever." He said, easily slipping into his role as a teacher and head of the house of Slytherin. "Come on, boy. Just open them slowly. I have my hand in front of …"

"Hurt." The boy croaked out, followed by a pained gasp.

"Your eyes hurt?" Snape asked, forcing himself to keep his frustration out of his voice.

Potter simply nodded, a movement however that seemed to be just as painful as talking, and he stilled his head quickly.

"You have been standing closest to the exploding cauldron and while the fumes had burned your throat and probably your lungs, your eyes had been blinded by the bright light." He said while gently placing his hand back against Potter's eyes, not really touching the lids but the boy's eyebrows, giving him a sense of security. "It will stop hurting soon. I have my hand back on your eyes. Just try to open them underneath my hand. Come on, now, open them. That's a good boy. Good. Can you see anything?" He asked upon feeling the boy's eyelashes moving against his palm and therefore knowing that Harry had finally opened his eyes. He was nearly feeling anxious, and he breathed a sigh of relief the moment Potter nodded again. Barely, hesitantly, but he nodded.

"Very good." He whispered. The brat could breathe, the brat could see, and the rest, they would be able to deal with.

"Now up with you." He said, and pulling the boy to his feet he led him out of the laboratory and back into the classroom, his free hand still shielding the boy's eyes.

Draco was looking up at them, the moment they entered the classroom, and quickly he came over, taking Potter's other arm, causing him to flinch with the action, and he quickly released the Gryffindor.

"What happened?" He asked startled while the Potions Master gently, but firmly, forced Potter onto his mattress.

"Look after him." He ordered, ignoring the boy's question. "I will be back in ten minutes."

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Wondering how Potter had managed to get his potion exploded by simply checking it, Draco sat down beside the Gryffindor, ignoring the fact that he was sitting at Weasley's mattress, who was scowling at him angrily because of it, and ignoring Granger hovering on Potter's other side.

"Want a cold cloth for your eyes, Potter?" He asked and at the boy's nod Theodore immediately went over to the sink and took one of the old cleaning rags, wetting it with cold water and then brought it back. Getting the cloth onto the other boy's eyes was not as easy however as Potter pressed his palms to them and it took Draco three attempts to pull his hands away. The moment the cold cloth was over the black haired boy's eyes he had his hands back atop the cloth, pressing it against them.

Snape meanwhile was cleaning away the remnants of the exploded potion, also wondering how in Merlin's name Harry had managed to get it exploded in the first place and the only thought that came to his mind was – the boy had stirred the potion in order to test the substance, and he was cursing under his breath. He was angry. Angry at Harry for stirring the potion after he had told them to - not – touch it. He was angry at himself for allowing them to brew the potion in the first place. And he was angry at the situation itself … and angry at anything else that came to his mind. This damn, stupid boy could be death, for Merlin's sake!

Checking the other potions and making sure that they were still alright he took Potter's cauldron to place it into the sink, and he froze mid-step the moment his eyes fell into the cauldron.

There wasn't a drop of the potion left inside, but a small black object caught his eye, and immediately he recognized a battery beetle's eye.

Looking back at the place where the cauldron had been placed over the fire and looking at the cupboard with the potions ingredients, and then adding two and two together, he came to the correct conclusion. Growling angrily, he placed the cauldron into the sink and then made his way back to the classroom to look at the smallest of his charges.

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Upon entering the classroom Snape immediately took in the scene with one look from his dark eyes.

Draco was sitting on Weasley's mattress and beside Potter, Theodore was on the smaller Gryffindor's other side, together with Longbottom and Blaise. Weasley was standing a few steps aside and scowling at Draco, who was sitting on his mattress, and Granger stood beside him, together with Thomas, asking questions without getting answers. The rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherins were hovering in small groups around the scene, discussing what might have happened, their faces startled, scared and unsure, and he knew that he would have to be careful if he wanted to avoid them all going into a panic attack.

Right now, he needed to be calm and his usual self, he needed to keep the upper hand.

"Mr. Zabini, go to the cupboard and take out the seventh year's potions books." He ordered strictly while striding towards the sink and taking a cup from the shelf, pouring warm tea from the mantelpiece into it. "Hand them out to everyone except for Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. Everyone else, take a seat at the desks and start reading chapter one, 'Potions, their uses and their dangers'. There will be a discussion about the chapter tomorrow morning. Everyone not finished reading within the next two hours will write a three feet essay on the chapter. Start! Now!"

He went towards the mattresses with the cup and knelt beside Potter, looking the boy over closely.

The damage was lessened as good as possible, he noticed, and either Theodore or Draco had placed a wet cloth over the boy's eyes, but the pain was still there, as – most probably – was the shock, and the boy was shaking horribly now.

"I have a cup of tea here, Harry." He calmly said, gently pulling one of Harry's hands from his eyes, and he actually had to help the boy wrapping his fingers around the cup. And still – the boy's hands were shaking so badly that he would have spilled its contents, had the Potions Master not wrapped his own larger hand around the child's in order to steady it.

"Does your eyes still hurt, Harry?" He asked gently and the boy again nodded.

"Headache." Came a rough whisper from the boy, and he reached the cup towards Draco who took it immediately.

"That had to be expected." He said, gently pulling the boy's other hand and the cool cloth away from his eyes. "I need to have a look at your eyes. Open them. Slowly."

Well, the boy did, a fraction, before quickly pressing them shut again with a sharp hiss of pain and he was not sure if it was because of the movement itself or because of the light blinding him.

"Open them, Potter! Now!" He ordered, again feeling sorry about using such a harsh tone with the boy that definitely was in a mixture of shock, fear and pain, but he just had to know if there was more damage than he had thought originally. He wasn't able to use a diagnostic spell as still no magic worked down here, and so he had to retreat to using simple muggle ways for examining the boy.

"Hurts." Came the next raspy comment and he gritted his teeth for a moment.

"I know, Harry." He said, forcing himself to not sound worried or upset. "I need them open for a moment, nevertheless. Now, Mr. Potter, if you don't want to find yourself in detention for the rest of your stay here."

A short humorless laugh followed by a series of rough coughs that had him worried even more, but the teen again pried his eyes open while gritting his teeth, his hands curled into fists.

"That's it." Snape growled gently. "Now follow my finger with your eyes."

"Uhm … what finger?" The boy asked, his brows furrowed in concentration, or worry, or pain, he didn't know which, and he himself frowned.

"You claimed you can see, earlier when I asked you." Snape said, grabbing the boy's chin and turning his head, searching the boy's green and unfocused eyes with his own dark ones.

"Only light." Potter answered and he sighed. That was not what he had hoped for, and the only thing he could do was to wait, as it seemed.

Placing a calming hand on the boy's shoulder he felt eyes on him, and he looked up, just to see Ronald Weasley watching him and he watched back at him with, what his Slytherins called, his best 'Death Eater glare'.

"You better do not move an inch while reading." He said in his darkest growl, ignoring Potter flinching at his tone. He would have to make sure the boy knew whom he was talking to as long as Potter wasn't able to see him, if he didn't want the boy startled out of his pants. "And you better leave Mr. Potter alone Mr. Weasley, if you do not want to find yourself in detention for not only the rest of your stay down here, but until after you even have graduated. This here – does not really bode well for you."

Lowering his eyes back at the boy in front of him he sighed, and taking the cup back from Draco he helped the young Gryffindor to drink a few more sips of the warm tea.

"It will be best if you close your eyes, Harry." He gently said. "Try to sleep. I will be checking on you during the night, and tomorrow morning we will know more, I hope."

Watching the boy hiss in pain at the movement of closing his eyes he knew that it was not necessarily the light that caused the pain. He just didn't know if this was the better option or not.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

He didn't dare leaving the classroom tonight and so he was sitting at his desk, dozing every now and then between checking on the boy, just as he had promised, and more than once he found himself dozing while sitting on the floor beside the boy's mattress. Potter's sleep was rather restless, and he knew that not only the child's usual nightmares were plaguing him, but restlessness and pain caused by his damaged throat and lungs, and his injured eyes, too.

All in all, together, it had not been a day that he would like to repeat, and he just hoped that Harry would recover completely while he found his hands unconsciously carding through the boy's messy hair every now and then – yet, he didn't really mind, and he even found himself smiling at that thought.

"What have you done to me, child?" He whispered.

"You're not the only one he hexed, sir." He heard Theodore whisper.

Well, he should have known that the boy would be awake. He, too, had not been able to use the dreamless sleep potion tonight.

"Sleep, you impertinent brat." He growled at the other boy, but again a small smile threatened to tug at the corner of his mouth.

Well, rationally considered - he could be pleased with the day – a little bit at least.

Potter had survived a potions accident that could have been deathly. He had managed to keep the entire class from panicking, and he had learned that he actually – liked the brat.

Dear Merlin! The moment he had thought the first potion, the one that would keep Potter's lungs working, hadn't worked – he had thought the world would have crushed down on him. He'd had potions accidents before, he was a Potions Teacher for long years now, so of course this wasn't his first one. And it wasn't the first one that was serious either, but never before had he nearly panicked like he had today.

He would get the boy out of here, he promised. He would get him out alive, and he would give him a home.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

To be continued

Next time in "twenty-one days"
the Potions Master's godson

Added author's note
thank you for reading - and yes, I would be glad if you took the time to review this chapter, thank you
also, like on ff, I'll install the house cup – with each review, please state your house, so that your house can get a point. There won't be loss of points, only gains … may the best house with the most reviews win …

House Cup:
At the present time it looks like this:

32 Points - Slytherin
07 Points - Gryffindor
27 Points - Ravenclaw
07 Points - Hufflepuff