Half a Life Without You

Chapter 2: Retribution

Severus - POV:

My breath comes in short, sharp bursts as I race down the corridor, fucking Potter and his gang of Neanderthals on my heels. I stupidly let my guard down—after weeks with no taunting or pranks, I thought maybe, just maybe, they'd finally lost interest. Idiot. They ambushed me coming down from the Astronomy Tower, and now I can still feel the sting from Black's hex pulsing in my arm like a bad bruise. The pain is nothing compared to the fury boiling in my chest. Hypocrites. They accuse me of dabbling in the Dark Arts while throwing hexes at my back like cowards. Always four against one. Gryffindor courage, what a joke. They're too afraid to face me in a fair fight.

I turn the corner and duck behind a column, pulling a heavy tapestry over me in a desperate attempt to hide. My heart pounds in my ears, and every breath feels like a stab to my sides. I'm losing this chase. My body's on the edge of collapse, and I know it. The fear of what they'll do next presses down on me, but underneath it, something more dangerous is brewing.

They always push me—always—but this time... this time it's different. My fists clench so hard my nails dig into my palms. I swear to myself, if they find me, if they keep pushing, I won't just stand there and take it. This ends today. If I go down, I'm taking them with me.

Footsteps pound down the hall, their mocking voices getting closer. My heart feels like it's about to burst from my chest. Just keep walking. Just keep walking. But I know better. I hear Potter's voice first. "Oh, Snivellus! Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

I grit my teeth, trying to silence my ragged breathing. Hope flickers for half a second, but it's extinguished the moment Black laughs.

"Pads, look at that... I think our friend left his shoes out for us."

"Prongs, you're right! And look at those ugly things."

Their laughter strikes something deep inside me, like a match to gasoline. I'm done hiding. The rage surges up, hot and unstoppable, burning through every rational thought.

No more.

Before they can react, I explode from behind the tapestry, wand already raised. "STUPEFY! EXPELLIARMUS!" The words leave my mouth before I even realize it.

Potter spins through the air, crashing into the wall with a satisfying thud. Black's wand flies out of his hand, his arrogant smirk wiped clean off his face. For one glorious second, I revel in the shocked looks on their faces.

But it's not over. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Lupin's wand twitch. A second later, my legs lock up. I crash to the ground, face-first, and a sharp snap echoes through the corridor as my nose breaks on impact. Pain explodes across my face, blood pouring over my lips and onto the floor. I grit my teeth, fighting back a scream.

Through the haze of pain, I see Lupin's face. His eyes widen in horror, guilt plastered all over him as he realizes what he's done. He looks at me like he's just crossed a line he didn't mean to.

"Guys, this has gone far enough," Lupin says, his voice trembling. "Just look at his face!"

I can hear him yelling, but Potter and Black ignore him completely. They close in on me, circling like predators sensing the kill.

Black saunters toward me with a swagger that makes me sick. "Don't worry about your nose, Snivellus. I don't think anyone will notice the difference."

"Yeah," Potter chimes in, grinning wickedly, "it might even be an improvement."

Lupin is still standing there, trying to get through to them, but it's pointless. "Come on, guys, stop!" He sounds desperate now, but it falls on deaf ears.

I barely register Pettigrew, cowering behind the others like the pathetic coward he is. My gaze locks onto Black as he raises his wand, the tip aimed right at my face.

"What do you think, Prongs? A Bat-Bogey Hex should do the trick."

Potter snickers, and my blood boils over. No more.

Before Black can cast the spell, I roar, "PROTEGO!" The shield flares up, knocking the hex aside. Blood drips from my fingertips as I grip my wand and point it at the wall behind them, something wild and unrestrained burning in my chest.

"CONFRINGO!"

The explosion rocks the corridor, chunks of stone flying through the air as the wall shatters. Potter and Black are thrown like rag dolls, crashing into each other with bone-rattling force. I hear their cries of pain, see their bodies hitting the ground in a heap, and for a moment, it feels like justice.

The dust settles. Their groans echo through the now-ruined hallway, and I let out a shaky breath, rolling onto my back despite the searing pain coursing through my body. Blood drips from my face, but I don't care.

I did it. I finally fought back.

A dark, bitter smile twists my lips as the adrenaline begins to fade. I'd promised myself I wouldn't go down without a fight. And I hadn't.

Lupin's frantic voice echoes faintly as he rushes toward them, concern finally taking over, but it's too late. The damage is done.

As the edges of my vision blur, and the pain becomes too much, I feel the darkness creeping in. My eyelids grow heavy, and just before everything fades, I welcome the stillness.