บท 1: Prologue: Ill Met By Moonlight
The Whomping Willow, Hogwarts Grounds...
The moon had been full this night. A large round pearl in a sea of black velvet. Her shine more illustrious than that of a diamond as she hung with the soft white glow emitting from her cold gray form. An evening chill had set in providing the seemingly appropriate backdrop for the terrifying events to come. Soft mist filled the air as thin gray clouds of stretched across the sky blanketing the path of the moon as if to by at her non-existing feet. She calls to her children in the dead of night. Their hearts bursting with her siren song and they endeavor to worship at her feet. Luna, The queen of the night and ruler of werewolves. A pearl more precious than any gemstone in the eyes of the beasts that prowl the night. As if driven by compulsion, her children long to bathe in her glow and will bite scratch and claw through any means to get to it. Driven mad in the need to be free of their fleshy prisons.
On this night Professor Remus Lupin had been no exception. His heart beat wildly when he heard Luna's call. A thunderous rhythm the soundtrack to what would have been murder most foul if not for the actions of another who dared to step in. The savage beast won out and Professor Lupin was locked away during the call of the night. How unfortunate that his savage side took on its form with three young students having to witness it.
Before the werewolf could make a move, another guest came out of the hollowed grove. Clad in ebony from head to toe. A rage radiating off him in wave after wave. Beneath pale flesh, his blood boiling in his veins. Potions Professor Severus Snape made his way out of the dreaded hideaway beneath The Whomping Willow. His shoulder length raven hair rose and fell softly with each aggravated step. His long ebony cape twisting due his frustrated pace and because of the increasing breeze that swept over them adding further a foreboding element to the already eerie atmosphere. Obsidian eyes fell on the three huddled Gryffindor students of Hogwarts: The red head Weasley boy, who's pale face was twisted in fear. The Bushy haired insufferable know-it-all Granger. And of course, Potter. How can he forget Harry Potter, the bloody boy Who-Lived-To-Be-A-Pain-In-The-Arse. It was Potter after all that had sent him flying through the old worn bed with a flick of Granger's wand.
The irate Professor Snape advanced on the huddle trio thinking nothing of their huddled appearance and fear contorted faces. Reactions like that to his pretense were always the same. He reached out with a long pale arm clad in ebony and gripped Potter's collar with his equally long pale fingers.
"Potter!" he had said bitterly as the rage radiated off him. "There you are...you are going to answer for turning your wand on a..."
He didn't get far with his threat as the sound of a vicious snarl filled his ears and nearly scared him to death. "Professor watch out!" was all he could make out.
Snape turned in time to see a rather large beast with thin gray fur and the equivalent of a comb-over. The Potions Professor blinked taking in the familiarity of the creature. He hardly had time to make a mental assessment because it came straight for him. In a matter of seconds the beast swiped a menacing claw across his ebony clad chest tearing through the fibers of his frock coat and shirt.
"AHHHH!" shouted Snape in pain the agony of his intensely ripped flesh caused him to double over.
The creature had gotten ready to take another swipe when a hairy black mongrel leaped into the fray biting at the beast in a bid to steer it away. For a moment the beast had been occupied swiping away at the black mongrel. Snape turned to look at the students. Harry had been more interested in the welfare of his mongrel godfather. Ron was too terrified to speak and Hermione looked Snape over seeing the large slash across his chest for herself.
"Professor are you alright?" she could not think of a single thing to say otherwise her nerves shot from the fear but her concern was evident.
Snape had been about to utter a sarcastic remark but the notion was lost when the black mongrel Sirius Black was thrown back into a nearby tree by the incensed beast. It growled viciously and made it's way toward the huddled students and the bleeding Snape. Without a thought Snape placed his injured body between the beast and the students.
Hermione Granger had been nearest to the monster and the one closest to being in it's grasp. She huddled her small frame behind Professor Snape as Harry and Ron huddled behind her. Snape's arms draped in ebony robes stretched out blocking the beast from being able to injure the students but left no protection for his own lean and injured form.
With a minor window of time Snape addressed the frightened students.
"Stay back." he instructed. "When the time is right...get yourselves to Hogwarts as quickly as possible."
Hermione Granger filled with concern over the state of the injured man had not thought it a wise idea to leave him. They had been in enough trouble over the attack Harry initiated with her wand. She did not want to see the man dead after his thwarted previous attempt to save them. From what she could gather from the banter between Professor Snape and Sirius Black, the man believed the three of them were in danger and it brought him out of the confines of the castle to assist them when everyone else stayed behind.
The infamous guilt of Gryffindors had been well known throughout Hogwarts and Hermione Granger had been no exception to it's baring clutches. If Professor Snape got killed by Professor Lupin it would be all their fault. While neither Ron nor Harry would have any love loss between them and the snarky Professor, Hermione harbored no ill will toward the dour man despite her aggravation at his verbal jabs and snide comments. Especially, when he might well have saved their lives.
"What about you, Professor?" she asked not at all feeling too good about leaving him.
"Do as I say!" demanded Snape not taking his eyes off the advancing beast.
He had little time to argue further before he was descended upon by the snarling creature. The force of the beast slashing at Snape again tearing through his coat and pale flesh beneath. The scent of his blood seemed to be causing the monster to go into a frenzy. The injured Potions Master thought quickly. He needed to get the beast away from the students as quickly as possible. Realizing that he had only one shot at this Snape cast a wandless protection spell on over the students.
It wouldn't last long if his ability to fend off the beast lacked any standing and it killed him but it was worth a shot.
Snape had been in the snarling creature's cross hairs now that the scent of his blood provided enough of a distraction. He took a deep breath unsure if he would survive the next few minutes or wind up in the stomach of Remus Lupin. The irony that this werewolf had been the very same that nearly killed him when he was but 16 years old and attending Hogwarts himself.
"Alright overgrown mangy mutt." said Snape unable to resist a good jab at Lupin. "Come and get me."
Before Snape got ready to make his move there was a snag in his plan as Harry Potter, consumed with worry over losing his newly acquired godfather ran toward Sirius Black who had reverted back from his animagus form. The green eyed wizard took off toward the downed man getting the attention of the beast before Snape could do anything about it.
"NO POTTER!" shouted Snape as the beast went charging after Harry.
Hermione attempted to follow but was grabbed by Snape who pushed her back toward a fear frozen Ron.
"There is no sense in you needlessly risking your life, Miss Granger." he said annoyed. "I shall tend to your precious Potter...the both of you get back to Hogwarts immediately!"
With that he took off in a burst of adrenaline toward what he believed to be his doom and all in a desperate bid to save Harry Potter. It didn't take him long to happen upon the scene. Harry had been huddled over Sirius with the beast advancing on them. The Potions Master couldn't believe his rotten luck. He was about to save the very selfish prick that nearly cost him his life to this very monster.
Summoning the last of his strength Snape charged the beast much too exhausted to conjure magic after trying to sustain the protection shield for the students. His blood oozing from his chest had not been much better for him. He could feel the dull burning and throbbing as he ran. His lungs burning in his chest.
Harry blinked and both Snape and the beast when rolling down a hill grass and dirt had been flying as they tumbled. The green eyed wizard heard the sound of Snape screaming in agony and the beast snarling after the initial fall and then nothing from Snape as the beast howled in the moonlight.
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Below The Hill...
Severus Snape opened his eyes to find to his amazement that he had been still alive. Though his breaths were shallow and it pained him every time he exhaled. The werewolf got to it's feet snarling and whimpering from the pain in it's right hind leg. An indication that it twisted something in the fall. The Potions Professor gauged that his actions at least slowed the mangy beast down. A short lived mental victory if ever there was one. The sound of Harry Potter's voice rang out as the boy attempted to rouse an unconscious Sirius Black. The ears of the beast perked and Snape could tell that it had gotten the monster's undivided attention.
The Potions Professor tried to move but found everything ached and his strength had left him. If he didn't find some way to stop the beast soon the Potter boy would be it's first meal and then where would the wizarding world be? The Dark Lord would win and Lupin would be severely crushed. Snape smirked at the image of a crestfallen Remus Lupin. He had hated the mangy mutt for years but not even he would deserve such a grisly fate. With a sigh Snape tried again to summon what little reserves he had left as the beast started to make it's way up the hill.
Still struggling to get his battered body to move, Snape froze as the image of a pale young girl with long flowing red hair emerald green eyes flooded his mind. He did not know where it came from but he found the strength to get himself back to his feet. Dizzy from blood loss and in a heavy amount of pain, Snape summoned everything he had and leapt onto the back of the snarling beast.
If he was going to die then there would be no doubt that he spent his last breath trying to save Harry Potter and give the wizarding world a fighting chance against the dark lord and his forces.
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Above The Hill...
Harry Potter had been terrified as the beast came up the hill with it's attention clearly back to him and the unconscious Sirius Black. The young wizard had not known what had happened to Professor Snape but he did not believe it was a good outcome for the dour man. Fear continued to course through him as the werewolf advanced snarling with murderous intent in it's blood red eyes. Saliva oozed from it's open mouth and it's tongue dangled out sliding across sharp ivory canine teeth.
It seemed like this would be it for The Boy Who Lived, eaten by one of his father's closest friends in werewolf form, But then there was howling in the distance. It got the monsters attention and he took off in the direction of his phantom pack member. Harry looked back at Sirius who had simply been knocked out cold. He thought briefly of Professor Snape unsure of what to make of his sudden appearance but he was glad the man showed up when he did.
Ron and Hermione arrived with Ron coming out of his fright in time to help Harry carry Sirius. The red head had been injured himself but the adrenaline flowing through his veins gave him incredible strength to ignore the pain. It was Hermione Granger who had looked around and been fearful when she saw no signs of The Potions Professor.
"Where's Professor Snape?" she asked.
Harry looked down at his feet with one of Sirius arms draped over his shoulder. Ron had the other draped over his as the downed man slumped in their grasp. Hermione looked at Harry, amber eyes meeting emerald green. A flash of regret filed across the young Gryffindor wizard's face.
"What's happened Harry?" she asked concerned.
"I-I don't know if he made it." said Harry. "There was a moment when Snape arrived...he attacked the werewolf but they both went tumbling and then I heard him shouting...it seemed like he was in a lot of pain..."
"Bloody hell." said Ron stunned by what he was hearing. "Maybe...maybe...Snape's dead."
Hermione felt a sudden surge of anger. She couldn't imagine Professor Snape being overtaken by anything let alone a where wolf the man had been so formidable and intimidating much of the time it was almost impossible to in vision him being human. Let alone being capable of a thing like dying.
"He's not dead!" she said irate more from the overwhelming sense of guilt than anything. "Professor Snape could still be alive."
Harry wasn't too sure about that but said nothing further to avoid upsetting his friend. While it was true that he had no love loss for Snape, the man had done his best to save them from the werewolf. Going so far as to put his own body on the line to keep the beast from harming them. The green eyed wizard had no idea what possessed the dour man to do such a thing but he knew that neither of them would be alive if he hadn't.
"Maybe he did get away." he said more to ease his friend's mind. "It's Snape remember...he's always got some kind of plan...he is a Slytherin after all..."
"Well that's true." said Ron trying to be helpful. "The greasy git's like a bloody cockroach...he's survived this long...maybe he just went back to the dungeons once the coast was clear."
Hermione glared at both Harry and Ron for a moment. She knew that they were just trying to make her feel better.
"I've got to get Sirius to Hogwarts before the dementors come for him." said Harry turning his attention to his godfather.
"You and Ron go and get Dumbledore." said Hermione. "I'm going to try and look for Professor Snape."
"Are you mental?" asked Ron. "There's a bloody werewolf running loose."
"I am not leaving here until we know for sure if Professor Snape is alright." said Hermione. "Take Sirius back to the school and get Dumbledore."
"Mione." said Harry.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at her green eyed friend.
"I-I can't leave him, Harry..." she said. "Any more than you could Sirius."
Harry nodded.
"But the werewolf." he said.
"I know what to do if Professor Lupin comes back." said Hermione. "Now hurry before the dementors come."
Harry nodded.
There was no telling Hermione "No" once she set her mind to something. The two wizards made their way back to Hogwarts with Sirius in tow. Hermione headed back toward the last place Harry had seen Snape. Slowly, carefully, the bushy haired witch made her way down the hill to the bottom. She could see the blood and tracks from an unintended decent though one was much larger than the other.
Steeling herself against the possible grisly outcome, she ventured until she came across a downed ebony clad figure beneath a broken tree. Hermione quickened her steps and saw that the figure was in fact Professor Severus Snape. The pale wizard had been unconscious and badly injured with numerous rips and slashes in both his notoriously pale flesh and his trademark ebony attire in tatters.
Fighting back tears at the sight of the once formidable man in such a fragile state, Hermione lifted her wand to get a better view of him. She could see the stress lines in his sallow pale face and the dirt as well as blood that had been smeared on it as a result of his battle with the werewolf. The bushy haired witch kneeled down beside her fallen professor taking care to look out for Lupin and dementors.
With a well timed levitation spell, Hermione lifted Snape's broken body from the ground and got him to The Whomping willow. He had not moved with the exception of taking slow shallow breaths. Hermione felt nothing but sadness as she registered the large bite on his right shoulder. If she was correct in her observations than Professor Snape's condition was far worse than she could have ever imagined.
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The Whomping Willow, Hogwarts...
Severus Snape's blood seemed to be boiling in his veins as he lied half conscious on a strange floor. He had lost a great deal of blood and the searing white-hot pain in his right shoulder was almost unbearable. Fear coursed through him as he lingered in this state unsure wither he would live or die but he noted the amber eyes of the young witch Hermione Granger as she did her best to tend to him. Stupid girl. She should have gone back to Hogwarts by now. There was no telling when Lupin would return.
"It's going to be okay, Professor." she said as if trying to soothe him.
No sooner had the girl said this did the doors to the hideaway burst open.
"Severus!" called the voice of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore it was frantic with worry. "Miss Granger!"
"In here Professor Dumbledore!" called Hermione not leaving Snape's side.
The Headmaster made his way toward her and was treated to the sight of a bloody and battered Severus Snape clad in tattered ebony robes. His raven hair had been soaked in blood was well. The blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore softened as he kneeled beside the younger wizard.
"Miss Granger, go back to the castle." he instructed and turned his attention to his Potions Professor. "Severus, I'm so sorry my boy..."
Snape could not reply as he again lost consciousness. As everything faded into blackness, all he knew was that he heard the familiar voice of Albus Dumbledore and he knew the stubborn young witch would be alright. He fell away feeling his body become weightless despite the blood still boiling in his veins. The pounding of his own frantic heart had been the last thing he heard and then there was nothing but vast blackness and unyielding warmth.
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