~Always~

An Unlikly Bond

"Harry stay back and hide, do not come out" Severus ordered.

The consistent banging on the door eventually caused the old wooden panels to split, and the door came crashing down to reveal a three-headed beast, the three heads were a snake, goat, and a lion. Snape muttered something to himself about how Chimeras were just a pain and that it wouldn't be hard to defeat one. The chimera leaped towards the professor, but he was ready with a spell.

"CRUCIO" the spell caused the Chimera to feel pain but instead of cowering. It just made it angrier. The chimera pounced, and Severus dogged the animal in the nick of time, but instead of going back to fight the professor the Chimera made its way to where Harry was sitting in the corner. As soon as Harry saw the giant three-headed, fire-breathing beast, his eyes filled with fear and he clumsily grabbed his wand holding tightly ready to hit it with some spell or curse. The beast got closer, and Harry held his wand out, shaking so much that the wand was trembling.

"Everte Statum" this should have made the animal fly backwards, but Harry's voice was filled with fear, and so nothing happened. Regaining his thoughts Harry tried again this time more confidence in his voice.

"EVERTE STATUM" his voice was loud and clear and the animal was sent tumbling backwards. Snape took this opportunity to cast a spell on the Chimera.

"Avis" this causes a flock of birds fly out of the tip of Severus' wand the birds distracted the Chimera, but Snape knew that was only momentarily.

 without warning the Chimera pounced again, landing on top of Severus. When Severus fell, a crack was heard near his shoulder and soon he felt a sharp pain. When the Chimera leaped it also created a deep gash in the professor's stomach.

Harry, who was still, feeling frightened about the sudden conflict heard a cry of pain and ducked his head out from his hiding position underneath a desk. He realized that it was Snape and without thinking, Harry ran out into the open, wand at the ready, he saw what was going on and made a silent promise to himself that he would not let another person die because of him.

"Aguamenti" a powerful jet of water hit the Chimera stunning the animal for a brief second before it started to prowl towards Harry. Severus saw Harry and cursed himself knowing that the boy would never stay out of trouble, he tried to move and get in between Harry and the Chimera but his shoulder and stomach refused.

Harry remembered a spell that the Weasley twins had taught him over the break and prayed that it would work. Harry led the Chimera over to a half stone wall and when the Chimera was close enough for Harry's liking he yelled.

"BOMBARDA MAXIMA" creating a massive explosion near the wall making it crack and split. The wall began to fall apart, and a large boulder-sized rock hit the Chimera and thankfully knocked it out. Snape saw this and was about to move over and finish the beast off, but his eyes began to see small dark spots, so he decided not to move and called for an owl.

"Fetch the headmaster" was all he could mutter before the darkness overtook him, and he lay still, luckily still conscious.

When Harry looked towards his professor laying still and not moving he felt a dread engulf him, he would not let Snape die. Harry rushed over and knelt down beside the professor seeing the deep gash in his stomach for the first time.

"Professor Snape?" Harry's voice was laced with concern and worry.

Severus forced his eyes open "Jesus boy when will you learn to do as you're told." He pushed himself up against a wall with Harry's help and sat there Harry by his side.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief when he found that his teacher was alive. "I-I thought that it was going to kill you and I couldn't......just sit there and watch it happen again. I'm not letting anyone die for me again sir.