Severus Snape And The Marauders

Chapter 19

Why One Should Maintain an Extremely Well-Stocked Supply of Rare Potions Ingredients

Severus sat up, drenched in sweat and clutching his forearm with pale fingers. The Dark Lord was summoning his followers, and it was unnerving how strong the compulsion to come, come, comeremained. He bit his lip, looked down at the angry black mark on his arm, and transformed into Skittles. The pain was muted slightly beneath his fur, and he prowled restlessly around the hills of bedcovers, trying to ignore it.

The morning sun shone brightly through the curtains—I've slept late again—and Severus wondered why the Death Eaters were being summoned at ten o'clock in the morning. Such an early summons was rare, though not unheard of. His pace and heartbeat quickened as the mark continued to throb. Soon he was running in desperate circles around the room—under the bed, through the chair legs and over the textbooks—hoping exertion or exhaustion would keep his mind off the pain.

The Dark Mark was more painful than most believed. It was not intended to simply inform the bearer that the Dark Lord was waiting, but to forcefully brand the notion into every Death Eater's mind that the Dark Lord held the power over comings and goings, life and death. It was more like a concentrated Cruciatus than anything else... and it's lasting far too long. Who is he waiting for? Severus stopped mid-stride with the sudden realization that he could be waiting for me. The thought so horrified him that he redoubled his pace, leaping across the carpet with a panicked stride. He heard noises outside the door but did not pause to listen.

Footsteps... under the chair, around the bed... someone was arguing... over the bed, turn the corner... The door opened and he slammed nose-first into James Potter's leg.

"Severus? What the—what are you doing?"

Severus remained in a panting heap on the floor. What are you doing?

"I came in to talk to you." James shut the door and sat down on the floor beside him. "Sirius and Remus wanted—I mean... I... wanted to patch things up. After last night—I'm sorry."

Severus wrenched his mind away from the pain, trying to focus on the conversation. This conversation. About last night. Yes. Um... okay.

"Now, if you could change back and tell me why exactly you were running around like Padfoot was after you?"

Severus transformed and was shocked to find the experience painful. He stayed on all fours and bit his lip to keep from crying out; obviously, his Animagus form muted the mark's effects far more than he'd imagined.

"Severus? What happened?" James knelt beside him, looking nervous.

"I've just had a horrible thought," Severus whispered. "I wonder..." He pulled up his sleeve and was not surprised to see blisters forming on his burnt skin. "I wonder if he can control these individually..."

James' eyes widened as he took in the charred flesh and inflammation that was slowly consuming Severus' forearm. "Is that normal?"

"No. It's never lasted half this long before..." Before Severus could finish James grabbed his other arm and jerked him to his feet.

"We're getting Andromeda. Now." He kicked the door open. "ANDROMEDA!"

______________________________________