snape and skull

61

Blood on the Floor
S

nape's robes billowed like the wings of a Hungarian Horntail behind him as he strode rapidly down the corridor towards the source of all the hysteria. Lena nearly had to run to keep up with him, for Severus' long strides eclipsed her own short ones. But she was too fearful about what calamity had befallen the students to worry about trying to keep up with the Potions Master.
A

s Severus descended the stairs leading to the main floor, he nearly ran over Harry and Dante, who were running towards the stairs.
"We didn't do it!" Harry panted as he slid to a stop in front of his parent.
Severus frowned and raised an eyebrow. "What didn't you do?"
"What's going on?" Lena demanded, her hair coming loose from her chignon and her glasses slightly askew.
"Someone got hurt and that's why people are screaming and freaking out," Dante surmised quickly. "We heard the screams just as we were about to come and fetch you to look at the results of our Creature Identification Potion."
Harry nodded. "We have no idea what's happened, we just figured you needed to come and see right away."
"Stay here," Severus ordered. He swept past the two children, heading for the knot of students screaming, weeping, and looking like they were going to pass out on the floor in front of the staircase to the dungeons. What in Merlin's name has happened?
Suddenly Skullduggery appeared above his head. "Sev! Hurry! There's a student bleeding all over the floor . . . it's bad!"
Severus muttered a swear word, then his voice cut through the tumult like a sword through silk. "Move out of the way! Now!"
The barked command had students tripping over themselves to scurry out of the Potion's Master's way as Snape appeared like an avenging angel out of the shadows, followed by Lena.
As the gathering of scared children scattered, Severus could now see what had caused the panic. A Gryffindor firstie lay bleeding in a scarlet swath all over the pristine floor Filch had scrubbed not an hour past.
"What do we do?" moaned a third-year Hufflepuff.
"I think he's dying!" wailed a Ravenclaw.
"Somebody fetch Pomfrey!" bellowed a Slytherin fourth-year.
"Merciful Merlin!" sobbed a small Gryffindor.
"All of you . . . quiet!" Snape growled, shoving through the knot of panicky children to kneel beside the stricken boy. May Merlin and Cerridwen have mercy! He's whiter than a ghost . . . I need to stop the bleeding. . .
Snape drew his wand and chanted a swift Blood Halt spell. The blood trickling from several wounds on the boy's arms, abdomen, and leg slowed down, but did not halt despite the powerful spell.
"Dear God, Severus!" Lena gasped. She conjured a stretcher and some bandages as well as some Wound Cleansing Potion and cloths. "What happened to the poor child?"
"I don't know," Snape murmured. "But it would seem he was . . . attacked by something. These look like . . . claw or teeth marks of some kind." He shook his head. "I'm not sure why they won't close though . . ." Frowning, he considered another spell that might have an effect where the standard Blood Halt did not. "Lena, I need you to monitor his pulse and breathing."
The library witch knelt without blinking in the pool of blood and put two fingers to the boy's neck, counting the fluttering heartbeat. "It's there, Sev. But it's thready and weak. If you can't stop the bleeding . . ." she didn't finish, for both knew without saying what would happen.
Severus gritted his teeth. Then he began to chant a different spell entirely, a singsong chant that seemed to hover in the air like the last notes of soothing lullaby. Inwardly he was praying that this would work, that he would not see a child die from these awful wounds, as if he had been the prey of a wild beast.
Beside him, Lena was whispering prayers in Italian while watching the small chest slowly rise and fall and counting the fluttering pulse beneath her fingers. Severus, please . . . please help the poor boy!
She was unfamiliar with the spell Snape was casting, perhaps it was some form of the old magic, but whatever it was, it seemed to be working.
Snape focused his tremendous will upon the spell he was softly singing, and saw to his relief that the terrible slashes were beginning to stop trickling blood and slowly knit together. Not totally, but enough so the boy was not in danger of bleeding out any longer.
His wand carefully traced a path above the unconscious child, guiding the healing magic to the deepest slashes and beginning to mend them internally. What the bloody hell attacked him? A manticore? A chimera? Some kind of dragon?
At last he halted, then turned to Lena. "Can you Summon a Blood Replenisher from my stores?"
"Yes," she replied and then handed him the Wound Cleansing potion and the bandages.
"Thank you," he muttered, using the purple potion to swab out the wounds.
The potion smoked on contact, but Severus knew that meant it was working and ignored it, competently disinfecting the slashes he could see before field dressing the wounds with the bandages.
Blood was all over his robes, but he ignored it, all his concentration focused upon the gravely wounded child. He used a cloth to clean the blood from the boy's face, and recognized the child as Gryffindor Colin Creevy.
Lena pressed a Blood Replenisher into his hand and Severus propped Colin's head on his arm and gently eased the potion down the boy's throat, stroking it until he swallowed. Afterwards some color returned to the waxen boy's face.
"Let us get him to the Hospital Wing," Severus said, rising to his feet.
Lena levitated Colin onto a stretcher just as McGonagall, Filch, and Dumbledore appeared, rushing down the stairs.
"Great Merlin!" gasped the Transfiguration professor. "Severus, what happened?!"
Mrs. Norris sniffed at the pool of blood on the floor and hissed, her back arched.
"Looks like one of the little brats got attacked," remarked Filch, and several students began crying.
"Hush, children," ordered Dumbledore.
"Minerva, I will tell you what I know about this on the way to the Hospital Wing," Severus muttered, and the stretcher with the comatose Creevy began to follow in their wake.
Lena followed the two professors, muttering a cleaning charm on her clothing, so she didn't scare anyone because her dress was stained with blood.
As they hurried to the Hospital Wing, Severus informed Minerva of the situation as he had found it.
Meanwhile, in the Entrance Hall, Dumbledore tried to calm the frightened students still milling about. "Children! Can anyone tell me who found Mr. Creevy in such a state?"
Towards the back, a small Slytherin raised her hand. Harry recognized Randi Cummings, the girl Severus had treated for her allergies. "It was me, Professor," she admitted.
"Come over here, child," Dumbledore urged. "It's hard to hear you way back there. Everyone, hush!"
The hall went still.
Randi made her way over to the Headmaster.
"Now then, Miss Cummings. When did you first notice something was wrong with Mr. Creevy?"
"As soon as I saw him, sir," the bright girl answered. "He was dripping blood and he tripped coming into the castle. I went to ask him what was wrong—I thought he had fallen off his broom or something—and then he just looked at me kind of weird and said—it attacked me—and then he passed out cold. That was when I saw how badly he was hurt and tried to use my robe to stop the bleeding—" she gulped and indicated her robe, which was stained with blood. "—someday I want to be a Healer but . . .when I saw how badly he was bleeding, I just . . . I called for help and some other students saw me . . ."
Dumbledore patted her shoulder soothingly. "It's all right now. Professor Snape will see that Colin is tended by Madam Pomfrey. You did well in trying to help him, Randi."
Now there were even more rumors floating about as the students tried to digest the information they had heard.
Dante and Harry exchanged horrified glances. "Did you hear what he said?" whispered the older boy.
"Something attacked him," Harry hissed. "Do you think . . .?"
"I don't know, but . . . I told you the dragonelle slays wizards."
"You think the Creevy boy was attacked by a dragonelle?" Skull squawked, coming to perch on Dante's shoulder.
"Why would you think that?" asked Loki, flying to land on Harry's shoulder.
"I thought dragonelles were extinct," added Callie, landing on Harry's other shoulder.
"So did we until . . ." Dante explained the results of the potion.
Luckily, they were far enough away from the crowd of students that they couldn't be overheard.
Filch grabbed a mop and a bucket and began cleaning the blood off the flagstones while the Headmaster ordered the rest of the students to return to their common rooms.
Dante and Harry slowly made their way down to Snape's quarters, wondering if Colin were going to be okay.
The Hospital Wing:
Poppy worked feverishly to save Colin's life, muttering as she attempted to heal the wounds on the boy's abdomen, arms and leg. "Something is preventing my healing spells from fully closing these wounds, Severus," she told the watching Potions Master. "Do we know what did this?"
"No. I found him bleeding out on the floor of the Entrance Hall." Severus answered. "I almost couldn't staunch the bleeding. Until I recalled the counter to a personal combat spell I invented. Then I managed to halt the bleeding and close the wounds slightly."
"Was that what that chant was?" Lena queried softly. "I had wondered if it were a spell of old magic."
Snape shook his head. Then he frowned, something occurring to him. "Poppy, have you considered the reason why we cannot get these wounds to close is because there is some kind of venom or poison preventing it? Whatever creature attacked Creevy could have been venomous, if these are bites, or more likely claw slashes in which case the poison could be in sacs at the base of the claw, like in some types of dragons or lizards."
Poppy lifted her head from her patient, her eyes wide. "You're right, Severus! I don't know how I missed that."
"The Pendragon bears poison sacs in its claws." Lena murmured, recalling then that Harry had once raised a Pendragon hatchling last year.
"My thoughts exactly," Severus said.
Poppy cast a diagnostic aimed at identifying poisons. "It's some kind of creature's poison, all right. I'm not sure what, magical creatures aren't my specialty, but now that I know that . . . Severus do you have any antidotes to such a thing brewed?"
"Yes. I have an Extra Strength Antidote in my personal stores," Snape responded. "I always keep some on hand, one never knows if some fool student will accidentally poison themselves."
He Summoned it to his hand. "Here, Poppy. You may pour it directly on the wounds—it does not need to be swallowed." He handed her a creamy emerald potion with golden glints in it.
"Thank Merlin!" Poppy said and removed the stopper and sprinkled it over the terrible wounds.
A strange red mist drifted up from the wounds and then dissipated. Poppy finished anointing all the slashes and then chanted her healing spells again. This time the magic worked and the wounds healed. She then used a container of dittany salve to prevent scarring.
Just then Dumbledore entered the infirmary. "Poppy, how is Colin?"
"I have just now gotten his wounds healed. He should be fine in a day or so. I want to keep him for observation and a regimen of Blood Replenishers. He lost a great deal of blood and will need rest before I will allow him to return to class."
Dumbledore nodded. "That is very relieving."
"Albus, do you know what attacked him?" Severus queried. "Did any of the students see anything?"
"No. Though one of your Slytherins found him collapsed in the Entrance Hall, a Miss Cummings. She tried to help him but his wounds were too much for her. You may want to give her a Calming Draught and Dreamless Sleep tonight."
"Yes, I will do that," the Potions Master muttered. "Might I suggest you make an announcement at breakfast tomorrow that the students not stray too far from the castle until we can determine what attacked Mr. Creevy?"
"Of course, that is sound thinking," the Headmaster agreed. "I shall bid you all goodnight then."
After the Headmaster left, Severus and Lena also departed, leaving Creevy asleep in a clean bed monitored by Poppy. The professor walked Lena back to her quarters.
"Will you be all right?" he asked with some concern.
"Yes. I will be fine, Sev," she reassured him. "Your students need you, don't worry about me."
"I'm sorry our night had to end this way," Severus said, feeling compelled to offer an apology.
"It's okay. Things happen," Lena soothed. "I'm so glad you could help save that poor boy."
Severus nodded, embarrassed at her praise. "I simply did what any teacher would have. But I am grateful it worked."
"Most teachers wouldn't have known the healing spells you did, Sev. Or the fact that the wounds had been poisoned," Lena pointed out. "Hogwarts is lucky to have such an astute staff member who can actually apply what he learns."
Then she did something totally on impulse. She stood up on tip toe and kissed Severus.
Snape's eyes widened at the feel of her lips on his, and then he drowned in the sensations she caused in him. He had not felt this attracted to a woman since Lily, but the single kiss he had shared with her was nothing like this one. This one was sensuous and spicy, the kiss of a woman who knew what she wanted in the man before her, and he found himself returning it with equal passion.
When they drew back, both were slightly breathless.
"Holy Merlin, Severus!" gasped the library witch. "Do you kiss all your dates like that?"
"Only you, Lena," he answered truthfully. "Pleasant dreams, my Lady Rook."
After that? You bet your sexy ass, Snape! She thought with a smirk. "Same to you, Sev." Then she retreated into her chambers, a smile of pure satisfaction upon her face.
When Severus arrived back at his quarters, he found Dante and Harry still awake, but the fledglings and Skull were dozing on the back of the couch.
"Dad, how is Colin?" were the first words out of Harry's mouth when he saw his father enter the room.
"It was touch and go for a bit, but he will make a full recovery," answered Severus.
Both boys look relieved at that, then Dante said, eyeing his cousin, "Severus, we think we know what attacked him. But you need to see the potion we brewed in order to believe it."
The professor arched an eyebrow. "You are certain?"
Dante nodded firmly. "Almost positive."
"Very well, let's have a look."
The professor and the boys went down to Snape's private lab, where the Creature Identification Potion still simmered.
Severus approached the workstation, examining the cauldron and then the image above it. His obsidian eyes widen in shock. "Hell and damnation! That's a dragonelle!" He scowled at the image and then turned to his two apprentices. "They are supposedly extinct. What exactly did you find and where was it?"
Harry gulped softly. "Umm . . . maybe I'd better tell you about the voice too . . ."
"What do you mean?"
The Potions Master stared at the image in rising dread as he listened to his son describe the voice he had heard during his two detentions at Hogsmeade Station, as well as finding the feather and the fur there.
Severus whirled upon the two young wizards. "And when were you going to tell me this?"
"I . . .thought you'd think I was crazy," Harry began miserably. "I wasn't sure I'd really heard anything or if I'd imagined it. But then when I found the feather and the fur . . . I realized I had seen something that night. But I didn't know what, and I wanted to figure out what I'd seen before I told you, in case I was worrying over nothing."
"That's when he came to me," Dante said. "But even my compendium didn't have a match for them, and now I understand why. The compendium only has beasts in it that are currently in existence. I'd need to look in another of my texts, the one with extinct magical creatures in order to find the dragonelle."
Severus sighed, rubbing his eyes. He was exhausted from performing such powerful healing magic and his robes were encrusted with Colin's blood on the hem and knees. "Next time you find anything like this . . . come to me and tell me, Harry. Understand?"
"Yes, Dad. Sorry." The boy lowered his head.
Severus reached out a hand and patted his shoulder. "That goes for you too, Dante. Come, it's time for you two to be in bed. Have you completed all your homework?"
He escorted them out of the lab. He would need to inform Albus of this latest development, but first he would make certain his two scamps were asleep, as well as checking on Randi Cummings and the rest of his snakes. He had a feeling the first-year wasn't the only one who would be needing tea laced with Calming Draughts and Dreamless Sleep this night.
"Yeah, we did it while we were waiting for you to come back," Dante said.
"Good. Harry, where are you sleeping?" he looked at his son.
"I'd better go up to the Tower," his son answered, thinking he could at least reassure the rest of his Housemates that Colin was going to be okay. He glanced uncertainly at his father. "Dad, should I tell anyone else about the dragonelle? Like my friends?"
Severus shook his head. "Not yet. I need to speak with the Headmaster and see what he wishes us to do about it. He may not want everyone to know until we can reassure the students that the school is still safe. Otherwise parents might well panic upon hearing the news and pull their children from the school. So until I tell you otherwise, keep your mouth closed, Harry."
"Okay, Dad," his son agreed. He came and hugged Severus for a long moment, before drawing away. He then summoned his bookbag and Severus and Dante accompanied him to the stairs that led to Gryffindor Tower.
"Night," Harry called as he climbed the stairs.
Severus watched until the boy was out of sight, then he turned to his relative and said, "Let's go and have some tea. You look like you could use a cup."
"Yeah." Dante agreed.
Severus called Prissy to fetch them a pot of Sleepytime tea, and once the elf had brought it, Snape sneakily laced Dante's mug with a mild Sleeping Draught. He left the teen on the couch sipping quietly while he went to change into his extra set of teaching robes. Prissy would wash the stained ones.
By the time Snape emerged from his room, Dante was curled upon the couch, sound asleep. Smirking, Severus lifted the boy in his arms and put him to bed, leaving the door ajar for one of the fledglings to enter if they wished.
Then he went to his storeroom and gathered the potions he would need. That done he went into the Slytherin common room, finding most of his snakes awake and discussing Creevy and what might have attacked him.
"Professor, do you know if Creevy will make it?" asked Mark Tarrent, his hazel eyes grave beneath his shock of red-gold hair.
"Did he get attacked by a chimera?" asked another third year. "I heard Professor Kettleburn say that one was missing from the reserve."
Severus held up a hand. "Silence!" The room hushed immediately. "Now then, I can tell you these facts—Mr. Creevy will make a full recovery. He was very lucky, however. Partly due to the quick reactions of Miss Cummings," he nodded at Randi, who blushed and looked down at her feet.
"You did more, sir," the small girl spoke up. "All I did was put pressure on the worst wound."
"That may have kept him alive, Miss Cummings," Severus said with approval in his tone. "You kept your head in a crisis, which is commendable. For that I will give you twenty-five points."
Her Housemates cheered and clapped her on the shoulder.
"Professor, what did that to him?" asked Draco. "Was it a chimera? Or a dragon?"
"Right now, we do not know," Severus answered evasively. "But rest assured we will find out. Until then, I would advise you all stick close to the castle and not stray any further than the Black Lake. It goes without saying you should avoid the forest and do not go anywhere alone. A wild creature may hesitate to attack you if you are with someone as part of a group. Keep your wands on you at all times and if you see or hear anything odd, run as quickly as you can inside the castle."
When he was certain all the Slytherins were paying attention, he then said, "If anyone needs to speak with me about what happened tonight, make an appointment to see me tomorrow. If you feel you need Calming or Sleeping potions, see me tonight."
Several students came up afterwards to request a potion, including the shy Randi. As he handed her two vials, one of Dreamless Sleep and the other of a Calming Draught, he said softly, "If you wish to discuss what you felt, Miss Cummings, just make an appointment. I will be available tomorrow morning after first period."
The girl bit her lip. "Okay, sir. I . . . might do that."
"Please do so. I meant what I said before, but even so . . . such a thing is not . . . easy to witness," Severus said compassionately.
She cocked her head at him then asked quietly, "Was it like that for you too the first time, sir?"
"Yes. And I was much older than you, child," the professor murmured. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder and patted it. "Now off to bed with you, Randi. You need to get up for class tomorrow. Remember, take the blue potion first, and then when you are sitting on your bed, take the purple Dreamless Sleep."
"I'll remember, Professor Snape," she assured him. Then she took her vials and waved good night before going towards the right passage leading to the girls' dormitories.
Severus was kept busy for twenty minutes dispensing potions and making appointments with his Self-Writing Quill on a piece of parchment. Once he had finished handing out the last of the potions, he beckoned Flint and Alyce Summerbee over.
The two prefects came to stand next him inquiringly. "I need you both to monitor your Housemates who didn't take potions and if one of them has a nightmare to send me a memo using the Floo. I will come and calm them down."
"Will do, sir," Flint nodded.
"Yes, professor," answered Summerbee.
Satisfied that his prefects would be on alert if necessary, Severus returned to his suite, checked on Dante, told Skull to keep watch and Flooed into Dumbledore's office, his chest heavy with dread for the new danger that threatened Hogwarts and the safety of all within it.