It was raining really hard that day. Parts of Hogsmeade was flooding, so it was fortunate that Hogwarts was on a hill. The troves of liquid waterfalling down the hill into the forest and small wizard town was nearly impossible to behold. I stood out on the Owlry steps and watched the water pouring from the sky. It was extremely overcast, the clouds were so thick that even in the noontime it looked as dark as pre-sunrise. Artifical magic lamps lit the way for a non-flooded path from one part of the grounds to another.

No one was allowed outside the castle unless they were with a teacher. A few of the seventh-years had gone out with Professor Sprout to check on the castle gardens inside the Forbidden Forest. They hadn't returned for nearly half a day. It should have been no more than an hour.

"Harry, we have to go inside now!" Hermione called from the base of the Owlry steps.

"Hold on!" I called back. I was currently watching three more professors--Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape standing out in the rain talking to a frantic student. I wished that I knew some kind of eavesdorpping spell. I'm sure that Hermione knew one. What little didn't she know? But I wasn't about to go asking her.

I turned around and followed Hermione inside.

When she was settled in the library, I made an excuse about feeling fatigued and nearly sprinted to the broom storage near the Quidditch field. I tied my invisibily cloak around my neck and sped off into the sky. I didn't go too high, I was wary of getting hit with a lightning bolt.

I zoomed over the forest using a searching spell to look for any signs of human life. I found the searchers and then... I found them. Profressor Sprout's life signiature was weak. Two of the seventh-years were trying to get a thrid from the bottom of a ledge. I took off the invisiblity cloak and and rolled it up under my cloak. I pointed mhy wand at my nose and chanted the illusion spell. To others I would appear to be a dirty blond, brown eyed man in his mid 20s.

I sped downwards into the deep canyon where the seventh-year was trying with all his life to hold onto a slick, muddy root. I reached out a hand and grabbed his collar as I was coming back up out of my dive. I let go of his cloak and he skidded on the muddy ground in front of his friends. I flew up into the sky just as a lightning bolt hit a tree not far off. I thought I was clear and free when I heard a shout. The tree had cracked down the middle and had caused a mudslide, right in the path of the three professors who had come to help out. Snape wasn't as lucky as the other two profressors and was caught in the wave of mud. He slid off the edge of the cliff and plummeted downward.

I made a sharp turn and chased after his flailing arms. I grabbed his hand and jerked to a stop in mid air. Snape looked up. His eyes were unlike anything I had seen out of him before. They were wide, determined, but all at the same time somewhere between being scared and resigned.

I felt my illusion spell slipping and gritted my teeth as I pulled upwards will all my strength. His hand, covered in mud, slipped in mine and he started to fall again. I was using both hands at this point so using my wand to cast any spells was near impossible, plus my wandless abilities were limited.

I grabbed onto him again and we slammed into the side of the cliff. Snape grasped a rock and clung to the edge. I felt my illusion fall.

"You!" His eyes became impossibly wider, but this time with rage.

"Can you get on the broom with me?" I called out over the wind.

"Get away from me, Potter," he spat into the torrential rain.

"Professor,"

"LEAVE!"

"TRUST ME!!" I shouted. "I only want to help!"

"I don't want your help Potter, I never did!"

He slipped downwards and I lunged forwards to grab is loose hand. I didn't let go even when his grasp loosened and his fingers slipped more and more.

"I won't let go!"

He snarled, and hesitated before finally taking hold of my hand and pulled himself up onto my broom behind me.

I zoommed upwards and floated over a steady piece of ground. Snape jumped off and the second he did I sped away into the deep forest. I made a wide circle around to the castle and fell into an exhausted heap on my bed.

He never said anything about me saving him. The tale of some mysterious stranger in the forbidden forest circulated for about a week from the seventh-years I saved, but after that it was forgotten until...