Twisting, turning, pulling, biting, yelling. Harry screamed until his throat was hoarse and he had forgotten where he was being held. He lay on the stone floor, breathing quickly through his nostrils and trying his best to swallow back the bile climbing, burning up his throat. He screamed for mercy.

"Ah. So, you can learn," a polite, tiny voice spoke shrilly. "That is good news."

Pink shoes came into view and Harry flicked his gaze up until he was looking into the face of Jane Umbridge. The woman was holding her hands together as if in prayer and looking down at him. He would have called her expression motherly if the devil had a mother.

"F-uh y-yh-ourself!" he tried to curse at her, but his tongue refused to cooperate.

She tsked and cocked her head to one side. "Now, now, Mr. Potter. None of that."

The door to the room opened and Umbridge whirled around in a flurry of pink and plaid, surprise making her mouth a large 'O'. Severus Snape was standing in the doorway, the perfect picture of angelic wrath. Harry felt a small flame of hope come to life.

"Pro-Profess-er," Harry whispered, a plea for salvation.

Severus Snape looked from the boy on the floor to the woman standing defiantly before him. The man's arm raised, wand pointed unwaveringly.

"You will leave this school and never return or I will kill you where you stand and face the Dementor's Kiss. Your choice." He bit out each word in precise, decisive chunks.

Umbridge made a shrill sound in the back of her throat, but said nothing as she ran past the man. Her footsteps faded quickly and Harry felt his muscles try to relax only to sieze up in pain. A hand was on his shoulder and Severus was checking his vitals.

"Hang in there, Mr. Potter. Help is coming."

Harry tried to say 'you're already here' but his mouth refused to open. His eyes began to close and for a moment the entire universe ceased to exist. Then Snape was calling his name, latching onto him like a rope, pulling Harry back to consciousness. The boy blinked his green eyes open and tried to focus.

Severus held him close, black robes spilling over the small frame in his arms.