‘No, no stop it, please! You’re going to kill him!’

Severus flinched. That blasted girl. Why was she even a resident ghost of Hogwarts? She had left once to taunt her childhood bullies – why couldn’t she bully their children instead? He looked up to find the boys’ bathroom in front of him and frowned. Theatrics or not, the ghost was not allowed in there. He took out his wand and entered.

A scream was suddenly filling the air, a scream that made Severus’ blood run cold. It was the kind of scream you never, never wanted to hear coming from anyone, not even your worst enemy. He ran around the corner and felt all the blood rushing from his head at the sight that me this eyes.

Draco was standing over a cowering Potter, his wand pointed directly at his chest. Moaning Myrtle was watching them as if rooted to the spot, a horrified expression on her face. Severus could not blame her for being unable to look away. Everything about the boys were in stark contrast, from the state of their clothes to the colour of their faces. Draco had a dark expression on his face as he pointed his wand at Potter, hatred etched on every line. Potter stopped screaming, but even for the boy who had been the cause of death of the love of his life, Severus did not like seeing that kind of terror on his features. It was a moment before he could pull himself together.

‘Draco!’

Draco started and looked up. The mad expression vanished as if he had woken from a trance. Severus pushed Draco away roughly and he fell against the wall, staring with wide eyes. Potter’s body relaxed and his eyes drifted closed, but he still looked in terrible pain. Blood was beginning to seep through his clothes, colouring his chest.

Severus ripped open Potter’s school robes. The skin looked as if it had been scraped off. The sight made him want to recoil, but he held his wand with a steady hand and did best to close up the wound.

‘Draco, if you want any chance of remaining in school, call Madam Pomfrey and tell her to bring dittany,’ he said sharply and Draco ran off. The blood on Potter’s chest began to clot, but he couldn’t close the wound. It was agony having to wait, helpless.

Potter if you die, I swear, I will – do something bad. Lily would never forgive him. Swallowing thickly, he noticed Potter’s breathing was shallow and constricted, and the wet bathroom floor was not helping. He took off his cloak and applied several charms to dry and warm it. Picking Potter up delicately, he wrapped his cloak around him and kept his head raised on his arm to allow him to breathe with more ease.

It was a relief when Madam Pomfrey burst in, followed by Professor McGonagall, who had her hand on Draco’s shoulder. The latter looked very scared, and rightly so, Severus thought.

‘Hold him, Severus,’ said the matron, her mouth a grim line. She unstoppered the bottle in her hand and began to apply the medicine to Potter.

‘What happened here?’ whispered McGonagall.

‘The Cruciatus Curse,’ Severus answered. ‘That’s all I know. Draco should be able to tell us the rest.’

‘He – he attacked me!’ Draco spluttered. ‘I was just minding my own business when – he came in and –‘

‘What exactly did Potter do you to that warranted using an Unforgiveable, Mr Malfoy?’ asked McGonagall in disbelief.

‘He was going to use Dark Magic –‘

‘Enough of these lies, Draco,’ Severus said sharply. Potter suddenly took a sharp, deep breath, and the entire party froze for a second. The skin on his chest had come together, but it was grey and looked paper-thin.

‘I think it’s safe to move him now,’ said Madam Pomfrey quietly. She stood up, put away the dittany and waved her wand. A stretcher appeared and Severus stood to place Potter on it. Only when the mediwitch and her ward were gone did Severus realise he was dripping wet.

‘Draco, I expect you to be ready to tell me the truth in an hour’s time. Meet me in my office.’ With a nod to McGonagall, he left. Students stared as he exited the boys’ bathroom, soaking and possibly covered in blood as well, but he ignored them.

Half an hour later, he was dressed in fresh robes and sitting in his office, spinning a quill between his fingers, thinking. It was hard to get Potter’s look of fear and pain out of his mind. He had never seen anything like it. Even when Bellatrix Black had tortured her victims, she had done so out of mischief and bloodlust, but never of hatred and anger as he had seen on Draco’s face.

Still though, he began to wonder why he had not believed Draco when he had told him Potter had attacked first. It was just the sort of thing Potter would do. And yet he firmly believed that Draco had attacked unprovoked. Ugh – was he getting soft? He shut his eyes and buried his face in his hands.

Draco was more like his aunt than he first thought. Using the Cruciatus Curse on an innocent boy (not that he thought Potter was very innocent – but deliberately torturing people was for the likes of Black; Lily wouldn’t have married Potter if he was that bad. But then, he’d never thought she would even consider Potter as a suitor in the first place, either) only showed how much the boy had gone through already this year alone.

There was a knock on the door and without waiting for an answer, Draco burst in, his face white and furious. Severus raised his head and pointed him to a chair  a little wearily. The childish pout irritated him.

‘I didn’t get him first, okay?’ Draco said, throwing himself into the chair. ‘You know what famous Potter is like – everybody thinks he’s so special – he can’t do anything that’s not right –‘

‘Believe me when I saw nobody in this castle hears your words more than I, Draco,’ Severus snapped. ‘Whether he attacked you first or not is irrelevant. You used an Unforgiveable Curse on Harry Potter, the symbol of what the wizarding world is standing up for right now. You would be lucky to be expelled. Now unless you can give me a solid reason to hurt him in such a way, I cannot help you.’

‘He used Dark Magic on me.’

‘Show me your evidence,’ answered Severus. His face betrayed no emotion, but he was disbelieving.

‘It – it was –‘

Severus bit back a sigh. ‘You two duelled. What spells did he use that provoked you to using Dark Magic?’

‘If I get expelled, I can’t carry out my mission,’ Draco said stubbornly and a little desperately.

‘Exactly. Now give me a tale – with proof – that I can use to excuse you.’

They glared at each other across the table before Draco abruptly stood up and stormed out. Fine, he could act like that if he wanted to. Severus had helped to the best of his ability.

A moment later, he stood up himself and headed to the hospital wing. To get his cloak. Madam Pomfrey saw him as soon as he entered and called him to Harry’s bedside.

‘Tell me what happened,’ she said.

‘Draco says Potter attacked him first, but he has no proof. The most I know for certain is the Cruciatus Curse was used on Potter.’

‘And almost expertly so,’ the matron said in an unnaturally high voice. ‘This is one of the worst cases I’ve ever seen and I’ve been through both wards. Thank God you found him quickly Severus, or I –‘

She was unable to continue.

‘May I have my cloak back?’

Madam Pomfrey pointed to the bedside table where it sat folded up, clean and dry. He picked it up and put it on. After a moment’s hesitation, he glanced down at Potter and asked ‘How is he?’

‘He’ll live,’ she said shortly. ‘But I don’t think those scars will ever fade.’

Great. Just what he needed. A scarred war hero in the form of Harry Potter.

‘Professor McGonagall is getting the Headmaster right now. I suppose he’ll want to hear both our testimonies. That boy – Malfoy –‘

Severus looked up.

‘How could he have thought of using an Unforgiveable? What do they teach the children that the first thing that came to my was an illegal curse?’

He shrugged. ‘Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater once.’ Still is, as a matter of fact. ‘Who knows what Draco has seen and heard?’ And he has dear Bellatrix as an aunt, too.

Just then, the hospital wing doors opened and Dumbledore and McGonagall came striding in. They were both looking very grim as they made their way to Severus and Madam Pomfrey.

‘Tell me everything you saw and heard, Severus,’ Dumbledore said.

‘When I came in, Draco had his wand on Potter and was performing the Cruciatus Curse,’ he answered. ‘When I questioned Draco, he insisted Potter had attacked first.’

‘Is that all?’

‘The ghost of Myrtle was there. She would be able to tell you more.’

‘Thank you Severus. Poppy, what is the extent of injury done?’

‘I-I’ve never seen anything like it Headmaster,’ said the matron in a quivering voice. ‘It’s even worse than the time he came back from the Department of Mysteries – powerful emotion was put into this curse.’

‘But he will be alright?’ said McGonagall.

‘Yes but he’ll always have those scars, and they will pain him sometimes when is put under stress.’

‘Malfoy will be lucky to be expelled!’ cried McGonagall. She, Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey fell into conversation, but Severus kept himself tight-lipped. Draco would not be expelled, he knew that. The Dark Lord still needed Draco, in a way, and the Ministry was already very near his grasp. Ensuring Draaco’s security would be nothing. And despite this being Potter they were discussing, the injustice of it all made him blood boil.

‘Are you alright, Severus?’ Madam Pomfrey asked him quietly.

‘Yes,’ he said quickly. ‘I am a little tired though – I think I’ll turn in early. Please inform me when Potter wakes up.’

‘Very well. Goodnight.’

‘Goodnight.’ He nodded to McGonagall andDumbledore and left.

Despite his supposed exhaustion, an hour before midnight, Severus still sat wide awake in his quarters, one hand holding a cup of tea, the other holding his chin. He had not meant to wait, but when he received the message from Madam Pomfrey that Harry had awoken, he got up and went.

If anybody asked, he was the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. It was his duty to tend to matters involving Dark Magic.

Potter was sitting up in bed, grumbling about the number of potions he had to take. ‘It’s nothing, I’ve had the Cruciatus Curse used on me before. I didn’t have to take all these then.’

‘This is much worse than those few seconds!’ clucked Madam Pomfrey. ‘Now stop whining and drink.’ She forced a vial into his hand he glared before downing it.

‘Ugh, that’s disgusting.’

‘Sugar is rarely an ingredient in any potion, Potter,’ she said drily. She turned around and, seeing Severus approaching, greeted him. ‘I thought you went to bed, Severus? Do you want to talk to Potter now? I’d much prefer it if I could let him rest right now.’

‘It won’t take long,’ Severus said, drawing up a chair.

‘Is it any use talking to you?’ Potter shot at Severus. ‘You won’t believe me, you’ll just twist it around to sound like I’m the bad guy.’

‘Five points from Gryffindor for speaking rudely to a teacher.’

The boy scowled.

‘Potter, I am not the only witness to your and Malfoy’s duel.’

‘Myrtle’s biased.’

Severus had to bite the inside of his mouth to refrain from flinging the water jug at him.

‘Potter, be a little more grateful,’ Madam Pomfrey scolded. ‘If it wasn’t for Professor Snape, you would have needed twice as many potions and woken up next week instead.’

‘What does that mean?’ Potter asked, crossing his arms.

‘Don’t you remember? Professor Snape was the one who stopped Malfoy.’

‘I – no I don’t remember that. I thought I just blacked out and some other guy found me.’

The Defence professor almost cringed. It was worse than he thought.

‘I never got to curse Malfoy anyway. He attacked me first – I just walked in at the wrong time. You can’t fault me for going to the bathroom!’

‘In case you haven’t noticed Potter, nobody’s pointing fingers,’ Severus snapped. ‘I know Draco attacked you first, and I know he had just as much reason to use the Cruciatus Curse on you.’

Potter fell silent for a moment. ‘Will I be punished?’ he asked.

‘You might be for talking back to your teacher, but not for what happened between you and Malfoy.’

‘Will Malfoy be punished?’

‘I will ensure that he will be.’ He wanted to punish Draco somehow, and if his mother asked, it was to teach him not to be so careless in the future. It was bad enough secretly protecting one child without having to ensure the safety of another on the opposite end of the spectrum.

‘Will he be expelled?’

There was almost a lack of hope in the tone of question. Severus was silent for a moment. ‘Probably not.’

The young Gryffindor ground his teeth but said nothing.

‘Life is unfair, Potter,’ he answered Potter’s unspoken words. ‘But if life was fair, nobody would be happy.’

‘What – what do you mean?’

‘If life was fair, nobody would be forgiven to start with, and I’m sure you can imagine the consequences of that.’

‘But if you’ve done something wrong, sometimes you don’t deserve to be forgiven.’

Severus looked at Potter, into his emerald eyes, and for a moment, saw Lily. Then the boy turned away and the moment was gone. ‘Potter, I’m sure even you have wronged your friends before.’

He flushed a little. ‘That’s true.’

‘And yet they forgave you and took back your friendship. Do you think that would have happened if life was fair?’

He was expecting an indignant ‘Yes!’ and a short rant on why Potter always deserved to be forgiven, but he was surprised by a ‘No, I guess not.’

‘Exactly. Now don’t you think the best way to punish Draco would be to heal, continue your studies, then defeat the Dark Lord himself? He is the cause of all this, and that would be the fairest punishment you could give him.’

It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they did, a hard look set into Potter’s features. ‘You’re right, sir. I’ll do that. I’ll end this, no matter what it takes.’

And despite the bleak future Severus could see for himself with all that was in store for him, for a moment, the determination in Potter’s words were almost comforting.