Previously in twenty-one days

Snape simply nodded and then sat down into the chair beside Longbottom, taking the pieces of parchments Finnigan had left on the table and lifting his eyebrow he turned towards the Gryffindor when the boy looked at him shocked.

"I do hope that your facial muscles still are working as I do need you to explain this game of Potter's to me, Mr. Longbottom." He said with a smirk. It definitely felt good to startle students into a heart attack from time to time.

Chapter ten

Day five

Friday, sixth of September

"Wait a moment, all three of you." Snape said, keeping Potter, Theodore and Draco from entering the kitchen and all three turned towards him. It was unnerving, having the Gryffindor boy standing between the two other boys. Neither Theodore nor Draco was overly large or heavy built, both boys were rather slender, but contrary to those two, Potter looked rather like a small child that was too skinny – as if a first year stood between the two fourth years.

"I understand that both of you, Harry and Theodore, have used the wireless yesterday." He said and both boys nodded at him. "I of course will not forbid you listening to the news as I do know how important it is having some contact to the outside world. I however do not want you taking it seriously what you hear there. I have listened to those reports of – 'the tragedy of Hogwarts' – last night myself to have a clue what is mentioned there, and I only can say, they do not know too much. They only guess and speculate and I do not want you believing their words about how long one can survive in our situation. Did I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." All three boys answered, nodding their heads and they actually looked sincere.

"Good." He said. "And remember, it might not be too much work there, but I nevertheless want you to work slowly and to take a pause whenever you feel the need to. I do not really know why all of you are so keen about the kitchen duty, but I do not want you to overstress yourselves."

Again all three boy's nodded and he lifted his eyebrow at them for a moment before he too nodded his head in answer to dismiss them, not sure if he should follow them or not.

Not only that he really didn't understand why they were so keen on it, but he too wondered how they had managed to get along so well to a point where they fought about kitchen duty with Potter. Not to mention his own advise. 'I don't want you to overstress yourselves.' Well, that – definitely was no comment he would have said to any student a week ago.

But now, he meant it.

They had to keep their bodies as well as their minds as calm as possible to save energy they needed to survive as long as possible. Well, the day had passed calmly, and he just wanted to keep it this way. The less stress they had, the better it was.

And honestly, the fact that they had taken a nap this afternoon had told him enough about their condition. Fourteen year old teenagers that by free will took a 'nap' – sleeping in the classroom on mats like pre-school children, that surely was not normal and he took it as it was. They were going weak and easily exhausted.

The next step would be that he read them a children's story before they took their nap and that he would hand out cartons of milk while they listened to his story. He actually snorted at that thought. His next position after that would be being a teacher in nursery school.

Well – he just was glad that no other crisis had taken place since Weasley's attack on Potter.

Potter – that boy was another matter and he had to admit – even if reluctantly only – that the boy would fit well into his house. He had misread the boy completely and he only hoped that it wasn't too late. He had promised Harry that he wouldn't have to go back, even if he would have to take the boy in himself, and honestly, after living with him down here since five days now, it wasn't such a horrible thought anymore. He had learned that there was a complete other side to Potter than the one he always had seen and he actually was ready to accept that precise thought, of taking Potter in. He just wasn't sure if the boy trusted him enough to accept his offer.

Another matter was Theodore. He knew that Theodore was abused too and he knew that he had come back to Hogwarts this year in a much worse condition than the years before, even if it wasn't as bad as Harry's. However, he was glad that Harry got along with the other boy as well as he did, because …

Well, he wasn't sure because of what precisely.

He surely didn't imagine taking both boy's into his home, to start a small family with those two boys. He wasn't a father. And he surely didn't imagine Harry and Theodore growing up as brothers, surely not. That would go beyond anything. He would give Potter a home if necessary, if no other solution could be found, but surely the term 'family' was out of question for all of them.

No – he didn't imagine that!

And yet – a small part of him just did imagine this particular situation, as foreign as it felt to him.

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

"I don't care, Malfoy." Crabbe growled. "I don't care what you call it, but my son is locked in this dungeon too. And all I do care about right now is my son. His life too is … he too is about to die. He too will be starved to death, and soon if no solution is found."

Goyle, standing beside Crabbe, nodded eagerly with his head, agreeing with his comrade's words. His son too was locked in the potions classroom and his only relief was that Snape was with them. He trusted Snape.

He knew that Snape didn't like him, that Snape took him for an idiot, but he didn't mind. He trusted Snape nevertheless, if someone could get them out alive, then it was Snape.

"Just shut up, Crabbe!" Malfoy's words got him out of his thoughts and he looked at the blond. "My son is down there too." Malfoy hissed impatiently. "It simply didn't go as it had been planned and now we have to find a solution to get them out of there."

'It didn't go as it had been planned' – well, that was the understatement of the year and honestly, he hadn't heard that sentence since a long time now, since the downfall of the Dark Lord, in fact.

And honestly, it always had been Malfoy.

Of course Crabbe and he had been blamed for jobs that had gone wrong all the times, because they all thought that they were stupid and had messed up, but it always had been Malfoy's wrong planning and scheming, because the man always wanted too much. And honestly, overtaking the castle with a handful of Death Eaters – had been a stupid thought, even for him.

"I don't care about the Gryffindors, but if it means to get my son out of there, then, Merlin forbid, I will get them out too." Malfoy continued his rambling. "So just go and do as I told. I want free access to McNair's and Nott's libraries."

"You won't find anything in there, Malfoy." He said, joining into the conversation. "All their books are dark magic, and you can't use dark magic in the castle. Your own library is much larger than theirs and you have books of all sorts."

"Just do as I say and get out of my eyes!" Malfoy screamed at them, and he retreated quickly, Crabbe close behind him. He knew, if Malfoy was in one of his tempers, then it was best to do as he ordered.

"Vence?" He heard Narcissa's low voice the moment they reached the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor, followed by a low "Gordon?" and he turned, facing the lady of the house who hurried over to them with a pale face, paler than normally at least.

"Don't worry, Narcissa." He quietly answered her unspoken question. "Severus is with them and he will get them out alive. He will find a way."

"I know." She whispered. "I had my reasons as to why I made Severus Draco's godfather after all and I do trust him with my son's life. But even Severus is not almighty and Lucius is a fool, concentrating onto dark magic only. He won't success using dark magic at Hogwarts. Please, help to get our children out of there."

"I will, Narcissa." He whispered back, placing a calming hand at her arm. "We will, I promise. Don't worry too much. Just prepare everything else we spoke about. And be careful of Lucius, you will be in serious trouble if he gets suspicious."

"I will be careful." She promised, barely keeping her calm facade. "Just do all you can."

"We will." He promised once more before nodding one last time at her and then leaving the manor.

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

"Do you know how the wording 'dear Merlin' came to existence?" Potter asked, his face serious, and snickering Theodore shook his head while he, Draco, leaned against the counter, fighting against his own chuckles.

"It was during one of the greatest battles Merlin ever fought." Potter said, his voice so serious that both, Theodore and he himself couldn't help snickering again. "He was standing atop the hill, overlooking the fields of battle."

Draco heaved himself atop the counter, watching Theodore trying to wash the dishes and Potter – Harry, damn – standing in the middle of the kitchen, the towel around his shoulders like a cloak, playing Merlin. And Merlin! The smaller boy was thin enough so he actually could place the simple towel around his shoulders in the first place! It seemet to be a too small cloak, but it nearly could be compared to one.

"All the way to the North his sharp eyes penetrated the mists that covered the hills of Durham. To the East he could overlook the seas of Norwich where once, centuries ago, his ancestors fought their own battles."

Draco's snickers went into fits of laugher at the smaller boy's serious face and eye-squinting, of the big words, added to Theodore's laugher.

"To the West he could glimpse the white-crested waves thundering against the cliffs of the Isle of Man, and to the South he could observe the mighty warriors battling for the Isle of Wight."

"As if his eyes were so good!" Draco blurted out, trying to catch his breath and holding his belly with laugher.

Potter just gazed at him piercingly, seriously, nearly accusingly, what made him laugh just the harder.

A soft 'thud' caused him to look over to Theodore and he could see the other boy had lost his footing and had landed on his knees, his palms on his thighs to keep his balance while he gasped for breath. Harry shot him an accusing look too before he continued.

"It was to the South Merlin had directed his gaze at, the moment King Arthur approached him and stood by the ancient wizard's side and suddenly Merlin's old and wrinkled face twisted with concern, misery and pain.

'What does have you worried, dear Merlin?' King Arthur asked the old wizard, his face now worried too. 'Do you sense ill foreboding? Are the forces of the evil bringing doom?'

'No, Milord.' Merlin gasped, his face still grimacing in pain and his hands clenched into fists. 'No, the evil forces are not prevailing.'

'Then what is it that ails you, dear Merlin?' The King asked, still worried.

Merlin however hissed out between clenched teeth: 'You are standing on my toes, Milord.'"

Draco curled up into a ball with laugher and he shook his head watching Theodore still sitting on the floor, holding his sides. Never mind what, he had to admit that Potter was funny. The joke itself had been not at all that good, but his serious gazes, his accusing stares at them, and his stern voice were just priceless.

"Hey … would … would you … would you just stop … I'm … I'm going … I'm going to pee." Theodore gasped while trying to somehow catch his breath with laugher, but he didn't really manage.

"Not here, please." Potter, Harry, seriously answered, looking wide-eyed at Theo and his, Draco's, laugher increased too at that innocent green eyes while he wondered how the other boy managed to stay so serious. "Imagine the mess, Theo. Just use the loo instead."

"Can … can't … just shut … shut up." Theo gasped and Potter looked back at him with a gaze that bordered on hurt before he turned and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Ph …" He made. "I won't play with you anymore!"

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

Coming back to the classroom Theodore and Draco snickered and chuckled, while Potter had a serious face. He however could detect a twitch here and a twist there, while the green eyes sparkled with silent laugher and the Potions Master wondered what had been the cause for that. It wasn't that their situation was overly funny. He however had to admit that he liked this sparkle in the boy's normally so haunted eyes.

Draco was no one who easily laughed openly, but he openly chuckled now, while Theodore nearly had tears in his eyes with laugher he held back. And Potter? He never before had seen the boy with eyes as bright with fun as right now. What in Merlin's name had they been doing in that kitchen?

The other students looked up at them, their faces curious and somehow Theodore wasn't able to keep up his facade any longer and he burst out with laugher – Draco following his example and he lifted his eyebrow at the boys.

Well, Potter kept his face straight, just the muscles around his mouth and eyes twitching again and he could see that the boy took a deep breath to keep himself from laughing too.

What in Merlin's name had they been doing? With what kind of prank would he have to deal now?

"What's up?" Longbottom asked, coming over, followed by Granger and Blaze.

"Nothing." Potter – Harry, answered seriously, his eyes innocent and his face still straight. "Why?"

"Those two are laughing their heads off, and you're looking as if you just had the fun of your life." Blaze said, looking from one to the other.

"I don't know why they're laughing." Harry answered calmly, shrugging his shoulders and Snape wondered how the boy kept his face that straight. He would make a good spy, he had to admit, even if he never would want seeing the boy on this particular path.

"Theo?" Blaze asked, turning to the other two who laughed just the harder at Harry's words. "Draco? What happened?"

"Potter happened!" Draco gasped, leaning with his right onto the desks that still stood in the middle of the room while his left pointed towards the black haired teenager.

"Me?" Said boy asked innocently, his sparkling eyes growing large. "I didn't do anything!" He said.

Well, it didn't help Theodore who fell onto one of the mattresses, holding his midsection with laugher and Harry's next words didn't help the situation at all.

"I'm innocent!" The boy called out, his eyes still large and his face still seriously. Snape couldn't help snorting with disbelieve at those words, causing the boy to turn towards him, looking at him with the same innocent large eyes.

"Really, sir!"

Well, this – as it seemed – had been the last straw and Draco too went to the floor, leaning with his back against the leg of the desk, gasping for breath and with his shoulders shaking with silent laugher.

"Merlin!" Snape goaned out, turned and left the classroom, went into his office just the moment Potter too burst into a fit of laugher while the other students looked at the three of them, not understanding what exactly had them acting in such a strange way.

Silly children!

He didn't admit, not even to himself, that he'd just had to turn so the crowd of teenagers didn't see his lips curling into an amused smirk.

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

"Theodore, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter, come with me, please." He said upon returning to the classroom after he had calmed down and was sure that his face would be its serious self and not traitorously grinning, and then he turned and led them towards the laboratory and their cauldrons.

"Your potions are resting, and so you should not stir them or touch them." He explained. "But you nevertheless should check them before leaving them alone during the night. The potions should be clear now, with a hint of silver, and it should smell of honey and peppermint."

Harry looked at him, his brows furrowed, and he looked as if he didn't understand – what surely was the fact as none of the ingredients contained peppermint in any way, form or shape. The others too looked curiously.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?" He asked, coming over towards the boy.

"Uhm … well … sorry, sir, but … peppermint?" The teenager asked. "There is nothing in this potion that would contain peppermint."

"You are quite right, Mr. Potter." He said. "What is the only ingredient that has absolutely no use in a potion such as this?"

"The crushed echinus roots." Came the immediate answer that suggested that the brat already had wondered why this particular ingredient was in a nutrient potion in the first place. He just wasn't sure when exactly the boy had wondered about that - during his holidays while starving and needing information? Or during brewing the potion earlier?

"Correct, Harry." Snape said, leaning close, the boy's given name still foreign on his tongue, but he kept his gaze steadily at the teen in front of him. "I wonder however, if you do know that this is the only useless ingredient in this potion, why did you not ask for the reason of its presence earlier?"

"Well, I thought it would have one reason or another, sir." The teenage boy answered.

"But you didn't know what reason." Snape lifted his eyebrow at the brat.

"No, sir." Came the answer and it sounded definitely apologetic.

"So, why did you not ask?" The Potions Master inquired.

"I didn't think of it." It was only a whisper, but - well, he was sure that the boy actually had thought of asking, but that he simply had not dared to ask, and suddenly he understood. He had been so busy making the boy's potions lessons a living hell throughout the past three years, that he never had stopped to really looking into the boy's work.

Harry always had handed in passable essays. His work with the knife too had been rather sure handed and acceptable – as had been the stirring and handling the heat when it came to brewing the potions themselves. What mostly had messed up the boy's potions had been ingredients that had not belonged into them or their measuring being incorrect and he suddenly wondered why.

This morning the boy had answered his questions correctly, hesitantly and frightened a bit, yes, but correctly. His potion too had come out correct up to now. And Potter had been able to name him the only useless ingredient in the potion. So, the boy actually was capable of brewing a decent potino but with his actions during the child's first potions classes he mayby had ensured that Harry had lost his interest in the subject and in asking questions, probably was simply too scared of him now for doing so.

"If you now add two and two together, to what conclusion do you come then?" He asked calmly. He would have to remedy that. He would have to awake the boy's interest anew. And he would manage, he promised himself.

"Well, the echinus root itself doesn't smell like peppermint, nor should the potion." Harry slowly answered. "And so, I guess, that the only useless ingredient, the echinus root, is causing this effect while mixed to the other ingredients, sir. Whatever reason for."

"That is correct, Harry." Snape nodded satisfied. "That will be two points to you. The reason however is, that the echinus roots, if crushed and added to the potion after being heated and completed, are reacting to the vitamins that are in the dry chemicals. Why?"

"So it doesn't taste like old socks for a change?" Potter said before realizing what he had said and his face turned beet red. "Uhm … well … sorry, sir … I mean …"

"That – is the exact reason, Harry." Snape answered, holding up his hand to stop the brat from making a fool out of himself. If Potter was comfortable enough around him now to joke, then be it, and strangely – it actually meant something to him, even if he didn't really dare considering what exactly this something was.

"Nutrient potions are made for people suffering from serious eating disorders – what ever reasons for this disorder presented itself in the first place." He explained. "And considering that people with eating disorders have enough problems at their hands to begin with, a potion that concerns nutrients and is taken regularly in order to keep those people alive, should not taste like – old socks, as Mr. Potter so eloquently put it."

He turned towards Weasley's cauldron and gazed inside, intently, while breathing in the fumes and then he nodded, walking towards Miss Granger's cauldron.

"Why the smell of honey, Miss Granger, as no honey either is in the …"

A short hiss and a bright, blinding light caused him to abruptly stop midsentence and to wheel around, and two steps were all it took him to reach Potter who was laying on the floor, curled up into a small ball, while at the same time he reached into the pocket of his robes and he took out a small vial.

He had known this might happen, damn, but honestly, while just checking the potion? He had thought it could happen during the brewing itself, but surely not while simply checking them, and honestly, that had been the reason as to why he had been so reluctant to let the students brew this one in the first place. It was a potion easy to make, but if made a mistake, it could be deathly.

Uncorking the vial and kneeling down on one knee beside the boy Snape stretched out his hand and touched Harry's chin, turned his head and he actually had to force himself to keep his hands steady, cursing inwardly. His hands barely trembled. But seeing one of his students laying on the ground, curled up into a small ball and whimpering with pain, he actually remembered why he had been so reluctant in the first place – and his hands did tremble.

Forcing himself to keep a clear mind he forced the boy's mouth open and poured the potion down the teen's throat, ignoring the small sounds of protest and distress the boy made the moment the potion came in contact with his throat when he forced him to swallow the blue liquid and he waited for the lines around Potter's eyes and mouth to relax, but they only tightened and he frowned.

The potion should have helped immediately, but the teen that had to force air into his lungs more and more, had difficulty with this simple task of breathing.

"A pain reliever, Theodore." He ordered. "A healing potion and a calming draught."

Theodore, knowing what was needed and where to look for it, immediately reacted and Snape wondered why it always was Potter he had underneath his hands recently, while he tried – not without an edge of desperation leaking into his voice – to somehow calm said boy.

"Breathe slowly, Potter." He said, trying to sound as calm as possible. "The slower you breathe, the less it will hurt. I know that it is difficult, but you have to take slow breathes. Oh, no, Potter! You won't!" He ordered the moment he realized that the boy started to panic. "You won't panic now! You just will take slow and calm breathes and you will be fine."

He could hear the teenager wheezing as Potter was trying to breathe and he shifted his position so he was able to prop him up a little to ease his distress.

The moment Theodore came back with the vials of potions he knew would help the boy in his arms, he nearly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hush now, Potter." He said, forcing the boy's mouth open, and ignoring the boy's struggles and distressed whimpers he forced the healing potion down the teen's throat, massaging the delicate throat and thus forced the boy to swallow.

"That's a potion for healing. I have one for the pain here too." He said, trying to sound reassuringly. "Just swallow it. I know it hurts, but you have to swallow."

Opening the first two buttons of the teen's shirt Snape focused once more on the boy, watching the slow and painfully irregular rising and falling of the thin chest, and he reassured himself that Lily's child – damn, that his child – was still alive and would - Merlin willing – recover.

"Oh, no! You won't Potter!" He again growled darkly the moment he noticed that the boy was about to fall unconscious. "You won't sleep now! I need to give you some more potions and you won't fall asleep before I say you can! You will have detention until the rest of your life if you fall asleep now!"

The moment he noticed that the boy had swallowed the healing potion completely, he uncorked the next vial and poured the pain reliever down the teen's throat, again massaging the delicate throat to force the boy to swallow the liquid, and again he waited for the wrinkles around the child's eyes and mouth to disappear, but they only lessened.

Well, it was better than nothing at least, and he repeated the same procedure with the calming draught and finally he reached a state of mind where he knew that he could deal with it. He knew, if the boy just stayed awake for a bit longer, then things would be going to be alright.

Unconsciously the older man reached out and very gently he touched Harry's face to get him to respond, to get his attention, and he began to softly run his hand through the soft raven hair, trying to comfort the child while he ignored the soft murmur of voices in the background.

"Potter!" He growled darkly, startling the boy that started to lose consciousness again. "What did I say about following my directions! I will not tolerate your disobedience!" He hated using that voice with the already sick boy, but he could tell that it worked and Potter was pulling himself together once more, forcing himself to stay awake.

"That's better, Potter!" He growled and he shifted the boy so that he was lying with his head in the middle of his, Snape's, chest, directly over his beating heart. The child still had his eyes closed and his palms pressed against them. Gently he took the small wrists and pulled them away from the boy's eyes while at the same time he placed his hand over the boy's eyes to shield them from the bright torchlight down here in the laboratory.

The next few minutes were rather tense. It was silent, no one talked and the only sounds they could hear were Harry's rattling breathes, the boy trying to stifle his painful sobs and Snape whispering to him reassuringly while he tried to make him drink a few sips of plain water.

Just when Potter's breathing finally had calmed down to steady breathes he placed his free hand onto the boy's forehead to press his head against his chest and he slowly took his hand away from Potter's eyes, kept it just in front of them to keep the boy's eyes in the shadows if necessary.

"Okay Harry." Snape said gently increasing the pressure he had on the boy's forehead so he couldn't squirm his head away. "You can open your eyes now, slowly."

Well, if he had thought that it would be so easy, then he had thought wrongly. Of course it wouldn't be easy. Nothing ever was easy when it came to Potter, was it now?

"Come on, Potter, open your eyes, you can't keep them close forever." He said, easily slipping into his role as a teacher and head of the house of Slytherin. "Come on, boy. Just open them slowly. I have my hand in front of …"

"Hurt." The boy croaked out, followed by a pained gasp.

"Your eyes hurt?" Snape asked, forcing himself to keep his frustration out of his voice.

Potter simply nodded, a movement however that seemed to be just as painful as talking and he stilled his head quickly.

"You have been standing closest to the exploding cauldron and while the fumes had burned your throat and probably your lungs, your eyes had been blinded by the bright light." He said while gently placing his hand back against Potter's eyes, not really touching the lids but the boy's eyebrows, giving him a sense of security. "It will stop hurting soon. I have my hand back on your eyes. Just try to open them underneath my hand. Come on, now, open them. That's a good boy. Good. Can you see anything?" He asked upon feeling the boy's eyelashes moving against his palm and that for knowing that Harry finally had opened his eyes. He was feeling nearly anxious and he breathed a sigh of relief the moment Potter nodded again. Barely, hesitantly, but he nodded.

"Very good." He whispered. The brat could breathe, the brat could see, and the rest, they would be able to deal with.

"Now up with you." He said and pulling the boy to his feet he led him out of the laboratory and back into the classroom, his free hand still shielding the boy's eyes.

Draco was looking up at them, the moment they entered the classroom and he quickly came over, taking Potter's other arm, causing him to flinch with the action, and he quickly released the Gryffindor.

"What happened?" He asked startled while the Potions Master gently but firmly forced Potter onto his mattress.

"Look after him." He ordered, ignoring the boy's question. "I will be back in ten minutes."

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

Wondering how Potter had managed to get his potion exploded by simply checking it, Draco sat down beside the Gryffindor, ignoring the fact that he was sitting at Weasley's mattress, who was scowling at him angrily because of it, and ignoring Granger hovering on Potter's other side.

"Want a cold cloth for your eyes, Potter?" He asked and at the boy's nod Theodore immediately went over to the sink and took one of the old cleaning rags, wetting it with cold water and then brought it back. Getting the cloth onto the other boy's eyes was not as easy however as Potter pressed his palms to them and it took Draco three attempts to pull his hands away. The moment the cold cloth was on the black haired boy's eyes he had his hands back atop the cloth, pressing it against them.

Snape meanwhile was cleaning away the remnants of the exploded potion, also wondering how in Merlin's name Harry had managed to get it exploded in the first place and the only thought that came to his mind was – the boy had stirred the potion in order to test the substance, and he was cursing under his breath. He was angry. Angry at Harry for stirring the potion after he had told them to not touch it, angry at himself for allowing them to brew the potion in the first place, angry at the situation itself and angry at anything else that came to his mind. This damn, stupid boy could be death, for Merlin's sake!

Checking the other potions and making sure that they were still alright he took Potter's cauldron to place it into the sink and he froze mid-step the moment his gaze fell into the cauldron.

There wasn't a drop of the potion left inside, but a small black object caught his eyes and he immediately recognized a battery beetle's eye.

Looking back at the place where the cauldron had been placed over the fire and looking at the cupboard with the potions ingredients, and then adding two and two together he came to the correct conclusion. Growling angrily he placed the cauldron into the sink and then made his way back to the classroom to look at the smallest of his charges.

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

Upon entering the classroom Snape immediately took in the scene with one look of his dark eyes.

Draco was sitting on Weasley's mattress and beside Potter, Theodore was on the smaller Gryffindor's other side, together with Longbottom and Finnigan. Weasley was standing a few steps aside and scowling at Draco who was sitting on his mattress and Granger stood beside him, together with Thomas, asking questions without getting answers. The rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherins were hovering in small groups around the scene, discussing what might have happened, their faces startled, frightened and unsure, and he knew that he would have to be careful if he wanted to avoid them all going into a panic attack.

Right now he needed to be calm and his usual self, he needed to keep the upper hand.

"Mr. Zabini, go to the cupboard and take out the seventh year's potions books." He ordered strictly while striding towards the sink and taking a cup from the shelf, pouring warm tea from the mantelpiece into it. "Hand them out to everyone except for Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. Everyone else, take a seat at the desks and start reading chapter one, 'Potions, their uses and their dangers'. There will be a discussion about the chapter tomorrow morning. Everyone not finished reading within the next two hours will write a three feet essay on the chapter. Start! Now!"

He went towards the mattresses with the cup and knelt beside Potter, looking the boy over closely.

The damage was lessened as good as possible, he noticed, and either Theodore or Draco had placed a wet cloth over the boy's eyes, but the pain was still there, as – most probably – was the shock, and the boy was shaking horribly now.

"I have a cup of tea here, Harry." He calmly said, gently pulling one of Harry's hands from his eyes and he actually had to help the boy wrapping his fingers around the cup. And still – the boy's hands were shaking that badly that he would have spilled its contents, had the Potions Master not wrapped his own larger hand around the child's in order to steady it.

"Does your eyes still hurt, Harry?" He asked gently and the boy again nodded.

"Headache." Came a rough whisper from the boy and he reached the cup towards Draco who took it immediately.

"That had to be expected." He said, gently pulling the boy's other hand and the cool cloth away from his eyes. "I need to have a look at your eyes. Open them. Slowly."

Well, the boy did, a fraction, before quickly pressing them shut again with a sharp hiss of pain and he was not sure if it was because of the movement itself or because of the light blinding him.

"Open them, Potter! Now!" He ordered, again feeling sorry about using such a harsh tone with the boy that definitely was in a mixture of shock, fear and pain, but he simply had to know if there was more damage than he had thought originally. He wasn't able to use a diagnostic spell as still no magic worked down here, and so he had to retreat to using simple muggle ways for examining the boy.

"Hurts." Came the next raspy comment and he gritted his teeth for a moment.

"I know, Potter." He said, forcing himself to not sound worried or upset. "I need them open for a moment nevertheless. Now, Potter, if you don't want to find yourself in detention for the rest of your stay here."

A short humorless laugh followed by a series of rough coughs that had him worried even more, but the teen again pried his eyes open while gritting his teeth, his hands curled into fists.

"That's it." Snape growled gently. "Now follow my finger with your eyes."

"Uhm … what finger?" The boy asked, his brows furrowed in concentration, or worry, or pain, he didn't know and he himself frowned.

"You claimed you can see, earlier when I asked you." Snape said, grabbing the boy's chin and turning his head, searching the boy's green and unfocused eyes with his own dark ones.

"Only light." Potter answered and he sighed. That was not what he had hoped for and the only thing he could do was to wait, as it seemed.

Placing a calming hand on the boy's shoulder he felt eyes on him and he looked up, just to see Ronald Weasley watching him and he watched back at him with what his Slytherins called his best 'Death Eater glare'.

"You better do not move an inch while reading." He said in his darkest growl, ignoring Potter flinching at his tone. He would have to make sure the boy knew whom he was talking to as long as Potter wasn't able to see him if he didn't want the boy startled out of his pants. "And you better leave Mr. Potter alone Mr. Weasley, if you do not want to find yourself in detention for not only the rest of your stay down here, but until after you even have graduated. This here – does not really bode well for you."

Lowering his eyes back at the boy in front of him he sighed and taking the cup back from Draco he helped the young Gryffindor to drink a few more sips of the warm tea.

"It will be best if you close your eyes, Potter." He gently said. "Try to sleep. I will be checking on you during the night, and tomorrow morning we will know more, I hope."

Watching the boy hiss in pain at the movement of closing his eyes he knew that it not necessarily was the light that caused the pain. He just didn't know if this was the better option or not.

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

He didn't dare leaving the classroom tonight and so he was sitting at his desk, dozing every now and then between checking on the boy, just as he had promised, and more than once he found himself dozing while sitting on the floor beside the boy's mattress. Potter's sleep was rather restless and he knew that not only the child's usual nightmares were plaguing him, but restlessness and pain caused by his damaged throat and lungs and his injured eyes too.

All in all together, it had not been a day that he would like to repeat and he only hoped that Harry would recover completely while he found his hands unconsciously carding through the boy's messy hair every now and then – yet, he didn't really mind and he even found himself smiling at that thought.

"What have you done to me, child?" He whispered.

"You're not the only one he hexed, sir." He heard Theodore whisper.

Well, he should have known that the boy would be awake. He too had not been able to use the dreamless sleep potion tonight.

"Sleep, you impertinent brat." He growled at the other boy, but again a small smile threatened to tug at the corner of his mouth.

Well, rationally considered - he could be pleased with the day – a little bit at least.

Potter had survived a potions accident that could have been deathly. He had managed to keep the entire class from panicking and he had learned that he actually – liked the brat.

Merlin! The moment he had thought the first potion, the one that would keep Potter's lungs working, hadn't worked – he had thought the world would crush down on him. He'd had potions accidents before, he was a Potions Teacher since long years now, so of course this wasn't his first one. And it wasn't the first one that was serious either, but never before had he nearly panicked like he had today.

He would get the boy out of here, he promised. He would get him out alive, and he would give him a home.