Why was the headmaster making Snape do this? His skills could be much better used elsewhere. There was no need for Snape to baby sit Harry Potter. Dumbledore wanted Snape to spend the day with Harry. Dumbledore had bought tickets to a Quidditch game and forced them go. There was some excuse in the conversation about needing to keep Harry safe and that he should see a real Quidditch game, but Minerva was not able to accompany him. That left Snape to take the boy. They had begun to walk through Hogsmeade on the way back to the castle and Harry had been talking non-stop about the game.

"That was so amazing. Did you see that incredible save that Hunter made? He just barely caught it. That Ravensdale is a dirty player. He hit Anderson in the head with that Bludger. I hope that he is okay because that looked like it hurt a lot. The seekers were amazing. Thompson tricked Turner into following him, then Thompson flipped around and caught the snitch. That was blood brilliant!"

"Watch your language, Mr. Potter." Admonished Snape. "You may be out of school but that does not give you the right to use disgusting language."

"Sorry, Professor. Did you play Quidditch when you were in school?" The brat had to stop talking, for the sake of the potion master's sanity. "I only ask because…well why would you take me if you did not enjoy it?"

"If I answer your question, will you be quiet till we get back to the castle?"

"I'll try."

"Yes I did play Quidditch, but that was long ago. I played chaser and I stopped playing after I had broken my nose three times in one game. I have never played since and I still somewhat enjoy to watch the game. It was; however, not my choice to take you. The Headmaster had directed me to take you and I was unable to say no."

Then there was silence. The boy did not speak, thankfully. If the boy had kept speaking, Snape may not have heard the sounds of the footsteps that were following him and the boy. The sound made the hair on Snape's neck stand on end. Turning his head, Snape surveyed the crowd that had gathered at Hogmeade, but he could see no one of any particular danger. He knew that they were there, though. The pressure began to build and Harry could feel that something was wrong. Why did Snape continue to look around like a paranoid crazy?

"What's wrong, sir?" Harry questioned.
But Snape did not answer.

"What's…." Harry began to ask.

"Shhh!" Snape hissed.

Suddenly, there was an explosion and Snape pulled Harry behind a large box of crates. Something told Snape that they would be there. They would try to kill the boy who took their master to his demise. Adrenaline coursed through Snape's body, but he was very calm. "Stay down!" Snape shouted, pulling the boy back to the ground.

"You are to stay right here and you do not move unless I tell you to." Snape demanded as he looked into the boy's fear-filled eyes. Snape jumped up and began shooting spells at the death eaters in the village. He had to buy some time because he had to think. Fight or Flight. That was the question that Snape struggled with as he fought. Should he stay and fight so that Potter could have time to get to the castle? Or should he apparate with Harry to the gates of Hogwarts? It was the primal sense of Fight or Flight that caused Snape to overlook the spell that was speeding toward him. The spell hit the potions master in the arm, knocking him to the ground. Snape crashed hard and he could see Harry begin to get up to check on him.

"Stay right there, Potter?" Snape hissed in a whisper.

He could just see the feet of an approaching death eater underneath a cart across the street. Snape waited for the right time, before sweeping the death eater off of his feet with a well placed spell. Snape crawled behind the cover that Harry had been using as well.

"Potter, listen to me right now. You are going to make your way over to that alley. Go to the nt street and run as fast as you can toward the castle. When you get there, find Dumbledore and tell him what has happened." Snape instructed as he shot spells over the top of the crates.

"No." Harry replied.

"Are you defying an order that I just gave you?"

"No, but I want to help you."

A first year wants to fight a group of death eaters, who are more magically advanced than a first year. The idea made Snape want to laugh, but right now was not the time.

"Potter, if you do not leave now, then you will be serving detention with me for months. This is for your safety and you are to go NOW!" Snape yelled over the noise of the battle as he jumped to a standing position.

He did not wait to see if the boy would follow his directions, but an abysmal feeling swept over Snape, which told him that Harry had followed his directions. Nothing that they death eaters did told Snape that they had seen Harry run, so that meant that he was going to safety. The only question was if Harry could get there fast enough to ensure that Snape, the wounded potions master, would make it back to Hogwarts alive?