Harry Potter was easily the smallest boy in their year. He hated being the shortest, and hated that he had to sit in the front row in order to see what the professors were writing on the blackboards, not only because his glasses didn't help him see much, but also becuase he couldn't see over the heads of the other students. The only class he ever sat in the back in was Charms becuase the seats in the back were raised. Harry had a feeling that Flitwick liked it that way, knowing what it was like not being able to see. Granted, Harry wasn't quite that small, but he felt dwarfed by Ron and Draco, who were both four inches taller than he was. Even Hermione was gargantuan compared to him.

Harry tugged at his foot hopelessly and wished he'd been more careful. As it was he was stuck in one of the trick steps on the third floor and it was already an hour past curfew. He was supposed to be in the common room right now enjoying a game of chess with Ron or trying to fend of Hermione as she badgered them to study for their Potions test tomorrow.

In the distance Harry heard a door slam, and was given a renewed determination to free himself at the thought that Filch or Snape might find him there and give him a detention. He'd already served three this year and school had only been back in for two weeks. Struggling hard, Harry was dismayed to find that his entire leg was now trapped all the way up to his crotch, and he was being pinched in more than one painful place.

"Urgh," he grunted in pain. His leg was already bruised from where Dudley had pushed him down the stairs, and from where Draco had kicked him on his way to class in the corridor yesterday, and he hated to think of the damage that would be done to it now.

There was another noise in the distance, but Harry wasn't paying attention as he continued to struggle. He thought he felt something brush his leg down inside the staircase and panic gripped him suddenly Snape a forgotten worry. What was under these staircases anyway? It was all just a bottomless pit as far as he was concerned, though Dumbledore had warned them not to wander the halls at night becuase there might be... things lurking.

As something brushed him again, Harry stilled momentarily, trying to discern any clue as to what it might be, but as he felt the thing for a third time he gasped and began using his free leg for what little leverage he could gain there on the winding staircase.

Harry was so consumed with his task to free himself and his panic and pain at his pinched members that he didn't notice a tall form appear at the top of the stairs behind him, just watching.

"Come on, come on," Harry begged the darkness, willing his leg to be free as something touched his ankle for a fourth time. "Please, I'll do anything."

"Anything Potter?"

Harry froze, hoping that if he sat still and quiet enough that he would just disappear into the shadows and that Snape would forget he was there at all.

"I'm waiting for an answer Potter," the man's shadow drawled impatiently, and Harry shuddered. One enemy was behind him, and another below. He felt like something was right up against his foot now and he wondered if he would have been able to feel the things breath if he weren't wearing pants and socks.

Without warning, Harry began to jerk wildly, startling the man behind him momentarily, which was a feat in itself.

"GAAAAAHHHHH!" With a huge tug, Harry forcefully ripped his leg free, and gasped at the pain as the trap stair slammed back into place against the other stones. He knew it was bleeding, but he didn't want to look as he lay back on the stairs breathing heavily, just trying to calm himself. Ever since what had happened over the summer, he'd felt panicky, not that having a monster under the stairs and up above him had helped.

In, and out, in and out.

"Potter! What is going through that dunderhead of yours?"

Harry's head snapped up as Snape's wand flickered to life with a bright light above him, and panick gripped him again. No, he was in trouble again.

Thinking only of his warm bed and escaping future detention, Harry took off down the stairs as fast as his leg would allow him, and he knew that Snape was close behind him. No, he didn't need another walloping, he thought.

Behind him Harry heard a strangled noise as if Snape might have fallen into one of the trick steps, but he didn't look back, and continued to limp as fast as he could to the bottom of the staircases and then around a corner and down a short side hall.

There was nothing down this dark hall except for a classroom that the seventh years used to study, and as Harry slid down the wall to the floor at the end, he hoped to hide in the shadows. One minute passed, two, three, and finally he saw Snape jog past the end of the hall without so much as a look for Harry down at the end. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and drew his injured leg up to himself.

Thinking he'd better wait a few minutes just to be sure the horrible man was gone, Harry waited until he was sure he was safe. If he could only get back to his bed then he could forget what had happened tonight, at least until the man found him tomorrow, though he knew he'd rather face him then. It was much better to face him in the daylight when he was surrounded by teachers and students than in the darkness alone, when he was vulnerable.

Finally Harry ginergly got to his feet and limped down the short hall, but the moment he stepped out into the larger corridor, a swift hand grabbed the back of his robes and Harry shut his eyes tight. He was trapped again.

"Potter! You're more of a fool than I thought! What was going through that head of yours?"

Harry didn't answer. It was one of those trick questions he knew he'd get smacked for. Uncle Vernon liked those kinds of questions best.

"Insolent little fool. You refuse help when it's readily available and then run off when you're injured?"

"Please sir."

Snape only growled in response. "Follow me, now."

He still had hold of Harry's robes up near his neck, and Harry knew he didn't have a choice but to obey or else face consequences that he'd rather not. He followed Snape into the darkness, and down to the dungeons.