Severus stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep.

Tick tock, tick tock, tock tock.

The silence around him was stifling, and the ticking of the clock was too loud.

Tick tock, tick tock, tock tock.

It was driving him insane!

Tick tock, tick tock, tock tock.

Finally, Severus gave up. Getting out of bed, he pulled his robe around him. Maybe a walk would do him good, and if he were to find a student out after curfew, all the better.

However, Severus didn't think he would. It was so cold that even if some child were to be awake, they'd stay snuggled in their blankets. It was a pity, as Severus was longing to relieve his restlessness on an unsuspecting student.

He padded out of his quarters into the darkness. The hallways were quiet, but at least that infernal ticking noise couldn't be heard.

Severus was a systematic person, and everything he did, he did it methodically. Thus, he first walked through the dungeons, then the ground floor, and then the first floor. By the time he reached the second floor, it was past midnight, and Severus felt like he'd drop off to sleep as soon as he got into bed.

This was the last floor, Severus told himself, and then he'd go back to his warm quarters. It shouldn't take more than ten minutes.

Just as he'd thought that, he noticed a silvery light coming from under the doors of the library. Severus smiled grimly. A student was out of bed, and it was his responsibility to discipline them. A responsibility Severus was only too happy to fulfil. 

Walking softly so as to avoid warning the troublemaker, Severus opened the door and stepped through in one fluid motion. He kept to the shadows as his eyes searched for the source of the light. 

Ah, there it was, behind a bookshelf. How convenient!

Sure-footed, he stalked towards the light. So concentrated was he that he didn't notice the dark shadow following him, footsteps as soft as his own. In his hand, the figure clutched something that buzzed softly, almost like the buzzing of electricity.

However, Severus paid no attention to the sound. He reached the bookshelf silently and peered around. He was in no danger of being seen, as the student was using light and was not likely to be able to see past it.

If anyone were to see Severus' face now, they'd run off as fast as they could, so sinister was his smile. For who else was in the library but Harry Potter — in Severus' opinion, the one student in the entire school who most needed to be taken down a peg. 

And Severus would be the one to do it.

"Potter!"

Potter twisted sharply at his voice, and Severus smirked. The next second an expression of such intense fear crossed his face that Severus hesitated. Was the boy that afraid of him?

Then, almost too fast for Severus to see, Potter pulled out his wand, waved it wildly, and cried "Protego!". A blue light shimmered around Severus and the world blew up. 

Severus was thrown off his feet and landed hard some distance away. He could hear debris falling around him and instinctively covered his head with his arms. He needn't have bothered, as nothing fell on him. Severus was confused as to the reason until he remembered the Protego Potter had cast seconds before the explosion. 

Potter! What happened to him? Was he alright? He must find out.

Severus slowly raised his head then immediately coughed. The air was thick with dust. Holding his breath, he fished for his wand and cast a bubble-headed charm blindly. The darkness was absolute.

Once he was able to breathe freely, he cast a Lumos and raised his wand over his head to see properly.

The place was in shambles. Books were strewn around him, and the empty shelves had made a very rickety roof above them. The floor was littered with debris: splinters of wood and pieces of stone. Potter was nowhere to be seen.

"Potter?" Severus looked around desperately. Where was he?

"Potter?!"

Just as the makeshift roof creaked ominously, Severus spied a hand peeking through a huge slate of wood. Severus hurried there in a trice, desperately casting a Protego.

He was just in time. Boards and planks fell around him a second time, and this time a huge weight pinned him down. It was only the shield that saved his life at that moment.

Once the dust had settled, Severus lifted the weight with a levitation charm, which turned out to be half of a bookshelf. Another charm had the wood slate off Potter as well.

Severus' heart leapt in his throat at the sight of the boy. He was on his front, his arm bent at an awkward angle, unmistakably broken. His legs seemed to be stuck under another wooden beam.

However, Severus was mostly concerned with the growing puddle of blood underneath Potter. He hurried forward and scanned Potter in the light of his wand. Seeing no wound, he lifted the beam off Potter and turned him around gently.

Severus' worry increased at seeing the grotesque wound. A sharp bit of wood had pierced through Potter's thigh, the blood flowing too fast for Severus' comfort. There wasn’t a moment to be lost.

He pulled the wood out carefully and immediately cast a Ferula, making sure it was tight enough to pinch the blood vessels. He winced as Potter's eyes shot open, and a groan of pain escaped from his lips. He didn't seem to be able to speak.

Severus ignored him for a moment, making sure there weren't any other injuries needing immediate attention.

Seeing none, Severus breathed a sigh of relief. He cast another Ferula on Potter's arm and then helped Potter to get in a more comfortable position.

Severus had been so intent on his work that he hadn't paid any attention to his surroundings. Now, as he sat down for a moment of rest, he couldn't avoid them.

It was a disaster. It looked like the ceiling had come down on them, though Severus was sure that wasn't the case. The castle walls and floor were made of fortified stone that couldn't be broken down easily. The explosion had been a relatively small one, though dangerous to anyone as near as he and Potter had been. It couldn't have damaged the castle structure.

The pocket that they sat in was not much bigger than it was after the first explosion, and it looked like they were completely caved in. However, Severus thought, it shouldn't be as tightly packed as it looked, as the air was fresh.

Severus was pulled out of his thoughts as Potter went into a coughing fit. He suddenly became aware that he'd forgotten to put a bubble-head charm on Potter, and the air was likely not as fresh as he'd thought.

He cast the incantation quickly and released a breath as Potter's breathing got easier. He seemed to be growing more aware now.

"What happened?" Potter's voice was hoarse. 

Severus ignored him in favour of casting a patronus charm to send a message to the Headmaster. At last, he had no excuse to avoid speaking to Potter any longer.

"Nothing, we are just sitting here for the fun of it," Severus replied sarcastically.

Potter didn't immediately answer back, which made Severus worried again. Potter was not one to back down from an argument.

He sneaked a glance at Potter. He looked a bit dazed. Might he have a concussion?

"Don't you remember anything?" he asked, for a way of having something to say. If he did have a concussion, it was imperative to keep him awake.

"I was in the library," Potter said slowly, as though trying to remember something. "Looking for a book. Charms, I think? Anyway, that doesn't matter."

Severus internally shouted at Potter to hurry up. He was curious as to what had caused Potter to cast the Protego, but Severus would never admit it.

"Then… someone called me. Oh, that was you, right?"

Severus gave a single nod in answer.

"Oh, the boy! There was a boy standing behind you, and there was something in his hand that he threw at us!"

"A boy? Who?" Severus asked sharply, then cursed himself at revealing his lack of knowledge. Potter didn't seem to notice.

"I don't know. He wore a mask."

"You must know something about him," Severus insisted. "Any unique characteristics? Was he tall? Short? Thin? Boy? Girl? What kind of thing did he have?"

"Um, a boy, I think," Potter said, frowning. "He was tall, probably a sixth or seventh year. He wasn't in Gryffindor, because his eyes didn't look familiar. It was a unique shade, a kind of grey. Oh no, not Malfoy," he added, upon seeing Severus' sharp look. "I couldn't quite see what he threw because it happened all so fast. But… it was glowing. It wasn't, at first, but it started glowing just before he threw it. A brilliant white glow. Oh, and he threw it with his left hand!" Potter finished, shifting restlessly. 

Severus remembered then how much pain Potter was most likely in. Unwillingly, respect for the boy filled Severus' heart. Grown men would have been crying in Potter's place by now.

"How long will we remain here?" Potter asked tensely.

"I don't know," he murmured in reply.

He was worried. A bubble-head charm was not unlimited, and it was harder to keep it on two people. Judging by the way Potter had been coughing when he hadn't been under the charm, there was very little breathing air in their space, and it was only getting worse.

Potter's injuries needed tending, too. Severus had done his best, but his best wasn't that good in terms of healing, especially without access to his potions.

"I'm feeling sick."

Severus looked at Potter in alarm. He couldn't be sick in the bubble-head charm, and Severus couldn't take it off. What was he going to do?

Just then, a muffled sound echoed in his ears, and Severus leaped up. Had he imagined it? He glanced at Potter, but Potter seemed too dazed to notice anything. Sweat was glistening on his face and he was breathing heavily.

The sound of a loud crash sounded and dust started falling from the rubble overhead. Severus ignored it, concentrating on the muffled voices he could hear from the other side. He was half aware of Potter casting another Protego just as a wooden plank fell on them.

That must have displaced the relatively stable structure around them, as once again wood and stones rained down.

Light began to shine through the shadows as they were finally released from their small prison, and a cacophony of noise broke through the silence.

"Severus! Are you alright?" 

Severus had never been so glad to hear Albus' voice as he was now.

"Yes," he shouted back. "I am unharmed. Potter needs medical care."

He looked back at the sound of retching and hurried toward Potter. He immediately removed the bubble-head charms. To his relief, the air was fresh again.

He hardly noticed as a larch chunk of the rubble was removed. He looked up in surprise as Albus hurried in, a stretcher floating behind him.

"What happened?" Albus asked urgently.

"An attack," Severus answered grimly, as he lifted Potter carefully onto the stretcher.

Albus' eyes blazed "By who?"

"I have a description, nothing more."

"We will find him," Albus answered with conviction, waving his wand. The stretcher moved out of the small gap in the rubble, and Severus followed.

He barely noticed the students crowded around the ruins of the library. Keeping an eye on Potter, he spoke.

"The hospital wing?"

Albus nodded in reply. "How did you manage to come out unscathed?"

"Potter cast a Protego over me. Someone from behind me threw something at us. He likely saved my life."

The doors of the hospital wing came in sight and Severus hurried ahead, calling for Poppy.

She was waiting, a few potions out in preparation. She started casting spells on Potter as soon as he came into sight.

"Oh, I'm so glad you are all right! I was so worried when I saw your patronus. I was with Albus when you sent it, Severus," she elaborated at his questioning look.

They waited tensely as Poppy worked. At last putting her wand down, she gave a few potions to Potter, one after another. Finally she slowed to a stop, ending with a sleeping draught.

"How is he, Poppy?" Albus asked in concern.

"He'll be alright," she said, tucking Potter in. "You did a good job stopping the blood, Severus. It likely saved his life."

"You're even, then," Albus said cheerfully, and Severus glared.

However, before he could say anything, Filch entered the hospital wing, holding Regan Stenhouse tightly by his arms. He was a student in his last year, a lazy and dishonest boy. He had grey eyes and black hair, and he was tall for his age.

"Let me go! I've done nothing wrong, let me go!" The boy was squealing, squirming to escape. His gaze fell on Albus and he paled, fighting more desperately.

A hint of suspicion formed in Severus' mind and he closed the doors in a flash and stood in front of them, giving Albus a significant look.

Albus gave a minuscule nod of understanding, then smiled at Filch.

"What seems to be the trouble, Argus?"

"I found him sneaking out the doors of the castle," croaked Filch. "At this time of the night! I knew he must be up to no good, so I brought him to you, Headmaster. I'm worried, see, especially with the explosion and all." Filch's eyes darted at Severus.

"Thank you." Albus smiled at the caretaker. Then looking over at Mr. Stenhouse, he sternly demanded an explanation.

"I was just going for a walk," Stenhouse replied sullenly. "Is that so wrong?"

"The need for a walk had nothing to do with the news that Professor Snape and Mr. Potter are alive and well, I'm sure?" Albus inquired pleasantly.

The boy scowled. "Of course not! Why would you think that!"

"You know what I think, Mr Stenhouse?" Severus spoke up. "I think you followed me with a Massacre Rocket, waiting for a perfect chance. Then, when I was sufficiently distracted, you threw it at me. How lucky for you that Mr. Potter and I happened to be at the same place!"

"Prove it!"

Severus smiled. This was what he had been waiting for. Raising his wand, he intoned. "Ultimo Tenuit!"

A ghostly figure of a glowing ball appeared over the Stenhouse's left hand. You could just see the letters MR painted on its ghostly side. Mr. Stenhouse slumped, knowing the game was up.

"We'll take this to my office," Albus broke in, sending a disappointed look at Mr. Stenhouse. "Come, Severus."

Thirty minutes later, Severus saw the boy off at the Hogsmeade station personally, dragging a trunk behind him. He had confessed that he suspected Severus of being a spy, and had hoped to earn the Dark Lord's pleasure with the stunt he pulled.

He was immediately expelled, and his parents were called. He had destroyed his future for a charismatic madman, just as Severus had. He might have felt sorry for him if he had not nearly lost their war for them.

The End