Harry had never run so quickly in his entire life, not even when Dudley and his gang were chasing him through the schoolyard, intent on pounding him into the dirt. His trainers squeaked and skidded upon the floor, so rapidly did he accelerate and turn. He bolted down the hall and down the two flights of stairs like a dervish, thanking Merlin that everyone else had class right then and so there was no one to impede his progress and no professors to shout that he shouldn't run in the hallway. He could feel his throat tightening with pure fear and guilt, and he panted harshly, but never stopped running. He carried Skull cradled in the crook of his arm, and he kept chanting the same refrain in his head as he ran. Skull, don't die! Please don't die! Severus will help you!

Once down the marble staircase, he made a quick left and bolted through the door leading to the dungeons. Down the steps he flew and then along the corridor leading to Snape's classroom. By now he was short of breath and had a stitch in his side from running so fast, but he ignored it. He didn't care if he collapsed so long as he got Skullduggery to Severus. "Almost there! Hold on, Skull! Please!" he whispered to the comatose raven. He felt tears prickle his eyes but refused to indulge in them. There would be time enough for that later, especially if the raven didn't make it. Stop that! he rebuked himself. Skull will make it. He HAS to. But there was a dreadful lump somewhere in deep in his stomach and he whispered, "Don't die, Skull. We need you so much!"

Finally he reached the potions classroom. From the sound of things, the students had just arrived and were getting seated, he could hear the scrape of chairs and voices talking and Snape telling them to get seated quietly, this was not social hour. Harry thrilled to hear that familiar snarky tone, and he threw open the door with a loud bang and rushed into the room.

Everyone turned to stare at him.

Snape pinned him with his stern obsidian gaze. "Mr. Potter," he drawled dangerously. "Is the school on fire? Under attack? If the answer to those questions is no, then you had better have a good explanation as to why you have entered my classroom like a rampaging rhinoceros, or else!"

"It's Skull, sir! I think he's . . . dying!" Harry gasped, showing Snape the limp black form.

There were multiple cries of dismay and horror from his classmates. However annoying he could be, the raven was one of the best-loved animals in the school.

Severus was at Harry's side in an instant. "My office, Potter, quickly!" He practically hauled Harry through the archway leading to his office, pausing to call over his shoulder, "The rest of you, begin the assignment on the board immediately!" He quickly shut the office door, then turned to his ward. "Let me see, Harry."

Harry gently handed the raven to his teacher. "Here, Uncle Sev. I . . . I don't know how it happened. I woke up and went to use the bathroom and I tripped and found him like this on the floor. Did . . . did someone hex him?"

Severus had drawn his wand and was running it over the raven. "Impossible. Nothing evil could have gotten past my wards without setting off alarms. This wasn't caused by a spell." He gently poked and prodded the raven. There was no response.

"Then what happened?"

"I . . . am unsure. I shall contact my Magical Creatures vet, Gwenyth Williams shall know what's wrong with him," murmured the Potions Master, clearly distressed. He set the raven atop his desk and firecalled Gwenyth, whose specialty was magical avians.

He withdrew his head from the flames and said, "Healer Williams shall be here shortly."

Harry swallowed sharply, only then recalling that he desperately needed to use the bathroom. But he didn't want to leave Skull. He squirmed, unable to help himself.

Severus frowned. "Harry, for Merlin's sake, go and use the lavatory. I would rather not be cleaning up a mess on my carpet."

Harry flushed. "But, sir, I need to make sure Skull's all right."

"And risk having an accident?" demanded Severus. "Go!"

Harry obeyed, his bladder was leaving him little choice.

Three minutes later he was back in Snape's office, where he saw a medium-sized young woman of about twenty-two with long dark hair and silvery-blue eyes examining the raven. She wore a long robe of peacock blue and green with a wand and phoenix emblem upon it. After a moment she lowered her wand and said, "Well, Professor Snape, Skull wasn't the victim of a curse or even some kind of illness. It would seem he swallowed some sort of . . .magical powder, which acted like a poison to his system, causing him to go into anaphylactic shock. "

"The Hornet Dust!" exclaimed Severus.

Harry cried out in horror. "No! That's not true!"

"Of course it is," said the vet crossly, fixing Harry with a stern look. "Why? Did you give him it?"

"Not on purpose! It was a cursed envelope. It hit me and . . . got everywhere. Skull must have eaten some when he . . . he started grooming my hair," Harry realized, feeling guilt churn his stomach into a lake of acid. He clutched his middle and whimpered.

"Oh. My apologies then. It was an accident," she said, much more compassionately.

"Can you neutralize the poison?" asked Snape, his fingers gently stroking the obsidian feathers.

"Yes. But I shall need a few potions, sir. I have him stabilized for now with my magic. Do you have a counterdraft to this Hornet Dust?"

"Yes. It was recently used on Mr. Potter here." Severus quickly summoned the proper potion and Gwenyth gently pried open Skull's beak and administered the potion with a small syringe that lacked a needle. She quickly cast a diagnostic and said softly, "It's beginning to break down the poison molecules, but I have no idea if it will be enough. The poison has begun to damage his internal organs."

"Can you fix him?" Harry cried, his green eyes bright with unshed tears.

"I can try to repair most of the damage, but I cannot tell if the poison had an effect on his brain. He may live but not be the same. Or he could be fine. Or he might die despite all I can do." The vet admitted candidly.

"If that's the best you can do, what good are you?" Harry blurted, his guilty conscience was eating him up inside and he did not know how to handle all of the pain and anger he felt, except by targeting something or someone.

"Potter, that was uncalled for!" snapped his guardian. "You have no reason to be rude to Miss Williams. Forgive him, Miss Williams, he has grown very close to Skull and in his grief he forgets common courtesy."

"I understand, sir." The young woman said. "I'd be the same if it were a pet of my own who was almost at death's door. But please, I must have complete silence to work." She drew her wand and began to chant softly in Latin. A glowing bluish light sprang from her wand and surrounded the bird and her hands.

Severus watched, his eyes glued to his familiar, his face pale and his black eyes glittering with a fierce concern and love for his stricken familiar.

Harry went and huddled in the chair next to the desk, still feeling awful and now regretting his hasty words. "I'm sorry," he muttered, and felt the guilt rise to smother him. He blinked hard and prayed that Skull would survive. He recalled the raven sitting on his shoulder and preening his hair and suddenly tears filled his eyes and dripped down his cheeks. It was all his fault Skullduggery was poisoned. Severus would never forgive him for this. He lifted his hands and ran them through his hair, half tearing out black strands, while simulataneous concealing his tears with the sleeves of his robes.

For an endless amount of time, there was silence in the office, as Gwenyth Williams sought to repair the damage done to the familiar with spells. Actually, nearly forty-five minutes had gone by, but to Harry and Severus it was like eternity. Neither spoke, but remained still, eyes fixed upon the Magical Creatures vet, who spoke different charms and moved her wand in miniscule ways, touching the raven's heart, head, stomach, and throat.

At last she straightened, wincing, and the bluish light went out. "I have done all I possibly can, Professor. He is very weak, but he may recover. Or he might die, his liver was fairly badly damaged and his immune system compromised. I have tried to repair them, but sometimes the spells do not take, especially since he is a magical raven, and those birds with magic often fight against my spells. The next twenty-four hours are crucial. Give him small sips of water with a tablespoonful of honey stirred in it every hour or two, that should keep his metabolism up and prevent dehydration. Keep him warm and quiet. That is all you can do. If all goes well, he ought come out of his sleep by tomorrow morning and hopefully have an appetite. When he wakes, you may give him a half-teaspoon of Animal Pain Reliever. Call me if there is any change." She handed Snape a vial of green liquid.

"I will. Thank you, Miss Williams." Severus said, conjuring a warm blanket to wrap Skullduggery in.

"Don't thank me yet, sir. He's not out of the woods." Gwenyth said. "Merlin bless and keep him. I'll send you a bill later. He's a tough old corvus, if anyone could survive this kind of thing, a raven can."

With that, she departed through the fireplace, heading back to her office.

Severus tenderly wrapped the blanket about his familiar and lifted him up. He turned to look at Harry, who was staring down at the floor. "Harry, go back to my classroom and start on my assignment. I shall be along shortly to monitor the rest of the class."

"No!" Harry protested. "You can't leave Skull alone. Please let me watch him. Don't send me away, sir. I know it's my fault he was poisoned, but . . . " He trailed off, struggling to keep from bursting into tears.

"Come with me," was all Snape said then, and Harry rose immediately and followed the professor to his quarters.

Severus carefully placed the raven on the sofa, the blanket still shrouding him. Then he turned to Harry and said, very quietly and firmly, "Harry James Potter, you are not going to blame yourself for this. You could not have known that some of the powder residue had gotten in your hair, or that Skullduggery would chance to pick some up while preening you. What happened was an accident, a twist of fate, and is not your fault whatsoever. If you need to blame someone, blame the bloody idiot who sent you that letter." He went and took the boy's chin in his hand and lifted it until Harry was looking at him. "Understand?"

Harry sniffed. "Yes, but . . . I'm still sorry . . . I . . . don't want him to die . . ."

"Nor do I, believe me." Severus said feelingly. "But Harry, sometimes you cannot prevent the ones you love from dying. Gwenyth Williams was a former student of mine, one of the first I ever taught, she was a first year Ravenclaw when I began teaching. She is the most competent avian vet I know, and there is no one I would trust more with saving Skullduggery. She is not incompetent by any means. And she certainly did not deserve to be insulted by you, however upset you are."

"I'm sorry . . ." Harry whispered, both relieved and ashamed of his behavior. To his horror, he started to cry, tears leaking down his face. "I just want him to be all right . . ." he tried to pull away, but to his astonishment, Severus put an arm about him and gave him a hug. Harry found his face pressed into familiar black robes and the contact caused him to lose control and begin to sob hard.

"Shhh . . . it will be all right . . ."

"Do you really believe that?" Harry choked out, his words muffled somewhat by the fabric, but Snape understood.

"Yes. To believe otherwise would be unthinkable," answered the Potions Master. "Skull is a tough old bird, he has never been sick a day in his life. His constitution is second to none. He will recover." Snape's voice rang with his conviction, though inwardly he felt afraid. But he could not let Harry see that. The boy was already a nervous wreck. He patted Harry on the back, holding him until the storm of tears had blown itself out. Then he handed Harry a handkerchief and said, "I think it best if you went back and tried to do my assignment. I shall need to return to the classroom and check on the rest of the students. Afterwards I shall cancel the rest of my classes and return here. You may accompany me, if you wish."

Harry blew his nose and wiped his eyes. "Yes, Uncle Severus. But . . . you see, I don't think I could concentrate on brewing right now. I keep seeing him lying there . . ."

Severus sighed, seeing the real distress in his ward's eyes. "Very well. But you shall make up that potion tomorrow. Stay here, order some tea if you wish. I shall be back shortly."

Harry gave him a watery smile then returned to the sofa and seated himself near the comatose raven. His fingers darted out to gently stroke the sleeping bird and Severus heard him whisper, "Keep breathing, Skull. Remember, you're not dead yet. You don't need to go on the cart."

Severus raised an eyebrow . He had not known that Harry was a Monty Python aficionado. Then he departed his quarters with a swirl of his robes. He would have liked nothing better than to remain beside his familiar, but he knew he had to return to his classroom ad make sure it was still standing and nobody had died. With Longbottom brewing, either was a distinct possibility.

Some twenty minutes later, Severus returned to his quarters, having firecalled Albus to inform him about his familiar and that he was going to cancel classes for the rest of the day. Albus was most sympathetic and told Severus he wished the raven a speedy recovery. The professor thanked him, vowing revenge upon whoever had sent that damned Plague Envelope. Hurting both his ward and his familiar was an unforgivable thing by Snape's standards.

Skullduggery was still the same, and Harry was huddled in a corner of the sofa, arms wrapped about his knees, looking at the raven pleadingly.

Severus said quietly, "How is he?"

"The same."

"Have you eaten yet?"

Harry shook his head. "Not hungry."

Severus summoned some tea and toast with butter and jam, plus a Nutrient Draft. "Try and eat. It's better to have something in your stomach."

Harry looked at the food disinterestedly.

"At least drink your Nutrient potion."

Harry did. Then he drank a cup of heavily sugared tea and ate a few bites of toast.

Severus poured himself a cup of tea and drank it black. Then he drank another, before forcing himself to eat as well. He looked over at his ward and asked how he was feeling. "Do you still feel tired or achy from the powder?"

Harry shook his head.

"A verbal answer, please."

"No, sir. I feel all right. Except for Skull."

Severus heaved a large sigh. He might seem in control, but within he was screaming and crying just like Harry. "I know. Whoever sent that envelope has much to answer for!" Snape's tone could have sent a Dementor scurrying for cover.

"If I ever find out who did that, I'm going to hunt the bastard down and kick his cowardly arse!"

This once, Snape did not reprimand Harry for his language. Anyone who could send such a letter to a small boy and cause him to be injured along with his familiar did not deserve any kind of consideration. Instead he said, "Leave that to me, Mr. Potter. Now, you look rather wrung out. Might I suggest you get some sleep?"

"I'm not tired," Harry protested.

"No? Then why are your eyes closing?"

Harry shrugged, trying to keep his eyes open. But it was no use. His eyes shut in spite of himself and he slept for several hours.

Severus remained awake, staring into the fire, listening to the soft hiss and crackle of the flames, recalling all the times he had scolded the raven for his smart mouth and impudent attitude. He would have taken it all back to hear that voice again, spouting some Muggle quote from a song or movie, or stealing food from his plate. He turned and looked down at the raven and only then did he allow himself the luxury of tears.

He placed a palm on the raven, feeling the chest rise and fall, though there was no guarantee that Skull would remain that way. He sensed the struggle going on within the black bird, a titanic struggle for life against all odds. "Do not go gently into that good night, my friend," he murmured, quoting one of his favorite Welsh poets. "Rage, rage against the dying of the light." He wiped a hand across his eyes and said, "You have a will of steel, use it to come back to me." He did not know what he would do without Skullduggery, the bird was like his other secret self. Skull did something no one else had ever done for the lonely professor, he made Snape smile and even laugh on occasion. Most of all, Skullduggery was loyal and would never betray him. Snape had no better confidante than the raven, who for all his mimicry, knew when to keep his beak shut. Severus had never thought about whether or not he needed a familiar, he had never chosen one because of his occupation as a spy and also because he feared he would have little time to take care of one. He would have remained alone forever until Skullduggery had decided otherwise. The quirky smartass raven had grown upon him, until now Severus could not imagine his life without him. Nor did he ever wish to.

Severus drank a third cup of tea, then tried to grade some homework. After reading twenty papers, he put them aside, unable to concentrate. He went and fetched the plastic syringe and gave the sleeping raven the required mixture of water and honey. That done, he tried to rest also, but kept starting up, thinking he heard Skullduggery cawing. But every time he glanced over at the raven, he saw that Skull was motionless. With a shudder, he recalled the old superstition that ravens were harbingers of death. Would death come for the cocky raven this night?

Meanwhile, back in the Gryffindor common room, Ron and Hermione were informing the rest of their House about Skullduggery's condition. Most of the students, even the ones who disliked birds, felt sorry for the familiar and also the professor and Harry. It was the same in the Slytherin common room and with the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. But it was Hermione's idea to send a condolence card to Professor Snape, a wish for Skull to get well.

"What are you writing, Hermione?" asked Ron, trying to see what she was scratching out on her parchment.

"A note to Professor Snape."

"Why, got another question about the homework? Or do you want to do some extra credit assignment?"

"No. I'm writing to him to tell him how sorry I am about Skull and hoping he gets well and doesn't . . . die."

"Oh. That's really . . . thoughtful of you," Ron said.

"What a great idea, Hermione!" said Fred. "Why don't-?"

"—we do it too, twin?" finished George. "It would really bite if good old Skull went to birdie heaven."

There were murmurs of agreement from everyone in the common room. Next thing you knew, all the students were busy scribbling away on pieces of parchment.

Then they all headed up to the Owlery to borrow some owls, in the case of those who did not own one, or summon their avians and ask them to deliver the notes to Professor Snape. Over twenty Gryffindors tramped through the corridors and the noise they made brought McGonagall out of her office to investigate.

She stared at all her lions and said, "What is going on here? Where are all of you going?"

"To send letters to Professor Snape," answered Hermione.

McGonagall's eyebrows rose. "Letters to Professor Snape? Whose idea was this?"

"It was mine, ma'am," admitted Hermione. "His familiar Skull is very sick and could die, I heard Harry say so. So I thought he might like a get well card for Skull."

"Why, that's very thoughtful of you, Granger. And all the rest of you . . .have decided to write one as well?"

"Yes, professor," answered the rest.

"Hmm . . . perhaps I ought to write one as well," mused the Transfiguration teacher. "Carry on then."

The Gryffindors tramped up to the Owlery, where they found a few Slytherins, two Ravenclaws, and some Hufflepuffs also mailing out letters home to friends and family. Once they learned what some of the Gryffindors were doing, they returned to their common rooms to write their own get well missives. The Slytherins especially did not want to be outdone, and their students wrote twice as many cards as anyone else.

CICICICICI

Harry woke hungry and cold, as he had kicked off the blanket Severus had placed over him, and the fire had died down to almost embers. He sat up and looked over at the now slumbering Severus and the raven, who was cradled in the other's lap, still asleep. Harry felt a pang of disappointment at Skull's condition, he wasn't any worse, but neither was he better. He thought about going to the hall for dinner, but he didn't feel like mingling with the other students. All he wanted was a quiet dinner and to not be bombarded by questions. He wondered if Severus would mind if he called a house elf to bring him a tray?

But before he could get the words past his lips, there came a loud whoo-hoo at the door. Harry rose and opened the door to let in the owl. The bird flew right to Snape and dropped a letter in his lap. Harry turned about and saw an entire sea of owls coming towards the professor's quarters. For one moment, Harry feared this was more nasty mail, until he saw Hermione's name on one and the twins' on the other. This was not hate mail, but something else again.

The owls continued coming, until there was a deluge of mail, it reminded Harry of the way the Hogwarts invitation kept coming to Privet Drive. Soon the table and Severus's side of the couch were full with messages. Harry gaped, then went to wake up his mentor.

"Uncle Severus, wake up! You have to see this!" He shook the other's shoulder.

Snape came awake immediately. "What's wrong? Is it Skull?"

"No, sir. He's the same as before. But you have to see all the mail you're getting."

Severus scowled. "More hate mail?"

"No. I think these are from students." He handed Snape Hermione's letter.

Severus read through the first one and then another. He was astonished and deeply touched that the children cared so much about school and his familiar to the point of sending cards wishing Skull well. Some of the notes contained small sweets, others contained small treats for the raven.

"Do you want me to help open some?" asked Harry.

"Be my guest," Severus gestured to the piles of mail.

Together, they sorted through the mail, with Harry reading some of the longer notes.

Finally the mail stopped coming and both Harry and Snape could relax and eat dinner. Severus summoned a simple meal of meatloaf and mashed potatoes as well as blueberry pie. Harry found that he was actually hungry after all, and devoured the meal. It was past eight o'clock and Harry felt very tired once again.

By the time both had finished their meal, the second wave of "Skull mail" had arrived. This one was not as large as the first part, but it did keep them busy, proving that Harry and Snape were not alone in caring about the raven. Over half the missives began with the standard, "Dear Professor Snape, I'm really sorry to hear about Skull . . . I hope he pulls through . . ."

After opening the last envelope, Harry glanced over at the bird and asked, "Is he any better?"

"Some," replied his guardian. At least Skull was still breathing. He continued to give the bird the sweetened water at intervals. He directed Harry to stack the mail, sorting it into piles according to House.

Harry eagerly did so, not ready to leave his mentor's quarters. Severus attempted to tell Harry to leave, but Harry respectfully, if stubbornly, refused. "If you make me, sir, I'll leave. But I won't go far. I'll sleep outside your door in the hallway."

The Potions Master frowned severely. "You will do no such thing, boy!"

Harry coughed. "If I go back to Gryffindor Tower, I won't sleep a wink, and you're always telling me how important it is to get a good night's rest, sir."

"You are incorrigible, young one!"

"Yes, sir."

"I ought to take thirty points for your insubordination, Mr. Potter."

"Yes, sir."

"Just because you are my ward does not mean you will be allowed to flout school rules."

"No, sir. But how is sleeping on your couch breaking the rules?"

Severus frowned severely. "Mind your cheeky tongue, Potter."

"I'll try, sir."

He snorted. "Try very hard."

"I will. Can I stay on the couch? I won't be any trouble."

"You had better not be, or else there are several cauldrons with your name on them waiting for your expert touch with a scrub brush," threatened his mentor. "Go and fetch yourself a pillow and a blanket from the closet. You ought to know where they are by now."

Harry did so, hiding a grin. His guardian waved his wand and Harry was wearing pajamas and fuzzy socks. "Now then, go straight to bed. Because whether or not you are exhausted, anxious, or otherwise, you are going to class tomorrow."

Harry said nothing, but Snape caught the hidden smirk. "You have something else to say, Potter?"

"Uh . . . there's no potions class on Wednesday for first years, sir."

Severus merely glared at him.

After the annoying child had closed his eyes, Snape kept vigil through the night, hoping against hope that Skullduggery would manage to shake off the injuries done to him and wake in the morning. Somewhere around two o'clock, Snape succumbed to exhaustion himself and slept, his familiar snuggled in his lap.

He woke several times to check on the familiar, and each time his hope dwindled a bit more as Skullduggery remained unmoving and silent, his glib tongue stilled.

The mantle clock struck six AM, and Severus woke, having felt something flutter beneath his fingers. Ever so slowly, the professor brought his gaze downward, until his dark eyes met another pair. The raven lifted his head and said, "Sev, I feel like dragon dung. Did someone hex me?"

"Are you hungry?"

The raven's head bobbed up and down. "I could eat a hippogriff."

Severus began to smile then, one of his very rare grins, and then he summoned the pain reliever. "Here, I need you to take this. You'll feel better."

"Potions? You know how I hate them," grumbled the bird. His beady eyes peered up at his wizard. "Why do I need it? What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing. Not anymore."

"Huh? Are you all right, Sev?"

"Fine."

Skullduggery cocked his head. "Then why are you crying?"

The professor did not answer. He was too busy hunting in his pocket for a spare handkerchief and trying to convince himself that the tears were from dust particles and not sheer relief that his familiar was awake and on the road to recovery. His hand moved, scratching the bird behind his head. The raven squawked softly, the sound harsh and raspy, but Severus Snape thought it the most beautiful music he had ever heard. And he smiled through his tears.