The view from the Astronomy tower was astonishing tonight. He could see the distant lights of Hogsmeade and the sky was moonless and clear.

Somehow, Severus took solace in the fact that the last thing he'd ever see was something beautiful.

He pointed his wand at his left wrist. "Sectumsempra"

His wand clattered to the ground, as bright blue pain flashed up his arm and he clutched at it involuntarily. He fell to his knees, a scarlet gush spraying over his face and clothes. His spell was so much more efficient than a knife, cutting down through vein, tendon and ligament right to the artery.

It won't be long, it won't be long, he thought, in time to his heart beat.

He curled up around his forearm on his knees, breathed through the hurting the way he did after his dad got finished with him. This time though, his magic wouldn't start clotting the blood or closing the cut.

He'd created this spell himself; a jinx to prevent the recipient's magic from joining the tissues. It had started out as something of theoretical challenge. He'd created it and its' counter just to see if he could (or so he told himself). Since his mother had gotten so sick and started drifting away from him, his thoughts had turned more and more to the practical application.

What sort of future did he have? He was a half-blood bastard (the Prince relatives had never accepted his mother's marriage), with no name, no prospects, no money, no position. He'd be lucky if he could get a job as a dishwasher at the Leaky Cauldron.

The pain was fading a bit. He recognized the first signs of shock. A little cold, his heart rate speeding up to compensate for the loss of blood. He smiled at himself, surprised that he remembered that much from the potions essay he did for Slughorn last week on remedies for splinching.

He scooted over to the wall, leaning his back against it, staring idly at the growing pool of blood.

So, for splinching: Dittany to close bleeding wounds. Skelegrow for if a bone has been splinched or vanished completely. Comfrey to reattach muscle. For shock...

Severus couldn't remember more. He turned his face upward. The stars overhead were very pretty.

"Severus!"

"Mr. Snape!"

Two female voices called, sharply, "Sev? Severus! I found your note!" Lily was weeping as she spoke, "What have you done?"

Severus found that a languorous tiredness prevented him from answering. He merely stared at them both, a little stupidly.

"Drink this," Madam Pomfrey held a vial to his lips and he swallowed, "Good lad." she whispered.

No one had called him a good lad since his mother had stopped speaking.

Severus woke with a gasp, staring at the ceiling of the hospital wing. He almost expected to lift his head and see Lily sitting at his bedside. With that worried expression she'd had all those years ago. They'd been...what? Fourth year?

It was still very dark. He heard people moving around, speaking in hushed voices but everyone he could see was sleeping. He shut his eyes again.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this." Severus' voice was almost pleading. They stood in the front room of his house on Spinner's End. A single candle on the table provided a pale, shivering pool of light. "I wasn't supposed to have anything to do with it. And he's the bloody picture of Potter. I told you: use three hairs. What did you do? Throw the man's hairbrush into the cauldron?"

Lily stood in front of the window with her arms crossed, looking out on the dark street. She wore simple white robes, her red hair unbound down her back. Severus could see her face in the window, as in a mirror. She smiled at him gently, in the reflection, "I know, he looks like his daddy but he's just like his father, Sev." she said, quietly.

Severus threw himself into his chair, "Lily, please, you don't know what you're asking."

"I do, Sev. You're all he's got left." Her reflected face was very pale and serious.

Lily started to turn around. Severus was unaccountably terrified of seeing her face, of meeting her eyes, unobstructed and unmediated.

He leapt out of the chair, throwing his wand hand between them. He turned his face away, surprised to discover that he brandished a sword rather than a wand.

This time, Severus sat bolt upright, feeling like he wanted to be sick. He was trembling, like he used to after dreams of the Dark Lord.

"Are you all right?" Molly Weasley sat in a rocking chair not too far away, knitting.

"Fine, thank you." Severus replied, hoarsely, with what he hoped was a dignified manner.

Mrs. Weasley jumped up, coming back with a cold glass of water. If it had been anyone else, if it had been any other time, he would have snapped at her, told her to leave him be. However, he was aware of how much Mrs Weasley was coping with, at the moment.

If he was too tired to snap, that was pure coincidence. He grunted his thanks, draining the glass in one long swallow.

"The healers said you should eat, if you woke." Mrs. Weasley said.

"What time is it?" he asked, ignoring her.

"Half-past five." She replied. She put the water glass on a side table, and came back with a plate of scones, "Do you want tea or coffee?" she asked.

Severus just gave in, and took the plate from Mrs. Weasley. Settling on eating as the most expedient way to get her to leave him alone, "Tea, if it's made." he replied, looking around.

Most of the beds seemed to be occupied with sleeping people. Potter was sleeping in the one next to him.

"How is your daughter?" asked Severus, formally, accepting a cup of tea from her and handing back the now-empty plate. He'd eaten everything on it, without tasting it.

Mrs. Weasley sighed, "As well as can be expected. The healers sent me out here, for a bit. They needed to do some more charms...so they said. It may be that they thought, if they sent me out here, I'd sleep." she snorted at the unlikeliness of that notion, "They said I could go in again, in a few hours."

Severus nodded, "At least one of the charms they need to do is fairly intricate. It would require an hour or two." If they were going to be able to care for the child's body, until she regained muscle control, they needed a better way of feeding her than simply spelling potions into her stomach. They also couldn't just spell waste products out of her body. They'd run the risk of removing bits of her.

Severus swung his legs over the side of the bed. After a moment he stood up, gingerly.

"Do you need help, Professor?" asked Mrs. Weasley, solicitously.

Severus shook his head. He grabbed his stick and began to stagger to the bathroom.

Mrs. Weasley was at his arm, immediately. She never said a word, which was just as well; Severus wouldn't have had a civil thing to say to her. She steadied him as he hobbled on shaking legs, standing outside the bathroom waiting for him.

He wanted nothing more than to drag himself back to his quarters, take an hour long shower and crawl into his bed. Dumbledore could get one of his seventh years to supervise his classes today or else the old codger could teach them his damned self.

"Professor Snape?" Mrs. Weasley said softly as she led him back to his bed, "You should know. There was something of a disturbance in the castle last night. More than," she hesitated, "Ginny, that is."

Severus felt the pressure against his ears, of a silencio. Mrs. Weasley must have just cast it around herself. Severus did not like her ominous tone, "Oh?"

"It seems that Sirius Black broke into Gryffindor Tower." she said, grimly.

It had not been often in Severus' life that he was struck speechless. He sat down on the bed, staring at Mrs. Weasley.

She glanced at Potter's sleeping figure and pulled one of the infirmary's screens between his bed and Severus'.

"I think Harry would be dead, if he hadn't been here." she said, her voice the calm of someone who had already been frantic with fear, and had now run out of adrenaline, "Seamus and Dean said that they had just gone to bed, after all the excitement, you know. Well, Ron's been keeping the door locked because of Hermione's cat chasing his rat. Dean thought he heard someone cast an Alohomora. He thought it was Ron or Harry coming back, and they were being really quiet, so he didn't think anything of it.

Well then, whoever-it-was just kept moving around, Dean said. And then he realized whoever-it-was was too skinny to be Ron and too tall to be Harry. And then he started tearing the dorm up," Mrs. Weasley shuddered, "Both the boys said that he was pulling the beds apart and he started yelling, 'Where are you, you little bastard?'"

Severus felt for his wand, in the pocket of his robe, "Did Black hurt anyone?"

"He didn't hurt any people." sighed Mrs. Weasley, "Seamus and Dean said that Harry's dog showed up in the middle of everything, snapping and growling and barking. I think that dog saved those boy's lives, last night." she took something out of her pocket, "The portraits say the dog seemed like it was chasing something, but they couldn't see what. Chased it right out of Gryffindor Tower, down that dead end corridor on the third floor. Dumbledore's wondering if Black has an invisibility cloak. That wouldn't affect a dog so much. And then...and then maybe Black used one of his old tricks. We're not exactly sure what he did. There's no portraits in that hallway. We haven't found the dog but we found this." Mrs. Weasley held out a broken, blood stained collar, "We haven't told him yet."

Severus stared, "Dammit." For some reason, this turned his stomach more than anything else in the last twenty four hours, "Where's Dumbledore now?"

"He went to have an hour." said Mrs. Weasley, "The Aurors are meeting with him at eight. There's talk of sending the children home, until the wards can be renewed on the castle." She glanced at the screen that hid her daughter, "I imagine the Prophet will want a statement, from us. There'll be no keeping this quiet and I'd rather tell them something than have them make something up."

"In my opinion," Severus grated, "Your daughter's actions can be laid directly at the feet of the Ministry their recklessness, leaving the Dementors here. And now, we discover they can't even be trusted to keep Black out of the castle."

Mrs. Weasley looked at Severus steadily, "The healers believe she made a mistake with the potion and didn't mean to make it toxic. That she was merely trying to brew a Draught of Peace."

"She was distressed. It was an easy mistake to make." replied Severus, shrugging.

"Ginny has always been a good cook." Mrs. Weasley's eyes were sad, "And her potions marks were rather good last year, even with everything that happened."

Severus sighed, "I don't think it would be to anyone's advantage to have your daughter painted as mentally unstable. Poppy knows several good mind healers who are both skilled and discreet. I would ask her for their names."

"Thank you, Professor." Mrs. Weasley said softly, "For everything."

He nodded, wishing fervently she'd go away now. He felt very uncomfortable with her gratitude.

"Professor?" Mrs. Weasley, "I've been wanting to tell you something. I know it's not a good time, but...

Severus controlled another sigh, with effort, "Yes?"

"I thought you should know; when Arthur and I were first married, his mother told us that we shouldn't become too concerned, if we were to have a dark haired child. She wouldn't have said anything about it, if Arthur hadn't married a redhead." Unconsciously, it seemed, Mrs Weasley tugged on a trailing strand of her hair, "She said, if we had a dark haired child, we should just do a hair coloring charm so people wouldn't talk. It was because of what she did, you see." Mrs. Weasley looked at Severus intently, as if to make sure he took her meaning, "She was worried that the dark hair would come out in a grandchild. She didn't want me to be suspect." Mrs. Weasley smiled, a little crookedly, "If there's anything we can do for you and Harry, just ask."

Severus nodded, gravely. That would explain all the Weasley children.

He decided it was time for a change of topic, "Tell the headmaster, he can find me in my quarters. I'll want to talk to him about what to do about this latest..." he paused, "Development." he said harshly.

Mrs. Weasley nodded, and insisted on helping him hobble to the floo.

Two hours, three Pepper-ups and a long shower later, Severus was summoned to Dumbledore's office. Minerva and Poppy were there, looking similarly fragile and worn, along with Filius and Pomona.

This meeting was to be with Minister Fudge and Shacklebolt to discuss the Black situation, the Dementor situation and god only knew what else.

The heads of houses and Poppy were required, due to the Weasley girl's accident (to Severus' relief, the Ministry was seizing on that explanation like a drowning man).

Severus slumped in the squashy armchair the headmaster had conjured for him. Dumbledore rather proudly explained to the Minister what Minerva, Poppy and himself had done for Miss Weasley and that they were still a bit under the weather.

Minerva looked at Dumbledore sourly, but took the proffered chair. Severus noted there was none of their usual banter. Minerva must be furious.

Poppy was beyond furious. Severus had been on the receiving end of her rants about the Dementors, every time she had to ask him to brew her extra calming potions of various kinds.

Severus mind was wandering. Almost idly, Severus wondered if anyone had told Potter that Black had killed his dog. Severus refused to be the bearer of that little bit of bad news.

He really wasn't hearing whatever Fudge was yammering on about. He only tuned into the conversation when he heard the Minister say in a rather supercilious tone, "Well, it's understandable if certain students are a bit...fragile. I mean, little girl like that. Bound to be prone to nightmares. She was friends with Longbottom, after all. Poor soul. But you can't generalize from her that the rest of the students are, in any way, affected."

"Minister, I'm telling you, those creatures are wreaking havoc here after the Longbottom death. Perhaps, if it had never happened, we wouldn't be having these problems." Poppy tapped her finger on the arm of her chair as she spoke, "But I tell you, they're feeding off the general distress of the place. I have first years, in tears, in my office, every single day!" she finished.

"Oh, come now. Is that so unusual, in first years? I expect they're all Muggleborns, are they?" the Minister replied. in a patronizing tone.

"You know," Severus said, lazily, rousing himself a bit, "I'll have to ask Lucius if Draco's ever been prone to nightmares, before. Poor boy's been getting no sleep."

"Lucius?" asked the Minister, "Malfoy?"

"Mmm." said Severus, "His son's in my house. Terrible nightmares this year, I'm afraid. Affecting his marks. And he's been getting quite thin."

Pomona started nodding, "You know, now that you mention it, one of mine went to see Poppy the other day because she hasn't been sleeping. Just went to pieces in your class didn't she, Severus?" she said, conversationally.

"Yes. Susan Bones, wasn't it?" replied Severus, contemplatively, "Generally, she's so level headed. She couldn't tell me why either. She just said she couldn't stop thinking about" Severus paused for effect, "Terrible things. Yes, I sent her to Poppy for some chocolate and a Dreamless Sleep."

Filius jumped in, "I've had to write to Davies' father. He's been very concerned about the letters he's been getting from the boy. Very concerned."

For the next few minutes the heads of houses discussed the students who had been reporting nightmares, insomnia, anxiety and depression. All Purebloods. All with influential parents. Fudge's eyes became wider and he began to sweat.

"But...without the Dementors...how will we catch Black?" whispered Fudge.

"That's not our problem." snapped Minerva, "Our problem is protecting this school. And, clearly, Dementors are unable to do it. My suggestion is that we renew the wards on Hogwarts. Although, what the board of governors will want to do after this latest..."

Severus didn't fail to notice that, though he said nothing, Kingsley Shacklebolt sat through this conversation with the slightest of smiles playing at the corners of his mouth.

Dumbledore sighed, "They have already contacted me. Apparently some of the students wrote their parents about the excitement, early this morning. They're holding an emergency meeting at noon. Several of them have spoken to me of a temporary closure, to do just what you suggest.  After the attacks last year, the Longbottom affair, now Miss Weasley and Black breaking into the castle, they feel that the wards do indeed need renewing."

Severus rubbed his eyes, letting himself tune out the conversation.  He leaned his head back in his chair, trying to decide what to do about Potter.

He remembered Lily's eyes from his dreams last night.  What she had said to him.  Really, there was only one decision.

Dimly, he heard Fudge taking his leave. He didn't bother to open his eyes to see him go.

"Severus?" Dumbledore said, with concern, "Are you all right?"

They were the only ones left in the office. Severus must have fallen asleep. He hadn't even heard the others leave.

He shook his head, trying to clear it, "No, I'm not bloody 'all right'." he growled, "How the hell did Black get in here?" he stood up. He'd be less likely to fall asleep, if he stood.

Plus, this was the type of conversation he preferred to have standing. Unfortunately, any advantage his height might give him in a confrontation was lost, with him still needing to lean heavily on a cane for support. Not that his height ever helped when he dealt with Dumbledore.

"I don't know." Dumbledore said, simply, looking up at him, "It is even more troubling that he did so last night, when almost all of Hogwart's chief defenders were tied up in another emergency."

One of the requirements for the each of the heads of house, was to be a wizard powerful enough to hold the school against attack, if need be.

"Where was Lupin last night, anyway?" snapped Severus, too tired to even attempt tact. He wanted to pace but staggering back and forth would be entirely too undignified, "Are we sure he wasn't helping his old friend?"

Dumbledore looked at Severus, the set of his face not changing, but his voice becoming cooler, "It was the full moon last night. Remus was locked in his office. I set the wards myself and unlocked them half an hour ago. He was still asleep when I checked on him, so I haven't even informed him, yet." Dumbledore held Severus' eyes, until the younger man finally looked away.

"Have you had anything to eat?" asked Dumbledore, in a softer tone, "Poppy said the three of you would be quite tired, for some time yet."

"I'm fine." muttered Severus, "Molly Weasley makes it her mission in life to feed anyone who crosses her path."

Dumbledore smiled, "She does, doesn't she?" Then his face saddened, "I'm afraid I'm not in her good books, at the moment."

"Can't imagine why."

Dumbledore's eyes were hurt, "This has been a very bad term."

Severus straightened up, facing Dumbledore's desk directly. He placed both hands on his cane, "Headmaster, I'd like to officially request a few weeks leave. Especially, if the governors are planning to close to renew the wards." Severus said.

Dumbledore nodded, sagely, "Yes, of course, Severus. Poppy did say that the lion's share of the magic for Miss Weasley came from you. She'd actually suggested both you and Minerva take at least two weeks off. Were you planning to stay here, or perhaps you'd be better resting at home? Although it does seem that the castle is likely to be empty, resetting wards can be a noisy process."

"I intend to go to Spinner's End." replied Severus.

"In that case, we must decide what we're going to do with Harry and then..."

"Decide?" Severus asked, as though he were surprised "What is there to decide? I'm taking Potter with me." He said, before he could rethink it.

"I beg your pardon?" asked Dumbledore, his eyebrows going up. It wasn't often Severus had ever seen the headmaster wrong-footed

"Whether or not the board chooses to close the school until the wards are renewed, I'm taking Potter away. We've already seen that Gryffindor Tower's not safe." Severus said in a rush. Dear god, what was he thinking? He was out of his mind, "I'm in no fit condition to teach, probably for a week or two at least, regardless. No one need know that Potter is with me. Even so, there are only two people in the Wizarding World who have ever known where my home is. One of them is dead."

"Severus, my thought was..." Dumbledore began.

"I don't care what you thought." snapped Severus, "This is not your decision. There is nowhere else. He cannot stay here. You will be too concerned with other matters to keep a watch on the boy. Minerva will be ill for weeks. The Weasleys have other problems. The Dursleys should never have been an option even twelve years ago, clearly. Don't even try to tell me that Lupin is on the list." His voice was rising in volume. He held up a hand to forestall Dumbledore, when he looked as though he might speak, "And, it is not your decision. I will not have you interfering in this. The boy is nearly unreachable! Have you noticed? He doesn't sleep. He barely speaks. He only eats because I threaten him. Tell me, how did he react to the news that Black killed his familiar?"

"He was very stoic about it." said Dumbledore, with a hint of pride.

"That's normal in a thirteen year old, is it?" demanded Severus, exasperated, "Do you want him to be the next one to brew himself a lethal potion?"

"Severus, I think you exaggerate." Dumbledore waved his hand, a little too airily for Severus' comfort, "The boy's a Gryffindor, they don't tend toward..."

"Such cowardly gestures?" Severus supplied, sarcastically, "Tell that to Ginny Weasley." he finished, coldly.

That got Dumbledore's attention, "But, the healers said it was an accident." He stared at Severus with narrowed eyes.

"I lied." Severus sat down again, feeling his legs tremble beneath him, "That child has an illicit lab somewhere. In it you will find not just the ingredients for the Peace Draught, but distilling equipment to reduce it. She finished it last night, under the moon, using the process intended for self-deliverance from a terminal illness."

"But, why..?" sputtered Dumbledore.

Severus considered Dumbledore for a long moment, "From what I could gather, the girl blames herself for Longbottom's death."

"All right," conceded the headmaster, "But we were discussing Harry. Why would he be in as much distress as you appear to believe?"

"Oh, I don't know, Dumbledore," sneered Severus, "Perhaps a lifetime of neglect might make one a trifle...tightly wound? Perhaps, a term where a schoolmate dies in an incident that closely mirrors one's own circumstance might be a slight bit...unpleasant? Perhaps, when all one's careful defenses come crashing down around one's ears, it can be a little upsetting?" Severus said, in his low deadly voice.

"Who are we speaking of here, Severus? Harry, or yourself?" Dumbledore asked, softly.

Severus did not dignify that with an answer. It would not do to lose his job through swearing at the man.

They both looked at each other steadily. This time, Dumbledore was the first to look away.

The headmaster stood to look out of his window, "So, taking him away from his friends is the answer?" challenged Dumbledore, clearly looking for an objection.

Yes, that was a problem, but Severus couldn't think of any better answer, "He needs to get away from those damned Dementors, first off. At least at Spinner's End, he'll be safe from both Black and Dementors." And then, maybe, Lily would stop looking at Severus with those damned accusing eyes in his dreams every night.

"Perhaps Minerva..."

"Aren't you listening?" growled Severus, "The boy is not a chess piece to move as you see fit. He is not yours at all. If your goal is to maintain influence over the child, to be perfectly honest, Minerva is no happier with you than I am."

"Severus, I just cannot imagine that you, with your history with the child..." Dumbledore turned to gaze at Severus with mournful reproach.

"Oh, for god's sake, Dumbledore, I can hardly do worse than Petunia!" Severus struggled to his feet, "And, as I have said before, legally speaking." He emphasised the word "legally" "You have no say in this. You can, of course, deny me leave. Even sack me, if you like. But I am taking my child, and going home. Today."