Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Severus had Conjured up a bench today. He sat on it, sulking, while Red perched calmly next to him. Her head was tilted to the side as she looked at him. She wasn't sure what to do with him. He hadn't been this despondent in weeks. His head was cradled in his hands, and his fingers were tangled in his hair. Red decided to settle next to him to let him know that she was here for him as he agonized over whatever it was that was bothering him.

"Five days..." he muttered. "Five days and then everything will be back to the way it was."

Red butted his side with her head. Severus ignored her. "They will come back and will look at me as if I'm a pariah. They will mutter behind my back and make up foolish songs about my hair. I am so tired of this, Red. I hate teaching; I hate the students; and they hate me. Why didn't I just die on the floor of that bloody shack?"

Red hopped up and began to screech repeatedly. She flapped her wings and hopped up and down on the bench. Severus lifted his head and looked at her quizzically. He quickly looked away and buried himself once again in his depression.

"I don't know why I was so eager to survive. I should have just let the Dark Lord end my life. It's what I deserved anyway."

Red hopped onto Severus' shoulder and pecked him on the head.

"Ow! Red! Stop that!" Severus snapped irritably.

She hopped back and flapped her wings at Severus.

"Screech!"

Severus sighed. "You're right, what's done is done. My worthless existence goes on whether I want it to or not."

"Screech!"

Severus' head snapped over to Red. His face was pained when he spoke. "I will continue to be the most hated teacher, the most hated colleague, the most hated man at Hogwarts. I don't know why I thought anything would be different. Who can forgive a murderer?"

Red was at a loss as to how to react. How could she convince the man in front of her that he had worth? Perhaps a tirade would help? She proceeded to go ballistic. Soaring into the air, she circled Severus' head a few times before flying even higher. In an instant, she'd turned and plunged straight down, almost hitting Severus as she righted herself and sailed only inches over his head. She haughtily landed on the ground in front of him, turning and screeching at him for several minutes straight. In her own way, she told him just how much she admired him. Hoping to convince him that he wasn't as awful as he insisted, she continued her rant. Severus watched her as she threw her tirade, an odd look on his face.

Finally, she calmed and began to preen her feathers. Severus smirked, although he seemed almost reluctant to show it. He patted the seat next to him.

"Come back up," he instructed.

With a hop and a flap of her wings, she was back next to Severus on the bench. Severus looked at her emotionally. "Thank you, Red," he choked out. "I'm glad there's at least one being who might be able to forgive me, if they could understand the truth about me."

Red butted her head into Severus' arm. He reached around and patted her. "How I wish you were human, Red. You make all my worries seem trivial."

"Screech!"

"Yes, I would imagine my worries really are trivial, and I'm obsessing about nothing. Thank you for making me see that."

Red butted his side. Severus smiled affectionately at her. She felt a warmth within her that she was sure he felt also.

"You should go," he told her. "I'm sure there's only so much depression you can take in one day."

Red opened her wings and looked at him as if to offer to stay longer.

"No, go on. I'm sure you have lots to do."

"Screech!"

Red took off and headed toward the castle.

Roland Duvall was walking near the Owlery when he spotted something flying from the direction of the lake. He walked toward it and squinted to see it clearly. It was some kind of bird, but it wasn't an owl. Roland hated birds of all kinds. He resented the owls and only used them in an emergency. They were dirty, smelly animals.

This bird that winged its way toward him was about as big as an owl, but more streamlined. Roland frowned at it. The bird did not belong here. There were enough owls winging around on a daily basis; there didn't need to be another large bird flying around. Something needed to be done. He lifted his wand and aimed at the nasty bird.

Severus kept his eye on Red as she flew away. He admired her grace as she occasionally flapped her wings once, then soared for a long distance. She was truly a magnificent bird.

Suddenly a great jet of white light flew towards Red. Severus' eyes widened as he leaned forward, watching in horror as the light hit her in the chest. She tumbled over and over in the air and nosedived. Severus was up and running before she hit the ground.

Hermione had been lost in thought when the spell hit her. She felt her body tumble as she flapped her wings furiously to regain her balance. It was hopeless as she couldn't even tell which way was up.

Before she even had a chance to get her bearings, the ground rushed up at her, and she slammed down into it. She thought the spell to change her body back into her human form before she lost consciousness.

Roland Duvall grinned evilly as he watched the bird nosedive and tumble to the ground. That was one less feathered monstrosity to have to lay eyes upon. Then something caught his attention. The bird, which had landed about five hundred meters away from him, turned into a woman. His eyes grew wide as he realized exactly who he'd just hexed. Roland turned and ran for the castle as fast as he could.

Severus approached the area where he'd seen Red fall. He saw the Duvall boy high-tailing it back to the castle at lightning speed. So, he was the one who'd sent the hex. Severus worriedly turned his attention back to where Red had fallen. Where he'd assumed he'd find the bird, a body lay crumpled on the ground. Severus stopped short of the body and stared at it.

"Hermione," he whispered before he rushed to her side.

Turning her over, he noted a large black burn on her robes. Suddenly, everything was clear. Red was no mere falcon. Hermione Granger was an Animagus, and Roland Duvall had just shot her from the sky.

Without thinking about what all of this meant to him, Severus stooped low and lifted Hermione from the ground. He rushed to the castle and within a few minutes had the woman lying on a bed in the hospital wing. He called out for Poppy.

The mediwitch came bustling out of her office and gawked at Hermione's still form.

"What on earth happened?" Poppy cried.

"Duvall hexed her when she was in her Animagus form."

Poppy looked to Severus curiously. "She's an Animagus?"

"Yes, it's news to me, too, but she's hurt, Poppy. Please help her."

Poppy went to work as Severus walked over to the Floo. He threw some powder into it and called out to Minerva. He explained that Hermione was injured, then stepped back to let Minerva come through. She appeared within seconds. Glancing over at Hermione she gasped.

"Good heavens, what's happened?" Minerva cried.

"Your star pupil, Duvall, thinks it's funny to hex birds in flight!"

"She was in her falcon form when Duvall shot her?" Minerva cried.

"You knew she was an Animagus?" Severus asked.

"Who do you think trained her? She just registered last week. Why on earth would that boy do such a thing?"

Severus scowled. "I told you, Minerva, it was a mistake to bring him back here. Now he's almost killed a teacher. What do you intend to do about this?"

Minerva bristled at Severus. "I intend to see how Professor Granger is, and then I will deal with Mr. Duvall!"

Severus settled down a bit. Both professors turned to Madam Pomfrey and Hermione. Minerva stepped up closer to the bed.

"How is she, Poppy?"

"She's got multiple bone fractures, and her heart has been weakened by the spell. I'm not sure if she'll make it or not. It all depends on whether I can stabilize her heart."

"Keep me up to date on her condition," Minerva advised. Glancing at Severus, she gave him a measured look. "I will go find Mr. Duvall." Turning, Minerva left the infirmary.

Severus eyed Poppy as she bustled around Hermione, administering potions and waving her wand over her rapidly. He pulled up a chair and sat down to wait. He looked on in worry, but part of him was furious.

Hermione Granger was his falcon. She had duped him since her arrival, and he had let his true self be seen by her. How she must have laughed at him each time she'd finished one of her voyeuristic sessions. She was no better than the rest of them, constantly looking for something to gossip about. Well, she'd scored the jackpot with him, hadn't she? He could see her now, chuckling as she flew away from him every day. He knew what she was thinking. Oh, he knew!

Snape is a mess, yes, he is! Hah, hah, look at how he whines and hates himself. What an oaf! No wonder nobody wants to be near him!

Enraged, Severus stood. His whole body shook, and his hands were clenched together into fists. He had never felt so humiliated in all his life.

"I will be in my room," he snarled at Poppy, causing her to look up at him sharply. "Alert me when she is stable."

Poppy nodded. Severus turned and stalked stiffly out of the infirmary.

Several hours later, a despondent Severus Snape sat alone in his darkened room. When Dumbledore had asked him what was wrong, he'd shot a silencing spell at the frame where the portrait insisted on lurking. Since then, only his bleak thoughts had kept him company while he sat morosely staring at the fire. He hadn't felt so deceived for a very, very long time.

The fireplace lit at last, and Poppy's face glowed in it.

"She's stable, Severus. She'll be conscious by morning, but will have to stay in the infirmary until school starts."

"Thank you," Severus muttered quietly and watched the light wink out in the fireplace.

He took his wand and cast a spell. The fireplace crumbled into a heap of rubble.

"Blasted nosy, insidious woman," he mumbled under his breath. "How dare she?! Who does she think she is, spying on me like that?" Severus sniffed. "This whole thing smells of Minerva."

Rising from his chair, he stalked out of his room and up to the Headmistress' office.

"Minerva!" Snape spat as he hammered on the office door.

Severus' face was so livid when he arrived that the gargoyle didn't even wait for the password, it just opened the passageway. Severus took the stairs two at a time.

"Minerva, open up!" Lowering his fist, he glowered at the door.

It finally opened to reveal a frowning Minerva McGonagall.

"You told her to do this, didn't you?" Severus snarled.

Minerva rolled her eyes. "It's been too long a day to deal with your temper, Severus. Either speak to me civilly, or we can take up whatever is bothering you in the morning."

"Granger! You told her to spy on me in her Animagus form, didn't you?"

Minerva gave him an odd look. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, come on!" Severus spat. "This just reeks of your interference. She comes to me every day. She pretends to like me and coerces me to spill my soul to her!"

Minerva eyed him curiously. Her response to him dripped of sarcasm. "Severus, I don't think Hermione, as a falcon, was able to coerce you to do anything you didn't already want to do."

Severus balled his fists. When he finally spoke again, his voice was quiet, yet strained. "That's beside the point. Are you, or are you not, to blame for this?"

"I had no idea she was visiting you, Severus," Minerva declared with a huff. "Now get out of my sight. If you must, go hole up in that room of yours. You are excused from dinner just for tonight! Maybe you can be more civil in the morning!" With that, she slammed the door in Severus' face.

Severus stared at the closed door. He heaved huge breaths and opened and closed his fists. If he didn't release some of this pent up rage, he was sure to go insane. Wheeling around, he stalked down the stairs and back out into the hallway. He turned and made his way up to the seventh floor.

His boots clacked sharply along the stone floor as he stalked to the Room of Requirement. He was in a destructive mood. After three passes by the room, a door appeared. He yanked it opened and smirked for the first time that afternoon. The room was filled with furniture.

Severus closed the door behind him and withdrew his wand. In an instant a dresser had exploded in front of him. He turned to the left and shot a hex at a couch. It, too, exploded, making tufts of fabric and foam fly into the air and rain down upon his head. Severus sneered.

"Stupid witch!" he spat as he blasted a table, which flew apart in all directions. His voice stayed low and menacing as he continued to shoot at the furniture.

"Trying to make a fool out of me!" He shot at a recliner, sending it crashing into the wall. "She will be sorry she ever landed on my shoulder!" He turned a nightstand into sawdust.

"That's what you get, Snape! That's what you get for trusting someone." Another table splintered into a million pieces. "You are nothing but a fool!" A bookcase disintegrated in front of his eyes. "She is nothing but a deceitful gossip!" He destroyed a bed stand.

A mirror was hanging on the wall. He went over to it and glared at his reflection. "Fool! You let her know how very broken you are! You let her in, and now she knows exactly what you are! You did this!" he snarled as he pointed at his reflection. "You and your need to trust something! You should have known better!" He stepped closer and gave himself a menacing look. "Why didn't you figure it out? What bird could act that way and not be an Animagus? How blind can you be? The answer was staring you in the face the whole time... mocking you!" Turning, he stalked away from the mirror. "Oh, you were so blind! Idiot! Stupid idiot! You are nothing but a fool!"

He turned back and shot off a spell that shattered the mirror. Turning to the rest of the room, he shot his wand at whatever he could see. Each word he spoke was now emphasized with a blast from his wand.

"You... are... nothing... but... a... fool!"

Smoke rose from the demolished furniture. Everything in the room had been turned to rubble, yet Severus was not appeased. "More," he demanded.

The room provided more. It took Severus over an hour to rid himself of his anger and return to his room. He fixed his fireplace before going to bed, drank a potion he hadn't needed to use for weeks, and slept a dreamless sleep.

A/N: Many thanks and a big hug to my beta, slytherinlaurel. She's awesomely amazing. To talesofsnape, who designed this banner, thank you! You're wonderful!

Well, you all knew it was coming. Now to see what comes of it!