Bloody Potter, Severus Snape snarled in his head, as he watched the Gryffindors pack up their things. The Slytherins made their way out of the class, as well as most of the Gryffindors. Potter and his two friends were trailing, helping Potter pack up his things.

Severus Snape was in a foul mood. But then this was a foul year.

The Unbreakable Vow. Draco. The Dark Lord. The damn Unbreakable Vow.

Dumbledore.

The boy entered his class pale, paler than him, and looking like he hadn't slept in weeks.

"Harry you should see Madame Pompfrey about a Sleeping Potion," he remembered the Muggleborn Miss Granger whisper urgently as they passed him.

"Not now Hermione," Potter said sounding irritated and weary.

Potter wasn't much good throughout the rest of class. Then again, Potter was never much good in a class.

"Come on Harry. No class for a few hours. You can rest while I look over your work from yesterday," Severus Snape hears Miss Granger say softly as Mr Weasley picks up Potter's bag. He wanted to sneer. He wanted to berate the boy for having his friends carry his books, having his friends coddle and smother him.

Then he happened to make a mistake.

He looked up from his pile of parchments and got a good look at the boy.

The werewolf, Lupin, and Potter would have something in common with the way they looked. Lines on Potter's face, his hair shaggy and almost down to his shoulder, the weariness and bloodshot look in his eyes.

Inadvertantly, by reflex and by habit, Severus's Legilimens activated and he instantly got a look into Potter's mind.

Images flashed by him in the matter of seconds.

The Dark Lord.

Wormtail.

James and Lily Potter.

Dementors.

Nightmares.

The Prophecy.

His encounters with the Dark Lord.

And finally, a thought that stood out.

"Neither can live, while the other survives."

"I have to kill him."

Severus Snape blinked, and he was no longer in Potter's mind. Weasley and Granger were both escorting Potter out of his class room, the boy barely had any energy.

Weasley and Granger will get him safely to his Common Room, he thought firmly.

"Harry!"

Severus's head snapped back up at the two of Potter's friends sharp cry and saw Potter on his knees, breathing heavy, looking deeply in pain, as his hands clutched his forehead.

Severus Snape didn't want to do this, but he did. He swiftly moved over to the trio, bringing them further in, and slammed the door shut so no one outside could see. He shoved aside any thought of pity for the wretched boy.

Both Granger and Weasley were urgently saying his name, trying to break through to boy. But neither wretched child were helping. He knew what to do.

"Granger, cease at once," he snapped. "You and Weasley, open the cupboard on my right. Grab the round green bowl, the large silver vial, and a cloth." He pauses as the two of them stare at him.

"NOW!"

They stir then. Always do when he snaps like that. As they go over to the other side of the classroom, Severus kneels down on the floor, unfortunatelty, and grabs Potter by his shoulders forcing him to turn around.

His moans and silent cries for help were threatening to pierce him and he couldn't let that happen.

He grabbed the boys hands and forced them down, and he could see the boys scar nearly pulsing. He chanced another look into the boy's mind, felt the amount of pain the boy was feeling, and instantly left.

"Look at me Potter," he commanded sharply, hoping to get through to the boy. He did.. and he tried his best to ignore the sharp pang in his heart when he saw those green eyes, usually staring at him in dislike, bloodshot. "Look at me. Keep your gaze with me," He orders, not realizing that one of his hands was pushing back some of that unruly messy hair of his, but noticing the sheen of sweat on the boy's face.

"He's angry," Potter gasps. One hand grabs his arm. "Angry...punishing those who angered him...Hurts..."

Severus Snape knew that The Dark Lord was sharing this with Potter as a way to beat him down. Most likely that was Potter's nightmares as well. Easy to beat someone down in their sleep.

"Ignore the pain," he whispers, knowing he's getting through to the boy. "Ignore it. Push through it. PUSH THROUGH IT!" He said a bit louder. He glances over where the other two wretched ones were. "Hurry up!"

"Can't find the vial Professor!" Granger calls out.

"Fifth shelf." Snape tosses out and then turns back to Potter. His hand tightens in Potter's hair, and his other on the side of his neck, feeling the sweat and his pulse pound. Potter's eyes were dark now. "Block him out you wretched boy," he snarls. "Don't be weak, pathetic.."

"Not weak," Potter's able to snarl out through the pain.

"Then prove it!" He hisses. "Push through the pain and block him out!"

The effort it took to push through it was taking it's toll on Potter. Whatever the Dark Lord was doing, he was taking extra care to make sure Potter witnessed and felt every second of it.

Finally the other wretched two came clambering over, and Snape took the potion and the bowl. "Wipe his face," he snaps to Weasley. The boy, so worried for his friend, doesn't even argue, and does so at once.

"Granger, hold the bowl. Potter will need it after he drinks this." Snape takes the stopper off the vial, and then goes to his desk and pulls out a small box, and puts a powder in it, one that will bring on sleep and thankfully one more other effect.

He comes back over and pushes Weasley out of the way. Severus places hand on Potter's head, and tilts the boy's head back. "Drink," he orders curtly, and starts to pour into the boy's mouth, grateful that he drinks.

Once the vial is empty, Severus lets go of the boy's head, knowing what will happen next, and indeed it does, as Granger gets the bowl in place in time, as Potter wretched. Not realizing it, Snape takes the cloth, which has a cooling charm on it, and places it against Potter's forehead, holding him steady as the boy wretches into the bowl.

After a couple of long wretches, Potter's body relaxes.

Severus drops the cloth, and then with both hands pulls Potter back onto his feet and peers closely into Potter's eyes, once more trying to ignore how much they look like Lily's eyes. They were still bloodshot, but they were looking a bit dazed, cloudy... good. What he needed. The scar did not look to be throbbing either.

"Er.." He hears Weasley start to talk and the red head gets back on his feet. "Er, Professor?"

"Take Mr Potter back to your dormitory," Severus says, making his voice cold and indifferent. "I am sure he will need some rest, of course. Make sure he does not miss his next class however."

"Harry?" Miss Granger says quietly, looking at him worried, and Severus catches a suspicious look from Weasley.

"Hermione?" Potter says softly, his voice almost slurring.

"I said take him back. Now." Severus speaks again, his voice a bit louder, but still cold. He wanted them out of his sight. Out of his sight.

Weasley and Granger did exactly that, helping Potter out of the room.

Severus glances down at the bowl, uses a vanishing spell to get rid of the contents, and then banishes them to the cupboard. He then goes back to his chair, and then sits down.

Bloody Potter just had to make him do that.

He didn't want to make the effort to be caring to the boy. He hated the boy. Too much like his father. But Dumbledore...

Severus scowled at that thought. Too much was going on this year.. he could barely take it.

The only good side to this whole incident, was the side effect of the potion that he gave Potter. It helped him push past the pain, and recover... (Although sparking the boy's temper helped tremendously as well) but it had that brief sleep aid and...

It would erase his memory of this incident.

And if Weasley and Granger were smart, they would never bring this up again.