Severus Snape strode towards the dungeons. He was furious. Dumbledore had managed to nearly destruct the respect the potions Professor held for him. Severus was definitely not inclined to look for indications that the old man hadn't loose his mind completely. For the time being, the potions master just couldn't believe what the headmaster had asked him to do.

After Severus had spent the only two hours in his quarters trying to recover from the 'comfortable reception' the Dark Lord had prepared for him on that blasted graveyard, Dumbledore had requested Severus to come to the Headmaster's office. But all Severus wanted was to sleep and heal, to see absolutely nobody and nothing but his own quiet quarters.

Though Severus had taken various potions to counteract the curse, he still had to suppress some rather bad tremors resulting from the numerous times the cruciatus was cast on him. From time to time tough he felt huge waves of pain radiating through his body which made him dizzy and impacted his eye sight quite heavily. He was very weak and could only retain his composure by locking the pain and weariness behind strong occlumency walls in his mind.

Obviously, the Dark Lord had not been very pleased with Severus' delayed arrival. But Voldemort had used the occasion to show his Death Eaters, that not even those highest in his ranks were able to escape their punishment after refusing to respond immediately to their Lord's direct call. Although Severu's mark had burned long before the Potter boy reappeared from the maze with the corpse of Diggory, Dumbledore had insisted on him waiting full two hours before joining the Death Eater meeting. Severus had acted like the headmaster had asked him to at this time. As a result he had suffered the severe repercussions of his actions from the hands of the Dark Lord himself before he had a chance to explain himself to the Dark Lord. Voldemort had, in fact, been very pleased with him after hearing that Severus was still his loyal servant who is able to provide important information about Potter, Dumbledore, and Hogwarts as well as the Order of the Phoenix. But all that hadn't saved Severus from the Dark Lord's wrath. However, in the end Severus had managed to hold the protective walls in his mind firmly in place and keep his true motivations secret from his master.

Half an hour ago now the headmaster had summoned Severus to his office. He told him that, there had been a Death Eater attack in the muggle world which happened to take place close to Little Winging where Potter's relatives lived. Dumbledore found it would be too risky to send the boy home over the summer under those circumstances. As if the blood wards at Privet Drive number four weren't strong enough to hold off a couple of Death Eaters on an aimless raid! But Dumbledore had persisted on removing the Potter brat from there. And of course, the headmaster had ignored all of Severus' counter-arguments, and later threats, against his egregious idea.

Dumbledore wanted the boy to be 'safe'. As if now, with the return of the Dark Lord, there was any really safe place for Potter! Of course, there were some locations which were safer than the streets like the headquarters of the Order or Hogwarts or, may it be, even the Burrow. Although Severus had never dared to expect the old man would go as far as suggesting Snape Manor for the residence of the precious brat!

"Ha!" muttered Severus slamming the portrait door at the entrance to his quarters shut, "Snape Manor and safe for the bloody Boy-Who-Lived!". It might be that his Manor had wards nearly as strong as those around Hogwarts, but how could it be safe to have Potter there? From time to time there were unannounced visits of Death Eaters such as Lucius Malfoy.

And did the old man even think of the consequences for Severus when the Dark Lord found out the potions Master was living with his greatest enemy? Not to mention Severus would at some point contemplate suffocating the brat while living in the same house. That copy of James Potter annoyed the potions Professor sometimes enough that he was inclined to beat some respect into the insufferable brat. Oh, how would Severus like it to deliver a really effective spanking in order to get rid of the disrespectful behavior the boy showed towards him? All of a sudden memories of his own father's discipline measures ghosted through Severus' head and made him shiver with fear. Stop it! He wasn't that little, fearful and helpless child anymore. Severus Snape was one of the best potions Masters in the world, a highly skilled wizard and damn it, he was an adult and his father had bitten the dust six years ago!

If Dumbledore wanted him to keep the Boy-Who-Lived-To -Cause-Trouble, the old fool would see what will happen. After all the twinkling lemon drop-sucking bastard had persuaded, or better forced, Severus to agree to the arrangement. The potions professor had even signed an official paper which made him the temporal guardian of the Potter brat. The old man clearly understood how to use Severus' single weak point – Lily – to make him do what he wanted.

Severus went to his bedroom and threw his billowing cloak fiercely to the ground before he gulped down a vial of healing potion and collapsed on his bed. After a while of murmuring insults under his breath, he finally got up once more to undress and get ready for bed. It was half past one in the morning and in a few hours he had to resume teaching so he'd better get some rest. Severus grunted as he struggled to open the buttons of his dressing shirt. His hands were shaking violently and he couldn't suppress it anymore. He curled his hands into fists and tried to breathe calmly. And there Severus Snape sat on the edge of his bed with shaking fists and hanging head, eyes shut tightly and breathing heavily. A few minutes passed before he opened his eyes again. His knuckles were white because of the force with which he tried to control his shaking fists. The shirt hung half open on his upper body. Severus was glad that nobody could see him like that.

He hadn't finished the thought when his floo roared and Poppy Pomfrey stepped out and stood in the middle of Severus' bedroom. Severus got to his feet as quickly as he could, wand in hand. How could the nurse come into his quarters without the password needed for the entrance through the floo? The password only was known to himself and...for Merlin's sake...Dumbledore! How dare the old fool to send Poppy down to his quarters without asking Severus? "Because you would never allow anyone to see you in such a state willingly and you'd never go to the infirmary." a small voice in his head explained. He pushed the voice away and asked through gritted teeth:"What do you want, Poppy?" The nurse looked at him with a bemused look. Placing her bag on Severus' bed she smirked: " Oh Severus, would you please drop that attitude and put your wand away? It is rather difficult to tend to a patient while being on the tip of a wand." Her casual tone confused Severus. Whoever he aimed his wand at felt more like running away than talking to him. Then he remembered his half-open shirt and became aware of his shaking body and the surely haunted and pained expression on his face. He dropped his arm and shoulders in defeat and placed his wand on the night stand while Poppy unpacked some vials and motioned for him to get into bed. "That's better Severus. Now let's see what I can do for you." With that, she pointed her wand at him and transfigured his clothes into pajamas. Severus allowed himself to let his mask fall completely and collapsed onto his bed, his whole body shaking violently. After all, it wasn't an entirely new situation. Poppy had always, in his school years as well as during the war, attended to his injuries. When she did so there was no difference if they were inflicted by his drunken and abusive father or the Dark Lord. The school nurse was surely the only person except for Lily whom he trusted enough to show his true feelings, pain, and distress. Severus closed his eyes and relaxed when Poppy poured a dreamless sleep potion down his throat. "There's a good lad, go to sleep and when you wake up you're as good as new..." were the last words Severus heard before he drifted to sleep. Poppy sighed. The boy was stubborn enough to ignore his condition and suppress his panic and pain every time he was badly injured. Since Severus attended Hogwarts years ago, Poppy was bound to remind the young man of her secrecy and her skill to help. Unfortunately, that hadn't changed since You-Know-Who disappeared fifteen years ago.

Dumbledore had been very anxious when he called Madame Pomfrey to the headmaster's office. Severus had given a full report on the events at the graveyard but hadn't allowed Dumbledore to do more than offer a seat to his spy. Though the boy was severely injured he thought himself not being worth healing and kindness. Poppy knew that feeling was due to Severus' father and of course, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. But it tugs at her heartstrings how the young man still wasn't able to trust and instead preferred to lick his wounds in private. A picture of a small black-haired boy crossed her mind:

Minerva McGonnagal brought a trembling thirteen-year-old Severus into the hospital wing on the first night of the school year during the welcoming feast. "He tried to brew himself a healing potion in the classroom, Poppy!" The Gryffindor head-of-house said. When Poppy looked closer to the boy she noticed a fading bruise on his jaw as well as a cut under his left eye. Casting a quick diagnosing charm, a cracked rib and bleeding slashes on his back were revealed. It took a lot of persuasion from both witches until young Severus allowed to be healed that night. He had been fearful of being touched and refused to tell where his injuries came from. But that hadn't been necessary.

The school nurse looked at Severus and noticed a pained expression on the otherwise calm features. Even in an unconscious state, he was suffering. Sighing once more Poppy began to run diagnostic spells and cure the after-effects of the cruciatus curse as well as countless bruises and cuts inflicted by both magic and blows. By the time she finished her work Severus' breathing had evened and he seemed much more relaxed than two hours ago. Poppy covered his sleeping form with a thick blanket. At the door she paused and looked back at Severus. She smiled at him and left the quarters quietly through the floo.