Cupboard Space

CHAPTER 3

Snape shuffled painfully along the darkened corridor heading for the single flickering light coming from the Gryfindor Boy’s bathroom. It was hours past curfew and whom ever was still up, was brazen enough not to conceal their whereabouts from prowling professors. After Potter’s display in the great hall earlier Snape was certainly not in the mood for leniency and whoever dared to be out after curfew would feel his wrath. Wincing a little as he stepped up into the bathroom Snape paused as he took in the sight. The central sunken stone bath was full to overflowing. A discarded boys school robe lay slung on the floor while a familiar pair of glasses and wand lay abandoned on the sink. Snape growled inwardly as he stared at the round glasses, his fists clenching at his sides as he thought of the scar faced little brat who wore them. As he stared at the glasses something in the reflection of the mirror caught Snape’s eye. Through the rage a strange foreboding sensation rippled through Snape’s body as he glanced around the empty bathroom. The place was too silent and there was no sign of the owner of the items. Snape gaze fell on the sunken bath tube in the center of the room, and it was there he saw the first glimpse of brown hair floating on the top.

Ignoring the pain in his groin Snape strode across the tiled floor, narrowly avoiding slipping on the overflowing water of the bath as he looked down into the deep water. The sight sent his heart into his throat. Harry Potter lay suspended at the bottom of the bath, his emerald green eyes eerily devoid of life as they stared up at him. The boy’s face was pale and his lips were almost purple. Without thought Snape threw himself into the tub, managing to take a large lung full of air before going down after the boy at the bottom. With his heavy school robes swirling around him Snape caught hold of Harry’s arms and tried to drag the boy to the surface but something was holding him down. Unable to hold his breath any longer Snape came to the surface with a gasp, and grabbed for his wand he’d dropped carelessly on the floor when he’d jumped in. Clutching his wand Snape took another deep breath and pushed himself down again into the depths of the bath. Muttering spells under water was difficult but after the second try Harry seemed to come free from whatever magic was holding him down. With Harry in his grasp Snape came to the surface and dragged the lifeless boy over to the side. Harry surprisingly didn’t weight much as Snape literally threw the boy out of the water and onto the tiled floor. Wrenching off his own heavy wet robe Snape pulled himself from the tub and scrambled over to where Harry was still lying deathly still on the floor. Snape wasn’t a medi wizard but like most wizards he knew basic revival techniques. Grabbing his wand Snape whispered the revitalizing spell.

Almost immediately Harry’s body seized up in a spasm, the boy practically snapping in two as his lungs suddenly took in a breath of air and he coughed up a lung full of soapy water. Snape leant over Harry’s body watching carefully as the boy took another shallow breath in, the boy’s eyes just fluttering open in disorientation. Snape sneered down at the boy his moment of fear totally eclipsed by the swell of anger.

“Don’t you ever do that to me again!” Snape growled low in his throat his voice deathly serious as Harry pushed himself up. Snape didn’t move from where he was hovering over Harry’s face, the wet straggly curtain of black hair dripping down onto Harry’s pale cheeks. Harry stared into Snape’s inky black eyes that flashed with liquid anger as he grabbed hold of Harry’s chin and tilted the boy’s head up to get a better look at him in the light. Colour had returned to Harry’s lips although the boy was shivering and despite the effort not to, his teeth were chattering in the cold of the bathroom. Satisfied that Harry was indeed still breathing Snape let go of Harry’s chin and stood up from over the boy’s body. “Next time you decide to be melodramatic and kill yourself make sure you pick a night when I’m not on curfew duty.” Harry swallowed convulsively as he watched Snape snatched up his wand and sopping wet cloak from the floor. “Oh and your condition,” Snape paused as he wrung out the sleeves of his shirt. “Don’t be so self centered that you think it’s something special because I assure you, you’re not the only one in this castle not getting any!” If possible Harry’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline as he watched Snape turn and stride painfully towards the exit of the bathroom. Harry distantly heard Snape muttering a drying spell as he shuffled up the hallway leaving Harry feeling decidedly ill with guilt on the wet bathroom floor.

TBC>>>>>>