Chapter 95: The Showing Of Weakness

The Courtyard, Hogwarts Castle Grounds, Wizarding World...

The rich coppery scent of blood had been all around the Potions Master as he moved about the dust-blanketed courtyard in search of both Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and the boy Harry Potter. During the explosion, he had lost sight of the both of them following their heated confrontation with the despot in the center of the courtyard. The vast amounts of dust and debris attributed to Voldemort's spell and the stirring up of the giants made it difficult to see with one's eyes, but Severus Snape's rather keen hearing and intense sense of smell guided him toward a familiar presence.

"S-Severus." came the distressed but low voice of an injured Dumbledore.

He was covered in dust and debris from the top of his head to the very tips of his toes and there was blood coming from one of his wounded legs. The shriveled mass of mangled man-flesh had caught the Potions Master's attention straight away although not along the means of compassion.

No, it was his wolfish side that had taken notice and the aspect of just how far he was fallen in terms of the ways of the beast that inhabited him was nothing short of disturbing for the war-weary raven-haired wizard.

"Albus," he said noting how weak the old man's heart had been as it continued to pump blood threw his veins despite the vast amount of loss from his wounded leg.

"Severus...thank Merlin you've arrived...I've lost track of my wand and Harry Potter I'm afraid." explained the elder wizard. "What's worse, I believe I sustained a good deal of injury in the wake of the explosion and cannot make it back to the doors of Hogwarts on my own let alone in all this dust."

Snape stared down at him, his obsidian gaze as predatory as it gets for one such as himself. The impulse to seize the wounded old man for the sake of sating his pulsing blood lust had been quite powerful even amid his disdain for him due to his underhanded antics in ensuring he'd become a servant of Hircine and the war.

Still, Snape ignored the burning of his beast blood that demanded the insolence of the old man be paid for with his aged blood and kneeled down to assist the ailing Headmaster.

"Minerva is keeping the castle safe as we speak, believe it or not..." he said in his usual emotionless tone. "Fortunately for you, I was tasked with finding you and Potter and bringing you both back toward the castle, as you have well noticed she believed you'd be hindered by all of this dust."

"Well, I suppose that makes me fortunate indeed," replied Dumbledore. "But I am afraid I still know nothing of young Harry's whereabouts."

Snape had been slightly annoyed by this but kept it to himself as he continued to examine what he could of the old man despite the heavy dust surrounding them.

"Let's get you back to the castle before you bleed to death," he muttered. "It wouldn't do for a former death eater such as myself to be responsible for the perishing of a Hogwarts Headmaster due to blood loss."

Before Dumbledore could utter a word, Snape seized him by the arm and pulled him toward him allowing the injured Headmaster to rest with his arm over his shoulder. If he had needed to be convinced of Severus Snape's bestial strength before Dumbledore was greatly surprised by it at that moment as Snape seemed to carry the slack of him not being able to use his leg with little to no effort.

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Opposite End Of The Court Yard, Hogwarts Castle Grounds, Wizarding World...

Once she had taken Ronald Weasley to the infirmary, Hermione Granger was not content to stay behind in the confines of the looming castle protected by magic and stone knights. She wanted to be back where she felt she belonged since this whole ordeal with Voldemort seeking out a young and sorrowful Harry during their first year at Hogwarts, on the battlefield and taking the fight to the forces of darkness.

More than that, she was concerned about Severus and his antics on the battlefield. Despite having a better understanding of his werewolf nature due to their bonding, the amber-eyed witch began to not the inevitable creeping of his rapid blood lust and wondered just how much of himself he'd lose to the beast if he were to lose control completely.

She read a great deal about werewolves and the like but when it came to Severus being a Hound of Hircine, it made her worry all the more as by all accounts the creatures were dangerous to all living kind and nearly insatiable in all aspects.

There was a brief thought of what might occur if the Potions Master was pushed too far and lost control of his unyielding rage, and if he'd ever be able to come back from it.

As she moved about the dust-filled courtyard, she had been so engrossed in her concerns for her wolfish lover that she had not noticed a rather sly Bellatrix Lestrange making a point to stick to the dust as she trailed after her, a twisted smile filed across her beautiful madness etched face.

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Across The Courtyard, Hogwarts Castle Grounds, Wizarding World...

Dumbledore was half-dazed due to the blood loss and quite exhausted from all of the magical exertion. He had done his best to keep everyone in the courtyard in his ranks safe as well as used his own magic to keep the school from being invaded but it all seemed to be taking quite a toll on the wizard who had not been as young as his obsession with youthful exuberance and nonsensical things made him seem.

He was sadly by all accounts an aged wizard and even he had his limits.

"Y-You must find Harry, Severus," he instructed the Potions Master as they neared the part of the castle where Deputy Headmistress McGonagall stood waiting for news as to his condition and whereabouts.

"I will find Potter," replied Snape not at all wishing to hear any more of the old man's barking of orders as he dropped the Headmaster down at the feet of Minerva like an old sack of potatoes.

"Careful Severus," said Minerva surprised at his lack of care for the elderly wizard. "He's greatly injured and well-aged."

Snape simply rolled his eyes and attempted to say something less than kind when the sound of a scream reached his ears.

It was the kind of scream that chilled his blood and the sound had been quite familiar.

A quick thought passed through his mind as he assessed whom the scream belonged to and all at once he was filled with an intense notion of rage as the beast in him began to respond of its own accord.

"THE FEMALE!"

"THE SPINELESS DARE TO ATTACK THE FEMALE!"

Before either Dumbledore or Minerva could question his rather sudden aggressive stance, he took off through the dust cloud in the direction of the last pitch of the scream.

"WILL MAKE THEM PAY!"

"WILL MAKE THEM BLEED FOR TOUCHING THE FEMALE!"

"WILL MAKE THEM BLEED FOR TOUCHING MY MATE!"