A/N My first angsty sort of fic. Let me know what you think, please!

Unleashed Madness.

It is quite cold here. Not the best of conditions. The desperate coughs have increased over the past hours. They will be here soon now, and I will continue to stand guard. They will only get to him over my dead body.

Didn't you think I'd defend him? Yes, many people were fooled, weren't they. Never mind. I've found him in the forest behind my house, ill and exhausted. I had to take him somewhere safe; somewhere at least, where I would stand a fighting chance protecting him.

His black hair is damp with sweat and a blush colors normally pale cheeks. I fear the fever is rising again but I'm out of potion and no equipment to brew more. Casting cooling charms on the blankets will only help so much.

Ah yes. Everyone thought he loathed me. Even I thought it for a while. I began to see the truth somewhere at the end of my third year. You see, he is a total git, of course. Lessons with him are horrible. But finally I realized he was trying to do me a kindness. In his own slightly demented way.

Crabbe and Goyle he never criticizes. Because they are Slytherins, people think. In fact, he does not bother, knowing it would be a waste of his time and energy to try and teach them. It was this that made me see what he did for ME. He was always lurking around me, sneering, deducting points, giving detentions. He wouldn't have done that if he was really convinced I was stupid. He thought I was capable of much more and tried to extract it. Granted, that kind of psychology never was his strong point.

The boggart? Oh yes, that was quite brilliant. No, of course I couldn't fake it. He really WAS my greatest fear back then. Ignorant child I was. I apologized later for it and he said it wasn't my fault. It was then, I think, that I saw what he was really doing.

It made me feel special. The other teachers are kind to me, don't get me wrong, but they feel only pity. Think the cruciatus or memory charm from my early youth just made me retarded. Well, they did have some effect. But professsor Snape, he didn't pity me. He challenged me. He never got in trouble for how he treated me, so I think professor Dumbledore understood it too. Professor Dumbledore. I remember his words so clearly, at the end of my first year. "It takes courage to stand up to ones enemy, but even more to stand up to ones friends." And that is exactly what I'm doing right now.

Harry will be here soon enough. He is a powerful wizard and has his ways of finding out. I have only one chance. Ironically, it is exactly his underestimating me that will give me my best chance. I owe Harry. He trained me in fifth year. His training finally unlocked the powers the charms had sealed inside me. I am quite a powerful wizard on my own now. A well kept secret, even from my grandmother. She never expected much of me anyway. Wouldn't wanna give her a heart attack by showing her I'm not only as good as my father, but probably exceed him. She is old. Let her keep her memories of a powerful Frank Longbottom.

His cough is more violent. My instincts are to go to him and hold him through it, but I must not let myself be taken by surprise. It would ruin everything. I clutch my wand tightly as I see a faint glimmer. It becomes stronger. Soon three of my best friends will step through, and I will have to stand up to them. Again.

A/N: sorry for the cliffy. More chapters will follow, as I have some time off now.