Prologue

I can't do it! It's impossible! The stupid thing just wont' work!

"Don't!" that damned annoying ghost crooned. "Tell what's wrong...I can help you."

"No one can help me!" My whole body shakes as unwelcome tears stream down my face. "I can't do it!...I can't...It won't work...and unless I do it soon...he says he'll kill me..." I force the word sout in between sobs. I glance into the mirror in front of me, expecting to see my swollen face, which I do, but I also see something that makes by blood boil. Potter!

I spin around, flinging a hex at random, and completely miss him. Of course it was an accident, wasn't it? I had wanted to his the stupid scared face of his, hadn't I? I'd wanted to hurt him. To see him in pain. To see him cry, suffer, like me.

Dammit! I shake my head, and send another hex his way, but his arm swings up, blocking it, and my head is hurting from that blasted ghost insistent screeching. I have had enough. "Cruci-"

"Sectumsempra!" Potter screamed as unimaginable pain erupted along my torso, and I fell to the ground screaming. Merlin, the pain. Worse than when He had crucioed me. I looked down and saw my chest covered in criss-crossing slices that were bleeding badly.

"Potter..." I whimper, my actions now beyond my carefully laid self control. My eyes cross slightly as he leans over me, trying to staunch the blood...and that blasted ghost.

"No-I didn't-" Potter rambles on, pressing his hands to my wounds, and causing pain to shoot through my body. Potter.

Stupid.

Sweet.

Saint.

Potter.

I doubt he even knew what the curse did, and know, here he is, trying to save my pathetic life. If only he knew he'd be doing me a favor if he just walked away. Merlin Potter, just walk away. I open my mouth to tell his just this, when the bathroom door swings open. The ghost's screaming had called attention to us. Bloody hell.

Snape strides into the bathroom, and his eyes immediately find me, a hint of fear in them that I know only I could ever see. He knells before me and everything goes black. Then I wake up.