Severus' eyes flung open and he was on his feet suddenly, startling his students. Ron was shaking Harry discreetly, trying to get him to wake up.
"Mr. Weasley? Is something wrong?" He asked, trying to sound like his normal self; as if he was not aware that Harry Potter was in the clutches of death.
"No-no nothing's wrong..."
"Is Mr. Potter *sleeping* in *my* class?" He asked, his face splitting in a smirk-hidding his worry.
"Um....well...not *sleeping* exactly...more like...napping, really..." Weasley attempted valiantly. Severus forgot to take points as he strode to the rear of the room.
"Sir? I really don't think Harry's sleeping..." Hermione interrupted, shaking him a little more frantically. "Harry's a really light sleeper...he wouldn't...I mean...professor! He won't wake up!" The girl sounded frantic and was now out of her seat as she shook Harry harder. Severus pushed her out of the way and gently held the boy around the shoulders. Using a shadow art he probbed the edges of Harry's mind. ~Are you okay...?~ The mental whisper that came back to him told the professor that Harry was in no immediate danger, but he was overwhelmed and attempting to cope with the sudden flood of power and memories that had been Vodemort's last gift to him. He nearly breathed a sigh of relief, but covered the sound by taking on arm off Harry's shoulders and gently prying his eyelids open. Harry's eyes were rolled back into his skull, a bare cresent of heavily darkened green visable just below his opened lid.
"Well...it would appear as though Mr. Potter has passed out," Severus said quietly. Hermione immediately began to twitter.
"What do you mean 'passed out'?! He was perfectly fine!" Ron exclaimed unhappily.
"I mean quite simply, that Mr. Potter is unconscious," Snape told him calmly. "Class is dismissed-return to your dorms immediately. Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Parkinson-Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger, I hope you can handle your classmates...?" Hermione looked at him in horror-he wanted *her* to leave Harry behind? But she quickly regained her composure.
"Gryffindor...if you would all follow *us*," She punctuated this by jerking Ron's arm roughly. For his part, Ron was sputtering in indignation, his face red and eyes wider than anyone had every seen them; he was so angry-or maybe afraid-that he couldn't even say a word. Slowly, the class emptied; Slytherins snickering, Gryffindors deathly silent.
Severus waited until he was sure the students were long gone before he pulled Harry's limp body into his arms and carried him through the corridor to his personal quaters. Moving gingerly, he set the Gryffindor on his bed and removed the boy's shoes. Severus watched the steady rise and fall of the boys chest for a few precious moments before he backed into his living room, quietly shutting the door behind him.
Severus Snape crossed his living room to the fireplace and eased his hand into the jar of floo powder. He hesitated for all of two seconds before drawing out a handful and tossing it into the fire.
"Albus Dumbledore," He called clearly, seating himself in front of the fireplace.
"Severus?" Albus called, his face immediately appearing in the green flames. "I've just been informed that Harry passed out in class...I'm here in the hospitial wing with a very upset Ms. Granger...where is Mr. Potter?" Severus sighed.
"He's in my quarters." Dumbledore's eyes narrowed.
"Why is he in your quarters?"
"Because it's the safest place for him. If you and Ms. Granger would like to come down here, you may. Poppy may come as well and..."
"What does he mean he has Harry in his quarters?!" A sharp voice that he recognized as Ronald Weasley's demanded in the background.
"And you may as well bring Mr. Weasley with you as well." Severus paused for a moment to give the shadowy shape at the back of the fireplace a glare before continuing, "I will explain everything as soon as you arrive."
"We're flooing then-step back." Severus obediantly backed away and waited patiently. A mere moment later Albus Dumbledore tumbled through the fireplace and backed away quickly as Poppy followed.
"Where is he?" She demanded sharply. Severus pointed wordlessly to the closed bedroom door and she was off in a huff, just barely escaping a flying Weasley. Hermione followed a little more elegantly, but her face was no less livid. They waited in silence-aside from Ron's angry huffs-until Madam Pomfrey returned.
"He's fine, just unconscious," She confirmed. Dumbledore nodded and turned to conjure several chairs.
"Perhaps if everyone would take a seat, Professor Snape would be willing to explain?" Severus nodded and everyone took a seat. Taking a deep breath, he explained what happened during class to his attentive audiance.
"I determined that he was in no immediate danger a needs only to rest in a safe envoirnment," Severus ignored Ron's indignant snort and continued, "so I brought him to my quaters, and-obviously-notified you immediately afterword."
"Why is it that your rooms would be 'safe' where the infirmery would not be?" Dumbledore questioned quietly.
"You don't understand...let me explain something futher. In the mind there is a place. It's not an actual physical place; it's like a plane of exsistance-the forth I believe...In this 'place' magic is irrevlevent-which is undoubtably why Voldemort chose this as his 'battle ground' so to speak; while he himself could not cast magic, neither could Harry, which gave Voldemort an advantage. Because this was *Harry's* mind, we-Voldemort and myself-appeared with and how he would allow us to. Mostly formless, and entirely defenseless in a physical sense. However, with the proper understanding and ability, the mind can be invaded and destroyed. Most visits to this place are harmless, however, Voldemort *invaded* Harry's mind without his permission; this set up a fail safe and Harry's mind labled the Dark Lord as a threat. Therefore, Harry subconscious provided him with a weapon. Harry's weapon came in the form of a Snitch-something Harry would be forced to go after through sheer reflex of his mentallity-his mind recoginizes himself as a Seeker and thus can *not* not do his job, which is to catch the Snitch.
"Harry was not aware that the golden ball in his hand was a weapon, but an instinct-the same one that made him chase the Snitch-would not allow him to release it. When Voldemort became an apparent threat on Harry's mind-in this case, the attack was a kiss-Harry instintively used his weapon. Voldemort's mind was trapped inside Harry's, and destroyed. Without the mind, the body cannot function. Voldemort is dead." There was an intake of breath in the room and Severus continued, "However, before he died he did *something* to Harry's mental form, which is reflecting on his body. My theory on this 'something' is that Voldemort reached out blindly to an heir-someone to give his memories and power to. Someone who will hopefully take up his cause and continue in his footsteps. Someone who will take up his war. The closest someone was Harry." Severus took a deep breath to let this settle "This is dangerous for several reasons. Harry may wake up and honestly believe he is a Dark Lord, the heir of Lord Voldemort. His own mind and magic may reveal him to be the most deadly Dark Wizard the world has seen. If he wakes up in the infirmary with students and teachers milling around; with half-bloods and muggle borns nearby? Who knows what he'll do. However, if he wakes up with a 'loyal Death Eater'...we may be able to save him, but first he has to be in a place that is comfortable to *him* or he may do something rash." The room was completely silent now; even Ron's former growling and snorting had ceased.
"Severus...is there anyway that Lord Voldemort could be possessing Harry?" Albus asked after a moment.
"None. Voldemort is dead."
"How can you be sure of that?"
"I *felt* him die. I felt his life force drain away," Severus explained, his eyes unfocused and far off.
"Your mark though...is it still there?" Dumbledore asked suddenly.
"Yes..." Severus admitted.
"Well then; if Voldemort were dead, would it not dissapear?"
"Not necessarily. The Mark is not connected to Voldemort's life force. It's connected to his magical signature."
"A magical signature that you believe now resides within Harry's own." Severus nodded and Dumbledore took a deep breath. "How long do you think Mr. Potter will remain unconscious?"
"It's impossible to say."
"And he needs to be tended constantly, I assume?" Severus reluctantly nodded again. Dumbledore's shinning eyes locked on to Severus' for many long minutes. Finally he slowly nodded.
"Okay...we will discuss this more indepth at a later date. Is it okay for Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger to visit?" Severus looked reluctant but nodded.
"Once a day, but they must understand that if I tell them to leave...they must do so immediately, for their own safety-especially in Ms. Granger's case." He locked the two with a steady gaze. They both nodded.
"But, professor...what are you going to tell the school? They'll want to know where Harry is...and I'm sure they notice that both Harry and Professor Snape are gone..." Hermione prompted Dumbledore. The older wizard looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I belive perhaps an accident in potions? One with prolonged effects...let's say this potions accident was to have happened several weeks, maybe a month or more ago and the effects of which are just being seen. Professor Snape is working deligently to correct it, but unfortunately cannot be spared to teach class...?" Snape chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment.
"Darious Elixer. It's very close to a sleeping potion we did in class about a month ago...which Neville blew up might I add. It's not at all unlikely for the Darious Elixer to be accidently brewed, and any kind of contact can be the medium."
"Professor...? Exactly what is the Darious Elixer?" Ron asked uncertainly.
"It's a type of timed posion. It's generally used for kidnappings, assassinations-things like that. It slowly shuts the body's basic functions down, the victim may not react for minutes; hours, days, months or even years. If brewed strong enough it can kill, if weaker, it just makes the victim pass out for an undeterminal ammount of time. They could be unconscious for a few seconds; a few minutes, a few days, a few years or...forever." Hermione explained, a thoughtful expression on her face. "It could work," She concluded "Often Darious victims are not allowed visitors and have to have someone in constant attendance..."
"and if I were to be held accountable, it's only right that I should be Mr. Potter's unwilling...nursemaid?" Severus finished for her. Hermione nodded and Dumbledore heaved himself to his feet.
"Alright...it's settled then. I'll announce Harry's 'condition' at breakfast tomorrow. Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley-no visits until we get the coverup well under way, understand?" They nodded sulkily and the group left through the fire, Madam Pomfrey stopping to make sure Severus was full aware of his duties as Harry's 'nursemaid.' This included keeping him clean and casting appropriate spells to make sure all waste went to the proper place...Severus pushed her into the fireplace none to gently after tossing in a handful of floo powder and calling for the infirmary.