A one time thing {Severus Snape}

Chapter 8: Boggarts

She walked past storeroom after storeroom, all of the doors locked.

She could hear the others calling out Riddikulus several times. There was obviously Boggarts down here, but Meg hadn't come across any.

She tried the last storeroom in the passageway; it wasn't locked so she opened the door and went in.

"Luminos," she whispered, raising her wand to look round the room cluttered with boxes and packing cases.

Her eyes caught a form in the corner that, when the light hit it, rose up to full height. Meg froze, unable to move, unable to do anything as her wand picked out the Boggart quite clearly. But it was the form it took that made Meg freeze.

Sarah was stood in front of her, her face and hands deathly white, her skin bloated with water. Strands of weeds intertwined with her hair. Her eyes were open and staring, lifeless. Her hands were outstretched towards Meg.

She was floating a couple of inches of the floor. She was dressed exactly the way she'd been when she'd died. Meg couldn't move. A sob tore from her throat.

"Help me!" Sarah's mouth moved slowly, water trickling from the corner.

The sudden words broke into Meg's fear and loosened her mind.

"Riddikulus!" she called out, but her voice was a squeak and not strong enough to have an effect.

"Found anything, Professor Kincaid?" came Snape's voice from outside.

Meg stumbled backwards slightly, just as Dean and Snape came in.

"Sarah!"

Dean went to move forward, stopped by Snape gripping his shoulder tightly.

Snape took control, he pulled Dean out of the room and raising his wand, went back in to shout 'Riddikulus', before gripping Meg by her collar and yanking her out.

He slammed the door shut, locked it and turned to the two stunned professors.

Meg was backed up against the wall; her eyes fixed on the door, her face white as a sheet.

Dean wasn't much better. He was shaking and had dropped to his knees.

Snape muttered angrily and crossed to Dean; he took his robes and pulled him to his feet. The movement brought Dean to his senses and he shook Snape off him. He glared at Meg and then turned, walking back out of the dungeon.

"I'll get the box," he called over his shoulder, his voice like ice.

Snape moved slowly to where Meg was still staring at the door.

She felt so cold; she was shivering despite her thick robes.

"Look at me!" His dark voice seeped into her frozen mind.

Making herself respond to it was like crawling out of a very deep sleep. She finally dragged her eyes from the door to his. And the moment she looked into his eyes, she felt safety wash over her, she felt his strength.

He stepped forward till he was right in front of her, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Professor Kincaid!" He spoke her name and she seemed to sag. He caught her shoulders and held her up.

"You need to get it together," he whispered, but she heard every word clearly, could hear them in her mind. It was almost as if he were inside her head.

"Rider will be back, possibly with others."

She nodded, her rational thinking and teacher training kicking in. She straightened up and nodded. She shook her head slightly, refusing to think about what was behind the locked door.