Hermione! I- I can't open it!" he called, wondering why his own voice sounded so muffled.
With one last, fruitless attempt at the handle, Harry took several paces back, breathing heavily now.
And then, right behind him:
"KILL… I'LL KILL YOU…"
Startled, he lurched forward again, landing heavily against the door which swung open easily, as if the last several minutes hadn't happened at all.
Harry staggered out. "Hermione, wh–"
But he stopped mid-sentence, because nobody was there.
The main living quarters were empty.
More cautiously now, the boy took several steps towards the living area – they were completely dark, telling him that it must be very late, or perhaps even the early hours of Christmas morning.
Confused, Harry stopped, noticing the room seemed to take on an eerie green hue.
And then, POP!
Harry let out a yelp, losing his footing as he tried to spin round and falling flat onto his back.
An angry, elf-like face peered down at him.
"Dobby…" he realised.
"Harry Potter must leave!" the elf cried, furiously. "Harry Potter DOES NOT BELONG HERE!"
Harry pulled himself to his feet, moving to straighten his glasses only to find that they were no longer on his face, and with another pop, the house elf was gone again.
The voice, however, was not.
"KILL… KILL… KILL…"
It was so close now – it seemed to be circling the room around him.
He needed to do something, needed to get help.
Blindly, he stumbled back down the narrow corridor towards the bedroom that was Snape's, but hesitated at the door – even with their new-found closeness, he had never been inside, and he highly doubted the potions master would thank him for simply barging in.
So instead, he knocked.
Silence.
Then, he knocked again.
Still nothing.
Behind him, the voice was getting louder.
"LET ME KILL YOU… RIP YOU TO PIECES…"
"Professor Snape!" he called, choking back a sob as he hammered on the door, now.
Finally, movement inside and the door swung open, revealing Harry's guardian, fully clothed and with a face like thunder.