Chapter 12-The Surprise
Harry sat in his room looking at the fire around 10 PM. Their evenings were almost always spent in Hermione's room. It had been so long since he was alone before going to sleep that the feeling made him uneasy. With all the time in his life that he had spent alone he thought that this would be a piece of cake, since it was temporary. It would last only until sometime tomorrow around lunchtime when he would spring his surprise on Hermione.
He thought about going over to apologize. It was still at least an hour earlier than he usually ended up leaving her place. He thought about it for a second putting himself in Hermione's place. No matter how he put it, it would sound like he was saying, "I'm done with my stuff now I have time for you," because he couldn't tell her what had been so important.
The knock at the door surprised him. He looked into the two-way mirror and standing at the door was Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. Harry recognized this as odd right away. He opened the door and greeted them. "Good evening, Professors, is there something wrong?"
"Is Miss Granger here?" asked the Headmistress.
"No, she is in her room. We had a little spat this evening. Why? Is something wrong?" asked Harry for the second time.
"Harry, see if you can get her to come here. There is something that we need to talk about and it cannot wait until tomorrow," said Headmistress McGonagall in a soft voice but still authoritative.
Harry had a hard time convincing Hermione that it just wasn't some ruse to improve things after their fight. Harry could tell that she wasn't ready to kiss and make up quite yet, but she wasn't nearly as cold as she'd been when he left. He was thankful for that.
He led her into his room and they sat down together comfortably but not cozy. The room seemed to have taken on an air of gloom that could have been attributed to the presence of Professor Snape in the past, but, to Harry, it was more than that. He was ready for bad news, but couldn't guess what it could be.
"Harry and Hermione, it's never easy to tell anyone when things have gone poorly for a loved one. But there are indications that Ron Weasley may be in mortal danger. Ginny Weasley is in the Infirmary under sedation. Mrs. Weasley received an anonymous owl at the Burrow around 4 PM today. The gist of the threat was the old one concerning their association with `undesirables' and `mud bloods'. It said that they could expect to be taught a lesson very soon. Minutes later, the clock which warns her of danger to her family indicated mortal danger for Ron. The owl's message also indicated that Ginny would be given more information this evening."
Hermione and Harry clutched each other as the chills went up and down their spines. "What? What did Ginny find out?"
"Knowing this we finally went on a search for her where she was found on the seventh floor near the legendary Room of Requirement in tears, holding a picture of her brother Ron being tortured. The message written at the bottom told her she must do as she had been instructed or Ron would suffer more and possibly die. The wounds Ron suffered may be the same type, but less severe than those Bill Weasley received during the battle at Hogwarts last year." Mrs. McGonagall had pulled a chair close to tell them and put a hand on each of them as she explained.
"Did it say what she was to do?" asked Harry.
"Yes, Harry. Apparently she was to lure you into a trap for the kill," said Snape. "The details aren't important because the rest of the plan is foiled."
Hermione gasped and held Harry. The hair on the back of Harry's neck stood up. He was angry, sad, and afraid at the same time. Never had an attack been so direct with no attempt to hide the people involved. "Hopefully, we can find Ron now that their plan is messed up."
"Harry, you're who I'm worried about. He may already be dead." She said angrily. "You're still with me and that's the way it will stay." Her defiance made Harry proud of her, but he worried that she was still hurting underneath it all about Ron.
Then as they held each other, neither could hold back the tears of emotion. They looked at Snape whose face did not offer any sign one way or the other. He said, "We have several Ministry investigators and guards in the Infirmary. The guards are assigned to patrol the main floor around the Infirmary while the investigators are collecting evidence and looking at the photo very carefully." Harry and Hermione were holding each other not paying attention to much else.
"Listen to Professor Snape for a moment, children. He is going to help us get Ronald back safely," said Professor McGonagall. "We hope."
"Harry, I need you to be the courageous young man who faced Voldemort for a moment. I do not have time for you to reminisce on lost loved ones," said Snape.
Harry hated Snape when he was inconsiderate and unfeeling. "How would you know, Snape? You are the most insufferable human being I have ever known."
"That's right, Potter. Don't get sad, get mad. Don't let yourself forget that you can do more than most wizards twice your age," said Snape unflinchingly.
"Fuck you, Snape. How can you just jerk around with me? I thought you and I were making progress," said Harry.
"And, I told you I would never kiss your ass. Well, if I need you to prepare for saving one of your friends instead of having a pity party with your girlfriend, I'm going to piss you off, curse you or just plain be the object of your hate until you straighten around and get with the program. Got it, Potter?" said Snape. "I'm not a very touchy-feely sort, remember."
Harry looked at him still angry. "So, what do I leave her like this? One of her best friends in the world has been hurt and I'm just to run off?"
"If you want to visit him in the hospital instead of writing a eulogy, yes," said Snape matter-of-factly. "I have seen the way they operate. They are undisciplined. The temptation to gloat will give us an opportunity. If that is Mr. Weasley, he won't live long in that condition. Yet, I'm not convinced it is him. It is more Greyback's style to leave nothing but the bones, unless he's interrupted. Do you want to listen now?"
"Okay, so you have my attention," said Harry with Hermione's chin on his head arms around his shoulders standing behind him on the sofa looking at Snape.
"I have two theories: the first is that the picture is real and not actually the work of Greyback. Greyback would not waste his time bleeding Weasley out with surgical cuts; second, it is a forged picture to inspire Miss Weasley to do her job and do it quickly. Either way, I don't see that the picture was intended for the real Ginny Weasley at that precise time and place. But that is the reaction they wanted.
Harry thought for a second and it dawned on him. "Polyjuice! There was someone else the intruder expected to see and not the real Ginny. The picture would be given to the real Ginny later or something like that. They gave it to the real Ginny by mistake," said Harry.
"That makes sense," said Harry now gaining a measure of hope.
"We can't get complacent. If they did this without Greyback's consent while trying to make it look like his work, he could decide at any time to kill Ron Weasley and stop the charade. The danger to Mr. Weasley is real and may depend on responding quickly. The note may have been meant to implicate Ginny, but what the intruder said was meant for the impostor." Snape said. "Show me where this Room of Requirement is located?"
Harry felt strange, because he thought that Snape would already know about the Room of Requirement. "Professor, you don't know about the Room of Requirement?"
"Of course, I do Potter, but I've never been there. You know about China, could you get there without help?" he said sarcastically.
Hermione and Mrs. McGonagall went to Hermione's room as Snape and Harry headed for the Room of Requirement. Hermione dressed in anticipation of a long night.
As they approached the stairway below their destination, they noticed a trail of what might be blood. Snape bent down and smelled it. "This is not all human blood, Potter. I don't know what it is, but it's not all fresh nor is it human."
They moved cautiously up the stairs. The blood trail was getting thicker as if something had absorbed the blood and it was now draining from it. The closer they got the more it smelled. Harry felt ill as he reached the top step and in the distance he could see something wrapped up lying in the corridor. He started to walk faster but Snape put a hand on his upper arm, "Slowly, Potter. If someone is in the area we don't want to be caught unawares and too close to them to defend ourselves. You will learn."
Harry heard the commotion first as it came from below. The wand sparks were unmistakable and a running figure appeared to be trying to evade as many as five to seven people--three people in black and two in white. There were five Harry finally decided. Harry realized that the lead person was leaving behind a trail. "Professor, look." Snape came to the rail and looked toward the people coming toward them. The one being chased was now out of his view, but the others were still there. The ones it black issued wand blasts at regular intervals and then continue running. "I don't think our problem is ahead of us. I think it is behind us."
"Agreed," said Snape.
Snape motioned for Harry to move more quickly. They remained low. "Professor, what do we do now?" asked Harry once they reached the dark figure on the floor. It was apparent that the blanket was soaked through with blood. It made no sense that it would be so far from the door to the Room of Requirement. Snape opened it. It was as he feared. Ron Weasley was unconscious but still breathing shallowly.
"Potter, don't make any sudden moves. Get closer to the door and remain still," said Snape who did the same as he. Time seemed to lag for a minute and then the wand blasts were coming in their direction toward the ceiling. Harry heard the familiar sound of a broom swishing through the pillars. He could not see anything. Suddenly fifty yards away and closing fast he saw the broom and its rider. "Malfoy!" Harry began to stand before he could get to his feet Snape hade pulled him down and pointed his wand at Malfoy once he'd landed. "Stay where you are or you die." Malfoy stopped. Snape stood and looked over rail.
"Potter I told you not to move. Okay stay very still," said Snape who closed his eyes and began chanting something very strange. At that moment Snape seemed surreal, as his voice seemed to fade, a cold wave of darkness enveloped them. It was the only way Harry could describe it. Everything seemed like he was seeing it through very powerful sunglasses. Yet, just seconds later he could see people who were outlined in red, yellow and white closing on them. They looked like what the sun looks like through sunglasses. He listened. They were mere feet away but sounded like they were much further away. Harry tried to look around for Snape and Malfoy but he couldn't see them nor could he move.
He listened harder, as a member of the medical staff tended to Ron in the corridor. "Whoever brought us here did the right thing. He'll be okay, I think--but not by much." The guards and an investigator swept the area stepping within a foot or two of where Harry was in the corridor without touching him or seeing him.
"Just in case whoever did this is still here, we'll follow you back," said one of the guards following the two medical people as they levitated Ron. Ron looked better already. Harry now knew what the word was the staffer used, "Scourgify." The blood on the floor and all over Ron dissipated almost instantly. He had some nasty cuts like those described in the picture but that was it. It was so weird trying to figure out what he was seeing in that state of darkness.
Once they were safely alone the strange darkness collapsed and fell away. "Professor Snape, what did you just do?"
"Never mind, Potter, I will explain later. Malfoy, why did you bring Weasley here and what are you doing?"
"I couldn't let them kill her brother. I couldn't. She means too much to me," he said.
"Were you alone?" asked Snape.
"What? No… Yes, I was alone," said Malfoy.
"Which was it? Yes or no, Malfoy," said Snape. He waited and no answer. "I am trying to help you." For the first time, it dawned on Harry that Malfoy was helping Ron and was sitting within two feet of him. Even yet, Harry could feel the rage growing. "I will find out, Malfoy."
"I had help, but when I wanted to get the body closer. He freaked out and ran," said Malfoy. "Idiot, he could have gotten me killed. I could have left Weasley on the ground floor and set off a sparkler down the hall and they'd have found him. The only option left was to lead them all the way to the body."
"Let's get out of here," said Malfoy.
"No, Draco, we're going to get you out of this the right way," said Snape. "Now, be quiet."
The group of medical staff, Ministry investigators and guards now appeared all the way at the bottom. They were heading out of sight. "It's about time you two started realizing that you both hate the same things and love the same things. Not a word from either of you or I'll have you walking beside me on leashes looking for fire hydrants."
"Now, who helped you?" asked Snape. "Who would be fool enough to remove the body of a hostage and then go back to face the consequences alone?"
Malfoy lowered his head. It was as if he were fighting some unknown force. "Fine, it was my Mother. It was my Mother. I told her that I couldn't let her take a chance and get caught. The Ministry will send her to Azkaban. So I sent her away."
"Malfoy, Fenrir will kill her," said Snape.
"Only if she doesn't keep him company," said Malfoy morosely. "She took up with him to spare me. He will be mad, but she's not as fragile as people think."
Harry shivered. Malfoy was talking about his mother and a brutal werewolf having a relationship of convenience. Harry wanted to know why she would even be there in the first place if she didn't agree with them.
"I can see that it is very complicated, isn't it Malfoy?" asked Snape not expecting or waiting for an answer. "Potter, go get Miss Granger and bring her to Dumbledore's Chambers."
"Don't make me deal with the mud blood," said Malfoy.
Before Harry could move for his wand, Snape's was in his face. "Malfoy, you are not in that world now. It is a different time and place. Do you want to live?"
Malfoy looked at Snape who was as malevolent as Harry had seen him at that moment. "Yes, sir."
"I have to know now, right now, Malfoy. Because I will let Potter have you, if you are going to be the old muggle-hating Death Eater. Your Mother may still think they have a place in the world but she is wrong. You will not play that game here. Do you understand? One way, I send you to the Aurors and use the Veritaserum on you right now. The other way, we try to get your Mother out and show her we will help. Either way, the group you have known for the last few months will be destroyed. Which will it be?" said Snape.
Harry was at a loss for words. Severus Snape was defending Hermione and him. And would not let Malfoy wiggle off the hook?
Tears formed in Malfoy's eyes, "I am only there to protect my Mother. Damn you, Snape. You know that."
Harry's heart was pounding as the realization that he would have done the same if it had been his mother. He hated Malfoy, but now he understood.
Snape said, "Back to rule number one. You two will be civil to one another or I will take measures to ensure it. You have a lot to learn about one another."
A moment or so later Snape reiterated his order to go get Hermione and meet in the Headmaster's Chambers. Harry understood the slip by Snape and had no intention of correcting him.
Harry's mind reeled at the events of the past two hours. First, the thought is that Ron's gone missing at the hands of the Death Eaters or whatever they call themselves now. Then Ginny collapses with a picture that suggests Ron is dead. Snape doesn't believe it and has Harry take him to the Room of Requirement to see where Ginny got the picture. In the mean time, a wizard fire fight, a frightening period where the world seemed to have folded away, then the biggest surprise of all trying to regard Malfoy as a friend. Go figure. His mind couldn't grasp it all so he just started running to take his mind off of it.
He was at Hermione's door. He knocked. Groggily Hermione came to the door fully clothed with Professor McGonagall in the background. He couldn't tell them anything, because even though he'd summarized it in his mind, he was dizzy and couldn't repeat it. "Snape, excuse me. Professor Snape would like us to meet in the Headmaster's Chambers as soon as possible." He said repeating his orders.
The walk was long tonight. Normally it was very quick, but they were all tired and even though it was the same distance no one walked fast and it was just exhausting. Finally, once in the Chambers, Professor Snape whispered to the Headmistress. Harry whispered to Hermione too. "Boy do I have a surprise for you?"
Half awake she replied, "Can it wait till tomorrow?"
Harry said, "No, because I really don't have any control over it. Draco Malfoy's here."
Hermione's eyes opened wide. "What?" she said aloud.
"So, you told her did you Potter? Why didn't you tell her before you arrived?" said Snape.
"Listen," said Harry. "I don't like it either, but you have to hear the story." Harry turned and Mrs. McGonagall nodded to him and followed Snape to the Chambers above where Malfoy was apparently being sequestered. "He brought Ron back to get medical help. Ron's alive because of Malfoy." He couldn't believe the words were actually coming out of his mouth, but they were. "It was probably Ginny and Malfoy we saw that night outside the Room of Requirement or someone made to look like her. But he said, he couldn't let Ginny's brother die like that."
Hermione sat motionless for a moment and then put her left leg up on the sofa and looked Harry dead in the face. "Do you believe him?"
"I do. The more I heard him tell how and why the more I'm convinced." Harry was nodding his head. "I'm too tired to think right now, but I am sure you will agree."
He lay back in the sofa. "What time is it?" he asked. Hermione got up to go see. In the few seconds or minute she was gone, he'd fallen asleep.
"3:30 AM," she whispered to herself. She watched him as he lay with one leg off the sofa and the other laying at an angle. She wondered how he could sleep like that. As tired as she was she knew she must sleep too. She put his legs out on the couch and covered him with a nearby afghan. She crawled under with him and as naturally as could be they made room for each other without Harry waking. She smiled and dozed off.
Expecting to be rousted in the middle of the night played tricks on Harry's mind. He first awoke with Hermione lying with her leg across his and her arm across his chest. He thought it must be only twenty or thirty minutes from when he'd lay down. Yet, the early morning sun had already made a pattern on the wall above his bed as it came through the skylight.
Confused to say the least, Harry nudged Hermione in an effort to wake her. "Sweetie, wake up, it's morning." She turned her head back toward him and moaned a little `not-now-I-am-sleeping-moan' that everyone has. "Honey, I have to use the loo." His slow rise to get up finally woke her enough to get her to move her leg so he could get up without dumping her to the floor. Unfortunately, he was groggy and in a room he'd never had need of a loo before. He growled as the discomfort grew at that moment he saw Snape in the corner, apparently unaware of them. "Professor, where's the loo?"
Snape remained expressionless and motioned to a door directly across from him and on Harry's left. Harry saw it and nodded his thanks. "It's a good thing that this wasn't a real problem, Potter. Cozying up with the girlfriend might cost someone their life one day."
Harry ignored him. As he woke up doing his business in the loo he thought, would hurt you to get some you old faggot. He felt guilty but he started to feel that comment was unnecessary. If anyone thought that he wanted to be up at 5 AM still working out the problems of the world instead of feeling the warmth of a woman was just plain mad. What ever job that is, you can have it. He realized how many times Professor Dumbledore must have done that very thing to protect him and he felt quite selfish.
He popped out and felt the chill now as he wasn't preoccupied. "Sir, we were just beat and I actually thought you'd wake me for anything you needed. Because I know you're not the `touchy-feely' type he said sarcastically." For an instant he though he detected a hint of a smile on Snape's face.
"Maybe one day we will truly come to like each other Potter. I like that you didn't get defensive and rather gave me a little of what I deserved," said Snape. "I rather doubt we'll become friends." He did offer a weak smile.
He looked for the clock and found it was 6:30 AM. That took the steam out of Harry. For some reason, he thought it would be at least 2 hours later than that judging from the light pattern on the ceiling. "If I may Sir, I'm going back and showering. I will return as soon as possible."
"Please take Miss Granger with you. The tension of having Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger in the room without you is not something I want to endure," said Snape.
"Hermione, get up. Let's get back to our rooms and have a shower. It's almost time for classes anyway," he lied. Hermione's head popped up quickly.
"I have to do my hair after sleeping here. I can't miss first period today," she said nervously.
"Miss Granger, you may miss all your classes today. You are a very necessary part of what we need to discuss," said Mrs. McGonagall as she came up the staircase from the main floor. "Take things in stride today children. Today will seem longer than yesterday."
Hermione and Harry both groaned as they headed down the stairs. Harry remembered the plans he'd had for today. He'd have to send Hedwig to Lupin with a note not to send the package. Harry wondered if Lupin was already aware of overnight events. He didn't know.
Harry and Hermione were back in the Tower before they knew it. They'd even had time to eat a quick breakfast. They had no idea what it was about. Harry hoped that the discussion didn't last nearly as long as it sounded like it would. That was his first question after he arrived. "Is this really going to last through all our classes?"
Professor McGonagall replied, "I was merely speculating on how long it would take in a worst case scenario. I am not completely sure what Professor Snape has in mind."
"The plan to capture Fenrir Greyback and the rest of his followers will be orchestrated with the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix. We know nearly everything necessary to bring them to the Ministry in a nice little package. The reason for not involving them first is simply a matter of not knowing who in the Ministry we can trust." Snape looked at Harry. "It will be dangerous since there will be fewer people. But the trick is to let them think they are still in control and let some of their plan unfold. Using our resources to protect Harry, Ginny and Draco makes more sense than trying to mount an assault. At some point that may be necessary. That's what today is about."
"I don't understand," said Hermione.
"Of course, I haven't told you everything and I'm sure it is a little confusing. To make a long story short, we will once again organize Dumbledore's Army. Only this time, we will train Mr. Potter in methods and tactics to enhance his ability to teach the others. I will also be a part of it, but Potter will lead. You will learn both Defense against the Dark Arts and the Dark Arts themselves. You will now have more understanding when teaching, but it will involve studying the Dark Arts themselves. If you are willing, Miss Granger, I will teach you as well." Snape added.
"First, what you saw me do last night Potter was a very effective but dangerous enchantment called `The Cloak of Darkness'. Through the use of our life-forces I produced an area of negative energy that made us intangible, invisible and unable to move. If they had seen us while we were being obscured by the `The Cloak' they simply would have had to wait for it to end and we would have been at their mercy. I had to sap the power of each of us to maintain it and the recovery time believe it or not is quite long. We would not have been able to defend ourselves for at least two minutes or more." Harry sat mouth agape. "That Mr. Potter is your first exposure to the life-draining or power-draining effects of the Dark Arts."
"But two minutes was enough time this morning, Sir." Harry intoned.
"Only because we were fortunate not to have been seen prior to being hidden," said Snape. "If you used that same enchantment where those you were hiding from desired your death and were found. It would be catastrophic for you would have no chance. However, in this case the investigators would have simply taken us into custody."
"Oh, okay, now I understand. So, part of what I have to learn is not how to do things, but when the enchantment or spell is called for or right for the job," said Harry.
Hermione sat next to Harry rather confused. "I don't know if you want to start involving yourself in the Dark Arts, Harry. No offense, Professor Snape, but it seems too change people."
"Miss Granger, you are no doubt too intelligent for me to sit and explain these things as if you were children. So I will cut to the chase. You are right. Dark Arts practitioners become very reclusive and sometimes go mad when they do not have the correct support system. Your father, James, as a mystic was very deep into the Dark Arts Mr. Potter. Part of the conflict between he and I was the differences in the ways it affected us," confessed Snape.
Mrs. McGonagall interrupted ever so gently, "Severus I will explain because it will seem less critical. Your father had his friends who helped to temper one another's baser qualities. You father was very well off financially even as a student and he acted the part. He could be arrogant and self-serving. I say could be. I can be very severe and seem unpleasant when underneath I have no ill-feelings at all. We do not always know how our personalities affect others. Your father and Severus didn't like each other for many of the same reasons you and Malfoy do not get along. Only the roles were reversed. Malfoy was the spoiled rich kid and you were the orphan. Our dislikes and likes are often simply a part of our subconscious," she continued. "Make your own analogy, you will see it is true."
"Harry, she's saying that it's like your attraction to Parvati and Cho. They were dark haired Asian girls and even though you liked Ginny for so long you were drawn to Cho or Parvati. It took time for you to see Ginny in that same light and the same goes for me," offered Hermione.
"That's right, Mr. Potter. I was everything your father loathed and vice versa. But the real story is in the way the Dark Arts can affect people. Those who are lonely and downtrodden seem do just as well, but tend to become more isolated by their desire for the power that the Dark Arts generate. The perfect example is Lord Voldemort. Those who have a life balance with love and friends don't use the power to fill the empty parts of their lives. If it weren't for Professor Dumbledore, I would not know this about myself and I would no doubt have either sided with Lord Voldemort or been another rival for both him and the Ministry. That much is clear." Professor Snape's face at that moment had a quality he'd never seen before when the Professor continued again. "So, Miss Granger, your support and love are essential to keeping Harry balanced. I hope that time will heal the wounds between you two and Mr. Weasley as well. Harry needs good people such as you to fulfill his destiny."
Harry heard Snape use his first name. He could see that somewhere something had happened to bring Severus Snape closer to the loving human being he must have been as a child. He remembered Hermione telling him about why Snape had chosen the Half-Blood Prince as moniker. "Thank you for explaining that to us, Professor. It is true that we kids can be brutal to one another. And, while I find it difficult to see my father like he is described I can understand how no one is perfect." Snape nodded and turned away toward a book on the desk.
"Today, you will learn other methods to obscure your presence and more powerful ways to immobilize your enemies," Professor Snape began. "I am not including Draco in these lessons for obvious reasons, do you understand?" Harry nodded and looked briefly up the stairs wondering what Draco could be doing. He had no idea that Mrs. McGonagall had enchanted Draco to sleep. Potions were good for medicinal purposes when you want the subject to awaken on their own. Enchantments were more practical when you wanted them out of the way for a period of time.
Both Harry and Hermione were tremendously interested. Harry forgot his surprise for Hermione for a while, but they were together and the excitement between them picked up. He knew by the end of the day they'd had enough surprises sprung on them that he'd have to wait for Friday to give Hermione hers. He realized as he looked at Snape as he was ready to leave that many of his beliefs about life and people were being slowly turned upside down.
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