Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 26: The Hands of Friendship

Harry found himself strangely aware of the swishing sound Snape's robes made as he strode along in front of him. This was despite the ricocheting echo of both their footsteps on the cold stone floor and Harry's heartbeat, so loud and strong that he was sure it would spring forth from his chest at any moment. He was trying to deal with the constant pulsing at his temples and in his throat, trying fruitlessly to ignore the foreboding and nervous anticipation that had filled his heart.

He was dreading the thought of what had happened to change the plan that Dumbledore and Snape had formulated. Snape had mentioned it when he had summoned Harry from the common room but his words had hardly been specific. The only point of comfort was that Ron couldn't be responsible, for he was, and had been, locked in his dormitory all night. The knot in Harry's chest eased slightly, but nowhere near enough to calm him.

It wasn't just the thought of his destination that both excited and terrified Harry at this moment. He was still buzzing after his passionate kissing session with Hermione, events of this nature had become scarce for Harry since his return to Hogwarts and the nervous thrill still accompanied each one. Part of Harry, oddly a feeling originating in the pit of his stomach and working downwards, wanted to stay with Hermione, carry on from where Ron had interrupted them. But this, Harry knew, was simply not an option.

Snape turned sharply on his heel at the end of the corridor, the change of direction catching Harry unawares. He was expecting this quick march to end in Dumbledore's office, but instead Harry found himself gliding down the main staircase. Snape turned again here, heading down towards his office in the dungeons. This destination merely served to heighten Harry's feeling of dread and increase his anxiety.

Snape pushed open his office door and waited for Harry to enter, before slamming the door behind him. The office was empty but Harry noticed Snape's Pensieve sat alone on the Professor's desk, completely emptied of thoughts.

'Right, Potter,' said Snape sharply, 'events have taken a rather unexpected downturn so our Occlumency plan must be put into immediate effect.'

'Where's Professor Dumbledore?' Harry queried.

'The event that had taken place has called him away, I shall be joining him as soon as this is over with. I am unswervingly dubious at Dumbledore's claim that your Legilimency skills are greatly improved since our last bout of lessons last year. But, regardless, I have no choice but to allow you to do this.

'In order for this to be made swift and easy for you, I am going to allow my mind to be weakened by you. I am going to let you curse me Potter, a privilege that I'm sure you will revel in. However, it is our mutual dislike of one another that may help us here.'

'I don't understand,' said Harry, slightly taken aback by Snape's open honesty about their less than hospitable relationship.

'Potter, shut up and listen,' snapped Snape, 'In order to weaken my mind to make it controllable for you, you will need to use a curse that does a similar job. Do you have any in mind that are easy? That you know how to use?'

'No,' said Harry dumbly. Where was Hermione when he needed her?

'Exactly,' said Snape with his air of superior disdain. 'Therefore, I am going to allow you to use a mind control curse on me. Yes, Potter…the Imperius Curse. I will not fight it, but I warn you now, any more than the allotted time I give you and I will hurt you seriously.'

'Got it,' said Harry.

'I will let you have a whole minute in control of my mind,' said Snape warily. 'After that time, this buzzer will sound and you are to release the curse. I believe you know the incantation. For now, though, let us see if you can use the Legilimens spell.'

Harry nervously raised his wand, shaking violently in his hand. His pointed it at Snape, not sure whether to aim for his head or his heart, not that he really believed him to have one.

'What are you waiting for?' hissed Snape, 'Point your wand and incant!'

'Legilimens!' said Harry meekly. Snape laughed.

'Is that the best you can do?' he taunted. 'Clear your mind of all thoughts. If you can't do this, think of only one thought, preferably one you like. Maybe,' Snape gulped as if he were about to vomit, 'that little incident I happened upon when fetching you from Gryffindor Tower.'

'Legilimens!' Harry said again, the thought of Hermione's lips against his own fresh in his mind.

For a second, but only a second, Harry had a flash of Snape sitting alone, as a teenager on the Hogwarts Express. But then it faded.

'Again! Concentrate harder!' cried Snape.

'Legilimens! Harry cried with vigour. Again he saw flashes; Snape cowering in a corner while an angry male voice yelled from the dark shadows; Snape being told he hadn't got the Defence Against the Dark Arts job the year it went to Lockhart; Snape watching Slytherin lose at Quidditch, where a Chaser with messy black hair scored several times in quick succession. But that was it.

'Clearly, my mind is too advanced for you,' said Snape with a patronising air of smugness. 'We shall attempt the Imperius Curse. Think of a horrible memory and say the incantation.'

'Imperio!' Harry said. Nothing.

'What are you thinking of?' said Snape, his voice scathing.

'Living with my Aunt and Uncle,' said Harry blandly.

'That isn't good enough,' shot Snape, 'Its too vague. Think of something worse.'

Harry wracked his brains for a bad event; it wasn't too tough considering the multitudes of tribulations that Harry had had to endure in his life. But he had enjoyed, by and large, the last five and a half years of his life and thinking of something that had angered him was proving tough. His first thought was Voldemort, but his anger over that had been delayed and secondary as he couldn't actually remember it. Next was Sirius, but too large a part of him grieved over this to make him angry. His thoughts from Sirius led him to Umbridge, that would do.

'Imperio!' Harry shouted. For a moment Snape's eyes unfocused but they were soon back to their malicious self.

'You aren't trying, you aren't concentrating hard enough!' yelled Snape.

'I am trying!' Harry yelled back. 'What am I supposed to do?'

'Think harder! We haven't got time for your many flaws to get in the way.'

Harry felt an anger rise in his chest; Snape noticed it, his eyes flashing with malicious intent.

'Yes,' he said in dark thought, 'our last resort. Do you like your mother, Potter?'

'What?'

Harry's attention had suddenly pricked up. He was looking suspiciously at Snape. What was he trying to do?'

'Your mother, Potter,' said Snape in his most deadly tone, 'when you think of her, do you like the thought?'

'What do you mean?'

'Are you really this stupid? What-do-you-think-of-your-moth-eerr? It isn't hard. Although it may be for you, considering how she's dead.'

The anger bubbling inside Harry went up a notch.

'Don't talk about my mother,' said Harry dangerously, 'like she's some insignificant potion ingredient or something.'

'But that, in a way, is what she is,' said Snape so silkily that his tongue might have slid off. 'She is little more than a statistic…another number to add to the list of the Dark Lord's list of murdered people. She was thought of as gifted, though I never thought so. Fairly proficient at Charms, and we have you as an example. Though a bit dim-witted if your best charms involve you dying to work properly.'

'Shut up!' cried Harry, his teeth gnawing against each other.

'Truth be told, Potter, your mother had low standards, particularly when it came to relationships. Mind you, she had plenty of opportunity to test the waters of the male species. She must have been with half the boys at Hogwarts while she was here, if the notches on her bedpost are anything to go by.'

'My mother did not have notches!' Harry was positively screaming now.

'You're sure of that are you? Then, would you believe, she went against everything she'd preached about for years and started carrying on with that no-good, waster of a father of yours. By then, she had set her standards so low that she could bring you into this world, though how many versions of you were terminated before they found one they couldn't undo is anyone's guess.'

That was it. Harry lunged at Snape but he reacted quickly, conjuring a sort of wall of invisible tar that Harry couldn't move through.

'What the hell are you doing?' Harry yelled at Snape. 'You wanted me angry, I'm angry. Now let me go!'

'You want to hurt me?'

'Yes!'

'Why don't you curse me?'

'Great idea! Let me go!'

'You'll curse me?'

'Yes!'

'You hate me?'

'YES!!!'

'Then curse me!'

'PETR-'

'NO! No. Curse me, damn you…CURSE ME!!'

'IMPERIO!'

Then it happened. Harry felt a spell of such force fly from his wand that when a calmness came over him it was surprising. He looked at Snape, his eyes bleak and empty. He could make him do anything…anything at all. But Hermione was talking in his mind, telling him not to. Harry felt in a daze, in a world with no sound where only air had meaning. He gazed at Snape, his anger ebbing away in the serenity of the power he felt. Then…

BUZZZZZZ

Harry woke from his slumber and lowered his wand instinctively. Snape fell to the floor, before standing slowly.

'Good, Potter,' he said deeply, 'Now, try the Legilimency spell. If it works you must concentrate with all your will, even though you have little. When you see a glimpse of myself talking with the Dark Lord and Lucius Malfoy focus on it. Will it to come back. If this is successful, place your wand to your head and mutter the Summoning Charm. Once the thought is in your mind extract it and place it in this Pensieve. Do not view it until Dumbledore returns. Try it, now.'

'Legilimens!' Harry bellowed. He felt a rush of thoughts and memories, quite not his own enter his mind. All the things he had seen before flashed before him, including a few images he remembered from last year. Then, a memory came in that Harry did not expect.

It was as if the flood of memories had slowed right down to this one particular remembering. Harry, in Snape's position, was at the back of a very large crowd. Next to him, a younger version, maybe twenty years or so, of Snape was cowering against the side of an old building, trying not to be noticed. People around were cheering and laughing; this was a happy day. Harry noticed everyone was either in dress robes or fancy gowns and suits, except Snape who was in his usual black robe. It was a party of some sort.

Loud bells rang out above them and the cheering erupted as two large wooden doors creaked open to Harry's left. People whooped and called, throwing handfuls of small bits of paper and what seemed to be rice. Then it dawned on Harry; he must be at a wedding. Why would one of Snape's worst memories be a wedding? Harry noticed that Snape was the only person not throwing confetti, instead standing back and looking sullen and moody. Then the happy coupled emerged.

Harry's jaw dropped, for there, unmistakably, in his wizards best was an extremely handsome, pre-Azkaban Sirius, glowing in the morning sunshine. Harry was shocked, he never knew that Sirius had got married. His shock deepened moments later as another person emerged from the doors and stood next to Sirius. There, in an undoubted grooms outfit, was a messy haired, bespectacled man, arm-in-arm with a very pretty woman with long auburn hair and dazzling green eyes.

What the hell was Snape doing at my parents wedding? Harry said this out loud, though nobody could hear him. He stared at his mother in her long wedding dress and his father, beaming with pride and shaking hands with those around him as he was whisked away by Harry's mother. To where, Harry never found out as the image faded and was replaced by an equally as startling one.

Briefly, as though the rush of thoughts had sped up again, Harry saw Snape in conversation with Malfoy's dad, in the shadow of Lord Voldemort. Harry was jogged to his senses, and tried to concentrate hard. He realised he must have been doing this earlier as the image slowed, though the words of the conversation became slurred and slow. Harry put his wand to his head and muttered 'Accio' as the power of the Legilimency spell wore off. Harry pulled his wand slowly from his temple, seeing a thin slip of silver vapour go with it. This he deposited into the empty Pensieve. He then turned to Snape.

'You are not to view the contents of this Pensieve-'

'- until Dumbledore returns…yeah, you said,' said Harry tartly. 'Where is he anyway?'

'That is none of your-' Snape began to say, before changing his mind, 'well, suffice to say members of the Order are in danger. Like I have previously stated, an event of a serious nature has occurred that could well have blown the cover we have established for ourselves.'

'Does it involve Mr Weasley?' Harry asked urgently.

'Not directly,' said Snape icily, 'again, you seem to know much more than you ought to. It involves another of your little friends actually. Shame it isn't the full moon…he might be useful then.'

'Professor Lupin!' cried Harry desperately. 'What's happened to him?'

'That all depends on how successful Professor Dumbledore had been. But, apparently, seven or more Death Eaters were trying to reach him and the Auror, Shacklebolt. They were trying to take the other Auror, Tonks, to St Mungo's after she was attacked. They were ambushed on the way. With Moody off in Germany on a top secret mission our inner ranks are depleted.'

'Then why are you going?' asked Harry. 'Wont Voldemort know you're a spy?'

'It's a shame about that,' said Snape ruefully, 'our little reconnaissance operation there will have to end once I'm exposed. We have other irons in that fire, though. Why I am telling you this I don't know. I'm needed elsewhere.'

'I want to come,' said Harry at once.

'Don't be ridiculous, Potter,' laughed Snape quickly.

'I'm not, I want to come. I want to fight.'

'Out of the question.'

'Look, the Order is outnumbered, you said so yourself. I've fought Death Eaters before. I can do advanced spells…I've even duelled with Dumbledore. I can help.'

'Regardless,' said Snape, Harry feeling shocked that he didn't deny Harry's claims on his duelling skills, 'Professor Dumbledore would never approve.'

Harry had the feeling he was getting somewhere.

'Look, we'll lie. You can lie about me. Say I forced you, say I jumped you. That I tricked you or cursed you. Whatever. You'll like that.'

'I don't deny it causes me pleasure to put you down, Potter, but on this occasion-'

'You NEED me!' Harry cried. 'How are you getting there?'

'Portkey.'

'Right,' said Harry thinking fast, 'we'll say we argued, you tried to stop me but I dived and grabbed the portkey. We'll say it was my desire to show off and be the hero. I'll not deny it. Then you can have your moment of gloating over me…I might even die.'

The corner of Snape's mouth twitched and his eyes flashed; he liked that idea, Harry thought.

'I don't deny another hand, even yours, would be useful,' said Snape to himself. 'Very well. But stick to the story. It is likely that Dumbledore will expect you to try and come along anyway.'

Harry followed Snape over to a rusty cauldron and on the count of three they both placed a hand on the charred iron body. The pair of them, Snape and Harry, rushed towards the cauldron and Harry had a brief thought that this was probably the most unlikely unison he had ever entered into. The thought vanished with the Potions-master's office in a rush of wind and a swirling of colour and Harry suddenly hit the hard stone floor of a derelict building.

'Severus! At last! Harry? Severus…what is he doing here?'

It was Lupin, his ragged robes singed and torn from the fight, a deep gash across his temple. All around them people were yelling curses and hexes, jinxes and spells as fires burned freely and smoke swam and sprinted around the damp, dark room. Harry saw Dumbledore look at him, an almost expectant grin flitting briefly across his face before he fired a arrow of fire from his wand towards targets outside on the street.

Harry looked out; they seemed to be in a deserted part of whatever town they were in. Many of the buildings nearby were as derelict as this one, and those that weren't were bland and boring. They were in some kind of dockland, as Harry could hear seagull song nearby and the smell of lightly rotted fish was wafting in with the chilly wind

'Harry! What happened? Why are you here?' said Lupin, diving for cover under the window.

'He duped me, Lupin,' explained Snape, 'I told him you were in trouble and he grabbed the portkey just as I did. I'll send him back now.'

'No,' said Dumbledore seriously, 'we could use Harry's skills. If he is willing of course.'

Harry felt such a swelling of pride that he thought he could have cried if the situation wasn't so serious. His chest puffed, he drew his wand and stood against the window frame, chancing another look at the Death Eaters outside. Voldemort wasn't one of them, Harry knew his frame instantly and he couldn't recognise it here. There were, as Snape had correctly said, seven Death Eaters, against the four of them, Harry, Remus Lupin, Dumbledore and Snape, inside the building.

'We aren't doing well,' Lupin said to Snape, 'Shacklebolt's down, don't know what hit him. They tried to take the stairs but we cant get clear shots at them from here. This place wont last long; they're taking the thing down from the ground.'

'I'll go to the roof,' said Snape importantly and swept from the room, drawing his wand as he did.

'What can I do?' Harry asked Dumbledore.

'Just fire spells at anything that moves,' said Dumbledore casually, 'there are plenty of them down there so be careful.'

'Why don't we just take the portkey out of here?' Harry asked.

'That's the plan,' explained Lupin as he fired two spells quickly out of the window, 'problem is Tonks is in that building over there and we cant get to her. They don't know that but they've taken the pass across anyway.'

'We have to get to her, get her back over here, and take the portkey back to Hogwarts,' added Dumbledore casually, 'we're just short of ideas at the present time.'

Harry suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

'Does anyone have a broomstick?' he asked.

'No…' said Dumbledore cautiously, though his eyes flickered with hope.

'Does the portkey go back to Hogwarts?' Harry continued.

'Yes, why?'

'If I can go back I can get my Firebolt and fly over and get her.'

'No, Harry, I'm afraid its too dan-'

'Sir,' Harry interrupted, 'this is a war and don't tell me I'm too young to be involved. I AM involved, I'm at the heart of it for Merlin's sake. Let me help…please.'

'Very well,' said Dumbledore reluctantly, 'when you find your broom, tap it and mutter 'portus' while thinking of this place. You will then need to take hold of both the cauldron and your broom at the same time. Otherwise one will be left behind. And Harry…do hurry wont you?'

Harry sprinted to the portkey and grabbed it as Dumbledore's spell made it into a portkey once more. Harry's feet barely stopped as he hit Snape's office floor and headed for the Quidditch pitch. He was in the entrance hall when he met Hermione.

'Harry! Where are you-'

'Sorry, Hermione, cant stop,' called Harry as he sailed past her. He didn't stop until he reached the place where the brooms were stored, unclipped his Firebolt and sprinted off again without closing the closet. He passed Hermione again in the Entrance Hall; she looked bemused and slightly hurt. Harry slowed down and jogged back to her.

'Cant stop again,' he said, 'Dumbledore, Lupin, Snape and me are fighting Death Eaters. Have to save Tonks.'

He gave her a little peck on the cheek and sprinted off again, ignoring the horrified look as she registered what he said. He also ignored her calling after him and the sounds of her footsteps echoing along the dungeon as she ran after him. Harry sped up and reached the office before she was even close.

'Portus!' cried Harry twice, pointing his wand at his broomstick and the cauldron. He grabbed it as Hermione skidded into Snape's office, before disappearing in rush of wind and colour.

'Got it!' Harry yelled happily, holding up his Firebolt to Dumbledore like it was some sort of trophy.

'Excellent!' he cried, 'now Harry, are you sure about this. Its very dangerous.'

'What isn't in my life?' Harry said stubbornly. 'I just want to do something useful.'

'Very well. Tonks is lying in a room at the top of that building opposite. Fly out and around the building, there's an open window at the back. Be very careful, Harry.'

The tone Dumbledore spoke in was full of dread but Harry didn't have time to doubt himself. He jogged to the door, yanked it open and sped down the staircase. It was concrete and cold, chipped in places and swimming it bits of litter and shards of wood that Harry couldn't understand were there. He reached the bottom to find the door had been locked shut.

'Alohamora!' Harry cried, but the door wouldn't open. 'Alohamora!' Harry yelled again, more desperately than before. Still nothing. 'Oh, come on! I have to get through!'

And with that Harry felt a tug, like a portkey and flew towards the door, passing right through the thick iron with a tickly breeze. Immediately the sounds of the battle erupted around him. He threw his leg over the broom and kicked off, just as a gruff voice yelled that 'some kid has just come out!' Harry soared through the air and had to swerve instantly to miss a curse aimed his way.

He leant down on his Firebolt and shot away like a bullet, the sounds of spells and curses blurring as wind rushed through his ears. He curled around the building and found the open window Dumbledore had mentioned. He swooped in, his heart flipping to see the room empty as he landed next to Tonks. Her hair was strawberry blonde and curly, but her face contorted in pain, fixed in place weirdly as she was unconscious.

Harry heaved her up onto his broom and climbed on behind her. He heard footsteps and angry yells coming from the only door in the room and knew that its rickety wooden frame wouldn't offer much in the way of safety.

'COLLOPORTUS!' Harry cried pointing his wand at the rickety door, allowing himself a chuckle as a heavy body slammed into the other side of the it, but it stayed shut.

Harry kicked off again, moving much slower now that he had a passenger on board. Harry was glad of the Firebolt's built in special features as a broom that didn't handle so well would have made this trip a lot more difficult. Not for nothing, though, was the best broom money could buy and Harry managed to steer it out of the window and speed back around. He soared around the building, deciding it was easier to fly back into the room where Dumbledore was. He dodged a few stray curses and glided through the window, catching a brief glimpse of Snape on the roof, duelling with three masked attackers.

'Snape needs a hand,' Harry said as he landed, Dumbledore vanished in a swish of his cloak.

'Right, Harry,' said Lupin, 'take Tonks and Kingsley. I'll go and get the others.'

He muttered 'portus' with his wand aimed at Harry's broom and Harry took a hand each of Tonks and Kingsley and was about to place them on the broom when he heard a voice.

'Hello, Remus.'

It was Peter Pettigrew.

Harry was too late to stop the act of placing the hands on the broom but he was able to see something that chilled him to the bone. Peter had reached out and was inches away from placing a hand on Lupin's shoulder. It wasn't any hand, though, it was the special hand that Voldemort had given him. A hand of silver. And Harry knew what one metal could kill a werewolf.

'NOOOOOO!'

By the time he was able to yell, Harry was already on Snape's floor again, now facing Hermione who screamed in a mix of shock and horror. Harry reached around for his broomstick.

'Harry…what's happening? What are you-'

'Please move, Hermione,' said Harry desperately, 'I have to have my broomstick. I have to go back. Its Lupin.'

'Not till you explain,' said Hermione bossily, 'Accio Broom!'

The broom flew to her and she Banished it and added a temporary sticking charm so that it clung to Snape's office ceiling.

'Hermione!' Harry bellowed so loudly that Hermione cowered away, making Harry feel guilty, 'What have you done? Lupin's dead now! Now I cant get back to him.'

'It wouldn't have made a difference,' said a deep, sorrowful voice behind him. Hermione looked over Harry's shoulder and let out a horrified squeal. Dumbledore was there, as was Snape, bleeding from several wounds. There, in Dumbledore's arms was the body of Remus Lupin.

He was dead.

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