Chapter 7 - The Art of the Potions Master
Severus Snape strode in silence as he passed through the many corridors of Voldemort's hideout. He had been summoned to an interview with the Dark Lord and was using this time to prepare his mental shields for the trial ahead. He was accompanied by Bella whose presence was also required, but neither had said a word to each other since receiving the summons.
They reached the great double doors that led to the panoramic room that the Dark Lord liked so much. It seemed odd to Snape that a man who had committed such foul deeds in his life should be one who enjoyed views of the natural world, but he was used to such contradictions in life; indeed, sometimes he thought that his whole life was one massive contradiction.
Bella made to rap on the door, but Snape knew better. Instead he waited and, as expected, the doors swung open before Bella had even touched them. The Dark Lord knew they were standing outside, and it was yet another chilling reminder of his reach. Never, ever, underestimate this man, Snape reminded himself.
'Ah, Bella, Severus,' said Voldemort as he turned to greet his servants. Snape noticed that Nagini and Wormtail were also present. Voldemort, noticing his gaze smiled cruelly.
'Ignore them,' he said. 'Thank you for coming,' he added.
Snape said nothing - he knew he had no choice in being here. The Dark Lord had demanded his presence, after all. Bella, however, demonstrated that her stupidity knew no bounds.
'My lord honours me by allowing me to see him,' she began, 'I am here only to serve.'
Voldemort did not respond to this; instead, he gestured for them both to sit, before joining them round a small coffee table.
'I have asked you to join me today because I have decided upon my next move. You are my most trusted servants so it is only fitting that you hear of these plans first. Besides, you will both have some tasks to perform for me to make these plans a reality. I will not accept failure.'
'My lord is too kind,' exclaimed Bella, predictably. If she were a cat, she would be purring right now, thought Snape. He often wondered why the Dark Lord tolerated someone as shallow and fawning as Bella as one of his most trusted followers.
Snape was suddenly caught off guard as Voldemort gave him a piercing look, and it occurred to him that his mind had probably been penetrated by his master. He must have let his defences fall for a moment for this to have happened and he inwardly cursed his own stupidity. However, Voldemort seemed almost amused by his thoughts and Snape was once again reminded how difficult a balancing act he had to perform.
The problem was that the Dark Lord was unquestionably the greatest Legilimens that had ever lived. If he were to get no readings at all from Snape then he would become suspicious as he would know that defensive shields were being used against him. Then he would want to know why, and the process of finding out would not be pleasant. Snape knew that death would be the least of his worries. So in order to avoid this fate, Snape had to occasionally let some things slip. He only hoped that the Dark Lord did not discover anything too offensive.
However, Voldemort did not seem too perturbed by Snape's opinion of Bella, and continued. 'Now that my two greatest enemies are no more, I have finally decided to make my move. I have pondered long and hard on the best direction to take and have considered many targets. After all of these musings I have come to a simple truth; the keys to magical Britain lie in two places; namely the Ministry and Hogwarts. It will be necessary for me to gain control of both of these institutions in order to implement my new order.
Snape said nothing, knowing that Bella would leap in first. He knew that Voldemort's revelation was meaningless. A child could have told him what the key to power was in their world. Voldemort was merely testing the mettle of his lieutenants.
'My master's wisdom knows no bounds,' she began. 'Hogwarts is the place to begin, and now is the time to strike. The castle is empty, save for that fool McGonagall. We could seize it at leisure, and deal with the Ministry in our own time.'
'Interesting,' said Voldemort. 'Do you have anything to add Severus?'
Snape composed himself before replying. He found himself thinking faster than at any point in his life. He had to be very careful here. 'My master is of course correct in recognising the importance of both locations. No doubt he is also aware that the school has its own wards and protections? This is a mere triviality of course. What is not, however, is the timing of the attack. I am sure my master has considered that an independent attack on either site will merely serve to strengthen our enemies resolve to defend whatever location we do not attack first. Also, an attack on an empty school will not have much impact on our world. It would be a blow to Ministry prestige, but no more. For all its importance, the castle is just a building. However, were we to attack when the term had re-started and the school was full of children, I am sure that the Ministry will take a different view. If we were to attack the Ministry at the same time and capture both locations simultaneously, then we will accomplish our goal,' he concluded.
Voldemort said nothing for a moment and instead regarded Snape intently. Then, with a smile, he finally spoke.
'Once again you divine your master's thoughts Severus. Should I be worried?' he added in a tone that, for Voldemort, passed as levity. Snape simply bowed his head. 'I had already decided to wait until term starts before launching the attack on Hogwarts, but I wanted to hear your views. You are correct, Severus; both targets must be taken together.' Off to the side, Bella looked furious.
'Now what I want you to do is to come up with a plan for gaining entry to the castle - the attack on the Ministry will be left to others. Although Dumbledore has gone, by September the first the school will be fully protected by the Ministry. I want you to find a way round that protection. Report back to me when you have completed your task. You will work separately as I wish to consider a number of options. You may consult with some of the others if you think this is necessary. I will summon you when I desire to hear your thoughts.'
Snape and Bella rose together and left the room, bowing as they departed. Once past the doors they shared a look with one another. Both knew that whichever plan the Dark Lord adopted would mean rewards for one of them. Bella was determined that it be her. Snape knew it would be him but this was not what concerned him at the moment. His problem was of a different kind. I must contact Potter; they have to be warned.
But how in Merlin's name was he going to do that?
*********
Wednesday 6th August 1997
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in their usual location by the window. Despite having the whole of the entire manor to themselves, they always found themselves gravitating towards this spot whenever they wanted to discuss anything, or even when they merely wanted to relax. Harry was feeling refreshed after a good sleep - indeed he had been out for more than twelve hours and was much the better for it.
Neither Ron nor Hermione had mentioned the events of yesterday; instead they had wanted to try and decide what to do next. Harry was only too happy to agree.
'So that's three down and three to go before we can have a crack at Voldemort,' said Hermione, casting an amused glance at Ron, remembering his similar comment from yesterday. 'The diary; the ring and the locket all destroyed. So we reckon that leaves something of Hufflepuff's, something of Ravenclaw's and Nagini?'
'Yeah,' replied Harry, 'but we can't take that for granted. Was there anything else in Dumbledore's journal about this?'
'No,' replied Hermione. 'He seemed pretty sure about the other items. He was convinced that Tom would have picked objects belonging to the founders. He probably reckoned that only such objects would be worthy of his soul. Makes sense, of a sort.'
'I'm not so sure about that,' replied Harry. He leaned back in his chair, his arms behind his head, and stared at the ceiling. 'If it were me, I would want objects that meant something to me. I can understand the things we have destroyed so far. The ring and the locket were proof that Voldemort is descended from Slytherin, so that is clear enough. The diary would have been a very personal object to use; I mean what is more personal than a diary?' he asked rhetorically. 'As for the other items, I just can't see it. Sure, objects belonging to the founders are prestigious, but would they really matter to him for more than their intrinsic value? I don't think so. There must be something else.'
'You reckoned there would be something at Hogwarts,' said Ron. 'Any idea what it might be?'
'None at all, but if I were him, I would place something there. It's probably the only place in the world that he has ever been happy. And if there is something there then it did not belong to one of the founders. The only artefact we know of at Hogwarts is that sword over there, and it's definitely not that.'
'But didn't he leave the diary at Hogwarts?' asked Ron.
'No, Ron' interjected Hermione. 'Lucius Malfoy gave the Diary to Ginny, remember? He must have had it all these years, and he wouldn't have known what it was. No, if there is something at Hogwarts, then it's something else.'
Harry nodded his agreement. 'Well, the only way to be sure is to go and have a look. I asked McGonagall and she said it was OK, but we need to do it before term starts. It will take a while - the school is huge.'
His two friends nodded grimly at this observation, both fully aware that their task had gotten harder since yesterday, not easier.
'Well, we had better start soon then,' said Hermione. 'The school opens in a few weeks, so we don't have much time. I'll go through the journal again and see if I can glean any more information. You two can make yourselves useful,' she added severely. Harry and Ron looked at her expectantly, glad at the prospect of having something to do.
'You can both tidy up this place - it's a tip,' she said waspishly, before turning to leave with a snigger.
*********
Rufus Scrimgeour arrived home after a tough day at the Ministry. He had just put in yet another fourteen hour shift and the exertion was beginning to take its toll. He had barely seen his wife or children these past few weeks and the worst of it was that it was all seemingly for nothing. His Ministry had not yet been able to obtain any significant leads on Voldemort or any of his followers and the frustration was beginning to get to him.
He had not heard anything from Harry either and he was beginning to wonder about this. He had agreed to leave him to his own devices and to not ask questions - only offer assistance when required. But that assistance had not been required. Harry had not been in touch since settling into the Briars.
Rufus did not know if this was a good thing or not.
After removing his coat, he settled into his favourite armchair by the fire and poured himself a large whisky. It was a single malt scotch - a Muggle drink he much preferred to Firewhisky. He was just getting comfortable when Sukey appeared carrying a letter on a silver salver.
'Master? This arrived for you today, but I do not know how it got here. I have checked it for curses and it is untouched. Sukey does not know where it came from but it seems in order.'
'Thank you, Sukey,' replied Rufus, taking the envelope from his elf. He turned it over in his hands; he did not recognise the handwriting. Most of his correspondence found him at the Ministry - it was unusual for him to receive anything at his home. Intrigued, he opened the envelope, removed the letter and noticed the name written at the top. Astounded, he lurched forward, spilling his drink in the process.
'Sweet Merlin,' he breathed, before beginning to read the letter.
Severus Snape
06th August 1997
Minister,
I understand that you may be experiencing an element of surprise at receiving correspondence from one of your 'most wanted' enemies, but it is vital that you consider what I have say.
I know that Potter is alive. I was there the night of the attack and I saw both you and he escape with the elf before the Shack was blown up.
You are now probably wondering why I am telling you this; after all, is Severus Snape not one of the Dark Lord's most devoted servants? The answer to this question is no. I do not serve him.
In order to prove this to you, I want to meet with Potter as there are many factors that he needs to be made aware of. The arrogant brat probably thinks he knows everything, but there are forces at work that he knows nothing about. I need to apprise him of this information, but unfortunately I have no means of contacting him. You, I am sure, know exactly where he is and so I ask you to pass on this request to him.
Enclosed is a ticket for the opening of an exhibition of the works of the artist Turner at the National Gallery which takes place tomorrow. It commences at seven-thirty and I will be there. I trust that Potter will be there also. He must come alone. This is a very public gathering and I will know immediately if there is any attempt on your part to trap me. This of course cuts both ways. As it will be very public, there is surety that Potter is not walking into a trap. This is a Muggle gathering; if I espy any witches or wizards except Potter then I will simply disappear. I would suggest that Potter do likewise if he recognises any non-Muggles apart from myself.
I know that you do not trust me and that Potter certainly will not trust me. As a consequence of this I offer a token of my sincerity. I would have you ponder on the fact that although I know that Potter is alive; the Dark Lord does not. I have not informed him of his error in believing the brat dead, and I do not intend to do so, whether Potter appears tomorrow or not. However, I must stress that it is in his interests - and yours - for him to agree to meet me. The ball is now in your court.
Severus Snape
PS - If Potter has any doubts about my motives, tell him that I know of the diary and the ring. This may get his attention.
Rufus did not know what to think after reading this. After taking a moment to compose himself he looked up at the little elf who stood anxiously by his side.
'Sukey? I know it is late, but would you mind asking Harry if it would be OK for me to come and see him right now? Tell him it's important,' he added, grimly.
*******
Harry was attempting to orientate himself with being woken up at such a late hour. It was half past one in the morning and he, Ron and Hermione had risen to the summons from Sukey who had appeared at his bedside a few minutes ago with an urgent message from Rufus. Donning his clothes that had been discarded when he went to bed, he asked had asked Sukey to wake up his friends before heading to his usual spot by the window. As an afterthought, he had put the kettle on - he suspected that some tea would be required to help them wake up properly.
'Can you tell me what this is about, Sukey?' he asked the elf, not unkindly, as Hermione handed him a cup of tea.
The elf mutely shook her head. 'Master Rufus will be here shortly. He said he had to see someone before arriving.'
As if on cue, the fireplace roared into life and Rufus emerged, accompanied by James Walsh.
'Good evening, everyone,' he said briskly. 'I am sorry to disturb you at this late hour, but this could not wait. I received a letter today from someone and I think you should see it,' he added, handing Snape's letter to Harry.
Hermione watched as Harry took the letter and began to read. His face clouded over immediately and his eyes narrowed dangerously. She watched as Harry suddenly stood up and began pacing the room as he read. When he was finished, he looked at Rufus, disbelief etched on his face. He turned towards her and handed her the letter. Ron sidled up next to her so he too could read it.
'Is this some kind of joke?' she heard Harry ask Rufus as she quickly scanned the letter. She could feel her own sense of outrage grow as she neared the end.
'No joke, Harry,' the Minister replied. 'Whatever Snape is up to, the letter itself is genuine.'
Hermione looked at Harry. 'You're not seriously considering going to meet him, are you?' she asked.
Harry did not reply. Instead he was looking at his feet, deep in thought. Finally he nodded.
'Yes, I think I should. I should hear what he has to say, the greasy git.' He looked towards Rufus. 'What do you think? Is this a trap?'
'It could be, Harry, but neither I nor James think so. Snape is leaving himself wide open here, and the fact that he has not told Voldemort about you should at least make us consider this.'
'We don't know that he hasn't told Voldemort!' exclaimed Hermione. 'He could be just saying that. We can't possibly trust this man,' she added, panic creeping into her voice now. She could not bear the thought of Harry going to face Snape.
'Look at his postscript, Hermione,' replied Harry. 'How could Snape possible know about that? Voldemort would not have told him, so Dumbledore must have.'
'But he killed Dumbledore, and he will kill you too!' she screamed. 'This proves nothing. I will not allow this!'
Harry's eyes flared at this last statement and for a moment Hermione thought she had gone too far. Thankfully, she was interrupted by Rufus.
'We wondered about that,' said the old Auror. 'What is he talking about? A diary and a ring?'
The three friends shared a look. 'We can't tell you that, Minister,' replied Harry. 'It's part of what I must do and I swore an oath to Dumbledore that I would tell no one. I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you.' Rufus seemed to accept this with good grace. Harry turned to Hermione, but the rocket she was expecting did not materialise as he spoke to her gently.
'Don't you see, Hermione? I have to meet with him. I have no choice here - we are at a dead end at the moment and anything he can tell us could be useful. I have no idea what he is up to, but I must find out, one way or another.' He was almost pleading as he said this to her.
She considered his words for a moment before replying. 'OK, but I am coming with you.'
'Absolutely not,' he replied. 'You read the letter - he said to come alone. Besides, do you think I would be willing to place you in more danger?' he shook his head. 'No, I will not do that - I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you.' He held her gaze as he said this, his features proclaiming that he would brook no argument. Hermione almost sobbed.
'You selfish git!' she exclaimed, tears running down her face. 'Do you not think I don't feel the same? That I don't make myself sick with worry every time you go off on one of these things? How can you do this to me after what happened at the Shack?' she cried.
Harry did not know how to respond to that. He merely stood and stared at her, and his lack of reaction tipped the scales for Hermione who could not face this situation anymore. With a final sob she stormed out of the room, leaving an astonished Harry in her wake.
Harry made to go after her, but stopped himself. Instead, he turned to Rufus. 'Set this up,' he said, grimly, handing the letter back. 'Do what you have to do; just make sure that I make this meeting. Goodnight,' he added, before heading up to his room. As he passed Hermione's door, he considered knocking to see if she was alright, but couldn't summon the courage. Instead, with a sigh, he headed into his own room and back to bed. But not to sleep; not after that, he thought to himself.
*******
Thursday 7th August 1997
The next day Harry found himself at the table, casually picking away at his lunch. Ron had barely spoken to him today and was walking around Harry as if on eggshells. At the moment, he was in his room, staying well out of the way. Of Hermione there had been no sign - she had stayed in her room all morning and neither Harry nor Ron had felt compelled to go and see if she was alright. Harry knew Ron was staying well out of it; and as for himself? He was not brave enough to speak to her at the moment. He smiled to himself sourly. Voldemort; Death Eaters and even dragons he could handle - but not this.
He glanced up as a roar from the fireplace indicated that someone was Flooing in. Probably Rufus he thought.
Sure enough, a few seconds later, Rufus emerged and greeted Harry with a smile.
'Hello, Harry. Just thought I would pop in to let you know that the arrangements have been made for you tonight. I have arranged for a Portkey to take you there, so you are to Floo to my office for seven pm.' He glanced around. 'On your own, Harry?'
Harry just nodded, not in the mood for pleasantries. He did not even glance up when Rufus sat down across from him.
'You have to talk to her you know,' the older man said softly.
Harry looked up, an annoyed expression on his face. 'What's it got to do with you?' he asked bitterly.
Rufus merely smiled. 'Why, nothing of course. It's not for me to tell you how to live your life, Harry. I just thought you might benefit from a bit of experience, that's all. Merlin knows, at my age, experience is probably the only thing that I have left in my favour,' he added.
Harry did not respond to this remark, so Rufus ploughed on.
'I don't know exactly what is going on between you and Hermione, but even a blind man can see that you mean a great deal to each other. Don't let this fester, Harry. You are going into a dangerous situation tonight and I don't want you distracted. Besides, how do you think she would feel if something did happen to you and the last words she said to you were in anger? It would not have been easy for her when she though you were dead - she is just worried about you. Sometimes we have to make the first approach, Harry, even when we are in the right.' He smiled. 'I mean, I had to finally approach you in order to make peace, even though we both knew I was right all along.'
Harry looked up sharply at this but could see that Rufus was smiling broadly. Despite himself, he did so too.
'I know,' he finally replied. 'But I don't know what to say to her.'
'Don't worry about that, Harry. The words will come when you need them. Just go to her. She needs you.' He glanced at his watch. 'I must be going now; things to do, people to see.' He stood up to leave. 'Think about what I have said, Harry. These are not the times to be falling out with those we care for,' he added, before disappearing into the fireplace.
Harry sat and stared at the empty grate for a few moments, deciding what to do. Finally, with a sigh, he rose and headed towards Hermione's room.
*********
Hermione could not remember a time when she had felt so useless. True, when she had thought Harry was dead she had felt worse than at any point in her life, but this was different. When she thought Harry dead, she could not do anything about it. This time, she felt she should have some influence on events but Harry was proving to be too stubborn. The impotence she felt was what was driving her despair at the moment. And her anger.
She could not bear the thought of leaving her room and facing him today. Since storming out last night she had come to her room and spent most of the time in misery. At one point - just after she had thrown herself onto her bed - she had thought she had heard Harry outside her room about to enter. But instead, she had heard his footsteps disappear down the corridor. That was when she had started to get angry.
She could not believe how selfish he was being. Did he think he was the only one that worried about the safety of his friends? For the umpteenth time, she found herself beating her pillow in frustration. Only this time, she was interrupted by a soft rap on her door.
'Hermione?' came the familiar voice. 'It's me. Are you OK? Can I come in please? We need to talk.'
She considered refusing to open the door, but something in his voice compelled her to go to him. He sounded so lonely. She rose and opened the door, turning her back on him as she returned to her bed. When she finally summoned the will to face him, she saw him standing on the threshold, uncertainty etched all over his face. Finally, he strode into her room, quietly closing the door behind him.
'Mind if I sit down?' he asked tentatively.
'Go ahead,' she replied, sternly. She was determined not to break this time. She watched as he sat down heavily on a small chair by her bed, sighing as he did so. They sat in silence for some time, before Harry finally decided he had something to say.
'I'm sorry,' he began, 'I know this is not easy for you. But I hate fighting with you, Hermione, so I had to speak to you.' He paused at this, considering his next words. 'I have to see Snape tonight, Hermione. I know it could be a trap, but I can't ignore the possibility that he may have some important information for us. I understand why you don't want me to go, but I can't help that. So I am going to see what he has to say.' He looked her directly in the eye before continuing. 'I know that I am not the only one who worries about his friends - I know you do too and that it must have been awful when you thought I was dead. But everyone I care about seems to die because of me. My parents; Sirius; and now Dumbledore. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you. Can you understand that?'
She nodded. 'Yes, Harry, I can understand that. But you have to understand something too. You do not have to do everything yourself. I am here for you - so is Ron' she added, almost as an afterthought. 'It is selfish of you not to consider our feelings in this.'
Harry looked at his feet. 'I know, Hermione, it's just that sometimes I think I can only do what is the lesser of two evils. I would rather have you alive to mourn me than be killed because of me. Is that so difficult to understand?'
'Yes, Harry, sometimes it is. Do you not understand what you mean to me? I wanted to die too when I thought you were dead.' She was beginning to shout now, her frustration getting the better of her. 'You are not the only one who cares, Harry' she added bitterly.
Harry closed his eyes. 'I know,' he whispered, 'and I am sorry. Look, it's probably best if I just go. I didn't come here to fight with you. I just wanted to tell you I was sorry, and to make up with you. I hate it when we fight,' he added, as he rose and made for the door.
Hermione watched him go tears beginning to form at the thought of parting in anger. She did not want to part like this especially as she knew he was going into danger tonight. She remembered Ron's words from a couple of day ago. 'Voldemort will join SPEW before Harry decides to do something.'
'Wait!' she cried. She waited until Harry stopped moving, his hand paused in mid air as it reached for the door handle. 'Are you really going to leave me like this?' she beseeched him as she rose from her place on the bed.
She watched as he slowly turned to face her, an eyebrow raised questioningly. She licked her lips, suddenly more nervous than she had ever been at any point in her life.
'I love you,' she said, simply.
And in that moment the world shifted inside Harry and everything changed. A dam burst within him; a dam that had held back his need for so long.
Hermione, however, could not see this change within him as Harry simply stood there, seemingly unable to move. She felt a panic rise within her at the thought of his rejection. She'd had to tell him, but the thought of him leaving her now was too much to bear. She made to turn away from him as he stood rooted to the spot but was stopped by his soft words.
'Hermione?' he breathed, his tone one of disbelief and awe. She looked at him, willing the ground to open up and swallow her and save her from this embarrassment.
He stared at her intently. 'I love you too. I always have,' he said hoarsely, and her heart leapt with joy at the words, and suddenly there seemed to be so much light in the room. She watched as he took one uncertain step; then another; then - wonderfully - she was in his arms. His mouth lowered and found her lips turned up to meet the kiss. Her fingers were running through his hair, his presence enveloping her so that she knew nothing else but the feel of him; the scent of him; the all encompassing warmth of his passion and love. Voldemort; Horcruxes; the whole bloody world did not exist in that moment as she finally achieved her heart's desire and she surrendered herself to him.
After what seemed like an eternity their lips parted and they stood in each others arms both gasping for breath. She felt suddenly shy for a moment, but then he smiled; his beautiful smile; and everything was suddenly alright.
'Wow,' he said, struggling to keep his voice from cracking. He leaned forward to kiss her again. She opened her mouth to meet his and this time the collision was softer; their tongues gently exploring one another's mouths. Finally they parted again.
'I have wanted to do that for such a long time,' he said, amusement creeping into his voice. 'If I had known you felt this way, I would have picked a fight with you ages ago.'
Her face reddened, but not with embarrassment; more with the flush of pleasure at his words. She leaned into his chest and pressed him to her. She loved it here.
'I could stay here for ever,' she said, 'I don't ever want this moment to end.'
She could sense him smile at these words and was amazed at the sensation.
'Me neither,' he replied, 'but can I suggest we make ourselves more comfortable?' he asked, indicating with a nod towards the bed.
They subsided onto the mattress and she laid her head against his chest and for a long time not a word was spoken between them as he gently stroked her hair.
'You really would have left me?' she finally asked him. 'You would have walked out on me in bitterness and left to see Snape?'
He nodded. 'I was too afraid.'
'Of this?' she asked.
'Of this more than anything. I have denied it for so long, Hermione. I first started looking at you differently back in fourth year but I repressed it; crushed it utterly. You are my best friend - had I revealed my feelings and you rejected me, thing's could not have gone back to as they were. Even now a part of me is scared that this could destroy everything we ever had.'
'Never fear, love,' she said, the words thrilling her even as she spoke. 'Never fear that. I love you more than life itself, but it wasn't until I thought you were dead that I finally admitted that to myself. You must not be afraid of what we could lose; you cannot live your life like that. If you are not willing to risk the pain then you will never experience the joy. Of the two fates, not taking the risk seems to me to be the worst. Besides,' she added, 'I have no intention of letting anything happen to us. I have you now and I'm not letting go.'
She felt him move at these words as he shifted round in order to see her face. His eyes penetrated her and she felt almost helpless before him; losing herself in his gaze. Finally, he leaned forward, and once again she was lost in the thrill of his kiss.
*******
A few hours later, Harry Flooed over to Rufus' office, still in a state of complete amazement about what had happened that afternoon. He had never felt better in his entire life and could not believe the difference in him. Suddenly things did not seem quite so difficult anymore.
They had lain together for some time, alternating between chatting and snogging and Harry could not remember a better afternoon in his whole life. There had been much laughter as both of them had revealed how long they had denied each other and how silly they had been for not acting sooner. When they had finally decided to get up and prepare for Harry's rendezvous with Snape, Ron had caught on immediately.
'About bloody time too,' was his only salient comment on the matter.
When the time had come to depart, Hermione had held him fiercely, unwilling to let go.
'Stay safe. Come back to me,' she had whispered in his ear, and he had looked at her and nodded.
'I will. I promise. I have good reason to be careful now, don't I?' he had replied.
Now as he sat alone in Rufus' office waiting for the Minister to arrive, these memories warmed him and invigorated him.
After a few moments, Rufus entered and glanced over at Harry.
'Good evening, Harry. All set?'
Harry nodded, suddenly becoming very self-conscious under the older man's scrutiny.
'Good to see you have sorted thing's out with Hermione.' He noticed with amusement Harry's astonished expression and continued. 'Oh, come now, Harry. I was an Auror for over twenty five years. I was paid to notice things and some things are more noticeable than others. I'm pleased for you both,' he added with a smile.
Harry returned the smile. 'Thank you.'
'Now, to business, Harry. I have turned your ticket for tonight's event into a Portkey. It will bring you back here whenever you need it. To activate it, all you have to do is say "Godric." Do not hesitate to use it if you feel threatened at all. If you do - and I mean even slightly threatened - then get your arse out of there right away. Do not go anywhere alone with Snape - stay in full view of the other guests. I don't think he is foolish enough to try anything in public. Now, do you have your wand?'
Harry nodded.
'Good. Don't hesitate to use it if you need to. This time there will be no Ministry charges for the use of magic in front of Muggles.' He was smiling as he said this, memories of Harry's fifth year hearing in his mind. 'Stay alert at all times. Now are you ready?'
'As ready as I will ever be,' replied Harry.
'Excellent. One final thing,' said Rufus, as he quickly flourished his wand over Harry. To Harry's amazement, the plain clothes he was wearing was suddenly transformed into a black tuxedo and a black bow tie. He looked up at Rufus.
'Black tie affair, Harry. All the top nobs will be there tonight and we can't have you going looking like the janitor, can we?' Rufus asked with a smile.
Harry smiled in return then composed himself. He took a deep breath before gripping the ticket and saying:-
'Godric!'
***********
Harry was on edge as he wandered around the numerous paintings on display, but despite this he still found time to appreciate the artwork. On his arrival, he had been handed a glass of champagne by a very attractive waitress and had been shown through to the other guests. He actually recognised a few of them from the news - politicians; minor royals and some television celebrities. He felt more than a bit out of place but no one gainsaid his right to be there.
He had taken a careful look around the vast room but saw no faces that he recognised. He had not seen Snape either however, so deciding to blend in, he had ventured towards the first of the many seascapes that adorned the walls. He had to acknowledge; Turner could certainly paint. He decided he would like to come back here with Hermione in happier times, and the thought gave him a thrill of pleasure. This feeling was cut short abruptly however, by an all too familiar voice.
'Potter.'
Harry turned and came face to face with his former Professor - a man he had vowed to destroy. Struggling to maintain his composure, he tilted his head at the man who had done so much to make his life hell. He hardly recognised the man dressed as he was in the same garb as Harry. The greasy black hair and the same severe features remained however.
'Snape,' was his simple reply.
'Let us walk,' said Snape. 'There are many fine paintings on display - we should make use of the opportunity to view them. Turner is a particular favourite of mine.' He indicated with his arm that they should walk. Harry assented.
'So what do you have to tell me?' he asked stiffly. 'Why the need for all the subterfuge?'
Snape laughed bitterly. 'Because I am one of the most wanted men in our world, Potter, why else? There are some things that you need to be apprised of but I could hardly walk into the Ministry and demand to see you could I? A short walk to a long drop is what I would have earned for my efforts. Besides, you are supposed to be dead, remember?'
'I remember. And you deserve to be dead for what you did,' Harry replied.
'Ah! But that is one of the things you need to be made aware of, Potter,' replied Snape. He stopped his pacing and looked directly at Harry. 'I did not murder Albus,' he said.
The anger that Harry had been suppressing burst forth at this. 'How can you say that you snake!' he hissed. I saw you with my own eyes! I was there, remember? You killed him!'
Snape seemed entirely unfazed by this. 'Of course I killed him. But I did not murder him.' He ignored the confusion on Harry's face before continuing. 'Albus asked me to do it.'
'What? Do you expect me to believe that? Why would he do that?'
'I expect you to use your brain for once, Potter, instead of letting your emotions dominate your rationality. Too much to ask I think! Now just listen for a minute, while I explain.' He paused before continuing. 'You saw that Albus had damaged his hand?'
Harry nodded.
'Did you happen to discover what had caused this?'
'The ring?' asked Harry.
Snape nodded. 'When Albus destroyed the ring, he was struck by a powerful curse. Not the Horcrux; rather the curse was on the ring itself. He had overlooked the fact that the object could be evil even without the soul fragment. This, alas, was to his cost. We did what we could but we could not stop the process. A lesser man than Albus would have been killed instantly. As it was we could only delay the inevitable. He only had weeks to live the night he died.'
Harry looked sceptical. 'Why didn't he tell me this?'
'Need to know,' replied Snape with a shrug. 'You didn't need to know at the time. He would have told you before he died, but events overtook us. Believe me, I regret this very much. It would make my job a lot easier if he had told you.' He indicated that they should begin walking again as he said this and the two of them proceeded to the next painting.
'You will forgive me if I seem rather doubtful about this,' said Harry scornfully. 'You couldn't have planned this - the attack on the school took everyone by surprise. I never heard Albus ask you to kill him that night.'
'Actually, you did,' replied Snape, completely unperturbed by Harry's tone. 'What was the last thing he said to me?'
And Harry remembered. Severus, please. He had always assumed that the Headmaster was begging for his life, but now that he thought about it, the tone hadn't been quite right. It was more the tone of a man asking someone to do something they did not want to do. And Albus Dumbledore was not a man who would have begged - it was something that had actually been niggling away under the surface. He decided then that maybe, just maybe, Snape was telling the truth.
'When did he ask you then?' he asked flatly.
'When I informed him of Malfoy's mission. He did not want Draco to become a murderer and instructed me that if it came to the point that his death was likely, I was to perform the deed myself. He knew that by doing this I would save Draco and that it would dispel any doubts the Dark Lord had about my loyalties. Besides, I had taken an Unbreakable Vow with Draco's mother. I had to do it or I too would have died.' He gestured towards some chairs as he said this, and the two of them sat down facing one another.
'The attack when it came threw me completely,' continued Snape. 'I had no idea it was planned for that night. Had I not been summoned to help I would have been in no position to do what I did, and the chance would have been lost.'
'Chance?' exclaimed Harry. 'Chance? You mean the chance to kill the Headmaster?'
'Yes,' replied Snape, simply. 'You must understand this, Potter. Albus was dying. If Malfoy did not kill him that night then he would have been dead anyway within a few weeks. I was not happy about it but he pleaded with me. He asked me to make sure his death meant something, and I think we managed to do that. I now have the Dark Lord's ear, and Draco was saved from himself. His death was not in vain as it might very well have been. You must believe this, for if you do not he will have died for nothing.'
Harry was struggling to come to terms with this information. His heart was telling him that he should be blasting this man right now for what he had done. But he thought of Hermione at that moment and what she would say. He could almost hear her voice in the room.
Think, Harry, think! This is not a time for emotion. It all adds up - you know it does. The information all fits. Use your head this time, Harry - you will need your heart for later.
'Supposing I believe you,' began Harry, carefully. 'Supposing what you say is true. What do we do now? How can you help me?'
Snape looked surprised for the first time that evening. It was obvious to Harry that he did not expect to be believed.
'There are a number of things you need to know. Firstly, the Dark Lord is planning to attack Hogwarts and the Ministry as soon as the new school term starts. He is waiting until the students return so as to maximise the impact. By taking both locations simultaneously, he hopes to crush any resistance to his rule. He will lead the attack on Hogwarts in person. I do not know yet who will attack the Ministry.'
'Well, that is certainly worth knowing,' replied Harry. 'I will tell Rufus and I am sure that he will have both sites well guarded.'
'You are missing the point,' replied Snape. 'Ever simple, Potter; that has always been your problem.' Harry bristled at this but Snape ignored him. 'The attack will be our best chance to end the Dark Lord once and for all. The Ministry have no idea where he is and I am unable to reveal this information - I am not the secret keeper. But we know he will attack Hogwarts in person on September the first; we know he will be there and vulnerable to ambush. But no matter how many Aurors the Ministry employs, we still will not be able to kill the Dark Lord unless you complete your end. Never forget this.'
Harry did not reply. He knew he had a job to do but he had always thought he would have time to do it. Now Snape was telling him he had just over three weeks to accomplish his task if they were not to spurn an excellent opportunity. The task - which had always seemed difficult - now seemed impossible. Snape seemed to sense his doubts.
'Potter,' he said, not unkindly, 'we have just over three weeks. In that time we must destroy the four Horcruxes remaining. If we can…:-'
'Three,' interrupted Harry.
This stopped Snape for a moment. 'Three what?'
'Three Horcruxes. I destroyed the one in Slytherin's locket two days ago. There are only three left now.'
Snape's eyes glinted as he digested this information. 'You surprise me, Potter. Surprise and please me. This is a new experience for me.' Harry ignored the jibe. 'So we have three remaining?'
'Yes, but now I am at something of a dead end. I don't know where to look next.'
'Hogwarts,' said Snape. 'I am certain he has hidden something at Hogwarts.'
Harry looked up at him. 'I think so too - I have arranged with McGonagall to let me search - she doesn't know what for,' he added in response to the question he was sure Snape was about to ask. 'But even if I find and destroy whatever is there, I will still have to locate the other two and I have no idea about them.'
Snape considered this. 'The Headmaster believed that Nagini is one.'
'I know,' replied Harry, 'but I'm not convinced. I shall just have to trust Albus, I suppose.'
Snape nodded. 'I am glad to see you still have some of your wits about you. Yes, you must trust the judgement of the Headmaster. We have nothing else to go on. If it is worth anything, the Dark Lord rarely lets his snake out of his sight. He trusts only Wormtail to feed it, for the pathetic little creature is usually with Nagini. No one else is allowed to get too close.'
Harry nodded, accepting this information. 'That still leaves one Horcrux though.' He couldn't believe he was sitting here having this conversation with this man. A man Harry had wanted to hurt so much only a couple of months before. A man that Harry had hated for nearly seven years now. Snape seemed to read his thoughts.
'You must learn to put your personal feelings to one side, Potter. We may not be friends,' his mouth turned down in a sneer as he said this, 'but we share the same enemy. It must be sufficient for now.'
Harry suddenly remembered just how skilful a Legilimens this man was. He tried to shield his thoughts.
'Better,' said Snape. 'Now, have you given any thought to where else the Dark Lord may have hidden a Horcrux?'
'Of course I have. I have hardly thought about anything else all summer.' Harry was indignant.
'And?' enquired Snape archly.
'And nothing,' replied Harry. 'I have been trying to think of places that would be significant to him, but apart from Hogwarts, I cannot recall anywhere that would be personal to him. He has been a loner his entire life.'
Snape looked at Harry with a pitying look. 'Potter,' he began 'the night the Dark Lord regained his form, what exactly happened?'
Harry immediately looked guarded. He had only told Dumbledore and Sirius everything that had happened that night and was in no mood to share the information with Snape. 'Why do you want to know that?'
Snape sighed. 'Because the magic used to bring him back is some of the most complex and difficult magic known to man. Certain conditions would have to be met in order to achieve success. I need to know exactly what happened that night in order to confirm a suspicion that I have.'
Harry considered this. The memory was one he had tried to repress and he was not comfortable talking about this to anyone, never mind a man he despised. However, he was aware that for all his faults, Snape was a formidable wizard. He began to recount the tale.
He spoke for five minutes, only pausing when Snape pressed him for more details on certain incidents. He did not tell him of what happened in the circle after the wands linked though. That was for Harry alone and Snape did not - in his own words - 'need to know.'
When he was finished, Snape was silent for a few moments, deep in thought. 'It is as I thought,' he finally said.
'What is?' asked Harry.
'The potion that Voldemort used to revive himself. Bone of the Father, unknowingly given; flesh of the servant, willingly given; blood of the enemy, forcibly taken. I know of this potion. It is some of the oldest, darkest magic known to wizardkind; but it would not have worked if done the way you say it was done.'
Harry eyed Snape warily. He forgot sometimes just what a powerful wizard the man sitting in front of him was. And that he was a master of potions - one only had to consider the heavily annotated potions book of the Half Blood Prince to know that. 'Why not?' asked Harry. 'Why would it not have worked? It happened exactly as I said; I am not likely to forget such a night.'
'It would not have worked because the Dark Lord's father was a Muggle. This potion requires three ingredients, but it would be more accurate to call them essences - magical essences. The flesh of the servant and the blood of the enemy both came from wizards - they both contain an innate magic. However, his father was a Muggle; his bones would have no magical essence and so the potion should not have worked.'
'But it did work,' said Harry. 'You may have noticed that Voldemort is back? Tall chap? Looks like a snake? Bit of a temper on him?' he asked sarcastically.
Snape sighed deeply and closed his eyes. 'I knew that this would be beyond your feeble intellect, Potter. Of course I know the potion worked. The question to be answered is how it worked when one of the fundamental ingredients was missing. If you can stop acting like a simpleton for one moment, you might want to ask yourself what specific magical essence replaced the one missing from the bones of the father? Or do you not think such a detail to be important?' he added, the contempt plain in his voice.
This stopped Harry cold. He knew immediately what Snape was driving at. Could it really be this simple?
'You think he used a Horcrux?'
'Well done, Potter; you get there in the end. Yes. I think he used a Horcrux. The Riddle estate seems an obvious place for the Dark Lord to secrete a fragment of his soul. Whilst he would never call such a place home, it is the site that he revenged himself and his mother upon his Muggle father, and in doing so destroyed the link to his Muggle heritage. Thus does it become a potent symbol in his life. I suspect that the Horcrux is located in his father's grave - it may even be the grave. Well, the gravestone at the very least.'
'Why would you think that?'
'Because the ritual was performed outside at the graveside, that's why. You could have been discovered by any casual passer-by; and whilst I am sure that could have been dealt with, it was running an unnecessary risk. It should have been done inside the house, away from prying eyes. Which leads me to conclude that it was a necessary risk that drove the Dark Lord outside.'
Harry considered this theory, shocked at the implications. 'Does that mean that the Horcrux is destroyed? Its essence used up?'
'Ah! A sensible question! There may be hope for you yet, Potter. But no, I don't think that the Horcrux is destroyed. Once the ritual was over, the Dark Lord could have returned it from whence it came.'
Harry nodded. 'At least if gives us something to go on,' he said distractedly. 'I will certainly check this out.'
'Be careful when you do. Whilst the Dark Lord no longer uses the house, I suspect that it is not completely out of his thoughts. Tread warily.' With this last piece of advice, Snape stood. 'I have no further information or advice to offer you, Potter. You must not fail in this as we may never have a better chance.'
Harry stood also. He did not know what to say to this man. "Thank you" seemed inadequate and Harry suspected that Snape would have been contemptuous of such sentiments. 'Will I hear from you again?' he asked instead.
Snape seemed to consider this for a moment. 'Yes,' he replied. 'I will contact you when the plans for the attacks are finalised. Do not attempt to search for me before then. I am taking enough risks as it is.'
And with that he turned and strode off out of the room leaving Harry standing alone feeling more confused than he had ever done at any point in his life.