Authors Note: In this fan-fiction, Harry is in his 6th year, but it is completely AU in the sense that Voldemort was killed by Harry in his second year so now he just attends Hogwarts as usual. However, the relationship between Harry and Snape starts off as it is in the books. I hope you enjoy. I own none of the characters.
Once again, Harry found himself idling away the hours in Potions class by continuing to draw doodles in his animated flip-book. This one showed Buckbeak taking off and flying.
"You know, Harry. Those are pretty good," said Ron, seemingly very impressed, "I wished I could draw, but I never really got beyond the stick-man faze" Harry chuckled in reply, before bending his head down again to focus on his drawing, barely listening to the monotonous drawling of Snape in the background.
"Potter, would you mind telling me why you think it's necessary for you to do that in my lesson, this isn't art. You aren't at Muggle School any more, or did you forget that too? Forgetfulness appears to be a prominent trait in you," barked Snape, "for example, where is your homework?"
"I'm sorry, sir, I haven't had time to do it yet," replied Harry, (though truth was he had spent most of the evenings out, either at Hagrid's or at Hogsmeade)
"Well, your peers didn't appear to have any trouble with it, even Weasley managed to get his in on time, albeit a bit substandard"
"I said I was sorry, sir. It won't happen again" Harry replied trough gritted teeth, fuming silently.
As Harry walked out of potions class, he turned to face his friend, "I swear he has it in for me! Malfoy and Dean also didn't hand in their work, but did he have a go at them? No! He didn't. I give up some times, potions seems entirely pointless."
Ron simply nodded in an attempt to look as though he was listening.
"Anyway," Harry continued, "Do you want to go to Hogsmeade today?"
"Sorry Harry, I'm going to the library with Hermione, and I'm already late. I'll catch you later though, okay?"
Harry shrugged in reply. Since Ron and Hermione had become an item, they were becoming more and more distant. Spending time solely with each other, leaving Harry to feel very lonely.
"Well," He said to himself, "Looks like it's just me." Recently, life at Hogwarts had been getting increasingly more depressing; the workload wasn't getting any easier, Ron and Hermione were practically ignoring him and Snape kept on following him about like an oversized bat, searching for even the smallest thing that warranted punishment.
"Ah, Potter," Harry looked up, straight into the eyes of none other, than Snape himself.
"Speak of the devil," Harry muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" Queried Snape sharply, but without awaiting a reply he continued; "Oh, never mind. Professor Dumbledore wants to speak with you in his office. I suggest you go to him immediately."
Harry was rather taken aback, he hadn't been asked to see Dumbledore since he had defeated Voldemort in his second year at the school. Does this mean he had been expelled? Had Snape told him about his lack of concentration during potions class? It was difficult to say. He nodded towards Snape, merely as a civil gesture, before making his way to see Dumbledore.
"Come in, Harry," called out Dumbledore's gentle voice, even before Harry reached up his hand to knock on the door. He opened the door and stepped into Dumbledore's office.
"Hello sir," Harry said. He then rocked back and forth on his heels, feeling very nervous about what Dumbledore was going to tell him. He had an unnerving gut feeling that it wasn't going to be good news."
It seemed as though an age had passed before Dumbledore finally spoke;
"I need to ask you to do something for me, Harry. I feel as though you are more capable now. After you defeated Voldemort, I always knew that this task would fall to you, the question always was: when? Well, the time has now come. I have to say that it will be dangerous. It will test you to your limit, and it will mean leaving Hogwarts for the rest of this year. Should you choose to accept, however, you will not need to sit your exams for next year, instead you will automatically be granted a place in your final year at Hogwarts."
"Sir," Harry interjected, "This seems like a great opportunity," secretly, Harry couldn't think of anything better than getting away from Hogwarts for a while. Getting away from Hermione, Ron and Snape seemed like just what he needed,
"Now, now, dear boy. Whilst you may be eager to fulfil what is required of you, you know not what it is that you must do. I want you to travel to the south, where there lies a gateway to another world. It goes by the name of Feldmann's Arch. I don't suppose you have heard of it, have you?"
Slowly, Harry shook his head.
"Ah well," Dumbledore continued, completely unfazed, "When you find this gate, (we are unsure of its exact location,) it will lead you through to a place unlike here. To pass through it, you must separate your mind from your body. Not many people know exactly what happens after that, but all we do know, is that, in this "place" there lies a staff. This staff used to belong to me in my youth; I hold it dear to me. Voldemort took it from me when he attended Hogwarts and we only know now where the staff is (from extracting his memories). Hence; you have to travel through Feldmann's Arch to get it."
"Sir," Harry asked, "Why me?"
"Because you, my dear boy, can be trusted with such a matter. I notice you didn't ask what the staff is, or why I need it, and I respect you for that. I hope you understand that I can't tell you what it is for, or indeed what it does. Just that I request its return."
"Okay sir, I understand. When would you like me to leave?"
Dumbledore rested his bearded chin on his fingertips for a moment, before answering, "I would say a week would be ideal. You need time to say goodbye to your friends, and Professor Snape needs time to find a substitute."
"I'm sorry, Sir. But did you just say Professor Snape needs a substitute?" Harry asked, warily.
"Oh, did I forget to mention? Professor Snape will be accompanying you on this. You will need his expertise in the dark arts and potions. Now, I know you both don't see eye to eye, but it is just a necessity I am afraid."
Harry felt an empty pit forming inside him. He had to spend months on end, looking for something that wasn't meant to be found, with none other than his least favourite person in Hogwarts. Great.
"I trust you still want to do this, Harry?" asked Dumbledore,
"Yes, Professor," answered Harry, unwillingly, "of course I will, I shall begin preparing myself immediately."
With that Harry turned on his heel and walked out of the small room and headed towards the Gryffindor dormitory.
Thank you for reading, hopefully I'll get chapter 2 up tomorrow, if the story gets enough interest :) Also, I did some research and found that there is something called Feldmann's Arch, it's a website I think? But it was all in German, so I didn't know what it was. So, if anyone knows what it is in real life, could they please tell me? Seeing as I thought I made up the place names, it would be a bit embarassing if it was used in a real book somewhere. Thank you :)
Ooh, and another thing (my A/N will be bigger than the story one of these days) I changed the rating down to T because i don't think there will be any explicit material in any of the chapters, please do tell me, however, if you think the rating should be change back to M, thankyou!
To my readers: I love you all! xxx