An idea was inspired throughout a lovely friend of mine and dedicated for her - she knows who she is. After unable to search for such story and the group that wishes to read could not find such, it deserves to be written for those who loves a good Snarry.
I wish to thank my Beta for editing it and looking forward to work with her through the entire story.
Enjoy~
Three hearts were pumping through faster than anyone would have assumed and far faster than could be considered healthy. Three hearts, adrenaline and fear fueling them as they ran for their lives. Three hearts, belonging to the Golden Trio.
The red head grunted as a sharp pain ran up his leg, one foot still stuck in a shallow hole. The frizzy-haired witch slid to a stop and quickly spun around; her hand gripping his and yanking him up and along with her as if this was nothing. The raven-haired, Gryffindor golden boy glanced back and saw them, hand in hand and picking up their pace. He then turned back, faced ahead and the tightened his grip on his wand.
Sweat dripped heavily down their faces and breathing became labored.
Harry eyed his surroundings and maneuvered the group through the city to avoid confused glances from passing witches and wizards. The sound of an explosion shocked their ears- a ringing reverberating through their heads- but they kept running as fast as they could.
Hermione whipped her wand out from her sleeve, sending a non-verbal curse blindly towards the pursuing enemy, still managing to hit the black-clad man's arm. There was a low, loud grunt but the pursuing footsteps didn't falter.
Ron sent his own spell; a charm to create a further delay in the chase. Harry scanned everything in his view and saw a flash of dark blue in an abandoned building. His instinct screamed at him to go there, for what reason he didn't know but, lacking an instinctual sense of dread or suspicion, he decided that it was their best option.
Flicking his wand at the enemy, a strong lumos blasted from the tip. The burst of bright light was enough to stop their enemy to halt- temporarily blinded.
Hermione and Ron followed Harry as he raced toward the abandoned building. The door fell open with little prodding, and the inside appeared as empty as the outside had indicated it. It was chilly, they found, but rather welcoming for the gryffindors, who were desperate to cool off after their run.
Suddenly, there was a loud whoosh, followed by an even louder bang. The three spun around to see the door had slammed shut. Upon somewhat closer examination, they noticed that the sky, viewed from the windows, was pitch black where it had been midday only a few minutes before.
"It seems we were given a helping hand." Hermione nodded towards the windows. "We're not in the same city anymore. We need to find another door and get to our safe house."
"Find another door, huh? Let me guess, this is where we split up, sending each of us off on our own to run into who knows what evil, horrible monster that's lurking in the corners." Ron's eyes flickered suspiciously to said corners. "Seems like the perfect place to live if I were a spider. Especially if I were a gigantic, horrible, harry spider who-"
"Oh, really Ron." Hermione chastised. "We're far more likely to run into whoever was trying to kill us than a giant spider."
"Somehow I find that comforting." Ron replied.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Then split up. We have no time to waste- Voldemort and his followers are sure to be right behind us."
He walked off to the right side of the house, and his friends split off as well.
Their hearts, they noticed, were still racing- as if in an effort to leap out of their ribcages.
… … …
Wham!
A grunt escaped Harry's lips as his back and head slammed against the brick wall. He forced his green eyes open and saw the glimmering portal he had just been thrown from quickly snap shut.
"At least you're okay." A soft voice murmured, hoarse and tired.
Harry glanced up to see Hermione holding her shoulder tightly, blood smeared over her fingers and her gray sweater.
"You're hurt, Hermione. What happened?"
"I'm fine, Harry. I'll get myself a potion. Ron hasn't come through yet." A sigh issued from her chapped lips, as her eyes closed in a mix of worry and exhaustion.
"Speaking of which, what the hell type of portal is that? I mean it's hardly a safe house if we die trying to get through the door." He muttered, drawing a small laugh from Hermione.
He watched her as she retreated, cradling her arm delicately. He could see her fighting through the pain, trying to be brave.
They had only visited once before- the headmaster providing the address but failing to accompany them either last night nor the last.
A sudden wail startled Harry and he glanced up to see Ron flying across the room, his nose hitting the wall with a concerning crunch. He then fell backward, his eyes shut tight, as Harry quickly rushed over to him and checked him for any serious injury.
"Ron? Wake up, Ron. Can you hear me?"
The Weasely tossed his head from side to side, clearly irritated. "Bloody hell mate, let me breath for a sec, will you?"
Harry rolled his eyes and began to help him up. "Come on, I think Hermione is getting some healing potions for us."
He received a lazy nod in response. "'Mione… good, good. She got here first, did she?"
"Yes."
"All in one piece?"
"Mostly." Harry responded.
"I swear, what type of bloody door is this? Not much use for a safe house that tries to kill us every bloody-" Ron began, before being interrupted by Hermione as she burst back into the room.
"Honestly, Ronald. You do realize how many people are after us right now, don't you? We might only be in our sixth year, but with the prophecy and Harry being our best friend-"
"Yes, I asked the same thing, Ron." Harry cut in.
Hermione frowned deeply, tapping her foot in irritation- hands laden with healing potions.
Ron grinned "Oh please, 'Mione, you know you're right."
Hermione shook her head and poured a dark blue potion over her bleeding wound. Harry sat Ron down on a chair and gathered a couple of potions for both Ron and himself, placing Ron's in his outstretched hand and watched as it was quickly gulped down with a grimace.
"Excellent, I see you've all made it." The headmaster's gentle voice called from the doorway, gaining the attention of the trio. "Come, come, I brought a couple of people with me."
The Gryffindors groaned with effort as they stood and stretched, but hurried quickly after the elderly wizard, knowing he didn't intend to stay long. The headmaster, trailed by the three teens, walked into the living room where two men sat- glaring sharply at each other. Harry studied Severus Snape and Sirius Black from where he stood, somewhat confused as to why the headmaster would risk having such high-value targets together in the same place. He didn't wonder long, deciding he would most likely be told sooner or later (or quite probably not at all, in which case there was no use wondering). Instead, he helped himself a seat next to Ron and Hermione, who was still clutching her arm.
"I see you three managed to get here all in one piece." Albus pointedly ignored the grimaces he received from all three.
"Let's get right to it then. These two," Albus indicated to Sirius and Professor Snape, "Will be staying here. They'll provide you with whatever you will need until the time comes for you three, and Professor Snape of course, to return to Hogwarts for the fall semester."
Hermione frowned. "But what about my parents?"
"And my family?" Ron cut in.
"My relatives?" Harry asked, without really being concerned about them at all.
It was Snape who answered. "The Grangers' memories are wiped and the two of them relocated to be kept safe and under watch. There are charms in place to keep them away from dangerous areas."
He then turned to the red head. "Your family will be protected by a rather substantial ward that will prevent anyone with dark magic detected in their aura from getting within seven-hundred yards."
And finally, he faced Potter. "Yours have a watcher and your blood ward will continue to protect them until you come of age. They are," he paused, likely for effect, "Safe."
Harry crossed his arms, teeth gritted. "So first, we're chased by death eaters through the streets of London, then we're chased by someone else entirely, and then we go through some sort of front door from hell that seems bent on killing us. And to top it all off, you're telling us we don't get to go home for summer. What on earth are is going on?"
Sirius sighed, his face appearing overwhelmingly weary. "There was a vote in the Wizengamot. Apparently, someone brought forth an offer from you-know-who, basically saying that he'd stop his campaigns against wizarding villages," Everyone noticed that he made no promise towards muggles, "If the three of you were delivered to him- preferably dead."
Receiving blank stares, Sirius chose to continue. "The vote passed, if you couldn't guess by the number of lunatics who tried to kill you on your way here."
"Are they mad?" Ron yelled, standing up, his face red in outrage.
"Now, now, Mr. Weasley, people are confused and afraid. They're desperate to end the war, however they can. Their desperation is making them do crazy things."
Ron snorted, falling back down onto the chair with an outraged huff. "Well that's bloody brilliant. How are we supposed to get back to Hogwarts without anyone hexing our heads off? Or attend Hogwarts, for that matter?"
Albus folded his hands. "I will be make some arrangements. The hope is that, when school starts back up, the madness will have passed and perhaps people will see things more sensibly. For now, you three will stay inside, not stepping foot outside the safe house, nor sending out any traceable owls or magic in case they could trace either back to where you are."
Harry snorted. "Basically we're going into hiding, just like my parents did. Remind me, how well did that work for them?"
The godfather frowned, a chastising look on his face. "Your parents had no choice, Harry. They did it to keep you alive and-"
"And were killed because of a pathetic traitor." Harry cut in.
Sirius winced, as he did whenever "the traitor" was mentioned.
Severus glanced sideways, noticing the reaction but- surprisingly- staying quiet.
"Your parents were alone, left to protect you alone within their house. You three, on the other hand, have each other along with two very experienced wizards to protect you and help prepare you for the difficult road ahead." Albus smiled slightly. "You, Harry, can trust everyone here. You can trust all of us to keep you safe, and to keep each other safe."
Harry's eyes narrowed. "Not him," He spat, pointing at the greasy-haired professor, "How are we supposed to trust Snape after everything that's happened?"
Severus sat unflinchingly tall, not even sparing a glance towards Harry at his harsh words. Harry, in return, didn't spare him a glance either, instead choosing to keep his glare on the headmaster.
"I think it's quite the opposite, Harry- you should trust Snape because of everything that's happened." Albus dismissed, meeting Harry's glare with an even, calm look of his own. "Besides, I will check in regularly. And remember, this is all temporary. Try to make the best of this time you have together."
They watched, disbelieving, as the headmaster smiled at them with a peculiar twinkle in his eye before he turned, tapped his wand against the front door twice, and gracefully stepped through a much less violent portal than the one the trio had entered through.
Harry, grumbling, hopped off his seat and- barring anything else of interest- explored the cupboard to find something to eat. Sirius shook his head knowing exactly what the young man was looking for.
"Your tea isn't here yet. I haven't managed to get out and do the shopping- I just got here myself you know."
His only reply was a somewhat exaggerated groan.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you can wait, Harry. We should really find ourselves a room to sleep in."
Harry groaned again, before shutting the cupboard with a little more force than was strictly necessary, and leaving the room. Ron rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling quite uncomfortable.
"Don't mind him, Sirius, we had bit of a bad start leaving with all those mad ones after us." Ron muttered.
Sirius softly chuckled. "It's been a rough year for him. You-know-who's been after him with particular vengeance, and this last bit of news probably didn't help anything." Then he frowned, "But losing people is probably the most difficult thing for Harry, and that seemed to have happened a lot this year."
Hermione nodded her head in agreement. "Fifty-three people died this school year." Her brown eyes were shiny with tears that threatened to shed. "It's getting worse, Sirius."
"That's a part of war, Granger." Severus scoffed, "People die whether they're the ones fighting or if they're standing on the sidelines. War's an ugly thing." He moved out the room. "Mr. Potter did, for once, have a good idea- I believe I'd best find a place to sleep myself."
Hermione and Ron exchanged glances, knowing that this wasn't going to be an easy summer for anyone. Sirius, seeming to know exactly what the two of them were thinking, spoke up.
"Just leave Snape alone, kids. And I'm sure Harry will sort himself out when he gets his tea tomorrow. Still, I can't imagine being hunted down by people who fail to think about the reasons this war was started in the first place." Sirius shook his head.
Ron groaned. "It better be worth the hiding or Harry will never let us hear the end of it or- if by some chance he does get killed before all this ends- stop haunting us over it."
He paused, brow crinkled in thought. "Can you imagine Harry as a ghost? God, he'd be miserable to live with."
"Yes, Ron, keep thinking along this line. Seems like a truly productive use of your time. Meanwhile, I'll be getting the nicest room, while you'll get stuck in a broom closet." Hermione then dashed out of the room.
The first night at a hideout house wouldn't be easy, and neither would the rest of their summer. No one was thrilled with the situation, that was certain, but they would somehow make the best of it.