Discalimer: I don't own Harry Potter!

NOTE!: TELL ME IF THIS IS GOOD FOR YOUR REQUEST! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY TIMES I'VE HAD TO ERASE EVERYTHING AND START ALL OVER... TO TOP THAT OFF, MY COMPUTER COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN FOR A FEW DAYS! (I PROMISE THAT ISN'T AN EXCUSE FOR GETTING THIS OUT LATE...)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

May Lose Everything

Ministry of Magic: Office of the Mininster...

Albus Dumbledore was silently fuming as he was forced to sit through the latest Minister of Magic's daily, self-imposed obligation to inform him of more trivial events that had nothing to do with the present war tearing their world apart. Did the man before him not understand the vitality of where Albus decided to spend his precious time? He couldn't continue to leave Hogwarts unprotected and the students with no Headmaster, not this rapidly approaching school year. Especially now that he had a new array of worries to deal with...

"Pardon me, Griffin," Albus said shaking his head apologetically, "I am terribly sorry to cut our meeting so short, but my duties as Headmaster must come before any other. Hogwarts needs me. Minerva and I must finish preparing the students' letters. Simply write the rest of your report down. Fawkes will come retrieve it before tonight." He stood from his seat.

"But-" Minister Griffin Fiddlewood stammered as he stood up as well. He wasn't finished yet!

"I must be off!" Albus waved hurriedly. His blue eyes twinkled behind their half-moon spectacles as he left the Minister alone in his office...

Number 4 Privet Drive...

"Hedwig, welcome back," Harry Potter whispered as he ushered his beloved owl into the window of his tiny room. It was a step up from the cupboard beneath the stairs, but for some reason, he could not find a place in his heart to be grateful. Why would he be grateful in a room where he had to keep secrets? It was his bloody room now! The small space was no place for a growing teen and an owl. Hedwig barely got any freedom these days. Harry, however, could not bring himself to part with the bird no matter how many times he had tried. Hedwig was his only source of peace during his summer of solitude at Number Four Privet Drive.

Hedwig hooted with a gleeful nip at Harry's fingers as he closed the window behind her. She had been gone a long while this time, though she was just in time for his birthday. In a few short hours, Harry Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World, would turn seventeen. "Did you find him?" Harry asked hopefully as he examined the small halter attached to his friend's leg. His spirits fell immediately at the sight of his own handwriting upon the letter strapped to Hedwig. She gently rubbed her soft head against her master's in an attempt to comfort him. She only wished he could understand her, that she could tell him 'Everything will be all right' and have him believe her.

"We shall try again after you've had time to rest," Harry sighed as he tried to regain some of his usual cheer upon Hedwig's safe return. The task was not easy considering this had been the seventh time they had failed to track down a certain werewolf.

Remus Lupin had completely disappeared off the map, it seemed to Harry. With Sirius's name still smeared beyond repair until the end of the blasted war, the Animagi had had to continue moving from place to place in order to avoid capture. Not even Kingsley Shacklebolt had been able to call off all of his employees. A few of the darker Aurors were far too concerned with capturing the notorious criminal instead of believing him to be an innocent man. It was unnerving to think that control within the Ministry was so weak while Harry, despite missing Sirius so much it nearly hurt, would not endanger his godfather's life any more than he had already. The stubborn son of a Black should have never come to help Harry in his third and fifth year. The bloody veil had nearly stolen the Animagi away from Harry forever! Of course Harry blamed himself, who else could be at fault? He had been the one to interpret Voldemort's vision. He had been the one to lead his closest friends into a hopeless battle against Death Eaters.

And for what? A broken prophecy that was the supposed 'cause' of all of his problems...

Harry placed fresh water and food into Hedwig's cage before removing the holster from her leg. He allowed her to gather her strength and rest. She would be flying again in a few days and the Boy-Who-Lived needed to get into contact with Remus as soon as he could.

Little did Harry know that his problems were just beginning...

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Office of the Potions Master...

Severus Snape sighed tiredly as he stared down at his most recent set of orders from the Headmaster, reading them once again before carelessy tossing them onto his crowded desk. He rested his head in his hands as his mind began to race, his temper beginning to bubble. Why was Albus always asking so much of him? Did the old fool not understand how much scrutiny Severus received in the Dark Lord's inner circle? Of course not, Albus Dumbledore was above the laws. He was above doing all of the dirty work, so why not ask Severus to do it instead? Severus was growing tired of the Headmaster's game of ordering him to jump, to stick out his neck even farther than it already was.

This time, Severus would not be asking 'How high?' He would be making his own rules this year, and Albus would not be above them.

The tired Potions Master reached down into his robes and pulled free a magnificent silver chain that hung from his neck. Held onto the chain by a delicate clasp and a thin web of chain was a rare Dragonstone known as the Emerald Onyx. The deep, forrest-green stone grew warm as Severus held it in his palm and allowed his magical core to awaken the stone. He closed his eyes and allowed the warmth to envelope him, immediately calming him down.

After a few deep breaths, Severus steeled himself back into his usual, snarky demeanor. Albus was expecting him in a meeting in just five minutes...