This is a story I just thought up, like, last night and I had a sudden urge to write down. If it's all weird, I'm very sorry. If I've messed up Snape and Dumbledore and made them so out of character that you can't stand it, I am truly sorry. But could you read it anyways? If you hate it, feel free to submit a review saying that, I don't really care, in fact I like it, it helps me. So PLEASE!!! review! And none of these characters belong to me except Maleera and Igna. Happy reading!

Crumbling

Maleera added a sprinkle of finely ground beetle eyes into her simmering cauldron, grinning in delight as it turned the light lime green it was supposed to. Behind her she heard the swish of robes and heard the deadly soft voice of the potions master, Severus Snape. She bowed her head, slightly in respect as he spoke.

"Ah, our first potion has been finished." He lifted a ladle out of the folds of his robes and took some of the potion, carefully inspecting it, " It had been finished very well, too, I might add. 5... 5 points... to Gryffindor."

Though the last words had sounded like they were poison in Snape's throat, Maleera blushed, glad that the dim torches of the cold dungeon room hid it. Maleera knew that everyone else thought that Snape would as soon make Harry Potter his favorite student then give Gryffindor points. Maleera had to smile at the thought, in a way, Harry was one of Snape's favorite students, in a way.

Suddenly the bell rung, everyone leapt out of their seats and scrambled to take a flask full of their potion up to the desk. Maleera motioned to do the same, but Snape took the flask out of her hands and said, "There is no need, you already have full marks."

"Thank you, sir." Maleera said.

She swung her bag over her shoulders and made for the door, and was almost run over by a very angry looking sixth year. Maleera recognized her as Igna Penmen, she was a Gryffindor, too, though Maleera found her pretty cowardly and arrogant. Igna grabbed Maleera's arm viciously and marched the bewildered girl up to Snape.

"Miss Penmen, how dare you drag students around wherever you please. Let Maleera go!" Snape ordered Igna.

"You no longer have the right to make orders around here, Snape," Igna sneered, "And this girl"-she gave Maleera a vigorous shake- "no longer has the right to march around the school acting like your little pet! Professor Dumbledore wants to see both of you NOW!!"

"What says you have the right to make to decisions of who has rights around here?" Snape growled, "Very well, we'll go see Dumbledore. And let go of Maleera!"

Igna hissed under her breath, but let go of Maleera. Then, without a word, turned around and marched out of the dungeon. The bewildered professor and student followed.

On the journey to Dumbledore's office Snape thought about what could possibly make am ignorant Gryffindor so infuriatingly mad at both Maleera and himself. Was it because he was fond of Maleera? What difference should that make to Dumbledore? He knew that Maleera treated his with a kind of respect that none of the other students did. It was like she knew something that he kept deep in his heart, but she never spoke of it, it was as precious to her as it was to him. She also reminded her of someone... Maleera, a first year student who seemed to know so much of the magical world. Of course, she did have an advantage. She had read the Harry Potter books, and brought them to the school for all to read. Most wizards and witched didn't have access to the books, so when Maleera had let them read all of them, well the ones that were out, 1-5, she was suddenly famous. Harry Potter, at the moment, was a third year, and his destiny was being spilled throughout the wizarding world.

Igna, Maleera, and Snape were stopped outside the large gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office, "Sugar Quills." Igna said, the gargoyle sprang to life. The three climbed up the spiraling stairs and into Dumbledore's circular office.

"Ah, Igna. I have been... eagerly awaiting to hear what has... made you so infuriated."

Igna seemed to shake in rage, "Him and Her!!" she hissed.

"What about them?" Dumbledore seemed quite calm.

"They've been lying!! This whole time!"

"About what?"

"EVERYTHING!"

"So, what specifically?"

"He's really a death eater!" Igna claimed loudly, "and he's planning to kill you!"

Snape raised an eyebrow, but Maleera gave a start.

"Where is there evidence in this?" Dumbledore asked, looking quite bored.

"IN THIS!!!" Igna screamed and drew a book out of her bag. It was a mixture of dark and light greens with two people staring into a basin on the front.

Maleera suddenly screamed, "HOW DARE YOU!!!"

"How dare you!" Igna seethed.

"How dare what?" Snape asked.

"How dare you steal my book!!" Maleera cried.

Igna waved it around, "How dare you keep such a secret from the world! You're just covering up for him, Death Eater's pet!"

"How does this book give any evidence of Professor Snape being a Death Eater?" Dumbledore asked.

Igna shoved it in his face, "There are more then 5 Harry Potter books out! There are 6! This is the sixth one, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!"

It was Snape's turn to start.

Dumbledore looked up at Maleera, "Have you really been hiding this from everyone?"

"Yes, sir." Maleera muttered, looking at the floor.

"May I ask why?" the headmaster probed gently.

"Because... I just wanted to protect people's secrets."

Dumbledore placed his finger tips to together and surveyed Maleera with his brilliant, blue eyes, "Igna, leave us, please."

The sixth year looked up and began to protests ,but Dumbledore cut her off, "Now."

She walked out the door, shoulders slumped.

Snape was watching Maleera with a strange look in his eyes, Dumbledore was looking at her expectantly.

Maleera sighed and stepped up to the desk to take her book. She quickly snatched the Half-Blood prince up and began to stroke it.

"Is it true?" Dumbledore asked quietly, "Does Severus really kill me?"

Maleera's eyes were flashing, she opened the book to one of the last chapters, chapter 27. She read from the top of page 594, her voice began to crack as she got to the bottom of the next page, with one last breath she finished the chapter "... like a great rag doll, over the battlements and out of sight."

Maleera looked up at the two men.

Dumbledore sighed, Snape had a pleading look on his face.

"I really thought I could trust you." Dumbledore told Snape, "I really did."

"But I... I..." Snape stuttered.

"Go back to your master, Severus, I was wrong, you don't love her as much as you said."

"I... I..." Snape looked devastated.

"He does!" Maleera's voice rang out, "he does, more then you'd ever know!"

"Maleera, be quiet," Dumbledore looked defeated, "you have no idea what we're talking about."

"But I do!" Maleera shot back, "I do."

Snape turned to look at her.

"The... the Harry Potter series, it... it is complete, there are seven books."

The girl pulled a locket out of her robes, took out her wand, and muttered a spell. Quickly the heart shaped locket began to change, it grew bigger and rectangular until there was a big orange and brown book in her hands. She showed it to the two professors.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Snape read.

"A secret transfiguring spell!" Dumbledore looked impressed, "that is very, very advanced magic."

"Shall I read the destiny of the battle against Voldemort to you?" Maleera whispered.

"Tempting... very tempting." Dumbledore mused, "Severus?"

"Read... read number six.. to us, first." Snape said.

Maleera opened the Half-Blood Prince to page one, "Very well."