Chapter one- the note
"Harry! Harry!" The pounding of footsteps toward his room shook Harry Potter awake. When Hermione Granger ran into his room, she was met with the tip of his wand. "Ha-" she stopped short, eyes wide, as Harry hastily lowered his wand. "You should know not to surprise me like that" he reprimanded her. "Yes, yes, I know. But you need to come downstairs immediately." Her words tumbled over each other in an attempt to get out all at once. "Alright, Hermione I'll be right down." She ran out the door and Harry followed after pulling on his clothes.
Voices came from the kitchen, and Harry crept closer, wanting to hear. "Can't tell him.." and "He's a grown man, seventeen. He deserves to know." The last, spoken by Sirius, made Harry smile. Pushing open the doors suddenly, he was met with the sight of Sirius, Remus, Hermione, and Dumbledore. A sudden cough made Harry aware of Alastor- mad eye- Moody sitting in the corner. "Put that wand away Potter." Moody growled. "Alastor." Sirius said "Give the boy a break. I don't blame him, Miss Granger pounded into his room this morning." Hermione flushed pink. Remus chuckled and Sirius pulled Harry into a hug. "Harry, I'm sure you're quite surprised." Sirius said, holding Harry back to look at him. "Uh, okay." Harry deadpanned. "Harry. I'm sorry to get you up so early, but a letter came for you" Dumbledore said. "Ah, okay, where is it?" Harry asked. Dumbledore pulled an envelope out of his cloak and offered it to the young man. Harry took it, and, opening it, read:
"Dumbledore and Potter,
I beg your assistance.
I cannot remain hidden
Anymore without protection."
There was a blank space, then "Please."
"That's…Snape's handwriting." Harry said, puzzled. "Yes, it is" Dumbledore said. There was a stunned silence, then
"Why does he want MY help?" Harry demanded, his emotions swirling within him.
"Because, Harry, as much as I dislike it, he trusts you, and he is on our side. That's why he needs you." Remus explained patiently, in that 'teacher voice'.
Harry just stared at him, then suddenly said "Fine, let me grab my cloak and we'll leave." He left the room, and once again there was stunned silence. But Harry never did anything by the book, and he wasn't about to start now.
Harry jumped the last few steps, and walked back to the kitchen. His reasons were his own, and he didn't have any need to share them. As he walked into the room, Harry inwardly sighed. "Goodbye Sirius, Remus, Hermione, and Mad-Eye." He said, hugging each person in turn. "I'll be back soon. Don't worry." Dumbledore had the familiar twinkle in his bright blue eyes. "You go, Harry" Dumbledore said. "It's less obvious." Harry nodded silently, and, swinging his invisibility cloak over his head, dissaperated.
"Potter, what do you think you're doing?" Severus Snape's voice hissed from the back of the cave Harry had just apparated into. "Saving you" Harry replied. There was a silence in which Harry cast lumos, and a glow was cast over the cave. "Potter, you shouldn't be here." Snape insisted. Harry rolled his eyes "you asked for my help. Now I'm saving you. Get over it." Snape laughed "you actually listened?" "Yes." Harry said simply. Then, wonder of wonders, Snape said "thank you." A smile seemed to be tugging at his lips. Harry allowed himself a brief nod, before pulling out some food and handing it to Severus. "You look starved." Snape blinked at the offer, before accepting cautiously. "I didn't poison it. Eat up" the man tore a piece of bread from the still warm loaf, and ate it. "See, it won't kill you." At the word kill, Snape flinched. Harry did too "sorry. My mistake." Harry said in a low voice. It was Snape's turn to nod. "we had better get going" Harry said after a moment. Snape nodded again, as Harry handed him his cloak. "Why are you giving me this blasted thing?" he asked. "It's worse if somebody sees you than if they see me. You have all of Voldemort's living followers trying to hunt you down." Harry explained. "And you? You're the boy who lived." Snape pointed out. Harry rose to his full height, holding up his wand. "I can take care of myself, Severus." Severus stared at Harry in surprise. The boy, Potter, actually looked…dangerous. Damn him for being so much like Lily. Damn.
Harry watched Severus put on Harry's invisibility cloak. As Snape disappeared, his voice came from where his head had previously been. "Potter, why are you doing this?" Severus had a curious look on his face, though Harry couldn't see it from his view of the cloak. "Because I'm the only one who can." Harry said calmly.
"Or is stupid enough to try." An unmistakable voice came from the ground, feeling as though it penetrated their very skulls. Harry's scar burned. The hissing continued long after the voice stopped. "Damn it" Harry muttered. He motioned for Severus to leave, but, though Harry was an accomplished occlumens, Snape's answer was clear in his mind. "And leave you to fight him alone? No!" Harry's eyes flashed with the red light of the spells he cast as the two death eaters appeared. They fell to the ground, unconscious, but alive. Harry wouldn't stoop to their levels. Taking their wands so they couldn't apparate, Harry did just that, making sure Snape followed.
"You made it! Oh we were so worried about you! There's talk from the order that you-know-who and the death eaters were looking for you" "aren't they always?" Harry said tiredly. He could have sworn that a small smile was threatening to appear on Severus's face, but that couldn't be. Severus Snape was a bloody git whom Harry had to many bad encounters with.