Hidden Things Harry becomes involved in a dangerous spell that reveals the frightening truth about Snape and could also give Voldemort his chance to kill him. Alternate Universe - Sixth Year.
Saturday Spiral
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A week and a half seemed to fly by, what with all the studying they were being forced to do. Each and every afternoon after class was spent in the library searching for the instructions on how to make Harry's O.W.L. retake potion, which was no easy task apparently. It was now Saturday and they were still searching. After having glanced through just about every book on poisons, herbs and medicines he had finally given in and approached Madam Pince for the location of what he needed. As it turned out she knew exactly where to find that information and told him it was available in the restricted section.
Upon reflection now, Harry decided it was rather thick of him to have expected any more help from her. He had stood there at the desk waiting for her to lead him back there to get it. After a few minutes of this Madam Pince had given him a very stern look and a promise he wouldn't get that book without written permission from the Potions Master himself. Harry had turned on his heel then, muttering, Leave it to Snape to make me run around in circles, as he motioned his friends on to accompany him to the dungeon, which was where they were heading just now.
The dungeon was empty of their Potions teacher, so they had decided on asking someone else when they found him on the first floor, exiting the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom rapidly. He scowled when it became apparent that he was the target of their interest. Harry stepped in front of him there in the hall, determined to get this over with as quickly as possible. "Professor, could I get a written permission slip to check out a book of antidotes from the restricted section in the library? It's for my O.W.L. potion." He tried to make his voice sound as neutral as possible.
For a moment he considered Snape wouldn't do it, for his eyes black sparkled with more contempt now than before he had asked. "I understand you have much to worry about," he responded with a deceptively easy tone, nodding almost too reasonably. "Your school work must seem impossibly difficult this year, especially considering your lack of intellect. So much pressure on poor little Harry Potter."
"Yes, sir, loads of pressure," Harry replied in a low, tested tone.
Snape's lips curled into a sneer. "Tut tut, Potter. Remember to whom you are speaking. Still, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised it took you this long to figure out where the information you needed was. After all it is you I am dealing with." He reached into his billowy robe and removed a small piece of parchment, thrusting it at him. Apparently he had been waiting all along for this moment. "I trust you will have your potion complete by the deadline?"
Harry nodded with a forced calm. "Before the deadline, sir." He turned and rolled his eyes at his friends, who followed him away from Snape quickly.
"I hope Peeves has another go at him," Ron commented, elbowing Harry with a snort. Harry could think of very little Snape deserved more. "Now there's a pair that deserve each other, except for Peeves and Umbridge, of course. Dunno who really deserves Peeves worse, actually."
"Yeah," Harry hissed, still smarting from having to deal with all this on a beautiful Saturday, when he could be practicing Quidditch with Ron or something else that was, key word, relaxing. Snape, Malfoy, Voldemort. Their faces taunted his thoughts.
Hermione had taken to responding to these little outbursts head on, trying to keep him focused on what was important, and she did not fail this time. "Don't let things bother you so much, Harry. You've had that same severe look on your face ever since we picked you up and-"
"And you're gonna end up like Snape himself," Ron interrupted with a playful shiver, mirroring Harry's pensive expression, then wiped it off his face when his friend didn't laugh. "Just playing."
Frowning at having been interrupted, Hermoine continued, "If you don't loosen up you're going to explode at someone and I'd rather it not be either of us or someone that could get you into trouble. That's what Snape wants, anyway. Youre going to allow him to goad you into a trap."
Annoyed, Harry was half tempted to give her a look, but internally he had to concede that she was right. He didn't want to repeat the beginning of last year and be at odds with everyone he loved. "Sorry," he murmured, giving her an apologetic gaze. "I guess you're right. I knowyoure right.
Her sympathetic little smile made him feel a little guilty. "Of course I'm right. What do you say we go visit Hagrid before picking up that book? He's been let out of the Hospital Wing today. I saw him heading towards his hut earlier.
That bit of news brightened his outlook a bit. Work had kept him from visiting the Hospital Wing too often. He nodded eagerly and the three of them tore out of the castle quickly, heading for the courtyard and on out onto the grounds. The day was sunny and warm, the kind of day you could forget your troubles in. They rushed up to Hagrid's to find him eyeballing the pumpkin patch with a speculative stare. "Oh, hello. I was wonderin' if you three would be up fer a visit today. All righ', Harry?" he asked.
Harry nodded and looked his large friend over. "What about you? We've been wondering when you would be back."
"We thought it would be a bit sooner," Ron added thoughtfully.
Hagrid went pink and Harry privately guessed what might be on his mind. "Well, apparen'ly, I ain't as young as I used ter be. An' then there's Madam Pomfrey ter consider. She's one as won't let ye outta 'er sight 'til she's good an' sure yer healed up. An'...well, that's about it, ter tell ye the truth."
The half-giant's reaction seemed a bit too suspicious for that to be all there was to it and Hermione had a very sly smile on her face besides. Ron caught Harry's eye and he shook his head almost imperceptibly, warning him not to ask right now. Ron left it alone and turned back to their friend quickly. "Well, as long as you're feeling better then that's what's important, right?"
"Er, yeah," Hagrid agreed with a somewhat relieved expression.
Hopping up on the fence around the pumpkins to sit, Ron then asked a question that made the large gamekeeper forget the troubles he had acquired from the Death Eater attack. "So, any updates on Grawp?" Harry had assumed that Professor Dumbledore would not allow Hagrid to keep his giant half-brother on the school grounds, which was why he was surprised to see his friend beaming happily.
"Oh, if only ye could see 'im," he gushed, gazing at the Forbidden Forest with a fondness that startled the three students, for it could only mean that the giant was within, so perilously close to the school. Hagrid grinned, mistaking their wide eyes for eagerness. "But ye can' and that's that. There'll be no wanderin' off school grounds this year. Too dangerous. Way too dangerous. But Grawpy's doin' so well! 'e don't hardly rough me up no more, not seriously that is. An' 'e asks about ye, Hermione. I reckon 'e's gone and got himself a crush, but ye don' have ter pay it any mind. Yer still a bit young an' all."
Ron was fighting to keep a straight face, which threatened Harry's composure as well. Her eyes were a bit wild and her lips quivered into a small smile. "Really, now? Imagine that. I'm, um...flattered?"
Hagrid grinned at her. "Yeah, I told him ye would be, but that he wasn't ter try comin' ter see ye or nothin' what would get ye inter trouble. An' 'e understands this isn' really the time fer romance an' that. Maybe when yer both a bit more grown up, eh?" His large hand clapped her on the shoulder as she gave a nervous laugh that sounded to Harry more like a squeak. Privately Harry wondered if Hagrid wasnt just trying to tease Hermione, but with him and dangerous creaturse one could never be certain. "Anyways, I thought ter get ol' Remus down here ter help me teach 'im some better manners, but I reckon 'e needs a bit of time after that vampire. Creepy lot, them."
The three of them looked at each other in surprise. They had not been able to get anything out of their Defense teacher about where he had gone at the end of summer. Harry cocked his head and looked up at Hagrid casually. "Yeah, that sure was something. Er, where was it he met that vampire again?"
His large friend leaned over conspiringly. "Well, ye see when that vampire sent Dumbledore that letter..." The three hung on his every word, a signal that the half-giant had seen far too many times to miss. Hagrid put his hands on his hips, glancing between them. "Now I don' s'pose Remus already told you this story, now did 'e?"
Harry fidgeted a little guiltily. "Well, now that you mention it, he didn't exactly tell me. You, Ron?" His best friend shook his head.
"That's a bit sneaky of ye ter try an' trick me like that, Harry," Hagrid chided.
He fidgeted as Hagrid peered down, eyebrow raised. "I'm sorry, Hagrid. It's just no one tells us anything. We're your friends too, and Professor Lupin's. We worry about you just as much as anyone else, you know. We just want to know what's happening with you when you go on these missions."
The half-giant nodded knowingly. "I s'pose yer right, at that. I'm sure Lupin an' Dumbledore too, fer that matter, just don' want ye ter worry 'bout things that ain't yers ter worry over, 's all. Understand, Harry, when yer fightin' someone like You-Know-Who there's gonna be risks all the time. Now don't you go tellin' Professor Lupin I told ye, but see this vampire sent Dumbledore a letter this summer askin' fer somethin' in exchange fer some information on You-Know-Who's activities with 'is kind. Dumbledore thought Lupin was the best one fer the job, seein' as how 'e knew the country an' knew how ter deal with vampires. So 'e went an' that was that."
"Was it dangerous at all?" Harry pressed, imagining his friend wandering through dark streets, wand at the ready and garlic in his pocket.
Hagrid shrugged. "Not as dangerous as ye might be thinkin', but neither is it a good idea ter go messin' around with the older ones. They like their privacy. 'Specially now, what with You-Know-Who on the loose. Now I want ye ter promise me ye won' go tellin' anyone, all right? Won' help ye none ter do it, an' it might make 'im mad at both of us fer no good reason."
"We promise," Hermione assured him with a sincerity that settled the matter for not just her, but the boys as well. "Thank you for putting your trust in us." Harry looked at her gratefully for knowing what to say to smooth things over. Their large friend smiled after that, all forgotten. She turned to Harry. "We should be going. You've got that potion to worry about. Who knows how long it will take to brew."
"Goin' already, are ye?" Hagrid sighed, glancing towards the castle. "Shame ter miss such a pretty day."
Harry groaned in resignation, but nodded, knowing if he failed Potions because he wanted to enjoy a pretty day he would never forgive himself. "I have a potion for Snape due soon, so I want to make sure he doesn't send Malfoy or someone to check out the book I need. Thanks, Hagrid, for telling us what you did. We won't say a word."
Ron hopped down from the fence and grinned at Hagrid. "And say hello to Grawp for us, all right?" He nudged Harry as they began towards the castle. "Especially for Hermy, huh?"
"Hush up," she ordered, but Harry saw her nervously shoot a glance towards the Forbidden Forest.
"Hey, uh, you guys, what was Hagrid trying to hide anyway? About his stay with Madam Pomfrey? He was acting a bit strange and you two were trying not to laugh, so..." he trailed off as he hopped over a stray rock on the ground. He turned to walk backwards so he could see both of them. Picking up the rear, Harry kicked at the same rock and smirked, waiting for Hermione to explain to Ron what had been funny back there.
She looked at Ron with a completely straight face. "Oh, that. When Harry and Professor Snape were helping him up towards the castle that first night he sort of lost his balance and sat back onto a Gooseberry bush." The corners of her lips twitched as Ron raised his eyebrows. "They're sort of spiny, you know?"
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That night, after starting his potion for his O.W.L. up in the dorms and leaving it, Harry and his friends stole away into the night to the secret passage where the potion for the Blood Trance was waiting, finished by now. Narrowly avoiding Professor McGonagall, the three of them ducked through the halls on the third floor, coming to the statue of the humpbacked witch and entering the pass together. Everything was as it should be. Harry knelt down by the cauldron, noticing the charm he had cast had doused the heat beneath it at the appropriate time. The liquid inside was a bubbling, deep, bloody color which made him swallow back the sudden urge to gag.
Hermione held up a good sized glass flask, uncorking it so it could be filled and holding it out. Harry lifted the ladle out of the thick mixture and spooned some in, watching as it ran like syrup into the container. Ron made a face as he watched. "That's disgusting!"
After a moment the flask was full, leaving a bit in the bottom of the cauldron that seemed to dare Harry to taste it. He licked his lips and sniffed the potion, pulling away immediately. It smelled sharp and metallic like. But there was no going back. "Well, I suppose it's now or never," he said, almost wishing it would be never.
"You're going to try and see Sirius, aren't you?" she asked quietly, watching his face and no doubt cataloguing the flicker of emotion he hadn't wanted to let pass. He nodded without saying anything. "All right. I think I've worked out a few incantations, but this first try I want you to just say his name. Swallow and say Ostendo Sirius, then wait. Concentrate on him as your Godfather and we'll see where that leads you. This may require a bit of fine tuning though, so don't be discouraged if it doesn't work right the first time."
"Right." Harry held up the spoon he had used to catch his blood the previous night, his eyes following it into the cauldron as it dipped into the potion. He felt nervous, almost afraid of it working and showing him something he did not want to see, or it not working and him wondering forever. But he knew he had to see this through after all the trouble they had gone to. He lifted the spoon to his mouth, held his nose and gulped it all down at once. It tasted as bad as it smelled, causing him to twist his face into a grimace. He managed to look at Hermione for confirmation that the small swallow was enough for the trance to work. Mercifully, she nodded.
The effect was gradual. First his body started to feel awkward, as if he were off balance. Harry lifted his arm to look at his hand curiously, watching as it blurred before his eyes. And then quite suddenly the passage began to spin, his friends along with it. He started to lose track of where he was and what he was doing. Sirius, he had to remind himself, but then groped once more for a purpose that seemed to slip through his fingers. "Harry?" Ron prodded at him, sounding very far away.
Harry became aware of hands on his shoulders, but try as he might, he just couldn't answer his friend or speak at all for that matter. He felt he would retch and closed a hand over his mouth to prevent it. His eyelids drooped shut without any effort, obscuring his surroundings before he understood what was going on, making him feel afraid and blind. It felt like a disorienting nightmare that was dragging him helplessly down into its depths.
"I can't...I can't," he groaned raggedly, or was it merely his own mind calling out for help? He could no longer tell the difference between real and unreal as images floated through his thoughts. The floor was gone to these new eyes, replaced by the stars, making him feel light and sick. The much too bright halls of Hogwarts bled into the disheveled rooms of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, then back again. He saw a shadow move around a corner and wanted to chase after it, but felt so nauseated that he couldn't get up to follow. "Sirius?" he whispered, then groaned as a wave of dizziness swept his concentration away. Everything melted and whirled.
Reality teased at his senses. He could feel arms around him and his legs moving, could hear Hermione whispering something about a map, but he wasn't able to pull himself together enough to understand fully what was going on. His limbs felt impossibly heavy and clumsy, and his mind was fuzzy, but he forced his eyes open, trying to break out of the trance state. "We have to get him to the Hospital Wing," Hermione was saying urgently. While Ron had sounded far away, she sounded much too close and far too loud.
"No," Harry moaned, then fell as his legs gave out on him. He didn't want anyone to know what he had tried and fervently shook his head (or thought he did), trying to tell them somehow, but he couldn't even tell the difference between a thought and his own voice. The trance was failing. He hadn't found anything out about Sirius at all because he couldn't concentrate hard enough. Stubbornly he pressed his Godfather back into his thoughts and saw the Department of Mysteries imposing over his vision. Relief flooded him, mixed with a cold fear of the setting. "Sirius?" he called out, seeing a familiar flash. "Sirius!"
Just as his Godfather became substantial, something Harry could see was him beyond a shadow of a doubt, Ron's voice intruded upon his perception. "...take him to the dorms. I'll watch him all night..."
He was losing the vision again. The Department of Mysteries swirled away just as swiftly as it had come. "No!" he yelled, frustrated that he could not control this. A hand cupped his mouth that he tried to fight, but Harry could not break the hold. He was exhausted, sick and more disoriented than he had ever been in his life. This was horrible and in many ways worse than Voldemort. The trance kept him from entering back into reality, kept him trapped without any conceivable way out of the nightmare and he could feel his very control slipping further and further away.
Seeing no other choice, too tired to battle frightening this state of mind, Harry gave up trying and everything went blissfully black.
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Author: Ruse angelruseATgmailDOTcom
Disclaimer: Harry and company belong to the wonderful J., whom I thank personally for the deliciousness that is Snape.
