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Chapter 10 – Snape's Sorrow's

The day went by quickly and soon they had apparated to Grimmauld Place for the meeting with Snape. Professor McGonagall had arrived a few minutes before they had to "make sure they were not alone in the house." They congregated in the kitchen and Harry summoned Dobby and Winky. With the meeting at six, they would need dinner made for quite a few people. Harry gave Dobby a bag of gold to go to the market for some food. The five were about to sit when there was a knock at the door. Immediately Mrs. Black started screaming "BLOOD TRAITORS, SCUM, MUDBLOODS, AND HALFBREEDS! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU FILTHY…"

"SILENCIO!" Professor McGonagall yelled, and Mrs. Black was rendered speechless, literally. McGonagall opened the door for a tired and worn looking Severus Snape. "Severus." While she understood that he had been listening to orders when he killed Dumbledore, she was a little short with him, feeling that had it been her in those shoes, she would have chosen her own death over that of Dumbledore.

"Minerva," nodded Snape as he made his way to the kitchen. His robes did not billow with a note of superiority as they had once done, but stayed limply at his sides. His eyes had become much more hollowed out and had the look of someone who had not slept well in a long time. He had lost weight, which was saying something, considering he had always been quite slender. As Snape entered the kitchen, his eyes came to rest on Harry, who was clenching his fists ever so slightly. Without saying a word, Snape sat down at the table.

"You are not even worth the shit on the bottom of your shoes, you know that Snape?" Harry said with venom. "You made your bed a long time ago when you handed your life over to a lunatic. Dumbledore was good to you. He gave you another chance."

"I was just following orders," Snape said with almost a pleading tone in his voice.

"You should have broken them," Harry said plainly without unclenching his fists. "You should have broken the vow to Narcissa and died honorable and brave. Now you are just a snake. No backbone and you don't care who lives or dies as long as you get through."

"If you are quite finished, I am here and we have things to discuss. I have to live with the fact that I killed Albus, my mentor and friend, for the rest of my life. Don't worry; I will get my judgment day just like everyone else," Snape said with self-pity. Switching gears Snape looked at Minerva. "Minerva, I am assuming you brought some Veritaserum for me to take."

"Yes Severus, I feel bound to, even though Dumbledore has pleaded your case very well." Snape nodded.

"Who made it? You obviously couldn't use something that I brewed."

"Tonks got it for me from the Auror department. They do not keep great track of how much they have or use. She does not know what it is to be used for." Minerva said handing the serum to Severs. Severus nodded and took the truth serum that was offered to him. "Say your name please."

"Severus Snape."

"Your profession is what?"

"I was the Potions master at Hogwarts from 1981 until 1996. In 1996, I was made the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Now I have been continuing to spy on the Dark Lord."

"What did you call yourself when you attended Hogwarts?" it was Harry that asked this question."

"I called myself the half-blood prince. I thought it sounded better the Snape. It sounded noble."

Professor McGonagall continued, but now asked some questions that they did not exactly know the answer to. "Did you and Albus Dumbledore ever make an unbreakable vow?"

"Yes, I promised to remain loyal to the Order of the Phoenix and to him. I promised never to return to being a Death Eater and I promised never to work for the Dark Lord again."

Harry decided to ask a question that he had always wanted to know the truthful answer too, "do you hate me?"

"No, I was always jealous of your father because he got to be with your mother. I loved her, yet did not know how to act around her and so it never became anything. We were both very good at potions. It is a hard subject but not nearly as glamorous as transfiguration, which was you fathers specialty. When Lily started to show signs of liking your father, and pulling away from our friendship, I started being mean, and I called her a mudblood. I was always mean to you because you have Lily's eyes, and I hated that those eyes never showed me the love that they showed for James." Harry was stunned. Snape had loved his mum? That was very strange and gave Harry a lot to think about while McGonagall continued her questioning.

"What have you discovered while being in the presence of V-Voldemort during this time?"

"He is very happy with me for killing Albus, and has begun to include me in some of his plans. Prior to this past July, he was unsure of my true allegiances knowing that I was an accomplished Occlumens. Now, he has begun to trust me in small ways. I have discovered that he has been using horcruxes to stay alive. He made seven. And plans to kill Harry since Harry cannot kill him."

"What are the horcruxes?" This question came from Hermione who had started taking notes.

"I do not know of them all, but I know that his snake, Nagini, is one. Another one is a silver dagger owned by Rowena Ravenclaw that she used for potions. It is engraved with her surname and an eagle. The last one I know of is the diary that Harry destroyed in his second year."

"Do you know where the silver dagger is hidden?" prompted Harry

"I don't know, but I think that something was been hidden in Godric's Hollow. Your defeat of him when you were just a baby was extremely significant. I also feel that one may be at the Hog's Head. This was where the Dark Lord learned of the prophecy."

This was all the information they needed. Indeed Dumbledore's death had to been in vain, for Snape had loads of information. The search for the horcruxes was hopefully, going to be easier then Harry had originally thought. It occurred to Professor McGonagall that Snape could no longer return to Voldemort's side, and would have to go into hiding. While they decided to let him stay at Grimmauld Place for the time being, Harry had the sinking suspicion that Snape would be living in his house with the four of them. He did not like it much but agreed with McGonagall that Snape did have to go into hiding.

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The food was being prepared, and some of Grimmauld Place actually started to look clean with two proper house elves at the lead. The members arrived and while were startled to see Snape were told that everything was all right and that they should wait for the meeting to explain everything. Professor McGonagall began the meeting by addressing the presence of Snape, and explained that Veritaserum had been administered to prove his and Dumbledore's story.

She added that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all going to become order members. When Molly began to protest, Professor McGonagall explained that Dumbledore agreed that these four should join and as always, he had his reasons. McGonagall whispered to Harry that Molly and Arthur needed to be briefed on the horcrux situation so they understood how vital he was to the cause. She concluded by mentioning that they would be using a new premises for meetings once Harry's house was done.

Finally for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny the long day was done. They were without a doubt ready for bed as it was past midnight when they apparated away from Grimmauld Place.

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