Okay, here's the deal. I know you're all thinking "Wow, she updated. Too bad I forget what this fic was even about!" But here's the reason I totally lied on my last Random Side Story where I said I was gonna upate soon: I had the chapter done but sfor some reason when I uploaded it half of it was lost. And then I found out you can't copy and paste in the little edit thing anymore. Not to mention the parapgraphs and paragraphs of review replies I would have to write all over again. So I just never update because I got completely discouraged! Well, minus the review replies, this is all I can give. My apologies!!!


Chapter 11: Peeking in the Pensieve

When Harry rejoined his friends in the Three Broomsticks, thing were restored to normal. After a while Ron kept hinting at something that Harry picked up rather well.

"Hey, I think I'll head back now. I have to finish that potions essay," Harry yawned. Hermione crossed her arms.

"It's early," she said skeptically. Harry caught Ron's eye and shrugged.

"Homework's important," he said, and left to give Hermione and Ron some alone time. He smiled all the was back to the castle. He could just imagine his two friends arguing rather than dating the whole time. And he did have homework that needed to be done. He resolved to make a valiant effort to search for Hermione's essay and copy it. His plans were interrupted entered the common room.

"Neville? What's-" Harry froze at the sight he saw before him. Neville was collapsed in a chair, clutching a short cauldron. His pensive. All color had completely abandoned his face, and he was shaking violently. His lips trembled with lost words when he saw Harry. Harry flew over to him and took the Pensive from his unsteady grasp.

"Did you look in it? Did you look in it?" He demanded, gazing in his eyes.

"I didn't know... I didn't mean... It, it could have m-meant me, Harry. I... I'm... Those people..." Harry closed his eyes in despair. By them Neville must have meant all the people nightmares that were held under the cruciatus curse, a terrifying spell for Neville's own personal reasons. And if that didn't shock him enough, he must have seen the prophecy and realized that he could have easily been the Boy Who Lived.

"I-I-I..." The boy was in utter shock. The chair practically vibrated with his tremors. Harry clutched a fistful of hair. He shouldn't have put those memories in there...

"Come on," Harry said shakily and grabbed Neville's arms. He pulled him to his feet.

"W-Where are you taking me?" cried the boy, and Harry shook his head.

"To get help," Harry replied.

To take you to Professor Snape. But that's the last thing he was going to tell Neville. It's the last thing he wanted to do himself, but he wasn't going to risk Obliviateing Neville the wrong way. Harry led the shaking boy through the corridors and towards the dungeons. He took the most remote ways to avoid attracting attention, for Neville could barely support himself. Harry noted how cold his skin was. When they finally made it to the dungeons Neville halted and refused to go any further.

"Y-You taking me to P-P-Professor S-Snape! He's his spy! I've seen to much, haven't? Harry, please-"

"Neville none of that's true! Do you honestly think I'd hand you over to Voldemort?" Harry demanded. Neville flinched at the name.

"Then were are you taking me?"

"We have to get things straightened out. You've seen a lot of things you shouldn't have." Neville shut his mouth and when Harry tugged him along his followed obediently. When they got to Snape's office Harry Harry knocked loudly despite the dread building up in his stomach. A few seconds later the door opened and a tall shadowy figure stood before them. Neville nearly fainted.

"I need to talk to you!" Harry said to the man standing before him. He glared at the pair of boys, analyzing the situation.

"In, Potter. Put Longbottom in a seat," Snape said in the most cold and dangerous voice Harry had heard him use. Harry did as he was told, not daring to meet his Professors cold eyes. Harry sat Neville in a seat across from Snape's desk and stood beside him. Snape stood behind his desk.

"What has happened?" Snape said in a calm voice that scared him.

"Neville looked in my Pensieve," Harry gulped. Snape's gaze rested on the sitting boy.

"And what did you see?" he asked. Harry looked down at Neville and sympathy surged through him to see the boy scared out of his mind. This was his fault.

"I-I-I-I d-didn't mean t-to see it. I was coming back from the library and I saw this little light coming from Harry's self and I l-looked closer. and it was odd. It was the leg of a cauldron but t-the r-r-rest of it was m-missing... So I reached for it b-because I j-just wanted to know and I p-p-pulled off some kind o-of invisible cl-cloak! A-and i-it was on a cauldron t-thing and t-there was weird stuff i-inside it. I saw p-pictures and I j-just... p-put my head in and saw..." He froze, as if remembering, and his eyes glazed over.

"Do you know what you have done?" asked Snape, then his voice rose. "You idiot! Do you know what you have done?" Harry shuddered. "You have endangered the lives of the entire order as well as everyone around you! Because of your foolishness! Did you listen to what I told you?" Neville looked wildly from Harry to Snape.

"Why did you give me the Pensieve then? What did you expect me to put in it?" Harry snapped in attempt to defend himself, but the truth was he felt lower with every word spoken against him.

"Exam stress, arguments with friends, Quidditch games, there are other things to put in a Pensieve, Potter!" Snape said, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Yeah, because that's what keeps me up at night, Hermione and Ron's fights and my Potions Essay," the boy spat in return, but immediately regretted admitting it.

"Well now you can have nightmares about endangering the lives of everyone you know, again," The Professor said coldly, leaving Harry speechless. He jerked out his wand and glared at Neville.

"W-What is he going to do, Harry? No, I've seen too much, haven't I? Please, please don't-" Harry laid a reassuring hand out his shoulder.

"Don't worry Neville, you're just going to forget-"

"Obliviate!" The spell hit the boy in the head, and Harry stepped back.'

"Neville?!"

"... Where am I?"

"Stupid boy. You are in detention, and you fell asleep. Get out of here before I can take away more points from Gryffindor!" Neville didn't need telling twice. He muttered an apologetic "goodbye" to Harry and darted out of the room. When he left, the tension was so thick you could cut it with a butter knife.

"Get out," Snape said. "And give me the Pensieve."

"Wait, no... Don't take it," Harry found himself pleading. Snape raised an eyebrow.

"You lost it when you decided to disobey my instructions. You are beyond help, Potter. Your own arrogance-"

"You aren't taking it! I need it! I... I can't go back to being like it used to be," he said, grabbing the Pensieve. Snape reached out an arm and gripped the edge, gently removing it from his grasp.

"Go. Back." Harry looked away, not trusting himself to stay in control. He felt a barrier raise itself between them, an icy covering freeze over his mind.

"That's easy for you to say, isn't it?" he replied bitterly. He was already out the door before Snape could reply, already heading back to his friends. He would learn to deal with it all over again.


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IM SORRYYY!!!! please, please review, even if I dont'e deserve it!!!