A/N: Thank you for your patience, my loyal readers...I promise I'm writing whenever I can! A 9-month-old and a full-time job take up a lot of time! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Same disclaimers apply


Severus knocked softly on the door frame before entering the study. Harry looked up, clearly surprised that Severus felt the need to announce his presence.

"What have you decided to show me?" Severus asked as he made his way toward the Pensieve.

"I, erm, I wasn't sure exactly what you wanted to see, so I thought maybe you'd like to see us playing chess."

Severus raised a brow. "Chess? What, exactly, would I be learning from that memory?"

Harry chuckled. "Our chess matches were less about chess and more about conversation – getting to know each other. It's sort of how we…got together." Harry shifted uncomfortably.

"Would you rather I see something else?" Severus offered.

"I mean, if it's what you want to see," Harry shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'll show you. I'll show you whatever you want to see. Don't worry about me."

Severus pursed his lips, thinking about how he wanted to phrase his next request. "There is something," he began. "I'm not sure you even have memories of it," he trailed off.

"Of what?" Harry leaned forward slightly as he took his hands out of his pockets and folded his arms across his chest.

"I think I would like," Severus was hesitant. "Were you there when the Headmaster passed away?"

Harry stood stone still, not even breathing.

"I think I would be better able to deal with his death; to grieve for him, if I could see it for myself," Severus explained, filling the silence.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Harry said, barely concealing his terror. He knew, without a doubt, that a Severus who didn't remember the last two decades seeing himself murder Albus Dumbledore would be nothing short of disastrous.

"Why not?" Severus's eyes narrowed warily.

"Would you listen to me if I asked you to just trust me?"

Severus's eyes became dark slits.

"Of course not," Harry muttered.

"You said a 'friend' helped him; made sure he didn't suffer," Severus pulled the information from their previous conversation.

"That's right," Harry replied cagily.

"Do I know this person?" Severus figured that might be why Harry didn't want him to know the exact details of the Headmaster's death.

Harry stared at him silently.

"Do you even have memories of his death?" Severus sounded a bit more exasperated than he meant to.

Harry continued to stare at him. "Yes," he finally gave in.

"So you were there," Severus accused haughtily as he leaned against the wall next to the closed door.

"I never said I wasn't," Harry's posture became slightly defensive.

"Then do I know the person? The person that 'helped' Albus?" Severus straightened up from the wall and advanced a step toward Harry.

"Yes," Harry stood his ground.

There was a stark silence as the two of them stared each other down.

"Was it you?" Severus finally asked stonily.

"What?" Harry's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You were there," Severus reminded him. "You were there and you said I knew the person who did it. You do not want me to see the memory. It certainly isn't out of the realm of deductive reasoning to think that you were the one who kept him from suffering."

"It wasn't me," Harry said, too quickly.

"Will you show me your memory?" Severus wanted Harry to show him freely; but he wasn't afraid to use Legilimency to get what he wanted. He didn't know how strong a wizard this man was, but Severus was certain he could best him in a duel.

Harry seemed to take an extraordinarily long time to think, as if he were laying out contingency plans if something went awry.

"I'll show you the memory if you promise me two things," Harry agreed at last.

Severus considered the mandate. "Tell me what I must promise you, and then I shall decide if I can, indeed, promise those things."

"First," Harry held up one finger. "You have to promise you will not be angry with the person who did it."

Severus thought through the possibilities of whom he would have difficulty not having anger toward. He tried to think of the different people Albus would have asked for help. Minerva? Severus could promise not to be angry with her. Poppy? That might make sense, given that Harry said the Headmaster was cursed. He could easily not be angry with Poppy. Who else could Albus have had help him? Another professor? Severus could deal with that. What if it was someone Severus already hated? What if it was one of the Death Eaters? Lucius, or Bellatrix? He was unsure how Albus would have enlisted them, but Severus supposed he could temper his anger with someone like that.

"Very well," he agreed solemnly. "I promise."

Harry did not seem any happier about showing him the memory.

"Second," he held up another finger. "You have to promise – swear – that no matter what you see – no matter what you think or feel after you see the memory – you have to swear you won't run off."

Severus contracted his brow in confusion. "'Run off' to where?"

"Anywhere," Harry waved his hand through the air in front of him. "You have to promise to stay right here, with me, not hex anything, and let me answer any of the questions you have."

"Why do you think I would do anything else?" Severus cocked his head to the side.

"Because it's what you do," Harry accused. "When you get upset, you storm off. Normally, it's fine. It's how you work through things. I let you cool off, and we talk about it later. But today, I can't have you running about the castle when you don't remember anything. I might never find you. I don't want you to do anything drastic."

Severus was barely restraining himself from plunging into Harry's memories himself. He didn't remember the circumstances surrounding Albus's death, but he was beginning to doubt Harry's assertion that the Headmaster had been truly 'helped.' It sounded more and more like his death had been something much more sinister.

"You have to promise me you won't run off," Harry repeated. He felt his wand in its holster up his sleeve. He could tell Severus was planning something; Harry wouldn't put it past him to use Legilimency to get what he wanted.

"I don't have to promise you anything," Severus replied acerbically, his frustration nearly getting the better of him. The tension was thick in the air, both men clearly ready to draw their wands. Severus warred with himself internally. "But I will," he consented.

Harry hesitated before he finally drew his wand and began removing memories from his temple, apparently placated by Severus's pronouncement that he would not go complete mad at the sight of what Harry knew to be several incredibly disturbing memories.

Harry finally replaced his wand, finished with his task. Severus started toward the Pensieve, but stopped short when he saw Harry place his hands on the side, as if he were going to view the memories as well.

"I would prefer to view the memories alone," Severus made sure his tone conveyed that this was not a request.

"No," Harry denied him. "I'm coming with you this time."

Severus opened his mouth to protest.

"It's non-negotiable," Harry cut him off. "Trust me; you'll want me with you."

Severus was about to retort that he had no business trusting Harry, whom he didn't know from a stone in the wall, but was again stayed by the man.

"Look," Harry sighed, taking his hands off the side of the Pensieve. "I know you're used to getting your way. You hate it when you don't. And I know you don't know me from Adam, and you think that because I'm young you can overpower me to get what you want."

Severus did not hide the scoff that escaped from his lips.

"But you saw the other memory. I killed Voldemort," (Severus, surprisingly, did not flinch) "That alone should tell you something."

Severus narrowed his eyes in a calculating glare, clearly sizing Harry up.

"I'm not backing down," Harry reiterated. "If you want to see this memory tonight, I'm coming with you." Harry wanted to ask Severus what he was so afraid of that he wanted to watch the memories alone, but he knew better than to suggest that Severus was weak in any way.

After a brief pause, Severus's face became blank, and then his lips curled into a sneer as he tilted his head to the side. "As you wish," he waved his hand in front of him, inviting Harry to set himself up on one side of the Pensieve as he placed his hands on the other side.

Harry suppressed a groan as he recognized the face and undercurrent of sarcasm. He knew he would pay for his demand later, and as he didn't know this Severus very well, he could only wait in dread for what that retribution would be.

Both men gripped the sides of the Pensieve tightly enough to whiten their knuckles, and their eyes locked. Harry could see the set of Severus's jaw and read the fury in his eyes at the idea of Harry joining him in the Pensieve. Harry knew Severus would see the fear in his own eyes, but he waited until Severus lowered his own head before Harry followed him into the swirling mist.

Severus landed gently and immediately recognized his surroundings. He was in the Headmaster's office, and he turned as he felt Harry land beside him. His attention was captured by the two men up front at the desk: the Headmaster, and himself. He made his way up so he could hear their conversation. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the Headmaster's hand. He immediately knew the hand had been cursed by some dark object. He saw himself examining Albus's hand and recognized the defeat and pain in his own eyes as he heard himself say there was nothing that could be done. He found himself mirroring his memory-self's consternation at watching the old man examine his hand as though it were some artifact to be studied with interest. He felt his heart stop as he heard the request. He didn't believe it; he could not have heard correctly. He looked over to Harry, who was watching him warily.

"Did Albus just ask me to murder him?" Severus's voice was barely above a whisper, but the deep tenor held the undisguised terror at the realization of why Harry had been so hesitant about the memory.

Harry gave one curt nod.

Severus snapped his head back to the two men at the desk; he was nearly shouting at the Headmaster. "Did I just agree?" Severus swallowed audibly.

Harry nodded again, the movement barely perceptible.

Severus began to shake his head in denial, the motion involuntary. The memory dissolved and Severus and Harry were surrounded by a new memory, this one on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, where Severus was once again seemingly angry with Albus. He caught the tail end of what was likely a rant.

"…perhaps you assume too much!" he heard himself shout.

Severus's breath quickened as he heard himself, once again, agree to commit the most heinous act imaginable.

The memory dissolved once more and Severus now found himself on one of the castle towers, literally. He stood, wand pointed chest-high at the Headmaster. He was surrounded by several Death Eaters and what looked to be a young version of Lucius Malfoy. His heart pounded in his ears and he felt the blood draining from his face as he hyperventilated. He heard – saw – Albus pleading for his life.

"No," his voice cracked. "No," he shook his head erratically.

The green light streaked from his wand and hit the Headmaster squarely in the chest, sending him over the parapet into the blackness of the night.

The memory remained for several moments more; moments where Severus could not feel any of his limbs and could not breathe. Finally, things dissolved into blackness and he pulled himself out of the abyss.

"Severus!" Harry shouted as the man nearly knocked the Pensieve off its pedestal in his haste to flee the room. Harry spent only a brief second deciding whether to replace his memories or to follow Severus. He gave an exasperated huff and followed, the anxiety, fear, and disgust still radiating in the air as it poured off Severus's body.

As Harry came into the sitting room, he saw Severus pacing back and forth rapidly, his hands pulling at his hair as if he meant to yank it out by force.

"No," he was muttering to himself. "No…"

Without warning, Severus turned and made to leave the quarters through the front door.

"Severus, no!" Harry ran and launched himself, knocking them both to the ground as he collided with Severus.

The both grunted as they hit the stone floor, and he felt Severus struggle beneath him. He knew how strong the man was, and he knew it would be in vain if he tried to subdue him physically. Harry loathed to use magic on Severus – it was something they never, ever did, but he knew it was essential that he not let Severus storm out in this emotional state. Before he had time to think much more than that, Severus had maneuvered himself out from underneath Harry and bolted upright, his wand drawn, pointed squarely at Harry's head. Severus's chest was heaving, although his face was completely void of any color.

"Don't. Move. A muscle," Severus growled dangerously.

Harry closed his eyes in a long blink, and then opened them, not looking away. He was at a loss for words.

"What. Did you do to that memory?" Severus demanded, sparks flying from the tip of his wand.

Harry was perplexed. "Do?"

Severus drew in several labored breaths. "That memory cannot be true."

Harry swallowed, thoroughly expecting to be cursed, "But it is."

"Where were you?" Severus commanded.

"When?" Harry sighed.

"All of it," Severus was shouting, now. "Any of it!"

"May I stand up?" Harry worked very hard to not roll his eyes, figuring that would be sure-fire way to be cursed into oblivion.

"No!" Severus cried. "Where were you?!"

"The first memory was yours. You showed it to me. I wasn't actually there." Harry waited.

"Go on," Severus jerked his chin up.

"The second memory was mine. I was under my invisibility cloak. I was out of bounds." He paused again.

"And – the last memory?" Severus's jaw twitched perilously.

"I was immobilized. Against the wall, under my invisibility cloak. The Headmaster and I had arrived there not long before. He wanted me to get you. I wasn't able to before Draco came up."

Severus's brow contracted. "Draco?"

"Malfoy," Harry clarified.

Severus shook his head, refocusing on his rage. "I don't – I cannot believe – I…" he stammered into silence.

There was a long pause, both men staring at each other.

"May I get up now?" Harry finally asked again.

Severus closed his eyes, clearly in emotional pain. He sucked in a breath and lowered his wand. "Of course," he opened his eyes.

Harry brushed off his arse and smoothed out his shirt. "I'm sorry," he tried to convey his sincerity. He opened his mouth to say something else, but nothing came to mind.

Severus blinked rapidly, his face delayed in schooling itself into an impassive mask. Harry supposed this younger version of Severus hadn't mastered the instantaneous reflex.

"It was complicated," Harry eventually tried to give Severus some sort of comfort.

Severus just shook his head in disbelief.

"You're not going to run again, are you?" Harry wanted to sit down and talk with Severus, but he wasn't going to make a move until he was sure Severus wasn't going to escape and go torture himself.

Severus swallowed, shaking his head. "No."

Harry made his way over to the settee and sat down, trying not to flop. Severus sat down across from him on the far end, his body still rigid with incredulity. Harry stared at Severus while Severus stared at the fire. Slowly, color came back to Severus's face.

"I suppose now you wish you'd gone for the chess match," Harry chanced a go at humor.

Severus snapped his head to look at Harry, confusion and pain evident in his eyes. Suddenly, his features softened and his mouth made itself into a mangled smile.

"I suppose," he finally.