Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Writers Notes: thanks to my beta HGranger89 and thanks to Chelsea always, Lucyole, lia a karas, FlowerChild23, pgoodrichboggs, leonix2009, RhodaBush, Viveen, Smootsmokey and for the positive feedback.
With the headmaster's permission, Harry Potter grabbed the ruined diary and ran for the door. Just as soon as the boy left, he returned with Lucius Malfoy's house elf - who was skipping around with joy and smiling like a child on Christmas day – in tow.
"Harry Potter set Dobby free! Harry Potter is a great wizard," the elf squeaked in delight. The house-elf grinned toothily at him, his eyes wide with adoration for the Boy Who Lived.
"You tried to warn me, didn't you Dobby," Harry asked, "All those things you did were just to warn me and to keep me safe, I couldn't let you stay with the Malfoys after that."
"Yes Harry Potter sir," the elf admitted, trying to fit Harry's small sock to his foot. Albus and Potter smiled at the little elf, while Severus felt like he was going to be violently ill with all of the Potter worship. The brooding Potions Master simultaneously felt shocked; no spawn of James would help free a house elf. James Potter had been a pureblood wizard who viewed elves as servants and beneath him, while his son acted as if this elf was a friend.
"Thank you, Dobby, however, please never try to save my life again," Harry said, turning to the adult, "Dobby, this here is Headmaster Dumbledore, and Snape," Potter introduced them to the elf, and the creature's eyes grew wider with wonder.
"Professor Snape, Harry." Dumbledore corrected.
"It is a great honour, sirs," the elf gasped, fingering the hems of his pillowcase and bowed, "Dobby has heard of Professor Dumbledore, a great wizard; and Dobby knows Potions Master Snape, who is kind to Dobby when he visits Dobby's master."
"I'm sure we could talk about possible employment for you here at Hogwarts Dobby. It is dangerous for a house elf to be an outcast," Dumbledore said kindly. "I'd insist on giving you some free time, and a weekly payment," he added generously.
"Sir!" Dobby said happily, "Sir, Dobby would be honoured! Dobby will be glad to work at Hogwarts for Professor Dumbledore, sir! Professor Dumbledore is a great man, all house-elves know of Professor Dumbledore!" Severus rolled his eyes.
"That's wonderful Dobby," Harry said, smiling down at the house elf, "You'll be safe and happy here."
"We shall talk later, Dobby, if you don't mind that I will call for you when I have more time," said Albus.
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore sir, thank you, Professor Dumbledore sir!" the house-elf squeaked before disapparating.
"Well done, Harry," Albus said to the child. "You've saved an unhappy creature from great misery. I think you deserve points for what was done and gained today: I would say two hundred points for Gryffindor apiece as well as a Special Award for Services to the School for slaying the Basilisk." Severus was stared appallingly at the Headmaster while Harry grinned happily.
"You're back for good, sir?" Potter asked.
"I have been reinstated," Albus replied. "It seems there was some confusion among the board of governors about what has happened here... amongst other things. Now, run along Harry;. It'll take us some time before the Petrified students can be revived, and there's plenty to do, like finding a replacement for Professor Lockhart. I think this calls for a feast for what you did." Severus groaned at the Headmaster for his praise of the boy, then again the Headmaster would use any excuse for a feast.
As Potter departed, Albus waited until he'd left and made sure he was no longer there, possibly eavesdropping. When he was convinced they were alone, he grew serious.
"Severus, would you scanned this over?" The Headmaster asked, his fingertip tapping the destroyed diary.
Severus just nodded and pulled out his wand, he pointed it over the book, and he began casting various spells to confirm what dark magic was contained within the book. It was hard to scan, whatever magic the object possessed was deeply hidden, but after numerous different spells, he found something that troubled him deeply. He had a feeling the Dark Lord would have made one; he was coward scared of death and obsessed with immortality. The two men shared a grim look, their suspicions and worst fears confirmed.
"It is a Horcrux, or it was, Potter destroyed it with a Basilisk fang."
"The fang he used to destroy the Horcrux. Did you bring it, or was it destroyed?"
"I have it, as well as two others that I severed from the beast's jaw. The bone was surprisingly vulnerable."
"Excellent," Albus said, "well done. I have great respect for you, my boy," — at this point Severus snorted cynically, he didn't give a damn whether or not Albus respected him or not. The Headmaster had never cared or noticed his talent as a student and Severus had heard all of these lies before.
Severus dark thoughts were interrupted, "Did he recognize you?" Albus asked.
"No. It seems to me the Dark Lord only had the memory of his teenage self. The rest of the knowledge he possessed came from Miss Weasley, who'd written in the book, the foolish little girl. He didn't recognize me at all. However, there's a risk that wherever he's hiding right now, he might feel what happened to his Horcrux and who killed his Basilisk."
"We have no proof of that," Albus argued as if Severus' fear was of no concern.
"No proof either way and that worries me," Severus said with a sigh, knowing full well that Dumbledore wasn't going to listen to anything he said.
Albus shooed Severus from his office, and, though he was reluctant to admit it, Severus felt quite relieved. He was utterly exhausted from the exertion and stress of the day. He stalked to his quarters, but after closing the door behind him, he didn't bother removing his clothes and just collapsed on his bed, asleep almost the moment his head hit the pillow. His sleep was haunted by dreams of the chamber, visions of the Basilisk swallowing the brat whole.
The last weeks following were relatively satisfying to Severus. He didn't show any of it in the classes, of course: he still deducted points (especially from the Gryffindors); berated students (mostly Potter and Longbottom); made snide and caustic remarks (targeting Potter and Weasleys), and sneered at everyone.
Lucius Malfoy was removed from the board of governors, and Lockhart had been sent to St. Mungo's; Severus hoped that he would be allowed to teach the course for the last few weeks of the term, but the Headmaster filled in for the class instead.
Albus cancelled exams as a 'school treat,' which made the staff at least as happy as the students - nobody likes grading exams. The O.W.L.'s and the N.E.W.T.'s would be sat, but the remaining students no longer had any reason to pay attention as the weather grew warmer and summer came to Scotland.
Except for some Slytherins, the school celebrated, and hero-worshipped Potter for slaying the Basilisk and the boy showed how like his father he was, basking in fame and glory whether he deserves it or not.
Not even Hagrid protested the Basilisk's death; surprising since the half-giant was usually the first one to try and adopt and cuddle every damn monster in the world: Cerberus, dragon and giant man-eating spiders. Hagrid found them all beautiful.
On the 29th of May the Mandrakes were finally large enough to be cut: after a long day of brewing Poppy, Pomona and Severus administered the cure for the Petrified. Argus and his cat greeted each other enthusiastically, it was disturbing, seeing Filch with such a wide smile plastered on his ugly face. The others were no worse for wear when they came around, mostly stiff joints and muscles; so Severus brewed several vials of muscle relaxant and calming draught. Medical reports were performed on the victims, and all but Hermione Granger had a good bill of health; the girl was found to be very slim, essentially malnourished for her age.
Teachers noticed this problem in some of the older student, who began to feel self-conscious about their appearance as puberty struck, so they combatted weight gain and spotty faces by ceasing to eat, but signs of anorexia in a child this young was not typical.
Hermione struggled to open her eyes, and her body was still stiff after Severus poured the vial down her throat.
"Not so quickly, Miss Granger." The small girl turned to her professor and starred in confusion.
"Professor?" Hermione blinked, she looked around the room, she was confused to why she was in the hospital wing.
"Relax Miss Granger; you were petrified." The young girl's eyes widened in shock, as Professor Snape passed her a calming draught. "Relax you fine now," he said soothingly.
With the cancellation of exams, Hermione had a hard time convincing her friends to study in the library and felt lonely without the excuse to spend time in their little group.
With no need for revision, the students, especially the Weasley twins, spent their spare time wandering around playing pranks, skipping classes and driving Severus mad.
"Another eventful year is now gone, and old friends will leave us for there next great adventure," Dumbledore began his end of year speech. "Before we award the house cup and you've filled your bellies, I'd like to give a round of applause to Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout, whose Mandrake Draught cured everyone who had been petrified." Applause broke out throughout the hall, even Argus, who rarely applauded, was uncharacteristically joyful. Severus strictly requested that Dumbledore not mention that he had in fact brewed the draughts, for he had no desire to play the hero.
Gryffindor, unfortunately, managed to snatch the House Cup this year by a small margin thanks to Potter, ending Severus' perfect run, and finally, the students were sent off to Hogsmeade for their train ride back to London, not to be heard of for the next two months.