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Haunted Memories
Chapter Twenty-One
Abbie Haven Snape

"Are you crazy?"

"It worked once, didn't it?"

"I was eight and adorable then."

Morgan laughed as she threw a snowball towards Pansy who ducked just in time. Morgan ducked back behind the wall of snow before anyone saw her.

"Come on. You're his cub."

"Morgan…that was like ten years ago. I'm not much of his cub now!"

"Chicken."

Harry glared at her. He wasn't chicken. He had his Gryffindor courage to help him out some. Snape still was Severus to him right now. He, however, slowly began to see him as "Sev", his father figure, the man he loved as a father.

"Fine. If I'm in trouble, I'm taking you down with me. Understood?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way. I'll cover for you too. I'll try and hit Pansy again."

Harry nodded, grabbing a hand full of snow and forming it into a ball.

"I have a feeling I'm not going to get away with this like I did when I was eight."

"You'd be surprised."

Morgan counted down from five and at one they both stood and threw their snowballs. Both of them hit their targets. They both ducked down laughing. They couldn't decide whose expression was worse- Snape's or Pansy's.

"Should we run or stay?" whispered Morgan.

"MORGAN!"

"POTTER!"

"I would say run but I'm afraid we would be curs…" Harry gave a half smile. "Hello Professor."

Snape stood in front of him, whipping the snow off of his face and robe. "Did you do this?"

"Of course not. I don't have a death wish."

Snape glared at him and Morgan couldn't help but laugh.

"Want me to feed you to Pansy?" he asked, turning to her.

Morgan's smile faded. "You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?

"You're on your own. I can run faster than Pansy."

"Traitor!" he yelled after her before looking at Snape. "Hi…"

"Let's see, should I make you clean the kitchen by yourself after dinner tonight? Or wait on me hand and foot for the rest of break? Or should I turn you into a snowman?" asked Snape raising his eyebrow, a small smile appearing on his face.

Harry couldn't help but to laugh remembering all to well the experience ten years ago.

"He's your cub remember?" said Morgan sliding to the ground yelling. She slid on a piece of ice that they had been using as part of their fort.

"You're dead Travers!" yelled Pansy seeing her again.

"Bye!"

Snape and Harry both laughed as Morgan took off again, clearly faster then Pansy.

Harry looked back up at Snape before standing. "Is it safe to stand?"

"I believe so."

"Would sorry help?"

"No."

Harry smiled before his body shook. Snape noticed this and quickly jumped up on it.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it's just cold at here."

"Why don't we head in? Get you out of those wet clothes and get some hot chocolate."

"Same remedy as when I was younger?"

"Works every time."

Harry took one step toward the manor before he began to cough and didn't stop for a few seconds. He noticed blood on his hands but didn't say anything to Snape who didn't see.

"Yeah, it's definitely time to head inside," he said.

Harry smiled slightly, whipping his hand on his cloak, worried slightly himself.

Malfoy helped round everyone together while Kierra and Narcissa went inside to make everyone hot chocolate.

"Mister Malfoy…" began Harry, looking from the fire to him. It was just the two of them in the room at that second. Everyone else was either taking a bath, playing wizard chess in another room, or playing with Trapper. Morgan, Milli, Kierra, and Narcissa went to the store to get things for them to eat.

"Call me Lucius Elijah, please."

Harry nodded. "Lucius, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course. What's on your mind?"

"Well, it's more than one but I have a feeling they go together."

Lucius nodded, waiting.

"Why aren't you trying to kill me?"

Lucius looked at him for a second before smiling and chuckling. "I was beginning to wonder when you would ask this."

Lucius looked over at the fire before be began. "I guess I should start from the beginning."

"Always best place," said Harry smiling.

"In short terms, I'm a spy like Severus. Maybe not as long because I joined the Dark Lord willingly as Severus didn't. I went to Dumbledore a few years after I joined. I was asking for a way out. Well, the only option I received was spying. Not what I wanted of course but I took it. For years, I gave information to Dumbledore, not knowing other spies. Not knowing who to trust.

"It wasn't until you survived that night I was almost freed. The thing is, Dumbledore didn't defend me when I was put up on trail. Not like he did for Severus. That's when I found out he was a spy. That's one reason I don't like Dumbledore. He used me.

"Now, I'm my own person. I serve the Dark Lord to keep myself and my family alive. And I slip information to ministry workers, order members, and Severus. I'm told things he isn't. It was only recently he learned I don't stand faithful to the Dark Lord."

Harry looked at him as if questioning whether or not he was telling the truth. "How did you get out of Azkaban? This time around after the battle?"

"A, money always helps. B, threats work nicely too. C, a little information is also good."

Harry laughed slightly. "You truly are a Slytherin."

Lucius smiled also.

"You completely cheated!" said Draco walking back into the room with Theodore right behind him.

"Far from it. I beat you. Just admit it," said Theo smirking.

"Never because you CHEATED! How are you feeling?" he asked, turning from glaring at Theo to a concerned look at Harry.

"I'm fine. Stop worrying."

"Sure I will. Did Severus give you the potion?"

"Draco! I'm—"

But he didn't finish his sentence when he grabbed his forehead in pain. Lucius also grabbed his arm in pain.

"Aren't you going?" asked Harry, glancing at Lucius.

Lucius looked at the doorway where Severus was standing and shook his head. "No."

"Go! Or he'll think something is up."

"I'm not leaving you all," said Severus.

"Go, please. He's pissed and he will be even more if you two aren't there," said Harry looking at them.

The two men looked at each other before giving in. "Alright, stay inside and tell the girls when they get back where we are. Don't get into anything. Elijah, stay under that blanket near the fire. I either want you there or in bed when I get back. No ifs, ands, or buts."

Harry nodded at Severus. He didn't like the fact that the two of them were going to the Dark Lord but he knew enough about Voldemort to know that if they weren't there, he would be even more pissed off.

The teenagers all looked at each other, not sure what to do or say. It was kind of a reality check for them. The war was still going on outside of those walls. Even though they were all together, having a good time in the manor, people were dying and fighting for what they believed in. All of them forgot about it, even Harry.

Draco sat down on the couch beside Harry and Theodore took Lucius' old seat. The three of them sat there in silence for a long time until the girls got back from shopping.

"Oh my Merlin! You should have seen the shopping center! It was amazing!" said Morgan, coming into the room. She opened her mouth to say something else but stopped once she saw the looks on their faces. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really. Dad and Severus got called," said Draco, shrugging at her.

Morgan just looked at them and Harry realized she thought the same as they did. She forgot about what was happening outside of the walls.

Suddenly, Harry moved his head and bared it in the cushion of the seat. It felt like someone was hitting the inside of his head. It felt just like when Severus and he would do Occulmency. But this was slightly more violent and painful.

"Harry what's wrong?" asked Draco, looking at him.

"Don't talk and get away from me. He can't know that you are with me. Please, do what I ask!" said Harry keeping his eyes closed.

It took everyone a few seconds before they all did what he asked. Voldemort was pushing himself into Harry's mind. He had to put up his shields but he found it harder when his emotions got the better of him and with Voldemort wanting to get into his mind badly.

"Stop it…gosh, stop!" he muttered, putting his head further down into the couch.

"Harry…" he heard Voldemort's voice softly in his head.

"No…you aren't seeing anything," he said, finally being able to get his barriers up.

Finally, the feeling as if someone was beating his head stopped and the pain slowly erased. He lifted his head out of the cushions and looked around the room. The others noticed he was out of his hiding spot.

"What happened Elijah?" asked Morgan, sitting beside him.

Harry didn't answer her. Nor did he answer all of the others saying his name, trying to get his attention. All he did was fall to the side, unconscious.

Sorry about the long delay in posting. I just never seem to have time to write anymore. But don't worry, I will write any free second I get and post as soon as the chapters are done.

Love from, Abbie Haven