A/N: Hello! First I apologise for the long absence. This update does not mean that I'll have regular chapters quite yet, but I feel bad for leaving you all for so long!
Secondly, the chapter title may be confusing for some of you whom are not familiar with American movies. The title is derived from The Wizard of Oz which I heard about and thus watched. In the movie the scarecrow had no brain, the tin man no heart, and the lion no courage, but they were still able to help the main character, Dorothy, find her way home. In the end, however, they found that they all did, in fact, have these traits all along. I found similarities between these three and three of my own characters so I though the title fitting.
Third, thanks as always to my amazing beta, Jack Frost lover cadi93.
Fourth and final, I'm so sorry about the ending...
-faceless
Chapter 25: The Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion
Sunday morning brought an angry Headmaster flinging open the solid, double doors to the infirmary as if they were nothing. "Mr. Longbottom!"
The patients all jumped awake and aware, some grabbing their wands while others simply cowered under thin bedcoverings. Madam Pomfrey came rushing out of the back office, her usual calm demeanor shattered. "Headmaster Karkaroff! I must ask you to please lower your voice."
Dumbledore strolled into the room casually, "If we could speak to Mr. Longbottom, Poppy, we'll be out of your hair. I've heard he's been spending his free time in here?"
"Yes, yes, he would hardly leave Miss Granger to herself, but he left with her around supper time last evening. I've not seen him since."
"Blast! You daft woman! Do you know where he is?"
"Now, Igor, that is not the way to treat anybody." Dumbledore cut in smoothly, effectively undermining Karkaroff's authority as well as helping to calm poor Poppy.
Looking back and forth between the two Headmasters, Madam Pomfrey wrung her hands in her apron, "I don't know where he's gone, no."
Her timidity was rewarded by an impressive vermillion tone overtaking Karkaroff's face, "Shut that child up!" He roared as he stormed back out the way he'd come, Professor Dumbledore trailing after him like an amused puppy.
Before everyone had even flinched from the bang of the door, Madam Pomfrey was by little Susie's side, offering her a sweet and wrapping the child in her arms.
Whispered conversations rung out between the bedridden patients while two boys locked eyes and slipped out the door, unnoticed.
"What do you think that was all about?" George asked Emil Krum as he placed silencing charms on the empty classroom they'd chosen.
"It probably has something to do with whatever they were arguing about on Thursday when they came bursting through the first time."
"Something tells me he's too upset for it to be about plants," George laughed as he pulled himself atop a desk, facing the front of the room.
Emil came up beside him, hesitating before he jumped up to sit next to George, "You're probably right."
George laughed again, "Can I get you to tell my mum that?"
"Come on," Emil bumped their shoulders together, "she knows you're smart."
"Not since I didn't get any OWLS. She was devastated. 'Percy would never,'"
"Well, I think you're brilliant. Your joke shoppe? It's exactly what people need at a time like this. They need a little light."
Suddenly George became aware of just how close they were sitting on the desktops, their shoulders, thighs, and fingers pressed lightly against one anothers. He dared a glance at the Durmstrang student, and could feel his breath catch in his throat, even as his eyes caught on the chocolate brown staring back, "You think so?" He whispered, his breath ghosting over Emil's hard, thin features, slightly ruffling the brown hair hanging a bit too long over his forehead.
Emil didn't answer, instead looking as if he were memorising every fiery freckle on George's face before looking back into his deep blue eyes. He licked his lips, an unconscious gesture, before nodding, inadvertently bringing his face closer.
Watching, Emil's little pink sliver of tongue dance across his lower lip, George felt something settle in his stomach. It rested somewhere between desire and dread.
Dumbledore followed Karkaroff down the hall from room to room, in search of the boy. Apparently he thought he'd come across some reference to the creatures Karkaroff claimed to be wreaking havoc. They'd been to every corner of the castle, from the Great Hall, where breakfast was still going on, a lively event despite the circumstances, to the dungeons, though they knew Longbottom would never go there willingly, to the Astronomy tower, regardless of the weather.
Now, they were trekking across the grounds towards the Forbidden Forest.
"Tell me again why we don't go to his Common Room?"
"They're reserved for the new guests coming in now. All students were asked to remove their belongings yesterday evening. The passwords were changed for the families moving in. He cannot get inside." If Albus' clipped tone wasn't enough to show his deteriorating temper, the sparkle having left his eye was.
"His Head of House wouldn't know his whereabouts?"
"Oh, Igor, Minerva has much more important things to be doing with her time."
Karkaroff's reply was cut short as a distant cry of "Professor!" reached them. The two men turned around to see their quarry chasing them.
"Professor Dumbledore, come quick!" Neville shouted as he ran towards them.
"Longbottom!" Karkaroff growled.
"Not now, Professor! Sorry, Professor!" Neville yelled with surprising force; Snape would have been proud. "Professor Dumbledore, it's Snape!"
Dumbledore took off at a sprint towards his student at a speed surprising for anyone, let alone a man of his age, "Where?"
"Gry-Gryffindor C-Com-Common Room." Neville huffed as he reversed his direction, running alongside his racing Headmaster, who had, by this time, hiked up his robes to bear knobbly, old knees as he ran.
"Alert Poppy, Igor!" Professor Dumbledore threw over his shoulder across the grounds.
To George, it seemed as if time had slowed down.
He and Emil had helped Neville in the hospital since Thursday. Unsurprisingly, given his many trips to the infirmary, Neville knew how to heal various maladies as well as stasis, pain relief, and calming spells. He also knew where everything was.
George had simply tagged along after Fred, who'd refused to leave Hermione's side. They were always expected to be together so it was only logical that George couldn't leave.
Emil had been like Hermione, refusing to leave his brother's bedside. They'd lost their parents a year and a half ago when the He Who Must Not Be Named returned. It had only been a week after Viktor had been cured of his bewitchment. Ever since, Emil had been extremely protective of his older brother.
Quickly, Madam Pomfrey enlisted them both to help with the minor injured that uninfected students came in with. They were also to keep track of the parents, calm them, and reassure them that everything would be fine.
Little by little, Neville had moved apart form the other two, using his more advanced knowledge to help the mediwitch keep the infected students calm and pain-free. It left a lot of time for the two to get to know each other, and they'd become fast friends, circumstance and fear bringing them close.
The closer they got, the more conflicted George became, and his current situation of Emil's looming face growing ever closer was not exempt. A piece of him wanted this closeness, craved it really, but the second part wanted it with anyone but the man in front of him whose eyelids were fluttering closed to block out melting chocolate eyes, and whose hand was not only brushing his but grasping it, and whose shoulder was now pressed against his.
George's eyes fluttered closed, too, and slowly he leaned forward, diminishing the gap between them rapidly. Even though he was expecting it, the contact surprised him, and he gasped. Emil, mistaking George's shock for eagerness, quickly followed suit, sliding his own lips open and using his tongue to caress George's.
George could feel himself reacting even as he panicked. His own tongue danced with Emil's, and his hand came up to pull on the brown locks at the base of Emil's neck. He gasped and panted and turned himself so he was more turned toward the man who'd caught his attention. Emil brought his hand up too and wrapped it around George's waist, pulling them to face each other more fully.
But George's panic was rising and overtaking his body. All at once, he realised where he was and who he was with, and he froze momentarily before ripping his fingers from where they were tangled in honey and caramel hair. He jumped off the desks and pulled his fingers from Emil's, face heating.
He spun back, mouth hanging open and unable to find words, and took in the sight of Emil still leaning forward as if frozen in the act of falling. One of his arms was hanging lank across his lap, and his eyes were wide with questions for which George simply had no answers.
Spinning on his heel, he walked out the door, leaving Emil frozen in shock as rejection filled him, making his fingers shake.
Igor Karkaroff came bursting into the infirmary for the second time that day. Severus had always been a friend of his, and just because they had opposing beliefs didn't change that; Igor would always do what he could.
Madam Pomfrey, in the midst of helping Branimir Yanev, the other Durmstrang student, take a pain relieving potion, looked up at the bang. The admonishment at the tip of her tongue died when she took in the look on the face of Durmstrang's Headmaster. Branimir sat up, and Poppy barked, "What's happened?"
"Severus! He's-Gryffindor Common!" Before he could draw another breath, the mediwitch was sweeping past him, out into the corridor.
She was nearly to Gryffindor Tower when she caught up to Headmaster Dumbledore and the Longbottom boy. The Headmaster was huffing and puffing, slowing steadily, but the boy was offering quiet encouragements.
When Poppy reached them, she asked the Headmaster what he knew of any of this. She would have thought it rude if it hadn't been for the state of the man when the boy answered. He told her of staying up with Harry and the knock on the door. When they opened it, they saw Professor Snape, collapsed on the floor. He didn't know much else as Snape wasn't awake, and they weren't sure what was wrong with him, though from the state Harry'd been in all night, he might know.
His tale was coming to a close as they opened the portrait, and Poppy had to close her eyes to centre herself for a moment when she saw her old friend. Her heart broke at the sight of such a strong man lying broken on the ratty old Gryffindor sofa, but it shattered at the fact that Severus would rather be here with the boy than getting help away from him.
Quickly she bustled over to the unconscious man. The room held its breath as she cast multiple diagnostic spells before shaking her head and wiping her face tear-free.
"He'll live. His body isn't as broken as it appears."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief before Neville spoke up. "Will he-will his mind-be like my parents'?"
Harry repressed a shudder, but turned to look at Madam Pomfrey. She said nothing as she began casting spells over his mind. Harry pinched his eyes closed wondering how he could have let this happen.
Harry joined the rest of the families in the infirmary.
For the first time he was seeing the devastation his decisions had wrought. He was alternating between gazing, wide-eyed, at the families and patients, staring at the pale skin of Severus' hand, for he couldn't look at the man's face, and clenching his eyes shut in self-hatred and grief. How could he have done this to all these people? How could he have spent the last days hiding in his room instead of facing them?
"No one blames you, Harry." A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, and he looked up into the familiar blue eyes of a Weasley. Seeing no Hermione around, he assumed it was George. "Harry?"
Finally, Harry bowed his face to try to hide the stream of tears that were a long time coming. It was like a dam had cracked, and while there was a steady flow of feeling strolling down his face.
Emil stepped forward and lightly sat himself on the edge of the Potion Master's bed, though he was sure the man would have a fit about it if he were awaken. He slipped the younger man's hand from the limp fingers of his newly betrothed and pulled his other hand from where it was clutching the sheets. "Harry, look at me."
Harry looked up at the low, melodious voice. It was reminiscent of Severus' enough to be calming, but it didn't have his surety and familiarity. Still, the caramel hair was like Remus', reminding the boy of how his father's friend had been absent for far too long, and the warm brown eyes were akin to Hermione's in their caring and deep expression, and the thin set to his lips reminded Harry so much of Sirius it almost hurt.
Vaguely, Harry questioned who this new man was, but then he was talking again, and it took too much of the energy Harry didn't have to wonder and listen at the same time. "Harry, you've been through shitte before. Everyone's watched you since you were a baby. You go into impossible situations again and again, but you come out the other side. You may be a little worse for the wear, yeah, but you still come out. And what's more: you come out ready to keep fighting, even if it means you'll go down again, and have to get up again, and have to count your losses again.
"There's no one like you. There's no one else that can get up and persevere as much as you. That's why I know you won't get through this. You'll do so much more. You'll defeat it, rise from it, and go on to do a million other death-defying, impossible things.
"You've been through too much not to."
The whole of the infirmary was watching them now, and Emil could see them behind Harry in his peripheral vision, but he couldn't look away from the brokenness before him until Harry nodded. He pulled his hands from Emil's grasp and wiped his eyes.
"There's nothing I can do for him, is there?"
"Madam Pomfrey's doing her best, mate." George jumped as Neville spoke up from behind him, none of them having realised he'd come up to them.
"None of this would have even happened if it wasn't for Professor Vincintia."
"Wait. What'd she do?" George piped up.
"Er-" Harry turned and saw the entire hospital wing watching.
"How about we go some place else?" Neville suggested.
George and Emil were back in the abandoned classroom for the second time that day, and though they were still huddled around Harry, they were carefully keeping distance between them.
As they'd walked in, it was quite easy. Neville had pulled Emil to the side and Harry took the chance to talk to George.
"He's a good bloke, George. You're lucky."
George just sputtered.
"Where'd you meet him?"
"He's been helping in the infirmary." George choked out. "He's Krum's brother."
Harry laughed, it was strained, but it was still a laugh. "That means he's Krum, too, you dolt."
Harry and George walked ahead of them into the classroom, Neville joked with Emil.
"That was pretty heartfelt for a Durmstrang bloke."
It didn't go over well.
"What?" Emil rounded on him. "Pretty courageous for a Hogwarts pansy."
"Hey!" Neville puffed up his chest. "I'm in Gryffindor. We're known for our courage!"
"Gryffindors might be, but we've heard of you all the way back in Norway. Neville Longbottom, the Cowardly Lion."
Neville's pride deflated, "See? You're just like the rest of them: a heartless bastard."
"I spit on you and your prejudice." Not having anything further to say, he turned to join the other pair.
He caught the end of their conversation just as Harry said, "That means he's Krum, too, you dolt," and he decided to intervene.
"Oh right, I never introduced myself. Emil Krum at your service," He stuck out his hand to be shaken.
"Er- hello." Harry shook the proffered hand.
"So!" George clasped his hands together, "What's this about Professor Vincintia?"
Harry sat down to tell them all about the meeting with Dumbledore, trusting in George's judgement of Emil and including him in the conversation.
He told them about her garnet, in which Emil seemed particularly interested, and the ultimatum. When he was finished, George was the first to talk, "So he proposed because he had to?"
Harry's face fell, but Emil was quick to jump in, "No, no, he had other options. I think he wants to marry Harry. What I'm interested in is how Vincintia made this stone."
"I'd rather know why." Neville said.
"Why doesn't help us with anything though. She must have used serious amounts of Dark magic to make it. If these are Dark creatures attacking us, she might be able to help." Emil reasoned.
"I see your point, but if she could help, wouldn't she have already?" George asked.
"Maybe," Emil began, "but what if she doesn't know whether or not she could help?"
"That's true," Neville agreed, "but if Dumbledore already knows of the stone, he'll know it was made with Dark magic, which means he'll already know she can help."
"Not necessarily," George countered. "It was hell just telling people where they were rooming; I can't imagine having to make all of those arrangements. He's probably going mental with everything he has to do right now."
"That's actually a good point. Should we go talk to her?"
"Is it safe, Neville?" George asked. "If she knows Dark magic, maybe she's not on our side."
"I think it will be safe," Emil put in. "I mean, she already knows that Harry and Professor Snape have been together for a while, but she didn't go straight to You-Know-Who."
"Alright," George relented, "but how do we know she'll be able to help?"
"Well, we know they're Dark. Karkaroff thinks they're Fae Creatures." All heads turned to Neville in question, and he looked a bit sheepish. "I guess I forgot to mention all that."
"Well," Emil prompted, not necessarily kindly, "Mention it now."
Harry, grateful for the end of the verbal lawn tennis, was more than happy to listen as Neville settled in to tell of what he and Headmaster Karkaroff had been arguing over over the last few days.
He told them about the book that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had been obsessed with before his first downfall and the plans he'd unfolded as his first wave of attack. He was going to release the Fae after gathering support from other Dark Creatures, such as Vampires and Werewolves. The second wave would be the attack of the Dark Creatures, who could blend into society without being noticed.
Both waves would be random attacks, and the reason was two-fold. Not only would it strike fear into people and weaken relationships, it would also make everyone unsafe, forcing more wizards and witches to seek shelter with him than planned attacks would.
Once the first two waves were finished, the third would be planned and carried out with magical folk. They would strike well-populated and powerful place, such as ministry buildings, International Apparition Points, and commercial streets, such as Diagon Alley.
While the final attack was wrecking havoc on the wizardry world, the random attacks would continue in the muggle world, making no where safe.
Then, Neville divulged the information he'd already known of the Fae. He said they'd been mentioned vaguely in an ancient Herbology tome his grandmother had given him, saying their corpses were great as fertilizer for certain plants, but warning that they would react volatility with others.
He said Karkaroff knew little about the actual Creatures, but knew that whatever they did when they bit people had no cure and was always fatal. Emil paled here, and George vied to reach out and give him assurance as he'd done to Harry earlier, but he restrained from the urge as Neville continued, explaining how the things came from a different world that was blocked off hundreds of years ago.
All knowledge of the world was said to have been burned to keep future generations from accessing the terror of the past.
It was a lie. And someone had kept a book, a deadly book with the power to bring this world to its knees.
Neville finished, and the quartet sat for a while, simply looking at one another.
After a while, Harry was the first to break the silence. "We've got to tell the others."
"Do you think that's a good idea?" George asked. "I mean Ronald's my brother, and you trust family, but…" he trailed off, looking uncertain about insulting Harry's best friend.
"And what about Hermione?" Neville added. "She's got quite a bit on her plate, what with Harmony…" He trailed off, too, looking very much as he had back in first year.
"I agree, Harry. The less people who know what's going on, the better we'll be able to sneak around. If everyone's off on a secret mission and asking odd questions, the professors will get suspicious."
Harry looked around at the three of them in shock. "Look. You guys don't get it. Ron, Hermione, and I- we don't keep secrets from each other. Even this year, when no one could know about Se-Severus and I, Hermione and I still talked about him all the time, she just didn't know who she was talking about at first.
"We've been together since the beginning. They were my first friends, are my best friends. Even if they can't help with this, I've got to tell them what's going on. They've gone through enough for me to deserve that."
One by one the three nodded their heads in agreement, and Harry flashed them a grin. "I'll be back."
As Harry reached the door, he paused a moment. "I can't believe I'm even going to say this," he said, turning back, "but, in regards to the professors getting suspicious, I think we should work with them this time. In the past it's been more work and trouble trying to keep everything from them than it would have been to just work alongside them from the beginning.
"Besides," he continued when he was met with blank, shocked stares from Neville and George, "if-when-when Severus wakes up, I'm going to tell him,and I know he won't want to keep it from Dumbledore, even if he's not happy with him right now. You," he said, addressing Neville," have to talk to Karkaroff about this all anyway because he's the only one we know that knows anything about Fae Creatures."
"M-me?" Neville stuttered out, but Harry just talked over him.
"You," he said, turning towards Emil now, "have to talk to Vincintia because she used Dark Magic and I know it's part of the curriculum at Durmstrang so if any one of us is liable to understand it, it'll be you.
"And you," he turned to George last, "need to talk to Dumbledore and your parents and as many other Members as you can think of that will be able to help. If Voldemort's building an army, we need to be ready to fight."
George gulped, realising that Harry was talking about turning the Order into an army. the idea made him nervous.
Harry opened the door, but turned again, "And ask them all about Remus. It's been too long since I've heard from him, and I'm worried. I think he may be missing."
He left in a flurry of robes, very much reminiscent of his betrothed, calling parting words over his shoulder and promising to see them all soon.
Harry stopped by the infirmary first. He didn't stay long, just long enough to squeeze Severus' hand and whisper in his ear, "We're going to fix this, Sev. I love you."
He left then, in search of his friends.
The trio was left behind in the abandoned classroom, and the three of them had matching gobsmacked expressions on their faces.
This time, it was Neville to break the silence. "Did he just act like-"
"Yeah. He did, mate, but with less derision. Those two were made for each other."
Emil looked between the two of them, "Did he just order me around?"
Neville and George chuckled that that was all Emil got out of the situation. Pretty soon Emil joined in, and the three of them were holding their sides and choking on their laughter, but it just felt so good to release all the pent up tension.
Harry ran into Hermione when he left the infirmary. Her face was tear-stained again. He felt bad about disturbing her, but if this lead to a chance for her sister to get better and live, he figured it was worth it in the end. She walked him back to the Community Common Room that all the students were sharing which the castle was so crowded. She had helped Ron pack up his things after they heard they were supposed to be moving.
All the Houses were sharing a room with their year-mates of the same gender, and the place was crowded. As they were a day late in joining the havoc, Ron and Harry were separated from each other, and Harry ended up with a bed near the Slytherin group of sixth year boys as no one really wanted to be near them anyway.
However, this wasn't where they went just yet. Harry though his unpacking could wait, and they headed over to find Ron. Finding him unpacking his own things, Harry asked him to join them and the three left for the Community Common Room again, this time searching for Ginny.
They found her by the fire with Luna and a pretty asian girl who looked vaguely familiar. They politely interrupted and Ginny left with them, shooting a look at someone across the room, as if nervous of something.
Draco Malfoy had pretended to agree with the rest of the Slytherins that sharing a dormitory was the worst thing imaginable. They would have to room with Blood-traitors and Mudbloods for Merlin's sake!
But secretly he took advantage of it all day today. Last night, he'd been concerned when Ginny hadn't shown up with the rest of her year-mates, thinking she'd already been caught up in some hair-brained scheme. However, when she'd shown up this morning, he'd been able to breathe a sigh of relieve and had yet to take his eyes from her, reassuring himself that she was safe, just across the Community Common Room.
When the bloody Golden Trio came to get her, he tensed. He knew nothing good could ever come of it. And with the looks on their faces, it would be something a hell of a lot worse than nothing good that came their way. It took every bit of self control he had to not bolt after her, and the look she tossed his way did nothing to help. He knew it was a warning, 'stay there; I'll be fine', but he could see the worry in her eyes.
She was scared.
Ginny knew Draco was worried. She was not unaware of the fact that his eyes had hardly left her face since she'd come in. Her conversation with Luna and Wu Chang was scattered, she kept coming back to paying attention only to find the topic had changed, and she had lost herself to distraction once again.
When Harry, Hermione, and Ron came and got her, she knew Draco would be going mental with worry, especially with the look of determination writ on Harry's face and identical looks of confusion and worry painted across Ron and Hermione's features. Still, she excused herself from the girls and her studies, and went with the three of them, only throwing one warning and reassuring glance over her shoulder.
She waited until the got to the Room of Requirement before she questioned, but Hermione and Ron beat her to it. They were both hurling queries at Harry faster than she could blink, and she watched as Harry took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes, dislodging his glasses.
That's when it hit her: this was much bigger than anything they'd been through before.
This was it.
This was the war.
Emil, Neville, and George's laughter died down eventually, and when it did, the crushing weight of the reality they lived settled back on their shoulders like an old friend wrapping them in a hug-no, rather like an old friend gone mad and wrapping their fingers around their necks.
The silence was almost as suffocating.
Finally, Emil couldn't take it anymore. The monster doesn't go away just because you refuse to recognise it. "It's real isn't it? The war, I mean. And we're right in the middle of it now. Oh, Merlin, what did I get myself into?"
"Harry's right." Neville announced. "We have jobs to do, and people to talk to, and things to research. We need to get a move on. He's leaving his partner lying in a hospital bed to help the rest of us. We need to help him." He sounded strangled, but he got through his little speech, and it seemed to have the desired effect. Emil lifted his head from his hands, and George nodded.
"Maybe you aren't as cowardly as I thought." Emil told him.
Neville replied easily, "And you're no cold-hearted bastard."
Silence fell once more, but it was only a moment later that George spoke up, "So what's the plan, then?"
The two other blokes looked to Neville for direction, and he gulped. "Okay, we need to start with one job and make a list." He rummaged through his bag until he found a quill, ink, and parchment. George took the quill and charmed it to take notes for them.
"Right, then. Let's start with you Emil.
"You need to talk to Professor Vincintia. Ask her about the garnet. Make her tell you everything: how she made it, why, how long she's had it, where her loyalties lie, why she took this job, how she knows Dumbledore. You might want to ask her about her history too and research where she comes from to make sure there are no family loyalties that she's not telling us about. Find out everything she knows about Dark Magic, how long she's been using it, and why."
"Ask if she'll help, too. Maybe she can make something else- a charm or something- that will help keep these things away from people or places."
"Good idea, George. Now you. Gather the Order. Find out what they all know. Don't just talk to Moody and Dumbledore; talk to people the others overlook: Mundungus, for instance."
"How do you know about the Order?" Emil asked.
"My gran's in it. How do you?"
"That's why my parents were killed. They were informants for Dumbledore."
"I'm sorry." George whispered.
There was a pregnant pause before Neville decided to keep things moving before it got too awkward. "Make sure you find Remus. He might be holing himself up after losing Sirius, but he might be hurt or, worse, infected or dead.
"Don't talk to your mum. She'll put a stop to all this as soon as she catches a whiff of it.
"You might want to branch outside of the Order, too. Talk to teachers, from both Hogwarts and Durmstrang, and maybe some of the older students. Just be discrete.
"As for me," Neville continued, "Harry's right. Someone has to talk to Karkaroff, and it has to be me because I'm the one who read the Herbology book and talked to him before. I'll find out what he knows, and maybe I'll learn something about what Dumbledore thinks of it all because I'm sure he and Karkaroff have talked, and I know Dumbledore won't tell me anything."
"He never does." George interrupted.
"No, I know. That's why it's important that we go to him last and only as a last resort. He won't want us getting mixed up in things, and he'll try to stop us just like your mum, George, if he finds out what we're doing."
"I wish Professor Snape was awake." Emil stated, seemingly out of the blue.
The other two turned toward him for an explanation. "Well, he and Karkaroff were close. I'm sure Snape knows something about all of this, maybe more than Karkaroff will be willing to share. Plus, Karkaroff was never as close to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as Snape. What's more, if the Fae Creatures are reactive in certain potions, maybe it will be potions that will help keep them at bay. It would help to have a Potions Master for that."
"That's genius!" George exclaimed. "It would help, and I'd bet the joke shoppe that potions will kill the buggers!"
Neville nodded, "Probably, but-"
"Wait!" George yelled. "The joke shoppe! Fred and I have to make potions all the time to get the products to work. Now, we're no Potions Masters, mind you, but I bet if we put our heads together, we can at least get the ball rolling while Snape's still out."
"All right. As soon as I talk to Karkaroff and you talk to the Order, we'll exchange information and you can start with experimenting."
"Everyone know what they're doing?" Neville and George nodded. "Then let's do it."
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were silent when Harry finished catching them up. "Nothing, Hermione?"
"No! I've never heard of Fae Creatures! I've read every book in our library!"
"Neville said all the texts were supposed to be burned. They're probably only rare heirlooms left that mention them." Ginny suggested.
"That doesn't help us. Who do we know that has a collection of rare old books just lying about?" Ron muttered.
Ginny's face lit up, "I might know someone."
Ron's face flushed with anger, "If you're thinking of the Malfoys-"
"Ron, stop it! He's not like the rest of his family. The only reason I haven't talked to him lately is because he's trying to keep his cover. You can yell at him all you want later when this is over."
"She's right, Ronald. We haven't the time right now."
"Hermione, I know you'd rather be with your sister-"
"No, you're right Harry. There's nothing I can do for her just now. I guess we both just have to trust Madam Pomfrey." She gave him a sad smile. "Now. I want to know everything Emil finds out from Vincintia. I cannot believe we didn't think of her before!"
"Are you sure you trust him, Harry?"
"No, but George is, and right now, that's got to be enough."
It was late when Harry's stomach rumbled. The four of them had been talking for hours, planning, plotting, and preparing. When he cast his improved tempus charm, he realised it was night, and they'd missed every meal that day.
The four of them snuck down to the kitchens for a late dinner before heading to bed.
Harry and Ron parted from Hermione and Ginny in the Community Common Room, then split from each other when they reached their dormitory. Harry went over to his bed, noticeably less grand than the one he usually used but still clean and sturdy enough, and sat on the edge.
He made no move to unpack or even get felt so lonely; it'd been so long since he'd talked to Severus, and, while he knew the man loved him, it was hard to not see his deprecating smirk and glinting eyes proving it.
He just sat for a moment. After a while, the noise Ron was making died down, and Harry knew he'd fallen asleep. As the last two to reach the dormitory, that left Harry as the only one awake.
Or not.
A soft 'Potter!' was whispered in the dark and Harry spun around quickly, his wand already raising. Even as he was doing it, he felt silly, but when he saw it was Malfoy speaking to him, he left the wand raised.
Malfoy looked oddly vulnerable, lying in the bed next to Harry's, with rumpled blankets, ruffled hair, and wrinkled pajamas.
"What?" Harry whispered back to him.
"Is Ginerva all right? What's wrong?" Even as quiet as he was, Harry could hear the nervousness and worry that crept into Malfoy's voice.
"She's fine. I just had to catch her up."
"What's wrong?" Malfoy repeated, sitting up. Did Potter really thing that he wouldn't notice that he didn't answer the question?
"I can't-" Harry stopped. When Ginny asked Malfoy for the books, he was going to know what was going on anyway so why couldn't he tell him? "I can't tell you here. She'll talk to you soon. Will you let us borrow some books from your family's library? That is, if you have what we're looking for."
Malfoy snorted. "We'll have it, whatever it is. And yes, you may borrow whichever books you need. Anything you need."
Harry blinked. He'd been shocked so many times today that he didn't know how he still held the capacity to be surprised, but he was.
"I wasn't allowed to choose my side in the war before, Potter. Not with my father in the position he was in. Can you imagine? The son of a Death Eater in the Inner Circle not supporting the Dark Lord? He'd have been killed, but he's safe now.
"I know you don't trust me, but from the very beginning if I could have chosen my side, I'd have chosen yours." With that Malfoy turned over and appeared to go back to sleep if his even breathing was anything to go by.
Harry felt surreal. There was so much happening and changing and still more was to come. He wanted Severus. Wanted him so bad he couldn't see straight.
He got up to slip out of the dormitory, but a whisper stopped him. "Where are you going?"
Malfoy wasn't facing him, but Harry knew it was him that had spoken, "To Severus," he answered.
"I'm sorry." Malfoy paused. "I wish him- you both, really- the best. I always loved him. he was like a second father to me."
Harry didn't know what to say as that kind of made him feel funny. The man he loved being a father figure to a bloke his age? Odd. But it didn't change his feelings. He nodded, knowing Malfoy wouldn't see it anyway and slipped quietly out the door.
He walked down the corridor and into the infirmary without seeing anyone. First, he sat by Severus' bedside, holding his hand, but, after a while, he felt silly trying to find words for a man who couldn't hear him.
Instead, he crawled into the sheets and draped himself across Sev's chest, holding him close and listening to the reassuring beat of the man's heart.
Morning came, and Harry woke early to the light shining through the unshuttered hospital's windows. Harry's eyes fluttered open, and he yawned, shrugging at the warm weight of Severus' arm wrapped around him.
Quickly, Harry sat bolt upright, dislodging the arm from around him and nearly himself from the bed. He turned to look at Severus' open eyes, and couldn't help the grin that broke out across his face.
His smile was brighter than the morning sunlight as he threw himself into a hug with his love. When Severus didn't return the embrace, Harry retreated hurriedly, thinking he must have hurt the man.
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion however when he saw Severus' own confused expression. "Merlin, Severus! You've been gone for days and unconscious for 24 hours, do you really not know why I'm excited to see you awake?" Harry exclaimed, exasperated.
His smile returned however when Severus smiled at him and sat up. The man looked like he was sore, but that was the only thing Harry could see wrong with him. When Severus reached an arm forward as if to hug Harry, the younger man was quick to lean forward to accept it, but that's not what Severus wanted.
He lifted a finger and tapped at Harry's disheveled glasses, "Green!" he shouted in a childlike voice before proceeding to giggle. He clasped his hands under his chin, "Pretty green!"
Harry couldn't help it. He screamed.
A/N: Like I said, sorry about the ending. For those to which it is unclear: yes, Severus did end up like Neville's parents, right after he got engaged, too; I feel awful. That actually wasn't part of the plan, if I'm being honest, so I'm working out a way to fix it, but it might not be possible?
Anyway, I'd love to hear from you all! I'll try not to be too slow on the next update as I've already begun work on the next chapter. Thank you all for sticking with me even though I'm being an arse with my slow updates.
-faceless