They all turned around to face Albus Dumbledore. "Hello, Professor" said Ginny and Harry sheepishly.
"Mr Potter, Miss Weasley" he said, looking at them over his half-moon glasses. Then he looked up at the portrait. "What else, dear Armado, did you tell them?" he asked.
The dead headmaster smiled. "Nothing, Albus, there's no need to worry, they only arrived a few moments ago."
"Good good" Albus smiled, looking back to Ginny and Harry. "Why don't the two of you head on down to the Great Hall, I need to have a word with Sirius and Remus."
Both Harry and Ginny nodded and left the room quickly. Lupin and Sirius looked worriedly at Albus. "What's the matter?" Remus asked.
"Severus hasn't woken yet and Poppy can't find out why" Albus said, walking around the room.
"Then shouldn't you be talking to Harry?" asked Sirius.
Albus shook his head. "Harry was under the impression that he would wake of his own free will" he said.
"What spell did he use?" Remus asked. "Surely there's a counter spell?"
"Where are Sophia, Draco and Ro?" Padfoot inquired.
"I had Poppy slip them a mild sleeping potion earlier. She'll bring them down to dinner" Albus said. "And I do not know what spell Harry used or if he made up the spell himself."
"Why not just ask Harry?" Lupin asked.
Albus shook his head. "I do not want to worry him at this moment in time, but if Severus dose not wake up soon I fear I will have to." They them stood in silence for a few minutes before heading down to the Great Hall themselves.
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When Harry and Ginny reached the bottom of the stairs leading to Dumbledore's office Harry turned to Ginny. "I'm going to go and check on Snape, want to come too?"
Ginny frowned. "Shouldn't he be awake by now?" she asked. Harry had told her while they were cleaning what had happened.
Harry shrugged "Depends on how long it takes him to dissolve what I put in his head" he said. Ginny just nodded and the two made their way down to the Hospital wing.
When they reached the door Harry stopped Ginny from going in just yet. He carefully opened the door and looked around. After he made sure nobody was there he tiptoed into the room.
"They're probably at dinner" Ginny said. Harry nodded in agreement.
They moved over to the bed where Severus was sleeping. Ginny frowned and cocked her head sideways.
"Dose he look different to you?" she asked.
Harry looked at the potions master and chuckled. "Yeah, he doesn't have that angry scowl on his face."
"That would be your fault too, Potter" the supposedly sleeping potions master said, causing Ginny to scream at the top of her lungs and jump behind Harry.
Harry looked down at the bed and saw that Snape was now looking at them with his black eyes. "Good evening, Professor" Harry said. "Nice to see you awake!"
Severus turned so that he was sitting with his feet on the ground. "Care to explain what you did this time, Potter?" he asked as he reached for his robes and moved behind the curtain to change.
"Erm…sir, are you sure it's wise for you to be up?" Ginny asked.
He stepped back around a moment later. "And why, Miss Weasley, would that not be wise?"
"Well you have been in a coma since dinner yesterday" Ginny said.
Severus' head shot up to look at Harry. "Uh oh" Harry said, eyes wide in shock. He quickly turned and ran, Severus close behind.
Harry ran and ran. He was not sure where he was going but he just kept running, finally finding his bearings when he reached the top of the main staircase.
He ran down the stairs skipping a few here and there. When he reached the bottom he went straight for the open doors leading into the Great Hall.
When Harry ran through the doors flushed and out of breath Albus stood up from his seat. "Harry?" he asked, "What's the matter?"
Harry looked up at his headmaster. "Good or bad news first?" Harry asked.
Albus frowned. "Good" Sirius said, smiling.
"I didn't kill Snape" Harry said.
"That's not good news" Sirius said just as Minerva and Albus said "Professor Snape, Harry."
"What's the bad news?" Sophia asked, worried for her brother's health.
Harry opened his mouth to answer just as Severus stopped in the doorway. "He's going to kill me!" Harry said.
Severus pointed his wand at Harry and threw a spell at him. While Harry ducked and missed the spell he said to Snape "Look, it was for you own good."
"For my own good? You put me in a coma, Potter!" he snarled, throwing another spell at Harry.
Harry once again dodged the spell before raising his empty right hand. "Accio wand!" he thought to himself and Snape's wand flew right into his hand. "Yes, it was for your own good."
"How so?" Snape sneered.
"Well, personally I'd prefer to have you in a coma for a day then have to bury you" Sophia said then threw a spell at Severus, causing him to rub his arm in pain and turn to look at her.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
While Sophia explained what had happened Albus noted the look on Harry's face. "Something the matter, Harry?" he asked.
Harry didn't look at him though he continued to look at Severus and in a split second the potions master's face turned from a glare to shock. "No sir" Harry said finally, shaking his head. "I don't think there is." He turned around to face the headmaster. "May I be excused from dinner? I'm not hungry."
Albus waited a moment then nodded. Harry left the hall quietly, unnoticed by everyone bar Albus and Minerva, who walked up and stood next to her husband, "There's a lot he's not telling us, isn't there" she said.
Albus let out a long breath. "Yes, my dear" he said. "And I fear that it is my fault." Before Minerva could say anything Albus turned to the rest of the people in the room. "Come, let us finish dinner" he said, retaking his seat.
Everyone followed suit, Severus sitting between Draco and Sophia. "Where's Harry?" Draco asked when everyone was seated.
"He was not hungry and asked to be excused" Albus said. Everyone let it be and continued to eat their dinner.
When dinner was finished it was the same routine. All the teens went up to the Gryffindor tower along with the elder Weasleys, Tonks, Remus and Sirius. The teachers all departed as well saying their goodnights, leaving Minerva, Albus, Sophia and Severus in the Great Hall.
Albus looked at Minerva, asking her a question with his eyes. She nodded and turned to Sophia. "Sophia, come for a walk with me" she said. Sophia nodded and the two witches walked out of the hall.
Albus watched and waited until they were both gone before turning back to look at Severus. He was once again sitting at the table and was hunched over with his face in his hands. He looked up when Albus called his name. Albus was surprised to see fear in his normally cold back eyes.
"I owe my life to a 16 year old boy more times then I can count" said the Potions master.
"If you are thinking that Harry will use that against you then you are wrong, Severus" Albus said. "Harry is not someone that likes to see people suffer." He sighed. "He has suffered too much himself."
There was silence in the hall for a moment before Albus spoke again. "What were you thinking, Severus?"
"Surely you had Potter tell you?" asked Snape.
Albus turned from where he was looking out of one of the large windows. "I'm asking you, Severus. What were you thinking?" he asked sternly.
Severus sighed. "I don't know what I was thinking" he said, "Nothing makes sense now." Albus nodded. "What did Potter tell you?"
"That a thought was placed in your head to make you believe that every one would be better off if you were dead" Albus said. Severus nodded. That was what it had felt like to him. "Why don't you go and get some sleep, Severus, or go talk to Rolanda" Albus suggested to the younger wizard.
Severus nodded and stood from his seat. "Thank you, Albus."
"I am not the one you should be thanking" the headmaster said.
Severus didn't say anything just nodded and walked to the door. "Good night Albus."
"Good night my boy" he heard Albus say before he was out the door.
When he was in the main corridor he looked between the large staircase and the ones going to the dungeons trying to decide what to do. He stood there for a few minutes before deciding against both and turned and walked down the corridor to the library.
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When dinner had finished everyone went up to the common room as usual. They all sat down and played a game, read, or talked.
After they arrived Sirius went up to see where Harry was. When he came back down alone Lupin asked where he was. Before Sirius could answer Ginny did.
"He's in the library" she said, not looking up from her book.
Everyone looked at her. "And how would you know that?" Percy asked rudely.
Ginny looked up at her older brother before standing and moving over to the notice board where a large piece of parchment read "Don't worry, I'm not kidnapped or run away, gone to library, will be back before ten. Harry." She turned to her mother and asked with her eyes if she could leave.
Molly nodded and Ginny smiled and walked over to the portrait whole and jumped out without saying anything. Of course, she knew as soon as she was out there would be uproar from her brothers – bar the twins – but her parents would sort them all out. She hoped.
Ginny was halfway to the library when she bumped into Sophia, Madam Hooch and Professor McGonagall.
"Professor, Madam Hooch, Sophia" Ginny greeted.
"Miss Weasley" Ro and Minerva said.
"Ginny" Sophia said.
"Where are you off to?" Minerva asked.
"Library, Harry left a note to say he'd be there and I wanted to see what he was doing" Ginny answered.
Just then Albus rounded the corner behind the three elder witches. Ginny smiled. "Hello Professor" she said politely.
Albus nodded slightly. "Ladies" he said, smiling at the four witches.
Minerva turned to her husband. "Good or bad?" was all she asked.
"Hopefully good" he said. "If you will all excuse me I have to send a letter to the Minister."
After bidding each other good night they all went there different ways.
TBC…