Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any of J.K. Rowling's characters, places, or items.
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Chapter 35 – Must Come Down
When Harry awoke Wednesday morning, he didn't feel like he had much going for him. Potions on Monday had been unbearable – he had managed to get forty points docked from Gryffindor for "disrupting class" when he coughed (twenty points), and "being arrogant" when Snape got his and Ron's potions confused and he corrected him (another twenty). He had also learned why it was important to practice Occlumency every week: one week without it had made him unable to hold the Legilimens curse, so he had to start practicing his own methods once more, which resulted in him throwing up before Snape could even uncork the vial of purple potion for him. He didn't feel like reliving that day very much.
He rolled out of bed and got dressed, whapping Ron on the head with a pillow as a signal to wake up, and then headed for the common room. He paused in the doorway. Silver was sitting on a couch, talking to Hermione, but looking more animated than usual. They both seemed to be very giggly about something, and that didn't stop in the least when Hermione looked over and pointed with a telltale squeal. Silver glanced over, the smile not completely gone from her face, and managed to blush while looking completely innocent. He grinned. Even if nothing else was going to go right that day, at least he had Silver.
"Talking about me, are you?" he asked as he sat down next to her.
"Now why would you think that?" she replied.
He chuckled as he leaned closer to her. "Call it a lucky guess," he replied.
She smiled and kissed him good morning. When they drew apart, her eyes sparkled at him, promising to tell him what she and Hermione had been talking about once they were alone. He grinned. She was very bad at keeping secrets from him. It was surprising, really.
"Hey Mione, I don't think I woke Ron up properly when I hit him with my pillow," he said, "Wanna go get him?"
"You just want to be alone," Hermione accused.
Harry grinned. "Guilty," he admitted, "But at least this way you'll be able to give Prince Charming his good morning kiss in private. You do blush rather a lot when people are watching."
Hermione blushed, confirming his words. "Fine," she huffed.
Once she left, Harry grinned at Silver.
"So?" he prodded, "You were talking about me?"
She blushed. "I wasn't going to tell you right now!" she exclaimed.
He smiled. "You know, you can be worse than Hermione with that blushing," he told her.
"Well, you can be worse than...anybody...with those questions of yours," she replied.
He grinned, and then made a puppy-dog face. "Tell me," he pleaded.
She rolled her eyes. "If you must know, we were talking about how cute you are," she told him.
Harry drew back a bit, his eyebrows raised.
"Well, I was talking about how cute you are, and Hermione was talking about how cute Ron is," she corrected herself.
He grinned and leaned closer a bit more. "Care to tell me about me?"
"No," she replied, attempting to push him away and failing.
"You know that never works," he told her amusedly.
"It might one of these days," she replied stubbornly.
"Morning, kids," Ron said in a cheerful voice, "I'm hungry, let's eat."
Silver giggled and slid out of Harry's grasp. "You're always hungry, Ron," she informed him.
He grinned. "Some call it a talent, some call it..."
"A nuisance?" Hermione suggested.
He frowned. "Actually, I was going to go with 'gift'. But that works, I suppose."
Harry's attention was behind Silver, on the animal that had followed her out of the girls' dorm. Charisma was roughly the size of a large pony.
"Uh, Silver?" he asked.
"Hmm?" she replied.
"Charisma is, well...big," he answered.
Hermione and Ron turned around and he saw the looks of surprise on their faces.
"That's bloody brilliant!" Ron exclaimed, "How'd you get her to grow so fast?"
Silver smiled. "She does it naturally," she answered proudly.
Hermione frowned and exchanged worried glances with Harry.
"Silver, I'm not sure she's going to be allowed in classes much longer," Hermione said, "Much less the castle."
Silver looked surprised. "She's not that big," she protested.
"Actually, she is," Hermione replied, "I doubt she'll make it in to one class today."
Silver began to look defiant. "Well then I won't make it in to one class, either," she replied pertly.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine, be stubborn," she said, turning to go out the portrait hole.
Annoyance flashed in Silver's eyes, and she muttered under her breath as she followed Hermione out. Truthfully, Charisma looked as if she may have had a bit of trouble squeezing through. Harry decided not to comment. Silver fell behind to walk with him, leaving Ron and Hermione up front.
"I think Hermione's right," she said worriedly, looking over her shoulder at Charisma.
"Well, we knew Charisma would grow," he said gently, "And she'll still be yours, no matter if she's in your classes or not."
"I guess," Silver said, "It's just that I always feel safe with her."
Harry feigned hurt. "You mean I'm not protector enough for you?" he exclaimed.
She giggled and leaned into him. "Of course you are, honey," she replied, "You know what I mean, though."
He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "Yep," he agreed, "I do."
They sat down for breakfast, and, as usual, the owls came streaming in. Suddenly the whispers and pointing came that could only mean one thing: somebody had received a Howler. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Silver all looked up interestedly. Suddenly Silver gasped.
"Esperanza," she said.
Harry looked up, and sure enough, Esperanza was carrying a red letter their way. The owl dropped it into Silver's hands, and the Great Hall was hushed. Everyone was shocked that Silver would have gotten a Howler. Harry saw Snape stand up out of the corner of his eye. The envelope began to smoke at the corners, and Silver gently undid the flap. It sprung open immediately and hovered in the air before her. The words that came out, although calm, boomed across the Great Hall.
"FOUND YOU, FLOWER."
It began to singe at the edges, but Snape pointed his wand at it and yelled something, and it froze and clattered to the table.
"Don't anybody touch it," Snape ordered.
Harry looked over at Silver. She was staring at the letter in complete shock. She gave a small whimper and stood up slowly. She backed away from the letter as if it were going to eat her alive. Snape and Dumbledore were both walking over to the table. Silence lingered over the Great Hall. Snape pulled gloves onto his hands as he walked over, and gingerly picked up the envelope. Dumbledore placed his hands on Silver's shoulders.
"Right this way, Miss Riddle," he said quietly, steering her towards the door.
Charisma nipped Harry and he jumped up and ran after the threesome immediately. Snape looked over at Harry with loathing.
"What do you want, Potter?" he snarled as they exited the hall.
"I want to make sure she's okay," Harry replied angrily.
"Well, she is, so..." Snape began bitterly.
"Severus," Dumbledore interrupted, "Harry can come."
Snape looked cheated and shot Harry a sneer of hatred. Silver walked along in silence, and it was beginning to worry Harry. He had though she would have said something by now. Once they were in Dumbledore's office, she still just stood there, looking blank.
"Have a seat, Miss Riddle," Dumbledore offered, conjuring up a couch in front of his desk.
She didn't respond. Snape set down the letter and the gloves and put his hands on her shoulders. Slowly, she looked up at him. Amazingly, there were no tears yet.
"He found me," she said quietly.
"You're safe," Snape replied.
"He found me," she repeated, her voice rising a notch.
"And I just told you that you're safe," Snape snapped. She looked up at him in surprise, and he looked back down at her evenly.
"Do you not believe me?" he asked.
"I believe you," she said, her voice quieting again.
He nodded his approval. "Sit," he ordered.
She obediently sat down.
Snape sat on one side of her, and Harry on the other, as they faced Dumbledore. Dumbledore seemed to be considering what to say very carefully. He peered first at Silver, then at Harry, and then at Snape. He seemed to look at Snape for a very long time. Finally, he spoke with carefully chosen words.
"Silver," he said quietly, directing his gaze to her, "I do not want you to do anything rash."
"But-"she began.
Snape silenced her with a hand on her arm. She looked up at him.
"You must not do anything rash," he said firmly.
She surveyed him for a moment before nodding. "I won't do anything rash," she promised.
Dumbledore now looked amused. "I see you adhere to Severus' orders," he observed.
She looked abashed. "I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore, I just..."
Dumbledore held up his hand. "I understand," he told her.
She directed her gaze downwards. Harry was wondering who, exactly, the voice had belonged to. It had been a male – where had he heard somebody call her 'flower' before? He racked his brain, but nobody came to mind. Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, but Harry interrupted.
"Who was the Howler from?" he inquired.
Dumbledore, Snape, and Silver looked at him in surprise. Even Charisma looked at him oddly.
"You do not know?" Dumbledore asked.
Harry shook his head. "Should I?" he ventured.
"Think about it!" Snape snapped loudly, "Use your brain for once!"
"Severus," Dumbledore said in a warning tone.
Snape ignored him and continued to glare at Harry. "I know you have a brain, Potter, I just don't understand why you choose never to put it to use!"
Harry began to feel angry. "I am using my brain!" he shot back. It was a lame comeback, but it was a comeback just the same.
"Stop it, you two," Silver said quietly as Snape opened his mouth.
They both fell sullenly silent.
"Harry...it was Voldemort," she said.
Harry snorted. "You're crazy," he answered, "Voldemort wouldn't send a letter, he would come and kill you."
"Harry, think of my memories," she answered quietly, "He was the only one who ever called me that."
An image of a girl being pushed up to Voldemort's throne filled Harry's mind. Voldemort's seemingly patient words seemed to echo across his mind, "Come here, flower." He looked up.
"Why?" he finally asked.
"To make us sweat it out," Snape answered, "He knows that Dumbledore has helped her."
Suddenly Silver straightened up. "But..." she said, looking at Snape, "But you...he's going to blame you."
"No doubt," Snape replied.
"No," Silver said, "You can't go."
"It is only a matter of time before I am summoned," Snape answered, "And then I must go."
Silver shook her head. "He'll kill you," she whispered.
"So be it!" Snape said, his voice rising, "I will die doing something honorable!"
He suddenly clapped his hand to his forearm.
"No," Silver repeated, her voice rising.
Snape stood up. "I must go," he said, giving Dumbledore an apologetic look.
Silver stood up and cemented herself to him.
"You can't go," she said, "You can't!"
Her voice was shaky, but she wasn't crying. Snape looked at Harry.
"A bit of assistance, Potter?" he asked as he tried to pry her off of him.
Harry looked at Dumbledore, who nodded at him. Then he got up and put his arms around Silver.
"No, Harry, stop!" she said, "He can't go. He's going to die!"
"Come on, Silver," he said gently, "He has to go."
"No!" she yelled, fighting against him.
He closed his eyes, trying to block out the sound of her protests. He put his arms around her and began to pull her backwards. Soon, Snape was freed. Silver was yelling protests at the top of her lungs.
"Hush!" Snape commanded.
She fell silent at once.
"If I die," he said, looking at her intently and speaking with a frighteningly calm voice, "I die for you."
With that, he Disapparated. Silver collapsed onto the couch, staring at the place where he had previously stood. Then, her face crumpled. She gave a heart-wrenching sob, and Harry quickly pulled her into his arms. She was shaking intensely with the force of her own tears, and it hurt him to see her so undone.
"It's going to be okay," he told her.
"No," she sobbed, "No."
Harry looked at Dumbledore for assistance. Dumbledore looked as if he had expected the whole thing in the first place.
"Just let her cry," he advised.
Harry nodded, and continued to comfort her the best he could. As her sobs began to quiet, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in, Minerva, children," Dumbledore said, rather cheerfully.
Professor McGonagall, Ron, and Hermione came in, looking worried and confused. Their eyes all landed on Harry and Silver. Please, Harry begged them silently, Please don't say anything about Snape.
"Where's Severus?" Professor McGonagall asked, as if on cue.
Silver gave a loud sob and began to cry louder. Harry glared at Professor McGonagall, even though she had no way of knowing how her words would affect Silver.
"He was summoned," Dumbledore said quietly, "By the same person who gave Silver the Howler."
Professor McGonagall's eyes widened. "You don't mean to say..." she gasped.
"Yes, indeed," Dumbledore replied, "Voldemort."
Ron jumped at the sound of the name, and Hermione gave a small squeak, but they did their best to act as if it hadn't affected them. Professor McGonagall gave Silver a piercing look. Silver's sobs began to quiet again, and everybody stayed silent until she had stopped crying completely. She didn't pull away from Harry, but she spoke loudly enough so that everybody could hear her despite the fact that her voice as muffled by his robes.
"I can't stay here," she announced.
"And why not?" Dumbledore inquired.
She pulled away from Harry. "Because I'm putting everyone in danger," she replied, "People that I love."
She looked at Harry with this last statement.
"I hate to break it to you," Harry told her, "But I'm in danger anyway. Scar on the forehead, boy-who-lived, that sort of thing."
"Well won't it really be icing on the cake for Voldemort if he takes us both at once?" she replied.
"Firstly, I would never let him take you without me," he replied, "Secondly, if he did take you, I wouldn't rest until either he was dead, or I died fighting him."
"Nice, Harry," she sniffed, "You're impossible."
He grinned. "I am," he agreed.
She got up, however, and headed for the fireplace. She pulled a jar of Floo Powder off of Dumbledore's fireplace.
"Miss Riddle," Dumbledore said, "Where are you going?"
"The Snape Manor," she replied.
"Do you really think that is a good idea?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, I do," Silver answered, "I doubt Lestrange and Narcissa will attempt to break into his house."
"And what makes you think this?" Dumbledore asked.
"Because that old house is plain ornery," she answered.
Dumbledore looked amused. "And if they are there?" he inquired.
"I'll fight," she replied calmly, withdrawing her wand.
She and Dumbledore exchanged a long glance, and finally, she spoke.
"I know my way around that house," she said, "I know which hallways lead where on each day of the week, I know the secret passageways – well, most of them – and I know it would be the safest place for me to go. I can't stay here."
Dumbledore gave her a calculating glance. "On one condition, Miss Riddle," he finally said.
Harry glared at Dumbledore. There was no way he was letting Silver out of his sight, no way he was going to just let her go to that evil old git's house and hope that Lestrange wasn't there...
"Mr. Potter will be accompanying you," he announced.
Immediately Harry felt better. That was more like it, he decided. Silver looked at him, and he could clearly read the emotions in her eyes. She was relieved and anxious.
"Headmaster," Professor McGonagall interrupted, "Do you really think that is the best idea?"
"Yes, Minerva, I do," Dumbledore answered, "The Snape Manor is the last place anyone will think of looking for either of them, for one thing, and for another, I believe Silver is right. Severus does have an extremely ornery house."
"I meant about sending the two of them – alone," she answered, eyeing Harry suspiciously.
He couldn't help but grin.
"I do not believe Mr. Potter is the type to..." Dumbledore paused, his eyes sparkling with amusement, "Take advantage," he finished.
"He's not," Silver supplied.
Professor McGonagall looked disbelieving.
"Can't we go, too?" Hermione interrupted.
"No, no, Miss Granger," Dumbledore replied, "Not today, anyhow. We need you, at the moment, to do a very important job."
Hermione and Ron looked interested.
"When you go back down, I daresay you will have people surrounding you, trying to find out what, exactly, happened," Dumbledore said, "We need you to tell them that Miss Riddle has received a Howler from an enemy, and that she and Mr. Potter are hiding within the castle. Take care that these rumors get circulated, particularly to the Slytherin house."
Hermione and Ron nodded, both looking happy to have a job.
"Very well then," Dumbledore said agreeably, smiling, "You are dismissed."
Hermione and Ron looked at Harry and Silver.
"Will you two do me a favor?" Silver asked suddenly.
Surprised, they nodded.
"Take Charisma," Silver said, "She won't fit in the fireplace."
The two looked at Charisma, who squealed in protest. After a stern glance from Silver, she reluctantly walked over to Ron and Hermione.
"Take care that she comes in the classroom with you," Silver added.
"We will," Hermione said softly.
"Bye," Silver replied.
The other three echoed the sentiment, and then Ron, Hermione, and a mournful-looking Charisma turned and left.
Silver and Harry exchanged glances. Silver, with a determined look in her eye, threw some Floo Powder into the fireplace. She stepped in without hesitation, and ordered, "The Snape Manor!"
Harry shot one last look at Dumbledore's office and followed suit. He was spit out in a cold, stone room who's walls glowed with potions. He saw Silver waiting for him, and quickly regained the balance he had lost from spinning. She put a finger to her lips as he opened his mouth to speak, and he realized why after a second. They had to be sure nobody else was in the house. After minutes of standing perfectly still, Silver began to walk quietly out of the room. Harry followed without a question. She led him up two flights of stairs, and then straight to a wall.
"Sorry about this, Harry," she said, "But I have to say the password to get in."
He gave her a questioning look, and she turned to the wall once more.
"James Potter is an arrogant, self-conceited, ugly git with messy hair," she said firmly.
"No he's n-"Harry began, but then the wall began to open.
"That's Snape's password?" Harry asked in disbelief as they stepped past the wall and it shut behind them.
"Afraid so," she replied. He noticed that she had a smile on her face.
"You think it's funny!" he accused.
"I do," she admitted, and then, with a smile, "He is one for grudges, isn't he?"
"I'll say," Harry muttered.
They walked down a stone hallway where the people in the portraits pointed and whispered suspiciously. Harry followed Silver silently, although he nearly yelped when they turned a corner. There was a huge, life-sized, and very realistic portrait of Snape hanging there.
"Hello," Silver greeted it pleasantly.
The portrait-Snape sneered at her. "You again," he said in a bored drawl that sounded too much like Snape for comfort.
"Yes, it is," she agreed cheerfully.
"What do you want?" he sneered.
"I would like access to this room, please," she answered politely.
He smirked. "Password?"
Her face fell slightly. "Well, I don't exactly have one," she said, "But you know he always lets me in!"
"No password, no entrance," the portrait-Snape sneered.
"But we really need in," Silver protested.
The portrait-Snape's eyes flew to Harry.
"You will foul the bed of my master," he accused.
Silver blushed. "We most certainly will not!" she exclaimed, "You shouldn't think such things!"
The portrait-Snape merely sneered, and repeated, "No password, no entrance."
Silver seemed to be thinking.
"James Potter is an arrogant, self-conceited git with messy hair?" she tried.
He shook his head, smirking.
"Um, I hate James Potter?" she tried.
She still received a head-shake.
"Sirius Black smells like a dog?" she tried.
At Harry's look, she proceeded to explain. "That's the password for one of his labs."
Harry began to get angry. One of his passwords is probably, "I will kill Harry Potter", he thought dryly. Silver continued trying insults for passwords, mainly ones that included his father and Sirius, although he apparently also hated Lucius Malfoy with a passion. Finally, Silver lost patience.
"Listen up!" she yelled at the smirking portrait, "Severus has been summoned by Voldemort, and he might very well be killed all because Voldemort is looking for me. He told me that if he died, he was going to die for me, so that obviously means he wants me safe, so he would obviously want me in the safest room in the house, which happens to be this one!"
For a moment the portrait just stared at her. "No need to get so angry," he said at last, as he swung open. Harry couldn't believe their luck.
"Thank you!" Silver said brightly to the portrait, "I take it you figured out not to let anybody else in?"
"Yes," the portrait replied dryly, "I gathered."
"Very good, then," Silver said, doing an excellent imitation of Dumbledore.
Harry walked in to what looked to be a living room and a potions lab mixed together – the only thing to suggest that it was actually a bedroom was a large bed in the center of the right wall. Everything was decorated in Slytherin green, from the couch, to the bed, to the strip of wallpaper that encircled the room. Silver sat down on a couch immediately, and stared into the fire that was right by it. Harry sat down beside her.
"Silver," he said finally, "Is there something I'm missing here?"
She looked up at him curiously. "Like what, Harry?" she asked.
"Like why Voldemort wants you so badly?" he asked.
"Because he can't have me," Silver answered.
She looked at the fire, and then back at him. "I can show you," she offered.
"What do you mean, show me?" he asked.
"Using Occlumency. I can show you why Voldemort wants me," she said, "It will be like looking into a Penseive."
He regarded her critically for a moment. "Won't it hurt you to look back on it?" he finally asked.
She smiled faintly. "I don't think so," she answered, "Because his chasing me for all this time only proves that I got the better of him."
Harry didn't understand what she meant, and it must have shown in his eyes.
"Let me show you," she said quietly, putting both of her hands up.
He reached out and linked fingers with her.
"Alright," he consented.
She smiled. "Ready when you are," she said, closing her eyes.
Harry looked at her for a moment. He had always expected to find out about her past, but not like this – not because he had to see it to understand why she was in danger. But here she was, trusting him enough to close her eyes and allow him complete control. She was going to show him memories that he was sure were hurtful. He spread their hands apart a bit, leaned forward, and kissed her gently. When he pulled back, she was looking at him with a smile.
"I trust you, Harry," she said quietly.
"I love you," he answered.
She smiled. "Love you, too," she said, quicker than she had ever responded before.
Then she closed her eyes again, waiting patiently for what she knew was about to happen.