Raising Harry

PetuniaxSeverus, Harry

Rated T

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters from the franchise. That honor belongs to JK Rowling

Raising Harry

Chapter 37: Ravenclaw's Diadem

Harry and Luna walked through the corridors of the Dungeons, making their way to the Potions classroom. Reaching it they noticed how the class, which seemed to a Seventh Year N.E.W.T. level Potions class, all sitting and talking amongst themselves, some of them even looking around to see if their Potions professor was around or coming. Harry frowned and stepped inside the classroom, his presence being noticed by a Ravenclaw Seventh Year.

"Hey Harry," she greeted. "Have you seen Professor Snape? He's late."

"How late?" Harry asked.

"A whole twenty minutes," a Hufflepuff student answered.

A Gryffindor nodded and said, "We thought about just leaving, but we don't know what kind of trouble we'll be in for skipping Snape's class."

Harry frowned and looked back at Luna who was looking down the corridor. Turning back to face Harry she said, "Professor McGonagall is coming."

Professor McGonagall walked up to the Potions classroom, looking at Luna in confusion before doing the same in seeing Harry. Frowning she asked, "Mr. Potter, Miss Lovegood, what are you two doing here? This is not your class."

Harry cleared his throat and answered, "No, we have a free period right now. But Luna and I were looking for Professor Snape. We need to talk to him about something."

"About what?"

"Whether or not we can do some extra potions work for him and for extra credit," Luna answered easily, so much so that it caused Gryffindor's Head of House to nod in approval of the answer before turning back to face the class.

"Well, be that as it may, I have come with a message from Professor Snape," McGonagall said. "He is cancelling this class for the day, considering he is late for a reason he did not disclose." The class cheered at the news. "However, next class you will not only go over what you were supposed to do today, but spend your free period following doing the work for the class as well. Not only that, but he expects a ten-foot essay on today's and next class's topics and their significance."

Harry giggled at how the Seventh Years groaned at the news before they packed up and left the classroom, the Gryffindors grumbling about how evil their professor was while the Ravenclaws and Slytherins were already discussing going to the library to get started on said essay. Once the entire class was gone McGonagall left leaving the two Fourth Years alone. Once she left Luna looked at the bespectacled boy and asked, "What do we do now?"

Harry thought for a moment before saying, "I'll be he's in his private quarters, so we'll go there." Seeing Luna's frown at the prospect of entering Snape's private quarters, he walked over to her and took her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, it'll be fine. He won't mind you being there because you're with me."

Luna smiled and nodded and allowed Harry to lead her out of the Potions classroom and further into the Dungeons to a portrait of a sphinx. Stopping in front of it Harry knocked on the frame of the portrait, causing the sphinx to let out a disgruntled growl. He apologized to the creature just as the portrait swung open and Severus looked out. Looking at them he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Can I help you?"

Harry took in the man's appearance and noticed how his long hair looked a bit disheveled and he had a mark peaking out from under his robes on his neck. The mark looked like a bruise and he wondered if he had gotten into some sort of scuffle. In concern he asked, "Are you alright, Severus? You look…disheveled."

Severus' black eyes widened slightly before clearing his throat and saying, "Come inside, both of you."

The two Ravenclaws entered Severus' private quarters, Luna stopping momentarily to look up at the Potions Master and saying with a smile, "I take it Mrs. Dursley was pleased."

"Quiet, Miss Lovegood," Severus said, though he couldn't stop the slight blush from appearing on his face. He followed Luna into his quarters and watched her look around to take in his personal space before moving to sit next to Harry on the sofa. He took notice of their close proximity and how Harry blushed before sitting in his armchair. Once he was comfortable he asked, "So what brings you two here to my private quarters and why couldn't it wait until later?"

Harry and Luna both looked at each other before Harry reached into his schoolbag and pulled out the box he had stuffed in there before leaving the Room of Requirement. He passed it off to Severus and allowed him to take it, noticing how he too could feel the Dark magic coming from the box. Catching his eye he nodded and said, "Open it."

Severus frowned before lifting the lid, his eyes widening at the contents inside. This…this was the Lost Diadem of Ravenclaw in all its glory. Looking up at the two he asked, "Where did you find this?"

"In the Room of Requirement, sir," Luna answered honestly.

"The Come and Go Room?"

"Yes sir. We went there to go study in peace, but Harry sensed it."

Harry nodded confirming the dreamy blonde's words. "Yeah, my scar began to sting and I was able to follow its whispering to where it was."

The Potions Master frowned as he stared down at the diadem, not being able to fully believe that this item, this Horcrux, had been hidden here in Hogwarts for many years. He couldn't believe that the Dark Lord had hidden something of this magnitude in the most protected place that could be thought of in the Wizarding World. Then again, it would make since to hide it in Hogwarts, and in place many people did not know exist in the school. As upsetting as this news was, he also couldn't help but feel proud of Harry and Luna finding the diadem. He was positive that the two had no idea what it was that they had found, just that they found something believed to have been lost forever and was swimming in Dark magic. Either way, he was proud of them for bringing the item to him first.

Closing the lid of the box Severus looked at the two and said, "Thank you for bringing this straight to me when you found it. I'm proud that you let me know rather than someone else; I award Ravenclaw ten points."

"Thanks Sev," Harry said with a grin. "So what are you going to do with it now? It's tainted with Dark magic, so what now?"

"I'm going to take care of it, don't worry. But for the time being, don't speak about your find to anyone, ever. It's better to let me and a few others take care of this than you."

Luna nodded and said, "Alright, Professor. I suppose we'll be going now. After all, Harry has to prepare for the Third Task next weekend."

Harry's eyes widened at hearing that before saying, "Oh Merlin, it is next weekend."

"Then I suggest you prepare. Miss Lovegood make sure that he does and enlist Miss Granger if need be."

Luna giggled as Harry gave the older wizard an offended look before nodding and standing up from the sofa, taking Harry's hand to leave. Harry waved over his shoulder at Severus before leaving with Luna, the portrait closing behind them and leaving Severus alone. The moment they were gone Severus stood up from his armchair and walked over to his fireplace with the box in his hand, grabbing a handful of Floo Powder and throwing it into the fireplace. Stepping inside he said, "Grimmauld Place."

Green flames erupted around and swallowed him, whisking him away through the Floo channel until being spat out of the fireplace in Grimmauld Place's library. Dusting the soot off his black robes he called out, "Black! Black, are you here?"

There was a thump followed by cursing before Sirius walked into the library, a slight limp in his step. Stopping he bent down to rub his knee before asking, "What the hell are you doing here, Snape?"

Severus raised an eyebrow before saying, "Not that I don't love knowing that you've injured yourself—because I do—but I hope it was because you weren't doing anything foolish."

Sirius scowled at taller man. "For your information, I was in the kitchen looking over places for where we could find Ravenclaw's Diadem. I started late last night and ended up falling asleep, so your sudden call startled me. Also, along with hearing about the snake being destroyed from Dumbledore, he also told me about what happened to Petunia. I'm sorry to hear that happened to her."

"It's alright, she's doing fine now and is settling into her new home. I'm sure she'll let you know of her new location in time…if she wants to. But the reason I'm here is this."

Holding out the box Severus watched as the Animagus took the box from him, his frown deepening upon feeling the amount of Dark magic coming from it. Almost hesitantly Sirius opened the box, his eyes widening at seeing the diadem. Grey eyes wide, Sirius looked up at Severus and said, "Incredible. I can't believe you found it."

"I actually didn't find it. Harry and his friend Luna Lovegood found it and brought it to me."

"Harry found it?"

"Yes, though I doubt he knows what it is other than Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem."

Taking the sapphire covered tiara out of the box Sirius said, "It sure is exquisite. It's a shame that it has to be destroyed, but it must be done." A grin appeared on his face. "But that means this is the last one. This is the last Horcrux and that means all of You-Know-Who's pieces of soul are destroyed. And if he comes back, he'll be powerless; he'll be completely human."

Severus nodded before saying, "Yes, he will be. But that can only be if you destroy the Horcrux."

Sirius nodded and went to go get the Basilisk fang that he kept, returning and placing the diadem on the floor of the library. Bending down he tightened his grip on the fang before stabbing it down into the Horcrux, black smoke quickly arising from it. Severus and Sirius watched the black smoke shape itself several times, as if trying to decide what form to take and which wizard it wanted to attack. However before it could, Sirius stabbed the Horcrux once more and it let out an inhuman shriek before the black smoke evaporated in the air, the object's shrieks echoing in the air.

When all was quiet again and the ruined diadem still resting on the floor, Sirius let out a breath he hadn't known he'd be holding. A chuckle left his lips before he moved to sink down into the love-seat in the library and said, "It's over."

Severus let out a silent breath, his black eyes closing briefly in his relief before walking over to the fireplace. Turning to Sirius he said, "I will be letting Petunia know of your success. I'm leaving it to you to tell Albus."

Sirius nodded and Severus stepped into the fireplace, Floo Powder in his hand and dropping it with instruction to go to his private quarters in Hogwarts. Once he was back in his quarters he went to get a piece of parchment and his quill. Sitting down at his desk he began writing to his lover, intent on letting her know the good news.

Petunia stretched as she woke up from her sated nap. A smile found its way on her lips as she thought of the glorious lovemaking that had ensued just hours before. She had made sure she had seen her lover off before falling asleep. Sitting up in bed she found her satin robe and grabbed it, getting out of bed and putting it on. She left her bedroom and headed downstairs to her new kitchen, her fingers grazing across the marble counter-tops. She absolutely loved it and had to thank Lucius once again for being so kind as to give her and Harry this house.

A tap on the window caught her attention and she turned to see an owl hovering outside the window, a letter held in its beak. Walking over to the window, she opened it and allowed for the owl to rest on the windowsill before giving her the letter. She stroked its feathers a bit before it flew off. Closing the window she opened the letter and was smiled seeing Severus' handwriting. She began to read the letter, her blue eyes widening at reading that Harry had found the last Horcrux and Sirius had destroyed it. Whatever was left of the letter she didn't read; instead she began to cheer and jump around the kitchen. She was so happy knowing that their tedious task of hunting Horcruxes was over and that Harry was finally safe.

She stopped cheering and jumping around when a sudden memory came to the forefront of her mind. She could clearly remember the first vision she ever had, the one that led to the conclusion she was a witch. She had seen her son trapped, held against his will while being tortured or taunted by Voldemort. That hadn't happened yet, but she had an awful feeling it probably still would. If that was the case, did that mean that the Dark Lord was still going to come back? And if so, when?