CHAPTER 38
A/N: I'm sooo sorry about the delay! I have been bogged down with translation assignments, I am the middle of discussing my doctoral thesis with my professor, and I had a minor case of writer's block. I hope that you'll like this chapter just the same :-D
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Hermione, Ron and Harry were lying on a towel in the grass, their shoes off. A bee tried to inspect Ron's nostril. There was a faint crackle of voiceless magic, and the bee was propelled back violently.
"Ron, that was mean," Hermione complained.
"I don't want my nose to be turned into a beehive."
Harry laughed. The NEWT exams were over. Everyone had sore hands from all the writing. Hermione had written so much that she had sprouted blisters on two fingers.
"I do hope that I answered that question on-"
"'Mione, you know that you'll be top of the whole school," Harry said exasperatedly.
"Success is not something to be taken for granted," Hermione responded wisely.
"It can be taken for granted with you," Ron purred.
Hermione began to tear out tufts of grass.
"Now we have to wait for three weeks until we receive the results," she sighed.
"I'll know then first since I'll have to continue staying here," Harry said gloomily. He wasn't sure if he had put enough rosemary in his potion during the Potions exam. Like with the OWL exams, external examiners had supervised the whole procedure.
Severus Snape walked near them, the hem of his robe nearly touching Harry's bare foot. His black eyes met Harry's for the fraction of a second. Then Potions Master was carrying a crate in his arms to collect Potions ingredients. Harry reddened a little. Severus's tall figure receded. Harry became aware of a sharp prodding in his ribs.
"So you do like that idiot?" Ron asked him.
"Well, we get on much better now," Harry said evasively, studying the flittering and fluttering of a frisky butterfly, "and he's not an idiot."
"Mate, that was definitely a I-want-to-get-into-your-robes look!" Ron said, sounding scandalised.
"Harry, we know," Hermione said simply.
"Know what?" Harry said with mounting nervousness.
"That you fancy that…thing," Ron said.
"Snape is not a thing!" Harry said indignantly.
"See? That's what I mean," Ron observed with grim triumph.
Harry sat up and shook the grass from his hair.
"I don't know how it happened. Well, I guess it was all this soul recognition stuff, and the mental magic, and being forced to get to know each other at first, and then doing so voluntarily, and the Sudoku, and-"
"Harry, we understand. I do, anyway," Hermione interrupted him gently.
"I honestly don't understand or…or…well…approve of Snape being your heart's desire…or dick's desire…"
"RONALD WEASLEY!" Hermione snapped.
"-but you don't need my approval, it's your decision, and if you think that moron – I mean, Snape will make you…happy…"
"I think he will," Harry said rather coldly, "and don't call him names, please."
"As if you never called him names-"
"Called. Past tense. It was before I got to really know him."
"Ron," Hermione said softly. It was enough; Ron muttered an apology, patted Harry's arm and lay back down again.
"Just don't tell me what Snape looks like in the buff," he said gruffly, trying to repair the disturbed ambience.
However, if Ron was sceptical about the bond between his best friend and the Potions Master, then Harry himself was no less sceptical about the fact that Remus and Marius seemed to be going out together for evening walks on a regular basis. Remus was on Order business; but, as Harry privately suspected, Remus wanted to be close to Harry during the final stage of his quasi-godson's education, and, in addition, ensure that Severus did not hurt Harry emotionally.
Harry's temper rose whenever he saw Marius flash his smiles at Remus. A few days before the students left, Harry decided to take matters into his own hands and waited for Marius in front of the Healer's office.
"Ah, Potter, what can I do for you?" Marius asked languidly when he returned from dinner and found Harry waiting for him.
"If you hurt Remus, then you will regret it," Harry said, closing in for the attack without delay and enunciating each word.
"Is that so?" Marius asked, his grey eyes becoming hard.
"Oh yes," Harry said in a low dangerous voice which was uncannily like Severus's whenever the Potions Master was incensed.
Harry and Marius stared at each for a long unpleasant moment before Harry turned and marched away, his back stiff. He wondered if Marius would tell Remus about what had happened. And Marius did, because the very next morning, Harry was accosted by an unsmiling Remus Lupin.
"I believe you threatened Mr Rivers," he said coldly.
Harry flushed hotly.
"I don't want him to hurt you. I've seen things – true things."
"Marius has explained the situation to me."
"And are you still going to go out with him?" Harry asked bluntly, planting his hands on his hips.
"That is my business, Harry – just like it is your business whether you will be happy or unhappy with Severus," Remus growled, and Harry seemed to hear the wolf in his voice.
"I…I'm just…worried about you."
"Stop worrying about me, then," Remus said curtly, "and spare me your judgement. I could be just as judgmental about Severus as you are about Marius, and you would feel like I do now."
"Marius hurt Severus!" Harry snapped, green eyes narrowing.
"He did so quite a long time ago. If I am not mistaken, Severus had his revenge. Severus always did have a penchant for vengeance."
"It was justified in this case!" Harry snapped.
"You see, Harry? You know Severus in ways I do not. I want to know Marius in ways you do not."
"Have fun, then," Harry said roughly. Remus sighed.
"Harry, surely you are mature enough to understand-"
"I'm just, well, worrying about you a bit!"
"I think that I am fairly capable of looking after myself. If I am disappointed by Marius, or if I cause Marius disappointment, then it is my call. And if you are disappointed with Severus, then it will be your call. I appreciate your concern, but I do not need it. We are consenting adults, in case you have not realised it as yet."
Harry bit his lip. Remus's words stung.
"Yeah. Right. Okay. Fine. Sorry," he said flatly. He returned to his dormitory in low spirits, feeling as if Remus, too, was being taken away – not only by the threat of Voldemort looming over them all, but also by Marius Rivers.
The few days of term after the exams were quickly over. Harry found himself watching his friends prepare for departure with something like bereavement.
"I've not been told for how long I'm supposed to stay. But I know till when. Until I meet Voldemort face to face again," he said to Ron and Hermione. Ron swallowed visibly, and Hermione's bottom lip trembled for a second. The young woman mastered the spasm and said fiercely:
"You are being prepared by the best witches and wizards, Harry. And you are not alone. Remember that. We are there."
"Mom is writing to Dumbledore to ask whether we can visit you," Ron said.
"I can't believe Hogwarts does not have a NEWT graduation ceremony. Muggle universities have graduation ceremonies. I mean, at least I'd see you again. And I'd know when."
"We will see each other again, mate," Ron said. Just then, Hedwig settled down on Harry's shoulder, a small packet tied to her foot. Harry removed it and tore open the paper. Three mirrors fell out. A note was attached to one of them.
"'Dear Harry, this set of three-way mirrors will enable you to communicate with Miss Granger and Mr Weasley. They are protected with powerful spells should they fall into the wrong hands. Keep them safely.'"
Hermione smiled.
"He sees into hearts. Voldemort cannot see into his own heart because he does not have one," she said, holding one of the mirrors to the light. Ron and Harry picked up the other two.
"If he can see into hearts, I wonder if he knows about the hots you've got for Snape," Ron said. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I think I'll make a move as soon as I know my marks," Harry said absent-mindedly. Ron blinked.
"Blimey," he said weakly.
"Harry, do be prudent," Hermione said rather bossily.
"Forget about that, we're Gryffindors," Ron observed wisely.
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A few days later, the castle was empty. It made Harry realise just how vast the castle was. Dumbledore generously gave him a set of cosy rooms on the fifth floor. Harry moved his stuff into his new quarters with the help of an enthusiastic Dobby and fixed the password with the portrait that guarded his door – a painting of very stern-looking witch wearing a powdered wig and elaborately embroidered robes.
Harry visited Hagrid and Fang and went out for broomstick rides to avoid stagnating within the castle walls. Remus had left Hogwarts along with the students. Harry noticed that Marius displayed signs of uncommon eagerness for owl post at breakfast.
He spoke to Hermione and Ron in his mirror, revelling in the sight of their two faces surrounded by the silver frame of the mirror. Ron jokingly kept on asking for updates about Severus. The Potions Master was his usual dour self and had scrapped all Sudoku competitions for the sake of correcting the enormous stack of exams. And then, after three long weeks, the NEWT marks arrived. Harry received his letter at breakfast. Dumbledore had insisted that he join the staff table – it seemed ridiculous that Harry occupy a lone seat at the empty Gryffindor table, away from all human contact. He glanced at Dumbledore, his throat dry with nervousness. Dumbledore was absorbed in his conversation with McGonagall. Severus, however, raised his head and stared straight at Harry. The seating arrangements had been modified in such a manner that teacher and student sat facing each other. Harry was sure that Dumbledore had done this on purpose. The Headmaster had given him a tiny wink when Harry had joined the staff table for the very first time. Mealtimes made Harry's pulse race. Whenever those black eyes met his green ones, Harry would think of Hyacinthus and Apollo lying crushed together in the grass. And he would think of Severus and himself lying together on the floor after that duel.
"Opening your letter is the only logical direction to take," Severus said sarcastically, sprinkling some pepper on his fried egg. Some of the teachers were glancing at him. Harry moistened his lips. His future lay in the letter he was holding…and in those deep black eyes which were still watching him.
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