Note: Sorry for taking so long to update! I got caught up in other projects but I'm hopefully drawing to an end for this one!
Two days would have normally felt like an eternity but anticipation has a funny way with time. The days felt more like hours and before Harry was ready, it was the morning he had been dreading.
Daybreak came in a hazy sunrise, the first rays of dawn chasing away the fog that had settled on the dewy grass overnight. Harry stood at an open window watching as the grounds came to life below him. Birds chirped their morning greetings as they swooped in and out of the trees searching for their breakfast. The giant squid was lazily basking in the dull light, taking full advantage of the momentary quiet before the students awoke. To the far right Hagrid was already hard at work, breaking up a fallen log with an easy swing of his oversized axe. Harry would have given anything to call out to him; to see his bushy smile.
Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey had been his only visitors since his return to the castle. He had thought that once he had rested he would be allowed to see Ron and Hermione; however, Professor Dumbledore had refused. The excuse had been that he still needed more time to heal, but Harry had a feeling that he wasn't being told the whole truth.
"Harry."
The soft voice broke through his brooding and he turned to see Professor Dumbledore standing in the open door frame. He gave a small smile that Harry didn't return, instead he narrowed his eyes and turned back to the window. It was petulant, he knew that much, but he couldn't bring himself to feign happiness. Not today.
Over his shoulder he heard the Headmaster sigh.
"I know this has not been easy for you, Harry," he said and his voice drew near. "If there were some way I could spare you from today I would, but the ministry…"
"Wants answers," Harry finished tartly. He had heard it before, over and over. "I know."
A withered hand came to rest on his shoulder and he fought the urge to shy away. There was a tense feeling in the air as if Dumbledore wanted to ask him something but was unsure of what his reaction would be. It hung between them, thick as the morning fog.
"There is something we must do before our meeting with the Minister this morning, " he said speaking slowly. "It is probably the hardest part of all of this but explanations and reconciliation is the most important step towards unity."
Harry's brows furrowed at this ambiguous statement and he brought a confused stare up to the man standing beside him. An encouraging smile pulled at the wrinkles lining his face but there was something different in his blue eyes. Pity? Pleading?
"Professor Snape…"
Harry's chest clenched around the name and he shook his head immediately, pulling away from the hand on his shoulder. Blood pounded in his ears as his already thin nerves snapped beneath the unspoken request. He paced back a few steps head still shaking.
"No," he said quietly at first before gaining more confidence. "No. I will not…"
"Harry," Dumbledore said calmly. "Professor Snape deserves a chance to…"
"He doesn't deserve a damn thing," Harry spat on the verge of yelling. His voice was shaking but not as much as his clenched fists.
"I understand why you feel that way, but if you will let me explain…"
A soft knock came from the office door pulling both of their attentions away from the argument. Harry closed his eyes, already knowing who was waiting outside.
"Please, Harry," Professor Dumbledore implored. "I am not asking you to forgive him, but we have to reach some common ground before the Minister arrives."
Harry opened his eyes to find the Headmaster staring at him with a pleading look. Something in his eyes forced Harry's heart to slow and he relaxed despite his overwhelming anger urging him to tear the place apart. With clinched teeth, he nodded and followed Dumbledore into the office.
Professor Snape was standing stoic behind a chair in front the Headmaster's desk. His arms were crossed over his chest, annoyance clear on his slender face. He gave Harry a fleeting glance before staring ahead, jaw set in a determined scowl.
"Severus," Dumbledore greeted warmly as he rounded his desk and sat down. "Have a seat."
Harry watched as Snape sat in the cushioned wingback chair without a word. The only other seat was positioned right beside Snape's and Harry would be damned if he was sitting that close. Forcing himself to walk upright, he crossed the room and grabbed the remaining seat by the arm and pulled it across the polished floor; the legs screeched in protest against the wood. Finally satisfied with the distance, he plopped down, careful not to recline against his scared back. Snape sneered in his direction but remained quiet.
"Now," Dumbledore said as if nothing had happened. "I think it best if I explain why Professor Snape was there that night, Harry."
"I already know," Harry grumbled as he picked at a hole in the red fabric that lined the chair arm. "I heard you and Professor McGonagall."
"So you know that Professor Snape is a spy?"
Harry nodded without looking up. Spy or not, Snape had gone above and beyond what was needed to prove his loyalty that night. He would never forget the feeling of his skin splitting as the whip lashed across his back or the cold black eyes that mocked him as he cried for mercy. The very memory of it flushed his cheeks with hot embarrassment.
"And you know that Voldemort was testing his allegiance by having him torture you?"
He couldn't stop the corner of his mouth from quirking into a sarcastic smile.
"Sure," he replied simply deciding it was pointless to argue.
"Harry."
The Headmaster's tone made him look up from his absent-mindeded picking. Behind those half-moon glasses he found a weary look that was begging him for understanding.
"I told Professor Snape to do whatever it took to convince Voldemort. I had no idea that it would be this."
His voice portrayed the perfect amount of guilt and apology. It would have been enough to persuade anyone to see the complexity of the situation, but for Harry it fanned the flames of his anger into a burning inferno.
"Then he did an excellent job," Harry said with as much contempt as he could muster. He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he tried and failed to fight back the monster struggling for release. "Seven hits, hard enough to tear through my shirt and into my skin. That…"
"Was the method the Dark Lord chose," Snape interjected forcefully. He was staring in Harry's direction now, black eyes narrowed dangerously. "I will admit that it was cruel, but I did my best not to bleed you to death."
"Thank god you did your best then," Harry said mockingly. "I guess laughing in my face afterwards was apart of the show?"
"Would it have seemed real if I didnt," Snape hissed, moving to sit on the edge of his seat. He turned his body to face Harry fully. "The Dark Lord was looking for any sign of emotion or glimpse of mercy."
"He had to make you stop!" Harry's voice rose to a yell and he tilted his head to show the soft blue bruises along his neck. "Or did you forget nearly choking me to death?"
"Maybe you have forgotten spitting in my face," Snape countered with a raise of his eyebrows.
"That is enough," Professor Dumbledore interrupted before Harry could retaliate. "I am not asking you two to see eye to eye on this. It is a complicated matter and neither of you were at fault."
Harry made himself look away from Snape's glowering stare. He relaxed back into his seat and shook his head.
"What I need right now," Dumbledore continued looking at both of them in turn. "Is for you to put this aside; for the sake of peace. We must stand on a untied front if we are to win this war."
Harry sucked his teeth but remained quiet. Part of him, some part hidden deep beneath his wounded pride, knew that Dumbledore was right; yet, it galled him to admit it. Still, he nodded in agreement.
"The Minister will want an account on what happened to you, Harry," Professor Dumbledore continued. "I need to you to not mention Professor Snape."
"You want me to lie for him," Harry asked in disbelief.
"The boy is to thick to understand the bigger picture," Snape remarked.
"Severus, that will do," said Dumbledore, casting him a warning glance before turning a soft smile to Harry. "Simply omit the truth. If we draw suspicion to Professor Snape we could very well lose the only link we have inside Voldemort's inner circle."
Before Harry could argue, the Headmaster's eyes glanced up to the clock across the room and frowned.
"Unfortunately we are out of time," he said. "The Minister will be here shortly. Severus, let Minerva know that we are ready."
Snape stood from his seat and without sparring a glance towards Harry, he turned on his heel and left the office.
"You expect me to believe this balderdash?"
The Minister of Magic was on his feet, staring wildly from Harry to Dumbledore. Harry had just finished his recount of the events that took place starting from his entry to the Chamber of Secrets. It had taken quite the effort to make it past Fudge's contemptuous snorts, but he pushed ahead afraid that if he stopped the will to continue would be lost.
"Cornelius, why would Harry make up such a story," Professor Dumbledore protested.
"To save his own skin of course," Fudge said shrilly adding to his manic features. "Come now, Albus, surely you don't believe the crockery of this tale he's spinning. He was the last one to enter that Chamber."
"There is no evidence against him. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have both placed full confidence in Harry's innocence."
"That doesn't change the fact that he is the only possible suspect. This whole story of You Know Who being resurrected from a diary is completely unbelievable."
"And yet you are willing to believe that a twelve-year-old boy with no magical upbringing is capable of everything that has taken place," said Dumbledore with a raise of his whispy eyebrows.
Fudge licked his lips nervously, beady eyes darting around at Harry before quickly returning to the Headmaster.
"He is no ordinary twelve-year-old, we both know that," he said quietly. "Besides there is no tangible proof to corroborate his story. Now, I am willing to concede that this whole thing was some terrible accident that claimed a young girl's life, but you will not convince me that You Know Who has returned. "
"That does not explain the injuries Harry has sustained, nor the magical trace in Albania. "
"For all we know the boy hurt himself getting into the Chamber of Secrets," Fudge said simply. "He has been through a traumatic ordeal and perhaps his mind has made up this fictional tale to cope with the guilt."
Professor Dumbledore leaned forward to peer at Fudge over his steepled fingers, a solemn look pulling at his tightly pressed lips.
"I never would have expected you to be such a fool, Cornelius, " he said in a dangerously low voice. Harry had never seen him like this.
Fudge faltered, momentarily taken aback. He took a retreating step, face draining to an ashen white, and then seemed to shake himself. Brandishing his bowler hat like a weapon, he shook it at the Headmaster.
"Now see here, Albus. I am still the Minister of Magic."
"Then you will see the severity of this situation," Dumbledore interrupted. "Wait until you have the proof that Voldemort has returned and you will have waited to long to act."
"I will be the laughing stock of the Ministry," he said wringing his hands together as he paced back towards the edge of the desk. "No, I will not have my reputation besmirched for believing this cockamamie story. "
Harry, who had sat quietly through the entirety of this argument, opened his mouth ready to tell the Minister just how big of an idiot he was, but a stern look from Professor Dumbledore forced him to bite his tongue. He had been warned that this meeting would not be smooth and that his best option was to remain quiet no matter what was said. Gritting his teeth he looked out the opposite window, and fought back the rising frustration.
"I am willing to clear Mr. Potter without a trial and let this be the end of it," he snapped, prodding the desk with a chubby finger, a finality in his tone.
"We must all do as we see fit," Professor Dumbledore said calmly, his sharp blue eyes fixed on the Minister over his half-moon glasses.
From where Harry sat, he could see Fudge's eyes narrow, suspicion wrinkling his brow. He opened his mouth and then closed it, as if rethinking his next words. Finally, after some deliberation he nodded .
"I must get back to the office, " he said while placing the lime green hat back atop his head.
Professor Dumbledore saw him to the door and once he had left he let out a long sigh that seemed to fill the room. He returned to his seat and rubbed the corner of his eyes beneath his glasses. For the first time, Harry could see his age starting to show.
"Professor, " Harry asked cautiously. "What happens now?"
"Now," Professor Dumbledore said looking up at Harry with a tight lip smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "We wait and hope that ministry comes to its senses."