Wolfie Jr: She will be a *gets hit over head by Muse* sorry, he won't let me tell.
Chaser: Thanks
Momma-dar: You too!
Lei Dumbledore: I thought I'd bring in a bit of my Native American background.
Tina-Snape: Wow...that's all I have for that one
Saavik: Any of them would have worked, but the jaguar fit the best.
Asprcreme: LOL, here's a towel *hands you a towel*
Sela: Here's more!
Shadow4284: Well, there's more Snape/Harry interaction in this chapter
Kitala: I plan to!
Pineapplehead: Sorry for the long wait
Random fan: Thanks for the support...and boo to the Dixie Chicks! You'll know his identity rather soon. Next chapter hopefully. That has to be the longest review of substance I've received (no, all the MORE's don't count Sela). That's really odd that he's a black panther in your story...great minds must think alike! GIG EM AGGIES!
Tantz: Hmmm...I'll leave a note for everyone with the Marauders' significations.
Fanfiction fanatic: I love Draco, I really do, but he can be a prat sometimes.
Nicole Christine Potter: Thank you so much!
Alecatq: LOL, that's ok (btw, you hit it again). Wolf was one of his choices, but that seemed too cliché, as did a snake, so he's a jaguar.
Felion: You'll just have to wait and see, now won't you. And they're not the same...panthers are in the Puma family, while jaguars are in the Panthera family. Go figure.
Charma1219: Thanks...UPDATE YOUR STORY!
Takari4ever7: The riddle is in this chapter, and Hermione in the next (hopefully). Enjoy
Lady Lightning: Indeed, what shall happen next?
Furies: Your welcome! And thank you for the compliments! Let's see, the Snape/Harry interaction is in this chapter, riddle as well. Saving Hermione in the next, and Christmas after that! So you're just in for a treat!
Mistri: That is a very interesting item.
Esperanza: As I said, I decided to add a little of my Native American background into the story. Animal spirits are so intriguing.
Snape coolgirl: LOL, I have not clue one...(didja catch the sarcasm?)
Phoenix Flight: It was tempting, but the jaguar seemed a better match. And no, just a regular jaguar. The black jaguar's wisdoms are different than the jaguar.
Lyddi: Next chapter, people, next chapter.
Liliana-Suger: Yeah, for Christmas. And I'll do so when I have time.
RI Red: Welcome to the story!
Tantz wanted to know the wisdoms for the Marauders, so here we go.
Dog: Heals emotional wounds in humans, companionship, love, protection, ability to smell trouble from a distance
Stag: Ability to listen, understanding of what's necessary for survival, ability to sacrifice for the higher good, alternative paths to a goal
Wolf: Facing the end of one's cycle with dignity and courage, outwitting enemies, ability to pass unseen, protection of family/self, taking advantage of change
Rat: Ability to live unseen, stealth, defense
Very, very interesting. If there are any other animals you would like to know the wisdoms for, just leave it in your review. On with the chapter, which goes to Alecatq, who again didn't leave an item. ;)
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Harry bolted into a sitting position, his body drenched in sweat. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and sighed.
If it's not one, it's the other, he thought cynically. Voldemort had been quiet since Wednesday, but Vernon haunted his dreams in between. He pulled his wand and muttered a spell, and upon finding it was 2 am, he laid back down, attempting to go back to sleep. Fifteen minutes and twenty different positions later, he sat up, realizing he was not going to sleep anymore. He stood and stretched, trying to think of something to do this early in the morning. He quietly called for Dobby, wondering if house elves slept, and shrugged when nothing happened. He grabbed his bag and walked out quietly to the living room, and laughed to himself.
A tray with milk and chocolate cake awaited him at the small table in front of the sofa, and he sat down with a sigh. Dobby appeared next to him, causing him to jump and spill half the glass of milk down his front. Resisting the urge to jump up and cry out, he looked at the elf, who merely smiled and waved his hand. Instantly, the glass was full and Harry was clean.
"Dobby is sorry, Harry Potter. Dobby is not meaning to frighten Harry Potter so," the creature whispered.
"That's ok," Harry replied, just as quiet. He really didn't know how heavy of a sleeper Snape was, and did not want to incur the man's wrath at having been woken at such an "ungodly hour," as Vernon had once put it. "How did you know I was going to be up?"
"Dobby is hearing Harry Potter call for him, and Dobby figures Harry Potter is wanting a late night snack." Dobby gestured grandly to the array in front of them, and Harry smiled. He picked up the fork and forged into the most delicious, moist chocolate cake he'd ever eaten.
This is the only chocolate cake you've eaten, dolt.
"Uh, Dobby," Harry said after he'd swallowed the last crumb and the plate disappeared. "Do house elves sleep?"
"Oh, yes Harry Potter, but we is not needing as much as wizards, you see, for house elves must be up after and before masters, to get everything ready. We is not wanting to get punished. So we is content with only three hours, Harry Potter." Harry's eyes widened. Three hours?
You know what that's like, don't you? Harry scowled at the thought and pulled his books from his bag. Dobby's eyes widened.
"Dobby must be going if Harry Potter is to study magic. Dobby will pop back in later to see if Harry Potter needs anything." Without a reply, he snapped his fingers, disappearing with an inaudible pop. Harry pulled out his animagus notes and began to jot everything down about jaguars he could find.
Jaguars are tan with black rings and dots. It is also common for a jaguar to be completely black. Their appearance resembles that of the leopard, but the jaguar has a larger jaw and head and there are significant differences in the coats of the two species. The jaguar is also more heavily built with a stocky appearance and sturdy legs.
Jaguars are revered in many indigenous American cultures. The Maya believed that the Jaguar, God of the Underworld, helped the sun to travel under the earth at night, ensuring its new rising every morning.
"Ensuring the rise of the sun, huh? Even the Mayans expect a lot of me," he mused. He jotted down all this new information and tucked it away. He pulled his Transfiguration exam review and laughed.
Describe the process of becoming an animagus, and why no one should attempt it without the strictest of discipline and supervision.
Harry disregarded the first part, knowing he could do that for the exam and concentrated on the effects of animagus studies gone wrong. By the time an hour was up, Harry was having second thoughts on training. Thankfully, the text didn't have pictures, or Harry would have lost his chocolate cake. He shut the book and rubbed his eyes, finally tired enough to go back to bed. He packed his things away, and stood, only to hear all-too familiar sounds faintly echoing down the dark corridor. He crept down to Snape's room, throwing off the thought that the man would have skinned him alive a year ago, and opened the door.
Snape was thrashing around softly, trapped in a nightmare. Harry moved quickly to the man's side, placing a warm hand on the cold, clammy forehead. He tried whispering quietly to the man, trying to draw him from the dream, but to no avail. He began thrashing again, throwing his head from side to side. Harry took a deep breath and placed his hands on the man's shoulders, shaking him slightly.
Snape took a inhaled sharply as he bolted upright in bed, lashing out at the abrupt disturbance of his nightmare. He felt his hand connect solidly with something, and thought he heard a cry as it – no he – stumbled backwards. He cleared his vision with a swipe of his hand and froze.
Harry sat on the floor, clutching his cheek, cringing as if waiting to be berated and possibly struck again. Snape moved out of bed and onto the floor in one motion, causing Harry to flinch involuntarily.
"I-I'm sorry...I h-heard y-you...p-please don't..." Harry kept his eyes on the ground, not wanting to see the anger in his father's eyes. But in fact there was not anger, only concern and guilt. Carefully, he pulled Harry's hand away from the cheek to see a red sting, and the formation of a bruise where he'd been struck. Fear filled Snape's mind as a single thought ran through his head.
I've struck my child.
"Harry?" he asked softly. The boy cringed slightly at the voice, and he didn't move when Snape stood. The man backed away, fleeing out the door, realizing he had no where to go. This was not a matter for Dumbledore, and if he told Remus, the werewolf would hang him from the Owlery rafters. He settled for collapsing in the chair, head in hands, knowing he'd blown his one chance for family because of a ridiculous nightmare.
Damn Tom Riddle for inflicting this never-ending pain upon me; and damn me for not being strong enough.
Time passed, maybe minutes, maybe hours, before he heard a noise from the direction of his room. Feet shuffling nervously alerted him to Harry's approach, but he paid it no heed. Only when a hand laid itself upon his shoulder did he take in a shuddered breath; the only indication he knew of the boy's presence. Snape did not dare look up to see the pain he'd inflicted on the boy; Merlin knows he'd done enough of that over the years.
I've failed him, and I've failed Lily.
Harry moved around to the front of the chair, kneeling to force Snape to look at him. The welt was gone, probably by a simple healing charm; the boy had been in the Hospital Wing enough times to know one or two by now.
"You haven't failed anyone," Harry said softly, standing to go back to his room. At the last second, Snape stood up, and Harry turned back, padding softly to the man's side. Snape opened his arms and Harry gladly let himself be folded into them.
"I'm sorry, Harry," the man whispered softly, pleading for the boy to forgive him. Harry smiled into the man's shoulder. Knowing no response would be good enough, he tightened his grip around the man's midsection and sighed.
Snape smiled softly, until he felt the boy go limp. Carefully, he lifted the boy and set him on the couch, searching frantically for any indication as to the problem. He laughed softly as he realized Harry had fallen asleep from exhaustion and lifted the boy easily into his arms and carried him to his room. Laying him down, he smoothed black locks away from the boy's face and pulled the covers to his chin. Snape shut the door lightly behind him and returned to his room, only realizing when he laid down that there was a large bird in his chambers. He bolted out of bed and pulled the scroll off of Caribe's leg, the bird giving an indignant screech. He burst into Harry's rooms.
"Harry, wake up, there's another riddle!" Harry scurried out of bed, his vision swimming for a moment at standing up too fast, and followed his father out to the main area. They both sat on the couch, Snape unrolling the parchment.
Well, well, Mr. Potter, you are more ingenious than I originally gave you credit for. As a reward, I am only giving you one riddle to save Miss Granger. I am also shortening your deadline. You have until midnight tomorrow night to find and save her, or she dies.
Harry jumped from the couch and drove his fist into the brick mantle of the fireplace. In the firelight, Snape saw the blood dripping down the boy's hand, but Harry seemed to pay it no mind. Snape drew his wand and wiped the blood away with a spell. For the second time in five minutes, Snape stood and drew the boy against him, careful of the seemingly broken knuckles. Harry refused to cry again and cradled his hand carefully as he pulled back. Snape cupped it gently in his own, examining it for breaks and fractures.
"Come on back into my lab," he wrapped the free arm around Harry's shoulders while still cradling the smaller hand. Harry sat in a chair while Snape retrieved bandages and potions, carefully setting the bones and wrapping them. Harry downed a few potions wordlessly as Snape wrapped his wrist tightly in a bandage.
"People will want to know how I managed to break my hand," Harry said weakly.
"Tell them you lost a battle with a brick wall. This is the best I can do if you don't want to go to Pompfrey," Harry shook his head violently, "Well then, back to bed." Harry gave him an incredulous stare.
"Are you kidding? I couldn't sleep now!" he grabbed the scroll from the table on which Snape had deposited it and unrolled it. Scanning past the note, he found the riddle.
I have forests, but not trees. I have roads with no cars and rivers without water.
"That sound like any place you know of?" Harry asked after they'd both read it. Snape shook his head.
"No, but I have no doubt the Headmaster knows. Go back to sleep, we will contact him in the morning." Suddenly, Harry was feeling very drowsy, and he looked at his father.
"You gave me a sleeping draught?" he asked through his yawn. Snape snorted.
"No, but drowsiness is one of the side effects of the bone-mending potion. Now, to bed." Snape steered the teenager down the hall into his own room. Harry collapsed into his bed and pulled the covers around him.
"Night," he mumbled. Snape placed his hand on the boy's forehead and smiled.
"Goodnight, Harry." He left the riddle on the boy's bedside table and shut the door behind him.