Mistri: Here you go! And I'll post those before the chapter.
Saavik: Poor Harry indeed
Xikum: That's right, and you'll see!
Frankie the Wonder Wiener Dog: It is indeed. I really did need to find a better one. This one is a bit longer.
Lei Dumbledore: Raw indeed.
Momma-dar: I have no earthly idea. I'm going to defeat Voldemort, but I don't know after that. Probably through next summer.
Esperanza: Thanks!
Kaat Shadowlover: Nope, not making them up. And I plan on using that item anyhow, but thanks!
Phoenix Flight: lol, I don't know. He's awfully anti-Muggle.
Lee Lee Potter: go to bed...I really should take my own advice.
Kitty: None of thee above
Black Rose: Wow, that riddle really stumped you, huh? Don't worry, it's revealed here.
Charma1219: I thank you for your dedication.
Mandidoll: I don't know if Severus would do something bad. I'll have to see where this leads me.
Vivian Marie: No, not a desert. Nice guess though!
Chaser: Updating!
Pineapplehead: I don't know how long this thing wants to be. It's all up to my muse.
Tantz: Glad you like!
Sakura Le: Yep, I will post them before the chapter.
Jenwaa1981: WHOO HOO!! I love that movie! One of the best ever made!
Takari4ever7: It is in this chapter, and there's a little H/Hr angst. Like I said, I don't want the romance to overtake the story, but it will be in here.
Snapefan51: That's a lot of baggage to unload.
Alecatq: Alright *raises hands in defeat* you did say that and I forgot. I'll put both of your items in the Christmas chapter.
Shadow4284: nope, not a desert. I'll post them before the chapter!
Liliana-Suger: A toast to me? I'm flattered, thank you.
Fanfiction fanatic: I've actually done that, and I had to put it in here. That wasn't a good day.
Furies: Will do. Harry's POV coming up. It fit so well, I put it in for you.
Jasmyn: Yes, I never liked Sirius to begin with, but hey
Wolfie Jr: There's more in this chapter.
Lady Lightning: Continuing!
Ok, here are the animals everyone wanted to see! This goes to Black Rose, who didn't leave an item, but hit the number.
Hawk: Clear-sightedness, far memory, courage, wisdom, illumination, truth, seeing the larger picture
Osprey: Authority, freedom of spirit, connection to the moon
Owl: Stealth, keen sight, messenger of secrets and omens, link between the dark unseen world and the world of light, freedom
Seagull: Spiritual messengers, behaving responsibly, friendship
Marlin: Freedom fighter, grand entrances, tenacity, bravery
Condor: Death and rebirth, knowledge concerning the death of a loved one, new vision, purification
Parrot: Use of language, mockery, brings rain, guidance and wisdom to think before speaking
Pelican: Proper use of abundance, recovery from loss, ability to float through emotions
Tiger: Power, strength and will-power in the face of adversity, acting in a timely manner, action without analysis
Pandas: Balance, adaptability, connection to the Eastern beliefs, understanding the value of slowness
Domestic Cat: Independence, protection, seeing the unseen, assists in meditation, ability to fight when cornered
Leopard: Stalking, approaching someone unseen, movement in shadow worlds, sensitivity to touch (this one sounds a little like Severus, no?)
Alright, on with the chapter!
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Harry woke late the next morning and grabbed the parchment off the table in his hurry out the door. After sleeping on it, he had figured it out, and needed to get to Dumbledore's office quickly. He changed quickly into emerald green cotton robes and black slacks, not even bothering with his messy hair. It was almost 10 am, which only left 14 hours to find Hermione. He left his chambers and ran by the study. Unfortunately, the door was open and Snape saw him.
"Harry!" Harry had almost made it out the door when he felt himself being pulled back. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
"I think I figured it out!" he said, before stuffing the piece of toast the man had handed him into his mouth. Snape raised a quizzical eyebrow, and Harry beamed.
"Map, the answer is map. It's fairly simple, and I have one theory. Of course, if I'm right, then we have to hurry. They could be here in the castle right now." Harry downed his milk in one swig and hurried out the door, pausing only for a minute to allow Snape to cast an invisibility charm on him. They walked silently down the corridor, and Snape gave the password upon reaching the gargoyle. He dispelled the charm as they entered the Headmaster's office.
"What can I do for the two of you?" he asked merrily. Harry pulled the parchment out of his pocket and handed it to the old wizard.
"Sir, what happened to the Marauder's Map?" Dumbledore looked up after reading the riddle, the twinkle shining full blast. He set the note on his desk and walked to a back room that Harry hadn't seen before. He came out with the map and Harry grabbed it while pulling his wand.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he said, tapping it lightly. Instantly lines darted out, encompassing the map, drawing a detailed drawing of Hogwarts. Snape smirked slyly.
"Well, well, what do you know? They actually put those brains of theirs to some use." Harry ignored the comment (though it was sort of a backhanded compliment really) and studied the map. He gasped at once and dropped it and his wand. "What is it Harry?" He picked it up slowly, and pointed to one spot that had never been there before.
A whole new level showed itself, and in the middle were two dots. One was unlabeled, but the other read Hermione Granger. Harry looked at the level, searching for heading, and he finally found one: The Chamber of Secrets.
"Oh my," the Headmaster breathed. "I never imagined..." Harry wiped the map and dashed from the room before either man could stop him. They chased him through the halls to the girls' bathroom. Thankfully, all the students were either outside or in the library, so no one saw the Headmaster and Snape chasing a frantic Harry Potter through the school. They entered the bathroom to find Harry approaching the sinks.
"Harry, the Chamber was sealed almost three years ago. It cannot be opened," the Headmaster reasoned. Harry paid him no heed.
He spit something in Parseltongue, and before their eyes, the ground and sinks shifted, revealing a hole leading deeper underground. They stood, stunned, for a few seconds, before realizing Harry meant to go down. Snape surged forward and grabbed the boy's arm before he could jump, but Harry tried to wrench free.
"Let go!" Snape held fast and looked in son directly in the eyes.
"No," he pulled his wand and cast a feather fall charm on himself and on Harry, then dove in before his son. Harry stared incredulously at the Gryffindorish act before smirking and following. As the Headmaster tried to follow, he found that it had been blocked. Whoever was down there obviously had expected Harry to go first, and put some sort of ward to be activated after he passed.
"I cannot follow, Harry," he stated as the boy floated deeper into the darkness.
"We'll be alright, Headmaster. I promise!" His face disappeared and the old wizard sighed.
"I do hope you are right, Harry," he whispered to no one. Harry landed on the ground and looked around. Snape was standing in awe of where he was. This place was created by Salazar Slytherin himself, and the entire compound radiated power. He followed his son, who obviously knew the way from almost three years ago.
After passing through a series of tunnels, they came out into a chamber with stone pillars that rose to the ceiling. They were intertwined with carved serpents, and the whole area seemed to present an atmosphere of doom. Their footsteps echoed down the corridor of serpentine columns, until Harry could make out the outlines of two figures. One was floating about fifty feet in the air in front of the large statue of Slytherin, the other standing in front of it. As they neared, Harry realized it was an unconscious (he hoped) Hermione who was floating in the air, but the other was still a mystery. Snape had drawn his wand as well, and as they approached, moved closer to Harry, ready to shield him if necessary.
This is what Lily felt, he thought, this is why she gave her life for her son. A new power surged through him as he steeled himself to face anything, even Voldemort. The figure bowed deeply as they came upon him, and Harry's mouth fell open in shock.
"You!"
"Yes, Mr. Potter...me. Who were you expecting...Tom Riddle?" The elegant form of Valiant strode forth, holding his own wand carelessly at his side. "I must say, you are a clever one. I believe the cleverest of all my recruits. And now, we duel." Harry sneered at him.
"Duel? What are you on about? Let Hermione go!"
"I will, if you best me in a duel," if Harry could see his face, Valiant would be smiling triumphantly. Harry made to move forward, but Snape placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.
"No, you will duel me. The boy is not fully trained; it would be a mismatched duel." Harry looked surprised for a moment, but quickly shifted his face back into a neutral mask.
Valiant chuckled superiorly. "Ah, Severus Snape, yes, the Death Eater. I never did understand why the Headmaster trusted you. Even Mr. Potter here can be turned to the dark if given the right persuasive push, so what would stop a man who once pledged his undying loyalty to Tom Riddle? You can be bought back, Snape, like merchandise exchanging hands." Snape's hand tightened around his wand, and his eyes became cold and cruel.
"Careful, or I'll show you just how much I learned from the Dark Lord." If possible, Valiant's arrogant aura increased.
"As much as I would love to make you feel the pain you've caused others, my battle must be with Harry. If, that is, he wants his girlfriend back alive." Harry shrugged Snape's hand violently off his shoulder and strode forward, raising his wand in salute. Valiant nodded his head approvingly and made the same gesture, only crisper. Snape soon found himself unarmed as Valiant leered at him.
"I don't want you cheating, Slytherin," he sneered. Snape looked around, wondering who had cast the disarming spell, but found no one. Valiant turned back to Harry.
"Before we begin, you must be dressed in something befitting a duelist." With a flick of his wand, Harry's leisure robes were replaced with the dueling robes he'd received for his birthday. "Shall we?" Harry merely nodded curtly, lowered his wand, and turned. They each took three paces, then turned. Apparently Valiant was going to let Harry make the first move. After witnessing the attack on London, Harry knew attack spells would do him no good; the Underground specialized in defense. So what to do? Then it struck him. He moved his wand and concentrated on the area just beneath the man.
"Terra Mollis!" The stones under Valiant began to shift, then turned into mud. Harry thought the man was shocked at first, but he cast a fly spell on himself and floated above the mess. He moved over and landed on firm ground.
"Very clever, Mr. Potter. Most people start off with the Disarming Charm. Ferito!" Harry smirked and took a step back.
"Referio!" The spell bounced off of Harry's shield and went straight for Valiant. Immediately, Harry stepped up. "Perverti!" Now, the man had two beams heading for him; one at his torso, the other at his legs.
"Sparsum!" Valiant's shield blocked Harry's spell, but he temporarily forgot the other was his own spell, and didn't cast the shield with enough power. The ball of force plowed into the shield and broke through, landing in the man's midsection. Harry moved forward, ready to cast another spell. Valiant jumped to his feet.
"Very good Mr. Potter...much better than I expected. Let's raise the bar. Aculeatus!" Harry's eyes widened as the green light sailed toward him. He stole a glance at Valiant. Good, he thought, he's buying it. Valiant's wand lowered, and Harry dove, casting the first thing that came to mind.
"Accio wand!" Valiant, expecting a Disarming Charm, couldn't hold his wand. Harry's hand closed around it firmly. "It's over, I've won. Now give me Hermione." Harry's voice held a timbre neither had heard from him. Snape saw a cold gleam in the boy's eyes and had to suppress a shudder. Was Valiant right? Can anyone be bought? He shook the thought from his head; Harry would never join Voldemort.
Valiant nodded, and the rest of the Underground stepped out from the shadows, one holding Severus' wand. "Congratulations, Harry, you've passed the final test. May I have my wand back?" Valiant extended his hand, but Harry had the feeling it wasn't really a request.
"Only if you give me Hermione," he countered. Valiant snapped his fingers, and Hermione floated down next to Harry. He pocketed his own wand and tossed the other towards the leader of the Underground, who caught it deftly from the air. Harry carefully lowered the girl to the ground.
"Herms?" The girl's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled as they landed on Harry.
"Nice robes, Harry," she said weakly. Her head lolled onto his shoulder, and he picked her up, careful not to jar her. He saw his father and Valiant in a staring contest, neither willing to back down.
"Let's go," he said, and Valiant turned his gaze to the boy.
"I do not believe you understood Mr. Potter."
"I understood perfectly, sir." Snape looked back and smirked proudly. "I will not join you."
"But this is what you've always wanted, isn't it? Position of power, honor among your peers, doing good without being recognized. We do not hide our faces for our safety, Mr. Potter. We do not want the recognition for doing what is right. That is true bravery."
Harry didn't answer, merely turned and walked out. Snape followed behind him, throwing menacing glares at the blue-clad figures. Once they were out of range, Severus took Hermione from Harry.
"How are we going to get out of here?" Snape smirked and nodded his head to his robes.
"In that pocket," Harry slipped his hand in and felt something cool. He extracted the Headmaster's Portkey for All Occasions and smiled. "There's parchment and a pen in my other pocket. Go to the Hospital Wing."
"A pen?" Harry asked incredulously.
"Yes, a pen. It's very difficult to keep ink from spilling in my robes." Harry laughed, then realized he was serious. He reached in and grabbed the items, writing Hospital Wing on it, then placed it in the box.
"How is she?" he asked tentatively. Snape looked over the girl and nodded.
"She would be better in the Hospital Wing. Portkey, now." Harry extended it so it touched the man's shoulder, and soon, they were standing in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pompfrey let out a cry and rushed over.
"Back up, you two, let me work." She flicked her wand skillfully over the girl, but could discern no injuries.
"She's been heavily sedated with sleeping potions, but nothing a little rest here won't cure. Leave her be and come back this evening." She shooed them out, Snape dragging Harry with him. As they exited, a group of Ravenclaws passed by, and Snape's grip tightened.
"This is the final straw Mr. Potter," he began to literally drag Harry. "The Headmaster will surely expel you now." The Ravenclaws scurried away, not wanting to get in the path of the raving potions master. Once they reached the gargoyle and they ascended the stairs, Snape let Harry go.
"Did you have to drag me up the stairs?" he asked, rubbing his shoulder.
"I did have to make it believable," Snape replied. Harry smirked and shook his head. This is how they entered the Headmaster's office, and he smiled at them.
"It's so wonderful to see the two of you getting along. Now, how is Miss Granger?"
"Well, Albus. Did you know it was Valiant?"
"No," Dumbledore shook his head gravely, "I didn't even suspect. What did he want of you, Mr. Potter?"
"He wanted me to join them, sir. This whole thing was a test."
"I assume by your presence here that you declined that offer?" The twinkle was back, and shining directly through Harry.
"Yes, sir," Harry paused, then continued, "Sir, may I go study for my exams? I still need to work on my Herbology." The Headmaster nodded and smiled as he stood.
"Yes, yes of course. And do tell Miss Granger that she is exempt from exams due to the circumstances." Harry snorted.
"She's not going to like that at all," he replied as he left. He took a secret passage to the dungeons and into Snape's rooms where his things were still laid out. His bag laid beside the sofa, and he thought back to the night before.
Harry approached the bed, watching the man in the throes of the nightmare. He placed a hand on his forehead, attempting to calm him. Placing both hands on the man's shoulders, he shook, trying to draw the man from his dream. Quicker than lightning, the blow came, knocking Harry back. He cried out, more in shock than in pain. He knew he shouldn't have been there; he should have gone back to bed. He crouched down, covering himself from any more blows that would come from the man. Harry knew it was stupid, but his instinct kicked in. Snape was at his side, whispering his name, peering at the wound, but old habits told him to stay silent and take the blows as they came.
Next thing he knew, he was alone, and he slowly removed his arm. Standing up, he noticed the red welt that was forming and quickly healed it with one of Pompfrey's charms. Shaking off his fears, he realized finally what Snape must be thinking. He closed his eyes, concentrating hard on the man in the next room.
He began to move out the door and closer to the fireside. He could see Snape hunched over in the chair, and he inhaled nervously as he finally broke through the man's shields, hearing a stray thought.
~I've failed him, and I've failed Lily~
Harry moved to the man's side, kneeling down. Simple words exchanged, and all was forgotten. Harry had never felt as loved as he did in the man's arms, wrapping around him protectively. He faintly heard an apology, but could not respond. He tightened his embrace before sleep overtook him.
Harry smiled, thinking how far they'd come in such a short time. No one in their right mind would have believed the two could go from hated enemies to treasured family in 6 short months. But it had happened, and Harry wouldn't change a day of it. He didn't realize how long he'd been standing there until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He started and whirled around, only to find Snape's smirking face behind him.
"How long have you been standing here in the doorway?" he asked, leading Harry to the couch.
"Um, I don't know. Since I got here." Snape raised an eyebrow, but made no other mention of it. Harry pulled out his homework and began listing all the properties of Minicattas, and their uses in the wizarding world. Harry knew they were talking of their abundant use in witches' cosmetics, but he didn't really see any point to it. Besides, he thought with a smirk, they're used in potions as well. And she didn't say I had to mention the cosmetic aspect. He began writing down every potion the Minicattas were used in and what they did, how they interacted with the other ingredients. For show, he added something Ginny once told him about the plant that dealt with cosmetics, and signed his name. Smiling, he placed it in his bag. His father was reading a book when he looked back up, stretching his neck.
"What are we going to do after everyone leaves for Christmas?" Snape shut his book after placing a magical bookmark and sighed.
"I believe you wanted to spend time with Miss Granger's family?" Harry nodded. "Very well, but only after Christmas. Until that time, you must remain here at Hogwarts. We will go to Hogsmeade to get Christmas gifts next weekend, and you may visit her Christmas Day. But you must be here Christmas Eve and morning."
"Why?" Harry asked, hoping to get something out of the man.
"You will see in due time. Now, I believe you friends will be wondering where you are, so go. I will see you at dinner." Harry nodded, shouldering his bag and standing. He walked to the portrait and opened it silently. He threw his father one last smile before slipping into some secret passage.
He slipped out again near the Gryffindor common room, and entered to find a raging party. Blaise smiled and clapped him on the back.
"We just heard, mate! Congratulations, it's all over." He thrust a butterbeer into his friend's hand.
"Yeah, it's over. But Voldemort's still out there," Harry replied glumly.
"Aw, go on, Harry, it's Christmas! You-Know-Who's probably hiding under some creaky old bed from all the good cheer flying around!" Harry laughed at the ridiculous picture his friend had conjured, and savored the warmth that spread through him from the butterbeer. Soon, he snuck out again and down to the Hospital Wing. Pompfrey scowled at him, but allowed him in all the same. Harry somehow imagined Dumbledore had something to do with it, and he didn't argue. He sat down next to Hermione and took her hand. He would be there when she woke, even if it was in the middle of the night.