AN: You'll probably notice a recurring theme in my stories, after the opening scene.
AN2: This chapter is really long compared to my usual chapter length, it kind of got away from me but I wanted to finish the Hogwarts arc out.
Warning: Multiple character deaths ahead.
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Number Four Privet Drive, Surrey, England, 6/5/1997, 03:12
Bellatrix walked up to the house with the address Yaxley had written down as Harry Potter's current residence.
He had stumbled upon the file which he had sworn was not there the last time he looked for it. Most likely that was due to the protections aground Potter's home having fallen, after his near death expierience. That was the dark Lord's theory anyway.
Once Yaxley had presented the information, the Dark Lord had ordered Potter's family killed and Bellatrix was thrilled to be given the task.
The houses all looked the same, the only difference she could see was the metal contraptions parked in front of the houses, the one in front of Potter's relatives had a the letters 'BMW' on a circular badge stuck onto the front of it.
Shaking her head she got back on task, with a wave of her wand the door lock clicked, the door opened, and she lazily stepped through into the muggle home.
Casting 'homo revelio' she located three people on the second floor, walking up the carpeted stairs stairs, she noticed pictures of three people: a fat man, a horse faced woman and a boy in his teens with almost pink skin and blonde hair. Their son no doubt, she reached the top of the stairs and walked down the hall, opening a beddoor she silently entered the room that her spell indicated had two human presences.
There was an incredibly obese man and a very skinny woman sleeping peacefully.
Bellatrix smiled evilly and raised her wand over the woman and cast 'Imperio', the womans eyes snapped open and stared blankly at her, 'Go down to the kitchen grab the biggest sharpest knife you own and kill your son with it.' Bellatrix sent the silent command through the spell and watched the horse faced woman rise and walk out of the room to carry out her orders.
Bellatrix waited about five minutes before she heard a male voice scream.
"Arhg! Mum what are you doing?!"
Followed by screams of pain and a loud thump as if someone very large had fallen to the floor, Bellatrix thought she could hear the sounds of a knife stabbing flesh in between the screams of pain.
She was distracted from the soothing death song of the boy screaming his last breaths out pitifuly, when the fat man sleeping in front of her started to stir.
She lovingly raised her wand over the man and cast 'Crucio', The man instantly screamed howled out in pain, and he convulsed so hard he he rolled from the bed and hit the floor with a crash, Bellatrix held the spell on him and watched him thrash for a few minutes before she lifted the curse.
She watched him lay on the floor sobbing in relief, before she hit him in his thigh with a bone breaker shattering his femur, the man howled in agony and started sobbing once more.
Bellatrix left the pathetic man to blubber helplessly on the floor.
She exited that bedroom and skipped down the hall to check on the womans progress.
When she entered the room the horse face woman was stabbing a clearly dead boy over and over again.
She had already tore a hole in the kids stomach big enough to place her first in and his face and neck were badly mutilated.
The woman's face and arms were covered in blood, as well as: the floor, the bed and the front of the woman's nightgown.
Smiling happily Bellatrix tried to capture this image in her mind to hold onto it forever.
Pushing new commands through the imperious curse, she thought 'Castrate your husband, then kill him just like you did your son.'
The woman rose from her kneeling position she had taken over her son and walked robotically back down the hall towards her own bedroom.
Bellatrix heard the man cry out in relief. "Petunia help me, my leg is broken, there is a... What are you doin- argh stop please argh"
Bella walked back into the room and could see the woman had already carried out her first order, and was diligently working on her second one with enthusiasm.
Petunia as she had just heard the man say her name, had stabbed the fat man in the throat, so all he could vocalize was a frantic gurgling sound coming from the hole in his throat as he slowly drowned in his own blood.
He tried desperately to back away from his wife but with a badly broken leg and having lost over half his blood volume, his attempts were futile.
Bellatrix had lost count of the times she heard the 'shlick' sound of the large carving knife stabbing the fat man's stomach, neck, chests and face.
Bellatrix watched happily as the man slowly died, his blood quickly flowing from his body through the many puncture wounds he had sustained from the horse faced woman wielding the knife.
Sighing Bellatrix knew she had to wrap it up here, taking one more mental picture of the scene before her, she forced one more command through the spell 'slit your own throat.'
She watched as the woman brought the knife held in her tight hand up to the left side of her throat, she pressed down hard on the blade before ripping it to the right across her own neck.
Bella quickly canceled the curse and watched the terror flash across the woman's face as she put her hands to her neck in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding, she bled out over her husband's dead body, and Bellatrix hoped she remembered killing her son and husband in her last seconds of life.
Smiling at a job well done Bellatrix skipped down the stairs cackling madly and upon exiting the house, she cast 'morsmordre' over the home, before aparating away as the dark mark rose like a billboard into the sky above Harry Potter's childhood home.
/A/D/W/F/
Headmaster Office, Hogwarts School, Scotland, 6/5/1997,09:30
Albus Dumbledore was having a bad few weeks, after the fiasco with Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy earlier he had another catastrophe take place.
Draco Malfoy had gone missing on the twenty-seventh of last month. Mr. Malfoy had just l disappeared and could not be found anywhere inside the castle.
The last reported sighting had been on Tuesday Mrs. Parkinson saw him exiting the castle during lunch.
Severus had searched his dormitory and found all of Mr. Malfoy's things gone, leading Albus to believe he had fled.
It was reported that he had been sighted in France exiting a ferry from Dover to Calais a few days ago.
Since then he had not been seen at all, his mother was frantic and had told Severus that he probably went to their beach house in Nice. Unfortunately only a Malfoy could get through the wards there and it was to dangerous for Mrs. Malfoy to leave Grimmauld Place.
Albus was skeptical the wards around the Malfoy's property in France would keep Tom out though, and he currently had the French ministry on alert in case the property was attacked.
Then there was Harry Potter, the changes in the boy were becoming more obvious, all his professors had reported he had improved significantly, he seemed to be concentrating better in class and he picked up spells very easily now, Harry had even shown a sudden aptitude for non verbal casting. That part Dumbledore was okay with, even happy about, it was his social interactions that gave the headmaster pause.
Harry had become kind of a loner, eating by himself during meals, he seemed to have drifted away from Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley, the only social interaction he ever saw was with the Longbottom heir which occasionally sat with Harry.
There was good news however, Albus had gotten regular reports from Poppy and from what he heard he had taken a genuine interest in healing magic, was good with patients and he worked well with Ms. Davis and Ms. Bones.
Albus was very glad to hear this news, and hoped Harry had taken at least part of the lesson he intended to teach him when he assigned the detention in the hospital wing, it was better to heal people than harm them, even your enemies.
The worst thing to happen was very recent, Albus had received some deeply disturbing news in the early hours of this morning.
Arabella Figg had floo called him telling him the dark mark was in the air over the Dursley home and the place was crawling with Aurors and obliviators. He had to wait a few hours before contacting Kingsley and finding out the details, the three Dursleys had been very brutally murdered. He was sickened when Kingsley described the crime scene, Petunia had been placed under the 'imperious curse' and made to kill her huband, her son and then herself.
He was currently waiting on Harry to arrive so he could break the news to him.
/A/D/W/F/
Harry was currently walking towards the Headmaster's office.
Demelza Robins had handed him a a scroll from Dumbledore asking him to meet with him after his charms class was over.
Harry was not nearly as excited to meet with the man as he would have been a month ago. He was walking at a relaxed pace towards the seventh floor entrance to the headmaster office, to find out why he was being summoned.
The last few weeks had been going well enough, Hermione and Ron were still giving him the cold shoulder, Harry was pretty sure Ron wad siding with Hermione to get in her good books, and Hermione was still mad at him for releasing everything he had been holding back from saying this this year, it was harsh he knew that, but he felt so much better after finally saying what he had been thinking since he found the Prince's book and she started nagging him constantly.
His healer detentions were going well enough Madam Pomfrey was currently teaching him diagnostic spells, he had gotten the simple healing spells down very easily.
Classes really seemed to bore him, well except herbology, he had started pairing with Susan, who was very knowledgeable in that class and they got along well. Harry had no passion for plants but he was doing well enough in the class.
He was doing very well in potions, he started picking up patterns on how ingredients reacted together and could now make subtle changes to his potion without the aid of the 'Half-Blood Prince's' book.
He had stored the Prince's book in 'the room of hidden things' just in case Hermione went through with her threat, so he had to memorize some of the Prince's tips. He had plans on retrieving it before school let out soon.
Harry had arrived at the gargoyle now gave the password 'butter beer', and the gargoyle quickly moved aside and he stepped onto the moving staircase.
Reaching the oak door Harry raised his hand and knocked smartly on the door.
"Enter" came Dumbledore's voice through the door.
Harry entered the office and Dumbledore waved Harry to his usual seat, Harry sat down and waited expectantly for the headmaster to speak.
"How are you Harry?" Dumbledore questioned.
"I'm doing well Sir, classes are good, and I also have to admit that I have come to enjoy working in the hospital wing for the last week." Harry told him honestly.
"That's good, I had hoped you would learn from that punishment." Dumbledore said cheerfully.
"Yes, I've been considering changing my career path, I think I would like to save lives rather than fight dark wizards the rest of my life." Harry said honestly.
"That's wonderful to hear my boy, unfortunately I called you here to pass on some bad news. Early this morning your families home-
"All my family are dead sir." Harry said confused.
"I was referring to your Aunt, Uncle and cousin." Dumbledore explained nonplussed.
"I don't consider them family, they are my relatives, nothing more." Harry said firmly.
Dumbledore was at a loss for what to say to that, finally he shook his head and continued, "Very well. as I was saying your relatives home was attacked early this morning, they are all dead." Dumbledore said gently watching for Harry's reaction.
"Okay, were they attacked by death eaters, or was it like a muggle serial killer or something?" Harry asked, he didn't feel anything at hearing this news, but really why would he relatives were awful people.
Dumbledore was taken aback by Harry's lack of reaction, the boy acted if he wasn't bothered at all. "It was the death eaters, the mark was cast over the house." Dumbledore answered.
"Okay, is that all you wished to tell me?" Harry asked politely.
"You don't seem upset that your family was just murdered?" Dumbledore asked confused.
"I'm not, they were horrible excuses for human beings and this is probably the only thing I'm will ever thank Voldemort for. As I said before they are not my family." Harry answered simply.
"Don't you any have feelings of loss, they did raise you?" Dumbledore asked, Harry's coldness was deeply disturbing him.
"Not a one, and if you call forced labor, starvation, abuse and being forced to live in a cupboard for a decade raising me, you shouldn't work around children. I am have no feelings but joy at their passing." Harry said candidly.
Dumbledore gasped, Harry had really changed, he was so cold and he didn't seem to care that the people who raised him had been violently murdered.
"Do you know anything about Draco Malloy leaving the school?" Dumbledore asked changing the subject.
"I might have given him the idea I would be coming for him, I also may have informed him I knew where the safe house he was being moved to was located, the last time we spoke." Hatty said casually.
"And when was this?" Dumbledore asked feeling anger for the first time at Harry Potter.
"Tuesday of last week, I haven't seen him since." Harry said.
"Do you realize how much danger young Malfoy is in now? Voldemort can find him through his dark mark." Dumbledore thundered.
"Not my problem, I told you I wouldn't have him in my home. I will not protect someone who nearly nearly killed me." Harry said flatly.
Dumbledore was completely shocked, Harry was going down a different path than Albus wanted. He couldn't understand why Harry would be so cold, the Horcrux being removed should have made him kinder, but he seemed more ruthless than ever.
"Very well you may go." Dumbledore said in a resigned tone.
"Thank you sir." Harry said politely then rose from his chair and exited the office.
Albus was very frustrated, Harry had defied his wishes to protect young Draco and most likely the boy would be discovered anyday now.
He would need to have a talk with Alistor and instruct him to watch Harry very closely this summer, if the boy kept up the way he was going he could very well become the next dark lord.
/A/D/W/F/
Hospital Wing, 6/7/1997, 18:03
Harry was currently tending to a second year Hufflepuff, Rose Zeller. The tiny redheaded girl had come in with a badly sprained ankle. Ms. Zeller was blushing scarlet the whole time Harry repaired the sprain. When he had finished fixed her ankle, and cleared her to leave, she gave a stammered "T-thank You.' and then darted out of the hospital wing as fast as her newly healed ankle would let her.
"She'll likely sprain her ankle again walking that fast, I wonder what got into her? said Tracey Davis in an amused voice from behind him.
"Yeah, I honestly don't know what was up with her" Harry said confused.
Tracey snorted and then said "You really are oblivious sometimes Potter."
"It's unlady like to snort Davis." Harry faux reprimanded.
Tracey punched him in the shoulder the called him a "Prat."
Before Harry could reply Susan cut into the conversation
"Liitle Rose will be the most popular girl in her year after that." Susan said with a goggle.
"Yep, and Potters still clueless as to why." Tracey responded a playful smirk on her lips.
Harry scowled at the two girls and asked "What are you two on about?"
"I'm not saying a thing, you'll have to figure this out on your own." Tracey said flatly.
Turning to Susan hopefully he asked "Susan?"
"No I will not be helping you out with this, now we got a new shipment of potions in, be a dear and go stock the cabinets." Susan told him sweetly.
Sighing deeply he made his way over to the pile of boxes and ignored the two girls chattering as he got to work sorting potions vials into their place in the cabinet.
The exams were almost here and even though he didn't have but five classes he was still dreading exams. This time next year he would be sitting his N.E.W.T's and that thought worried him as well, he was having second thoughts about becoming an Auror. He wasn't lying when he told Dumbledore he didn't want to spend the rest of his life fighting. He wasn't sure what he wished to do yet, but he was becoming more sure that he didn't want to persue a career as an Auror.
He was also not lying when he told the Headmaster he was glad the Dursleys were dead, as callous as that statement was, it was completely true.
He had been treated like shit under their care and the hate they felt towards him was completely mutual.
Finishing the first box he opened the second and began sorting and stocking the cabinet again, he had seen something truly rare the other day, Dumbledore had lost his ever present cool, when Harry had ruined his plans for Malfoy.
Harry honestly had not expected Malfoy to run away, he had only said what he did to fuck with Malfoy's head. He was however not going to complain, Malfoy was out of the school and would not be staying in his godfathers house, so Harry was quite pleased with the consequences of his actions.
That still left Narcissa staying at 'Grimmauld Place' put somehow that didn't upset him near as bad as Draco entering his home.
"Day dreaming Harry?" Susan asked.
"Reflecting would be a better description, what's up?" Harry asked.
"Madam Pomfrey wants you to take the next patient, she says you need expierience with torn muscles. I'll finish up here." Susan told him.
Nodding Harry made his way over to where Madam Pomfrey and Tracey where standing beside a girl he instantly recognized Demelza Robins.
Harry walked up to the group and asked "What happened to you?"
"Coote hit me with a bludger, knocked me right off my broom. I managed to grab onto the broom before I hit the pitch, and felt something tear in my arm." Demelza replied in a pained voice.
"Run your diagnostic spell first." Madam Pomfrey told him .
Harry raised his wand and passed it over her arm casting the basic diagnostic spell, he got a mental picture of her arm: bones, muscles tendons and all, as if her arm were semi transparent, and held the spell while he tried to find any thing lit up red indicating inflamation, he found a mass of red on the tendons connecting her arm to her shoulder.
Harry looked at Madam Pomfrey and said "She's torn a ligament in her rotary cuff, so she will need a 'ligament repairing spell' and a muscle relaxing potion." Harry answered.
"Correct now do yo remember the spell?" She asked him.
"Yes ma'am." Harry replied.
"Then proceed." She told him encouragingly.
Harry nodded and concentrated as precisely as he could on the are he wished to heal and thought 'ligamen emendo', a blue light left his wand and settled on Demelza's shoulder before sinking into her skin. Harry could see the spell had the desired effect because her look of pain vanished and the girl sighed in relief.
Harry smiled and summoned the 'muscle relaxer potion' from the cabinet and handed it to her. Demelza quickly drank the potion down, she looked at him gratefully as she seemed to relax even more.
"Thank you Harry I feel so much better." Demelza said sincerely.
"Indeed, well done Mr. Potter you executed the spell perfectly." Harry smiled, he really liked fixing people, maybe healing was a career path he should look into.
The rest of the night was slower Demelza had been cleared to leave the hospital with the instructions to go easy on her arm for a few days, they didn't have any new patients come in the rest of the evening so they mostly just cleaned up.
Harry and the girls were dismissed at normal time and exited the hospital wing together.
"See you tomorrow night Harry, Tracey." Susan said as they arrived at the main staircase, where they normally parted ways.
"Goodnight Susan." Harry returned.
"Night Bones." Tracey replied.
Susan looked at Tracey for a moment before nodding and heading down the stairs.
"Harry can I ask you something?" Tracey asked him nervously.
"Sure what's up?" Harry asked her encouragingly.
"Would you like to go on a date Saturday night? We could go on a picnic or something." She asked her cheeks going pink.
Harry looked at her confused for a moment, but understood when he replayed her question. Since the Hogsmeade trips had been cancelled thanks to Malfoy almost killing Katie Bell, older students had started having dates at various places around Hogwarts.
"Yes I would like that a lot, do you have any place in mind?" Harry inquired, his own cheeks going slightly pink.
"No, I was kind of hoping you knew of somewhere we could go. She admitted.
"I just might, I'll take you there after we're done in the hospital next Satutday." Harry told her.
She smiled and stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek before saying "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow, good night, Harry."
"Goodnight Tracey." Harry returned before they parted ways her going down the stairs to the Slytherin dungeons and him headed up the stairs to Gryffindor tower.
Neither of them noticed Theodore Nott watching them from an alcove within hearing distance of their conversation.
/A/D/W/F/
Slytherin Sixth Year Boys Dorms, 6/7/1997, 22:13
Theodore Nott was just finishing sending a message to his father through a special notebook he had been given to pass information back and forth undetected, Draco wasn't the only one recruited from his year group at Hogwarts.
Theodore had been marked last July and had been tasked with gathering information, watching the happenings at Hogwarts and reporting anything of value specifically on Potter and he had also been told to keep an eye on the Malfoy heir.
He had failed the last task rather badly, Malfoy had escaped the castle and Theodore had been unaware until Professor Snape had staeted searching for him.
Theodore was looking at some serious cruciatus time for his failure, he hoped the news that Harry Potter was interested in the halfblood Davis girl would be useful enough to have some of his punishment forgiven.
It also didn't hurt that he had wanted Tracey Davis since his fourth year and she had spurned his advances quite rudely. He was jealous and wanted her to pay for rejecting him.
The notebook flashed gold and Theodore quickly opened the book to read the message.
Watch them for now, you will kill her before you return home.
T.N
Theodore read this and smiled, if he couldn't have Tracey, then nobody would.
/A/D/W/F/
Charms Exam, 6/9/1997,10:00
Harry's first exam was charms, the sixth years had one exam a day, for the next week an a half, most would have finished taking them this week, but for the studious sort like Hermione it could carry over into the next week.
The charms exam took place in two parts, the written exam which Harry was currently working on now, there were endless questions about theory, and the application of nonverbal casting, then the practical side where he would have to demonstrate his mastering of the spells they learned this tear, he struggled on some of the tedious theory questions but came to the right answers in the end. He finished his test about ten minutes early, and signalled professor Flitwick that he was done.
Once the professor summoned his test paper, Harry pulled out the book on basic healing and read over the theory for healing major gashes, he was so engrossed in the book he jumped a foot in the air when Professor Flitwick tapped him on the shoulder and informed him the test was over and he hurriedly pack his things and rushed out the door to lunch.
At lunch Neville sat across from him and they chatted about the difficulty of the first part of the exam.
"Do you think the practical will be difficult?" Neville asked nervously.
Harry shook his head for all the confidence Neville had built last year, he still had moments where he would slip back into his old ways.
"No mate, the theory is way more complicated then the actual spellwork. You've had no problems with that all year, this won't be any different." Harry told him encouragingly.
Neville nodded "Thanks Harry, by the way word around Hogwarts is your taking Tracey Davis on a date." Neville smirked.
Two places down the table he saw Ginny Weasley drop her fork noisily. Harry blushed slightly and glared at Neville.
"This school is ridiculous, how did you even hear that." Harry asked exasperated.
"Hannah heard it from Susan." Neville said simply.
Bones, of course she would tell her best friend but how did...
"So you and Hannah are getting cozy, eh? Sharing intimate secrets, what else do you two talk about?" Harry asked wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Neville blushed scarlet and mumbled something that sounded like "Just friends."
Harry laughed before answering "Yeah, I'm taking her on a date Saturday after my detention" Harry answered.
"Why her though, she's a Slytherin?" Neville asked curiously.
"You've got eyes mate, she's really good looking and we get on well, why wouldn't I try and see if there is something there or not?" Harry asked.
Neville nodded "Just be careful those snakes are sneaky, don't get bit." Neville said with a smirk.
"Coming from the man who will be intimately attacked by a badger any day now, I'll take you advice on board." Harry shot back.
Neville just shot him the bird and went back to his lunch, Harry noticed he was still blushing furiously, Harry snorted and went back to eating his own lunch.
They all returned to the charms corridor and lined up down the hall and were called in one at a time in alphabetical order. Harry had to wait in line for quite a while before his name was finally called and he was asked to demonstrate spells going back to his fourth year non verballyb and then from this years syllabus he had to cast 'aquamenti' and change the water from the spell into wine and then vinegar.
When harry successfully completed his task Professor Flitwick spoke excitedly "I know it's a D.A.D.A spell technically, but can you do a 'patronus charm' non verbally?"
"I don't honestly know sir, I've never tried" harry replied.
Harry raised his wand and thought about his mother and the hug they had shared in the in-between and thought 'expecto patronum' his patronus shot from the end of his wand a bright blinding white light and formed a ball that slowly took form, but it did not take the form of a stag like it had before, it now took the shape of a leopard, powerful and sleek it was definitely an impressive creature, the leopard made eye contact with him and bowed before vanishing.
"Excellent, you most definitely earned full marks Mr. Potter, you may go," his professor said happily.
"Thank you professor." harry said before exiting the classroom.
He remembered what professor Lupin said about a 'patronus' changing form when a person had recieved a great shock or an emotional upheaval, and partially dying definitely qualified as both. 'But what did the leopard represent?' Harry asked himself as he headed towards Gryffindor tower.
Transfiguration Exam, 6/10/1997, 09:30
Transfiguration exams were starting the same way as charms yesterday had. He was answering questions on the theory behind simple human transfigurations and the limits there were to what a human could be transfigured into. He had studied the material extra thouroughly for the last week, he hadn't paid as close attention as he should have when Professor McGonagall went over it this year, so he crammed to make sure he was prepared for today.
He noticed he had much better concentration lately and his mind seemed to retain information much better than a month ago.
Coming to the last question He read it and the answer came to him easily, the question read:
What difference if any, is there between an animagus transformation and a self animal transfiguration.
Harry quickly explained that a self animal transfigurations will be impossible to reverse by the person changed into an animal, they would have an animal's mind and wouldn't understand they were really a wizard.
The Animagus on the other hand could change back and forth at will and retained their human mind during the transformation.
Harry signaled to professor McGonagall that he was done, she summoned his test paper and gave him a shooing gesture
signaling he could leave.
Harry nodded and exited the classroom he had about twenty minutes until lunch was served, but headed to the great Hall anyway to wait. He went to his normal seat at the Gryffindor table and sat waiting for the food to appear.
The last question on the exam had got him thinking, how hard would it be to become an animagus? It would be a useful skill to have provided he wasn't something useless, like a gold fish or something. He remembered reading something about a month long poton he would have to brew and something about mandrake leaves. He would definitely look into this matter more thoroughly.
Neville interupted his thoughts when he plopped down in front of him. "How did the exam go?' He asked as he piled chicken pot pie on his plate.
"Well, I think" Harry said as he copied Neville and likewise loaded his plate full.
"My Gran is still mad at me because I couldn' t take the transfiguration, I never even got to try my new wand out in that class?' Neville sighed.
Harry gasped, he hadn't even thought of that, Neville's old wand had been holding him back for years and it was very possible that he would do well in transfiguration now.
"Did you ever bring that up to McGonagall?" Harry asked curiously.
"no, she's never really been very receptive to me." Neville admitted sadly.
"Don't feel bad mate, every important thing I've ever told her got brushed off." Harry told him.
"You mean like first year with that philosphers stone?" Neville asked.
"A fine example, or fourth year when half the school was wearing those 'Potter stinks' badges. She doesn't really try to help us when it comes to bullying or Snape's vendetta against Gryffindor." Harry said unhappily.
"Yeah, as much as I hate Snape he does look after his snakes." Neville grudgingly admitted.
Harry snorted into his goblet. "Easy there Neville, that's not something any self respecting Gryffindor should ever say." Harry said with a grin.
Neville rolled his eyes "True, but I am right you know." Neville said confidently.
"Never said you weren't, but I still hate to hear it." Harry said.
"Yeah I know what you mean, so how is Ms. Davis?" Neville asked innocently.
"She is doing well, I also found out from Susan about your and Hannah's date last Sunday." Harry said with a grin.
"Fucking gossips" Neville grumbled.
"Yeah, so where did you take her?" Harry asked genuinely curious.
"Greenhouse five, all the flowering plants are in bloom. I had my house elf bring us lunch." Neville admitted blushing slightly.
"Whoa, that's really good. I planned on taking Tracey to the R.o.R, but I can't decide what I want the room to become yet." Harry confided.
"Well I suppose it depends on the limitations on the room, best bet would to ask it for a big window to see the stars, and a cosy fireplace oh and a table set for two." Neville listed off.
Harry stared at Neville impressed, before speaking "Wow that's good, who knew I was sitting with Neville Longbottom the love guru." Harry quipped.
"Piss off, see if I give you advice again." Neville grumbled.
"I'm just messing with you, I think I'll use that." Harry said.
"Yeah, I actually had that idea at first, until I thought of the green houses." Neville admitted.
The table started emptying and Harry had to check his watch, seeing it was five minutes until his practical exam started he told Neville "Sorry mate I got to get to McGonagall's classroom, catch you later."
"Good luck" Neville replied.
Harry nodded and made his way to the transfigurations classroom and fell into line with the other students.
"Your almost late Potter." Tracey said from behind him.
"Yeah, got caught up chatting with Neville. Apparently Susan told Hanah, who told Neville about are date Saturday." Harry said with a grin.
"Damn rumor mill, nothing stays secret around here." Tracey griped.
"I know what-
A voice from the classroom cut him of mid sentence.
"Davis, Tracey"
"Good luck." he told her encouragingly.
"Thanks." She said before walking through the classroom door.
Harry had to wait quite a while, his name was toward the back of the alphabet after all, finally he heard McGonagall call out.
"Potter, Harry"
Harry entered the the room and
approached the professors desk.
"I will first ask you to do the vanishing spell on this mouse non verbally." McGonagall explained.
Harry easily completed the task and then had to go through a few more spells from his fifth year syllabus.
After that he had to go through facial transfigurations in front of a mirror and was finally asked to switch his ears with a rabbit's and switch them back non verbally. That felt weird he could hear so well it gave him a headache, he quickly reversed the spell and sighed when his hearing went back to normal.
"Very good Mr. Potter, you may go." McGonagall said impressed.
Harry smiled "Thank you professor," he said before leaving the classroom.
He would head to the library for a bit and look up the Animagus transformation, He had just found a new personal project, he just hoped he wasn't a rabbit animagus.
Potions Exam, 6/11/1997, 11:00
The potions exam was very straight forward he had to brew the draught of living death', he had to do it this time with no text to go by but still had little difficulty, he was deeply thankful that Professor lughorn didn't make them take a theory exam.
Sluhorn had been giving them weekly quizzes on what they learned this year for the last few months, so he had decided just a practical would suffice for their final exam.
Harry crushed the 'sopophorus beans' with the blade of his silver chopping knife, and added it to to his cauldron which already had 'essence of wormwood', water and asphodel he then utilized the Prince's seven stirs counterclockwise, one stir clockwise method. His potion came out perfect by the end of class and he had Slughorn smiling at the quality of the potion he brewed, He caught Hermione glaring at him from across the room but ignored it.
Harry waired for the room to clear out before Harry approached the potion masters desk.
"Sir I was wandering if you knew anything about the 'animagus revealing potion'?" Harry asked his professor nervously.
Slughorn upon realising Harry wasn't here to hassle him about a memory, smiled warmly and said "I do indeed, I have a copy of it somewhere, are you planning on attempting it?" Slughorn asked excitedly.
"Well I want to see what it entails before I know for sure, but yes I am interested in attempting the tranformation." Harry answered honestly.
"Well it isn't so much difficult to brew per say, the ingredients however are quite difficult to acquire and must be done personally by the brewer of the potion. You can't cheat and go to the apothecary I'm afraid, oh yes you must also hold a mandrake leave in your mouth starting at the full moon, and add it to a crystal vial on on the following full moon. So you have a month to gather all the ingredients and add them to the vial right after you remove the mandrakes leaf, but is not complete until lightning strikes." Slughorn finished his lecture, then dug around in his bookshelf and pulled out a book titled 'Transformative Potion Making' by: 'Libatius Borage' and handed it to Harry.
Harry turned to the pages until he found the recipe, it wasn't to complicated to make it didn't even require a cauldron. The ingredients list was actually very short,
-One 'mandrake leaf' held in his mouth for a lunar month.
-One of his hairs
-One teaspoon of dew that hadn't seen daylight or been disturbed by human feet for seven days.
-One 'death's-head hawk moth cocoon'.
-and He had to place the mixture in a dark place until the next lightning storm.
If he did it correctly it would turn blood-red, meaning he could drink the potion and find his form.
Harry took out his wand and made a copy of the recipe and handed the book back to professor slughorn.
He scanned the recipe again and saw there was a spell that must be cast twice daily at dawn and dusk, while you had the 'mandrake leaf' in your mouth, and when you drank the potion.
The spell was a long one 'amato animo animato animagus'.
"Thank you professor, you wouldn't happen to know where to find a 'deaths-head moth cocoon would you?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Potato fields, they burrow under the ground when they pupate, most often near potato plants or occasionally tomato plants." Slughorn answered.
"Right, thank you Professor, I have to get to lunch now." Harry said happily.
"Don't mention it my boy, but if you do brew the potion, make sure your not alone. It can go badly wrong, and if it's not blood red don't drink it. Better to start over than risk the consequences." Slughorn warned.
"Yes sir, I will definitely remember that." Harry answered.
"Good now off with you." Slughorn said jovially.
With that Harry exited the class room, the dew would be easy enough, Hagrid knew the forest better than anyone and he would be going down to ask about checking his garden around the potato plants for the cocoon, maybe He could find a location to collect the dew as well.
With that settled he would grab a quick bite to eat and then pay Hagrid a visit, he was over due for one anyway.
Herbology Exam 6/12/1997, 10:30
Harry had spent the morning tending a biting snargaluff plant and harvesting the pods as his final exam, Professor sprout had already given them a written test, but seeing as how the snargaluffs had been a large part of the focus of herbology this year, she had paired them up and instructed them each to retrieve two pods and feed and care for them.
Finally Professor Sprout called.
"Class dismissed, you all did very well." she said proudly.
Just like yesterday Harry waited until the rest of the class had cleared out before approaching his professor, she had already started the process of levitating the snargaluff plants back to the shelves they normally rested on when not part of a lesson. She noticed him waiting patiently for her attention.
"What can I do for you Mr. Potter?" she asked curiously.
"I was wondering if you did 'mandrakes' with the second years this year?" Harry asked.
"Yes, I do the 'mandrakes' with my second year class every year, it helps prepare them for the more dangerous plants I cover in the later years. This year I couldn't get the seedlings to start sprouting until early October, so the are just now maturing. Why do you ask?" Sprout questioned.
Harry decided to answer her honestly, there was nothing illegal about becoming an 'animagus' if you registered your form, so why bother lying about it.
"I want to become an 'animagus,' and I need a "mandrake leaf', I had hoped to purchase one from you." Harry answered.
"I won't sell you one, but if you'll follow my I would be more than happy to let you take one." She said kindly.
"Thank you ma'am, I really do appreciate it." Harry said sincerly.
"It's no trouble, I hope you are going to be under supervision when you take the potion, it can be quite dangerous." she stated with the clear expectation of hearing only one answer.
"Yes ma'am, Professor Slughorn already advised the same." Harry told her.
"Good, if you'll follow me I'll take you to the green house." She told him as she started walking outside and leading him towards green house three.
"Ear muffs on, they are very deadly now that they are mature." she said indicating the rack with ear muffs hanging from it to the left of the door.
Harry nodded and grabbed a pair of blue ear muffs and put them on, she grabbed the pink fuzzy pair and once they both had hearing protection on, she removed a key from her pocket and unlocked the door.
Harry followed her inside, there were rows of plants on the main table in the center of the room and she pointed to one of the larger 'mandrakes' sitting towards the end of the table and handed him a pair of gardening scissors.
Harry nodded and picked a medium sized leaf from the plant she indicated and snipped it off at the stem before handing the scissors back to her. He reached in his pocket and removed the empty crystal vial he had brought with him and placed the leaf in side before casting a stasis charm, it should keep until the twentieth the day of the next full moon.
They both exited the greenhouse and she closed and locked the door then took her ear muffs off. Harry took that to mean he could as well and removed his earmuffs and hung them back on the rack.
"Thank you very much professor." Harry said gratefully.
"Don't mention it, to anyone. Now run allong lunch will be over soon." She told him.
Harry smiled and headed up to the school, he had gotten the death-head moth cocoon yesterday, he had also got directions to a clearing to find the dew.
He made the trip early this morning to a clearing that was completely shrouded in trees, how the grass had grown there, he had no idea.
Harry carefully collected the dew making sure he didn't touch it in any way, which was a tedious process, he had to draw it into a sterilized potions dropper and transfer it to a sterile crystal vial drop by drop.
So with all his ingredients collected, he just had to wait for the full moon to place the 'mandrake leaf' in his mouth for thirty days.
Defense Against the Dark Arts, Exam, 6/13/1997,09:30
Friday had Been the day he was dreading, D.A.D.A with Snape. The bat like professor had been ignoring him since his altercation with Draco, which suited him just fine, though Harry knew it would not last.
Currently the class was taking a written test that was exceedingly difficult. As much as he hated to admit it Snape knew his stuff, his teaching method was complete shit just like in potions, but he definitely knew the dark arts.
The questions on Dementors was quite easy, he knew how to fight them from expierience.
The questions on vampires was a little more difficult, there were three conflicting opinions on how to kill them.
One was that the only way to kill them was with silver.
Another author said that only through beheading could a vampire be killed.
The final source had said that you had to destroy a vampires heart to destroy him.
The truth was vampires mostly avoided wizards so their were not enough confrontations between wizards and vampires to know for sure which method was most efficient.
The bottom line was they all three worked.
Then the question on inferius was just as tricky, there were conflicting opinions on how to destroy them as well.
When the timer on Snape's desk ran out he summoned everyone's papers and dismissed the class, Harry was ecstatic to be out of that class room and hurried to the great hall for lunch.
Harry took his seat and piled a plate full of shepherds pie and filled a goblet full of pumpkin juice. He dug in ravenously and had nearly ate half of his plate before Neville plopped down across from him.
"That test was bloody awful!" Neville exclaimed as he loaded his own plate full and dug in.
"Yeah I know, all those trick questions. That was the worst exam ever" Harry agreed.
"What do you think he will have us do on our practical." Neville asked as though he was dreading the answer.
"Same as McGonagall and Flitwick I imagine. See if we can cast non verbally, see if we can perform the spells on the syllabus. And be a royal Pillack the whole time he is testing us." Harry answered.
"Well I got non verbal casting down and I didn't have a problem with the spells, so I just got to worry about the professor being a pollock." Neville said ina matterof-fact tone.
"You do fine, just imagine him in his underwear or something." Harry said sooyhingly.
"Oi, I'm trying to eat here!" Neville protested.
"Yeah sorry mate, that's not something anyone should imagine." Harry agreed.
"So are you ready for your big date tomorrow?" Neville asked clearly wanting to change the subject.
"Yeah I got a house elf to prepare some chocolate covered strawberries, and I may have had my own house elf procure some desert wine." Harry confided.
"Oh that's good, I just might borrow that idea later on." Neville said happily.
"I would change it up a bit, you know how the rumor mill is around here. Girls like to feel special, and my date will be common knowledge by lunch Sunday. So Hannah will know if you do the same thing I did" Harry told him knowledgeably.
"Good point that." Neville agreed.
That spent the rest of lunch eating and taking the piss out of each other. When the time arrived they hurried down the hall with the rest of their classmates.
Snape called students in at random and Neville was the first one to be called in to take his practical. Over the next hour his classmates were all called in until he was the last one in the hall, typical Snape.
Snape's voice came out of the classroom "Potter".
Harry entered the classroom and Snape sneered at him then spoke cast the spell in the dummy non verbally as I call it out. Then Snape began listing of spells.
"Stunner"
Harry pointed his wand and a red beam struck the target.
"Cutter"
Harry slashed his wand and gashes appeared on the dummy.
"Bludgeoner."
Harry blasted the dummy into the wall.
On and on it went Snape named every spell in the fourth, fifth and sixth year syllabus. Snape's final spell that he called out for Harry to cast was
"Sectumsempra"
Harry worked an eyebrow at his professor, but none the less imagine Bellatrix Lestrange as the target dummy and slashed his wand, the spell impacted the dummies neck and cut almost completely through it.
"Well done Potter" Snape said sarcastically then asked "Where did you learn that spell?"
"The Half-Blood Prince's old potion book." Harry said.
"Interesting, and what did you think of my book?" Snape asked caustically.
Huh, you know now that he thought about it that made an incredible amount of sense. The Prince waa a potions genius, the snarky quality of the instructions in the margins just screamed Snape.
Shaking those thoughts aside he answered "I was very impressed, though I do wonder why you never patented your alterations to those potions and got those versions printed into a new potions text? Harry replied.
Snape sighed "The families who's ancestors invented them still hold right to the potions, It would take decades to negotiate with them all and print a new book. We are getting off track I would like the book returned to me." Snape told him more politely than Snape had ever spoken to him before.
Nodding Harry called "Dobby."
There was a 'pop' and Dobby appeared in front of him "What does Harry Potter wish from Dobby?" The elf asked excitedly.
"There is an "Advanced Potions" book that says it is property of the Half-Blood Prince, I wish you to retrieve it from the room elves store things in." Harry told Dobby kindly.
The elf disappeared with a 'pop' and a minute or so later there was another 'pop' and the elf appeared with the book in his hand.
"Thank you Dobby, that will be all for now." Harry said accepting the book from the elf.
Dobby bowed and then disappeared with a 'pop'.
Harry handed the book to Snape, then said "When Malfoy hit me with that 'killing curse' I did die for a bit, while I was in-between living and death I spoke to my mother, she asked me to deliver a message to you." Harry told Snape.
His professor paled and asked almost in a whisper "What did she say."
"She told me to tell you that she was deeply disappointed in how you have treated her son." Harry told him.
"You can go Potter." Snape said weakly.
Harry nodded and left the room where Snape stood motionless by his desk. For some reason he knew Potter spoke the truth and he was completely at a loss for words.
Room of Requirement, 6/14/1997, 22:00
Harry led Tracey up to the seventh floor, his nerves were going crazy and he just hoped he didn't screw this up.
"If your leading me to a broom closet, I'll hex your bits off" Tracey warned him.
"No I'm not taking you to a broom closet, I have a room that will pretty much form anything I can think of." Harry told her as they arrived in front of the tapestry of 'Barnabas the Barmy'.
Harry paced back and forth three times, thinking 'I need a place for a romantic evening' and envisioned the room he wanted.
Harry opened the door and let Tracey in first and he heard her gasp.
Harry stepped in next and whistled the whole exterior wall was a sheet of crystal clear glass, he could see the moon and stars shining brightly over the mountains, the moon was reflected on the lakes surface perfectly, the view was simply amazing.
The room itself was very small about the size of his dorm room, it had thick plush carpet colored a soft shade of white and the walls were a soft cream color that complemented the floor nicely, there was a small fireplace set into the middle of the large window burning merrily, and a loveseat and coffee table set up in front with the strawberries and wine awaiting them. The only light in the room was coming from the small fire and the moon and the effect was rather nice Harry thought.
"Not bad." Tracey gushed as she kicked off her shoes and socks and walked on the plush carpet sighing happily at the feeling of the soft carpet under her feet.
"How did you know I love soft plush carpet?" Tracey asked impressed..
"I didn't, but the room must have." Harry answered and breathed a sigh of a feet.
Harry stopped watching her walk around and asked "Are you hungry? I asked the elves to make these." Harry said and showed her the bowl of chocolate covered strawberries.
She beamed at him and took one and put it to her mouth. Her eyes lit up and she let out a moan of appreciation that made Harry's heart rate speed up.
"These are amazing!" she said taking a seat and patting the place beside her inviting Harry to sit with her.
Harry nervously took the offered seat noticing there legs were almost touching.
"So this is okay? I've never really done this type of thing before." Harry asked.
"Yes it's lovely." she said Leaning against him.
Harry's breath caught in his chest seeing her face lit up by the moonlight, He could see the moon reflect in her green eyes and she simply looked to beautiful for words.
"What?" Tracey asked seeing him looking at her in a way she had never seen before.
"I never noticed how beautiful you really were." Harry said breathlessly.
Tracy's cheeks turned pink and she asked "Why, you see me all the time?"
"Never like this." Harry said as he leaned to her and stopped a hairs breath from his lips touching hers and paused waiting for a sign that she wanted this.
Tracy closed the distance and they kissed him softly at first, both of them getting used to the other. The kiss quickly changed from gentle and slow to passionate and forceful, Harry felt Tracy's tongue push against his lips and her hands started roaming over his chest, Harry parted his lips and Tracers tongue met his and the both became even more desperate in their need for closeness and Tracey moved to where she was straddling his lap her their lips never breaking contact. Harry ran his hands up and down her back tracing the outline of her spine with the tips of his fingers.
Eventually they both pulled apart for air and Harry felt lightheaded, his heart was pumping and when Tracey shifted a bit in his lap he gasped, as he realized how exited she had made him.
Tracey also gasped feeling his shaft pressed against her womanhood and she shifted again and moaned slightly and then leaned back down and captured his lips again.
Entrance Hall, 6/14/1997. 23:00
Theodore Nott waited quietly in a niche behind a suit of armor beside the passage to the dungeons, he knew enough of about Davis' schedule by now that he knew she would pass this point on the way back from her date, he had overheard them make plans last week and knew she got out of the hospital wing a little before ten, so her date would last until at least midnight.
He had received a message from his father this evening, he was instructed to kill the Davis girl tonight, operations were underway to deal with her family.
So he would lie in wait and catch her when she entered the entrance hall and leave quickly before anyone noticed. He had swiped Goyle's wand for this task, so if the Aurors investigated they wouldn't find anything from his own wand.
He heard footsteps coming up from the dungeons and froze, Professor Snape emerged rubbing his left forearm and headed out the main doors onto the grounds, most likely he had been summoned by the dark lord, Theodore breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Snape exit the castle and continued to wait.
/A/D/W/F/
23:25
Harry was guiding Tracey through the different secret passage shortcuts to the first floor they had spent most of their time snogging, the wine hadn't even been opened. They hadn't gone further than grinding and over the clothes groping but Harry still felt like he was floating rather than walking.
They came out of a passage on the second floor and Harry led her to the main staircase and they started descending they were holding hands and Harry was already dreading when they would separate.
At the bottom of the stairs Tracey turned to him "This is as far as you need to go, thank you tonight was wonderful." She told him before pulling his head down for a goodbye kiss.
Harry smiled "It really was, would you like to do something Saturday afternoon? A picnic or something maybe?" Harry asked hopefully.
"I would love too." she said happily.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow good night Tracey." Harry said before pulling her into another gentle kiss.
When he released her she breathlessly said "Good night Harry."
She turned and walked toward the passage to the dungeons, Harry watched her with a smile that quickly turned to a look of horror as a green light flashed from behind a suit of armor and travelled the four feet to Tracey striking her in the cheats and she collapsed to the floor.
Harry's wand was in his hand before he knew what happened and he sent a nonverbal 'bombarda' at the suit of armor his rage fueled the spell and crushed the suit of armor into the wall behind it, a figure just barely moved out of the way of being crushed and rolled into the hall before springing to his feet. Harry had already fired his next spell though and the 'blugeoner' slammed into who he now recognized as Theodore Mott. The boy was hit by the force of a charging bull and flew bodily through the air before slamming into the stone floor.
Harry waved his wand again and Notts wand was very forcefully ripped from his hand Harry let it l fly him down the hall. Harry approached the prone boy who was coughing uncontrollably and Harry could see blood misting when Nott coughed.
"Why?" Harry asked simply.
"*cough* The Dark Lord *cough wants you to suffer" Nott wheezed out.
Harry stared at the boy for a minute. Nott wasn't really all there at the moment he clearly had a punctured lung and most likely a concussion, he wouldn't last very long without treatment.
Finally Harry came to a decision and he raised his wand, took aim at Notts neck and thought 'defendo' the spell opened his neck wide open and blood started spraying. Harry watched the boys hands weakly go to his neck and realize he was going to die, Harry savored that look of fear in his eyes before the life faded from them.
Harry turned to walk back to to Tracy knowing she was already dead, Harry stopped when his foot bumped a small book laying on the floor. He stooped down and picked it up then placed it in his pocket, it was most likely Notts and could be useful.
Harry walked over to Tracey's lifeless form and gently scooped her up and carried her toward the hospital wing. Tears run down his cheeks as he walked, he had really liked her a lot it wasn't quite love yet but it very easily could have been.
Nott had taken her life before she ever had a chance to really live it. He continued walking letting his thoughts of Tracey fill him with both grief and white hot rage at the cowards that had took her life right in front of him, he knew without a doubt that Theodore Nott was just the tool someone else was pulling his strings.
Entering the hospital wing which was almost completely dark he carried Tracey's body over to a bed and gently laid her on it.
He looked upon her and spoke softly "I am so sorry this happened to you Tracey, I will make them all pay for this. We could have had something great, I could have easily fallen in love with you." his tears flowed freely as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips, he pulled back and collapsed into a chair before finally breaking down and sobbing.
He didn't know how long he sat there letting out his anguish but he felt a hand rest on his shoulder, he looked up and a teary eyed Poppy met his gaze.
"What happened to Tracey?" she asked him with a pained voice.
Poppy had heard the noise in the infirmary and had watched Harry place her apprentice on a bed, she clearly heard him speak to Travis and she watched him collapse into the chair and let out his grief. Poppy had went over to Ms. Davis and run scams over her body, when Tracey tested positive for the 'killing curse' Poppy's started feeling her own tears run down her cheeks, she let Mr. Potter be for a while but eventually she had to know.
"We went on a date tonight after we left here this evening, we stayed out until half past eleven or so, and then I walked her down to the entrance hall." Harry had to stop here and take a breath to compose himself, and Poppy handed him a 'calming draught', which he quickly gulped down before continuing "She started walking towards the entrance to the dungeons, when a 'killing curse struck her from behind a suit of armor. I attacked the one responsible he's dead." Harry recounted the events somewhat robotically due to the influence of the potion.
Poppy nodded and left the boy to inform the headmaster and get the Aurors up here.
Over the next few hours Harry had to retell his story multiple times, get a lecture from Dumbledore admonishing him for the death of Theodore Nott (Which he tuned out) and make a sworn statement to Kingsley Shacklebolt, have his wand tested for the last known spells.
Finally about three o' clock everyone left, he had been cleared of charges and was deemed to be acting in self defense.
Harry didn't really care at the moment, his sadness was slowly turning to anger. Voldemort and everyone who served him would pay for this with there lives.
Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England, 6/14/1997, 23:53
Voldemort sat in his throne room perfectly at ease, by dawn many would be dead. He had two different attacks in motion at this very moment, well three if you counted the assassination of the Davis girl by his agent in Hogwarts.
Looking up as he heard the door open and he smiled as Severus entered the room and walked swiftly towards him, before kneeling at his feet.
"You summoned me, my lord?" Severs asked.
"Yes Severus, tonight I wish for you to kill Dumbledore, I have other attacks in motion as we speak. Dumbledore must fall tonight." Voldemort commanded.
Severs raised his gaze to look into his master's eyes and spoke. "It will be done, I will not fail you my lord."
Voldemort nodded, of all his followers Severus Snape was one of the few that had any backbone, and he could respect that.
"Very well, you may go. Return to me when your task is complete." Voldemort ordered.
"Of course my lord," Snape said before rising and hurrying to complete his task.
Voldemort smiled cruelly, after tonight the Chosen one would be despondent. He wanted the boy to suffer, have every person he ever cared for to die.
Only then could the boy join them in death.
Astronomy Tower, 9/15/1997. 04:00
"You wished to speak with me Severus?" Dumbledore asked his spy curiously.
"It's time, the dark lord has ordered me to kill you tonight, he has a whole string of attacks going on tonight." Severus answered.
When he arrived at the school three hours ago the place was crawling with Aurors, he had discovered that two of his snakes had died while he was gone.
Theodore Nott had killed Ms. Davis and was killed minutes later by Harry Potter, who had been escorting her that evening.
Potter was quickly becoming very dangerous and seemed to have no qualms with killing his enemies, the polar opposite of Albus Dumbledore who chose to coddle the people he fought against.
Severus had wanted to stay out of the investigation so he waited on the astronomy tower, where he could see the Aurors leave the castle, before sending a message for Albus to meet him here.
"Very well, just give me one moment." Albus said before removing his wand and snapping it in half and dropping the pieces on the floor in front of him.
He had originally planned for Harry to end up with the 'elder wand', but after the events of tonight he was uneasy about letting the boy wield such power.
He had entered the boys mind in the hospital wing tonight, in Harry's emotional state it was very easy. He saw him stand over a helpless Theodore Nott and cut the boys throat, and watch the boy die.
No he would not risk the boy claiming the unbeatable wand.
"Very well Severus, Please burn the wand halves before you leave." Dumbledore instructed.
Not even bothering to question the reason behind the statement, Severus pointed his wand at the two pieces of wood and cast an 'incedio' watching them burn to ash.
"Good bye Albus." Severus said with the slightest bit of sadness before almost whispering "avada kedavra" and watched the spell strike Albus Dumbledore who smiled right before the spell struck him.
A single tear ran down Severus' cheek before he raised his wand to the sky 'morsmordre'.
As the mark rose into the sky Snape leapt from the tower changing the composition of his body to a half smoke like form and he flew by his own power down to the gates where he aparated away, not even looking back at the dark mark flying high over Hogwarts.