Snape's POV

Chapter III

Severus Snape was having one of the strangest years of his career. It all started when Dumbledore announced that he finally found a replacement for the Potions position and that Severus can take up Defense if he still wants to. Severus accepted of course.

It felt like an empty victory though. Like he promised, he kept away from Lily and Harry all summer, tried to regain his standing with the Death Eaters, but it was a very slow process since Pettigrew was firmly against him.

The Defense against the Dark Arts post was something he always wished for growing up, but now that he actually got it, his life felt even emptier. He missed Lily and Harry and even Black and Lupin; he got used to having them around, to have people to spend holidays and long summer days with. But he was doing the right thing, even if he caught himself saying that in the mirror.

At the start of the year Draco came to him and asked to be officially named Malfoy in school records since he legally changed his name. At first, Severus wanted to reject it, to shout at him, but Lucius was right there smirking at his son's side.

And that was only the start. Draco filed a request to be moved from the dorm that he was sharing with Harry. Since that request was totally in his power he refused it on the grounds that there were not enough rooms to make the change. In hindsight, he was not sure he made the right choice.

Harry was late for the Feast, the only time he ever did that was when Black had smuggled him in to school, he was ready to excuse himself and go check when Harry entered the Hall with Lovegood close behind. Harry looked sad, but unharmed; he passed by his usual seat though, since it was occupied by Nott.

And that trend kept going – the Slytherin got divided, the ones that had families allied with the Dark Lord where mocking Harry and giving him a hard time, the ones that were against the Dark Lord quietly helped him and then there were the neutrals, the muggleborns that didn't know enough of their history to mingle, small families that have no allegiance or the ambitious ones that do not need politics to achieve their dream.

Harry and Draco were in the center of it all, circling each other like vultures.

Then there was the incident with the Hufflepuff Prefect supplying everyone with love potions. Draco wasn't affected, but Harry was dosed with it by Bulstrode. Thankfully, Granger and Parkinson revealed the whole ordeal and the people affected received the antidote. Lily almost blew up his Floo with the amount of yelling she did… it was his job to protect Harry while he was at school, and this included protecting him from unwanted advances as well… She was right, it could have easily been a poison, he could have died and none of the teachers would know what happened.

Severus found out through some of the low level Death Eaters that both Nott and Draco had received important jobs from the Dark Lord himself. Since they were both still in school, Severus assumed it had to do with Hogwarts itself, get past it, retrieve something from inside, maybe they planned to strike while Harry was here and thought he was safe…

He tried talking to Draco about it, but his godson refused to speak about it. Draco started speaking less and less in general, his grades that had been perfect started slipping, Parkinson and Zabini that had always been in his company distanced themselves from him. Severus wanted to ask, but they couldn't be seen together, it would raise suspicion. Severus knew that Draco hadn't taken the mark, but he also knew that Nott and some of the upper class Slytherins did…

He started keeping tabs on Harry and Draco throughout the day. Black and Remus had given him the Marauder's Map for that purpose that year. He was grading some papers – the students were as slow at Defense as they were at Potions – when he checked the map. Draco and Harry were alone in the Prefect's bathroom. He kept looking, but the dots were not moving. He decided to investigate. the Prefect's bathroom was an unusual choice, especially since Harry wasn't technically allowed in.

Severus heard them from the hallway, the sound of spells being cast, they were dueling. Then, his heart got cold "Septusempra" he heard Harry cast.

He started teaching Harry defensive spells a while ago, he and Remus both were training him to protect himself. He had given Harry his grimoire to study this year while they can't interact… Severus mentioned the spell, but he specifically said it was for enemies. What was Harry thinking?

When he walked in, Draco was bleeding on the floor. Harry was casting the small amount of healing spells Lily had thought him, but he was also crying, so he missed most of them.

"You've done enough, Harry," Severus said.

"It said for enemies…" Harry mumbled.

"Enemies you want to kill, yes," Severus snapped.

Harry reacted fast, so Draco was not bleeding to death, but he had deep gashes across his arms and was laying in a pool of his own blood.

"Call Madame Pomphrey, I do not want to risk moving him," Severus ordered.

Harry was frozen in place, staring in horror at the unconscious body on the floor.

"Now!" Severus barked.

Harry broke into a run.

Severus returned to his chambers hours later, he was exhausted and emotionally drained from dealing with Lucius. Since he didn't want Harry to get expelled, Severus said Draco got hurt in a potions incident, he was trying to make a new concoction. Madam Pomfrey and Lucius believed him since Draco was known for trying dangerous potions on himself… he was not sure what would happen when Draco regains consciousness.

Harry was waiting for him in front of his chambers, he had probably been there the whole time.

"I thought… He tried to cast an Unforgivable on me."

"Tried?"

"It didn't… work."

"What happened? How did you get in this fight in the first's place?" Severus let Harry into his quarters.

"I was following him in the Cloak… He is spending a lot of time in the Room of Requirement, but I can't go there with him, as soon as I step in the room changes for me… Today he spent almost all day there, even during classes… I found him the bathroom, he was crying… I tried to talk to him, promised to help him with his dad… But he… snapped at me and then we started fighting… I never wanted to…"

"You used a spell that specifically said for enemies."

"You only teach me defensive spells… It was the only offensive one I knew."

"Disarm him then!" Severus snapped.

"Is he…"

"He is going to be fine," Severus sighed.

"I don't know… I can't get to him anymore, it's like he is a different person now… I am afraid he took the Mark," Harry confessed.

"He hasn't," Severus's voice was softer, gentler.

"Yet," Harry's voice was so defeated and small, it tugged at Severus's heart.

"I will try and protect him as much as I can!"

Draco woke up that same night. By morning when Severus went to check up on him he was already back in the dorms. He hadn't told anyone he was in a duel; in truth, he hadn't told anyone anything. Madam Pomfrey thought it was the effect of a potion.

The only think Draco did was filling in a request to change his dorm. Severus accepted. He was afraid the boys will start fighting again… He went to surprised Draco moving out. His godson was meticulous and quiet; Harry was looking like a kicked puppy in the corner. The boys avoided looking at each other. No words were exchanged and it was heartbreaking…

Soon after the Christmas Holiday came. Severus spent it alone at Hogwarts. It was dreadful.

After the break, both boys seem determined to avoid each other. Draco was attending all of his classes again, but he started spending all of his nights in the Room of Requirement.

Dumbledore had a suspicion that Slaughorn might have given Tom Riddle information about horcruxes. They decided to use Lily, since the teacher always had a soft spot for her. Severus only watched from afar, since he couldn't risk being seen with her. Her red hair in a corridor, her voice down a hall – it felt like he was back in school. She was there, but always a step away from him and he was helplessly orbiting in her aura, but never close enough to touch.

Lily was successful, of course, and they gathered that Voldemort must have made seven horcruxes, the biggest amount he possibly could. Seven murders, seven objects. That was why Draco had to work on the Cabinet, they wanted to get in to retrieve them and at least one must have still been at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore summoned an Order meeting in his office. Severus arrived late. Lily, Black, Remus and Nymphadora Tonks were already there when he did. Lily was just finishing recounting her talk with Slaughorn.

"We already know about two of them," Dumbledore said in his calm voice. "The diary and the locket have both been retrieved."

"I have reason to believe more are in the school," Severus said as he took his seat. They were all seated at a round table, Dumbledore's idea of symbolism, most definitely.

"The diary horcrux must have been the first. From what Harry and Ginny said, the soul shard trapped inside was a teenager; that must have been the age that the spell was cast," Dumbledore explained.

"The locket that Regulus stole was the Slytherin locket, Voldemort must have retrieved it while in school and made it into a horcrux later in life. When Reg died Voldermort was at full power," Black pitched in. His voice softened when saying the name of his brother.

Severus hadn't heard that name in years, hadn't even thought of the quiet pureblood in years. He was talented, one of the most powerful recruits Voldemort ever acquired. They said he died in a battle against the Order, Voldemort used his death to rally the troupes since everyone liked Regulus… If Severus knew, could he have saved him? Looking in Black's eyes, he knew Sirius had been asking himself the same question.

"So we assume he has at least a few others out there, the maximum can be seven" Nympahadora speaks. The Auror work had changed her, she sounded more confident than she ever had in school.

"The Death Eaters are trying to get into Hogwarts, I think it's possible there is at least one Horcrux left here," Severus presented his theory.

"There is any other possession that Tom Riddle left in school?" Lily asked Dumbledore.

"Yes," Dumbledore rose from the table and retrieved an envelope from his desk, he emptied it above the table and a ring fell down. Severus recognized it, it was the ring that Riddle used to wear in school pictures that he has seen. "The Gaunt ring, I found it in the old family shack. I assume Riddle put it there himself after he killed his father and framed his uncle."

"Is it deactivated?" Remus asked.

"It is now, I used the Gryffindor sword," Dumbledore assured them.

"What about the stone? It's a house ring, it should have a stone on it," Black asked.

Dumbledore remained quiet for a few minutes. The people around the table were already getting restless and looking at each other, Black was about to ask something, but Remus squeezed his arm to stop him.

"It contained the Resurrection stone," Dumbledore said in the end.

Lupin was the first to speak in the silence that follows, "One of the Deathly Hallows!? I didn't… I thought it was a myth."

"Did you… use it?" Sirius asked.

"I tried…" Dumbledore's voice got faint. He raised his right arm and pulled out his sleeve, the skin looked like it was burnt and rotting. "It had a powerful curse on it."

Lily reacted first, rushing over to check over the wound.

"Why didn't you check it over first!? Of course it was cursed, it has a piece of Voldemort's soul inside!" Black burst.

"I thought… it would be worth it if it worked, just to …see her again," Dumbledore mumbled.

Her? Who was he talking about? From what Severus knew, he never had someone in his life, his only family is his brother… did… had he have a sister?

"I haven't even seen anything like this…" Lily called. "Have you checked with a Curse Breaker? Or a healer that specialized in curses at least?"

"I had. They said there is no cure for it, it will eat me up inside till there is nothing left."

"Sir, you can't just…" Tonks rose from her chair.

"Do not worry, my dear, I am not planning to go until we see this thing done," Dumbledore assured the room.

"Does Riddle know we have it?" Remus asked.

"Since they are all connected I assume he knows, but I am not sure if he knows which are been deactivated," Dumbledore explained.

"But this one was at the Gaunt's, so it may not be the one they are after now," Dora suggested.

"But he had nothing else… Nothing he was passionate in, we searched the Chamber of Secrets and there was no other Horcruxes hidden inside."

The meeting concluded without any possible leads. A horcrux could be anything, a plate from the kitchen, a sickle Riddle came across… but Severus knew him, knew Riddle would choose something with significance…

That day started like any other, but there was something heavy in the air, a sense of expectation, like a curtain was about to lift. Severus was in the middle of his morning class when it happened. A student from year 7, a Ravenclaw, entered the room and announced panicked that Death Eaters were inside Hogwarts.

Severus had to make sure his students would be okay, the first year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were looking at him for guidance. He assumed the safest place would be the dungeon, so he hastily led them there. The Slytherins, the ones that had no parents outside, were already putting up wards. Severus left the students there. He quickly looked around the dungeon, both Harry and Draco were missing, most of their year and year 7 were missing. He stormed out.

Severus started running. Dumbledore had shared with the teacher an emergency plan in case the Death Eaters attacked. Take the children to the dungeon, the least luckily place to strike and then lead the attackers as far away as possible. Dumbledore proposed to lead them to the Astronomy tower, so that was the destination he picked.

On his way he saw other groups of kids being herded towards the dungeons by his fellow teachers and no Death Eaters till he reached the upper levels. Thankfully, the ones he encountered didn't attack him, but they were engaged in fighting some of the staff.

Severus was running up the stairs to the Astronomy tower, he took the teacher's entrance that was faster and warded heavily against intruders. When he arrived at the top he saw Draco casting Expeliamus; the room was filled with Death Eaters, Draco and the Headmaster.

Severus saw the Elder Wand flow from Dumbledore's hand. His godson picked it up with a cloth and deposited it in a wand box. "We have it, we can go now." he turned to the other Death Eaters.

"We can't let him live," Nott stepped out.

"We were asked to get the wand," Draco insisted.

"And the wand can only be used once the original owner is dead," Nott insisted.

Draco turned to the Headmaster.

"You should do it, Draco," Bellatrix hissed in his ear.

Draco raised a shaky wand to the headmaster. Severus stepped out of the shadows and raised his wand in turn. Dumbledore turned to him:

"Severus, please," His voice was not begging for his life, he was asking Severus to do it, so Draco didn't have to… The curse felt cold on his lips, he was surprised it even worked since Severus had no intent behind it, just fear for his godson, for the world.

Albus collapsed out of the window, but Severus didn't watch him fall. Draco was shacking imperceptibly by his side. He put a hand on his godson's shoulder to calm him down, but Draco shook it away.

Bellatrix was cackling, some other Death Eaters were celebrating.

"What about Potter?" Bellatrix asked.

"Didn't find him" Nott replied.

"We should go… We've got what we came for," Draco said once his voice was under control.

The Death Eaters were moving to leave. Draco was one of the last. He turned to Severus and pointed at a corner of the room. Get him out! Draco hissed in his mind.

Severus rushed over once he was sure the Death Eaters cleared the tower. Harry was hidden under the Invisibility Cloak frozen in place by a spell. Severus lifted it. Harry turned to him – big betrayed eyes.

"How could you?"

Dumbledore's funeral was scheduled after the last day of school, but Severus refused to go. He knew Harry and Draco were both out of Hogwarts and since he got no new orders from the Death Eaters he decided to return to his shack.

He didn't know what his standing with the Dark Lord was anymore. They didn't reveal any of their plan to him, and he didn't receive any word from neither of them, not even the low level chatty ones he got information from previously.

He had no information for a week, then suddenly an invitation came from Lucius to visit the Manor. He was pondering its weirdness when his wards sparkled. Someone just apparated on his propriety.

He walked out still with the latter in his hand to see Draco. He was not betraying anything in his demeanor and Severus couldn't pry at anything since his Occulmancy shield was up and much stronger than the last time they trained.

"You improved," He said pleased.

"I see you received the letter," Draco said. "Do not bother to answer."

Severus looked at him questioning.

"They know," His godson said in the end.

"Know what?" Severus asked.

"That you are a spy, that you only killed Dumbledore to gain their loyalty as a rouse. Tomorrow is supposed to be your termination."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because exposing you is what got me in," Draco's tone was flat and emotionless. He never looked more like Lucius. "I had to work for a whole year to get a vanishing cabinet to work and get them to school, but they still didn't believe me to be loyal, I didn't get to kill the commander and especially Harry for the Dark Lord"

"Would you have killed Harry?"

"Didn't you know I already tried?" Draco laughed humorless.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because now I am where I belong."