A/N – Once again I hope you all enjoy this. Please let me know if there is anything that isn't making sense or seems to be a plot hole! Pretty please review, your words and thoughts are always appreciated!

Chapter 6 – Know this, I noticed.

Harry stared dumbly at the note, the front door still wide open. With frightening speed Snape pushed Harry behind him, snatched the note from the front of the door and slammed it shut.

Harry's mind was numb; he couldn't seem to function properly. He absently noticed that Snape still had his arm around him and had pulled out his wand and was silently waving it at the door.

'Snap out of it Potter.' Snape growled, finally letting go of Harry and pushing him back into the hall gently.

'I'm fine.' Harry murmured.

Snape glared at him. 'Sure you are.'

'I'm just a little shocked.'

'Sometimes I wonder how exactly you got the best of the Dark Lord.' Snape muttered, taking Harry by the arm and gently leading him towards the kitchen. He sat him down in a chair and placed the note gingerly on the kitchen table.

'I cared more than him.' Harry said absently.

'What?'

'Than the Dark Lord, I mean Voldemort. Why do you call him the Dark Lord?' Harry wondered. 'I beat him because I cared more than he did. Didn't you know that was my secret weapon? I knew what love was and he didn't.'

'Love is bullshit.' Snape said.

Harry nodded. 'Yes I think so too.' He noticed then that there was a glass of water on the table in front of him. Snape must have got it. He took a long drink.

'Feel better?'

Harry nodded.

'Can we discuss this now?' Snape asked, gesturing to the note sitting on the table.

'Yes.' Harry said. 'I'm fine honestly I was just shocked.'

'As was I.'

'Do you think it's from the killer?' Harry questioned.

Snape sighed and leaned back in his chair all the way, running his hands through his hair. 'I suspect so. I can't see how it could possibly be a hoax.'

'I don't see how the killer could possibly know where I live, or that I was working on the case.' Harry said flatly.

'It could mean it's someone you know.' Snape said softly.

'It's not.'

'Don't be an idiot.'

Harry glanced up quickly. 'Snape, it's not someone I know. Let it go.' He snapped.

Snape glared back at him but chose to hold his tongue.

'We have to tell Kingsley about this.' Harry said.

'Yes. However I don't feel so inclined to go out at this time of night and tell him. Whoever left the note could still be here.'

'So in the morning then?'

Snape nodded. 'Yes but I'll send him a message by Patronus now, and let him know what's happened.'

'Snape if you send a message by Patronus that can be traced back here. It will breach the wards.' Harry said.

Snape looked Harry in the eye. 'Potter, the wards have already been breached.'

Harry sighed, and then nodded. 'Do it.'

He watched silently as Snape pulled out his wand and cast the patronus charm. Within minutes he had given it instructions and they had watched the silver doe gambol off into the night.

…

Harry couldn't sleep. As hard as he tried to drift off it was impossible, his brain just wouldn't switch off. Eventually he gave up and sat up in bed, running his hands over his face.

'I didn't expect my life to end up like this.' He muttered. He couldn't believe that he once again was the target of a madman. What was it about him? Did he just attract psychopaths? Snape had alluded to the fact that the killer was someone he knew, but he just couldn't see it. He needed to talk to Ron and Hermione, and find out if they knew anything.

For the first time he fervently wished that his fireplace was attached to the floo network. It would be so much easier if he could simply stick his head in the fire and talk to them. He felt a large weight fall deep in his stomach. He missed them, he missed Neville, he missed Hogwarts, and he missed Dumbledore.

Well sitting here and feeling sorry for himself wasn't going to solve a damn thing. He stood and moving to his drawers pulling out a t shirt and threw it on. He padded softly out to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea, only to stop in the doorway when he discovered he wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep.

Snape was sitting at the kitchen table nursing what appeared to be a glass of fire whiskey. The bottle was sitting half full in the middle of the table next to the note the killer had left.

'I thought you went to bed?' Harry asked softly.

Snape shrugged. 'I couldn't sleep.'

'You're still wearing your clothes from yesterday.' Harry smirked.

Snape gestured to the bottle on the table. 'I hope you don't mind.'

'I don't mind.' Harry said. 'Do you mind if I join you?'

'It's your kitchen Potter.'

Harry took that as a yes, and pulled out the chair opposite Snape and poured himself a glass. 'This wasn't quite the drink I had in mind.' He murmured.

Snape looked at him steadily. 'What were you after?'

'Tea.' Harry said. 'This is better.' He added after a moment.

The two of them sat awkwardly together in silence.

'I think we should stay at my cottage from now on.' Snape said. 'It isn't safe here.'

We? Harry blinked in surprise. Since when were they a we? 'What makes your place safer than mine?' he asked aloud.

'The fact that a serial killer hasn't walked right up the front door and pinned a note on it.' Snape said drily. 'Honestly Potter did you really think that trust wards were strong enough?'

'Excuse me, I believe that you have trust wards on your cottage? What makes your wards stronger than mine?'

'Still as infuriating as ever aren't you?' Snape said quietly with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes.

'It's a valid question.'

'It isn't.' Snape said quickly. 'I use trust wards because they are my best option. You however have many options, the Fidelius charm for example. Why didn't you use that?'

Harry snorted. 'The Fidelius charm is a little bit of overkill don't you think? Considering I wasn't in any danger. I just wanted to be left alone.'

'No I don't think.' Snape said seriously. 'Considering you're now in danger again. You're like a magnet to it.'

'Well I didn't expect to be in danger again did I? I just wanted to be left alone. Besides we don't actually know for sure that I am in danger just yet. Let's wait and see what Kingsley says.'

'I still think you will be better off at my cottage.' Snape grumbled.

'I don't think so.' Harry said carefully. He wasn't sure why but he felt rather uncomfortable with the idea. 'If he found me here, then he could just as easily find me there. Besides, you're the one with a possible connection to the killer not me. For all we know you're the one in danger.'

'I seriously doubt that. And you haven't answered my question.'

'What?' Harry asked, confused.

'Why didn't you, or why don't you use the Fidelius charm?'

'It didn't work out that well for my parents did it?' Harry said without thinking.

Snape stiffened, and swiftly downed the rest of his drink. 'Only because they trusted the wrong people.'

Harry could have kicked himself. 'Snape I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.'

'Don't. I don't want your pity Potter.' Snape said his voice harsh.

Harry looked away. 'I don't want to put Ron or Hermione in danger, and I don't trust anyone else enough to make them a secret keeper. That's the real reason I don't want to use the Fidelius charm.'

'You have me. Surely after everything you've witnessed you could trust me with this?'

Harry turned back to meet Snape's eyes. 'In case you hadn't noticed, I don't want to put you in danger either. You've already sacrificed enough to keep me safe. Besides up until a few days ago I didn't have you.'

'It wasn't a sacrifice you idiot, it was a choice.' Snape said, choosing to ignore the rest of what Harry had said.

'And so is this.'

'The vow I made doesn't just disappear now the Dark Lord is dead Harry. I'm not going to let anything happen to you, and I'd appreciate it if you'd not make my life quite so difficult this time round please.' Snape said firmly.

'Harry?' Harry raised his eyebrows. 'I can't believe you just used my first name, I didn't know you had it in you.'

'I'm tired of referring to you as Potter. It makes me think of your father, and that just makes me angry.'

'I'm tired of referring to you as Snape. It feels disrespectful.' Harry confessed.

'Then call me by my name. As much as it pains me we're on equal footing now and therefore the same rules of etiquette apply to us both.' Severus said.

'The same rules of etiquette?' Harry questioned. 'Seriously?'

'Yes.'

'Why are you always so formal?'

'Why are you always so foolhardy?' Snape countered.

'Cause I'm a Gryffindor.' Harry smirked.

'Enough said.'

'I want to stay here.' Harry said softly. 'But I promise I won't be as foolhardy this time, as long as you promise the same.'

'What do you mean?' Severus asked, confused.

Harry took a deep breath. 'I couldn't bear to watch you die again.'

Severus looked up in what Harry thought was surprise, but he didn't say anything. He simply held Harry's gaze until eventually Harry looked away.

'Let's both be more careful this time.' Severus said quietly, with a strange edge to his voice.

Harry looked at his now empty glass and decided to pour himself another drink. The memory of Severus dying in front of him, of watching the light actually leave his eyes still gave him nightmares.

'Why don't you use the Fidelius charm?' He asked, after he downed his second drink and had poured a third. 'You questioned why I use trust wards, but you said they were your best option. Why do you think that?'

'I use them because I have no choice. I have no personal relationships and next to no human contact, which is why trust wards make more sense for me. There are less loopholes when there are less people in your life.' Severus said.

'It's not fair.' Harry said.

'A typical response from you, but one that needs clarification none the less. What's not fair?'

'It's not fair that you have no one to be your secret keeper. It's not fair that people who don't know anything about you judge you so harshly. You shouldn't have to live like this!' Harry's voice broke.

'You really haven't learned a thing have you Potter?' Severus snapped. 'It's completely fair. Actions have consequences, and these are mine. In fact these are my consequences by choice! I choose to live in seclusion much as do you by the way. I chose to dedicate my life to destroying the dark lord and to protecting you. I don't have close personal relationships because the thought of losing another person I love is worse than the thought of being alone for the rest of my life. I am not a victim, and don't deserve or require anyone's pity especially yours.'

'I don't pity you.' Harry said. 'No one knows like I do the consequences of your actions. But that doesn't stop me from feeling as though it's my fault that your life has been so hard, and that I could have done much better by you throughout my years as your student, and especially during the war. I just want you to know that I know that.'

Severus stood up. 'I own my life and my actions Potter. You are not responsible for any of it, and you aren't allowed to feel my guilt.' He snapped. 'You should get some sleep.' With that he swooped off down the corridor to the guest room and shut the door firmly behind him.

'What about my guilt? Harry muttered. 'Am I allowed to feel that?'

…

The note was now sitting in the middle of the conference table at the aurors central headquarters at the ministry for magic.

Harry and Severus had been there all morning and Harry couldn't help but feel as though their time had been wasted. Apparently all it took to be an auror was the ability to discuss things at great lengths without actually coming to agree on anything.

This was probably an unfair assessment, but as Harry stared at the note sitting on the table he couldn't help but feel as though the note wouldn't have been delivered right to his door step if the team of aurors had been a little more decisive to begin with.

'Harry?'

Harry snapped out of his daze and looked up. 'Sorry what?' He wasn't even sure who had said his name.

Severus was frowning at him. He had barely spoken to him all morning except for a few grunts of acknowledgments over breakfast, and now he was looking at him as though he was bringing shame on Slytherin house. Which was quite the feat since he wasn't even in Slytherin.

'Harry?' Blaise Zabini said again.

'Yes, sorry did you ask something?'

'I just asked if you're sure you have no personal connection with any of the victims?'

This was why Harry had zoned out. He had already answered that question twice. He didn't know how to make it any clearer. 'Yes I'm sure. As yet Snape and I haven't been able to connect the victims with each other either.'

'Yes as we stated earlier we also haven't found anything to connect them. What little evidence that was found at the crime scenes so far hasn't given us any leads.' Prewitt said. Arthur Prewitt was the head auror on the case, and so far as Harry could tell he'd done ninety percent of the talking and ten percent of the work.

'We seem to be going around in circles here.' Severus interrupted. 'Might I suggest that perhaps we are a little out of our depth and could use some outside assistance?'

'What exactly do you mean by outside assistance?' Prewitt asked with a sneer.

'As these are murders committed in a muggle fashion, perhaps it would be wise to consult with their crime force on this?' Severus said scathingly. 'In three of the four cases the victim was found by a muggle and therefore there must be a muggle investigation, it would be sensible to consult with them.'

Harry smirked. Severus managed to make them all sound like complete idiots for not suggesting it earlier.

'Are you sure that's necessary sir?' Zabini asked. 'After all, the killing itself may not have involved magic but magic was certainly used. What good would it really do to consult with them on this when we can't even give them all the details of the case?'

'Is there any evidence that magic was used?' Harry asked. 'Have you found any trace of it at any of the crime scenes?'

Zabini went red. 'No we haven't.'

'Then how can you be certain that magic was used?' Severus asked.

'We can't.' Kingsley's voice echoed from the doorway.

'Minister, thanks for dropping by' Prewitt said standing up. 'We've been at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed.'

Harry rolled his eyes.

'Severus and Harry are right. We do need to consult with the muggles on this.' Kingsley said, throwing yet another case file on the table. 'I spoke with the head of their task force this morning. This file is all they have so far. Unlike us they believe that there are only two victims and that they may or may not be connected.'

'If they don't have information on all the murders then it's unlikely that their file will be much help.' Zabini said pompously.

'What's fingerprinting?' Jones asked. Jones was a wizard in his early forties (as near as Harry could tell) who so far had said very little, but seemed to have his head on well and truly straight. He had pulled the muggle file towards himself and started to look through it in interest.

'Fingerprints are a muggle way of tracing people.' Harry said. 'When we touch something we leave a print of our finger behind. Muggles can lift that print and use it to trace a person. Each fingerprint is unique. Kind of like how we trace a person's magic. It's the same concept I guess. Did they find any fingerprints?'

Jones turned a few more pages of the file. 'No. They say here that the killer must have been wearing gloves.'

'Of course he was.' Harry said. 'If he's killing like a muggle then he's thinking like a muggle. He would have been too smart to wear gloves.'

'How are we supposed to know how a muggle killer thinks?' Zabini muttered.

'Yet more evidence for why we should be working with them instead of against them.' Severus pointed out.

'You will be working with them.' Kingsley said briskly. 'I have organized for a muggle agent to work with you. Apparently muggles have specialized law enforcement for serial killers. These muggles are especially trained to understand the minds of these killers and to come up with a profile to help us find a suspect.'

'When will this agent arrive?' Prewitt asked, sounding not altogether happy with this news.

'In two days or so.'

'Why so long?' Severus asked. 'Shouldn't this be a priority?'

'The agent is coming from the United States, and is a member of the FDI.'

'FBI' Harry corrected automatically.

Kingsley raised his eyebrows at Harry.

Harry shrugged. 'Sorry.'

'As she is coming from another continent it does take some time to organize.'

Severus sighed. 'Why an American? Are English muggle agents somehow inferior to Americans?'

'Don't get your knickers in a twist Severus.' Kingsley said. 'This particular agent has over ten years' experience working with serial killers, she comes very highly recommended and most importantly has worked with wizards in America prior to this case. She knows all about this world which should be of a huge benefit to you all.'

'Sounds good.' Harry said. 'Now is this meeting over? It seems unlikely that we will get any further today.'

'The note.' Jones said.

'What about it.' Prewitt replied with a frown.

'Well could the note have those fingerprint things on it?' Jones asked, looking at it as though it might blow up at any moment. 'The killer left it at a wizard's house; he may have assumed that we wouldn't check it for finger prints.'

'I'll ensure that it is send to a muggle lab for processing.' Kingsley said.

Severus nodded his agreement. 'Good. Now let's adjourn. I'd like access to the ministry archives for the afternoon if possible?'

Kingsley nodded. 'Follow me'.

Harry assumed that he wasn't expected to follow, and wondered exactly what he was expected to do. He desperately wanted to check in on Ron and Hermione and given that Severus had barely spoken to him all day Harry wasn't sure if he would even return home that evening. Come to think of it he wasn't sure he wanted him to. Why did the man have to make things so complicated?

'Potter.' Severus called to him.

Great, he was back to being Potter. 'Yes?' Harry said, turning to face Snape.

'I assume you intend to visit your friends this afternoon?' Snape asked, voice dripping with distain.

'That's my intention yes. Why?'

'Please ensure that you are home before nightfall. I will meet you there.' Snape said with a small sneer and turned to follow Kingsley, who raised his eyebrows slightly but wisely stayed silent.

'Just as well I gave you a key then isn't it you git.' Harry muttered. He really wasn't sure what exactly he'd done to incur Snape's wrath, but he was already tired of it.

…

Ron and Hermione hadn't managed to find any more information that Harry and Snape had. However Hermione had also heard rumor that Elias Fink was the legendary wizard Goffrey Bach, and she strongly believed that the killings were all motivated by a strong hate for magic, and that the killer most likely was targeting gifted witches or wizards. That theory still didn't explain Dimitri Gavrilov who was essentially a nobody, but Harry hoped that Snape would discover something in the ministry archives.

It was midafternoon before they had finished going through the case files yet again, and now they were casually enjoying some scones with jam, and attempting to talk about anything else, with little success.

'I can't believe the killer actually left a note on your door.' Ron said with a shudder. 'What is it about you? You always seem to attract the psychopaths.'

'Thanks Ron.' Harry said drily.

'They haven't proven that it was the killer who sent it you know. It could have been from anyone.' Hermione said.

'Anyone wouldn't have known that I was consulting on the case.' Harry said.

'Well how would the killer know?' Ron asked. 'Unless he knows you, or unless he's watching you. Or watching the aurors.'

'It's a creepy idea either way.' Harry said.

'Maybe they'll find a fingerprint.' Hermione said hopefully.

'They'll find finger prints alright.' Harry said. 'Both Severus and I touched that thing. I didn't really consider that I shouldn't have.'

'Severus eh?' Ron asked. 'Since when have you called him Severus?'

'Since this morning.' Harry said. 'I thought we had an understanding, but now he's being just as big an idiot as he always was.'

'Well people don't change overnight Harry.' Hermione said wisely.

'Hmm. That's true.' Harry pondered. 'Which makes me think that whoever the killer is, if he hates magic then he must have hated it for a long time now. Maybe if we can find evidence of it we can use it as proof, or just a clue to who he is. We really have no idea where to start.'

'I think it's a good idea that they are bringing in an FBI agent. You could really do with a profiler on this' Hermione said. 'Like you said you just need somewhere to start.'

'I just don't get the note.' Harry said. 'I don't understand the point of it. If he hates magic and wants to kill gifted witches and wizards then why would he choose to write to me thereby giving me more evidence to catch him with?'

'Maybe he feels like he has a personal connection with you.' Ron pointed out.

'I don't know him Ron.' Harry snapped.

'That's not what I meant, so stop jumping down my throat.' Ron snapped back. 'I meant simply that whether you like it or not you are in fact the reason that Voldemort is dead. Even though it's been five years people still look at you as the hero of the wizarding world. Maybe this killer sees you that way too, and that contacting you like this is some sort of a challenge.'

'Actually Harry that's quite likely.' Hermione said earnestly. 'Some notorious Muggle serial killers sent notes to the police who were in charge of the cases, in fact let me look something up.' She jumped up from the couch and headed out of the room. A few minutes later she had returned with a muggle laptop.

'How exactly do you get that thing to work here Hermione?' Harry asked. 'Doesn't the magic get in the way?'

'Harry for someone who grew up with muggles you're an incredible technophobe.' Hermione commented, as she started the machine and connected to the internet.

'You're forgetting I grew up with the Dursely's.' Harry said darkly.

'Good point.' Hermione replied. 'Do you have a copy of the note? Or do you remember what it said?'

'Every word of it is burned into my brain.' Harry said seriously. 'It's not something you'd forget. Why?'

'I just have a hunch. What did it say?'

'It said "Let me haunt you with these words. I'll be back, I'll be back. Yours in murder, Mr Monster."' Harry said, while Ron shuddered.

Hermione typed the words into a search engine on the lap top and hit enter. Several results came up.

'Who was Sam?' Ron asked, looking over Hermione's shoulder.

'The Son of Sam, not Sam. He was a serial killer in America.' Hermione said, clicking on a web page and scanning it quickly. 'His real name was David Berkowitz. According to this website he killed several people in New York City in the 1970's, and he left notes for the police. Including the same note that our killer left you Harry.'

'Our killer is clearly original then.' Ron said.

Hermione glared at Ron. 'This is serious. He could be trying to emulate David Berkowitz, or maybe he's just someone fixated on muggle serial killers in general. Either way he certainly seems intent on killing again.'

'Well at least we've cleared one thing up.' Ron said seriously. 'You're definitely the target of a psychopathic serial killer Harry.'

Harry shrugged. 'He may be fixated on me, but that doesn't mean I'm his target.'

'Then who is?' Ron asked. 'We have no idea who he's after next. Only that he's fixated on you and hates gifted witches and wizards.'

Harry looked at Ron for a moment. Then as one they both looked at Hermione.

'Gifted like you.' Ron said, looking at Hermione in fear.

…

A/N – So it wasn't my intention to have Harry and Severus argue in this chapter, it just sort of happened. This will cause me a few problems in the next chapter as I try and unravel Severus' stupidity (even though I can totally see where he's coming from), but I'm looking forward to the challenge!

The next chapter is titled – 'Things are going to get much much worse '.