Warning: Language, violence.

Disclaimer: Don't own

Summary: Harry learns the forbidden curses. Ron has always had a lot of anger and


desire to be and individual, can he make that wish comes true.

Godric's Hollow

Chapter 5: Morals

Severus Snape stood over Harry Potter, watching the boy sleep. Snape stared up to the high placed windows, the moon was full and the light lit the room as if it was day. They had a mission today, the forbidden forest, the forbidden curses. Dumbledore had surprised Snape last week when he gave the go ahead for Potter to be trained in the curses. He assumed that Potter would start learning them when Professor McGonagall returned from her vacation. She was his head of house after all, but apparently Dumbledore knew something he didn't and said to begin at once. They still had one month left till school returned on the 1st of September.

Snape watched Harry turn in his sleep, he leaned in to look at what the boy was holding in his small hand. It was that damn picture of his father and friends. Snape smirked, letting a disgruntle sigh escape him. Every since Potters return from Godrics Hollow he's been holding on to this picture for dear life.

Harry's eyes flickered he knew it was still very early. He tried to think what had woken him. Then he saw it, Snape standing over him. Harry sat up "What's wrong?" Snape just stood there eyeing him. He hated when Snape did this, just standing over him watching him sleep, it was creepy. Every since they returned from Godrics Hollow Snape had been weird.

Dumbledore had offered to let Harry stay in his families' home with Snape for a week. To get to know the place, to explore the grounds. Harry declined, he just wasn't ready to deal with that quite yet. He had stuck close to Snape the first week back, more out of comfort to have another person close by. They didn't talk but just to be in the same room with some one was nice.

But then Snape started to disappear for hours here and there. The few hours turned into days gone with no explanation. Harry knew it had to be something with Voldemorts return, it had been in the Daily Prophet that the Deatheaters had become more vicious in their attacks not only in the wizarading world but the muggles as well. Harry wondered how many students would return this coming school year. His bet it wasn't a lot.

"The forest Potter, get dressed" Snape snarled at him. Harry scrambled out of bed, he sorted threw his trunk, looking for clean clothes. Snape stood in the doorway, he was looking up at the high windows again. Snape did this a lot lately Harry noticed. He'd zoned out, as if he was trying to think or was about to say something. If he wasn't starring into space his eyes were burning threw you. So many times he sat there starring, as if he had something he wanted to tell him. As soon as Snape caught you watching him, he looked away.

Harry dressed, he was buttoning up his jeans when Snape met his eyes. "Don't forget your wand Potter." Now was one of those moments, Snape stared at him as if he wanted to gush forward with some hidden news. But he just stood there watching Harry do up his shoes.

*********

Harry struggled to keep up with Professor Snape. He could see the lantern that Snape was carrying up ahead, but he couldn't make out the man holding it. The full moon was of no help in the forest, not to mention all the clouds that were floating by. They had entered yet another part of the forest that Harry had never been to. This had been an eventful summer in the sense that he was now learning the forests in's and outs.

Harry could hear the silence of the forest around him. It was eerie in a strict sense, no noise what so ever. Not a whisper of a cricket, or the cry of a bat. The forest knew you were there though, make no mistakes of that. Why you might not hear the creatures you can be sure there was a murmur among the wildlife that you were there.

Snape stood looking upstream. "Shhh" Snape quieted Harry as he finally caught up with him, he grabbed Harry pulling him forward.

"See that boy" Snape held on to Harry's shoulder. Harry's eyes followed Snapes glaze. In the distance stood a large wolf, drinking water from the stream.

Snape whispered in Harry's ear "that's the size of a grown man, you can perform the killing curse on the wolf"

Snape gave Harry a little shove toward it. The wolf looked up. It was a large she wolf, with a thick gray and black coat. She instinctively narrowed her eyes looking at the humans that invaded her space.

Harry looked back at Snape. He knew he had to learn the forbidden curses. He knew he would have to defend himself with more adult curses when the time came to face Voldemort. The childhood spells and charms Hogwarts taught would not work. He could hardly see himself using the jelly-leg curse on Voldemort, why entertaining it might be, it would not hold him at bay.

Harry raised his wand he knew he had to get this over with quickly. He had practiced saying the words to himself ever since Snape had told him he would start training. He just couldn't get the idea out of his head that he would be the cause of the death. To kill someone, he could not make his mind understand, nor his heart. He had tried to tell himself it was defenses against the dark arts. He would have to defend himself, to survive, he had even tried to down play the moment, with their just Deatheaters. They deserved to die, they're on the wrong side. It didn't help, he didn't want to be the cause of death.

Harry held his wand up as if he was going to conduct an orchestra. Snape stood silently behind him a smile played on his lips. Harry and the wolf locked eyes. She knew what was coming could sense it in the air. Instinct is everything. The wolf watched with interest she knew before the boy did that he would not kill. He stood there to long mulling it over in his mind. She knew that today was not the day she would die. That he was not a killer. Her eyes widened she seemed to nod and turned off heading down the stream. Harry lowered his arm. No he was not a killer, not today.

He looked at the ground he could not do it. He wished his Godfather Sirius was here he would understand. He would understand the wolf reminded him of professor Lupin, it reminded him of his teacher, his friend that he loss less than a month ago. Though the death seemed like it happened so long ago. He could hear Snape tutting behind him. He might as well get it over with, he turned to face Snape. Meeting his eyes, Snape tried to hide his smile, the professor growled at the boy "morals Harry, how noble of you. Just remember because you can't do it doesn't mean that the other person won't. They won't think twice about killing you, about hitting you with the curse and delivering your dead body to Voldemort."

Snape took off down the stream Harry tugged along behind him. Snape spotted a large raccoon in a near by tree. "Adava Kedavra" he said lazily. The raccoon fell to the ground. He turned to look at Harry's shocked face "kill or be killed."

********

The sun was finally rising. They had been out here for hours walking. Tugging threw the forest. They stopped for a small break. Snape pulled out a sandwich and took a bite. He looked off into the trees. Harry munched on his apple. All of the animals were coming alive. The morning silence was becoming awake with the morning rituals of the forest, of the creatures hidden in the forest. They sat in silence watching the awaking around them.

"How did you become a Deatheater?"

Snape looked up he had almost forgotten the boy was there, he was so lost in his thoughts. Snapes black, as coal eyes grew large and bore into Harry. He thought how he was going to answer this ridiculous question. He decided to go with his standard "it's none of your damn business, Potter."

"Silkweed."

"What?"

"Up in that tree, it's the Silkweed you were looking for. Told me to destroy it remember."

"Yeah?" glad for the distraction, Snape got up, standing on the large rock they had been sitting on, reached up and yanked the plant from the tree. It really was a lovely plant, it had what appeared to be feathers for leaves. It was more fern like then a weed. Snape pulled a vile from under his black T-shirt and twisted the top off. He pulled the feathered leaves from it putting them in the vile. He handed the rest of the plant to Harry "burn it" he snarled.

*********

The day before school started Harry was packing up his things. He would finally be returning to Gryffindor tower. Snape was standing in the doorway watching him pack. He came and sat on the bed. He took the vile from around his neck. Harry noticed Snape looked tired, dark bags were under his eyes. "Come here boy." Harry came to stand before him. Snape grabbed his hips pulling him forward. Snape face was mere inches from Harry's, he could feel the Professors breath on his face. Snape fastened the chain around Harry's neck. He drew his finger along Potters jawline tilting his chin upward.

"Oh" Harry whispered he was shaking as if the temperature in the room had suddenly dropped.

"Never take this vile off" Snape growled lowly at him "never, no matter what you might hear. No matter what you think you saw. No matter what you think I or anyone else is doing." Snape dropped his finger from Harry's chin. He shut his eyes and rested his forehead on Harry's grasping him on the back of the neck "no matter what a friend…or anyone else at this school tells you, never take it off."

Harry tried to pull away, Snape was scaring him a little. Harry muttered "okay" several times.

"Potter I can't emphasis enough never take this vile off."

"I understand" Harry whispered.

Snape was holding him tightly now not taking his hands from the boy's hips. He continued on "don't lose it, don't take it off to play quidditch, not even in the shower." Snape stood just as abruptly as he had entered and left the room.

Harry watched Snape leave. When had he started trusting the man? He supposes it had been since the return form Godrics Hollow. Dumbledore trusted him unconditionally. While over the years he had thought that Snape was out to get him, each time being proved wrong. This past summer had been rough in an unconditional sense, that Snape had his own quirks, his own demons. Then again didn't everyone.

Snape had been acting very strange, as of late but then again wasn't everyone? He's been disappearing a lot lately. Been locking himself in his room for days on end. Then he was down in the dungeons brewing some nasty smelling potion, locking himself in there for days. Snape was also reading and researching these massive books from the restricted section. Harry mused to himself once he had opened the book to just take a peak and Snape had cursed him with boils for the whole day. The only word he had seen on the pages of the book was 'Transfer'. Snape had shoved Harry into the hall locked the door and changed the password to the flat.

Snape was really a unique character Harry thought. Harry chuckled at the image now as he packed, but at the time he had been quite pissed and had screamed every nasty name he could think of from the hallway. That had resulted in a weeks worth of the game Password, it was one sided of course. As Harry could not change the password to the flat as it was not his. Harry would leave in the morning for a walk or down to the kitchens to visit Dobby and when he returned Snape would change the password. It had gotten very excessive by the end of the week, changing the password 4 or 5 times a day. Finally professor Flitwick across the hall had threaten Snape with a letter to Dumbledore if it didn't stop, he was tired of seeing Harry stranded for hours.

Harry finished packing and crawled into his bed at Snapes for the last time. He wondered if Snape was glad to be rid of him, he figured he probably was.

***********

Draco arrived on the corner of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley. The red head was already there waiting. He was dressed in billowing black robes and his broom was leaning against his shoulder. He was looking around anxiously, sweating slightly. He looked nervous, as he should. Draco stepped forward "Ready" the boy followed him in silence. Draco walked at a faced pace down the alley, they made it to the end of the shops and mounted their brooms. They headed due north for perhaps 25 minutes.

They were hovering over the out parcel of off a small forest, cottages was scattered here and there. The last cottage house in sight they flew low getting ready to land. "Stupefy" a yell came from the ground. Ron fell to the ground stunned Draco landed next to him. "What the hell is you problem Lestrange?" other Deatheaters came forward from the trees, their wands out ready for a fight.

"How can you let someone follow you?"

"Let someone follow me? What are you stupid? Didn't you see he was right next to me? He's the new recruit you idiot."

"Oh, not very good is he." Lestrange nudged Ron with his foot.

"He wasn't expecting some minion to attack him" Draco snarled and pulled his wand, "Ennervate."

Ron stirred and sat up holding his head, moaning lightly. He dragged himself to his feet. Draco grabbed him and dragged him into the cottage, then out the back door.

Deatheaters were gathering, each had a cloak pulled up. They eyed Ron some walked around him as if he was prey. The setting sunlight was playing threw the trees, a bonfire was burning in the middle of the lot. Trees stood in an outer circle. No noise of the forest could be heard, it was so silent Ron questioned if animal really lived there.

Ron stuck close to Draco as they waited, Draco did not introduce him to anyone, as that was not the Deatheaters way. The Deatheaters gathered in the circle as if on instinct. Ron stood alone in the center next to the bonfire.

"What have you brought me young Malfoy" Lord Voldemort glided toward the boy. Draco stepped forward from his place next to his father. "My lord," Draco bowed slightly keeping his eyes on Ron. "Ron Weasley, pureblood."

Ron bowed just a little not taking his eyes from Voldemort.

"My Lord, a Weasley? Never thought I'd see one of you here." Voldemort walked around Ron circling him. Ron pulled himself to his full height, trying not to be nervous.

Let the games begin.

"What have you to offer me, Ron Weasley?"

Ron looked up at the sky, he took a deep breath. "Harry Potter, my Lord, he's my best friend?" a murmur broke out in the crowd.

"And you would betray your best friend? Not very loyal are you?" Voldemort walked to stand in front of Ron poking him in the chest.

Ron looked at the sky again "Loyal only to you my Lord."

"What would your father say Weasley? Works for the ministry is that right? How do I know you're not a spy?"

Voldemort wandered around the circle eyeing each person. His red eyes glared from under his cloak, he chuckled as if this was some type of joke, no Weasley had the guts to join them. The Weasley family was to honorable and righteous, such a good up standing moral family. Voldemort smirked, a Weasley didn't have the balls to be a Deatheater, to kill, to commit the act of the forbidden curses. This boy was obviously sent here to spy, he would have to have a talk with young Malfoy, for he was quite sure the boy had been duped.

Ron spoke fast, he could sense Voldemorts impatience, he spun to face the Dark wizard "My father has no ambition my Lord, my brothers have no ambition. They work at their jobs because it makes them happy. Their muggle loving fools, who will never amount to anything." Ron spat with more rage that he had ever felt toward his family. Perhaps it was his bottled, or pent up frustration of always having hand me downs and seconds, that brought him here tonight. Perhaps it was that need to be unassociated with the Weasley family any longer. Perhaps it was his drive to be something more than any other family member ever thought he would be. He told Voldemort as much, Ron turned red seething with rage.

Voldemort understood, he nodded, he knew. For he had had the same ambitions once. He understood the drive to out shine and to become more than anyone else thought he would be. To prove to the family that you could succeed, that you didn't need them. That family was just holding you down from following your destiny, your dreams, to make your own mark in life. The dark mark.

Voldemort turned to face Ron Weasley. Voldemort looked at him as if trying to read his mind. Perhaps his first impression had been wrong.

Ron did not break eye contact.

"You know the forbidden curse boy, to kill?"

Ron nodded, he knew them.

"Macnair, bring the girl." Macnair dragged a crying muggle girl forward, she was perhaps 5 in age. Voldemort came to stand behind Ron "Kill her."

Ron stepped forward he did not hesitate did not even look at the girl he just called the curse, "Adava Kedavra." The rush of green light hit her, she fell to the ground in a small heap. Ron smiled and spun around to face Voldemort.

Macnair tackled Ron throwing him to the ground, Lestrange came and held his arms. Lucius Malfoy came forward with his wand to brand the boy.

"No, I'll do this myself" Voldemort pulled his own wand. Lucius burned with rage as he bowed to his place back in the circle, to be branded by Lord Voldemort himself was special. Only 2 other people had been branded by him, it was a mark of honor. One he did not have.

Voldemort pressed his wand to Ron's arm. Ron withered in pain on the ground. The pain seared threw his arm, across his chest, down to his toes. He tried not to scream but it was there none the less. Voldemort yanked Ron to his feet, smiling "I like you Weasley, but betray me and die" he gave Ron a shove toward the circle. Ron went and stood next to Draco.

Ron looked at his arm, barely listening as the meeting went on. He looked at that mark it burned bright. It was smaller than he thought it would be. It seemed to have it's own light coming from it. He poked at it lightly, it stung. He looked up at Draco watching him, Draco smiled, raised his own sleeve and showed Ron his mark. Draco leaned over and looked at Ron's, he bent his head down, licked the boys Dark mark "for good luck." He whispered.

Ron smiled, he could still feel the lingering sensation of Draco's mouth on his arm. It felt good.

Sorry