Ok, Chapter Ten. And I lots of reviews. Wow...Amazing.... Just so you know though, either this or next chapter might be delayed by my going back to school Sunday. I do have to prepare, after all. But it won't be too long in coming, like a month or something. Lycoris is my taskmaster ::glances over at her with her whip in hand, muttering, "Slavedriver...":: and she won't let me go long without a new chapter... Or she might never get the next chapter of her story out. ::Whimpers at the thought::

Panko, I actually liked your review last time. Liked it again this time. Yours too Hyper Princess. And everyone else's as well, there's just too many of you. But thank you! Especially you guys that have been reviewing for like forever, like SasseeSam, Kelzery and Sandrine Black.

Kelzery: I don't know why you couldn't access my story from the main list, but when I searched for it, it was there. Number 123 at the time. Must have been ff.net playing mind games again. They love to do that.

Zephyr: I'll explain the blood later, promise...

Alan: I think you had the same problem as Kelzery. But I reloaded both chapters just in case.

Enjoy everybody!



The sea crashed ashore, blissfully unaware that by its next tide the fates of those it could not see would be decided. Even more blissfully, perhaps, was it unaware of the two figures that stood on the cliffs that stood watch over the sea's shore, plotting the demise of these fates.

The smaller of the two figures cowered beside the taller as he pulled back the hood of his cloak and surveyed the area with a sweeping glance of his bright red eyes.

"Master," the smaller figure poke hesitantly as he pulled his own hood to reveal his balding head. "Master, I thought they said that they would meet us here tomorrow?"

"Fool," roared the red-eyed man. "They must already be here. I will find the traitor and Harry Potter and kill the imbecile that thinks they can make deals with Lord Voldemort."

"Yes, Master, yes," conceded the smaller figure.

"Wormtail," snapped Voldemort, "go down there, you rat, and find where they have hidden the boy and traitor."

"Immediately, my Lord," answered Wormtail, seeming a bit relieved to be able to leave the presence of his dark master.

In a moment, the small man was a thin rat and scurrying along the cliff, searching desperately for a way down.

"And be quick about it," Voldemort yelled after his fearful servant before pulling his hood back up.

An eerie smile crossed his face, one capable of even freezing the sea crashing on the shore below him if it had only cared enough to notice. Harry Potter would soon be dead. And with his death, the whole wizarding world would be his, Lord Voldemort's. Soon he would rule over even that sea below him. Nothing could stop him when Harry Potter was dead.

"Soon," he muttered as he imagined the waves to be red with Harry's blood. "Soon you'll be mine."





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Snape whirled around to find the owner of the soft voice standing close behind him. He fell back in surprise, which soon deepened into shock as he recognized the person who was looking just as surprised as he felt at Snape's reaction.

"Harry," Snape gasped in disbelief.

Harry grinned at Snape before a wracking cough sent him to his knees. Snape hurried over to gather him in his arms, relief flooding his very being.

"Professor," Harry asked, sounding a little strangled. Though whether that was from his coughing or his teacher's hold on him was uncertain.

Snape shook his head and loosened his hold on Harry, but didn't let go of him. Emotion unlike anything he'd felt in years was flooding violently through his body and he couldn't release Harry entirely any more than he could stop shaking.

"Professor Snape," Harry said louder this time, sounding very frightened now. "What happened?"

"Are you alright," Snape asked after a moment of ignoring Harry's protests.

"Same as ever," Harry replied cautiously, moving back to stare at Snape suspiciously. "What about you?"

Surprise shook Snape again as he realized how very un-Snape-like he was acting.

'The poor boy must think his teacher's gone mad,' Snape thought, fighting a smile back.

"I'm fine, Potter," Snape told him, trying for a bit more of his usual sour tone. "How did you survive? I remember telling you to stay put."

Harry visibly calmed, though he looked vaguely disappointed, "I had fallen asleep, but when you woke me with my wand, I heard you arguing with someone, so I decided to find somewhere else to hide."

Harry looked a little nervous again towards the end of his explanation and followed it up by asking quickly, "Are you angry, Professor?"

Snape shook his head and gave Harry's shoulder a quick squeeze. He sighed as Harry looked utterly confused at his slight smile, but then smiled even more when Harry leaned back into him.

"What are we going to do now, Professor? I thought I was going to die just trying to make it into these trees from those bushes, I don't know if I can make it much farther," Harry told him honestly, though tiredly.

Snape sighed as he held Harry to him. He didn't know if he could get them out of his alive, but he did know that the fireplace in the house was Harry's only chance of survival.

"Get up, we have to get inside to the fireplace," Snape told Harry as he pulled him up.

"You're being so nice," Harry commented as he struggled to aid Snape in lifting him.

"You are not going to die on me," Snape growled fiercely.

For once that night, Harry did not flinch from Snape. He was too engrossed in the reasons and felt too sick to care any longer.

"Why not," Harry pressed.

Snape opened his mouth, about to hurry Harry along as he felt too vulnerable to answer still, when a voice broke through the night air.

"Because he loves you. You're his little boy."

Snape jumped in surprise at the sarcastic voice of the dark figure, then cursed at his being caught by surprise yet again. Harry simply looked dispassionately, though with some curiosity, at the dark figure.

The dark figure shouted a curse at the two quickly, not wanting to leave them any time to fight back again, but Snape was ready for him. Practically carrying Harry, he dashed into the trees.

He ran through the trees, zig-zagging as he realized that Harry was incapable of the punishing pace that was needed for escape. As the end of the grove came into view, Snape stopped and pointed his wand at Harry. He magically lifted the very ill-looking boy into the trees and climbed up after him. As his feet disappeared into the leaves, the dark figure ran past.

Snape listened as the dark figure stopped at the edge of the grove and cursed at the realization that he'd lost his quarry yet again. Soon, Snape his feet pounding back through the trees and disappearing.

Once he'd decided they were safe, Snape lifted Harry, unconscious once more, back to the ground. He stood there for a minute before moving, though. He had no idea which direction he'd taken when he had begun his head-long flight and was now thoroughly lost.

Snape sighed as he finally picked a direction and began walking, Harry stretched out on a magically produced stretcher. He moved quickly, though he might have gone more slowly, or even picked another, any other, direction if he had known that he was heading back towards the cliffs.

And towards a very angry Dark Lord Voldemort.



Next Chapter: The Ledge