Hello everybody, I'm back!
You don't know how happy I am. So many people
seem to read this story.
This is only chapter 3 and I've already
got 17 reviewers! I'm amazed, really.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get my Beta.
I tried the best I could do, so please be lenient, will you?
Clio: Thanks
for the MSWord advice. I tried this one out and it
worked
just fine. (Hope you notice.)
As
to Snape... see for yourself. (He, he!)
Tatiana: Well,
your questions will be answered - but not now.
You'll
just have to wait.
MMM: There
are enough Y5 fics out there so I wanted to come up
with
something new. I was a little surprised NOBODY has
sent
Snape to Azkaban except me - as far as I know.
QtPie079: He,
he, he! Does this mean you don't like the Potions
Master?
The more I am please I was able to entertain you.
Darth Yoda: Oh my, another one who doesn't like Snape!
(I
can't be that good, can I?)
I
promise he won't stay in Azkaban for decades but you
probably
knew that, didn't you?
jj: Ha!
Mine too! You wanted more? Here it comes!
Shandethe Sanders:
Oops,
another one who advises me to use a Beta.
I
already have one and she's doing a good job.
I
made sure to use MSWord-help, though.
You
know, English is only my third language...
A Girl Who knows: Glad you like it! I hope you didn't die while waiting -
I
am not the fastest writer ever known.
I had an enlightenment today. You can
thank my Muse because the whole plot is now complete - inside my head.
That increases the possibility I will
finish this story.
(No need to worry: I intend to do so.)
Oh, BTW, I re-read chapters one and two. I
fixed as many mistakes I could find.
I hope you are satisfied with the
result. ;-)
Okydoky, now let's get on with the story,
won't we?
Not to forget:
DISCLAIMER:
I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS. I AM GLAD
J.K. ROWLING ALLOWS ME TO TOY WITH THEM.
THE CHAOS BEGINS
From: Caius Julius
Chapter 3: Aftermath
Harry did not sleep
well that night. Nightmares of what might happen in the near future were
haunting him.
They were not
about Voldemort; his scar was completely normal. Instead he dreamt of Fudge and
Dumbledore.
In his dream, the
minister accused Dumbledore of working for Voldemort and had him fired.
When Harry awoke,
his back was wet from sweat and his hair was in even more disorder than usual.
Than goodness, it
had only been a dream...
Sleepily, he put
his glasses on and yawned. Time to get dressed for breakfast. Slowly he
remembered yesterday's events.
What would
Dumbledore say? He could not possibly announce Snape had been arrested. That
was out of the question.
On a sudden
vacation perhaps? He would just have to wait.
Harry drew the
curtains of his four-poster and grabbed for his robes.
"Good
morning, Harry, Ron." Hermione said smiling towards her friends as she met
them in their common room.
"Morning
Herm," Ron replied. "Ready for breakfast? Then let's go."
Chatting about
what they planned to do - it was Sunday after all - they went to the Great
Hall. Of course, Hermione insisted on
studying for
Transfiguration, much to Harry's and Ron's annoyance. None of them dared to
talk about what had happened the day before.
Not when there was
a chance they might be overheard.
Just like Harry
had thought, Dumbledore waited until everyone was at his or her table. As he
rose to make his announcement,
everyone fell
silent.
The headmaster
hesitated. Maybe he was not sure what to say, Harry thought.
"My dear
students," he said finally. "Unfortunately, Professor Snape had to
leave us yesterday all of a sudden.
I am afraid he
will not be back anytime soon."
The low buzz of
many whispers could be heard all over the Great Hall. Out of a corner of his
eye, Harry saw Fred and George grin and
shake hands.
"However,"
Dumbledore continued and it became silent once more. "However that does
not mean there will be no Potions classes.
herefor I ask the
prefects to meet with Professor McGonagall and me after breakfast. Thank you
and now, tuck in!" He gave his students
a smile but Harry
could see the slightest of frowns on the headmaster's face.
Except for
Slytherin, every house seemed to be in a particularly good mood that day. Had
Harry not known about the circumstances
of Snape's
absence, he would have been full of joy himself.
But the way Snape
had reacted to Fudge's threats and how he had shielded Dumbledore forced Harry
to feel some
grudging respect for the man.
Even Ron had to
admit it; although he was glad Snape would not be teaching Potions any more.
"I'd really
like to know when we'll get a substitute," Ron said when he and Harry were
lying on their beds alone after lunch.
"Don't tell
me you're eager to STUDY, Ron?" Harry asked, grinning.
Ron made a face.
"God, no! Ugh, the thought! Quite the contrary. You know, the longer there
is no substitute, the longer we have no
Potions classes. I
thought it was obvious!" He said with hurt pride.
Harry grinned
again and shook his head. He was just about to comment, when the door opened
and Hermione entered.
It obviously
didn't bother her, that this was a boy's dormitory. But there was no mistaking
the bright smile on her face.
"Agh! I'm
blinded, that light!" Ron shielded his eyes with his hands, only leaving a
few slits to look at Hermione, who rolled her eyes.
"Oh Ron,
sometimes you are so childish!"
Ron looked as if
it had been a compliment.
For a moment Harry
wondered if his friend had suddenly become a younger version of Fred and George
combined.
Must have something
to do with the Weasley-genes.
"And, what
happened, Hermione," Harry asked finally. "You look like you've just
won the lottery."
She waved her hand
in impatiently.
"Who cares
about money when it comes to brains and responsibility!"
Ron gave Harry a
puzzled look, who only shrugged.
"Well, you
won't guess." Hermione continued. She sounded rather excited.
'It must have
something to do with school, definitely,' thought Harry.
He began to become
impatient.
"Come on,
Herm. Either tell us or leave it! You're driving me mad!"
"All
right," she said and sat down next to Ron.
"You know
when Dumbledore told the prefects to meet him after breakfast?"
They nodded.
"Well, he
wanted to discuss what to do with Potions. The term has already begun and there
won't be a qualified teacher available soon,
according to
Dumbledore. So he wanted the prefects to pick students who are rather good at
Potions to act as substitutes.
They are to teach
their housemates."
"Hmmm,"
said Ron. "Let me guess: They didn't ask you, did they?"
"They
did!" Hermione said proudly. "But you'll hear soon enough. In fact
I'm not even allowed to tell you, you know.
Dumbledore will
announce it at dinner."
Ron looked again
at Harry and rolled his eyes.
Harry had to force
him from starting to laugh.
"You have to
excuse him, Hermione," he told her, still grinning.
"Just before
you entered he wondered when we'd get a substitute. You have just destroyed his
hopes for Potions-free weeks."
Hermione seemed to
consider this before some seconds passes before she answered.
"Well, Ron,
you know, I could always help you with potions. If your substitute isn't
competent enough - I'm here for help."
Ron simply stared
at her like she was mad and by now Harry couldn't restrain himself any more. He
fell flat onto his bed,
hid his face into
a pillow and simply couldn't stop laughing.
"Harry!"
he heard Hermione's voice. She sounded quite annoyed.
He turned towards
her and tried to put on a more serious face.
"Sorry, Herm.
This was just too funny - you and Ron, well, when it comes to school and
studying,
you two have
rather opposite opinions." He wiped a tear away.
"But I am
really happy for you. No-one is suited better for the job than you.
Honestly."
And he meant it.
Ron smiled faintly
at her. "Yeah, well, congratulations. You'll show them!"
He gave her a friendly hug. Hermione
blushed.
"Oh, ehm...
Thanks Ron. I better go now. See you at dinner, right?"
"OK,"
Ron said. "Oh, Herm?" he added in a faked serious voice.
"Do you... do you think I have to do
the homework those student-teachers give us?"
She glared at him
and slammed the door shut.
Harry and Ron
looked at each other and started to laugh.
But Harry had the
feeling, Hermione was not really angry with them.
She knew Ron's
attitude towards studying and potions in particular for years.
Maybe she needed
being teased every once a while.
Right before
dinner, Dumbledore announced that until they found a substitute teacher for
Snape, older students were to teach
their younger housemates.
You couldn't really call it "teaching" because they were forbidden to
brew the more dangerous Potions.
But still even
theory was better than nothing. Especially for the fifth years who had to take
their O.W.L.'s.
Hermione had been
chosen to help the first and second years and she could hardly wait to begin.
She annoyed Harry and Ron
with how she prattled
on and on about how was going to teach and what she was going to do until both
of them threatened to
accidentally let
slip she kind of liked Draco Malfoy - which she did not.
She gave them an
angry look but did not talk about her plans how to teach any further.
Thus, a week
passed and as life at Hogwarts got back to normal Harry began to forget the
fears, which had haunted him after
Snape's arrest. Apparently,
minister Fudge had kept his promise to keep his visit a secret.
Harry wondered if
Dumbledore had told any of the other professors about it. Maybe McGonagall,
since she was Deputy Headmistress.
Then again, he
wasn't so sure who of the staff knew Snape's past at all.
Once, Harry had
had a discussion about it with Hermione.
"Well,"
she said. "I think all comes down to the question if he's still a spy. If
Voldemort believes he is still serving him, that is.
Of course it would
prove fatal to reveal Snape's past to the staff if he were."
Harry nodded.
"But what if Voldemort DOES know Snape has left him. I thought he did last
year. You know, he was talking about a
Death Eater who he
believed had left him. I got the impression he was speaking of Snape."
He thought for a
moment before continuing.
"But maybe
the mission Dumbledore sent Snape on was to make Voldemort believe he was back
in the fold."
Hermione made a
face. "It could be, granted. But it seems rather like some kind of suicide
to me. Besides, what about Karkaroff's trial?
Didn't you tell us
he'd told the jury Snape had been a Death Eater?"
Harry frowned.
"Yes, he did. But, well, I don't know. Fudge didn't know and he's Minister
of Magic. Maybe they put a memory charm
on the jury
afterwards? You don't think Snape would be teaching here if it was known he
once had been a follower of Voldemort's?
"Anyway, think of
the information Fudge mentioned. Information that said Snape had been at scenes
of crime. Crimes committed by
Death Eaters. Surely
it was false but maybe not entirely."
Hermione shook her
head and sighed.
"So there is
a possibility Snape is once again Dumbledore's spy. But now that Fudge sent him
to Azkaban that doesn't really help, does it?"
Harry had to admit
she was right and changed the subject.
Snape's part in
the whole scheme against Voldemort didn't leave him, though.
Later, when Harry
was fast asleep he restlessly turned in his bed. He dreamt about the day of
Fudge's visit and what might have
happened
afterwards.
Very slowly, the
confusing dreams changed into something familiar.
A feeling Harry
recognised only too well.
His dreams shifted
to the Dark Lord like they had done so many times before.
Harry could barely
see. Two figures were standing in a large room. It might have been a basement
but Harry could not tell for sure.
What he did
recognise were the two red piercing eyes of the taller figure.
Voldemort only
listened silently while his servant spoke.
"... seems to
have worked as planned. That idiot Fudge believes he has done the wizarding world
a great service by sending
Snape to Azkaban. But
what he doesn't see - the fool - is that he is working right into our hands.
"Since the
Triwizard Tournament our beloved Minister of Magic has been developing a
certain resistance against Dumbledore.
After his recent
behaviour Hogwarts' headmaster is likely to cease counting on Fudge as
well."
Although Harry
couldn't see the Death Eater's face he knew who it was immediately.
Lucius Malfoy. Was
he Voldemort's true Right Hand now?
The Dark Lord
nodded, obviously pleased by Malfoy's words.
"Excellent!
May mistrust grow amongst our enemies while we concentrate on our next move. Everything happens as I have foreseen.
Victory will be
ours!"
He paused a second
or two.
"I trusted
Nott would be successful with his 'information' about Severus being recognised.
Ah, this plan is
so simple and yet so incredibly effective."
"How so, my
Lord?" Malfoy asked carefully. "I don't want to sound disrespectful.
Surely Fudge's growing mistrust of Dumbledore
is crucial but wasn't
it... forgive me, wasn't it unwise to 'remove' Snape from Hogwarts? The one of
us who got closest to Dumbledore?
You didn't even
inform him about it. Surely he knows by now you provided the information that
led to his arrest."
Although it was
very dim, Harry could see the cruel smile playing around Voldemort's lips.
"At first
sight, Lucius. Only at first sight." He hissed dangerously.
The smile only got
nastier.
"Our friend
Severus needed a little reminder of who his real friends are. Although I'm
convinced I made sure he regretted his decision
not to answer when
he was called the day Potter escaped."
At this Malfoy smiled
cruelly as well, obviously remembering these events.
"Yes, I am
sure he did. You have been merciful, though, Master. Nonetheless the lesson you
taught him was interesting to watch."
"That was my
intention," Voldemort said. "But maybe you are right, it does seem I
have been a bit too merciful with my not so faithful
servant, haven't
I? Now Severus has a lot time to think and I have no doubt he will make the
right decision - there is only one after all."
He paused again
and looked directly at Malfoy.
"He will be
only too eager to get his revenge on Dumbledore when we move to Azkaban. Very
soon too be exact."
With that he began to laugh, an evil and
most frightening sound.
"Harry,
Harry! Wake up! HARRY!" Voldemort's high-pitched voice suddenly changed
into Ron's worried one. Harry sat up immediately.
"What?"
He looked at Ron and only slowly understood that this nightmare was over, that
he was back in real life.
Ron still shook
him. "Harry, are you all right? One of those nightmares?"
Harry looked at
Ron and noticed his other dormmates standing at Ron's side. All of them were
looking scared.
He swallowed and
closed his eyes for a few moments to collect his thoughts.
"Yes Ron, I'm
Ok, don't worry. But I have to see Dumbledore."
"Now? It's
only 3'o clock in the morning."
Harry shoved Ron's
hands away and stood up.
"This cannot wait. Hey, I'm fine, all
right? You better go back to sleep. I'll tell you later."
He didn't wait for
Ron's response but immediately left the dormitory and headed towards Dumbledore's
office.
TBC...
You know what comes next:
If you liked it: Review!
If you did NOT like it: Review!
Remember, it's your only way to tell me
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(That does not mean I will use it, but
still...)
It takes only a minute and means so much
to me.
CJ
