Harry ran blindly, some small part of his mind amazed at the energy he
suddenly had. He was not aware of the tears rolling down his cheeks; nor
the blood flowing down his arms. Finally, when he knew he was out of
school, and out of sight, he slumped against a tree and closed his eyes.
Snape didn't care.
Of course he didn't. Why should he? He probably just felt sorry for Harry. Poor ickle boy. . .got whipped by his Uncle. . .for Merlin's sake, he was a wizard! Why in nine hells hadn't he just hexed Vernon into oblivion? Unable to stop himself, he shuddered at the thought of his uncle. He felt a long creeper reach soothingly over his shoulder. Devils Snare. He suppressed a tear at the memory of all his adventures with Ron and Hermione. They didn't care about him either.
Suddenly, he realised that the Devil's Snare was strangling him, he reached for his wand; and felt nothing! That was odd; he kept it with him at all times, magically fastened to his wrist. He had found the strong sticking spell in a book in Snape's library, and immediately learnt it. But now he couldn't see it anywhere.
His breathing was uneven now; he was starting to panic. Without thinking, he uttered the only spell he could think of, waving a hand at the plant.
"Lumos!"
A jet of blue light shot out of his hand, making the plant wither and wilt.
That's odd he thought. I just did wandless magic. . .didn't know that was possible. . .and the light was blue! Why was that? I've never seen any blue light in magic before. . .
Pensively, he settled back against the tree and thought.
*********************
Leave the wand, fool! If you are found with it, your secret will become known!
Tutting at himself, Draco placed Harry's wand on the floor outside Snape's dungeon. If Snape didn't see it, Harry would.
Good. Now go back to your room. Tomorrow must be planned with the utmost care. . .this success could bring about the end of Hogwarts, Harry Potter, and the muggle loving fool Dumbledore.
*************************
Snape knocked at Draco's door.
"Mr Malfoy?"
There was a shuffling and grumbling, and the door opened.
"Professor?"
Snape walked past Draco, into the room.
"Have you seen Harry?"
"No. . ."
"He took off about ten minutes ago, I thought I should give him time to calm down a bit. But he's still not back, and I wondered if he came here. . ."
Snape actually cares! My Lord will be interested to hear of this. But. . .if the Potter boy is alone and in the forest, he is vulnerable. . .maybe tonight. . .
Snape started suddenly
"He's there!"
Damn!
"Mr MALFOY! Have you been listening to me?"
"Um, no sorry sir, I'm just a bit tired. . ."
Snape frowned at the Slytherin as he swept out of the room. Something was wrong. . .something he couldn't quite identify.
*******************
He arrived back at his office quickly, still thinking about Draco. The glazed look on his face; his shortness with Harry. . .it all added up to something, but he didn't know what.
He had a feeling that Harry would have gone straight to bed, and knew that he should talk to the boy and explain. His musings on how to approach Harry were interrupted when he walked into the boy.
He stepped back a little, surveying his charge.
"You look like hell"
Harry smiled weakly. Snape was just about to tell him to sit down before he fell, when Harry spoke.
"How rare is wandless magic?"
"How rare is *what*?"
Harry flinched at his tone, but mumbled doggedly,
"Wandless magic. Magic that you do without a wand. . ."
"There's no such thing, as far as I know. Other than accidental magic. . .but that can't be controlled. If such thing as wandless magic existed, all wizards would be taught it as soon as possible. . .in these times, especially, you are is deep trouble without a wand. Why do you ask?"
Harry chose his words carefully.
"What if it was a rare gift. . .as rare as parseltongue. . ."
Snape gaped at harry, and abruptly shut his mouth. He put a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder.
"You've had a long day, Harry. I think you're just over tired. Maybe you should get some rest, and I'll answer the rest of your questions in the morning, ok?"
Harry nodded, a glint in his eye.
"I'll just brush my teeth then," he said, holding out a hand. "Accio toothbrush!"
The toothbrush (black, of course) flew out of the bathroom into his hand in a flash of blue light. Snape sank into a chair, gaping again.
"How many charms can you do that with?"
"Any, I think."
"Curses?"
"Petrificus Totalis!"
Snape's eyes moved into a ferocious glare and Harry wilted slightly, finishing the spell.
Snape was silent for a moment, and then walked over to look out of the window. Dumbledore was wandering around the edge of the Forbidden Forest looking worried. The blue light from Harry's last spell wound around a large Devil's Snare, which Dumbledore was examining. Snape was unsurprised by the Headmasters worry. It had obviously been a strong spell, cast by a wizard stronger then any of them could have known.
He looked at Harry, sleeping peacefully for once - the magic must have exhausted him - and decided it would be safe to leave him while he talked to the Headmaster.
********************
Draco searched in the darkness to make out the face of the man facing him. After he had found Draco mumbling to the wall they had gone to an unused classroom where the man assured him his privacy would be safe. The man, apparently, had been sent by Voldemort to ensure his servant was being loyal in every way.
"You will be well rewarded for this, master Malfoy," said the man, who's voice Draco thought he recognised faintly from somewhere. "You will be the second in command of the new generation of Death Eaters, if your loyalty and courage continues in this way."
Draco preened slightly, and nodded to the stranger.
"Thank you sir."
"Now. . .about the plan. I have news for you. . ."
******************************
Snape came back, rubbing his nose thoughtfully. Dumbledore had been amazed to hear of Harry's talent and wanted to see the boy at the next possible opportunity. Snape couldn't help but feel he was using Harry as a tool to be discarded after use and left to rust until it was needed again. But still. . .he should get the boy.
"Harry?"
"oh Merlin!"
Snape took off at a run, not even locking the doors behind him.
Harry was gone.
Snape didn't care.
Of course he didn't. Why should he? He probably just felt sorry for Harry. Poor ickle boy. . .got whipped by his Uncle. . .for Merlin's sake, he was a wizard! Why in nine hells hadn't he just hexed Vernon into oblivion? Unable to stop himself, he shuddered at the thought of his uncle. He felt a long creeper reach soothingly over his shoulder. Devils Snare. He suppressed a tear at the memory of all his adventures with Ron and Hermione. They didn't care about him either.
Suddenly, he realised that the Devil's Snare was strangling him, he reached for his wand; and felt nothing! That was odd; he kept it with him at all times, magically fastened to his wrist. He had found the strong sticking spell in a book in Snape's library, and immediately learnt it. But now he couldn't see it anywhere.
His breathing was uneven now; he was starting to panic. Without thinking, he uttered the only spell he could think of, waving a hand at the plant.
"Lumos!"
A jet of blue light shot out of his hand, making the plant wither and wilt.
That's odd he thought. I just did wandless magic. . .didn't know that was possible. . .and the light was blue! Why was that? I've never seen any blue light in magic before. . .
Pensively, he settled back against the tree and thought.
*********************
Leave the wand, fool! If you are found with it, your secret will become known!
Tutting at himself, Draco placed Harry's wand on the floor outside Snape's dungeon. If Snape didn't see it, Harry would.
Good. Now go back to your room. Tomorrow must be planned with the utmost care. . .this success could bring about the end of Hogwarts, Harry Potter, and the muggle loving fool Dumbledore.
*************************
Snape knocked at Draco's door.
"Mr Malfoy?"
There was a shuffling and grumbling, and the door opened.
"Professor?"
Snape walked past Draco, into the room.
"Have you seen Harry?"
"No. . ."
"He took off about ten minutes ago, I thought I should give him time to calm down a bit. But he's still not back, and I wondered if he came here. . ."
Snape actually cares! My Lord will be interested to hear of this. But. . .if the Potter boy is alone and in the forest, he is vulnerable. . .maybe tonight. . .
Snape started suddenly
"He's there!"
Damn!
"Mr MALFOY! Have you been listening to me?"
"Um, no sorry sir, I'm just a bit tired. . ."
Snape frowned at the Slytherin as he swept out of the room. Something was wrong. . .something he couldn't quite identify.
*******************
He arrived back at his office quickly, still thinking about Draco. The glazed look on his face; his shortness with Harry. . .it all added up to something, but he didn't know what.
He had a feeling that Harry would have gone straight to bed, and knew that he should talk to the boy and explain. His musings on how to approach Harry were interrupted when he walked into the boy.
He stepped back a little, surveying his charge.
"You look like hell"
Harry smiled weakly. Snape was just about to tell him to sit down before he fell, when Harry spoke.
"How rare is wandless magic?"
"How rare is *what*?"
Harry flinched at his tone, but mumbled doggedly,
"Wandless magic. Magic that you do without a wand. . ."
"There's no such thing, as far as I know. Other than accidental magic. . .but that can't be controlled. If such thing as wandless magic existed, all wizards would be taught it as soon as possible. . .in these times, especially, you are is deep trouble without a wand. Why do you ask?"
Harry chose his words carefully.
"What if it was a rare gift. . .as rare as parseltongue. . ."
Snape gaped at harry, and abruptly shut his mouth. He put a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder.
"You've had a long day, Harry. I think you're just over tired. Maybe you should get some rest, and I'll answer the rest of your questions in the morning, ok?"
Harry nodded, a glint in his eye.
"I'll just brush my teeth then," he said, holding out a hand. "Accio toothbrush!"
The toothbrush (black, of course) flew out of the bathroom into his hand in a flash of blue light. Snape sank into a chair, gaping again.
"How many charms can you do that with?"
"Any, I think."
"Curses?"
"Petrificus Totalis!"
Snape's eyes moved into a ferocious glare and Harry wilted slightly, finishing the spell.
Snape was silent for a moment, and then walked over to look out of the window. Dumbledore was wandering around the edge of the Forbidden Forest looking worried. The blue light from Harry's last spell wound around a large Devil's Snare, which Dumbledore was examining. Snape was unsurprised by the Headmasters worry. It had obviously been a strong spell, cast by a wizard stronger then any of them could have known.
He looked at Harry, sleeping peacefully for once - the magic must have exhausted him - and decided it would be safe to leave him while he talked to the Headmaster.
********************
Draco searched in the darkness to make out the face of the man facing him. After he had found Draco mumbling to the wall they had gone to an unused classroom where the man assured him his privacy would be safe. The man, apparently, had been sent by Voldemort to ensure his servant was being loyal in every way.
"You will be well rewarded for this, master Malfoy," said the man, who's voice Draco thought he recognised faintly from somewhere. "You will be the second in command of the new generation of Death Eaters, if your loyalty and courage continues in this way."
Draco preened slightly, and nodded to the stranger.
"Thank you sir."
"Now. . .about the plan. I have news for you. . ."
******************************
Snape came back, rubbing his nose thoughtfully. Dumbledore had been amazed to hear of Harry's talent and wanted to see the boy at the next possible opportunity. Snape couldn't help but feel he was using Harry as a tool to be discarded after use and left to rust until it was needed again. But still. . .he should get the boy.
"Harry?"
"oh Merlin!"
Snape took off at a run, not even locking the doors behind him.
Harry was gone.