Beginning of the End
Authors: Starchild and Saavik
Chapter Ten: Twilight Zone
***Disclaimer*** See Chapter Seven.
When you see // ..// it means the person is thinking and not talking.
Quick thanks to Suger for reviewing. Thank you so MUCH!!! Go read her stories to thank her. Please.
Also like to thank my other two reviewers, I believe I already mentioned you, but in case I forgot, thank you LostAngel and the goddess that is Christina Hilt.
*******************
Harry was exhausted. Snape was merciless in his expectations for the veritaserum. Harry had to re-chop the bicorn horn five times before it met Snape's standards. The fat Lady did not seem at all suprised to see him. "Uhm, I don't know the password. They forgot to tell me."
"Oh, deary you don't need one during the summer. Actually, I was going to leave to visit Vi for a few days. The door will be wide open."
Harry was not so sure the lax security was a good thing. He stepped through after nodding to the large pink portrait. He collapsed onto one of the red chairs in front of the fire in the common room. He didn't notice Neville setting next to him until the boy slammed his book down.
"Harry, how did your evening with Sn..Snape go? McGonagall stopped by and said you would be staying here for the summer to assist him. Merlin, am I glad I am horrible at potions!" Neville was visibly pale at the thought of being Snape's assistant.
"Actually it wasn't that bad." //Did I just say that!// "We worked really hard, but it was worth it. We got a huge cauldron done and it turned out perfect."
"What did you make?"
Harry paused. Nobody told him to keep it quiet, but nobody told him to feel free to talk about it either. "Uhm, Neville, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not sure I should talk about it. It may be important that nobody knows. I'm probably being paranoid, but as Hermine once pointed out to me: a little paranoia keeps us all alive."
Neville nodded. "I understand. I can't really talk about what I do for Prof. Spro." Suddenly Neville's eyes went wide and he sunk back into his chair.
"Well Potter, it seems that you may have a brain after all." Harry mentally put a check mark next to his instincts about the door being left unguarded. "Here I was coming to remind you to keep your mouth shut about our unfortunate time together and I find you exercising a small amount of descresion." At this Snape paused and turned to go. As he reached the door once more he turned back. Harry could almost swear he saw a small glint of amusement light the cold obsidian eyes. "Keep it up and I might start wondering why you're not in Slytherin."
Harry caught his breath. Snape had just given him a complement. Most people wouldn't take it for that, but Harry knew better. Grinning evilly he formulated the appropriate response. Something along the lines of 'Why Prof. I didn't know you cared'. Or 'Never considered it Sir'. Then threw them out and went with the first thing that came to him. "I asked the hat not to put me there."
Snape blinked in response. "WHAT?"
Harry looked confused for a second then responded. (Neville meanwhile was trying desperately to calm down. He kept repeating, vulture, hat, vulture, hat over and over to himself in his safe red chair.) "The headmaster didn't tell you?" At Snape's negative head nod Harry continued. //Why am I sharing this? I never even wanted Hermine and Ron to know! // "The sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin, said I could do great things there. I told it no. Ron had made a wonderfully broad generalization a few minutes before and basically told me everyone in Slytherin became a dark wizard. Then Malfoy got sorted there and I did NOT want to be in the same building let alone dorm with that git. I was scared that the hat would put me there anyway. So I started thinking not Slytherin, not Slytherin and the hat heard and said Gryfindor would be the best alternative if I was sure. I was. I thought that if I was in Slytherin I would become like Malfoy, and idiots one and two that follow him around. Most likely a good thing too. If it hadn't put me here Malfoy and I would have had an all out duel by now and I have enough blood on my hands. And the house elves have enough cleaning. Blood is just impossible to get out of carpeting. I know, I've tried." Neville looked like he was about to loose his supper.
Snape just stood there blinking. Harry internally added a dash to the Harry score board in his head. The board was still vastly occupied by Snape dashes, but Harry took what he could get. //Harry:1 Snape: 368,982.//
"Potter, .Harry. You were almost in my house, and you chose. Now I have proof of your stupidity." At that Snape turned and strode out of the Grif. Common Room (GCR).
//Harry:1 Snape: 368,983. I need to get rid of this internalized scoreboard. Wait, why get rid of it, just change it. It is my board after all. Okay, Harry: 25 Snape: 349,283. Damn, I am not good at lying to myself.//
"Harry, did he just."
Harry shook himself back to the conversation. "Call me by my first name? Yeah. I think we are coming to an understanding." // And penguins are ice- skating in Hell. Hope Satan likes to toboggan.//
"THAT was an understanding, and what was that about you being in Slytherin!"
"Look, the man is unsociable. He's downright mean. Cruel. Uncouth at times. But he is on our side. And he is working hard to make-up for his mistakes. While I hate his teaching method, despise his attitude, abhore his wit, and loathe the use of his tongue at sarcasm, he does know his subject. I guess I have come to respect him. And it is none of your business if the hat wanted to place me in Slytherin. I CHOSE Grifindor and have more than proved my right to be here." Neville looked doubtful.
Harry thought back to the night of the Tri-Wizard tournament and how Snape had looked when he showed Fudge his Dark Mark. And all that Snape had done for the cause, in the last year alone. "He may not be a nice man Neville, but I believe, KNOW, he is a good one." Harry turned and began to go up to his dorm. "Goodnight Neville. I am so tired I think I could sleep though Ron watching a Cannon's game."
Neville stood up and forcible stopped his knees from shaking. "I thought you could fight off the Imperius." Harry started to laugh but stopped when he noticed Neville's eyes wide with fear and his chin set with determination. An all together disturbing sight.
**************
A/N: Harry is not under the Imperius curse. He is growing up. Deal with it. And assume that Severus did some wonderful, unknown by those not in the three musketeers (HP, RW,HG) during 5th year. This will not be done by the time the 5th book is out. So we are trying to leave wiggle room. God I hope there is wiggle room enough. I MAY go back and fill in with a flashback, MAYBE!
Any ideas on what he did? I could use some. That is the main reason why I didn't tell you. That, and this is shaping up to be about 20 chapters before they even get to Sept. 1st. Let me know if you want some background. Or have ideas for background. If everyone can just use their imaginations and come up with a wild rescue, dangerous mission, death- defying potion at the last minute, I would appreciate it.
Live Long and Prosper, Saavik
PS: I am leaving most of the author's notes because I have last editing duty. Starchild wrote earlier chapters and will be writing many of the later ones. I do the dark stuff and most of Severus. She handles Cat and the perky side of things. We confer on EVERYTHING before you see it, however. And share ideas. So it really is a collaborative effort after all. We may even pull in another friend to help right the smut chapter(s). Yes, SMUT. There will be a little, very little. The R rating is mostly for the dark humor, jokes, pranks, attitude, and happenings. But we will earn it with a good old-fashioned sex scene eventually.
Authors: Starchild and Saavik
Chapter Ten: Twilight Zone
***Disclaimer*** See Chapter Seven.
When you see // ..// it means the person is thinking and not talking.
Quick thanks to Suger for reviewing. Thank you so MUCH!!! Go read her stories to thank her. Please.
Also like to thank my other two reviewers, I believe I already mentioned you, but in case I forgot, thank you LostAngel and the goddess that is Christina Hilt.
*******************
Harry was exhausted. Snape was merciless in his expectations for the veritaserum. Harry had to re-chop the bicorn horn five times before it met Snape's standards. The fat Lady did not seem at all suprised to see him. "Uhm, I don't know the password. They forgot to tell me."
"Oh, deary you don't need one during the summer. Actually, I was going to leave to visit Vi for a few days. The door will be wide open."
Harry was not so sure the lax security was a good thing. He stepped through after nodding to the large pink portrait. He collapsed onto one of the red chairs in front of the fire in the common room. He didn't notice Neville setting next to him until the boy slammed his book down.
"Harry, how did your evening with Sn..Snape go? McGonagall stopped by and said you would be staying here for the summer to assist him. Merlin, am I glad I am horrible at potions!" Neville was visibly pale at the thought of being Snape's assistant.
"Actually it wasn't that bad." //Did I just say that!// "We worked really hard, but it was worth it. We got a huge cauldron done and it turned out perfect."
"What did you make?"
Harry paused. Nobody told him to keep it quiet, but nobody told him to feel free to talk about it either. "Uhm, Neville, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not sure I should talk about it. It may be important that nobody knows. I'm probably being paranoid, but as Hermine once pointed out to me: a little paranoia keeps us all alive."
Neville nodded. "I understand. I can't really talk about what I do for Prof. Spro." Suddenly Neville's eyes went wide and he sunk back into his chair.
"Well Potter, it seems that you may have a brain after all." Harry mentally put a check mark next to his instincts about the door being left unguarded. "Here I was coming to remind you to keep your mouth shut about our unfortunate time together and I find you exercising a small amount of descresion." At this Snape paused and turned to go. As he reached the door once more he turned back. Harry could almost swear he saw a small glint of amusement light the cold obsidian eyes. "Keep it up and I might start wondering why you're not in Slytherin."
Harry caught his breath. Snape had just given him a complement. Most people wouldn't take it for that, but Harry knew better. Grinning evilly he formulated the appropriate response. Something along the lines of 'Why Prof. I didn't know you cared'. Or 'Never considered it Sir'. Then threw them out and went with the first thing that came to him. "I asked the hat not to put me there."
Snape blinked in response. "WHAT?"
Harry looked confused for a second then responded. (Neville meanwhile was trying desperately to calm down. He kept repeating, vulture, hat, vulture, hat over and over to himself in his safe red chair.) "The headmaster didn't tell you?" At Snape's negative head nod Harry continued. //Why am I sharing this? I never even wanted Hermine and Ron to know! // "The sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin, said I could do great things there. I told it no. Ron had made a wonderfully broad generalization a few minutes before and basically told me everyone in Slytherin became a dark wizard. Then Malfoy got sorted there and I did NOT want to be in the same building let alone dorm with that git. I was scared that the hat would put me there anyway. So I started thinking not Slytherin, not Slytherin and the hat heard and said Gryfindor would be the best alternative if I was sure. I was. I thought that if I was in Slytherin I would become like Malfoy, and idiots one and two that follow him around. Most likely a good thing too. If it hadn't put me here Malfoy and I would have had an all out duel by now and I have enough blood on my hands. And the house elves have enough cleaning. Blood is just impossible to get out of carpeting. I know, I've tried." Neville looked like he was about to loose his supper.
Snape just stood there blinking. Harry internally added a dash to the Harry score board in his head. The board was still vastly occupied by Snape dashes, but Harry took what he could get. //Harry:1 Snape: 368,982.//
"Potter, .Harry. You were almost in my house, and you chose. Now I have proof of your stupidity." At that Snape turned and strode out of the Grif. Common Room (GCR).
//Harry:1 Snape: 368,983. I need to get rid of this internalized scoreboard. Wait, why get rid of it, just change it. It is my board after all. Okay, Harry: 25 Snape: 349,283. Damn, I am not good at lying to myself.//
"Harry, did he just."
Harry shook himself back to the conversation. "Call me by my first name? Yeah. I think we are coming to an understanding." // And penguins are ice- skating in Hell. Hope Satan likes to toboggan.//
"THAT was an understanding, and what was that about you being in Slytherin!"
"Look, the man is unsociable. He's downright mean. Cruel. Uncouth at times. But he is on our side. And he is working hard to make-up for his mistakes. While I hate his teaching method, despise his attitude, abhore his wit, and loathe the use of his tongue at sarcasm, he does know his subject. I guess I have come to respect him. And it is none of your business if the hat wanted to place me in Slytherin. I CHOSE Grifindor and have more than proved my right to be here." Neville looked doubtful.
Harry thought back to the night of the Tri-Wizard tournament and how Snape had looked when he showed Fudge his Dark Mark. And all that Snape had done for the cause, in the last year alone. "He may not be a nice man Neville, but I believe, KNOW, he is a good one." Harry turned and began to go up to his dorm. "Goodnight Neville. I am so tired I think I could sleep though Ron watching a Cannon's game."
Neville stood up and forcible stopped his knees from shaking. "I thought you could fight off the Imperius." Harry started to laugh but stopped when he noticed Neville's eyes wide with fear and his chin set with determination. An all together disturbing sight.
**************
A/N: Harry is not under the Imperius curse. He is growing up. Deal with it. And assume that Severus did some wonderful, unknown by those not in the three musketeers (HP, RW,HG) during 5th year. This will not be done by the time the 5th book is out. So we are trying to leave wiggle room. God I hope there is wiggle room enough. I MAY go back and fill in with a flashback, MAYBE!
Any ideas on what he did? I could use some. That is the main reason why I didn't tell you. That, and this is shaping up to be about 20 chapters before they even get to Sept. 1st. Let me know if you want some background. Or have ideas for background. If everyone can just use their imaginations and come up with a wild rescue, dangerous mission, death- defying potion at the last minute, I would appreciate it.
Live Long and Prosper, Saavik
PS: I am leaving most of the author's notes because I have last editing duty. Starchild wrote earlier chapters and will be writing many of the later ones. I do the dark stuff and most of Severus. She handles Cat and the perky side of things. We confer on EVERYTHING before you see it, however. And share ideas. So it really is a collaborative effort after all. We may even pull in another friend to help right the smut chapter(s). Yes, SMUT. There will be a little, very little. The R rating is mostly for the dark humor, jokes, pranks, attitude, and happenings. But we will earn it with a good old-fashioned sex scene eventually.