Harry knelt by Hermione and shook the witch gently, his heart in his mouth.
"'Mione? 'Mione, are you ok?"
Hermione sat up a little shakily.
"Sorry, it was just a shock. I mean. . .I know you and Ron laugh at me for reading 'Hogwarts - A History', but it does contain some useful information. Like, it is physically impossible to apparate or disapparate inside Hogwarts. It's all built into the wards. . .even Voldemort couldn't do that!"
Harry paled, but for a different reason.
"Oh my god! What if I've knocked the wards down?"
Hermione's mouth dropped open, and she gasped.
"Dumbledore!"
With energy he didn't know his exhausted limbs possessed Harry sprinted upstairs. Suddenly his vision began to blur and the world tilted drastically. With a gasp he fell forwards and instead of hitting heavy stone, as he had expected, he lurched into something soft and warm. Instinctively he grasped the thing, and felt it stiffen and move away. Then the worst thing possible happened.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Snape icily, and Harry flinched at his tone.
"Um. . .sorry?" he whispered, disentangling himself from the man's black robes. Harry's face was a rather unhealthy shade of red. Snape, who probably wasn't capable of going even rose coloured, seemed to be going even paler with anger. His black eyes glittered.
"Under any other circumstances, Potter, I would relish the opportunity to deduct house points and give you a yeas worth of detentions for attacking a professor. However that pleasant time will have to wait. Now move, I'm in a hurry."
"But sir, I have to see the headmaster!"
"Oh dear. What a shame - just goes to show you can't have everything you want. I don't care why you want to see the headmaster, the wards have just fallen and unless you really want to be killed then I would SHUT UP AND GO BACK TO YOUR COMMON ROOM!"
Harry flinched at the words, memories of his uncle flooding back. However he was disturbed by Dumbledore coming out. His face was tight with anxiety and anger.
"For Merlin's sake, Severus! Stop it this instant! Harry, come in."
Harry followed Dumbledore into his study, trying to ignore the murderous expression on Snape's face.
"Sir, it was me - I broke the wards. I'm so sorry!"
Dumbledore smiled beatifically and shook his head.
"Don't worry yourself my dear boy. It is impossible that you could have broken them, powerful as you are." He continued talking over Harry's protestations.
"They'll be fixed soon, everything will be fine. . ."
"Everything will NOT be fine!" snapped Snape, who had just come in. "The defensive spells aren't working! It must have been Voldemort!" His face was pale now with fear but his voice was strong. In the background Harry was frantically protesting.
"It was me! I broke the bloody wards!"
Losing his temper, Snape drew his wand and silenced Harry with an irritable flick. Enraged, Harry waved his wand, and wrapped cords around both the men. Dumbledore's eyes blazed in shocked fury. Snape was the same, minus shock. They both looked like they would like to curse him into oblivion if they had their wands. Which they didn't because Harry had just disarmed them.
"How," said Harry, patiently, "Am I meant to have known the wards fell if I didn't do it? And I did do it, unintentionally. Hence I can redo them. I presume. I apparated inside Hogwarts, which I suppose would be enough to break the wards. Now, will you please give me a chance to redo them?"
Dumbledore looked like he was going to faint. Snape looked like he was going to punch Harry. So Harry only released Dumbledore from the bonds. The old man walked to his desk and regarded Harry.
"I cannot understand how this has happened, but please try."
Harry nodded curtly, ignoring Snape's writhing and glowering. He shut his eyes, wand out, and reached out in his mind for the threads of defence that held Hogwarts safe. Snape and Dumbledore watched in awe as Harry's wand traced intricate patterns in the air. In his mind the threads started joining together to form defences, weaving in layers so that magic couldn't penetrate. He was dimly aware of flicking his wand once to seal the ends of the spells, and then he stumbled backwards with fatigue. He hit the same warm body that he had before, but this time felt the hands catch hold of him surprisingly gently before he lost all consciousness.
************************************
"He'll be alright, Severus. The strain of doing the wards was incredible. I really have no idea how he could have done it. . ."
Snape nodded absently. So the great Potter had another feather to add to his cap; another reason to be arrogant. But in a way Snape almost felt a little bit sorry for him, because this power would, as all his other assets had, result in Potter becoming a tool. And that was something no wizard - no boy - should become.
"The boy has become skinny" he said without thinking. Dumbledore smiled.
"He's growing."
Snape nodded curtly, but couldn't help thinking that even growing teenagers shouldn't have that many ribs sticking out that far. Still, it wasn't his problem. Maybe he would speak with Minerva.
*******************************************
Draco stood outside Dumbledore's door grinning wickedly. With the blackmail he had on Harry, it would be easy to get the powerful young wizard to take down the wards. Then his Lord and Master would take over, and kill the interfering old Headmaster for good. Suddenly he heard voices moving towards the door.
"Move, Potter. You need to sleep." Came Snape's sharp tones. Draco suspected the man of being a spy. He ought to report it to Voldemort. The young Slytherin slipped behind a statue and watched Snape leave, his hand on Potter's back. He kicked Harry as the boy passed and raised an eyebrow. Looking resigned, Harry nodded slightly and followed Snape. Five minutes later he returned and Draco dragged him into an empty classroom.
"Interesting conversation there, Potter. I daresay some people would be interested to hear some of the things I overheard there." He had the satisfaction of seeing Potter pale.
"Do my transfiguration and charms for me tonight and I may reconsider. . ."
They both knew he wouldn't.
****************************************
Harry stayed up all night completing both his and Draco's homework. He thought he'd made a reasonable job, but his thoughts were distracted by Draco. How much was the boy going to want him to do? Would he honestly ask Harry to jeopardise the safety of the school?
In the morning he got up and had a cup of water. He had lost weight at an amazing rate - he had to admit that he was getting close to a normal weight. During the night he had made several long and deep cuts on his arm, and they itched and burned now. In some twisted way the pain felt good. When Hermione asked him, he said he'd eaten already, having woken up early. The witch believed him. She didn't hear his stomach growling.
Meanwhile, Draco had owled his father with the news that Hogwarts wards could be broken from the inside. He knew that Voldemort's power was increasing day by day. What he didn't know was that Harry was also aware of this, and had told Dumbledore.
"Harry. You will take down the wards tomorrow, after alerting Voldemort, at precisely 7.00pm. The staff will ensure that everyone is safe. The teachers and aurors will take care of the fighting, you will kill Voldemort."
Harry nodded stiffly. He knew what a huge risk it was. But they had to act before Voldemort gained so much power that Harry had no chance at all.
So the next day, at 5.00, Harry was prepared for Draco to accost him.
"You will take down the wards, Potter" he whispered, his breath in Harry's ear making the Gryffindor shake with fear.
"At what time?"
"11.00"
"But everyone will be in their dormitories."
Draco gave a long suffering sigh.
"What time would suit you then, Potter?"
"about 7.00pm? I'll be able to work in the Hall, and nobody will notice me while they're eating."
Draco nodded with finality.
"7.00 it is. Enjoy the show, Potter."
Harry's stomach leapt with terror, and he wondered what sort of a hero he was. If he failed, the whole wizarding world would come to ruin. He was holding a million lives in his hand.
**************************************
Harry knew Draco had apparated out of the school by dinner-time. The frightened pupils had been shepherded into their common rooms. Now Harry, the teachers and a group of aurors were standing in the great hall, waiting for Harry. He felt around in his mind, pulling at a loose edge of the weave of spells, and seeing them untangle and come loose.
With an almighty crash, the doors flew open and Harry raised his head silently to look at his nemesis.
Voldemort had truly returned.
The red eyes gazed around the room, turning from smirking in pleasure to flashing with anger.
"Malfoy! Where are the children?"
"I do not know, my lord." Said Draco, sounding scared. The look on Voldemort's face told him that there would be severe pain later.
Then Dumbledore stepped forward, wand in hand.
"Let the battle begin."
Before Harry could blink, curses were being thrown. To his momentary surprise, even his side were using Unforgivables. He quickly darted under a knife curse and found himself face to face with a death eater. With a flick of his wand he disarmed them and knocked them out. Then, using a nifty transport spell, he sent them to the ministry of magic. Around him he could see aurors doing the same. However they were vastly outnumbered by the Death Eaters. Voldemort was prowling amongst the fighting people, an evil smile spread over his face; he made no attempt to cast any spells.
Suddenly, Harry felt the agony of the Cruciatus hitting him from behind. Turning stiffly, he saw Malfoy senior holding the curse on him at the same time as Draco. They were both smirking identical smirks. Trying to collect his wits, Harry lurched at Lucius and surprised him enough to be able to stun him and send him to the ministry. But the pain from Draco's continued curse was making his head swim and his arms ache. He slumped to the ground, and saw Draco's mouth form the words, "a. . .va. . .da. . ." as though in slow motion. Forcing his limbs up, he bellowed the forbidden words once. Green light illuminated the hall, and Draco fell backwards, a look of amazement on his haughty features. Harry began to shake. He had killed someone. He had killed Malfoy. Malfoy had a family; had a past; had no future. Because Harry had killed him.
"Harry!"
He turned and saw Dumbledore being held in midair in a sort of bubble that didn't seem to have any air in it.
It was now or never.
The headmaster was clawing at the walls of the bubble, gasping for air.
Harry held his wand at Voldemort, and began an incantation in his head, not knowing what it meant. Everything had gone quiet, as though there was water in his ears. Through a fog he could see the teachers protecting him from the death-eaters spells, and could just hear Voldemort screaming. And then he found an elusive surge of power, and there was an explosion that killed all the Death Eaters within 20 feet of Voldemort. And when the smoke cleared, there was nothing where Voldemort had been. Only a thin stick of wood that had once been the most feared weapon of all time.
Harry stood, staring at the tableau for a few moments. He heard someone release Dumbledore; heard the stunned laughter and chatter. He heard Snape exclaim as he rolled up his sleeve and saw that the Mark was gone. He felt tears rolling down his cheeks. He saw Draco's body, lying, staring at the ceiling, and in that moment wished that he could be dead as well. He pulled away from the congratulatory arms, trying to hold back a sob, and fled the hall.
He only knew of one place where nobody would think to look for him - the Astronomy tower. He pounded up the steps, feeling his muscles burning in his legs. It didn't hurt enough. There was a small rock, a chip of marble, which had come off from the tower. It was simple enough to transfigure it into a knife, which he ripped into his delicate flesh over and over again, with tears pouring down his face. Blood ran down his arms and legs and chest in small red rivers. He felt oddly detached from it. Who would have guessed that the Boy-Who-Lived as a murderer? Harry Potter killed a boy. Draco Malfoy. I killed Malfoy. He's dead. Never coming back. Was this how Voldemort had begun his rise to evil?
Malfoy's blank face seemed to be lodged in his head. No malice in those sharp features now. Dead. Such a final word. . .
The blade dug into his skin again, tearing. He didn't want to look at the story the scars would tell. He didn't care. What was the point? He was a tool. He would just rust now.
Malfoy. Dead. Killed. Murdered.
Never coming back.
Dead.
He was cold. Shivering. Did it matter? Malfoy would never be warm or cold again. He'd never be anything.
When would Harry die? Would it be as sudden as a flash of green light? Or would it be slow and painful? Did the Avada Kedavra hurt? Tickle? Burn? Freeze?
Dead, dead, dead.
Harry curled up underneath his cloak. He could hear the shouts of joy and celebration. They were all happy. Draco was dead. What excuse was there to kill a boy who was only Harry's age? Could he had killed Ron or Dean if he'd needed to?
Nobody came to look for him.
************************************
Snape watched Harry flee with a sinking heart. They were already cheering. Dumbledore looked at the door where Harry had left from and shrugged, moving around the room, shaking hands.
Just a tool. No boy deserved that.
He watched as the night progressed, unable to keep a smile from his face. Eventually the smile faded as he realised nobody was going to get Potter, and he slipped out unnoticed into the cool night air. Someone would have to get the students out of their rooms soon and tell them that Voldemort was dead.
His black eyes searched the night sky, and he saw a shape huddled on the astronomy tower. Deciding on the spot, he stalked towards the stairs. The boy was huddled underneath his cloak, and for some reason the sight hurt Snape. More gently than he had intended, he spoke.
"You'll freeze up here."
Harry didn't look up, or give any indication he knew Snape had spoken. However he replied after a few moments.
"Where else do I have to go? I'm just going to be like an exhibit - something to stare at. I can't face that."
He turned his face, and the moonlight reflected off his features. Snape could see the tracks of tears that had run down his face, and copious blood around his cheeks.
"You're bleeding."
Again, Harry shrugged.
"Probably someone else's blood. I don't hurt." The word 'outside' was left hanging.
After another pause, Snape crossed the distance between them and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. He wasn't gentle, but hadn't expected the violent jerk away from him.
"Potter, we've spent this long keeping you alive, and I'll be damned if you're going to die now by falling off the astronomy tower."
Immediately he knew it had been the wrong thing to say - a terrible thing to say. Stupid beyond belief. Potter got to his feet and swayed momentarily, perilously close to the edge. Then he pushed past Snape, eyes full of some deep pain.
"Well, I've done my job now. You can just forget about me now."
Snape winced at the icy tone, and briefly wondered where Harry was going. He contemplated following him, but decided that his intrusion would be unwelcome, and with a feeling of heavy apprehension he headed back to the festivities in the Great Hall.
"'Mione? 'Mione, are you ok?"
Hermione sat up a little shakily.
"Sorry, it was just a shock. I mean. . .I know you and Ron laugh at me for reading 'Hogwarts - A History', but it does contain some useful information. Like, it is physically impossible to apparate or disapparate inside Hogwarts. It's all built into the wards. . .even Voldemort couldn't do that!"
Harry paled, but for a different reason.
"Oh my god! What if I've knocked the wards down?"
Hermione's mouth dropped open, and she gasped.
"Dumbledore!"
With energy he didn't know his exhausted limbs possessed Harry sprinted upstairs. Suddenly his vision began to blur and the world tilted drastically. With a gasp he fell forwards and instead of hitting heavy stone, as he had expected, he lurched into something soft and warm. Instinctively he grasped the thing, and felt it stiffen and move away. Then the worst thing possible happened.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Snape icily, and Harry flinched at his tone.
"Um. . .sorry?" he whispered, disentangling himself from the man's black robes. Harry's face was a rather unhealthy shade of red. Snape, who probably wasn't capable of going even rose coloured, seemed to be going even paler with anger. His black eyes glittered.
"Under any other circumstances, Potter, I would relish the opportunity to deduct house points and give you a yeas worth of detentions for attacking a professor. However that pleasant time will have to wait. Now move, I'm in a hurry."
"But sir, I have to see the headmaster!"
"Oh dear. What a shame - just goes to show you can't have everything you want. I don't care why you want to see the headmaster, the wards have just fallen and unless you really want to be killed then I would SHUT UP AND GO BACK TO YOUR COMMON ROOM!"
Harry flinched at the words, memories of his uncle flooding back. However he was disturbed by Dumbledore coming out. His face was tight with anxiety and anger.
"For Merlin's sake, Severus! Stop it this instant! Harry, come in."
Harry followed Dumbledore into his study, trying to ignore the murderous expression on Snape's face.
"Sir, it was me - I broke the wards. I'm so sorry!"
Dumbledore smiled beatifically and shook his head.
"Don't worry yourself my dear boy. It is impossible that you could have broken them, powerful as you are." He continued talking over Harry's protestations.
"They'll be fixed soon, everything will be fine. . ."
"Everything will NOT be fine!" snapped Snape, who had just come in. "The defensive spells aren't working! It must have been Voldemort!" His face was pale now with fear but his voice was strong. In the background Harry was frantically protesting.
"It was me! I broke the bloody wards!"
Losing his temper, Snape drew his wand and silenced Harry with an irritable flick. Enraged, Harry waved his wand, and wrapped cords around both the men. Dumbledore's eyes blazed in shocked fury. Snape was the same, minus shock. They both looked like they would like to curse him into oblivion if they had their wands. Which they didn't because Harry had just disarmed them.
"How," said Harry, patiently, "Am I meant to have known the wards fell if I didn't do it? And I did do it, unintentionally. Hence I can redo them. I presume. I apparated inside Hogwarts, which I suppose would be enough to break the wards. Now, will you please give me a chance to redo them?"
Dumbledore looked like he was going to faint. Snape looked like he was going to punch Harry. So Harry only released Dumbledore from the bonds. The old man walked to his desk and regarded Harry.
"I cannot understand how this has happened, but please try."
Harry nodded curtly, ignoring Snape's writhing and glowering. He shut his eyes, wand out, and reached out in his mind for the threads of defence that held Hogwarts safe. Snape and Dumbledore watched in awe as Harry's wand traced intricate patterns in the air. In his mind the threads started joining together to form defences, weaving in layers so that magic couldn't penetrate. He was dimly aware of flicking his wand once to seal the ends of the spells, and then he stumbled backwards with fatigue. He hit the same warm body that he had before, but this time felt the hands catch hold of him surprisingly gently before he lost all consciousness.
************************************
"He'll be alright, Severus. The strain of doing the wards was incredible. I really have no idea how he could have done it. . ."
Snape nodded absently. So the great Potter had another feather to add to his cap; another reason to be arrogant. But in a way Snape almost felt a little bit sorry for him, because this power would, as all his other assets had, result in Potter becoming a tool. And that was something no wizard - no boy - should become.
"The boy has become skinny" he said without thinking. Dumbledore smiled.
"He's growing."
Snape nodded curtly, but couldn't help thinking that even growing teenagers shouldn't have that many ribs sticking out that far. Still, it wasn't his problem. Maybe he would speak with Minerva.
*******************************************
Draco stood outside Dumbledore's door grinning wickedly. With the blackmail he had on Harry, it would be easy to get the powerful young wizard to take down the wards. Then his Lord and Master would take over, and kill the interfering old Headmaster for good. Suddenly he heard voices moving towards the door.
"Move, Potter. You need to sleep." Came Snape's sharp tones. Draco suspected the man of being a spy. He ought to report it to Voldemort. The young Slytherin slipped behind a statue and watched Snape leave, his hand on Potter's back. He kicked Harry as the boy passed and raised an eyebrow. Looking resigned, Harry nodded slightly and followed Snape. Five minutes later he returned and Draco dragged him into an empty classroom.
"Interesting conversation there, Potter. I daresay some people would be interested to hear some of the things I overheard there." He had the satisfaction of seeing Potter pale.
"Do my transfiguration and charms for me tonight and I may reconsider. . ."
They both knew he wouldn't.
****************************************
Harry stayed up all night completing both his and Draco's homework. He thought he'd made a reasonable job, but his thoughts were distracted by Draco. How much was the boy going to want him to do? Would he honestly ask Harry to jeopardise the safety of the school?
In the morning he got up and had a cup of water. He had lost weight at an amazing rate - he had to admit that he was getting close to a normal weight. During the night he had made several long and deep cuts on his arm, and they itched and burned now. In some twisted way the pain felt good. When Hermione asked him, he said he'd eaten already, having woken up early. The witch believed him. She didn't hear his stomach growling.
Meanwhile, Draco had owled his father with the news that Hogwarts wards could be broken from the inside. He knew that Voldemort's power was increasing day by day. What he didn't know was that Harry was also aware of this, and had told Dumbledore.
"Harry. You will take down the wards tomorrow, after alerting Voldemort, at precisely 7.00pm. The staff will ensure that everyone is safe. The teachers and aurors will take care of the fighting, you will kill Voldemort."
Harry nodded stiffly. He knew what a huge risk it was. But they had to act before Voldemort gained so much power that Harry had no chance at all.
So the next day, at 5.00, Harry was prepared for Draco to accost him.
"You will take down the wards, Potter" he whispered, his breath in Harry's ear making the Gryffindor shake with fear.
"At what time?"
"11.00"
"But everyone will be in their dormitories."
Draco gave a long suffering sigh.
"What time would suit you then, Potter?"
"about 7.00pm? I'll be able to work in the Hall, and nobody will notice me while they're eating."
Draco nodded with finality.
"7.00 it is. Enjoy the show, Potter."
Harry's stomach leapt with terror, and he wondered what sort of a hero he was. If he failed, the whole wizarding world would come to ruin. He was holding a million lives in his hand.
**************************************
Harry knew Draco had apparated out of the school by dinner-time. The frightened pupils had been shepherded into their common rooms. Now Harry, the teachers and a group of aurors were standing in the great hall, waiting for Harry. He felt around in his mind, pulling at a loose edge of the weave of spells, and seeing them untangle and come loose.
With an almighty crash, the doors flew open and Harry raised his head silently to look at his nemesis.
Voldemort had truly returned.
The red eyes gazed around the room, turning from smirking in pleasure to flashing with anger.
"Malfoy! Where are the children?"
"I do not know, my lord." Said Draco, sounding scared. The look on Voldemort's face told him that there would be severe pain later.
Then Dumbledore stepped forward, wand in hand.
"Let the battle begin."
Before Harry could blink, curses were being thrown. To his momentary surprise, even his side were using Unforgivables. He quickly darted under a knife curse and found himself face to face with a death eater. With a flick of his wand he disarmed them and knocked them out. Then, using a nifty transport spell, he sent them to the ministry of magic. Around him he could see aurors doing the same. However they were vastly outnumbered by the Death Eaters. Voldemort was prowling amongst the fighting people, an evil smile spread over his face; he made no attempt to cast any spells.
Suddenly, Harry felt the agony of the Cruciatus hitting him from behind. Turning stiffly, he saw Malfoy senior holding the curse on him at the same time as Draco. They were both smirking identical smirks. Trying to collect his wits, Harry lurched at Lucius and surprised him enough to be able to stun him and send him to the ministry. But the pain from Draco's continued curse was making his head swim and his arms ache. He slumped to the ground, and saw Draco's mouth form the words, "a. . .va. . .da. . ." as though in slow motion. Forcing his limbs up, he bellowed the forbidden words once. Green light illuminated the hall, and Draco fell backwards, a look of amazement on his haughty features. Harry began to shake. He had killed someone. He had killed Malfoy. Malfoy had a family; had a past; had no future. Because Harry had killed him.
"Harry!"
He turned and saw Dumbledore being held in midair in a sort of bubble that didn't seem to have any air in it.
It was now or never.
The headmaster was clawing at the walls of the bubble, gasping for air.
Harry held his wand at Voldemort, and began an incantation in his head, not knowing what it meant. Everything had gone quiet, as though there was water in his ears. Through a fog he could see the teachers protecting him from the death-eaters spells, and could just hear Voldemort screaming. And then he found an elusive surge of power, and there was an explosion that killed all the Death Eaters within 20 feet of Voldemort. And when the smoke cleared, there was nothing where Voldemort had been. Only a thin stick of wood that had once been the most feared weapon of all time.
Harry stood, staring at the tableau for a few moments. He heard someone release Dumbledore; heard the stunned laughter and chatter. He heard Snape exclaim as he rolled up his sleeve and saw that the Mark was gone. He felt tears rolling down his cheeks. He saw Draco's body, lying, staring at the ceiling, and in that moment wished that he could be dead as well. He pulled away from the congratulatory arms, trying to hold back a sob, and fled the hall.
He only knew of one place where nobody would think to look for him - the Astronomy tower. He pounded up the steps, feeling his muscles burning in his legs. It didn't hurt enough. There was a small rock, a chip of marble, which had come off from the tower. It was simple enough to transfigure it into a knife, which he ripped into his delicate flesh over and over again, with tears pouring down his face. Blood ran down his arms and legs and chest in small red rivers. He felt oddly detached from it. Who would have guessed that the Boy-Who-Lived as a murderer? Harry Potter killed a boy. Draco Malfoy. I killed Malfoy. He's dead. Never coming back. Was this how Voldemort had begun his rise to evil?
Malfoy's blank face seemed to be lodged in his head. No malice in those sharp features now. Dead. Such a final word. . .
The blade dug into his skin again, tearing. He didn't want to look at the story the scars would tell. He didn't care. What was the point? He was a tool. He would just rust now.
Malfoy. Dead. Killed. Murdered.
Never coming back.
Dead.
He was cold. Shivering. Did it matter? Malfoy would never be warm or cold again. He'd never be anything.
When would Harry die? Would it be as sudden as a flash of green light? Or would it be slow and painful? Did the Avada Kedavra hurt? Tickle? Burn? Freeze?
Dead, dead, dead.
Harry curled up underneath his cloak. He could hear the shouts of joy and celebration. They were all happy. Draco was dead. What excuse was there to kill a boy who was only Harry's age? Could he had killed Ron or Dean if he'd needed to?
Nobody came to look for him.
************************************
Snape watched Harry flee with a sinking heart. They were already cheering. Dumbledore looked at the door where Harry had left from and shrugged, moving around the room, shaking hands.
Just a tool. No boy deserved that.
He watched as the night progressed, unable to keep a smile from his face. Eventually the smile faded as he realised nobody was going to get Potter, and he slipped out unnoticed into the cool night air. Someone would have to get the students out of their rooms soon and tell them that Voldemort was dead.
His black eyes searched the night sky, and he saw a shape huddled on the astronomy tower. Deciding on the spot, he stalked towards the stairs. The boy was huddled underneath his cloak, and for some reason the sight hurt Snape. More gently than he had intended, he spoke.
"You'll freeze up here."
Harry didn't look up, or give any indication he knew Snape had spoken. However he replied after a few moments.
"Where else do I have to go? I'm just going to be like an exhibit - something to stare at. I can't face that."
He turned his face, and the moonlight reflected off his features. Snape could see the tracks of tears that had run down his face, and copious blood around his cheeks.
"You're bleeding."
Again, Harry shrugged.
"Probably someone else's blood. I don't hurt." The word 'outside' was left hanging.
After another pause, Snape crossed the distance between them and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. He wasn't gentle, but hadn't expected the violent jerk away from him.
"Potter, we've spent this long keeping you alive, and I'll be damned if you're going to die now by falling off the astronomy tower."
Immediately he knew it had been the wrong thing to say - a terrible thing to say. Stupid beyond belief. Potter got to his feet and swayed momentarily, perilously close to the edge. Then he pushed past Snape, eyes full of some deep pain.
"Well, I've done my job now. You can just forget about me now."
Snape winced at the icy tone, and briefly wondered where Harry was going. He contemplated following him, but decided that his intrusion would be unwelcome, and with a feeling of heavy apprehension he headed back to the festivities in the Great Hall.