Prologue: June, 1997, Harry's Sixth Year
Dumbledore looked at the black-haired men around him, and walked forward, into the stone circle. 'I will pay the price.' Harry looked shocked, Voldemort simply nodded.
'But you will not take the boy.' Laying down his wand, Albus Dumbledore walked towards Voldemort in the clearing of the Forest, where Voldemort held a knife, glittering in the sunlight. It looked as though it was made of flint, and sparks came off it, as Voldemort whetted it against a strap. A hand rested on Harry's shoulder, but he didn't turn to look, transfixed as he was by the sight.
'Harry, you may leave us.' A rush of raw power filled the clearing, and Voldemort began the incantations.
'I don't understand.' Harry stood tall, looking toward the stones in front of him. Albus Dumbledore was standing before a flat slab, engraved with ancient writings. He faced Voldemort, and spoke softly.
'You will, Harry Potter, you will. Now go.'
Harry was surrounded by creatures. A centaur came to him, and they proceeded through the path in silence.
All of a sudden a blinding rush of power came through the trees, throwing Harry into the dirt. Voldemort laughed, and a wrenching sound could be heard through the heart of the woods.
'Won't he..' A look of blind panic filled his face, and he tried to turn round. The hand at his shoulder stayed his progress, and all he saw was a glimpse of a bright light, white and penetrating.
'He can't. It is written in the ancient books. There is nothing he can now do - he is weakened by the sacrifice. Not gone, and he will rise again more terribly, but you are again protected.' The centaur paused, looking beyond Harry's shoulder.
'As are you, Severus Snape.' The potions master emerged from a shadow. 'Great things have been said about you. They are written in the stars.' They reached a second clearing, and the centaur left them.
Tumnus, the new gamekeeper, appeared a moment later, and again Snape seemed to vanish.
'Thank goodness I found you. Perfessor Dumbledore and you - where's Perfessor Dumbledore?'
'He's gone, Tumnus.' Harry spoke gently to the flustered faun.
'Gone where?'
'He's dead.'
'What with you gone three days, and Perfessor Snape disappearing like that, I was beginning - dead, you say? Lordy no - what are we going to do.' Harry tried to calm the faun, but it really seemed to do no good.
'What's happened?' Harry caught something about most of the dementers leaving Azkaban, and turned white. The prisoners would have left also. Leaving the faun by his hut he walked silently to the castle with Professor Snape, who had re-appeared as they left the forest.
'The Headmaster's office, Potter. Twenty minutes.'
Turning Harry barely caught Snape's words.
'That was for me."
Dumbledore looked at the black-haired men around him, and walked forward, into the stone circle. 'I will pay the price.' Harry looked shocked, Voldemort simply nodded.
'But you will not take the boy.' Laying down his wand, Albus Dumbledore walked towards Voldemort in the clearing of the Forest, where Voldemort held a knife, glittering in the sunlight. It looked as though it was made of flint, and sparks came off it, as Voldemort whetted it against a strap. A hand rested on Harry's shoulder, but he didn't turn to look, transfixed as he was by the sight.
'Harry, you may leave us.' A rush of raw power filled the clearing, and Voldemort began the incantations.
'I don't understand.' Harry stood tall, looking toward the stones in front of him. Albus Dumbledore was standing before a flat slab, engraved with ancient writings. He faced Voldemort, and spoke softly.
'You will, Harry Potter, you will. Now go.'
Harry was surrounded by creatures. A centaur came to him, and they proceeded through the path in silence.
All of a sudden a blinding rush of power came through the trees, throwing Harry into the dirt. Voldemort laughed, and a wrenching sound could be heard through the heart of the woods.
'Won't he..' A look of blind panic filled his face, and he tried to turn round. The hand at his shoulder stayed his progress, and all he saw was a glimpse of a bright light, white and penetrating.
'He can't. It is written in the ancient books. There is nothing he can now do - he is weakened by the sacrifice. Not gone, and he will rise again more terribly, but you are again protected.' The centaur paused, looking beyond Harry's shoulder.
'As are you, Severus Snape.' The potions master emerged from a shadow. 'Great things have been said about you. They are written in the stars.' They reached a second clearing, and the centaur left them.
Tumnus, the new gamekeeper, appeared a moment later, and again Snape seemed to vanish.
'Thank goodness I found you. Perfessor Dumbledore and you - where's Perfessor Dumbledore?'
'He's gone, Tumnus.' Harry spoke gently to the flustered faun.
'Gone where?'
'He's dead.'
'What with you gone three days, and Perfessor Snape disappearing like that, I was beginning - dead, you say? Lordy no - what are we going to do.' Harry tried to calm the faun, but it really seemed to do no good.
'What's happened?' Harry caught something about most of the dementers leaving Azkaban, and turned white. The prisoners would have left also. Leaving the faun by his hut he walked silently to the castle with Professor Snape, who had re-appeared as they left the forest.
'The Headmaster's office, Potter. Twenty minutes.'
Turning Harry barely caught Snape's words.
'That was for me."
