Title: The Art of Necromancy
Author: Artemis Luna Diana
E-Mail: artemislunadiana@yahoo.com
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Harry/Severus
Time: begins right after GoF
Summary: Harry returns to Hogwarts to spend the summer. Out of sheer boredom, he scours the library for books to read and stumbles across a book that will change his life…
Disclaimer: I own not a thing
WARNING!!!! THIS IS A SLASH STORY!!!! IF YOU DON'T LIKE SLASH OR THIS PARTICULAR PAIRING… LEAVE NOW!!!!
Chapter Five: The White Wolf
A white wolf trotted through a forest at a brisk, but steady pace. It appeared to know exactly where it was going. And it did. It didn't stop to sniff the leaves, ignored the majority of the sounds it heard, and continued on it's merry way. It paused at the edge of the woods, before finally moving towards the castle across the lake.
***
Dumbledore walked down the steps to the main lobby. He decided to take the longest way possible to the dungeons were he knew Severus was working on translating the last entry of Harry's journal. He was a little surprised at Severus's behavior, but then again he wasn't really. He figured that Severus was treating the contents of Harry's journal as he would wish the contents of his own to be treated. Dumbledore gave a soft laugh. As if the paranoid Potions Master would ever keep a journal.
He was just walking out of the foyer when the doors of the school opened. He turned, figuring that it was Hagrid coming in from the grounds. Instead he watched a white wolf enter the school.
The wolf cocked its head to the side and stared at him curiously, before snorting and moving past him. Dumbledore woke himself from his stupor and quickly followed after it. He had a feeling that this white wolf with emerald green eyes was the Boy-Who-Lived.
***
Snape's eyes were closed, so he was understandably startled when he heard something jump on the table in front of him. His eyes popped open, and his mouth dropped in shock. A white wolf stood on the table, its eyes level with his own. It tilted its head to the side, seemingly studying him.
***
The wolf studied the man before him. He looked relatively the same as he always had, other than the addition of a few new scars. The wolf could smell the pain long before he reached the man himself. The first injury it noticed was the scarring around the right eye. Obviously done with a knife, the cut crossed over the eye. It seemed there was some minor damage to the eye itself though it wasn't totally blind. The wolf tilted its head to the side. Why hadn't it been healed? It sniffed again. Magic. There was some sort of spell preventing it from healing properly. The next injury was his left leg. Had the man been standing, it would be obvious to anyone that he was lame. The third noticeable injury was to the back of the man's right hand. The tendons had been severed and also hadn't healed properly, causing the hand to hold a limp, claw-like appearance. The wolf doubted that the man was able to do much Potion making anymore.
***
Snape's eyes darted over to the door when he saw it open again. Dumbledore walked in. "Albus?"
The wolf turned, glancing at the Headmaster before looking down at its feet. It was looking at Potter's translated journal. The wolf jumped off the table, and there was a slight shimmer in the air as a young man appeared. Dressed in white and sky blue robes stood none other than Harry Potter.
"Harry!" Dumbledore said joyfully, his eyes twinkling.
Harry gave a shy smile. "Hello, Headmaster."
Dumbledore crossed the room and swept the nervous young man in an enthusiastic hug. "What happened to you?" he asked upon releasing Harry.
Harry frowned slightly and glanced at Snape. "You don't know?"
"I've kept the contents of your journal private, Potter. I'm the only one who knows what was written in it, as I am the one who was translating it," Snape said, answering Harry's unspoken question.
"Oh." Harry seemed surprised. He smiled suddenly. "Thank you." He turned to Dumbledore. "I had to become accustomed to a few odd gifts. I wasn't expecting it to take so long. It only took Olivia a few days."
"Olivia?" Dumbledore questioned.
Harry's eyebrows raised in amazement. He glanced at Snape. "You were serious. I thought you just meant personal events. I didn't realize you meant you hadn't said anything at all." He looked back at Dumbledore. He seemed nervous again. "Did you know that I am a Necromancer?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. Severus has told me that much. I suppose he had to considering he needed to get a key to translate the Necromancer's Rune."
Harry still seem unsure. "Are you okay with that?"
Dumbledore frowned slightly. "Do you mean about being a Necromancer?" Harry nodded. Dumbledore waved a hand in dismissal. "I have employed a werewolf and a former Death Eater, and consider them both friends. Do you really think that a Necromancer would really bother me?"
Harry smiled. "I'm sorry for doubting you." His nervousness faded away. "I needed to be in isolation to grow accustomed to my new abilities. There weren't any problems, just a few unexpected additions to the traditional Necromancer's skills."
"Oh?" Dumbledore prompted.
Harry shook his head. "I'd rather not get into it now."
"Why did you come down here?" Snape asked before Dumbledore could reply.
Harry blushed slightly. He glanced down at the ground and cleared his throat before looking back at Snape. "You were calling me."
Snape was rather taken aback by this statement. Dumbledore glanced over at Snape, confused. "I was what?" the Potions Master demanded.
"You were calling me. Quite loudly, I might add, though I doubt you realized it," Harry replied.
Snape had no reply.
Harry stepped closer to the man and held up his right hand, palm facing outward. A soft, golden glow enveloped his hand and began to pulse.
"What are you doing?" Snape asked nervously.
Harry didn't reply.
Snape stared at the young Necromancer. 'What is he doing!' his mind screamed. He glanced over as Dumbledore let out a gasp of surprise. He felt fear flood through him. 'What was Potter doing to him!' It took him a moment to realize the aches in his leg were fading. He looked back at Harry Potter in shock.
His vision was clearing. His injuries had been humiliating, and he had refused to wear glasses to correct the vision in his injured eye. Instead he had grown use to blurred vision. It was rather emotional to receive his vision back. Snape choked back his tears. He didn't want to seem weak.
He watched his hand uncurl and resume it's natural shape. He had been unable to make a single potion since his escape for Voldemort. He hadn't taught the Potions class either. Receiving his hand back was the last straw. Severus Snape broke down.
Completely understanding what the Potions Master was feeling, Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore left the room. They'd wait for Snape in the Headmaster's office.
***
They hadn't been there long when Snape entered the room. He was nothing if not a master of self-control. He said nothing to either man and sat down.
"Lemon drop?"
Snape glared at the Headmaster.
Harry smiled. It was nice to know some things never change. "Do you want me to begin?" he asked.
Dumbledore nodded, sucking contentedly on a lemon drop. Snape turned his glare on his former student.
"As you know, I am a Necromancer. What I don't think you know is exactly what that is." Harry paused a moment to study the reactions of his statement. "A Necromancer is like a guide. To the dead: a Necromancer is the way in which to communicate to those who are living. To the dying: a Necromancer is the last shot at living. To the living: a Necromancer is a healer and a foreteller of the future." Harry paused again, this time to allow the information to sink in. "Most of my abilities are of healing, divination, and of Spirits; however, I do have a considerable arsenal of offensive and defensive magic. I no longer need a wand, and rarely do I need to say a spell." Harry stopped there. He figured that was enough information for now.
"Can you raise the dead?" Dumbledore asked, concerned.
"Yes. I can bring the dead back to life."
"Zombies? That is not living," Snape snorted.
"Zombies?" Harry asked. "What does zombies have to do with anything?"
"The people you raise, do they not become zombies?" Snape pressed.
"No. The one who was dead is alive in every since of the word. Fortunately, they don't remember dying, so that isn't a problem."
Snape and Dumbledore stared at him in shock. This was really not what they were expecting. "Why, then, are we all taught that Necromancers are evil?" Dumbledore asked.
"That is kind of complicated and I don't really know all of it, but I'll tell you what I do know. Apparently, during the waning years of the last Necromancers' Era, the man who ruled the wizarding world had a son. This son was injured, severely, in a hunting accident."
"Hunting?" Snape interrupted.
"He was hunting dragons," Harry replied. "A Necromancer was called to heal him because he was dying. When the Necromancer got there and studied the young man, he refused to heal him. I don't know why he refused, but I'm sure that it was a very good reason. All Necromancers have a compulsion to heal those who are injured and dying. It takes a lot of energy to fight off the compulsion and walk away. The ruler was very upset by the Necromancer's refusal. He had the Necromancer executed and called for another. No Necromancer would come; they all refused, and the man's son died. He is the reason why the stories of the Necromancers were warped as they were passed down."
"That's what you meant when you said that Severus was calling you," Dumbledore realized.
"Yes. The compulsion to heal is very strong. The greater the injury, the greater the compulsion. To resist healing a dying man… there would have to be a very good reason not to do it."
"I see," Dumbledore said slowly.
"Now that I'm back, we need to decide what to do with me," Harry said after a moment's pause.
"You won't go back to school?" Snape asked surprised.
"No. I've already learned it all. To learn it again would be a waste." He turned to Dumbledore. "I always know before a Death Eater attack happens. I could go and try and stop them."
"By yourself?" Dumbledore asked, surprised.
"I certainly hope not," Harry replied with a slight smile. "I'm good, but not that good. I would like a partner."
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I think this idea has some merit. We'll try it on an attack with less than ten Death Eaters. Any more than that and I don't want you two going."
"I'm sorry?" Snape asked shocked.
"Of course, Severus! Who else would I ask to accompany our young Necromancer?"
Snape glared at Harry. If looks could kill, Harry would have been a melted pile of goo on the floor.
***
TBC…
Okay… there are a few questions I want to answer…
Leila – no, absolutely not. I think that is the dumbest reason to fall in love with someone. After reading this chapter, you find out more of the things that Severus is going to have to work out. He has to come to grips with his hatred of Harry's father and his friends, he has to come to grips with the way he has treated Harry, the contents of Harry's journal and the duty he felt he had to keep it private, the fact that Harry has healed him, returning not only his eyesight and his ability to move around but the love of his life: his potions. He is also going to have to face the changes in Harry himself. By being ordered to go on these missions with Harry, Severus has to re-evaluate his opinions of Harry and all of that is what will lead to a greater understanding between them. Of course this means that the yummy slashiness doesn't get to happen for awhile… damn!
moj - Yes Severus did make it out alive and Voldemort knows. I'll go into Voldemort's reactions in a bit, but as you can see from above, Severus didn't make it out unharmed. There'll be a flashback of Severus escape so you all know what happened.
Midnight Blue – first I have to say, OH MY GOD! YOU ARE REVIEWING MY STORY! You are the reason that Severus/Harry is my fav pairing! …okay, now that I've got that out of the way! Yes, I know what's happening, and no I'm not making it up as I go along. That of course doesn't mean that unexpected plot bunnies won't pop up, but yea, basically I know what's happening and where it's going.
Okay, I was really not expecting the amount of reviews and e-mails I got. I was expecting 6 reviews and no e-mails, which is why I was so hesitant about writing anymore of the story down. Thank you all so much! I will continue the story!
~Artemis Luna Diana~