A/N: Hey guys, sorry I haven't respond to your reviews yet last time
'cause I was in a hurry to upload the document. Anyways, thank you, Aislin,
for your as usual fantastic review. I'm having a little trouble with the
lack of reviews right now, and your review really saved me.
Anyways, here it goes:
Chapter Eight
Severus did not know whether to be relieved or frightened. All he knew
was that he had been released from his nightmares all of sudden, and it
was really hard to get used to that, especially the fact that Voldemort
would be plotting to kill him.
Dumbledore had promised him Aurors patrolling in the school very soon, all for his safety. Severus had refused, but the old wizard's order was final and firm and he knew better than arguing.
He also knew that his life was going up to the boiling point. Any day, he would found himself facing the man who enslaved his strength as well as feelings. Any time, he would found himself lying on the floor, quite dead. It was terrible; whenever Severus went to bed at night, he would wonder if he would see the day alive again. Not to mention exhausting, keeping his own self and sanity as normal as possible when facing outsiders.
But he was not afraid. Well, maybe a little, but not the shaking, trembling type as any normal person would have qualified if they knew there was a mad killer out there itching to finish them off. Perhaps he had too much experience of these sudden down crash situations or perhaps it was because he had carried so many worries and fears already- there was no room or time for more, not to mention strength. And of course, there was not exactly very much in the living world for him to miss and linger, and for that he did not see death as a very important matter.
The only thing he desired to complete was the war between the Dark and Light. He wanted to help with all his everything to make sure the Dark was eternally defeated before leaving everything behind. It was the only thing he could do for thanking Dumbledore, the one who gave him his life. If it was not for that old man, he could not have been there in the first place- perhaps he would be dead already, from suicide, honestly, who wanted such a pathetic life?
But again, he wondered from time to time, why did Voldemort demolish his Dark Mark? That would really be like a warning, a sign of danger to him, wouldn't it? Why did Voldemort not just summon him to a meeting and finish him off then?
He had not come up with any solution, and nor did the wise old Dumbledore. If that old wizard cannot figure out the reason, he had thought, then no man could.
To be honest, he thought Dumbledore was a little overdoing when it came to his security. He had went back to his chamber one night to find it all covered and set with Dark Detectors, which was not very convenient to him when the size of the room was not exactly large. But it was for his own good, and also a sign of care and concern from Dumbledore, so he kept on with them and tried to convince himself time to time in not hexing the non-stop whirling Sneakoscope.
It was Dark, yes, and miserable days, but Severus did not see a lot of difference all in all. He would still be fearing and worrying, but at least he need not carry the name as spy anymore. He would think up of other ways to help with the war, and though Dumbledore offered him retirement, he demolished the idea right away- really, he was not that old, he thought, a little hurt.
* * *
A week had flew by quickly and since the murder of the two Death Eaters, no other cases similar were found. With that, Harry had stopped worrying about Snape- not as he wanted to, but Snape had saved his life, after all.
The lessons were becoming more and more interesting, and the students were improving a lot. Neville was found awarded ten points when naming a MufflyHerb in Herbology. For some reason, the teachers were showing no ease as the Easter holidays approached, and Harry, Ron and Hermione often had to work till late night, especially Ron and Harry, due to their lack of concentration in class. Hermione was studying for the exams already and would take no advice from anyone- Lavender Brown was almost hexed when she tried to talk a grumpy Hermione out of studying two subjects at a time.
"One more lesson like that, I'll get some Weasley Product and blow up the castle." Ron groaned one evening as they sat down in the Great Hall for dinner. "Really, I mean it, that woman is driving me nuts." He was referring to Professor McGonagall, who just gave them an amount of homework which lasted a lifetime- at least in Harry and Ron's opinion. Hermione, however, apparently did not think on the same lines.
"Ron! Professor McGonagall is getting us ready for the NEWTs!" Hermione scolded. McGonagall was, as usual, her model teacher.
Ron rolled his eyes to Harry, who silently agreed with him.
"Can't they just give us a break? I mean, the OWLs have got us off the hook already, do they really want to find us in St Mungo's some day?" Seamus Finnigan, who was sitting beside Ron, joined the complains.
"Well, the NEWTs are just as important as the OWLs, you know." snapped Hermione.
"Oh, shut it, Miss Know-It-All."
Harry managed to cut in before Hermione exploded, "Hey, who are they?"
The other three were distracted immediately. Craning their necks for a better look, they saw four people entering the Hall, accompanied by Albus Dumbledore.
The five entered and approached the High Table, where four extra chairs were added for them. Harry stared at them for a while and then finally realized-
"Merlin's beard, it's the Order!"
So it was. Sitting beside the Headmaster were four members of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry knew all of them, he had spent a summer with them- wearing old, banished and nearly torn black robes, with a tired and pale face was his godfather's friend as well as his third year teacher- Remus Lupin, with an electrical round, blue eye that makes Harry's stomach flip over every time he sees it, drinking carefully from a personal flask was a well-experienced, retired-but-out-again Auror Mad-Eye Moody, Alastor. Sitting beside him was a short witch, with a pink blow-up haircut so attractive that Harry could not help laughing, was a faithful Auror, Nymphadora Tonks. And last but not least sat a tall wizard named Kingsley Shacklebolt, who fought hard in the last year's event.
Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at them, mouth-opened. Then Ron exclaimed finally,
"What the hell is the Order doing down here?"
"Shh!" hissed Hermione, who came to her senses. Seamus looked at her suspiciously and asked Ron, "What's the Order?"
"Nothing," said Ron, Harry and Hermione at the same time. Seamus eyed them for a while and then continued looking at their guests.
Albus Dumbledore took his place as soon as the guests were all settled. Then, clapping his hands for silence, he stood up and cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Good evening, our guests, teachers and students. The Feast will begin soon but I ask for your patience while I make a few introduces."
"Sitting beside me, is your well-known ex-teacher, and our honored guest today, Remus Lupin."
Applauses rang for Lupin as he stood up and waved and some Gryffindors even cheered, for Lupin was their best Defence of Arts teacher ever. Harry caught Malfoy smirking and whitened his knuckles.
And so Dumbledore introduced the members of the Order, one by one, and the students all gasped in surprise and horror as Tonks changed her hair into flashy violet.
"Very interesting, Miss Tonks, very interesting indeed," chuckled Dumbledore as Tonks sat down. "Now," he turned back to the students, who were all talking excitedly, "I suppose you all wonder what brings us the honor to have such guests with us today. Due to Lord Voldemort's"- flinches and winces went through the Hall as Hermione rolled her eyes- "rise and gain for power, it is the staff and my decision that we shall patrol Aurors within Hogwarts to maintain the safety of every one of you. I am much delighted hand the safety of the castle to these four well-experienced Aurors, and I must ask all of you to be helpful and obedient. In days like these, all we can do is team up. Thank you and may the feast begin."
Applause rang as Dumbledore sat down, and the dishes were filled by a delicious feast instantly.
"Bon appetite, mate!" grinned Ron as he helped himself to some roasted pork. Hermione took a big drink of juice from her goblet and smiled. Harry, however, remained looking at the new arrivals, who were laughing and chatting joyfully with the teachers.
"Hey, Harry, we can visit them whenever you want, eat now." Hermione insisted, putting a large amount of mash potatoes in his plate.
"Thanks." Harry muttered and was just about to turn to his meal when he caught Lupin's eye and he gave Harry a small wink. Harry grinned back and began his feast.
* * *
Up on the High Table, though, things were not going very good for the Potions Master.
He was sitting between Mad-Eye Moody, which was fine, but the other side was his long gone archenemy's friend, Remus Lupin. They eyed each other for a while, Lupin with an expression of friendly and laughter, while Severus with hatred and smirk.
"Long time no see, Professor Snape." Said Lupin quietly.
Severus snorted and replied, "I prefer no see, to be honest."
Lupin gave a small cough with what seemed like a laugh and then turned to his meal, Severus glaring at him.
* * *
Harry had got used to the Aurors patrolling day and night in the corridors of Hogwarts, as well as winking or smiling at him when they passed by. Harry felt safer now that there were well-known adult friends in the castle, and they really came in handy some times, especially when you're an enemy of Draco Malfoy's.
"Looking for your werewolf friend, Potter?" smirked Malfoy
one day, his two faithful friends by his side. Harry was lurking in front
of the staff room, looking for Snape to organize his Occlumency lessons-
Snape had demolished the regular Thursdays for some reason.
"I swear I'm going to get you for my father, Potter, and this is it." Malfoy whispered dangerously through gritted teeth.
"What a well-picked location, right in front of the teacher's room."
snapped Harry, who had his hand ready on his wand. He was itching for
Malfoy to attack him and get caught.
Malfoy shook his head with a smirk and replied coolly, "You're so
naive, little Harry. Let's go and have a nice duel, shall we?"
Crabbe and Goyle grabbed Harry's arms at Malfoy's words and pushed him off the corridor, heading straight towards the Forbidden Forest.
"Let-go-of-me!" Harry struggled within the hands of the two muscled blokes. He was about to break free when a familiar voice shouted from behind, "Stop it right there!"
The four froze immediately and looked up. It was Lupin.
"Not fighting, I hope?" asked Lupin in a very "teachery" way as he approached the tangled three.
Harry straightened himself up as Malfoy snapped, "What does it look like, sir?"
They had been told to call the Aurors "sir" and "madam".
Lupin frowned slightly at Malfoy and replied, "Always like this, Mr Malfoy. Now I don't have the authority to give you detention nor take points from your house, but I will notify your Hose teacher if I find you strangling Mr Potter again."
Malfoy glared at him and gestured Crabbe and Goyle to follow him. Together, the three of them disappeared towards the Great Hall.
"All right, Harry?" smiled Lupin as he patted Harry on the shoulder.
Harry brushed of the dirt on his robes and grinned back, "Yeah,
thanks, Professor Lupin."
Lupin beamed at him for titling him as "professor", and together
they headed back
towards the Great Hall.
* * *
"We will be studying advanced Potions today." snarled Snape in his usual cold self.
It was the next day in Potions class, and though the Easters holiday was up next week, Harry had a feeling that they would spend all of it dealing with their homework.
"Advanced Potions, are very rare and difficult to make. It is a pity that I doubt anyone of you can achieve the standard of it." Snape glared at the class with his stupid smirk.
Then, just as Harry predicted in his mind-
"Potter! Which are the Three Cursed Potions?"
Harry's heart gave a leap of triumph- he had studied the potions text book last night just because he had a feeling that Snape, being in horrible temper now that Lupin returned, would do just this to him in class. Standing up straightly, he answered with firm and a grin, "The Intellegize Potion, the Eternallize Potion and the Materiallize Potion, sir."
Snape glared at him and continued as if he did not hear Harry, "The Three cursed Potions, are the Intellegize Potion, the Eternallize Potion, and the Materiallize Potion. All three of them are well advanced magic, and is not to be allowed to perform within the magic law unless you have received permission from the Ministry of Magic himself. Now why aren't you all copying that down?" he snapped, and everyone in the dungeon bent down to write instantly.
"Now, the Intellegize Potion, is performed to achieve intelligence out of mankind. Any man who performs it, will need the lives of two others, not to mention an amount of rare ingredients. When the Potion is completed, the man who drinks it will master knowledge within the gods as well as intelligence, which is known to you, smartness."
"As for the Materiallize Potion, is a very simple way to become rich and own every possession as you please in the world. Anyone who attempts to perform it shall need five lives of the pure animal- unicorn. It is a cursed Potion, and the moment the potion touches the lips, similar to unicorn blood, the man who drinks will live a cursed life. No man walking on earth has ever tried to make this complex Potion."
"And at last, is the darkest and most cursed Potion of all- the Eternallize Potion. The performer of this one can achieve an ever lasting life, never to be defeated. The ingredients will be the lives a traitor, an enemy, and a faithful one of the performer. When it is completed and drank, the performer shall master all three lives of the sacrificers, and live on eternally. Simple as it is, it may go horribly wrong easily. It is well-known that a Dark wizard attempted to make such a Potion years ago, and ended in dieing instantly. Few wizards know the way and formula to make this Potion, and as the others are either killed in act or oldness, the only man walking on earth which carries the knowledge of this Potion, is standing right in front of you."
Snape smirked arrogantly, looking at the students's astonished faces. Harry could not help being impressed, but luckily Ron pulled him out of it by catching Harry's eyes rolling his eyes.
Unfortunately, so did Snape.
"Weasley! Ten points from Gryffindor for not paying attention in class."
* * *
The days flew by hurriedly. Finally, it was Easter Holiday. At least
we can have a day or
two off before dealing with the homework, thought Harry cheerfully.
But on two days before the jolly holidays, the teachers dropped the bomb.
"You will be having a pop exam tomorrow. The whole day, on subjects thus Transfiguration, Charms, Potions and History of Magic. These subjects require high grades in your NEWTs so I ask you to revise hard tonight, but your results will mostly be due to your attention in class. I do hope this exam will prepare you well for the NEWTs."
As McGonagall put in a concluded to the sixth graders in dinner, everyone in the Hall gaped at her as if she had gone mad.
Dumbledore chuckled a bit and then stood up, "Thank you, Professor McGonagall. Now, may the feast begin."
The dishes were filled with delicious food, but the sixth graders made no intention of feasting. They were all, apparently, still in shock.
"Pop- pop exam? But I-" Hermione sputtered whitely.
Ron glared at her and said, "What's got you so worried, you've been studying since April!"
Neville Longbottom, who sat across Harry, looked as if he was ready to faint. "Oh, my grandmother's going to kill me this time, I haven't study the slightest"
As for Harry, he was not entirely fearful like Hermione and Neville, for he had always scooped up in the last minute when it came to exams. It'll just be like an extra hard work night, he thought dully.
So with the work and exam in mind, they all finished their dinners quickly
and headed for
the Tower, where their text books lay nastily awaited.
* * *
"The characteristics of the Animagi usually are"
"In 1914, during the World War One, fifteen wizards died in helping America in the"
"Add one ounce of dragon blood, two shreds of dragon skin, stir until green"
It was midnight in the Gryffindor common room. But you could never have told that it was for no one in the room made any intention to go to sleep. Everyone was still forcing themselves to concentrate on the studies, the work, the exam
Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting at their usual corner. Harry was burying his head in the Charms text book while Ron was trying to remember the notes Hermione gave him about Transfiguration, and Hermione reading the years of wizarding wars out aloud.
"1945 Warlocks invasion, 1956 end, 1957 Wizarding Peace Declaration, 1966 broken-"
"Hermione!" Ron suddenly interrupted.
"What?" snapped Hermione.
"Would you stop reading those aloud? It's irritating, I can't concentrate!"
Hermione glared at him but kept silent.
Harry did not blame his friends for being so grumpy- his brain was nearly exploding from the Flexing Charm, for instance.
They studied in silence for a while then Hermione suddenly snapped her book shut. Ron and Harry looked up in question.
"Oh, you two don't look at me like that, I just need some rest, that's all." Hermione sighed tiredly. Her eyes were drooped with black eyeholes around them from the reading.
"Well, I guess I might too." Said Harry, flinging his Charms book carelessly on the table. Ron abandoned his notes and the three of them closed their eyes for a while, enjoying every moment of it.
Just as Harry was about to doze off, a familiar voice rang from the behind.
"Hey, Harry! Ron! Hermione!"
The three opened their eyes tiredly and looked back in the face of Ginny Weasley.
"Yeah?" Harry muttered, squinting his eyes.
"Take a look at this. It's new, Neville just gave it to me."
It was a copy of the latest Daily Prophet. Thanking Ginny, Harry took it over and laid it on the table where the other two could read.
The headlines were shocking:
AURORS KEEP ON DISSAPEARING, MINISTER FORMAGIC ATTEMPTS SUICIDE
"What?" Harry and Hermione exclaimed together and they began to read fiercely:
Minister for Magic, Order of Merlin First Class, Cornelius Fudge was always a reliable, calm and joyful wizard, writes Mayhem Prawlwood, Senior Reporter, in fact, the idea of our Minister for Magic losing his marbles when facing the sudden rise of the Dark Lord, is an undoubtfully deception.
Until yesterday.
Yesterday night at 2310, our faithful Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge has attempted suicide in a graveyard situated in London. He was about to perform the backfiring Avada Kedavra when he, fortunately for him and the magic society, was found by authorities and immediately negotiated him out of suicide. When he was calmed and safely back home, though, he refused to answer any questions of the reporters.
The Minister for Magic's duties, are now temporally inherited to his Senior Secretary, right hand man- Percy Weasley. It is known that Weasley is the youngest wizard working in the department, but Fudge seems to come to a liking of him. Weasley was clearly overjoyed and delighted to accept the duties of the Minister for Magic, although he had tried to hide it desperately.
The Daily Prophet believes that the shocking news has somewhat to do with the Aurors disappearing in the Ministry. A dozen Aurors have became invisible during the month, while another five died in the incident of Hogsmeade.
As everyone now knows, the Dark Lord has risen again, as powerful and dark as ever. It is a disgrace to the authorities and the wizarding world that our Minister for Magic decided to leave us when we are most helpless. May God help us, or no one could.
"My word." Hermione whispered as she finished.
Ron sighed and sat back on his chair. "Fudge going madit's going to be a hard war out there."
Harry nodded but asked, "Percy's the youngest wizard in the whole department, why would they use him?"
Ron shrugged and replied, "No idea, but I can promise you Percy's death once Dad get the hands on him."
"This Mayhem Prawlwood really could have made best friends with Rita Skeeter, though, look at his way of writing." Hermione glared at the paper.
"I just want to know the real reason Fudge went mad." Harry said grumpily.
"I just want to know whether they're going to get a new Minister for Magic." Hermione shrugged.
"And we just want to know what's got into Percy." Ron supplied and Ginny nodded.
* * *
The night was gone before any of the sixth graders could help it. All
looking rather like
the walking of the dead, as Ron had said, they went downstairs for a quick
breakfast and planned some last minute revision.
Wolfing down everything in their view, Harry noticed that Draco Malfoy, sitting on the Slytherin Table with his two friends, was not showing the slightest sign of tiredness at all. Any one could have known easily by their bright but disgusting looks that they did not do any study at all.
The first exam was Transfiguration. Harry sat down in the Great hall, where the tables were arranged carefully and charmed with anti-cheating spells. Recalling slightly of a certain untidy haired boy who Harry met not on purposely when he was playing around with Snape's possessions, he bent down to greet his exam paper and began to write.
* * *
"That was easy, wasn't it, the only thing I'm worried about is that I may have wrote too much on question 13b, you know, about the midyear witches turning into cats for war? I started in the beginning and-"
One look from Ron made Hermione shut up hastily.
"C'mon, Potions next, let's catch some last study." Urged Harry. He had done pretty good in his impression, but was not to gloat or feel relived until the final exam was over.
The Potions exam was, as usual, taken in the dungeons below ground level. They were to make a Conscious Potion, which Harry had failed to master during class when Snape was snarling at him all the time. Now that he was shut in his stupid office, Harry could concentrate and except for a little smoke rising from his cauldron, he had done not too bad.
The second last exam was History of Magic. Grabbing some fast lunch in the Great Hall, Harry, Ron and Hermione all hid in the Tower trying to remember the years and events happened in the wizarding world.
* * *
"Come in." Severus said through gritted teeth as a knock penetrated through his office door. He was in a bad mood- correcting Hermione Granger's perfect exam paper was exhausting.
The door creaked open and he was face to face with his hated enemy- Remus Lupin.
"Yes?" he snapped at him, without even looking up.
Lupin smiled joyfully as if he did not hear Severus and said, "Professor Snape, I was wondering if you could do me a favor.
"Which is?" Severus was disgusted that Lupin even dared to bring up the subject.
"At Dumbledore's orders, I was to attend the next examination as authority, but unfortunately-" Severus snorted rather quietly- "I had some serious business to deal with for now so I wonder if you can kindly fill in my duty ."
Severus glared at him and asked stiffly, "And why would the Headmaster ask you to see to the exam when you are no longer a professor of this school?" he grinned horribly at the last phrase.
Shaking his head cheerfully, Lupin answered lightly, "I assume he might have saw my ability in teaching. Now thank you for your kind, Professor Snape, if you excuse me, I must get going." With that, he left the office, closing the door in a small slam.
Which left Severus boiling helplessly.
* * *
"You may begin." Professor Snape's- he was to authorize the exam- cold voice rang through the Hall. They were taking the History of Magic's exam there.
Harry peeked at the first question:
1a) Describe the rise and fall of the Warlocks invasion taking place in 1945.
Frowning slightly, he began to recall Hermione's words and notesthe Warlocks were formed in America, beginning as a religionno that was the Chinese, beginning as
Think! He scolded himself. Then it suddenly became clear. The Warlocks were formed in Washington DC, America, as a Quidditch fan club in the beginning but changed its status in 1934
Harry wrote fiercely on the paper. With no more than an hour, he had finished the paper and no matter how many times he checked it, there were no mistakes- at least to him.
Yawning tiredly, he wanted some rest desperatelyand so he closed his eyes and leaned on his desk, vowing on a short breakhe had deserved it, after all, studying like mad last night
Harry was standing in a middle of a dark dungeon. He squinted his eyes to see a big armchair's back facing him and a short bald wizard standing beside it. There was, apparently, a tall, thin man sitting on the chair, hissing lowly. The fireplace which stood in front of the two, was incensing fiercely.
"We have a plan, m-master?" The short wizard squeaked out.
"Yes, Wormtail you no brains, indeed we have, or what would summon
you here?"
It was a high, cruel voice, so familiar
Wormtail nodded and answered frightfully, "Then may I ask your Lordship, what is the plan-?"
The man sitting on the chair laughed highly and cruelly. Harry felt a nasty pang of pain shooting through his forehead.
"You expect me to acknowledge you, Wormtail? After all those fails you have showed, you desire to join my force and plans again?"
Wormtail whimpered badly as he replied, "I-I am truly, miserably sorry, your majesty, I- I dare ask for another chance-?"
The man paused for a while. Then, in nothing more than a hiss, he answered, "The Lord has showed a number of merciful times to you, Wormtail. Now, this may be your last chance."
"Thank you my Lord, thank you!" The short wizard squeaked with
delight and relief.
Harry could actually see tears gleaming in his eyes.
"The plan, Wormtail, is to take over the most powerful society recently. Do you have an idea what that might be?"
Wormtail swallowed and then whispered, "The- the Ministry of Magic, sir?"
His master gave a high laugh again which sent pain smearing all over Harry.
"You are learning, my boy. Very well indeed, we do that. But, how? Whereas part of the most advanced wizards and Aurors await me there, exactly how, do we succeed in such great ambition?"
Wormtail was sweating horribly by now. "My m-majesty, I-I- forgive me, but I do not know"
The man sitting snorted. "This is the reason why you have always failed me, Wormtail. You really have no brains, do you not? Severus would have made a faithful servant, brains and intelligence like his, but the pity" he sighed in conclude.
"I assume you do know the news of Cornelius Fudge?" he snapped suddenly, sounding evil again.
"Yes, master."
The man stood up so suddenly and abruptly that Harry doubled back, afraid that he might see him for some reason
Dropping his voice barely than a whisper, the man grinned evilly, "The
best way to
conquer one, my boy, is when one cannot conquer oneself."
The trembling servant seemed to understand his master's words, for he nodded slowly.
And so did Harry.
Okay, I know it's a bit porky, but...waiting for your fabulous reviews.
:)
