Chapter 9 : Unleashed Shadows

Disclaimer: I do not own, or claim to own, Harry Potter or any related characters, including Severus Snape. All belong to JK Rowling

Author's Notes: Sorry for it being quite slow at the moment. I'm not running out of ideas, I'm just having a hard time piecing everything together. Everything and anything that can overlap in this plot, will. It's so frustrating. BUT, there's nothing to worry about because chapters are going to come up as usual, and new events in the story are going to start coming up fast…so, be prepared!…

In this chapter, and the next two or three (hehe spoilers), Snape begins to wonder whether he should tell Harry about him being his father, and Harry begins to suspect something. There's going to be another nightmare, the animagi idea turns up and (possibly in further chapters) the Defence Against Dark Arts after hours are coming back (!).

That's all for now, thanks for reading, and please REVIEW! Also, the summary for this story is finally stable and it's going to stop changing every two seconds now. Heh….Review?

Note: N/P means third person writing. No single Point of View. Ok? Ok.

***

S. Snape's POV

"Potter. Weasley." I couldn't have kept the snarl off my face if I had tried. Or the smirk, as I saw them gulp in fear and glance at each other, pure terror written plain on their faces.

I liked to think I had that kind of power.

"Detention for being," I turned to look at the hourglass on my table, "Seven minutes late." I had already known the time, but we all know dramatic effect is necessary to keep students in order.

Weasley lifted his eyes from his books to stare at me squarely, the scared-look held at bay – damn Gryffindor courage – and he opened his mouth.

"Sir, we forgot the time after McGon—"

"Don't even think about it Weasley." (He shut it with a snap), "Excuses will not work with me, especially ones about getting lost or forgetting the time. You have been here five years and should know your way around. As for time… well, Weasley, tell me how can one forget the time. I must say I hope you haven't forgotten your seats either." A couple of Slytherins smirked in the front row, Draco Malfoy included.

Weasley sat down immediately, taking a seat on the left of Granger. She gave him a smile before continuing with her work. Pott – Harry, though, stayed for a second longer to give me a look of utter hatred.

I could've given him another detention. I could've. But I didn't. I don't know why.

You're going soft, I told myself. It's been fifteen years… what is there that you can do?

*

The answer came to me that night as I was taking the Dreamless Sleep Potion. It had hit me with the strength of an Unforgivable.

I could tell him.

***

H. Potter's POV

He was a bastard. Plain scum. I knew it. I had known it for five years now and yet… the strangest feeling…

I mean, sure, I'm the son of James Potter, his enemy. But what had I done to deserve how he treats me, and the way he treats Ron and Hermione. This wasn't self-pity, this was me looking for an explanation to why Snape would act the way he does. He was supposedly known for 'watching out or me' after first year, but I know he wouldn't do that on his own accord. Had Dumbledore asked him to? And then there was the way he had acted lately…just…strange.

Professor Snape was mysterious. Everyone knew it, and perhaps I knew more than most people, including the fact that he was a DeathEater spy. I could respect him. I probably do without knowing I do. I could trust him. He had proved over these years that I could probably trust him. I could admire him. After all, he had faced Voldermort and had become a spy. I could do all that…and yet, I couldn't like him…not after everything else he's done to me. I couldn't like him as a person. I couldn't. Ever.

"Harry…Harry."

It took me a moment to realize Hermione was shaking me, and another to realize class was over. The door swung on its hinges as a tall dark figure swept past it, silent. Snape.

"What were you doing? You spent the whole lesson with your eyes glazed over…"

"And you kept dipping your quill in your ink over and over." Ron finished.

"Oh." I shrugged it off, "I was just thinking, you know."

"Pretty serious then. You're lucky it wasn't a practical." Hermione's tone softened and lowered, "You want to tell me what's wrong?"

I shrugged again and shook my head. "It's nothing."

"Harry," Ron said suddenly, "Detention's at 7:00 tomorrow – no wait, Friday, the day after. We meet Snape in his office then."

"Okay."

"What do we have now?"

"Nothing." Hermione said, looking slightly put-off as she took out her timetable. "Lupin and Figg are gone, so no Defence of Dark Arts."

"Too bad." Ron said casually.

"Actually…"Hermione started again, a new light of happiness shining in her face, "That gives me time to start studying for our Half-Year Exams." (A/N: I'm not sure they have these though.)

"Half-Years? 'Mione," Ron replied with mock sadness, "I tell you this every year, but exams for you are always one: (he held up one finger) easy, two: (another finger) a waste of time, and three: (a third finger) AGES AWAY."

"RON WEASLEY!" Hermione almost yelled and hit him playfully. "What do you mean ages away? There's only three months left."

"Oh come off it, 'Mione. We all know you've been studying for the exams since last year, besides, since when did you need to study?"

"Since I wanted to get passing grades Ron."

"You get them anyway. It's just me who needs to study."

"You got that right Weasley."

The three of them laughed and Harry put him arms around them both. I felt good to have things back to normal. At least here at Hogwarts, he knew he had friends who would be there for him no matter what happened.

***

N/P

"AVADA KEVADRA!"

A flash of green light blinded him only for a split second, and he could see again, though if he could've chosen, he would've rather not seen.

A body lay crumpled on the floor, torn of cloak and clothing. A female body, Harry saw. A male figure stood by his side, with his back towards him. He couldn't see anything of himself but a thick robe that hid everything and a long arm that pointed a wand. It wasn't pointed at him though.

Where was he?

Harry tried to turn, but he couldn't, he could only look on in horror. A flash of red! Blood! Harry tried to see and this time, his view moved along with him. No… it wasn't blood. It was a shock of red hair on someone who had just walked past. Was it Ron? He thought in panic…

But his view had changed again, and he was forced to look again at the body on the ground. It was being lifted by two black-robed figures. Death Eaters, Harry thought immediately. Harry watched as they carried the body to the closest tree. Dropping her carelessly and throwing a spare cloak over her, a sudden twist of light from the full moon showed her face to Harry. Harry gasped. Was that…

"CRUCIO."

Two figures fell to the floor, as a shrill laugh pierced the air. Their screams couldn't be blocked out… they filled his ears… he wanted to cover them but he couldn't move his hands…he couldn't move…

"CRUCIO!"

The wand in front of him was out again, but this time it was pointed at a pale man kneeling at his feet. The man was shaking in pain and yelling in agony. His voice was deep and Harry noticed it sounded strangely like someone he knew…the light reflected again and Harry could see the man's face now. He almost cried out in surprise….it was Professor Snape.

'Please…' Harry was in frozen terror. He tried to say something, he tried to tell whoever was doing this to stop. But he couldn't move, he was so scared… he was rooted to the spot…and he watched as the Potion's Master went through torture after torture.

Why was he here?

This was Voldermort, Harry told himself after he had stopped trembling inside and his heart had slowed again. Who else would do this?

"CRUCIO. CRUCIO. CRUCIO."

Writhing figures… struggling victims… laughing torturers….

What was this?

Harry wanted to scream. He wanted to cry for help. He wanted to close his eyes and ears… he wanted to block it all out…he wanted to block out the terrifying images around him…the horrifying sounds…. He wanted –

In his bed in Gryffindor Tower, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter awoke with a start. The sounds of tormented screams and the still-frames of a disastrous event still echoing over and over in his mind.

***

Chapter 9 finished! That was better than I thought for the holidays. And it's longer than I thought as well. Hehe.

In chapter eight, I changed the day so that this chapter would make sense. I don't think anyone will notice the different though.

I hope it's speeded up enough though, I didn't think rushing it too fast, too quickly, was going to be any good...but I hope its ok. At least there was a Severus' POV! Hehe. I'm obsessed.