New day new chapter… Thanks Seaver for everything from beta reading to plot suggestions.

Everpresent: Thanks and don't worry, Snape isn't really up to anything nasty.

Baudburner: Thanks.

Devotion408: I agree Harry doesn't : ) but Dumbledore thinks so and Harry feels too guilty to even think of refusing, besides Snape could prosecute him for use of an unforgivable.

Muggle : Thanks, here comes!

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Chapter 22 I am Sorry

Harry took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Enter," said Snape's voice after a second. Harry took another deep breath and opened the door. The room was light by a brightly burning candle that was placed on a bedside table. Next to the table was a bed in which Severus Snape was laying. Snape was propped up on pillows and was reading a huge book, no doubt about potions, and did not notice Harry entering.

Harry stood still for a moment gathering his courage, he wondered for a moment why Snape needed to be in this Hospital but at a closer look he found that Snape was trembling badly and would probably have problems walking.

"Professor Snape" Harry said softly, Snape's head snapped up from his book. For a short moment, he looked surprised to see Harry.

"Potter," hissed Snape.

"I came to apologize sir," said Harry abruptly "For everything."

Snape was quiet probably thanks to Dumbledore Harry figured. Harry took a deep breath wondering were to start he figured it was best to start from the beginning with his parents.

"First of all I would like to I apologize for some of the things that occurred between you and my parents. I don't know everything that happened between you all but I'd like to apologize for them now since they are not able to…"

Snape stared at him

"Since Sirius is gone too I would like to say I'm sorry about his behaviour too, they all were very stupid and I don't blame you for hating them I would too especially after the Shrieking Shack…"

Snape continued to stare at him.

Harry sighed and went on, "and I am sorry for sneaking into the restricted section in my first year… you might remember someone opening that screaming book?" Harry could tell by the look on Snape's face that he vaguely remembered "And I never thanked you for saving me from falling of my broom that year, I figure I own you a life debt for that sir"

"Indeed," said Snape.

"Then in my second year I flipped that firecracker into that swelling solution, and I stole bicorn horn and the boomslang skin from your office." Technically Hermione had stolen them but Harry didn't want to bring her into this.

"I used those ingredients to make poly juice potion so that I could sneak into the Slytherin common room and find out whether Malfoy was the heir of Slytherin. I am sorry for that and I am sorry for costing you the order of Merlin in my third year. You were right I helped Sirius escape and about that Hogsmeade visit with Malfoy. You were right that night when that Mad-Eye accused you of always accusing me for everything. I was stuck in that trick step under my cloak. A house elf stole gillyweed from your office and gave me for the second task and I'm sorry for not telling you. I am sorry for being so stupid to falling into your private memories it was wrong of me and I should have known better and I'm sorry about that snake I know you could probably have gotten me if you weren't so noble and only used nice curses."

Harry took a deep breath he was thankful that Snape had not interrupted him, now only the hardest part remained. "I know you'll never forgive me for that curse Professor but I'm so sorry, I'll quit potions of course and if you like I won't tell anyone if you put it one me, the curse that is."

"I'm not a sadist Potter," Snape said angrily. Harry very much doubted that but wouldn't say anything under the circumstances.

"No, but perhaps… anyway I won't bother you again, if you want me to do anything whatsoever… I am in debt to you sir."

Snape looked at him in a completely new way. Harry couldn't really tell what Snape was thinking and it bothered him perhaps Snape was going to put the cruciatus curs on him after all.

"To begin repaying your debt," Snape said to Harry's surprise and relief, "I want to see the Chamber of secrets."

"Of course," Harry said happily, facing his memories of that place was a small price to pay if Snape could possibly start to forgive him, "Anything else?"

"Yes," Said Snape enjoying Harry's position, "There is a rumour among… certain groups of people," Harry knew Snape was talking about death eaters, "that you are wand brother with the Dark Lord."

"Yes," Harry admitted, "And I would have been a Slytherin too, had I not known anything about the houses before I was sorted."

Snape looked at him unbelievingly, "I asked the hat to place me in any house but Slytherin because Draco Malfoy and Vold… Tom Riddle were Slytherins"

Harry stood quiet waiting for Snape to ask another question but Snape seemed to be done for now.

"Thank you sir," Harry said and left the room quickly.

"What happened?" Fleur asked when Harry closed Snape's door behind him.

"I told him everything and he took it very well, he even asked me to take me down the chamber of secrets," Harry explained, "Or that is what I think happened I'm probably hallucinating or something."

"Why?"

"Because Snape is currently torturing me with the cruciatus curse," Harry explained.

"Mmm," Fleur said sweetly, "You are lucky then to hallucinate about me."

Harry knew that he was supposed to say something to annoy Fleur but at the moment he didn't feel like it.

"Yes," Harry agreed instead, "very lucky."

They walked hand in hand back to Harry's room where they fell asleep on his bed close together.

"Mr Potter?!" The Nurse who used to feed him shrieked when she saw that he was not tied down and had Fleur sleeping next to him.

"What?" Harry asked sleepily and opened his eyes, he wanted to sleep for many hours more with Fleur but it couldn't be helped.

"Why are you not tied down properly and is that Miss Delacour? How did she get in here?" The nurse asked. The nurse from the night shift had obviously not been in contact with this nurse.

"I walked," replied Fleur, grumpily she hated to be woken like this.

"I must insist that you get back to your room at once Miss Delacour!" The Nurse commanded her sweetness that she had shown when Harry was insane completely gone, "And you Mr Potter stay calm or I'll have to pacify you."

Fleur snorted angrily and decided to ignore the nurse. She flung her arm around Harry, pulled him indecently close and closed her eyes trying to get back to sleep. Harry's cheeks burned badly, he was not as comfortable as Fleur with this kind of open affection. Fleur's tactic seemed to work however because the nurse turned and left, she locked the room on her way out. Harry drifted into sleep with Fleur for a few minutes before the door opened again.

"Mr Potter, Miss Fleur," Someone called, it didn't sound as any of the nurses that Harry had met before.

"Go away," groaned Fleur, too exhausted to care about anything except her sleep.

"We have taken the liberty of packing your things, and we have a port key ready for you," The someone said, Fleur stirred and seemed to remember that they were supposed to take a port key to Dumbledore's office.

"Give us a minute," Harry asked and the door closed with a click.

"When I get to my office I'm going to sleep for a year," Fleur stated.

"Yeah," Harry agreed in a yawn.

They slowly got out of bed, Fleur was very pale and for once something about her appearance was not perfect she had bags under her eyes.

"What are you looking at?" Fleur snapped.

"You have bags under your eyes," Harry stated.

"You're joking," asked Fleur yawning involuntarily.

"No," Harry replied, "Guess I better find a new girlfriend then without b…"

"Shut up!" Fleur snapped, "Are you sure, it's not just the light or something?"

"Have you ever been not perfect in any light?" Harry retorted.

"Where is a mirror when you actually need one?" Fleur said, with a little smile. Harry knew that it meant very much for Fleur to not have a perfect face for once even if she still easily was the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts. Harry knew it made her feel more human and less veela.

"I'm so very happy for you Fleur," Harry teased.

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" Fleur asked smiling widely.

"Must have slipped my mind," Harry replied innocently, "Besides why would I listen to a girl who has bags under her eyes?"

"Right," Fleur muttered to herself, "I should have remembered that nothing can shut up the bigheaded boy-who-lived."

Harry glared at her but Fleur just smiled at him. They both found that who ever had woken them up the second time had brought their clothes, and after a little bickering, they both turned their backs on each other and dressed. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door and a man in his late fifties entered he wore white robes and reminded Harry a bit of a muggle Doctor.

"How nice to see that you are both awake," The man said kindly. It was the same man who had brought their clothes Harry realised at the sound of his voice.

"Albus asked me to make sure you got his office safely," The man said, Harry recognized him as an order of the phoenix member or at least he thought so he was not entirely sure, there were many order members.

"Oh," Fleur said in a way that made it clear to Harry that this was indeed a member of the order, "how nice of you."

The man gave Fleur a little smile, "Now grab hold of your bag and hold on to this," The man held out an old muggle newspaper, "It will activate in half a minute so get ready."

Half a minute later, they found themselves in front of Dumbledore's desk Dumbledore himself sat behind it with his watch in his hand apparently waiting for them.

"You made it on time," Dumbledore stated happily.

"I dare say we did," Fleur replied seriously, in a McGonagall tone of voice, "we passed through some really slow blue colours but made up for it by speeding by the red ones."

Dumbledore chuckled and handed them their wands, "Velvet would have adored you she always liked humans."

"You knew Velvet… but she died over 50 years ago" Fleur asked, Harry looked back and forwards between them searching for an answer of whom this Velvet might be.

"Velvet was Fleur's grandmother's grandmother if I am not mistaken?" Dumbledore said and glanced over at Fleur who nodded, "And was perhaps the greatest Veela to ever live."

"So Dumbledore how come you knew my ancestors?" Fleur asked teasingly, the very thought of Dumbledore chasing veela was hilarious. Harry thought of what Mrs Figg had told him that night he was attacked by dementors 'Of course I know Dumbledore, who doesn't know Dumbledore?'.

"Believe it or not I was once a young boy, not quite unlike Ronald Weasley and visiting veela camps was…" Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling more then ever as he remembered his youth, "…well I think you get the idea."

Fleur giggled and Harry felt forced to produce a smile it was remarkably like conjuring a patronus. You had to focus hard on a happy memory to manage a genuine smile.

"Now Harry," Dumbledore said, "What happened the night of Halloween is of course best kept quite and I must ask you to continue as usual, your excuse for your absence will be a potion accident in Fleur's office."

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked and made sure that he was allowed to ask questions, he knew Dumbledore would let him but when he felt nervous, he tended to lean back on old Dursley manners. Dumbledore nodded, "Why was Selena in the forest in the first place?"

Dumbledore picked up a letter from one of the desk drawers and handed it to Harry.

"It's my hand writing!" Harry exclaimed and tried to remember ever writing a letter like this.

Dearest Selena

Meet me in the forest behind Hagrid's hut before the end of the feast. I think I have found a solution to your holydays troubles.

Your favourite Gryffindor

Harry Potter

PS. Don't worry about monsters Hagrid got them scared off so you will be safe.

"Hagrid got monsters scared off?" Harry asked in disbelief, "I did not write this."

"I am quite aware of that," Dumbledore said, "And I dare say that whoever wrote this letter expected to solve all of Selena's troubles."

It took a moment for Harry to realise what Dumbledore meant.

"Bastards!" Fleur said angrily.

"Because of me?" Harry asked Dumbledore faintly.

"Nothing is certain Harry," Said Dumbledore seriously, "but I fear so."

This was apparently not the right thing at the moment to say in front of Fleur.

"Don't you dare blame Harry," Fleur hissed at Dumbledore, "Don't you think he feels guilty enough without you telling him that he places his friends in danger?"

Dumbledore wore a face of utmost surprise, Harry didn't blame him Fleur could turn from happy to dangerous so fast that she appeared to be time travelling and it went even faster when she was tired.

"Please," Dumbledore said when he regained a grip on the situation, "I did not accuse Harry."

"That was a bloody stupid thing to say then!" Fleur spat. Fleur's protectiveness over Harry sent a warm wave through his body. He managed to catch one of Fleur's hand to try to calm her down, he knew Fleur would feel bad enough afterwards about her temper as it was and hoped that he could prevent her from turning into a bird.

"It's my duty as a headmaster to, if necessary, inform my students about any potential risk…" Dumbledore said defensively but unfortunately, this was not the right thing to say either.

"Your duty?" Fleur interrupted and tore her hand back from Harry, her skin started to change into feathers and she was shaking in anger, "You should have kept Miss Malfoy out of the forest!"

"I should have," Dumbledore agreed calmly.

"SO IT'S OKAY TO BLAME HARRY WHEN IT IS YOUR FAULT IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Fleur yelled completely losing her temper. The anger and fury needed for the rest of her veela transformation was received and she glared at Dumbledore with her right bird eye daring him to say anything. Harry decided that this had gone far enough and quickly pulled Fleur into a rib crushing hug.

"And that stupid second task," Fleur screeched as if fighting tears, "The thing I will miss most! It was supposed to be a stupid game!"

Fleur broke down completely onto Harry's shoulder even more so then she usual did after her transformations. Harry could feel her heart thumping sadly inside her chest.

"It's okay," Harry whispered into her ear, "Shh, Fleur I'm here it will be okay. We'll skip breakfast and go strait to bed, you are exhausted," After a few minutes when most of her tears had dried she looked up at Dumbledore.

"I'm so sorry headmaster, I know it's not your fault and I know that you do anything in your power to keep the students safe and no body can do that better then you. And I'm sorry I brought up the second task…"

"Don't apologize for who you are especially as no harm was done," Dumbledore repeated his sentence from last night, "And I don't mean you as a part veela I mean you as a person who cares very deeply for Harry and your sister. The fact that you are a part veela simply allows you to show these feelings more clearly."

Harry was very grateful for Dumbledore's words because he could feel Fleur mood rise tremendously.

"Thank you Headmaster," Fleur said and flashed him with a bright smile.

"You are welcome," Dumbledore replied.

"Professor?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Yes Harry?" Dumbledore replied.

"Won't every one know from… well from the screams what happened?" Harry asked feeling very much as if he was a first year again even though he still held Fleur tightly.

"Ah yes, that's the beauty of it," Dumbledore explained, "You picked the one night of the year when no one will think twice about any screams."

"Oh"

"Any thing else?" Dumbledore asked.

"I'm quitting potions," Harry said, "I told Snape I would."

"Alas I can not allow that it would be very odd if you just quit that class. You will have to go on as if nothing happened I dare say that there are more then one pare of eyes in this castle that are watching most of the steps you take."

"But I told Snape," Harry insisted, he already knew of course that he was being watched especially by Draco Malfoy and his cronies.

"I'm sorry Harry but this is not for you decide at the moment. Now why don't you go strait to bed, I dare say you are too tired to attend breakfast?"

"Thank you," Fleur said and they left Dumbledore's office. It was too early for most students to walk the corridor since it was a Sunday morning so Fleur and Harry walked hand in hand all the way to Fleur's office and into their bed room. Fortunately, Tonks was fast asleep and didn't notice them. They undressed, slipped into Fleur's bed and snug up in a close warm hug. Harry was once more surprised to be so intimate with Fleur without having any bodily reaction.

"Night," Fleur said and performed a darkness hex on her bed everything turned pitch black.

"Good one," Harry replied. He could tell by Fleur's even breath that she was already asleep. It was very comforting and before Harry knew it, he was sleeping too.

Fate didn't seem to want to grant Harry or Fleur undisturbed sleep that day. A few hours later, they were both woken by a scream of surprise and something falling to the floor with a thud.

"What are you doing here?" Tonks yelled, "You are supposed to be in St Mungo's!"

"Morning Tonks," Fleur said not moving a muscle and probably not even opening her eyes Harry couldn't tell because she had her back turned to him.

"Hey I worried sick!" Tonks exclaimed, "What happened!"

"No one told you?" Harry asked sleepily.

"Dumbledore told me you had to perform advanced magic in order to save a younger student in the forbidden forest," Tonks said and Harry snorted.

"What's so funny?" Tonks asked.

"Apparently the killing curse is called advanced magic when I perform it," Harry muttered, "and unforgivable or dark arts when anybody else…"

"Shut up" Fleur snapped she whirled around in the bed so that she could face him "You did what you had to do and I don't want to hear another word of self pity from you ever!"

Harry didn't know what to reply he knew Fleur was right but didn't know what else to feel in this situation.

"You killed someone?" Tonks whispered.

"He didn't kill anyone!" Fleur snapped and then added after a moment, "just some damn spiders."

"You could actually work that curse?" Tonks asked but didn't wait for Harry's reply, "But why were you in the forbidden forest, don't tell me you were looking for unicorns?"

"Dumbledore didn't inform you?" Fleur said in her official teaching voice.

"Don't give me that McGonagall voice," Said Tonks, "Dumbledore said you would tell me when you got better, Harry."

With help of Fleur Harry told Tonks about everything that had happened that night and when he was done he felt very bad this was the sort of thing Ron and Hermione deserved to hear first, he had always told them these things at once before.

"I got to go and see Ron and Hermione," Harry said and slipped into his dirty sweaty robes, "And get fresh robes."

He was just going to give the password to the fat Lady when the portrait swung open from the inside.

"Harry" Ginny said uncertainly, she was going somewhere probably to the library judging by all books she carried.

"Get out of my way, I'm in a hurry!" Ginny snapped and walked past him swiftly. Harry sighed something was wrong with Ginny but fortunately for Harry she was horrible to everyone and not just him.

The common room was almost empty and Harry managed to slip into his dormitory without any awkward questions. To his relief the dormitory was empty. He changed into new robes and found that someone had put the Marauders Map and broom back to in his trunk. He activated it to find Hermione and Ron. After a few minutes of searching he found them down at the Quidditch pitch. Ron and all of the Gryffindor team except Ginny zoomed back and forwards on the map. Hermione sat alone in the stands and appeared to be watching them but Harry knew she was doing homework or reading. He deactivated the map and left the castle quickly, he reached the Quidditch stands without any awkward questions. Hermione was indeed reading, her nose deep in the book not seeing anything else. Harry sat down next to her.

"What?" Hermione asked still reading not realising that Harry was next to her.

"Constant vigilance," Harry muttered in lack of anything better to say. Hermione's head flew out of the book.

"Ouch," Hermione groaned and put her hand on her neck, "Harry, what are you doing here? You haven't escaped have you?"

"No," Harry verified.

"Oh, Harry it's so good to have you back we were so worried," Hermione said smiling widely "It was really hard for Ron and Ginny too, they had a row yesterday and he banned her from the team."

"But we need her!" Harry exclaimed, "There is no way we can find another chaser."

"I know Harry but they will make up it's a sibling thing," Hermione said, "So… what happened at Halloween?"

Harry told Hermione the story from his perspective she already knew most of it from Dumbledore and Selena. Dumbledore had apparently asked Hermione and Ron if they knew who had written that letter to Selena, but they had not been able to say anything except that it was not from Harry.

"I figure that death eaters got hold of your hand writing when you know…"

"They got Hedwig," Harry finished for her.

Hermione nodded.

"You were not scheduled to regain your mental balance in several weeks?" Hermione asked.

"Dumbledore thought it was 'very extraordinary' and then he would say anything more," Harry complained.

Hermione sat quiet thinking and stared absentmindedly down at the Quidditch pitch. Harry sat thinking too but he couldn't focus his mind on his miraculous recovery instead his thoughts drifted to what Dumbledore had told him about that someone would target Selena because she was friendly with him.

"Listen Hermione, maybe we should try to not see each other…"

"Are you braking up with me?" Hermione asked jokingly "Maybe Draco Malfoy is right you do think quite a lot of yourself."

"No I'm serious, Dumbledore said that it was probably because Selena knows me and all that this happened and you are muggle born and all."

"We had this conversation in our first year Harry," Hermione said firmly, "Ron and I am your best friends and we are not letting you do this alone."

"But you don't understand," Said Harry desperately, "It's not just only you, what about you parents, Mr Weasley said that most muggle were for fun and if they just have the vaguest reason to…"

"Stop it Harry," Hermione said fiercely.

"But it's the truth and the same goes for all of the Weasley's even though they hide in…"

"I said stop it!" Hermione hissed. Harry finally shut up when he realised that Hermione was on the verge of tears. At least he thought so when she started to dig in her pocket for a handkerchief but instead she brought out a quill. She glanced around frantically and performed several charms to make sure that they were alone and that no one was watching. When she was sure that no one was close, she scribbled some thing in her book.

'Fidelius!' Harry read silently as soon as he had read the word Hermione tore the corner of the page off where she had written it and burned it to dust so neatly that it flew away in the wind even though it was not blowing. She also mad sure that the page had not leaked through any ink or that any imprint could be found on the page under. Apparently, she didn't want anyone to even suspect that her parents was hiding using the Fidelius charm.

"Oh," Harry said, "I'm sorry it's all…"

"No I would have opposed Voldemort anyway, and it's my choice not yours."

"Thanks"

Hermione gave him one of her usual smiles. He loved that smile as a brother he realised, it was a sweet open smile, not girlish or tempting just relaxed and happy.

"Harry!" Ron exclaimed and flew over to them, "You all right mate?"

"Yeah fine," Harry replied happily, it was true he felt fine most of his guilt had left him.

"What are you waiting for then?" Ron asked, "Summon your broom and get up here!"

"Ron!" Hermione scolded. "I don't think Harry should be flying! Should you Harry?"

"ACCIO FIREBOLT" Harry cried smiling apologetically at Hermione.

Hermione snorted, "Mental, just out of the hospital!"

"Keep that up and you'll turn into Madam Pomfrey," Ron teased.

"I will not," Hermione said and started to repair the page she had torn with her wand.

Harry's Firebolt came drifting through the air and hovered next to him. With a huge grin, Harry mounted his broom and kicked of.

"Hey," Harry asked Ron after a quick dive and a couple of loops to warm up, "What happened with Ginny?"

"Don't worry she'll be here next practise," Ron said carelessly, the rest of the team flew over to Harry to great him but Ron wouldn't allow it.

"Get back to practise!" Ron barked, "It'll be time for that later!"

The team went back to practise different moves, that is everyone except Selena. Ron pretended not notice.

"Harry… or is it Potter now?" Selena asked uncertainly, it was clear to him that she blamed herself for what happened as much as he blamed him.

"It's Harry," He said and before she could apologize, he did, "Look I'm sorry if I was a bit short with you before. I didn't mean too, it just happened."

"You are not angry for what happened?" Selena asked incredulously.

"No," Harry stated, "I got caught by those spiders once and would have been eaten if I hadn't been saved."

"Thank you," Selena said, "For saving my life."

"Your welcome," Harry replied, "Have any idea of who sent you that letter, because I swear I didn't."

"Oh it was Draco Malfoy of course. I knew it at once when those… got me," Selena explained, "Quite brilliant actually if you think about it no one will be able to prove a thing."

"So he's getting away with it?" Harry asked angrily.

"Not for long," Selena said grimly, "I'll get him back one day, Malfoy honour you know."

"Look out," Andrew Kirke one of the most miserable beaters Harry had ever seen yelled. A stray bludger came pelting towards them. Harry and Selena dodged it with out any troubles.

"I'm releasing the Snitch so we can have a proper round of 'One goal'," Ron informed them, "Get into your positions!"

They had a good practise though it was a bit unfortunate that Ginny wasn't there but as she already was a good chaser it didn't really matter if she missed one practise.

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"Well… what do you thing?" The author asked hesitantly, hoping to get many reviews... lol.