Chapter 4
A Dark Night and an Even Darker Morning
Harry couldn't sleep at all that night after seeing what the candle had to offer. He had always been able to think that Snape had willingly followed Voldemort, but his new knowledge changed everything. He had had no idea Voldemort had forced his Potions master to join, or else die. Harry found himself having to deal with a feeling of sympathy towards Snape, a feeling he wasn't accustomed to.
I had no idea Snape's mum was killed by Voldemort, Harry thought, I always thought his whole family followed him readily. Snape doesn't seem like the person to be forced into anything...it must have been Voldemort who turned him so evil. When I saw him in the Pensieve last year he was this unpopular shy kid who couldn't protect himself and now—now he is just evil. He is cold and malicious, not unlike Lucius Malfoy. Voldemort must turn everyone who follows him evil. That must be it...
Harry lay back on the bed, not feeling at all sleepy. His thoughts were racing and he couldn't get that image of Lydia Snape out of his mind. A glance at his watch told him it was two o' clock in the morning. Sighing, Harry remembered he had received an essay assignment from Professor Binns for over the summer on the wars between giants and men. Sitting up on his bed, Harry sat up and grabbed his book, a piece of parchment, and a quill from his trunk. His scar was starting to burn, but he ignored it and started writing.
* * *
An hour and a half later, when Harry was nearly finished with his essay, his bedroom door burst open. Snape stood in the doorframe, a black bathrobe hanging off his shoulders. He looked like he has just run a mile in less than five minutes. "Potter, come downstairs," he growled, and he strode off as fast as he had come. Curious, Harry jumped up and followed his Potions teacher down the staircase (Harry feeling awkward walking over the place where Lydia had lie) and into the kitchen, where Harry noticed something that wasn't there before: a fireplace. Standing by it and covered in soot stood Arthur Weasley. He looked grim.
"Hello, Harry," was the only solemn greeting.
"Hi, Mr. Weasley. What's going on?"
Snape answered. "Arthur here tells me that the Order of the Phoenix has just received word that Professor Dumbledore has been severely wounded. He was walking through the Ministry of Magic after checking up on the Auror situation and it appears as if a Death Eater stealthily attacked him from behind. He is in St. Mungo's emergency department as we speak."
Whatever Harry was preparing for, it wasn't this. He was in shock until he had to ask one question, "Will he be OK?"
"Harry, that can't be determined for sure yet. Many of the best Healers in the world are already attending to him," Mr. Weasley said. "I'm here because the Order needs as many members to help with this situation as possible, so Severus here will be helping, as well as Molly and myself. You both will have to come to Grimmauld Place immediately. You'll come by Floo Powder."
"I'll go get my trunk." Harry ran upstairs, his head pounding. Dumbledore had been attacked. If Voldemort could get to Dumbledore he could attack anyone else. Harry felt numb. He wasn't safe anymore. Mindlessly, he put his books, quill, and parchment in the trunk again and carried it downstairs along with Hedwig, who had just gotten back from delivering Hermione's and Ron's letters and was sleeping in her cage. She sleepily looked up at Harry as her home moved around her, and then put her head back under her wing to go back to sleep.
Harry dragged his trunk wordlessly into the kitchen where Mr. Weasley picked it up and put it inside the fireplace. "Harry, you go first with your trunk and Hedwig."
Harry stepped into the cramped fireplace, took some powder, threw it down, and said, "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place!" He felt himself swirling in front of many grates on the Floo Network until he got to a familiar fireplace, where he expertly stepped out and found himself immediately embraced and kissed by Mrs. Weasley, taking no heed of the soot that covered him from head to toe.
"Harry, oh Harry! Thank goodness you're safe!" She had a scraggly pink bathrobe on over her pajamas with matching fuzzy slippers. "You must be famished!" she said, and immediately turned to the stove where she started boiling water and busied herself around the kitchen.
Ron and Hermione rushed down the stairs as Mr. Weasley appeared from the fireplace behind Harry. "Harry!" they exclaimed simultaneously as they both ran towards him where Hermione hugged him and Ron patted his back.
"Thank goodness you're all right!" Hermione said sounding exactly like Mrs. Weasley had moments before. "We were so worried!"
"Yeah, it's good that you're OK, mate," Ron said, though it wasn't at all in his usual spirited tone. Pretty soon Snape had entered the room as well and was now talking to Mr. Weasley in a hushed voice. They both rushed out of the room and out the door.
"Business for the Order," Mrs. Weasley said vaguely as if reading Harry's mind, though he knew he could have guessed that. "Now everyone, sit down," she added as she brought over a platter of cinnamon rolls and a mug of hot chocolate for the four of them. "Eat up."
"Mrs. Weasley?"
"Yes, Harry dear?"
"Will Professor Dumbledore be all right?"
"We're not sure," she replied, her usual jovial face saddened. "The best Healers are assisting to him, but he was pretty badly off when Moody and Tonks found him. He is an old man and this has the potential of breaking him. I know he's strong, but even Dumbledore has his weaknesses." She sipped her hot chocolate solemnly.
They ate in silence. Only when Mrs. Weasley finished and went into the other room did Ron and Hermione speak.
"How did Snape treat you, Harry?" Ron asked as he saw his mum go through the door. "Was he foul or was he foul?"
"It was OK, I guess. He was the most humane I've ever seen him."
"It wasn't awful then?" Hermione inquired.
"Actually, no." Harry told them everything, except for his bout with the Ever-Burning Candle.
"And what was his house like?" Ron smirked.
"Filthy," replied Harry, draining the rest of his hot chocolate.
Ron smirked. "Matches his personality then, doesn't it?"
"Well, the staircase was kept spotless," Harry added before he could stop himself.
"I wonder why that could be," Hermione said, with a quizzical look. "Do you know, Harry?"
"No," he lied. He just didn't want to tell them about it since it was evident Snape wanted to keep it private. Harry couldn't believe he was actually respecting Snape's wishes. There was no way he would admit it in front of anyone, but, he felt a great deal of pity towards his professor now. He let Ron and Hermione throw out ideas on the staircase.
"Ron, be reasonable!" Hermione exclaimed when Ron had suggested that maybe he kept it so clean because that was the location of his first-ever contact with an alien life-form. "It must have been really significant to him if he keeps the whole house dirty except for that staircase, which he finds time to wipe off every speck of dirt."
Harry felt his head pounding...Dumbledore injured...Snape had been forced to join the Death Eaters after seeing his mother killed...the murders of countless Aurors every day... Ron and Hermione were still bickering about the possibilities of alien life forms contacting Snape and making him so foul, so Harry excused himself from the table and carried his trunk up the stairs to the room he had stayed in last summer unnoticed. He was now completely exhausted. He noticed a cot spread out for him already, and Ron's belongings scattered all about the room. Not bothering to even take off his shoes, Harry jumped into bed and fell asleep immediately.
* * *
Later that morning, Harry awoke to a glum setting. St. Mungo's hadn't contacted them yet on Dumbledore's progress and nobody had dared considering what would happen if Dumbledore died. Harry pulled himself out of bed and trudged down the stairs to the kitchen, where the whole Weasley family (except for Mr. Weasley) and Hermione were seated around the table. Harry was rather surprised to find Percy Weasley there, having completely ignored his family the previous year. He looked harassed, and much older somehow. The sleek and shiny hair Harry was used to seeing wasn't nearly as well kempt, and there were bags under his eyes hinting a lack of sleep. Everyone dully greeted Harry, Percy especially. They all seemed to be very much distracted. Mrs. Weasley was again bustling around the kitchen, making pancakes this time. "Harry, dear, the pancakes and bacon will be ready in just a minute," she said as he walked in and she flipped them on a huge griddle. He nodded and walked over to sit between George and Ron.
"Why is everyone so glum?" Harry asked George, who was subdued and quiet, much unlike his normal self.
"Emmeline Vance is missing."
"Who?"
"An Auror in the Order here. She was one of the Advance Guard sent to bring you here and was last seen in the Ministry with Dumbledore. There isn't a trace of her."
"Could a Death Eater have kidnapped her?" Harry asked, helping himself to the steaming pancakes and bacon.
"Maybe. It's a possibility, Mum says. Dad has been gone since he and Snape ran off after bringing you here. Mum's really worried about him."
Sure enough, once Harry took a closer look at Mrs. Weasley, she looked extremely tired, and her hair was out of place. He doubted if she had gotten a wink of sleep. Her hands were shaking as she poured more batter on the griddle.
Harry started talking to Ron, who looked quite worn out indeed. He tried to keep the subject matter light, but Ron didn't seem to feel like talking. Harry fell silent.
After five minutes of silence between the two, Ron spoke up, so that only Harry could hear. "I'm worried about Dad. Mum doesn't even know where he is. I mean, if Voldemort could injure Dumbledore, possibly the greatest wizard who ever lived, he could hurt—or even kill—Dad." Ron shuddered in fear. Harry didn't know what to say.
"Well, Mother, I must be off," Percy said to Mrs. Weasley who went over to hug him.
"Do take care of yourself, Percy," she said. "If there are Death Eaters at the Ministry... Oh, just take care!"
When Mrs. Weasley ended the embrace, Percy came over to Harry. "A private word, please, Harry?" Harry stood up and followed Percy to the entryway. "I'm sorry about last year. My behavior was unjustified. I'm sorry to ever doubt you about You-Know-Who's return. Could you ever forgive me?" He stuck out his hand.
Harry looked at Percy and extended hand for a moment and then took it to receive a hearty shake. "Yes."
A sleazy smile came over Percy's face as he shook Harry's hand harder. "Great. I was fearing you wouldn't forgive me."
"Where are you going?"
"The Ministry. I have to work."
"Are you still Fudge's Junior Assistant?"
"Yes." Percy puffed out his chest like it was the best thing in the world. "The Minister believes You-Know-Who is back, so I do too."
Harry had a strong desire to ask if Percy would follow Fudge if he jumped off a bridge, but he held his tongue. "Bye, then," he said.
"Goodbye." With a loud pop, Percy was gone.
A Dark Night and an Even Darker Morning
Harry couldn't sleep at all that night after seeing what the candle had to offer. He had always been able to think that Snape had willingly followed Voldemort, but his new knowledge changed everything. He had had no idea Voldemort had forced his Potions master to join, or else die. Harry found himself having to deal with a feeling of sympathy towards Snape, a feeling he wasn't accustomed to.
I had no idea Snape's mum was killed by Voldemort, Harry thought, I always thought his whole family followed him readily. Snape doesn't seem like the person to be forced into anything...it must have been Voldemort who turned him so evil. When I saw him in the Pensieve last year he was this unpopular shy kid who couldn't protect himself and now—now he is just evil. He is cold and malicious, not unlike Lucius Malfoy. Voldemort must turn everyone who follows him evil. That must be it...
Harry lay back on the bed, not feeling at all sleepy. His thoughts were racing and he couldn't get that image of Lydia Snape out of his mind. A glance at his watch told him it was two o' clock in the morning. Sighing, Harry remembered he had received an essay assignment from Professor Binns for over the summer on the wars between giants and men. Sitting up on his bed, Harry sat up and grabbed his book, a piece of parchment, and a quill from his trunk. His scar was starting to burn, but he ignored it and started writing.
* * *
An hour and a half later, when Harry was nearly finished with his essay, his bedroom door burst open. Snape stood in the doorframe, a black bathrobe hanging off his shoulders. He looked like he has just run a mile in less than five minutes. "Potter, come downstairs," he growled, and he strode off as fast as he had come. Curious, Harry jumped up and followed his Potions teacher down the staircase (Harry feeling awkward walking over the place where Lydia had lie) and into the kitchen, where Harry noticed something that wasn't there before: a fireplace. Standing by it and covered in soot stood Arthur Weasley. He looked grim.
"Hello, Harry," was the only solemn greeting.
"Hi, Mr. Weasley. What's going on?"
Snape answered. "Arthur here tells me that the Order of the Phoenix has just received word that Professor Dumbledore has been severely wounded. He was walking through the Ministry of Magic after checking up on the Auror situation and it appears as if a Death Eater stealthily attacked him from behind. He is in St. Mungo's emergency department as we speak."
Whatever Harry was preparing for, it wasn't this. He was in shock until he had to ask one question, "Will he be OK?"
"Harry, that can't be determined for sure yet. Many of the best Healers in the world are already attending to him," Mr. Weasley said. "I'm here because the Order needs as many members to help with this situation as possible, so Severus here will be helping, as well as Molly and myself. You both will have to come to Grimmauld Place immediately. You'll come by Floo Powder."
"I'll go get my trunk." Harry ran upstairs, his head pounding. Dumbledore had been attacked. If Voldemort could get to Dumbledore he could attack anyone else. Harry felt numb. He wasn't safe anymore. Mindlessly, he put his books, quill, and parchment in the trunk again and carried it downstairs along with Hedwig, who had just gotten back from delivering Hermione's and Ron's letters and was sleeping in her cage. She sleepily looked up at Harry as her home moved around her, and then put her head back under her wing to go back to sleep.
Harry dragged his trunk wordlessly into the kitchen where Mr. Weasley picked it up and put it inside the fireplace. "Harry, you go first with your trunk and Hedwig."
Harry stepped into the cramped fireplace, took some powder, threw it down, and said, "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place!" He felt himself swirling in front of many grates on the Floo Network until he got to a familiar fireplace, where he expertly stepped out and found himself immediately embraced and kissed by Mrs. Weasley, taking no heed of the soot that covered him from head to toe.
"Harry, oh Harry! Thank goodness you're safe!" She had a scraggly pink bathrobe on over her pajamas with matching fuzzy slippers. "You must be famished!" she said, and immediately turned to the stove where she started boiling water and busied herself around the kitchen.
Ron and Hermione rushed down the stairs as Mr. Weasley appeared from the fireplace behind Harry. "Harry!" they exclaimed simultaneously as they both ran towards him where Hermione hugged him and Ron patted his back.
"Thank goodness you're all right!" Hermione said sounding exactly like Mrs. Weasley had moments before. "We were so worried!"
"Yeah, it's good that you're OK, mate," Ron said, though it wasn't at all in his usual spirited tone. Pretty soon Snape had entered the room as well and was now talking to Mr. Weasley in a hushed voice. They both rushed out of the room and out the door.
"Business for the Order," Mrs. Weasley said vaguely as if reading Harry's mind, though he knew he could have guessed that. "Now everyone, sit down," she added as she brought over a platter of cinnamon rolls and a mug of hot chocolate for the four of them. "Eat up."
"Mrs. Weasley?"
"Yes, Harry dear?"
"Will Professor Dumbledore be all right?"
"We're not sure," she replied, her usual jovial face saddened. "The best Healers are assisting to him, but he was pretty badly off when Moody and Tonks found him. He is an old man and this has the potential of breaking him. I know he's strong, but even Dumbledore has his weaknesses." She sipped her hot chocolate solemnly.
They ate in silence. Only when Mrs. Weasley finished and went into the other room did Ron and Hermione speak.
"How did Snape treat you, Harry?" Ron asked as he saw his mum go through the door. "Was he foul or was he foul?"
"It was OK, I guess. He was the most humane I've ever seen him."
"It wasn't awful then?" Hermione inquired.
"Actually, no." Harry told them everything, except for his bout with the Ever-Burning Candle.
"And what was his house like?" Ron smirked.
"Filthy," replied Harry, draining the rest of his hot chocolate.
Ron smirked. "Matches his personality then, doesn't it?"
"Well, the staircase was kept spotless," Harry added before he could stop himself.
"I wonder why that could be," Hermione said, with a quizzical look. "Do you know, Harry?"
"No," he lied. He just didn't want to tell them about it since it was evident Snape wanted to keep it private. Harry couldn't believe he was actually respecting Snape's wishes. There was no way he would admit it in front of anyone, but, he felt a great deal of pity towards his professor now. He let Ron and Hermione throw out ideas on the staircase.
"Ron, be reasonable!" Hermione exclaimed when Ron had suggested that maybe he kept it so clean because that was the location of his first-ever contact with an alien life-form. "It must have been really significant to him if he keeps the whole house dirty except for that staircase, which he finds time to wipe off every speck of dirt."
Harry felt his head pounding...Dumbledore injured...Snape had been forced to join the Death Eaters after seeing his mother killed...the murders of countless Aurors every day... Ron and Hermione were still bickering about the possibilities of alien life forms contacting Snape and making him so foul, so Harry excused himself from the table and carried his trunk up the stairs to the room he had stayed in last summer unnoticed. He was now completely exhausted. He noticed a cot spread out for him already, and Ron's belongings scattered all about the room. Not bothering to even take off his shoes, Harry jumped into bed and fell asleep immediately.
* * *
Later that morning, Harry awoke to a glum setting. St. Mungo's hadn't contacted them yet on Dumbledore's progress and nobody had dared considering what would happen if Dumbledore died. Harry pulled himself out of bed and trudged down the stairs to the kitchen, where the whole Weasley family (except for Mr. Weasley) and Hermione were seated around the table. Harry was rather surprised to find Percy Weasley there, having completely ignored his family the previous year. He looked harassed, and much older somehow. The sleek and shiny hair Harry was used to seeing wasn't nearly as well kempt, and there were bags under his eyes hinting a lack of sleep. Everyone dully greeted Harry, Percy especially. They all seemed to be very much distracted. Mrs. Weasley was again bustling around the kitchen, making pancakes this time. "Harry, dear, the pancakes and bacon will be ready in just a minute," she said as he walked in and she flipped them on a huge griddle. He nodded and walked over to sit between George and Ron.
"Why is everyone so glum?" Harry asked George, who was subdued and quiet, much unlike his normal self.
"Emmeline Vance is missing."
"Who?"
"An Auror in the Order here. She was one of the Advance Guard sent to bring you here and was last seen in the Ministry with Dumbledore. There isn't a trace of her."
"Could a Death Eater have kidnapped her?" Harry asked, helping himself to the steaming pancakes and bacon.
"Maybe. It's a possibility, Mum says. Dad has been gone since he and Snape ran off after bringing you here. Mum's really worried about him."
Sure enough, once Harry took a closer look at Mrs. Weasley, she looked extremely tired, and her hair was out of place. He doubted if she had gotten a wink of sleep. Her hands were shaking as she poured more batter on the griddle.
Harry started talking to Ron, who looked quite worn out indeed. He tried to keep the subject matter light, but Ron didn't seem to feel like talking. Harry fell silent.
After five minutes of silence between the two, Ron spoke up, so that only Harry could hear. "I'm worried about Dad. Mum doesn't even know where he is. I mean, if Voldemort could injure Dumbledore, possibly the greatest wizard who ever lived, he could hurt—or even kill—Dad." Ron shuddered in fear. Harry didn't know what to say.
"Well, Mother, I must be off," Percy said to Mrs. Weasley who went over to hug him.
"Do take care of yourself, Percy," she said. "If there are Death Eaters at the Ministry... Oh, just take care!"
When Mrs. Weasley ended the embrace, Percy came over to Harry. "A private word, please, Harry?" Harry stood up and followed Percy to the entryway. "I'm sorry about last year. My behavior was unjustified. I'm sorry to ever doubt you about You-Know-Who's return. Could you ever forgive me?" He stuck out his hand.
Harry looked at Percy and extended hand for a moment and then took it to receive a hearty shake. "Yes."
A sleazy smile came over Percy's face as he shook Harry's hand harder. "Great. I was fearing you wouldn't forgive me."
"Where are you going?"
"The Ministry. I have to work."
"Are you still Fudge's Junior Assistant?"
"Yes." Percy puffed out his chest like it was the best thing in the world. "The Minister believes You-Know-Who is back, so I do too."
Harry had a strong desire to ask if Percy would follow Fudge if he jumped off a bridge, but he held his tongue. "Bye, then," he said.
"Goodbye." With a loud pop, Percy was gone.
