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Six Feet and Falling

by Saerry Snape

Chapter 20 :: November 29, 1995 :: Hogwarts - Night

"So Sheyne is a Shifter."

"Yes."

"And your half-sister."

"Yes."

"And her mother was a Shifter."

"Yes."

"And had the Sight."

"Yes."

"And Snape was forced to sleep with your mum because she was drunk and he was under Polyjuice Potion to look like James Potter?"

"Yes."

"Can you say anything other than 'yes'?"

"No."

Hermione sighed and Harry smiled wryly at her before both turned to see several members of Gryffindor entering the Tower.  All of them looked at Harry as though scared half to death of him and hurried up the stairs to their dormitories.

Hermione frowned after them and asked, "What was that about?"

Harry smiled in amusement and replied, "It's the Snape charm."

"The ability to clear out a room by its occupants only knowing you're a Snape?"

"Yes, that's the one.  Rather handy unless you're looking for a conversation."

"Harry."

The two of them turned to see Severus standing in the portrait hole, his face very drawn and his eyes flickering with worry.

"Sir?" said Harry, standing.

"We need you."

"To rescue Sheyne?"

Severus inclined his head slightly and said, "Quickly," before vanishing from sight.

Harry turned to Hermione and said, "Duty calls."  As he started forward, she grabbed his wrist tightly.  When he turned to face her, she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him.

"Be careful," she whispered before turning and fleeing up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.

Harry watched her go, his eyes flickering with disbelief as his hand moved up to brush over his lips.  He then smiled and vanished out the portrait hole after his father.

* * *

"So, we find Voldemort's secret stronghold, rush in with only twenty or so Aurors at our disposal, an ex-Death Eater, and Slytherin's second Heir, and rescue Sheyne without getting ourselves killed?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore.

Severus rolled his eyes as Harry yelled, "YOU CALL THAT A 'PLAN'!"

"Yes."

"That's not a 'plan'!  That's a bloody death trap!  We'll be butchered!"

"Not right away," said Severus, earning a scowl.

"Ah, yes," said Harry sarcastically.  "We'll have two minutes to say our prayers and then we'll die.  Y'know, it really was my dream way to die at the hands of Death Eaters."

"Better a Death Eater than Voldemort," said Severus.

"I retract my original statement and I correct it.  The rest of you will have two minutes to say your prayers then die.  I shall have two minutes to pray my death doesn't take to long to come about."

"Your very optimistic," said Madame Pomfrey, who had apparently gone through Auror training with Severus, and was going with them for that reason and because they'd probably need her skills when the battle was done.  If they won, of course.

"Thanks," said Harry, bowing slightly.  "I get it from tall, dark, and broody over there."

Severus snorted.

Madame Pomfrey said, "I think Albus' plan is a good idea."

Harry laughed and exclaimed, "We might as well go in there alone with no backup plan to get out, no Aurors to help us, with bells tied to our boots and moldy cheese in our pockets!"

"That's not a plan," said Severus."

"Actually, it's the same plan only more suicidal with a little stupidity mixed in," corrected Harry.

"So, what do you propose, Harry?" said Dumbledore, steepling his fingers and looking at the teen.

"Well," said Harry, looking thoughtful.  "The Aurors are a good idea but I have a really good idea."

"Yes?"

"WE FIND WHERE THE SOD VOLDEMORT'S STRONGHOLD IS BEFORE WE TRY TO STORM IT!"

"That would be a rather good idea," said Madame Pomfrey.  "Severus, don't you know?"

"I just Apparate wherever he calls from, Poppy.  It's not as though we can simply through some Floo powder in the fireplace and call out 'Voldemort's Stronghold' and expect to get there."

A glint flashed in Harry's eyes and he mused, "That's not a bad idea…"

"What?" exclaimed Severus.  "Oh, no, your not thinking…"

"That Voldemort's that big of an idiot?  We never know, do we?"

Severus groaned and Madame Pomfrey smiled grimly at him, saying, "Its worth a try, Severus."

"If we die, I'll make sure to make the two of your afterlife's a living Hell."

"Yes, sir."

"Of course, Severus."

Severus groaned and watched as Harry took a pinch of Floo Power and threw it in Dumbledore's fireplace, yelling out, "Voldemort's Stronghold!" before leaping in and vanishing.  Madame Pomfrey followed him and an even more distraught looking Severus followed her.  Just as the last of the party had disappeared, Dumbledore called out, "Should I…oh, dear."  He looked at the now normal flames and looked at Fawkes.

"It seems they are on their own."