Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else. I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!
Six Feet and Fallingby Saerry Snape
Chapter 29 :: February 5, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Afternoon
"Harry," said Dumbledore jovially as the tall fifth year entered his office, followed by his half-sister. "And Sheyne. What's brings the two of you up here?"
"I heard a rumor, Dumbledore," said Harry in a soft voice, anger flickering under the soft tone like flames. "I heard a rumor that Severus Snape, our father, was still alive and not dead like we were lead to believe."
Dumbledore steepled his fingers and said, "I have no idea what you are talking about…"
"Don't play coy with me!" bellowed Harry. An entire shelf of silver contraptions to his left melted into puddles, the molten silver flowing down off the shelf to the floor in tiny waterfalls in reaction to his anger. He snarled, "You knew. You bloody knew about the whole lot of this. And you let those bastards who went to Voldemort take him when they left the castle this morning!"
"I can't believe this," spat Sheyne, her eyes a mix of acid green and a venomous yellow. "We trusted you, sir. Our father trusted you."
"It was necessary," said Dumbledore cryptically.
"Necessary?" growled Harry, eyes flashing murder. "Necessary would be telling us what the hell was going on. Necessary would have been not letting them get away with our father's body. Necessary would not be me ripping out your throat!" The teen's body was abruptly surrounded by an aura of mixed silver and green. His eyes were now completely emerald and glowing with a brightness to rival the jewels they resembled. As he lifted a hand, the words of a curse on his lips, Hermione and Stephen rushed in.
"Harry, no!"
Harry froze, hand in the air, and turned his head slowly to look at Hermione. The bushy haired girl was looking at him in horror, her fists clenched in front of her mouth and her brown eyes wide behind them. Their eyes locked and Harry felt a wave of revulsion pass through him. Revulsion at himself, at what he had been about to do. As his eyes returned to normal and the aura faded, he sank to his knees, face white as a sheet.
Hermione rushed to his side and knelt beside him, placing her hand on his arm.
"Don't," whispered Harry, eyes closed, head bowed against his chest. But Hermione didn't move. She did, however, lift her head and glare at Dumbledore.
Meanwhile, Stephen had crossed the room and was speaking in soft tones to Sheyne, whose multi-colored eyes had returned to normal. But only in color. Anger still rolled in them, stormy and dark.
"Harry…" started Dumbledore, but was interrupted as the teen threw himself to his feet, his hands slamming down hard enough on the claw-footed desk to crack the wood. Emerald eyes still burning with the want to murder locked onto pale blue and held them.
"Don't ever say my name again," snarled Harry. "Ever. I never want to hear my name or the names of anyone I love pass your lips. So help me, I'll cut out your tongue if I hear them."
"Harry," hissed Hermione, gently tugging on his arm. Harry held up a hand, not looking at her, his eyes still locked on Dumbledore's.
"We're not your little army," he spat. "We're not yours to command, not yours to lead, not yours to bloody mention. As of now, you can fuck off and leave us alone. We're on our own. We'll still be your students, oh yes, but after hours? After hours, we're us and you can't touch us. And you know it."
Dumbledore sat silent through Harry's entire tirade, not moving at all.
Harry scowled and shook his head sadly.
"I used to believe in you, y'know. Now…now's different. I'm different. I'm not naïve and eleven anymore." Harry frowned darkly and continued, "I'm fifteen and I think I may actually see the truth of the matter now. You're nothing but a conniving old man. You can't fight Voldemort yourself so you'd send us to do it. Well, news flash, no more of that. We're gone. Adios! Cheerio! Good-bye! Gone! Vamos! Are we clear?"
Harry didn't wait for an answer. He shoved himself away from the desk as though it were contagious and turned towards the door, only pausing to offer his arm to Hermione. The bushy haired girl took it and they walked out, followed swiftly by Sheyne and Stephen, who both had their arms about each other.
As soon as they were gone, Dumbledore rose from his desk and went to the fireplace. From a small jar he took a handful of powder and threw it into the fire. When the flames burned purple, he bent down.
"Remus Lupin."
* * *
"What now?" asked Stephen as the four of them walked down an empty corridor. Sheyne shrugged then looked at Harry.
"Does Dumbledore know who all are…"
"No," replied Harry. "I've got the list and only you, Malfoy, and me know everyone."
"What are we going to do now?" asked Hermione, leaning her head against Harry's shoulder. The dark-haired boy looked down at her and tightened his arm about her shoulder.
"I don't know yet," he said. "But it'll come to me."
Sheyne smiled grimly and remarked, "It seems Malfoy was right."
"About what?" asked Stephen, not knowing what Malfoy was right about.
Harry stopped and frowned at Sheyne as she and Stephen came up beside him and Hermione. He simply stood there, looking at her, waiting for her next words. Sheyne smiled at him, her eyes almost reflecting it.
"That Harry would make a good leader."
Stephen looked at Harry, who was still eying his half-sister. After a moment the dark-haired boy laughed.
"Well," he said, "it would seem so."
"Harry…" said Hermione. "You said…"
Harry looked down at the girl beside him and shook his head, saying, "I think I just got the job, Mione, what with that scene with Dumbledore."
The other three's faces fell at the mention of that and Stephen asked, "Would you really have done it, Harry? Would you really have killed him?"
Hermione looked up at Harry, whose brows were knitted as he thought. After a moment he locked eyes with her and smiled tightly.
"I'm not that kind of person."
"You might have to become one," said Sheyne. "We may all have to."
"He who fights monsters should look into it that he himself does not become a monster. When you gaze long into the Abyss, the Abyss also gazes into you," murmured Hermione. "Friedrich Neitzsche."
"Wise words," said Sheyne. Harry nodded in agreement.
The four of them stood in the corridor for a long moment before Stephen asked again, "What now?" Sheyne and Hermione looked at Harry at this question.
"Get everyone together," he said after a moment. "If we're going to fight back against Voldemort, we'll need some practice."
"Couldn't we…no, no…" mumbled Hermione, shaking her head. Harry frowned down at her and gave her a little shake so she'd looked up at him.
"What?" he asked.
"No, its silly."
"Hermione," admonished Sheyne, "you've yet to say a silly thing."
"Except about that SPEW," said Stephen, earning a scowl from the bushy haired girl.
"Shh," joked Harry, "she'll kill you for insulting her crusade."
Hermione elbowed the tall boy in his side then said, "Couldn't we…oh, I don't think you'll like it."
Harry smiled and leaned slightly towards her. "Try me," he said.
"Okay…" Hermione sighed then said very quickly, "Couldn'tweaskothersiftheywantedtohelp?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," joked Sheyne. "It was a little fast."
Hermione flushed and said, slowly, "Couldn't we…couldn't we ask others if they wanted to help?" When no one replied for a long moment she ducked her head and muttered, "It's a silly idea, isn't it?"
"Not at all," murmured Harry, lifting her chin. "There are probably a lot who would want to. It's a grand idea, Mione."
The bushy haired girl flushed as she grinned up at him.
"I'm glad you think so."
"I'm glad you thought of it."
"Oh stop it," moaned Stephen. "I can't stand mushy stuff."
"Shut up," snapped Sheyne, smiling at her half-brother and Hermione.
Hermione looked at Stephen and smiled mischievously. "Can't stand mushy stuff?" she said softly.
"Oh," said Harry, "he can't stand mushy stuff. How dreadful."
"I suppose that would mean we shouldn't…" Hermione looked up at Harry, her brown eyes twinkling.
Harry smiled down at her and shook his head. "No, I suppose we shouldn't…"
"Maybe once…"
"Ah, yes. Once won't damage his probably fragile mind, will it?"
"No, I don't think it will."
"What are you two talking…" began Stephen then cut himself off as Harry bent down and kissed Hermione. "Oh stop it! Jeez…"
Sheyne giggled and said, "They got you, Ste."
"Shut up, Shey," grumbled Stephen.
A/N: The idea for inviting others into the little DE group is inspired by the group in OOTP