In Every Darkness
Chapter Fifty Four: Fighting
19.7.1996
Severus had been glad when he saw Tatsu enter the fray without Harry Potter. He mightn't like the boy, but he didn't want to give Potter to Voldemort either.
Why Sev, I didn't know you cared, Lupin remarked.
Lupin: Shut up! Severus snarled within his mind. I'm trying to concentrate here!
Oh fine, I'll leave you alone for the moment, Lupin replied.
To Severus's surprise, this was exactly what he did. Rather than think about this, Severus turned his attention to the fight ahead of him. Much as he hated it, he would have to attack his allies.
He joined a group trying to corner the woman Katharine – he didn't like her much, so it he wouldn't feel so guilty about attacking her.
Then he saw Potter step into the fray. Stupid boy! Severus thought angrily, torn between deciding what to do. He wouldn't be able to reach Potter in time …
Sev, he can take care of himself. He just wants to be able to fight the people who've ruined his life. Just keep an eye on him, you'll see. He'll be fine, Lupin's voice came suddenly back to his mind.
I thought you were shutting up, Severus grumbled.
I was. But I said I would only be doing that for the moment. I'll shut up again soon, I'm just pointing something out. What would you do if you were told to hide?
Severus didn't answer. He knew that he'd do exactly what Potter was doing now, and the thought did not make him at all happy. Crowding in on Katharine, he kept flicking his eyes back to Potter.
To his surprise, the boy actually seemed to be doing alright. He had his wand out, his eyes kept marking where the Death Eaters were, and he was heading towards Alastor Moody – presumably to help the Auror out.
Harry looked around, green eyes quickly making sure that no one was coming too close to him. He had a shield charm up, which would block any weaker curses, but he had to keep an ear out for the more lethal ones.
At least he knew that none of the Death Eaters were going to kill him – only Lord Voldemort could do that. Harry was only to be caught.
He ducked as a stunning spell hurtled in his direction, and grinned with ironic humour when it struck one of the Death Eaters that was cornering Moody.
One of the Death Eaters was stupid enough to turn around, Moody stunned him immediately, and nodded to Harry, not taking his eyes off the Death Eaters.
Harry smiled grimly, and threw himself into the fray, kicking the closest Death Eater to him hard in the back of a knee. The Death Eater's leg buckled, sending him off balance, Moody used a full body bind even as Harry stunned him.
"Good work boy," Moody growled as Harry spun so that he was back to back with the old Auror, wand out and ready.
The Death Eaters had been surprised by Harry's swift dealing with one of them, but they obviously thought that, as a schoolboy, Harry wouldn't be that good.
Harry quickly taught them differently – after two more Death Eaters went down between the pair of fighters, the others decided it would be better to go for less dangerous prey.
"You're good, boy. Make a good Auror," Moody growled. "And don't you let anyone tell you differently."
"Thanks," Harry muttered. "I guess I'll see you after the battle," he added, since Moody looked like he was about to move away.
"Hopefully we won't meet up before then," Moody replied, then he was gone, step, thump, wading into the fray.
Harry looked around him again. The battle was still raging, but his friends were fighting back, and they seemed to be getting better at forcing the Death Eaters back.
"Expelliarmus!" it was a young voice, but not one Harry recognized. Immediately, he knew that it must be a Death Eater. Then the spell hit him, and his wand flew from his hand, he was thrown backwards, but he managed to flip, mid air, and come down lightly.
Turning, he saw the Death Eater catch his wand. Oh shit, Harry thought. What now?
But already he was moving, in his centre, his body knew what he needed to do even before his mind did. He was going forwards, towards the Death Eater.
I have no weapons, he thought. Wrong, a contradicting thought came back. Your body is all the weapon that you need.
Right. Harry closed in on the Death Eater who looked amazed. Harry didn't blame him. Who in their right mind would take on a Death Eater without a wand?
Just as the Death Eater raised his wand to attack, Harry really began to move, striking with all the speed and accuracy of a striking snake, lashing forwards.
The Death Eaters surprised yell and instinctive spell mattered nothing to Harry. The spell didn't touch him, he felt it whistle past his ear, then he was upon the Death Eater, kneeing him in the stomach, spinning around to kick out, sending the Death Eater flying backwards.
The man rose again, shakily, watching Harry with an expression of fear, but also triumph. Harry knew where the triumph came from: If this Death Eater could catch him, he'd be Voldemort's favourite.
Another spell whistled past him as he moved again. Harry scarcely noticed it. His opponent was young, inexperienced. This would work out just fine, Harry was sure.
The Death Eater was throwing spells at him, as fast as he could speak. Harry didn't pay any of the any attention. He just wanted to get his wand back, and preferably leave this guy senseless.
He was moving closer again, striking out with a punch to the right arm, deadening it. The Death Eater yelped in pain. Baby, Harry thought emotionlessly.
He turned, kicking this time, to the kneecap. The Death Eater staggered, falling to one knee painfully. Within his centre, Harry could do nothing more than watch, a passive observer. If he really tried, he could have taken proper control of his body and still be able to remain within the centre, but he was content to simply watch for the moment.
He lashed out again, this time to the other leg, spinning around, he was behind the Death Eater, driving a punch into his lower back.
Harry felt a vague sense of pain as his knuckles struck the mans spine, then there was a horrible cracking sound. The Death Eater screamed once, then toppled forwards. He'd fainted.
Harry was shaking. The Death Eaters spine had just been broken. He'd just broken the Death Eaters spine. But he didn't have time to worry about being guilty about that now. More Death Eaters were heading towards him.
Severus looked up when he heard the crack of braking bone, saw Harry Potter, not Harry James Potter, but just Harry Potter, standing over a fallen Death Eater, absently massaging his fist.
So, you've finally admitted that Harry is James, Sev? Well done! It only took you, what … five years? Lupin again.
Shut up! Severus snarled, but he couldn't change the thought now. Harry Potter was not James with a few differences now. There could no be no going back to simply hating the boy as he were his father.
Harry Potter had fought, and fought well. He'd taken on an opponent, and he'd fought that opponent, an opponent who was older, stronger, who knew more spells than Harry did – without a wand.
Something that Severus Snape knew James would never do. While James had been brave – much as he hated to admit it, James Potter had had some bravery, when facing Death Eaters – he'd always looked out for himself first.
James Potter would have never done what his son and just done.
But more Death Eaters were closing in on Potter now. Severus wondered how the boy would cope now.
Then, in a flash, Potter had knelt, picked up his wand and thrown a stunning curse into his enemies ranks. A moment later, Tatsu Kendo was there, standing beside the boy.
Knowing that Potter would be alright for the moment, that he, Severus, would not have step in and do something to prevent the Dark Lord getting what he wanted, Severus turned back to helping the Death Eaters gang up on a different wizard, Severus didn't know this person, they must have joined the Order in the weeks he'd been away.
Why Severus, I think you are finally finding a heart, Lupin remarked suddenly.
What do you mean by that? Severus demanded irritably.
Well, you admitted that Harry could be better than his father was, and you would have gone to help him, even though it might have meant losing your place in the Death Eater ranks, Lupin replied.
I would have done that to prevent the Dark Lord getting his hand on the thing he most wants! Severus snarled, refusing to allow himself to even consider that there might be another reason. Especially not one like actually caring that Potter could get hurt. That wasn't the case. Lupin just couldn't see that Severus had no heart.
Harry smiled in relief when a flash of blonde hair signalled Tatsu's approach.
"I thought I told you to stay out of this," Tatsu remarked, kicking out at a Death Eater.
Harry spun so that he and his guardian were back to back. "I seem to remember you saying something of the like," he admitted, unashamed. "I also read somewhere that no one should give an order that they know won't be carried out. It's a waste of breath."
Tatsu gave a short bark of laughter at that. "True," he admitted, punching one Death Eater in the temple.
The Death Eaters seemed to be thinning now. The Order of the Phoenix was getting somewhere. Harry glanced around and saw Dumbledore, blue eyes blazing, shooting spells in every direction, keeping the Death Eaters back, saw Moody, limping forward to help a witch he didn't know. Everywhere, the Order of the Phoenix was grouping together to help fight the Death Eaters.
Now the Death Eaters were heading towards him and Tatsu, Harry noted vaguely. He supposed they were trying to catch him. This had been the entire idea of the attack, after all.
"Get ready kid," Tatsu murmured – he'd noticed also.
Harry set his body, raised his wand in his right hand, and got as ready as possible.
Why am I doing this? His mind yelled at him. I should have listened to Tatsu, should have stayed out of this altogether. Too late now. Even as he thought this, his mind outside of the centre was coolly deciding which Death Eaters should be attacked first.
The Death Eaters were coming forward. Dimly Harry noticed that the Order of the Phoenix was coming also, ready to help fend off the Death Eaters.
"I should probably tell you to get out of the fighting again," Tatsu remarked. "But like you said, never give an order that you know won't be obeyed. Just don't die or get captured."
Harry smiled faintly, which seemed to put the Death Eaters off a little, then he was moving.
"Stupefy! Impedimenta! Tarantallegra! Rictusempra!" Harry yelled, hardly aware that he was even doing so. "Expelliarmus!" The spells wove and danced around him, and Harry danced with them, his body the weapon he'd been melding it to be for the past few months. Kicks and punches, trips, jumps and leaps faded, there was only movement.
Suddenly, hands caught his shoulders, he felt a wand tip press itself to his temple. "Don't move," a voice grated in his ear.
***
Oooh! Now there was a fun place to leave off! You hate me again, don't you?
For those of you who don't know, because I don't send you the update notice, and you don't have author alert, I have a new story, which is called After the Dawn – it's that AU that I was telling you about before! Please read and review! Don't worry, it shouldn't take too much away from this story!
~WolfMoon~