Ok here is the next little bit. This chapter has no beta. I've tried to get a hold of her, but I think my e-mail is not working right. I miss you Eternal Cosmos! ;_; Anyway, hope you enjoy, and please don't kill me... ^_^
Severus Snape and the Boy-Who-Is-Missing
Harry walked down one of Hogwarts many halls, alone. Everyone else was in the great hall, just starting lunch. He was glad he was the only one out; it gave him time to think and not be goggled at.
Ever since the beating he received from Ron, the students whispered around him, pointing him out to their friends as he walked by. Sometimes he ignored the students, other times he would wave or wink at them. Harry was especially happy they did none of this in his class. He honestly felt like he was back in school, back when he found out he was a Parselmouth.
Clearing his head, Harry made his way towards the great hall. He did not wish to show himself, he merely wanted to watch the students and staff. The doors to the hall were not completely closed, so he stood in front of them, watching through the small crack.
A storm of owls flew in, delivering mail to the students and staff. Harry watched Severus pick up his Daily Prophet; read a line of it and then drop it as if the paper burned him. Harry also heard several students gasp as they read their news paper.
Wrapped up in watching this display, the one eyed wizard almost missed hearing feet running his way. Turning to his left he saw Hermione running towards him, carrying a sleeping Clarice.
"What's wrong?" He asked as she neared him.
To answer, she pushed the Daily Prophet into his hands and there in big bold letters were the words:
Harry Potter, the Pirate
Vladimir, Dark Prince of the Seas, Unmasked
Sighing, Harry looked up at Hermione. "How did they find out?"
"Ron," She stated. "Harry, he is not himself."
"Who is?" He asked bitterly, looking down at the news paper.
"I don't know who he is anymore, Harry," she said, tears welling up in her eyes. "He got angry last night. I don't know why, but he hit me, Harry."
"Are you alright?" He asked her; surprised that Ron would ever raise his hand to Hermione. When they were at school, Ron worshiped her.
"I think so." She looked down at the sleeping child in her arms. "I had to get out of there. I need a place to stay."
"We will find you one," Harry said, pulling her in to an embrace. "Meet me in the infirmary and I'll take you to my ship. Perhaps you could help Dudley keep an eye on Sirius."
"Sirius?" She asked.
"I'll explain later," Harry said, turning to the large double doors of the great hall. "But right now, I must do something." Nodding her head, Hermione left for the hospital wing.
Taking in a deep breath, Harry pushed the door completely open and walked confidently in to the hall. Minerva and the rest of the staff, except for Severus, stood and pointed their wands at the leather clad pirate.
"I am not here to fight." He held up his hands. When the professors made no move to sit, Harry growled out, "Fine." With a wave of his hand, the doors to the hall slammed shut and the professors wands flew into Harry's out stretched hand. The students, who wanted to defend their professors, found they could not move.
"Please do sit down." Harry said to the staff of Hogwarts. "This will only take a moment." Reluctantly all the professors took their seats and either glared at Harry or Severus who just took a bite out of his sandwich.
Taking off his cloak, Harry showed everyone just how dangerous he was. A sword and wand hung at his left side. On his right, hung a cross bow. Around his right leg was a band filled with throwing knives. Two daggers were in his folded down thigh highs and at the small of his back there were two holsters complete with pistols.
"I am Harry Potter." He addressed the hall.
"Why are you here?" A Gryffindor blurted out.
"I am here to make something very clear." Harry's voice rung through out the hall. "I am not, nor will I ever be a Dark Lord. I am not here to harm any of you or take over the school… or the world, for that mater." Snatching a Daily Prophet off the head table, Harry crumpled the paper in his hands. "I stand before all of Hogwarts to tell you there is a battle coming."
The noise leave in the hall increased as the students started talking all at once. Tiring of if, Harry gestured for them to be quiet. Once the hall was silent, he continued. "I will not lie to you. This battle started between Albus and I. He believed I was turning in to the next Voldemort." Harry didn't stop as several of the students and staff shuddered at the name. "He believed I was gathering the remaining Death Eaters together. No matter how many times I and others have told him it was not true, he still did not believe us."
"Where is the Headmaster now?" A little girl from Hufflepuff asked.
"That, I do not know." Harry answered honestly. "But as far as I know, he is well." Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "Now, before you ask me any more questions, let me explain what is happening." Pausing for a moment, the pirate went on. "This battle was between Albus and I, but from some information I have received, it seems Albus is no longer in this battle. Someone else is heading their troops and that is a big problem for all of us.
"Albus would never attack me on Hogwarts ground, but I'm afraid Hogwarts is where it will be. Many of your parents, sisters, and brothers will either be fighting against, or with me. So I am giving everyone here a choice. Stay here and continue your education or go home. It's that simple. If you chose to stay here, I will protect each and every one of you."
"Are you saying you think our parents will attack Hogwarts with us inside?" A boy from Ravenclaw shouted out.
"With the wrong person leading your parents, anything is possible." Harry walked down so he was in between the Ravenclaw/Gryffindor tables. "Understand that I am not a bad man. This battle should not be happening, but it is. Even if all of you write to your homes telling everyone that I have not harmed anyone or that I am not running the school, they will not believe you. Try it, if you wish.
"I only ask this; do not join the battle. Children have no place on a battle field, even if that field is their school. Stay or go. I do not wish to see any of your faces among the crowds. And do not trust anyone who wishes for you to be there." Turning to look at the head table, Harry added, "Inform whom ever you wish about my whereabouts, but ask yourself this; what kind of person would attack a school full of children?" Smiling for the professors, Harry nodded once to Severus and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Everyone in the hall started talking at once as soon as Harry was out of sight. Standing up on shaking legs, Minerva addressed the hall. "Everyone to their dorms and stay there until further notice. All classes are canceled until then." Turning to the professors she said, "I want everyone in the staff lounge in thirty minuets." She watched as the professors hurried out of the hall, all of them, except for Severus. "I want Harry in the lounge with us. I want to know exactly what is going on."
"I will talk to him." Snape replied, finishing off his sandwich. "Perhaps I could even persuade him to give you back your wands." Minerva's face paled ever so slightly when she remembered Severus was the only professor with a wand. "Don't worry, he will give them back."
"How can you be so sure?" She asked her long time friend.
"I have faith in him. He is a good man, Minerva. Despite his dark presence, he is still the Gryffindor boy that came here years ago." Standing, Severus picked up Harry's cloak he left behind. "I'm going to show you what the other side did to Sirius." Extending his arm out to her, she took it. "Maybe when you see Black, you will understand why I stand faithfully behind Harry Potter."
"What about Albus, Severus? Have you lost your trust in him?" She asked as they headed out to the lake.
"My trust in the old man is as strong as it always was." Severus sighed. "But there is something not right, Minerva. Albus and Harry should be on the same side. This fight, I do not believe is for Hogwarts, it's to kill Harry. I get the feeling that this battle is personal. I know Harry thinks so too."
"Is Sirius hurt that badly?" The Headmistress asked as they came into view of the pirate ship Mistrust.
"Once you've seen him, you'll know it was not Albus's doing." Severus smiled sadly for Minerva as she took in all he was saying.
***
"You are a fool, you know." Albus stood bravely in front of the colossal Ron, glaring at his ex-student.
"A fool?" The tall red headed man glared down at the boy.
"You are going to attack Harry at Hogwarts!" The little boy shouted, trying to make the larger man understand. "Only a mad man would do such a thing!"
"A mad man?" Ron asked in a whisper as he looked around the small room. His eyes were wild, as if he didn't recognize the place he was in. With out warning, Ron put his hands over his ears, and gave out a blood chilling scream. He fell to the ground, hands still covering his ears.
The small Albus cautiously walked up to Ron, worried about him. Gently he reached out and touched the larger man on the shoulder. It seemed to calm him down, his screaming stopped and his breath evened out. But swiftly Ron looked up at Albus with bright, blood red, snake eyes and back handed the boy across the face. The force of the blow sent the little boy to the floor.
"Never touch me." Ron hissed with venom in his voice.
Albus looked up at Ron in surprise. "Tom?"
"That name has no meaning to me, old man." Ron laughed harshly as he walked out of the cell-like room, leaving a worried little boy behind.
"I must find a way to get to Hogwarts." He said to himself, looking through his barred window. Little did he know that he would see the majestic castle soon enough.
***
"Stop looking at me like that." Severus barked at the round table full of professors. Each one looking at him as if he had just killed their favorite pet.
Moments later, Minerva walked in with Harry at her side. She sat in one of the vacant chairs as Harry continued standing. "I apologize for taking your wands, but I don't believe you would have let me speak if I did not." He handed each professor their wand. "It is not fair to keep those children in the dark. Their lives are on the line, just as yours and mine are."
"What are you up against Harry?" Minerva asked.
"I'm not sure." He said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I was up against Albus and his allies, but the game has changed. You saw Sirius. You know that he was tortured for information. Information I'm sure Albus already has. So, I am not dealing with Albus anymore." Pausing, he asked, "Has anyone heard from him?"
All around the table the professors shook their heads. Bowing his head in thought, Harry sharply turned around as the door to the teachers lounge swung open. With the help of a cane, Draco Malfoy stood in the door way.
"I'm not late, am I?" He asked with a weak smile. With Harry's help he sat in a chair next to Minerva. She smiled at the pale blond, only to frown when a seventh year Slytherin boy rushed up to the door out of breath.
"You… need to… infirmary." He gasped out, showing the professors his blood stained hands.
All the professors, excepted for Draco, jumped out of their seats and were on their way to the hospital wing. Harry, despite the blonde's protest, picked up Draco and carried him as he ran with the professors.
There in the hospital wing was little Albus Dumbledore; sitting on a vacant bed, tears rolling down his face as Poppy used all of her skills on Hagrid. The half giant was on the bed across from Albus; blood spilling on to the floor from wounds Poppy had already tried to close earlier.
"Clear!" Poppy yelled at the students trying to help her. Satisfied they were not touching Hagrid, a jolt of energy discharged out of her wand and into Hagrid. His body raised little off the bed, but nothing else. "Breath for me Hagrid!" She yelled at him and continued to do everything she could.
Everyone stopped dead in the doorway, watching. Pushing his way through the professors, Harry placed Draco on a bed and walked towards the little Headmaster.
"Albus," he whispered softly. The little boy turned to look at Harry and flung himself in the man's arms, crying his eyes out.
" Vladimir ." The boy cried.
"It's Harry, Albus." The pirate said as he stroked the boy's hair.
"I don't care." He sniffled. "Can you help?"
"I was brought up to fight, to survive, Albus." Harry answered sorrowfully. "I would do more harm than good." The little boy in his arms nodded as he buried his head in Harry's chest. Harry pulled the boy closer as he watched Poppy fight a losing battle.
No one moved as the Mediwitch tried to get Hagrid's heart to start. She only stopped when a hand landed on her shoulder. Looking up at Severus, she started to brake down.
"You've done all you could." He said in an unbelievably soothing voice. "He's gone, Poppy." She nodded sadly, as Minerva came up beside her and pulled her into a hug.
"Who did this?" Harry asked Albus.
"Voldemort," the boy cried. "Hagrid protected me as we escaped. He died for me."
"Voldemort is dead." Harry said, shocked. "I should know. I killed him."
"No," Albus whispered. "He's not stable." Albus cried again and Harry wanted to ask him more, but Minerva stopped him.
"This is not a good time." She whispered to Harry. Reluctantly he nodded and gave into his own sorrow about Hagrid's death and joined Albus in his mourning.