(15)The Finals

Snape froze to his spot & stared! This is it! It's finished?

"Guess she won't be needing this anymore!" Lucious yanked off Merida's protection pendant & threw it aside.

No, I won't allow it! Snape pulled out his wand.

"Cruccio!" Lucious commanded & Merida dropped to the floor under it's torture. "Drop it! NOW, Severus! Or she'll die like that! Which I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing!" Snape threw his wand aside, defeated. Lucious released the Crucio & snatched up Merida again. As he did so, Mystique fell off her belt & clattered onto the floor.

"It was you?!" Lucious picked up the sword. "Mystique? Well, the Master will be pleased that I caught his treacherous "bird"!" He threw Mystique down the hall, narrowly missing Snape.

"How could you catch her?" Snape asked. "You were far behind us!"

"Short cut!" Lucious sneered. "Behind a tapestry! I came out here & snatched Merdia as she came around the corner---OW!"

Merida had stomped down on his foot! "Just be thankful I'm not wearing my riding spurs!" Merida tried stepping on him again!

"Come here!" Lucious snapped. "Stop it!" He pulled her close to him & raised his wand. "Avada Kedavr--!"

"LUCIOUS, WAIT!" Snape yelped. "Just let her go! What did she ever do to you?"

Lucious lowered his wand. "Nothing!" he smiled. "This is your fault, remember?" He raised his wand again.

"Ooohhh!" Harry fell under his cloak, holding his festering scar. "Someone used Cruccio! We'll never make it!"

"There's that tapestry!" Ron pointed. "Let's use that! Hardly anyone knows it's a short cut! Maybe we could get ahead!" He picked Harry up & pulled the cloak more firmly around them.

Harry began to push aside the tapestry. "What's that?" Harry looked around. Voices from down the hall could be heard & they were getting closer. Harry & Ron flattened themselves against the wall as Dumbledore & the Order passed by.

"It's an all out attack!" said Mad-Eye Moody.

"Yes, Allastor!" Dumbledore agreed. "Let's get outside before the Dementors come! Has anyone seen Severus?"

"No!" Lupin answered. "But knowing him, he's probably already out there!"

"An attack?" Harry gasped.

"Dementors!" Ron said. Harry pushed aside the tapestry again & entered with Ron.

"Yeah!" Harry scoffed. "Hardly anyone! This tunnel is never used!" Harry nodded to a few crawly things on the walls!

"Harry?!" Ron squeaked as he pulled out his wand, ready to aim it at any spider that dared to move so much as an eye out of place!

Harry rolled his eyes! "Come on!" They headed for the other end of the tunnel. Harry slowly pulled aside the second tapestry a crack. He stepped back to Ron in shock. "It's Lucious!" Harry whispered. "He's got Merida!"

"What do we do?!" Ron squeaked again.

Harry took a moment to think. He looked at Ron. "Take my cloak & get out!"

"But what about you?" Ron asked.

"I'll be fine just get out while you can!" Harry glared. Ron wondered what Harry was up to but took the cloak on himself & slowly stepped out behind Lucious. When he was free of the tapestry, Ron headed down the hall toward Snape. Lucious was just raising his wand the second time to kill Merida.

"Cruccio!"

Snape dared to look at Merida. So, Lucious will torture her to death? Oddly enough, however, Merida was fine! It was Lucios who was on the floor! Merida picked up her wand as Harry Potter stepped out behind the tapestry & held his wand at Lucious!

"Mr. Potter!" Snape's voice was almost a whisper. "Release the Dark Spell at once! It's an Unforgivable! You know that!"

Harry glanced at Snape & then down to Lucious. he finally decided to release the spell. "Accio wand of Malfoy!" Snape commanded & the wand flew to his hand as he picked up his own wand.

"Oh, Harry!" Merida sobbed.

Snape pointed his wand at Lucious. "Albus's office! NOW! Or you'll wish you had! Move!" He & Merida kept their wands on Lucious as Harry followed behind. Ron just stared from under the cloak, not believing what he just saw!

Snape forced Lucious into a chair when they got to Dumbledore's office & cast a binding spell on him. "I've half a mind to put you beside him, Potter!" Snape snapped. "But the Dementors are here & we could use your help! Don't make me any more angry than I already am with you or else!" Snape marched downstairs & outside with Harry & Merida.

"Expecto Patronus!" The three of them sent forth their shields. Snape & Merida glanced shyly at each other as their dolphins flipped out while Harry's stag bounded along beside.

"Get down!" Snape yanked Harry & Merida down behind a garden wall. A spell flew past them & slammed into the side of the castle, knocking off a few bricks.

"What was that?" Harry asked.

"I don't think I want to know!" Merida half-laughed.

"It's Doloros Umbridge!" Snape peered around the wall. "What is she doing here among Death Eaters & Dementors?"

"Probably looking for you, father!" said Merida. "Is she a Death Eater?"

"No!" Snape thought for a moment. "But she acts like one! Wait here!" Snape got up & headed around the wall.

"Now he's up to something!" Harry said.

"Father's favourite line!" Merida laughed. "Want to follow?"

"Let's!" Harry & Merida jumped up & ran after Snape. What Harry saw next just about caused him to have a heartattack!

Snape was close to Umbridge & had his wand raised. "Ssshhiiiieeth Sssaithsssheee!"

Harry could only stare! "Parsle!" he gasped. "He spoke the snake language!!" Harry looked at Merida. "Can you or can you not speak Parsle?"

"I can't & I didn't know he could!" Merida whispered. "What did he say?"

"Dark Mark!" Harry said.

Umbridge grasped her arm as Snape's spell burned into her. "What are you doing?!?!"

"Anyone with the mark of a Death Eater must go to Azkaban until pardoned or charged!" Snape said with his usual half-smile! "You've earned the right to bare the Mark! I'm surprised you weren't scarred with it before this!"

Harry & Merida hurried back to the wall. Snape showed up moments later. "Don't bother hiding!" he snapped at them. "I felt your presence over there!"

"Stupid telepathy!" Merida muttered.

"You speak Parsle!" Harry yelped. "Why didn't you say so?"

Snape sighed. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times! It's looked down upon to able to talk to snakes! Besides, Dark Mark is the only Parsle I know for the Dark Lord created that incantation in Parsle to scar a new follower with his Mark & taught all of us how to use it! I couldn't talk to a snake if my life depended on it!" Snape glanced out to where the Dementors were retreating. "Looks like Albus has it under control!" he glared down at Harry. "Let's get to his office!"

"Father, don't do anything rash!" Merida pleaded, casting a worried look to Harry.

"Silence!" Snape hissed. "Mr. Potter? Let's go!"

Dumbledore was already there when Snape appeared with Harry & Merida. "Headmaster.....," Snape began but Dumbledore put a hand up to stop him.

"I already know, Severus!" Dumbledore looked sadly at Harry. "I know you were trying to protect Merida but why Cruccio? There were plenty of jinxes available without have to use black magic?"

"I know!" Harry hung his head. "I don't know what possessed me to do it!"

Dumbledore sighed. "Your trial is already set for August 25." Harry stared at Dumbledore while Merida looked imploringly to her father but Snape was avoiding her eyes. "If all goes well, you will be able to return to Hogwarts for you final year! For now, you can finish off the finals coming up in a month! Now," Dumbledore looked at Lucious Malfoy. "you can go to Azkaban! I'll add attempted murder to your list of charges!"

Harry flopped down onto the sofa in the common room. Trial? Again? He couldn't believe it! What a way to end his 6th year! Harry sighed.

"Get through the exams first, then worry about the trial!" Merida said.

Ron entered the common room. "Here, Merida!" he handed her Mystique.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Finals first!"

The final weeks of the year came fast & the last exams were upon them.

"He failed us!" Ron retorted to Harry, Neville & Merida. "I know he failed us! We'll never make OWL level in potions!"

Merida rolled her eyes in agreement! "Let's get to the Great Hall!"

Everyone ate well at the end-of-term feast. Gryfindor won again, much to the dismay of Draco, Crabbe & Goyle! Students slowly filed out to pack for the train leaving the next morning. Merida stayed behind at the Gryfindor table sipping pumkin juice & reading her report card.

Snape sat down beside her. "Fixed your necklace!" He handed it too her. Merida put it back on & gazed at the little dolphin carved into it. "It's because of your mother," Snape started. "She could talk to dolphins! Perhaps you have inherited that?"

"I don't know! I've never met a dolphin!" said Merida.

"I'm by the sea during the summer!" Snape hinted at something. He glanced awkwardly at Merida. "I---mmmm---you--would you like to stay with me this summer?"

Merida spat out a mouthful of juice across the table! When she stopped choking & sputtering, Merida laughed at Snape in disbelief! "Excuse me?!" she gasped out!

"Here, I must be your Professor," Snape started. "But during the summer, I can be a father! No war between our Houses & no points to lose! Just us?"

"Hmmm, 8 whole weeks of free time to spend going crazy in an eternal living hell!" Merida said sarcastically. "That's interesting! That's VERY interesting!"
A long moment of silence passed & Snape was beginning to wonder if Merida would except.

"Alright, then!" Merida suddenly said.

"What?" Snape returned to reality.

"I said I'll try it!" Merida rephrased herself. "I'll spend one summer with you but you had better be nice to me?"

"I'll try!" Snape muttered.

"My riding lessons?" Merida reminded him.

"Done deal!" Snape gritted his teeth.

"Fine, I'll stay with you!" Merida said.

"Fine!" Snape agreed.

"Fine then!" Merida said. "I'll get ready to leave!"

"Fine!" Snape stood up. "See you on the Hogwarts Express tomorrow morning!"

"Fine, then!" Merida crossed her arms. Oh, joy!

"Fine!" Snape walked away. Could someone please use the Avada Kedavra on me? What AM I doing?!