Suicide Solution.

Notes: this is a Severitus Challenge, go to www.geocities.com\challengefics\thechallenge.htm To find out the 'rules' for a Severitus Challenge piece.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is recognisably harry potter-ish, and the Severitus challenge-ness belongs to the writer Severitus, userid=123967

Summary: A Severitus challenge, [Snape is Harry's father] Story begins at 11.59pm on July 30th. It's the summer before Harry's 6th year, and Harry's changing . . . (A Dark Harry fic)

Chapter 14

"What exactly are we researching again?" Blaise asked for the 3rd time since they had entered the library.

"The Penetratal Disk, Blaise. The homework for DADA, I want it done and out of the way so I can have more practice time with Campaspe." Harry replied while searching the isles for the origins of the PD.

"Where do you practice anyway?"

'In the room of requirement. I was going to ask father if I could use a dungeon room, seeing as all the DA from last year know about it and if I'm away and they want to check up on me that's probably where they'll look.'

"Ah, so there was a DA"

Harry looked over to Blaise and smirked

"Yep, 'Dumbledore' s army', it was Hermione's idea that, I, should instruct those who wanted to learn DADA"

Blaise nodded and the two went back to their researching. 20 minutes later Blaise signalled for Harry to join him. He was leaning up against an isle with his ear pressed to the books, listening to what was being said on the other side. Curious Harry went over to join him.

'Who is it? Can you tell by their mind?'

Blaise nodded

'It's Virginia Weasley and that Luna Lovegood girl'

Harry put his ear up against the isle too and listened to what the two girls were saying

"That's what Dean and Seamus said anyway." Ginny was saying "Ron said that Harry over heard them arguing this morning, but they don't think that Harry realised what they were arguing about."

"Just as well" Luna replied dreamily "He could be violent, but he seemed alright on the train"

"Yeah, but that was almost two months ago, and lately he' s been coming back into the common room late at night"

"Do you think it's a girl?"

"From which house? Not Gryffindor"

"Nor Ravenclaw." The two were quiet for a while then Luna spoke again "Maybe it's a Slytherin, that would explain the new attitude he's got."

"Ewww, but who?" Ginny squealed. It was quiet again then Ginny giggled, "Maybe it's not a girl, maybe. Maybe he's gay, and he's seeing some other guy."

'Some reputation you're gonna have if these to talk'

Blaise's voice was full of amusement as he teased harry.

'Haha,' Harry replied sarcastically 'I wonder if they know what Dean and Seamus were arguing about though'

Ginny and Luna were talking again

"I still think he's seeing a Slytherin, male or female" Ginny said matter or factly.

Luna giggled again and then said, "Come on it's nearly time for dinner. We'll solve this mystery later." They both walked out of the library and headed down to the great hall.

"Well shall we go to dinner too?" Harry asked Blaise

"Yeah let me just get those books." He walked over to the desk where Madam Pince stood and handed her a piece of parchment. She examined it for a while then headed off to the restricted section. Harry watched her go and then return a short while later with 4 books in her arms. She handed them to Blaise who nodded and walked back over to where Harry stood waiting.

'What did you get?' he asked curiously

'Not here, we'll meet in the third dungeon left of Snape's classroom after dinner.'

"Okay, let's go."

They picked up their bags and made their way down to the great hall. Separating only once they reached the doors.

'See you later Blaise'

'See you later Tanathos'

~S~

'Argh, if I wasn't hungry I would of have said to go straight to the dungeons.' Harry drummed his fingers of his left hand against the tabletop, and stared up at the ceiling again. 'God I'm bored'

'Cheer up, someone may think you're depressed if you're not careful' came Blaise's voice, harry looked over to the table, and saw Blaise watching him

He smirked over to him and replied 'aren't I though? I lost all I ever had as a family last June, and now the whole of Gryffindor has got the knock with me. Why cant I be depressed?'

'Why has Gryffindor got the knock with you?'

'Dunno. None of them are talking to me. Oh well, stupid stuck up prats.'

Blaise laughed, and harry smiled at him as he had got a few looks from the Slytherin's sitting by him

'Careful, you don't want a reputation of talking to yourself do you?'

'Hardly, but no matter.'

Harry continued to drum his fingers on the table then after getting well and truly bored he spoke to Blaise again

'Are you nearly done? I want to get out of here.'

'Nearly, do you have Campaspe with you?'

'Yeah, she's always with me'

'Aw how sweet' mocked Blaise

'Fuck you' harry shot back

'Oh I didn't think Gryffindor' s used words like that!'

'Ah but I'm half Slytherin remember'

'True. Okay lets go.'

Harry stood and walked out of the hall and down to the dungeons. Blaise was right behind him.

'One, two, three. Ah this is the one!'

'Honestly Tanathos one would think you're lacking a brain, with the way you talk sometimes.'

'Don't let my father her that, he'd be insulted!'

'And you don't think he is any way?'

Harry looked at Blaise

"Nah, probably scared that someone will find out"

"Find what out Mr Potter?" came a silky voice from the shadows behind them.

Harry looked innocently up at his father "Oh nothing sir. Nothing at all."

Snape sneered, "That is very unlikely. Follow me."

Snape walked into the classroom that harry and Blaise were standing in front of and once they had entered shut and locked the door behind them.

Snape turned to face the two 6th years

"Blaise, do you have the books?"

"Yes sir." He reached into his bag and pulled out the four books that madam Pince had gotten out of the restricted area before dinner.

"Good. Mr Potter"

"Don't call me that." Harry snapped as Snape addressed him

Blaise raised an eyebrow and Snape just sneered at him further

"What do you suggest I call you then? I cannot call you Mr Snape, for that would give everything away, also if I called you harry word would get back to the Dark Lord that I am being lenient to you and you just said that you do not want to be called Mr Potter. So what?"

"Tanathos. Or Mr Guerra." He replied cheekily

Harry smirked and Snape just looked shocked that anyone would take a cheeky tone with him

"Very well Tanathos. But you must know that during class time I will call you Mr Potter, are we clear?"

"Perfectly father. Perfectly."

"Where did that name come from any way?" Blaise asked harry

"Guerra means war and Tanathos is the Greek god of death" Harry replied

"That's Thanatos, not Tanathos"

"What?" Harry turned to face Snape who was flicking through one of the books

"The Greek god of Death. He was called Thanatos."

"Really? Oops." He shrugged "Oh well, I like the name Tanathos." He walked over to where Snape stood and read the book over his shoulder "Anything interesting in there?"

He enquired in a bored tone

"I am looking for the recipe for the Veilskurn potion."

Harry thought for a moment before saying in a voice of recognition "That's the potion Campaspe mentioned yesterday."

"That's right, Blaise?" Blaise stopped looking through one of the other books and looked up at Snape

"Sir?"

"Go into the students store cupboard and collect these ingredients." Snape handed him a piece of parchment that Harry hadn't noticed him writing on. Blaise took it and left the room.

"Now Tanathos I want you to read over the instructions, I will return in a short while with everything else that we need."

"Okay." Snape looked at him for a moment before turning and exiting the room too.

Harry sat on top of the desk and pulled the book onto his lap and began to read:

Veilskurn Potion

To cover up someone's appearance for 24hours.

The Veilskurn potion provides a physical cover of someone's appearance. It

can be used to conceal change or to freeze an appearance for 24 hours. If the subject wishes to continue using the Veilskurn potion over more than 24 hours consecutively they will have to take another dosage of the potion

after 23 hours.

Ingredients:

5 grams of Belladonna roots, thinly sliced

3 grams of wormwood, crushed

10 lacewig flies

7 leeches

4 grams of fluxweed, crushed

6 grams of knottgrass, finely chopped

1 powered horn of a Bicorn

15 grams of shredded skin of a Boomslang

minimum 3 drops of blood of whom the appearance is to be of.

Instructions:

Heat the belladonna roots in water,

When the water begins to boil slowly add the lacewig flies,

Wait 5 seconds,

Add the leeches one by one,

Wait 10 minutes, Sprinkle the powered horn of a bicorn in an anti- clockwise spiral, starting

outside and working inwards,

Wait 90 seconds,

Gently add the Boomslang,

Stir for 3 minutes in a clockwise direction,

Wait 15 seconds,

Add the fluxweed and knottgrass at the exact same time,

Wait 5 minutes,

Take off the heat,

Wait 30 minutes,

Add the wormwood slowly and evenly,

Stir 24 times in a clockwise direction slowly,

Add the drops of blood,

Leave sitting for 15 minutes.

Total time to prepare: 54 minutes 20 seconds

To store pour into a steel flask and keep sealed until needed.

Harry had just finished reading the instructions when the door to the dungeon room opened, he looked up and saw that both Blaise and Snape had returned, both levitating ingredients in front of them.

"Well Tanathos, have you read what you were asked to?" Snape questioned him as he began to set up the cauldron.

"Yep, most of the ingredients are the same as Polyjuice potion, 'cept that one doesn't have the Belladonna roots or the wormwood."

Snape stared at him, "how do you how to make Polyjuice?" he inquired

Harry faltered "Er . . . um . . . Hermione, Ron and I kinda made it in '92"

Blaise sniggered and harry scowled at him

"You made Polyjuice in your second year?" Snape asked him, ignoring Blaise

Harry nodded

"Very impressive, if you could do that then, how is it that you couldn't make simple potions last year?"

"I wasn't as focused last year"

"And why is that?"

"I was focused on Umbridge"

Snape smirked "As I expected. Such a lack of concentration. Do you have professor Campaspe with you?"

"I always have her with me." Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the photo frame.

"Engorgio. Wingardium Leviosa." He enlarged the portrait once more and affixed her to the wall of the dungeon.

"Good evening milady" he greeted her as the curtains opened

"Good evening Tanathos. Ah Severus are you making up the Veilskurn potion?"

"Yes professor. We shall begin shortly."

Campaspe thought for a while then spoke

"I assume that you can manage the potion by yourself?"

Snape looked insulted

"Of course professor."

"Good, Tanathos we are to continue your training, Blaise I wish you to test his shields and in a while I want you two to duel. Okay."

"Yes ma'am" replied Blaise

"Of course milady." Tanathos responded with a smile.

"Good, Severus get to work on that potion. Tanathos I want you to bring up the unyielding shelter again, without your wand."

Tanathos placed his wand on the desk and moved into the centre of the room.

"Adamans Defendo!" the silver shield appeared again, slightly bolder than the last time but not as clear as when he used his wand.

"Blaise attack him with a simple spell, if the shield holds increase the spells power."

Blaise nodded and turned to Tanathos

"Stupefy!" he cried, a beam of red shot forward and was deflected by the shield, Blaise cancelled the spell and pointed his wand at Tanathos again

"Rictusempra!" a jet of silver light sped out of the tip of his wand and was once again reflected by the shield. Blaise cancelled it too and once again took aim

"Tarantallegra!" this time it was a faint pink-red light that shot towards Tanathos and was reflected by the shield. Cancelling it Blaise took aim again, and just as he was about to cast Sopor, the sleeping charm when the shield flickered and died, Tanathos swayed slightly before falling to the ground.

Dropping his wand arm, Blaise ran forward and caught him before he hit the floor.

"Hey Tanathos, wake up." He was hitting Tanathos on the side of his face, gently at first then harder.

'Hey Tanathos you stupid git wake up!' Blaise shouted into his mind. Tanathos 's eyes snapped open and he let out a shout of surprise, Blaise was laughing at him and Tanathos snarled at him

"That wasn't funny! You scared the shit out of me!"

Blaise was still laughing and to their surprise so was Snape and Campaspe. The two 6th years stared in shock at their potions professor, who was sniggering quietly.

"Blaise help him up and I suggest you leave the castings for a while so that Tanathos can recover his energy, the unyielding shield is a tiring spell."

He smirked then addressed Campaspe who was watching with amusement

"He is doing well, is he not?"

Campaspe smiled at Tanathos before answering

"Yes he has, he is taking after his father."

She smiled at Severus

"You should be proud of him, and try not to put him down all the time, if you wish to take him to the Christmas party, he'll have to get to know you better. You can't keep up your twin act for much longer Severus. You will have to choose eventually. But who?"

Snape wasn't looking at the portrait anymore he was back working on the potion. Tanathos was sitting on a desk leaning back against one of the cold stone walls, and Blaise was sitting on a chair watching lady Campaspe.

"Is the potion nearly completed yet father?"

Snape answered without looking up

"It just needs a few drops of your blood Tanathos, come here."

Tanathos stood and walked over to the cauldron. Standing in front of it he held his arm out over the open top and waited. Snape picked the cutting knife up and made a small incision across one of his veins. Tanathos watched as the blood dripped into the cauldron, turning the dark green potion a deep purple before settling on a dark brown/black colour. Tanathos pulled his arm back once Snape had healed it with a tap of his wand.

"We'll bottle it in 15 minutes, you can take a dosage before you head up to your dormitory then again in 23 hours time. Clear"

"Yes father."

Snape smirked "Good."

Tanathos sat back down again and had another one of the books open on his lap, he read in silence for 5 minutes then asked

"Why did you get these other three books out, if the one with the potion is in that one?" he signalled to the thick black book lying open on the table next to the cauldron.

"Because, the other three books are Dark Arts ones. I had Blaise get them out for your training."

Tanathos nodded, and went back to his reading. He was mid-way through the background of the Caecus Hex (which renders the victim blind for ten minutes) when Snape walked over to him and handed him a goblet filled with the black liquid.

Slowly he took the goblet and held the goblet in front of his face, looking around the room he saw that all three were watching him.

'Go on Tanathos.'

Tanathos looked at Blaise who smiled lightly, sighing Tanathos drunk the thick liquid quickly. It wasn't as disgusting as the Polyjuice potion but it wasn't as tasty as a calming draught.

His body shivered, and he put the goblet down.

"Well when will we know if it's made any difference?" he asked Campaspe

"I suggest that during the Christmas holidays, you don't take it for one night. The next morning when you wake up, you will be back to what you really look like."

Tanathos nodded and jumped off the table after looking at his watch.

"Right, well it's almost curfew so we have to get back to the dormitories. Mimmalisk." The portrait shrunk back down to its pocket size.

"Good night Severus, Blaise. Good night lord Tanathos."

"Good night milady." All three men replied.

He put the picture back into his pocket then took the flask that Snape held out to him. Tanathos put it in his second pocket, picked up his wand and said good night to Snape. Blaise followed him out of the room and they stopped for a while.

"Here, take these with you." Blaise was holding out the 4 books he had got out earlier in the day.

Tanathos took them off him

"Thanks, when are they due back?"

"In a month. But you can copy them before you have to hand them back. Just pick up a note book next time you're in Hogsmeade."

Tanathos smirked at him "Yeah good plan. See you tomorrow Blaise."

"See you tomorrow Tanathos."

The two went their separate directions and neither noticed the small figure of one Ginny Weasley standing in the shadows watching them.

Once they were out of earshot she stepped forward in shock.

"Oh my god. Harry's with Blaise. Luna's gonna love this!"

Smiling to herself she made her way quickly up to the Gryffindor common room.

~S~

AN: there you go a lovely long one. Sorry I haven't posted in a while but I was out at parties both Friday and Saturday night. I hope the length of this one made up for the delay!

Also the Caecus Hex is another from Not Myself, once again I thank and praise Saerry Snape for creating Harry and Ni!!!

Keep reading and reviewing!

LS