Everyone was silent in the room as they exchanged glances from one another to the headmaster who was currently slumped over his desk.
The four heads of house thought on their choices and could not see themselves committing the act of killing their once beloved headmaster. Not wanting to see him die, but knowing that they were betrayed by the one person they all trusted inexplicably with their problems, secrets and lives was unacceptable. There had to be something done about the current predicament so deciding separately they all chose the second option.
"I suggest that we keep the headmaster alive," Severus said. Slowly he looked over at all of the other faculty members that were deep in thought about the headmaster's predicament.
"I agree," Filius spoke up first.
After a moment's hesitation Minerva gave her reply also, "I agree."
"I agree," Pomona Sprout said, making the last of the four heads of house be heard.
"You have all spoken, there is no way to take back what I am going to do," Harry began. "I will have to brew a potion that will slowly make him lose his magical and mental strength deteriorates over a period of three weeks. This will allow the four of you time to decide what is going to happen to the school. But for now, I need to go back to my dorm and rest. This has been a very long day for us all and I need to take a break."
Harry stood up and concentrated on his image of Alexander the way he looked just after the battle. When he finished replacing his mask, he walked out of the headmaster's office and back to his dorm.
Ginny Weasley was still sitting in her dorm room by the window. She had watched the battle and saw Alexander use a Patronus. Warding off the Dementors that were surrounding him. There was something familiar about the Patronus but she couldn't place her finger on it. Her mind wandered back to her fourth year at Hogwarts during a session with the DA.
It was just before the DA was discovered by Professor Umbridge. They had been practicing Patroni and Harry showed them what it would look like to them producing his own patronus as an example, his was a stag.
The stag that she saw along with the phoenix matched Harry's patronus. Ginny knew that Alexander had to somehow be related to Harry, and she was determined to find out.
Harry waved his wand unlocking the doors to all the common rooms as he headed up to the entrance to Gryffindor tower. Saying the password 'peace' Harry walked inside to a quiet house, full of curious eyes staring back at him.
"How did you do it?" a younger Gryffindor asked him.
"Do what?" he replied trying to act like he knew nothing so that he could go to bed as soon as he possibly could.
"Destroy all of those things!" another Gryffindor shouted at him.
"I can't tell you that, but I would like to get some sleep if you could allow me to go up to my dorm, that would be great."
No one said anything as Harry pushed his way through the Gryffindors that were gathered in the common room, to the tower staircase that would lead him to his dorm.
Hearing all of the commotion down in the common room, Ginny came out of her dorm room in time to see Alexander ascend the stairs, up to the seventh year rooms. Following Alexander into his dorm she cleared her throat to announce her presence.
"Hey Ginny," Harry said looking anywhere but at the redhead.
"Alex, I was wondering if we could talk," she began not knowing how to address the topic of the battle.
"I suppose that we could talk right now, if it is really important," he sighed.
"It is," Ginny said while trying to collect her thoughts and courage. "Are you Harry Potter?"
Harry looked sharply up at Ginny staring right into her eyes seeing if she was joking. From what he could tell she was serious and sincere about in her question.
Not wanting to be heard or interrupted Harry put up several locking and silencing charms so that he could talk to Ginny privately.
"Why would you think that I was Harry Potter?" He questioned back hoping to waylay her suspicions.
"I was watching tonight when you were fighting the Dementors and I saw your patronus. From what I could see the stag looked like Harry's patronus from my fourth year here at Hogwarts. Either you are him or you must be related somehow. I know it."
Harry took a deep breath. This was exactly what he had been afraid of, one of his friends recognizing who he was because of his patronus. Releasing the breath that he didn't know that he was holding, Harry started to explain who he really was.
"Ginny, what I am about to tell you must not leave this room. Will you promise me that you will never repeat any portion of this conversation that we are about to have, to anyone?"
"Yes, but would it be possible to go somewhere more private?"
"What do you suggest?"
"The chamber of secrets, because I know that you are Harry," she folded her arms about her making her statement clear.
"Tomorrow after dinner then." Harry said in defeat.
"Ok," Ginny replied while getting ready to leave the room. "Oh and Harry, it's good to have you back."
Harry let Ginny out of his dorm room and quickly changed into his night clothing, exhausted because it was just after seven in the morning. Curling up in his bed, Harry closed his eyes to get some much needed rest.
Only able to sleep for three hours, Harry woke up in a cold sweat from the nightmare that he had. He couldn't remember what the nightmare was about, but whatever it was; it scared the crap out of him.
The dorm was empty because it was Saturday and most of the students were either in the great hall or somewhere on the Hogwarts grounds. Doing something other than the school work that would be due come Monday.
Deciding to take a much needed shower. Harry got up and went into the boys bathrooms, where he proceeded to wash away all of the blood and grime that he had accumulated during the battle. Letting the very hot almost scalding water pour over his body he thought about the potion he was going to make for the headmaster.
There were two potions that he could make that could render the headmaster insane; the first potion was letiter anima venenum, which was a deadly soul potion. The purpose of this potion was to destroy the soul or rather one's will. The second option was annullo conscientia venenum, which destroyed the brain functions of the victim. It would slowly shut down the brain activity, resulting in stopping the functions that sustained the body, thus killing the victim.
Both of these potions would eventually kill the drinker, but with the proper modifications would prolong the drinker's life. The effects of the potion would slowly work making it look like death by natural causes. If any other potion was given to the headmaster it would speed up the process causing death sooner.
'Dumbledore was going to die anyways, so why not speed up the time of his death?' Harry thought to himself.
Knowing that he needed to relax after the battle Harry decided to take a walk down to the dungeons.
Severus Snape sat in his private chambers thinking about all that had happened within the past 24 hours. He needed to relax and the only way he could think of relaxing was to drink himself into a stupor. So that is exactly what he did.
After the silent tension lingered on in his room for what seemed too last for hours, Severus heard someone knocking softly on his door. He went to the door and opened it, surprised to see Alexander standing in front of him.
"What do you want?" he snapped at the young wizard standing in front of him.
"To talk," Harry replied pushing his way past the startled drunk potion master and on into the living room.
Severus stumbled back into the room grabbing Harry by the scruff of his neck in the process. He pulled him directly in front of his face and said.
"Kiss me," Severus spoke with a low growl that came from deep within his throat.
The request startled Harry, he wasn't expecting to snog Severus senseless. He just wanted to talk things out with him, but they way that he was being spoken to made all of the blood rush down to his groin.
Severus pulled Harry even closer to him and placed his lips upon Harry's. Harry was so stunned that he first didn't respond to the kiss, but soon he opened his mouth allowing bond mate to do whatever he pleased with his tongue, as he continued to ravish Harry's mouth.
Severus clenched his fingers in Harry's hair and began to pull him even closer to him as he backed the younger wizard up to the wall. Pressing his body firmly against the young man trapping him between hot and cold.
Harry tried to struggle free but found that Severus only tightened the hold in his hair painfully, his other hand was gripping tight on his hip. Harry was sure there would be bruising from this.
Finally his mouth was free as Severus began to ravish the exposed neck with bruising kisses, nips and bites.
"Severus, we need to talk," Harry said while muttering a sobering charm underneath his breath.
The Potion Master immediately backed away from the young wizard turning to regain his composure.
"Severus, I need help making a potion for Dumbledore, I was wondering if you would like to help me?"
"What potion would I be making?" Severus asked, knowing that Harry couldn't make a potion to save his life.
"We will be making the annullo conscientia venenum. I don't think that you have ever heard of this potion."
"What does it do?" Curious now at the prospect of a new potion Severus listened intently.
"Annullo conscientia venenum destroys the subconscious of one's mind so it slows down the brain activity until it is too slow to fuction properly any more, thus claming the victims rational thinking. It's a painful potion, but if we were to alter the potion with some phoenix tears it would slow down the eventual effects of the potion."
"Are your telling me that you want to alter a potion that has never been brewed before. Then give it to the headmaster without knowing how long or what the side effects are going to be?"
"Sure why not?" Harry shrugged his shoulders and sat down in the nearest chair. Putting his feet up upon the low-lying mahogany table that was nestled in between the two high back leather chairs. Several potions texts scattered across the table layed open at odd intervals, looking like they had just been used along with several pieces of parchment. Resembling the student's essays that had red ink marked all over them with snide comments about their pitiful potion brewing.
Harry looked up at Severus to see a smirk form as he began to speak.
"Harry, I may be bonded to you, but I don't think now nor have I ever trusted you with volatile potions ingredients. Expecting me to allow your incompetence into my private stores, so that you can brew an experimental potion that has never been tested is utterly preposterous. Who knows what the outcome will be, for all I know, you could blow up my whole lab."
"All I need to know is, are you willing to work with me on this or not, I can get all of the ingredients with out having to get anything from your own personal stores. Also if you so are so afraid of my potion brewing skills we could work in your own classroom."
The Potions Master eyed Harry suspiciously wondering if they could actually work together, slowly he nodded his head in acceptance.
"I would prefer to do this in my personal lab thus prevent anyone intruding on the brewing process."
"I will send you the list of ingredients that you will need to pick up by the new moon which, is in five days. But for now I have to go take care of a few other things."
Harry got up from his seat and turned to leave coming face to face with his bonded. Holding his breath Harry waited to see what was going to happen with the tall dark and brooding wizard that stood before him.
After several minutes of the two wizards staring into each other's eves, Severus allowed the slightly shaking Harry Potter to escape.
Once Harry was beyond the door of the potions master chambers he took a deep breath to calm himself. He then decided to go up to the owlery to send a letter to Ginny.
Dear Ginny,
Meet me in Myrtle's bathroom at 10 tonight. I'll do my best to answer your questions.
Alexander
A tawny brown school owl sat on a small ledge ready to accept post. Harry tied the letter onto the owl's leg and watched as it flew off into the night.
AN: Please Review!!!!