Chapter Fourteen: Redutis, corroborro, sanguis, aliqued

Dumbledore's stride was quick as they returned to the castle. Harry and the others were hard pressed to keep up with the elderly wizard, who was silent until they approached the main entrance.

"Each of you, go and get your things... all of them. I am sorry, but you will have to leave your owls here over the break... I am afraid that we do not have time to go to the Owlery for them... I will see to it that they are cared for. If anyone asks, say nothing... only that you have been told to have your things ready. Stay in your dorms once you have prepared. Someone will come for you."

"Professor?"

"I assume that you want this done, Harry? The animation of your parent's portrait?"

"It has to be done, Professor... they have information..."

"Yes."

"But why...?"

"Because as soon as Molly Weasley finds out what is going on, she will very, very quickly try to stop us. Ron, Ginny, I am not one to tell anyone to go against their parents wishes, but this... this is different."

"We understand that, Professor," Ron nodded, glancing at Ginny.

"What we are about to do can be dangerous. Your mother would be aware of this. The moment that..."

"We understand," Ginny nodded. "We'll wait in our dorms. Who will come?"

"I do not know yet," Dumbledore admitted. "There are those we will require to complete the spells... just promise me, each of you, that no matter who it is, you will do as they tell you to do, and go where they take you, without question."

"Of course, Professor," Harry nodded. "We'll wait in our dorms."

They headed to the Gryffindor Tower and parted in the empty Common Room, Ginny and Hermione heading for their dorms, and Ron and Harry heading up to the Seventh Year boys dorm.

"Well, you know, mate, it's certainly not been boring."

"What?"

"Being at school with you, being your friend." Ron shook his head as they entered. Neville, Dean and Seamus were snoring.

Harry, smiling, headed quickly to his bed and began packing quietly. At last, he lit his wand and checked under his bed, finding nothing, and closed his trunk.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Were you scared?"

"All the time, Ron."

"No," Ron's voice shook. "I mean tonight... Hermione..."

"She's braver than we give her credit for, I think."

"I know."

"Look, Ron..."

"What?"

"I mean... I know that Hermione needs to come... with what happened... but you and Ginny..."

"Don't even go there."

"Ron..."

"My sister would skin you if she could hear you right now, and I'm not far off it, mate, so shut it while you still can."

Harry was silent then, thinking about the risks his friends were taking. Staring into the darkness, he waited for their escort to arrive.

What seemed like hours later, the door to their dormitory opened and closed almost silently. Harry sat up looking at the figure that emerged from the darkness.

"Professor Snape?"

"You will come with me," Snape said, pulling his cloak back. "Where is Weasley?"

"I think he fell asleep," Harry whispered.

"Then wake him," Snape said coldly. "We do not have much time."

"Ron..." Harry leaned over his friend, who had slumped sideways on his bed. "Ron!"

"Huh?"

"It's time..."

"I... okay... who...?"

"Snape is here to take us..."

"Snape?" Ron sat up straight.

"Quiet, Weasley, or I will take great pleasure in casting a silencing charm on you," hissed the Potions Professor.

Ron was silent.

"Where are your things?"

"Here."

"You will have to carry them."

"I can shrink them," Harry said, quickly shrinking both his and Ron's trunks, handing Ron his as he slid his own into his pocket. Ron followed suit.

Snape stared at him, hard, for a moment before walking towards them and holding out his wand.

"I am going to disillusion both of you. You will then walk behind... trying not to trip over your own feet, and follow me. Silently."

"Yes, Professor," Harry nodded.

Harry felt the cold from his head down as Snape disillusioned him. He had felt this feeling once before when MadEye Moody had cast the spell on him before taking him away from the Dursleys before fifth year. It was an odd sensation, especially when you looked down and couldn't see yourself.

"Wicked!" Ron breathed.

"Silence!" Snape spat at them. "Now, follow me."

Walking through the corridors of Hogwarts in the dark of night, following Snape, and not being able to see yourself was a very odd sensation, Harry decided before they hit the staircases. But he followed, silently, and kept in mind what Dumbledore had said.

No matter who comes for you, promise me you will go, and do as you are told.

But why did he have to send Snape?


They walked silently through the corridors. Harry saw no one else, but figured that if anyone saw Snape walking through the corridors after one in the morning, they would probably hide. Quickly.

They went directly to the Headmaster's office and Snape bit out the password as they approached. Harry noticed, however, that the statue had already started moving, a split second before. He wondered if Snape had noticed.

Up the staircase and through to Dumbledore's office.

"Ah, Severus... you have them both?"

"Disillusioned. Behind me. Assuming they managed to keep up," the potions professor said drolly.

"Wonderful... Harry, Ron?"

"Yes, Professor?" Harry said, and nearly laughed when Dumbledore jumped.

With a smile, the old Headmaster nodded in Harry's general direction. "Gets me every time, that. Through the Floo with both of you, then... to Potter Manor. We will follow."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, and then, forgetting that Snape couldn't see him, he turned to him. "Thank you, Professor Snape."

Snape gave a small start, and Harry couldn't tell if it was because he couldn't see him, or if the thanks had been unexpected. Stepping forward, Snape held out his wand.

"Come here.. I will counter the disillusionment. You cannot travel through the Floo network that way."

Harry stepped forward and touched the older man's hand, guiding his wand up to tap on his head. The familiar warmth enveloped him, and he nodded to Snape.

"Thank you," he said, taking a handful of floo powder and in a moment, he was gone.

Arriving at Potter Manor, he stumbled out of the hearth and righted himself, only to find himself looking up into the kind, watery blue eyes of Remus Lupin.

"Remus!"

"Hello, Harry," Remus nodded.

"Ron's just..." Harry looked past the werewolf to see Ginny and Hermione huddled together, Hermione clutching a completely disgusted Crookshanks in her arms. Without thinking twice, he moved forward and pulled both girls into his arms. "...coming."

Ginny buried her face in his chest, and Hermione, a little taller, leaned her forehead against his chin.

"Okay?" He asked softly.

"Just tired."

"No... side effects?"

"No," she said. "It healed over immediately."

"You don't feel different?"

She leaned back and smiled up at him. "You mean besides finally having the brother I always wanted?"

"Besides that," he nodded.

"No, not really. A little... lightheaded, I suppose... but it's nearly two in the morning, and it's been a very eventful day."

"We'll get you some rest as soon as we can," Harry said, hugging her with his right arm as he clutched Ginny to him with his left.

At that moment, Ron stepped through the floo and came to them. Hermione threw her arms around him and Harry could tell by the way he held her, and the way her back was shaking that she'd finally given into the tears. Ron, surprisingly, did not look panicked, but merely held her close and buried his face in her bushy brown hair.

At the arrival of the two professors, Harry looked over Ginny's bright head and caught Dumbledore's eye. "The girls need sleep, Professor. They're tired and frightened, and they've been through a lot tonight."

"Yes, I know Harry..." Dumbledore looked regretfully at him. "I know... as soon as we have the potion ingredients, you all can get some rest."

"But..."

"I have asked Professor Snape along to brew the potion, Harry. Miss Granger is tired. It is the middle of the night, and she will have to let her own blood. This needs to be done quickly, Harry. The moment that you are all found missing... well, I would prefer to be able to simply say where you are when I get the inevitable questions from Molly Weasley."

"I understand, sir... Ron and Ginny don't need to..."

"Harry, you can't..." Ron interrupted.

"I have to do this, Ron, and now, I guess, so does Hermione... but you and Ginny..."

"But...!" Ron said.

"You need to rest, and I can just imagine what your mum..."

"Bloody hell, Harry, would you accept the help of the people who care about you?"

Harry stopped, looking startled at his friend for a moment. "I have, Ron. I've always accepted your help. You've always been right beside me."

"So why do you expect me to back off this time?"

"Because you never expect anyone to stick around forever, do you, Harry?" Ginny asked, her small voice furious. "But this time, this time, you'll believe it. Or I swear to Merlin..."

Harry swallowed again. Ginny Weasley's eyes had filled with angry tears.

"Okay..." he sighed. "Okay."


They congregated in the den, in front of the painting. Harry looked at Professor Snape as he cleared off the small table that sat in front of the sofa and began placing his tools and ingredients on it.

"Can I help?"

Snape looked up. "When the times comes, yes. However, as Potions has never been your strong suit... I would prefer it if Miss Granger would be so kind as to assist me."

Hermione nodded, handed Crookshanks to Ron, and moved over to help the Professor. It was a testament to how much Ron really did care for her when, instead of dropping Crookshanks immediately, he held him close, absently stroking his furry head. Strangely, Crookshanks curled into Ron's arms and closed his eyes in contentment.

"Harry..." Remus stepped forward. "Are you okay?"

"Just tired, Remus," Harry said, tugging Ginny down to curl against him in a large chair. "I'm sorry you had to..."

"Harry, if it helps, a small portion of my blood is an insignificant thing."

"But you'll be okay? It won't hurt you with..."

"Lycanthropy is not affected by blood loss. Which is rather a good thing, I think..." he laughed wryly, running a finger along a scar on his face.

"Thank you, Remus," Harry said softly. "I know I didn't have a chance to ask you myself, but... I appreciate this."

"Harry, I benefit from this as well... there are some things I would rather like to know... that only James and Lily could tell me."

Harry was silent for a moment, then glanced at the werewolf, who had seated himself across from them.

"Remus?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Is this wrong?"

"Wrong? What do you mean?"

"I mean... by animating their painting... am I... are we pulling them back... pulling their souls back?"

"An animated painting isn't a ghost, Harry," Remus leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "It is merely a... well, a mirror image, if you will..."

"Of what?"

"As a painting is an image of us, Harry, an animated painting is not only an image of the physical, but an image of what goes beyond that."

"So it won't really be my parents that I speak to?"

"Well... in a way, yes, it will be. But in actuality... well, it is debatable, I suppose. The painting, when asked a question, will answer as the original would answer...because they are an exact duplicate of that original. There actions and reactions will all be as your parent's would have been. So, yes... it will be your parents... their mannerisms, their voices, their memories... everything will be as it was. But your parent's souls... no, Harry, you will not be disturbing them."

Harry sighed and closed his eyes. He felt curiously close to tears. It was a moment before he snapped them open again.

"Remus?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Did you say 'voices'?"

"Yes, Harry... the painting, should the spell be effective, will speak in your parent's voices."

"I'll hear... I'll hear what they sounded like."

"Yes, Harry," Remus nodded. "You will."

"Sometimes... sometimes I think I can remember my Mum's voice... but then I wonder if it isn't just Aunt Petunia from when I was younger... I..."

"Harry?"

"She wasn't so bad when I was little, Remus. She really wasn't. I mean, she never hugged me or anything... and she shut me in that cupboard at six-thirty every night... but... well, she didn't say mean things... then."

"Harry?" Remus sighed. "I'm terribly sorry. If I had known..."

"There wouldn't have been anything you could do, Remus."

"Oh, I would have done plenty, believe me, Harry," Remus said in a voice that was nearly a growl. Harry looked curiously at him.

"I knew they weren't... overly kind, Harry. I was there many times that you did not see me. But I didn't know how much you were suffering. Had I known..."

"You would have come for me?" Harry asked, almost wistfully.

"No one would have been able to stop me, that I promise you. I was in no condition to take care of you myself... but I would have found some way, someone, who..." Remus turned his eyes away. It took him a moment to continue. "I have a great deal to say to your father, Harry. I made him some promises, and I regret to say that I failed him. Terribly. But you, you turned out just fine. I'm..."

"Remus..."

"If those of you who are contributing components to this potion would be so kind...?" Snape said, his voice cool and professional.

Remus stood, and smiled.

"Well, I hope that Lily was the one who concocted this recipe... James was terrible at potions. Remember, Sev?"

Snape looked up at this, staring hard at the werewolf, who stared back.

"Yes," he said shortly. "Yes, I do. Couldn't mix lemonade, as I remember it. However, Lily..."

Snape paused.

"...was very good at Potions," Remus finished, with a sad smile.

"Yes," Snape nodded, carefully measuring out the last of his ingredients and just as carefully not making eye contact with anyone. "Yes, she was."

Harry and Ron exchanged stunned looks. Snape had seemed almost... human?

"Harry?" Ginny looked up at him with worried eyes. "I love you. No matter what, I love you."

Harry pulled her close. "It's just a little pin prick, Ginny. I'll be fine."

"Potter... you first," Harry turned to see Snape standing with an evil-looking dagger in his hand, and took a deep breath.

There was no use putting it off. It had to be done, and Molly Weasley would, he was sure, be arriving here sometime tomorrow. He was determined to have that painting animated by then.

He wanted to introduce his family to... his family.