A/N: Wow, look at all my pretty reviewers! *beams* Thank you all sooooo
much. Sorry this took so long, but lucky for you, I got sick. What else
is a sick girl going to do? Oh, and this is probably full of grammatical
errors, because I'm sick and so my brain isn't working properly.
Just...cut me some slack this once.
"Dear Lord," whispered Severus Snape.
*~Chapter Four~*
He stared down at the charred spot on the floor, pale with shock. Surely what he had seen was a hallucination...but he knew, deep down, it was true. This was really happening; he had failed in preventing it. The wizarding world was doomed...
***
It was past midnight. The three students skulked away from the Headmaster's office, throwing each other dirty looks. The full moon glistened through the windows as they slowly made their way through the halls...
Sirius turned away from the other two and entered the boy's lavatory. After a few moments, the sound of screaming and breaking glass could be heard. James took this opportunity. He grabbed Severus by the shoulders and smashed him hard against the wall. Severus let out a gasp of pain.
"You really are as stupid as I thought you were, you know that Snivellus?!" James hissed at him. The Slytherin boy sneered. James only pushed him harder. "Don't you give me that BS. You'd really be willing to get yourself killed, just to expose Remus? You're as dense as Sirius!!"
Snape paled. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but this certainly wasn't it. He remained silent.
"What's the matter, SNAKE got your tongue? Well listen up, Snape, and listen good." James' face was now mere centimeters away from Severus'. Snape tried to shrink back, but he was jammed too far against the wall. There was no place to go.
"You owe me. You owe me BIG. I don't care if you deny it; deep down, you know it too. And somehow, someday, I expect you to pay me back. Someway that really matters."
James released Snape then. Severus was about to retort, when: "And next time, put the value of your life above the value of being a sneak."
And James was gone.
***
By no means did Severus Snape like Harry Potter. Perhaps he admired his courage, but he'd never admit it to himself (or anyone else, for that matter). He believed that the boy was just as arrogant as his father. But that didn't mean he wished the boy harm. He never wanted him dead. He had worked hard during the boy's first year to protect him from Quirrel. As much as he hated to admit it, he did feel that he owed James Potter a debt for saving his life.
He also knew, more so than some others, including some members of the Order, how important this boy was. He knew of the prophecy; knew it was either him or Voldemort.
And when it came down to it, it had been Voldemort.
Snape sighed. He pulled out a brilliant phoenix feather from his pocket, pressed his wand to it, and whispered something unintelligible. As the feather vanished to Dumbledore's office, only one thought ran through Snape's head:
Lupin's going to kill me.
***
Albus Dumbledore was having a very late night. Much had happened since the Ministry of Magic had acknowledged the return of Voldemort, and he had found his hands fuller than normal for summertime. The death of Sirius Black had also complicated matters, and Dumbledore was writing up a letter informing Cornelius Fudge of the man's innocence, and eventual death. He just finished signing the letter when a large number of people started to tumble out of his office fireplace: first Molly and Arthur Weasley, followed by the twins, who landed on top of each other, and quickly became entangled in their efforts to untangle. Tonks and Ron fell out next, tripping over the flailing twins and landing on top of them. Lastly came Lupin and Ginny. Lupin caught the girl just before she fell, face first, into Ron's rear end.
"Thanks for saving me, my big strong hero," she said, still snuggled into the older man's warmth. "You saved me from a fate worse than death."
Snorting, Lupin bent forward to help Tonks up off the boys, who had successfully managed to disentangle themselves. Helping each other into a standing position, the boys glanced around.
"Well, that was relatively simple," stated Fred.
"Most definitely; good thing we saved ourselves from embarrassment," agreed George. The rest of the Weasley's just rolled their eyes.
Molly and Arthur directed their attentions to the Headmaster. "Albus, we apologize for coming so late in the night, but..."
"Oh, no, not a problem," said the old man, waving them off and smiling kindly. "I love having guests! Let me draw you up some chairs!" And he did just that; eight fluffy red chairs fell out of the air in front of his desk. They all sat down; the twins opted to share a chair, as did Lupin and Ginny (the girl was still half asleep).'
"Would you like some tea?" asked the Headmaster. In the next instant, a small house elf was standing next to the Headmaster, levitating a tray of tea and biscuits above it's head.
"Great, that'd be just wonderful," said Fred, reaching for a biscuit.
"Yeah, I'm just famished," George said, also grabbing out. Their mother slapped their hands away and gave them a stern look. They rolled their eyes.
"No, Albus, we do have important business," said Arthur worriedly. "You see, Ron received an owl from Hermione Granger..."
And so the Weasleys proceeded to tell Dumbledore what had happened, and their concerns. He sat behind his desk with a cup of tea cradled in his hands, nodding as they spoke. When they had finished, he placed his tea on the desk in front of him.
"I understand that you are concerned about Harry," said Dumbledore, shushing Arthur before he could interrupt, "And I guarantee you that I will have someone look into this, if not look into it myself. But you must understand that if something were grievously wrong with Harry, I would be one of the first to know it. I have several ways of knowing if Harry is in immediate or serious danger, and a system set up if Harry has been attacked or injured in any way..."
The old man trailed off as a bright light appeared in front of his face, and a phoenix feather appeared out of thin air. It fluttered gently to the desktop, causing the Headmaster to pale several shades, and to look very grave indeed.
"What, Albus, what is it?" asked Lupin quickly.
"That, Remus," Dumbledore said slowly, "Is the system I have set up if Harry has been attacked or injured in any way...by Voldemort."
Everyone in the room gasped. Ginny whimpered. Lupin looked as though he might faint, and started to speak in a fast, panicky voice. "What, what do you mean? Do you mean he...who? Who do you have who can - Snape? If it's him, then something-
"Please Remus, you must try to calm down," said Dumbledore quietly.
"Where?"
"The Dursleys." Dumbledore stated. "Someone must-"
"I will," Remus said quickly. He gently pushed Ginny off his lap, rose, and grabbed a handful of floo powder from the jar on the fireplace. He checked to make sure he had his wand with him, and tossed it into the flames, which turned green. "Number four Privet drive!" he shouted as he jumped into the flames, and was whirled out of the Headmaster's office.
***
A/N: Alas, a cliff hanger. Sorry, but I PROMISE that chapter five will be prompt - Noah's coming on the weekend, so I'll make him force me to do more. I know this wasn't that high on content. But I'm ill, and this chapter had to be done ANYWAY, so...this is what you get. Review, oh wonderful readers!
"Dear Lord," whispered Severus Snape.
*~Chapter Four~*
He stared down at the charred spot on the floor, pale with shock. Surely what he had seen was a hallucination...but he knew, deep down, it was true. This was really happening; he had failed in preventing it. The wizarding world was doomed...
***
It was past midnight. The three students skulked away from the Headmaster's office, throwing each other dirty looks. The full moon glistened through the windows as they slowly made their way through the halls...
Sirius turned away from the other two and entered the boy's lavatory. After a few moments, the sound of screaming and breaking glass could be heard. James took this opportunity. He grabbed Severus by the shoulders and smashed him hard against the wall. Severus let out a gasp of pain.
"You really are as stupid as I thought you were, you know that Snivellus?!" James hissed at him. The Slytherin boy sneered. James only pushed him harder. "Don't you give me that BS. You'd really be willing to get yourself killed, just to expose Remus? You're as dense as Sirius!!"
Snape paled. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but this certainly wasn't it. He remained silent.
"What's the matter, SNAKE got your tongue? Well listen up, Snape, and listen good." James' face was now mere centimeters away from Severus'. Snape tried to shrink back, but he was jammed too far against the wall. There was no place to go.
"You owe me. You owe me BIG. I don't care if you deny it; deep down, you know it too. And somehow, someday, I expect you to pay me back. Someway that really matters."
James released Snape then. Severus was about to retort, when: "And next time, put the value of your life above the value of being a sneak."
And James was gone.
***
By no means did Severus Snape like Harry Potter. Perhaps he admired his courage, but he'd never admit it to himself (or anyone else, for that matter). He believed that the boy was just as arrogant as his father. But that didn't mean he wished the boy harm. He never wanted him dead. He had worked hard during the boy's first year to protect him from Quirrel. As much as he hated to admit it, he did feel that he owed James Potter a debt for saving his life.
He also knew, more so than some others, including some members of the Order, how important this boy was. He knew of the prophecy; knew it was either him or Voldemort.
And when it came down to it, it had been Voldemort.
Snape sighed. He pulled out a brilliant phoenix feather from his pocket, pressed his wand to it, and whispered something unintelligible. As the feather vanished to Dumbledore's office, only one thought ran through Snape's head:
Lupin's going to kill me.
***
Albus Dumbledore was having a very late night. Much had happened since the Ministry of Magic had acknowledged the return of Voldemort, and he had found his hands fuller than normal for summertime. The death of Sirius Black had also complicated matters, and Dumbledore was writing up a letter informing Cornelius Fudge of the man's innocence, and eventual death. He just finished signing the letter when a large number of people started to tumble out of his office fireplace: first Molly and Arthur Weasley, followed by the twins, who landed on top of each other, and quickly became entangled in their efforts to untangle. Tonks and Ron fell out next, tripping over the flailing twins and landing on top of them. Lastly came Lupin and Ginny. Lupin caught the girl just before she fell, face first, into Ron's rear end.
"Thanks for saving me, my big strong hero," she said, still snuggled into the older man's warmth. "You saved me from a fate worse than death."
Snorting, Lupin bent forward to help Tonks up off the boys, who had successfully managed to disentangle themselves. Helping each other into a standing position, the boys glanced around.
"Well, that was relatively simple," stated Fred.
"Most definitely; good thing we saved ourselves from embarrassment," agreed George. The rest of the Weasley's just rolled their eyes.
Molly and Arthur directed their attentions to the Headmaster. "Albus, we apologize for coming so late in the night, but..."
"Oh, no, not a problem," said the old man, waving them off and smiling kindly. "I love having guests! Let me draw you up some chairs!" And he did just that; eight fluffy red chairs fell out of the air in front of his desk. They all sat down; the twins opted to share a chair, as did Lupin and Ginny (the girl was still half asleep).'
"Would you like some tea?" asked the Headmaster. In the next instant, a small house elf was standing next to the Headmaster, levitating a tray of tea and biscuits above it's head.
"Great, that'd be just wonderful," said Fred, reaching for a biscuit.
"Yeah, I'm just famished," George said, also grabbing out. Their mother slapped their hands away and gave them a stern look. They rolled their eyes.
"No, Albus, we do have important business," said Arthur worriedly. "You see, Ron received an owl from Hermione Granger..."
And so the Weasleys proceeded to tell Dumbledore what had happened, and their concerns. He sat behind his desk with a cup of tea cradled in his hands, nodding as they spoke. When they had finished, he placed his tea on the desk in front of him.
"I understand that you are concerned about Harry," said Dumbledore, shushing Arthur before he could interrupt, "And I guarantee you that I will have someone look into this, if not look into it myself. But you must understand that if something were grievously wrong with Harry, I would be one of the first to know it. I have several ways of knowing if Harry is in immediate or serious danger, and a system set up if Harry has been attacked or injured in any way..."
The old man trailed off as a bright light appeared in front of his face, and a phoenix feather appeared out of thin air. It fluttered gently to the desktop, causing the Headmaster to pale several shades, and to look very grave indeed.
"What, Albus, what is it?" asked Lupin quickly.
"That, Remus," Dumbledore said slowly, "Is the system I have set up if Harry has been attacked or injured in any way...by Voldemort."
Everyone in the room gasped. Ginny whimpered. Lupin looked as though he might faint, and started to speak in a fast, panicky voice. "What, what do you mean? Do you mean he...who? Who do you have who can - Snape? If it's him, then something-
"Please Remus, you must try to calm down," said Dumbledore quietly.
"Where?"
"The Dursleys." Dumbledore stated. "Someone must-"
"I will," Remus said quickly. He gently pushed Ginny off his lap, rose, and grabbed a handful of floo powder from the jar on the fireplace. He checked to make sure he had his wand with him, and tossed it into the flames, which turned green. "Number four Privet drive!" he shouted as he jumped into the flames, and was whirled out of the Headmaster's office.
***
A/N: Alas, a cliff hanger. Sorry, but I PROMISE that chapter five will be prompt - Noah's coming on the weekend, so I'll make him force me to do more. I know this wasn't that high on content. But I'm ill, and this chapter had to be done ANYWAY, so...this is what you get. Review, oh wonderful readers!