Standard Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I am not JK Rowlings or Batman. Occasionally my wife does seem to think I'm super man, but that's not the sort of thing we discuss in public!
Grimmauld Place, the morning after the Battle at the Burrow…
Harry stumbled into the kitchen at Grimmauld place, his hand rubbing his forehead as his scar burned steadily. Harry hadn't gotten much sleep last night, but then no one had. The Burrow was pretty much wrecked; Hermione had nearly died. Ron had been so upset last night Madam Pomfrey had to give him a dreamless sleeping potion and the Granger's house had burned to the ground.
Harry was lucky, he wasn't a room with someone. Remus had gotten approval from Harry to redecorate Grimmauld Place and had attacked that chore with gusto. Remus and Tonks' room could have been best described as the Mistresses bedroom, and Harry's the Masters bedroom. Remus had decorated the Master bedroom in the Gryffindor colors of red and gold.
As he sat heavily in one of the kitchen chairs, Remus, Tonks and Molly eyed him.
Molly exclaimed, "Harry you look dreadful, why don't you go back to bed?"
"Can't Molly, my scar's hurting too much. I'd say Voldemort is probably very unhappy at the results of last nights little fracas."
"Would a pain relieving potion help Harry? Madam Pomfrey left us plenty."
"I wish they did help Molly, but no one has been able to figure how to stop it. Actually, this isn't as bad as it can get. It should stop soon. These things only last a few hours."
Molly bounced up and started to fix Harry something to eat. The three sat quietly for a while. When Dan and Emma entered the kitchen later, Molly asked how Hermione was doing.
Emma replied, "She's still sleeping. She's weak, but Doctor… er… Madam Pomfrey left us several medic… I mean potions for her to take." The two of them sat at the table, looking over at Harry, troubled
Harry sighed and thought I guess it's time for some explanations.
Harry reached over to take one of Emma's hands in his.
"Mrs. Granger, I owe you two an explanation for what occurred last night. Hermione is very special to me. I think of her as the sister I never had. When Madam Pomfrey said there was nothing she could do to save Hermione, I had to take steps to save her life."
Remus interrupted. "Dan, Emma, I think what you need to understand is that Harry is what we call an Animagus. That means he has the ability to transform from a human form to an animal form. Harry's form is one of the rarest known. He can turn into a phoenix, a magical creature with some amazing abilities. One of the most prized abilities of a phoenix is the ability for its tears to heal. Phoenixes will not heal just anyone. They are extraordinarily picky about whom they will and will not heal. Harry's phoenix seems to have extra properties as well. He healed your daughter out of the love he felt for her. And you, Dan, because of your daughter's love for you…"
Tonks broke in, fully intent on saying something that she knew would embarrass Harry, but it had to be said.
"Harry is like that. He doesn't want to see his family or friends in pain and will take steps to prevent it, even at risk to himself. I'd say he probably felt that your illness would have devastated Hermione and he wouldn't allow that to happen to her. You should feel honored, Dan. You had not one, but two phoenixes provide their tears for you. Two creatures of the light judged you last night, and both found you worthy."
Harry shot Tonks an embarrassed glare.
"What? I explained it didn't I? You were trying Harry, but not doing a very good job of it."
Harry retaliated with a, "Thanks Auntie Tonks", and then ducked a piece of toast she flung at him.
Harry finished his tea and toast and left the table. Ginny and Ron were asleep in sleeping bags on the floor in the living room. Harry lay down on the couch next to Ginny, and watched her for a while.
Back in the kitchen, Remus sighed as he watched Harry leave the room. Turning to Tonks he said, "I don't think it's hit him yet."
Tonks nodded glumly. Molly glanced at the two of them, an eyebrow raised. "What are you two talking about?"
Remus looked grim and replied, "Molly, Harry killed last night. I know he was defending you and the others, but once he realizes it, I think he's going to take it very hard. He needs to learn that there are times when killing is necessary, but it's a terrible lesson to learn for one so young. Don't worry Molly. Tonks and I will talk to him about it."
A few minutes later, Molly came out to find Arthur. Entering the living room she spotted Ron and Ginny asleep in their sleeping bag. Harry slept on the couch. She conjured a blanket and placed it over him.
Harry awoke to his nose was being tickled. Ginny was on the floor, leaning against the couch by his head, reading a book. Every so often she'd shake her head, causing some hair to tickle his nose. He liked the smell of her hair. It smelled of jasmine and lilies.
Moving his head a littler closer to her, he exhaled softly, sending a warm caress of air against her neck. When she trembled slightly, he whispered, "Are you doing that on purpose?"
Ginny let out a startled yelp and leapt to her feet. Harry started laughing. She whirled to face him, hands on her hips. "That wasn't funny, Mr. Potter!"
"Well, if you hadn't woke me up by tickling my nose with your hair, it wouldn't have happened. Why are you reading in here anyway? There are better rooms for reading in."
"Ron is being a bloody git to everyone today. He's snapping at everyone over the smallest things, but mum told him if he woke you, she'd send him back to Hogwarts via owl! Mum said you had problems sleeping last night?"
Harry nodded, turning serious. "I think last nights little happening upset Voldemort. My scar burned for a long time last night, keeping me from sleeping much. I got up, talked with your mum, Remus, Tonks and the Granger's for a bit. Then I came in here to relax. I guess I fell asleep watching you sleep. By the way, is Hermione awake yet?"
"Not that I've heard. Madam Pomfrey gave her a pretty strong sleeping draught last night. Dad and the twins are home getting our stuff. I'm afraid we're going to be here for a while."
"Well, I may own this house, but it's not home. How about we see what we can do to speed up moving back to the Burrow?"
Harry stood at that point and headed into the kitchen with Ginny following close behind. The five adults looked up when Harry and Ginny entered the kitchen. Molly lit up with a smile and offered to make them something to eat. Harry, who hadn't really eaten much of a breakfast, was rather hungry by now so he quickly took a seat.
"Something to eat would great! I feel much better now that I've gotten some sleep. My scar has stopped hurting too. Oh, and Ginny said that Arthur and the twins were getting our stuff from the Burrow?"
Molly nodded at that, still cooking breakfast. "Yes, they should be back in a hour or two. They're packing up clothing and the like for us."
Turning to Remus, Harry asked, "What are the chances we can get a contractor out there today to find out how long it will take to fix things? I don't mind this place, but you and Tonks are newlyweds and don't need us underfoot. Besides, I'd like to go home."
Molly choked back a sob at the stove and said to Harry, "Dear, its going to take us a long time to fix things enough to be able to move back in."
"Molly this is one of those 'family helps family' times we spoke about. I love visiting with Remus and Auntie Tonks…" Tonks glared at Harry while he smirked back at her, before continuing "…but this isn't home to me, or Ginny or Ron or you and Arthur. Maybe we won't be able to get things fixed before we have to go back to school. But they will be fixed as soon as possible…" His tone softened "… think of it this way Molly. You get to totally redesign your kitchen, maybe even the living room, depending on what the contractor says."
Molly smiled a little wistfully at that idea.
"Molly, Harry's right…" Remus agreed. "Even if Harry hadn't asked me to do this, I'd have done it anyway. In fact, I think we'll also bring in a Wizard Security firm and make sure the house is fully warded and fireproofed. Its not charity Molly, its family helping family."
Remus turned to Emma and Dan. "I realize that you have a way of rebuilding your home, but once it's built, we're going to ward your place as well. Like it or not, you folks now belong to clan Potter-Weasley-Lupin, and we take care of our own. In the meantime, and I think Harry will agree with me, you and your daughter are welcome to stay here."
Harry looked up from shoveling a forkful of eggs into his mouth and nodded vigorously.
Upstairs in one of the guest bedrooms, Hermione opened her eyes slowly and blinked the sleepiness from them. She was in a strange bed in a room she didn't recognize.
Where am I? She thought. And why am I here?
It took a moment for her grogginess to clear and then the events of the previous night came crashing down on her. Her Parents! Death Eaters! Her home burning!
She choked back a sob, trying to muffle the sound with her pillow.
The door opened partway and a figure entered the dim room.
"'Mione?" said a voice.
Hermione looked towards the door, angrily dashing the tears from her eyes, her vision blurry from crying. With her vision clearing, she saw Ron standing at the bedside with tears in his eyes. He raised one hand as if to touch her, then dropped it back like he was afraid to.
Hermione peered up at him. Ron crying? She could see Ron was more than upset about something. She knew goofy Ron, and angry Ron, but she didn't know this Ron. She sat up and looked at him more carefully.
"Ron? Sit on the bed and tell me what's gone wrong now…"
Ron started to sit down, then lunged for her, wrapping her in a hug, holding her tight and crying against her shoulder. Hermione opened her eyes in surprise as she held him tightly.
"Shhh… it's going to be ok Ron."
Eventually he stopped and pulled away from her, looking down at the blankets. He wouldn't meet her eyes.
"'Mione I nearly lost you last night… when I saw how badly you were hurt…" Ron choked on a shuddering sob before continuing. "… I felt like a part of me had died 'Mione… I don't think I could stand to live like that… I never understood what Ginny and Harry have… but I think I do now…" He gave into another shuddering sob.
Hermione sat there, stunned. He looked up at her, his face streaked with tears. His eyes begged her to say something, anything. He reached out and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand before continuing, his voice barely above a whisper.
"'Mione I've not done right for you… I'm sorry…I'll do better… I just don't want to lose you…" his voice dropped to a whisper. "I love you 'Mione."
Hermione's mind whirled in a million directions. He loved her? Ron loves me? RON LOVES ME?
She reached out with a trembling hand and wiped a tear from Ron's face. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. Hermione's lip trembled and she grabbed him, holding him tight. The two of them shed new tears, but not tears of pain this time.
Down in the kitchen Harry paused while eating his breakfast and broke into a huge grin. He leaned into Ginny and whispered in her ear. Her eyes grew wide and she giggled.
Looking over at Emma and Dan he said, "Hermione is awake, but I'd give her a little while before you go up to her. She's with Ron at the moment and while I don't know what he's saying to her, I can tell she's really happy about it. Probably something to do with a conversation he and I had just after Christmas."
Emma looked at him strangely then asked, "You can read her thoughts?"
"No, not really Mrs. Granger. Since I healed her yesterday, I've been able to feel her emotions, but it should fade away. I imagine by tomorrow I won't be able to do it. It's just a temporary effect. I can feel Ginny here, and even your husband…" he said pointing at Dan, "… mainly he's worried, there's a little touch of fear and even awe. I'm not too sure, but I hope that the fear and awe isn't directed at me."
Emma touched Dan's hand. "We haven't thanked you for what you did yesterday, for Hermione and for Dan… You saved Hermione's life, and my husbands…"
"It's alright Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger. Hermione is like a sister to me and I couldn't let her die. The same goes for you Mr. Granger. I couldn't let you die either. I think you two must be pretty special to raise the smartest witch ever. And I wouldn't mind getting to know my sister's family," he added, shyly.
"Well said Harry, well said!" a voice said from the doorway.
Turning, Harry saw Dumbledore walk in, followed by Professor McGonagall and both Professors Snape.
Molly jumped up from her chair. "Professors, can I get anyone anything?"
"Just some tea perhaps Molly."
"Harry, I wanted to thank you for your kind Christmas gift. It was one of the best presents I have ever received," said Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eye.
Harry chuckled at that. He had remembered something Dumbledore told him back in his first year, so this year he got the Headmaster exactly what he said he wanted.
Remus turned to eye Harry suspiciously. "Harry…" he said in a stern tone, "… just what did you give the Professor?"
Harry smirked at Remus before replying. "Oh, back in my first year at Hogwarts the Headmaster complained that people bought him books all the time and he'd really wished that, just once, someone would give him woolen socks. So I did. Two dozen woolen socks"
Dumbledore broke in, "Yes I do so enjoy them Remus. My feet haven't been this warm in ages." Then turning serious again he asked, "I take it that Miss Granger is well this morning?"
Emma spoke up. "Harry here says she's awake and talking to Ron at the moment. We were about to go up and check on her." She grabbed her husband's hand and stood up. The pair left the room.
Professor McGonagall looked at Harry sternly. "Mr. Potter, the Headmaster here tells me you exhibited a bit of an animagus talent last night, but he won't tell me what form you have. More of this muggle security business I take it?"
"Professor, if I underwent the Revealus Animagus potion test in your class, you would have sent in an application for me to obtain an Animagus permit, would you not?"
"It is the law, Mr. Potter."
"And aren't those applications a matter of public record, Professor? Records that anyone can look up?"
Professor McGonagall harrumphed loudly. "Oh very well Mr. Potter, I see your point. But I must insist I see this for myself. I need to make sure you're doing this right."
Harry grinned; he knew what was going on. Dumbledore was setting McGonagall up for a surprise. Remus had a big grin on his face; he was going to enjoy seeing this. Molly watched with interest.
"Professors? You might want to take a seat. People tend to need to sit after I transform."
Professor McGonagall sat down and stared at him primly. Severus sat also; he had come to learn that Harry was full of surprises.
"Professor, don't touch your tea just yet. I wouldn't want you to burn yourself when you drop the cup." Then Harry stood up and transformed into Wings.
McGonagall's arms flopped loosely at her sides as she rocked back in shock. Severus just stared. Serena smiled at the phoenix.
Wings sprang aloft, circling around the room a few times. Landing briefly on Molly's shoulder, he nudged her head affectionately with his own. Springing aloft again, he circled the room then vanished in a flash of flame.
He appeared a moment later in Hermione's room. Ron and Hermione were talking to her parents. Wings sang a song of joy and flew around the room a few times before vanishing again.
A moment later he reappeared in the kitchen, glided over to his seat and transformed back into his human form. Taking his seat, he grinned at the Professors.
McGonagall sat back in her chair staring at him. Harry leaned towards her and said with a wry grin, "Did I do it right, Professor?"
She just sat there, shaking her head.
"Mr. Potter, when you do things, you rarely do them wrong."
Molly gazed at the serious looks exchanged among the Professors and Harry. People often overlooked just how smart she really was.
"Ginny, do be a dear and run up to Hermione's room. Find out if I can make her something to eat please?"
Ginny nodded at her mother and left the room. Harry shot Molly a look of gratitude before turning serious.
"Professor, I give you my wizards oath that I will register my form with the ministry once this is all done…" His tone dropped to just above a whisper. "… If I'm still around to do it."
Remus and Molly looked at Harry, their eyes wide.
Dumbledore looked at him closely, his eyes intent, but he said to Harry in a gentle voice, "Harry you know something don't you? You've seen something?"
Harry slumped his shoulders and sighed. "Yes Professor, I have. I was planning on sharing it with you when we returned to Hogwarts. I wanted to first review it again in that Pensieve you gave me for Christmas. Would it be possible for us to wait until after the holiday to discuss this? I might have a better idea of what's happening then. All I can say is that one way or another, this will all be over by the time I graduate. Or by the time I'm supposed to graduate."
Dumbledore nodded while the rest of the professors exchanged worried looks. Molly turned to Harry.
"Harry, of course you're going to graduate. You have excellent grades…"
Her voice trailed off. She could see the doubt in Harry's eyes. Her lip trembled and her eyes misted over. "But… you… Ginny…"
Harry couldn't speak. He shot Dumbledore a pleading look.
"Molly, the love Harry and Ginny share is exactly what Harry needs. It gives him the strength and the will to fight because of what she represents to him. Harry may be the one to save our world, but your daughter is the key to it all. In a way, she's probably the most important witch of our age. We have some unpleasant times ahead, but I am much more confident these days than I once was. I think Harry's going to win his fight, even if he still has doubts."
Molly grabbed Harry is a fierce hug and told him, "You're going to beat that monster Harry, and then you and Ginny are going to give me a bunch of grandchildren to spoil."
She dabbed her eyes on her apron, then asked if the Professors would like to join them for dinner. Severus started to frown until Serena elbowed him in the ribs.
"I think that's an excellent idea Molly. Your cooking is the marvel of all of England." Dumbledore said with a twinkle. Harry excused himself, saying he'd like to see Hermione, now that she was awake.
Walking into the bedroom, he saw Ginny and Ron sitting on the bed with Hermione, and her parents in armchairs near the fireplace. Emma looked very pleased by Ron's behavior with Hermione.
Harry stood at the end of the bed watching the other two in amusement. Ginny was grinning up at Harry and Hermione and Ron were spending an inordinate amount of time just staring at each other, oblivious to the rest of the room. Harry coughed.
Hermione glanced up to see Harry and bolted out of the bed, grabbing him.
"'Mione… air… can't… breath…!" She released him, but not before kissing his cheek and whispering a "Thank you" in his ear.
"Dinner should be ready in about an hour or so Hermione, so you might want to think about getting into something presentable. I heard Arthur and the twins come back with our clothes, so Ginny can probably loan you something to wear."
Turning to Dan and Emma he said, "That reminds me Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger. If you don't mind Molly taking a few measurements, we'll be able to pick up some clothing for you as well."
Dan and Emma were wearing some clothing borrowed from Remus and Tonks.
"We'll get you enough clothes so you'll be able to go out comfortably, and I'll give you some money so you'll be able to buy clothes for yourself and Hermione." He held up his hand at their protests.
"I realize that your insurance will cover most of this, but that's going to take time. Hermione and you two need to have more than what you're wearing now, and she'll need a complete set of replacements for all of her Hogwarts uniforms and books."
Hermione suddenly looked horrified at the thought of her lost books. Harry caught the look and smirked. "Don't worry 'Mione. Just think about how much fun you'll have replacing them. Now if you'll all excuse me, since my trunk is here, I think I'll go change for dinner myself."
Harry left the room with a grin after winking at Ginny.
Emma was shocked. Dan finally coughed and said, "Is he always so commanding?"
Ron snorted and everyone turned to look at him. He looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "Harry isn't normally very commanding at all. It took my mum to make me see what's happening to him. He lost his parents when he was a baby. Then he was sent to live with people that hated and abused him. Now, he's living with us, and he's reaching out to everyone he loves and pulling them into his family. He doesn't have any real family left, so he's decided to build one for himself.
According to mum, he's one of the richest wizards in the country, but he doesn't really care about the money. To him, it's just a way of making life a little easier for those he cares about. I didn't understand that until a few days ago. I always hated being poor, but Harry grew up poor, unloved and beaten by those who were supposed to love him. In a way Harry's reaching out to find what I've always had and took for granted…"
His voice trailed off while Hermione and Ginny both stared at him in shock. Ron said this? Both Ginny and Hermione grabbed Ron in a hug while Dan and Emma looked thoughtful.
Tonks stepped into the room holding an orange ball of fluff. Hermione took one look and screamed, "Crookshanks!"
The cat bolted for Hermione, looking slightly seared. He'd lost some of the fur from his tail, but was otherwise fine. Although, he did look rather put out about it all.
Elsewhere in England, location unknown…
Voldemort sat in his chamber, angry and displeased.
SNAPE! How did he do that? Voldemort now carried a Dark Mark that caused him pain every time he summoned his servants! HOW DARE SNAPE, A MERE POTION BREWER, DO THAT TO HIM!
"Summon Wormtail," he hissed, causing one masked figure to scurry from the chamber.
Wormtail rushed in and groveled at the feet of Voldemort.
"Wormtail, what news do you have for me?"
"My Lord… I… I…"
"What? Speak, you sniveling cur!"
"My Lord… I regret to tell you, but our Ministry contacts inform me that the death squad sent to kill the mudblood is now in Ministry hands. Several were killed, and the remainder have been tried already and sentenced to the veil. The mudblood and her family live my lord, but no one knows where they are now…"
Voldemort pounded his fist against the chair and looked at the groveling fat man.
"Your reward Wormtail… CRUCIO!"
Back in Grimmauld Place…
As everyone sat down for dinner, Molly looked up from her cooking and frowned. "Ginny, see if you can find Harry. He doesn't want to be late for dinner."
Ginny left the table in search of Harry. After a few minutes she returned to the kitchen, looking pale and worried.
"Ginny, what is it? Where's Harry?" Molly asked in concern.
"He's… he's in the library… he said he's not hungry, he's not feeling well." She choked back a sob before continuing, "His scar is hurting again."
Everyone around the table except for Dan and Emma exchanged worried looks. Serena got up and laid a hand on Ginny's shoulder saying, 'Take me to him Ginny."
Everyone followed them to the library. Harry lay curled up in a tight ball on a small couch, the heel of one palm pressed tightly to his scar. His body was covered in a cold sweat, his face ashen, and every limb was trembling. A small trickle of blood leaked from under his hand.
Serena, spotting Harry on the couch, rushed over to kneel by his side. Harry whimpered. She grabbed his free hand and felt his pulse. Harry's heart beat like a jackhammer. It was way too fast!
"Severus, return to Hogwarts and bring back a dreamless sleep potion, but before you do, add a touch of ground heartwood and some asphodel. His heart rate is too high. We need to bring it down until this attack passes. And bring me a sampling kit!"
Severus nodded and left the room.
Molly stood by the door looking absolutely stricken. She knew Harry's scar sometime hurt him, but nothing like this!
Ginny stood nearby watching, her arms wrapped around her brother. Ron held his sister tight, knowing she needed the comfort right now. He knew he'd need it if Hermione were in that kind of pain and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Hermione clutched at her mother.
Serena brushed back the hair on Harry's forehead and tried to soothe him. Softly, she said to him, "Help is coming Harry… Severus went to get something to make you sleep. Soon the pain will be gone, just hold on a while longer."
The amount of pain he's in! Merlin how can he take it and not go mad? She thought. Why are such innocents made to suffer like this? This can't be allowed to continue. I know Severus and the others have looked into this, but I owe it to him to try again.
Severus returned with the potion and a sampling kit. Serena deftly placed one empty vial to his arm and cast a spell extracting some of Harry's blood. She took a second sample directly from the blood coming from his scar.
Placing the samples safely back in the sample kit, she took the dreamless sleep potion and gently lifted Harry's head. "Harry, drink this. It will help you," She said soothingly.
She had to repeat herself several times, but eventually Harry seemed to grasp what she was saying and allowed her give him the potion. Serena watched him closely for a while. Finally, as the tension seemed to bleed away from his body, she relaxed. Checking his pulse, she found it beating normally once more. He was still dreadfully pale, however. The attack was still happening, but the potion had sent him to a place where he could no longer feel it.
Molly conjured up a bandage to wrap around his forehead, then transfigured the couch into a bed. By silent agreement, it was decided not to move him up to his bedroom.
A subdued crowd returned to the kitchen. Ginny had wanted to stay with him, but Molly told her she needed to eat to keep up her own strength for Harry's sake.
Everyone sat around the table eating silently when Dan finally broke in. "I don't know much about Magic, but can someone please explain what just happened in there?"
Dumbledore sighed heavily before speaking. "Mr. Granger, what you just witnessed was Harry undergoing an attack by Voldemort. I don't know how much Hermione has told you, but I'm sure even you have guessed by now that our world is at war. On one side, you have Voldemort, an evil wizard with very strong abilities, whose goal is to turn the world to his own twisted vision. In it, muggles would be enslaved or killed outright. On the other side, we have those of us who are fighting to prevent that from happening.
Harry plays a crucial role in that war. He shares a special connection with Voldemort by way of that scar on his forehead, which he received on the night his parents were murdered. Last year, Voldemort used that connection to trick Harry, leading him into a trap. Harry and his friends, including your daughter, managed to escape. But Harry's Godfather was killed. He has since learned to block those visions, though I daresay the guilt he still feels over the loss of his Godfather is quite intense. Despite his ability to block Voldemort from his mind, he cannot block the pain Voldemort is capable of causing him. Many of us have tried to find ways to stop his pain, but alas, none of us have succeeded… This is a heavy burden for a young wizard to bear, and he already has so many other burdens…"
Emma broke in at this point. "So you're saying this Voldemort person is why our home was attacked? What can we do? Should we flee the country?"
Dumbledore raised his hand. "Mrs. Granger, there is no place you could flee to and be truly safe. If Voldemort wins, no place will be safe. You are in danger because of who you are, and what your daughter is. Voldemort despises muggles, and muggle born alike. Hermione here, as well as Ron and Ginny, have their own parts to play in this war, without which our cause would be lost. Exactly what part they have to play, I cannot say. I do know that all of them give Harry strength. Harry, whether he knows it or not, will be the one to lead this fight. Some of us will fight by his side; others will fight just by returning the love he's given so freely.
I do not know what Hermione's role will be, but you can ask any Professor here and they will tell you that Hermione is one of the smartest witches we have ever encountered…"
Hermione looked embarrassed at this but Dumbledore continued. "All I can say is that we all have our roles to play. Remus has spoken to me about his plans to see your new home warded properly. After it's complete, I intend to come to your home myself and see if I can't improve on those wards. We intend to have someone watching your house at all times, and I'll arrange to give each of you a portkey which you can use in times of emergency. There is much we can do to ensure your safety and Hermione's as well."
Hogwarts, The Snape's private quarters…
The next day, Serena Snape sent Dumbledore a message stating, short of Voldemort attacking the castle, she was not to be disturbed. The students were away for the holiday and she'd finally caught up on her paperwork. She intended to concentrate the rest of her vacation, if needed, on her own project.
Seeing the pain Harry's scar caused him had been a real slap in the face to her. Harry had labored for weeks to find a way of removing the Dark Mark from her husband's arm, yet no one seemed interested any more in finding a solution to Harry's pain. Everyone accepted it as something the young man had to live with. Well, she wasn't one of them! If the boy could save her husband, she'd be damned if she'd let him suffer any longer!
Entering her private quarters, she charmed the door to recognize Severus, before locking it against all others. Stripping off her robe as she walked into the library, she made mental notes on which books she would need.
Four hours later, Severus entered the apartment. He took a moment to admire his wife's charm work before walking down the hallway and into the living room. Finding it empty, he paused for a moment in puzzlement, before heading for the library. Dumbledore had told him of Serena's strange request at dinner. He assumed that was why she hadn't show up in the Great Hall for the meal.
Stepping into the library, he smiled in amusement at the sight before him. His wife was seated behind the desk, surrounded by parchment and books. Serena had both hands buried in the hair at her temple, a quill stuck behind one ear, and two different books opened before her. As he watched, she scratched her nose, leaving behind a smear of ink.
Suddenly, she grabbed the quill behind her ear, dipped it into an inkwell and…paused. The quill nib dropped to the parchment in front of her a few times, but never wrote a word. With a growl, she threw the quill down and shoved the two books away from her.
"Problem?"
Serena jumped and looked up. Glaring at her husband, she stood and stretched. "I've been reading and taking notes so long without a break that nothing makes sense any more!"
"Have you eaten?" Severus asked quietly.
Sighing, she gave him a sheepish look. "No, actually. After I finished grading papers and putting the potions classroom to rights for the next term, I was in such a hurry to get started that I just forgot."
Holding out a hand, he waited for her to take it, then pulled her close. "Why don't we get you something to eat? Then you can tell me what you're working on."
Wrapping her arms around him, she sighed again. "It seems like it should be so easy, Severus. I practically brewed it in my mind while cleaning the dungeon…"
Severus groaned. "Serena, you're a brilliant Potion Mistress, but you can be a bit obsessive sometimes. There are times when you simply have to admit that not everything can be done with potions or salves."
"Have you ever seen me give up on something once I set my mind to it?"
"No, but that doesn't mean…"
"Severus, you don't even know what I'm trying to do! Do not tell me it can't be done until you make an informed decision on the matter!" Serena shoved him away in annoyance and headed back towards the desk.
He caught her from behind, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him. "You're right. I'm sorry, Serena. Come, eat something and tell me what you're up too."
"Well, it's a salve for Harry's scar…"
LATER…
Serena stood over the cauldron, glaring at the contents. Why hadn't it boiled down and condensed? Rubbing tired eyes, she picked up the parchment containing the instructions for her brew and thought it over once again.
Wait, there it is! I put the ground nettles in too early…and the powdered leaches in to late! Oh, for Merlin's sake. No wonder it didn't boil down correctly. I forgot to add a thickening agent!
Disgusted with herself, she made a note of her mistakes on the parchment before rolling it up. Eyeing the cauldron, she tapped the parchment against her lips, shrugged and cast a holding charm on it before extinguishing the fire below.
Walking over to her desk, she dropped the parchment into her 'current' workbasket. Propping a hip against the edge of the desk, she rubbed at her tired neck muscles and glanced out the window.
The sun was coming up. No wonder she was making so many mistakes. I haven't stayed up all night since I studied for my Mastery, she thought.
Her reverie was interrupted by a slight snore coming from the couch. Looking over, she smiled tiredly at the sight. Her husband was stretched out, buried under parchments and books, one hand thrown over his head, still clutching a quill.
Pushing away from her desk, she walked over and uncovered him. Bending down, she kissed him awake gently.
"Wha…Serena?" He asked, roughly.
"Come on love. If you sleep on the couch too long, you'll have a sore neck. Let's go to bed."
After helping him up, Serena lead her sleepy husband out of the lab.
Too few hours later, by Serena's reckoning anyway, Severus was shaking her awake. Grumpily, she tried to turn away from him, but he wouldn't allow it.
"Serena, wake up."
Refusing to open her eyes, she ignored him.
"Serena?"
Well, that's not working. Time for a change in plan, she thought.
With her eyes still closed, she reached up, grabbed his arms and pulled. If she could just get him back into bed, he would cuddle with her and she could go back to sleep. As he pulled the blankets away from her body and leaned down to gently wrap his arms around her, she thought, it works every time!
However, instead of joining her, he tightened his hold and hauled her bodily from the bed. Chuckling, he held her close as she leaned against him and cursed.
"Some of us didn't get a nap on the couch last night, you know!"
"I wasn't asleep that long," he protested, mildly.
At her rude noise, he gave her a squeeze, kissed the top of her head, and then released her. Walking out, he called over his shoulder, "I'll have breakfast on the table when you're ready."
Muttering evil comments at his retreating back, she headed into the bathroom. Merlin, she hated waking up!
Thirty minutes and two cups of strong tea later, she felt nearly human. Finishing her eggs and toast, she looked up as Severus entered the dining room, parchment in hand. Sitting down next to her, he held the rolled paper up for her to see.
"Do you know what this is?" He asked.
"Yes, parchment." She replied, impudently.
Rolling his eyes, he flattened the roll on the table. Leaning over to look, she frowned.
"That's the scroll with the potion ingredients and instructions I was using last night. As I'm sure you know by now, it didn't work."
"Perhaps," he said, noncommittally. "Have you read through it?"
"Last night, just before I woke you. You can see I noted my mistakes in the margins."
He grunted.
"It doesn't work, Severus."
"Umm."
"You might as well throw it out. I need to start over."
He grunted once again.
As he continued to examine parchment carefully, Serena became annoyed. Reaching over, she plucked the paper from the tabletop. He snatched it right back.
"Severus!"
"What? I'm not done reading it."
"It's garbage! What's to read?"
Sighing, he turned towards her. "You said you read it?"
"Yes, last night. I was tired and upset. I'm beginning to think I need to find another way to approach this."
"Read it again Serena, now that you're awake," he said, holding the parchment out to her.
Thinking to humor him, she took it. Scanning it once, she frowned. Starting over, she read through it more slowly.
Pushing back her chair and standing, she left the dining room. Entering the lab with Severus close behind her, she walked over to the cauldron. Looking down, she noted the bright, violet color. Removing the holding charm, she leaned over and inhaled cautiously. Nothing.
Casting the holding charm once again, she turned to face Severus. "You don't really think…?" She stopped and cocked her head at him.
"I don't know. If the parchment's correct, maybe."
"But the only way we'll know is to test it. And we can't. It's against the law, Severus."
"You're jumping ahead of yourself a bit, don't you think? We need to test for adverse reactions first."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine, we'll check. But you know as well as I do that, baring any reactions, there's only one real way to test it. And it's illegal!"
She stalked over to a cupboard and pulled down a small bottle. From a drawer, she removed a ladle.
Walking back to the caldron, she removed the charm, dipped the ladle into the liquid and poured a small amount into the bottle. Placing the ladle on the table, she replaced the charm and turned to face her husband.
"Serena, I think I should…"
"It's my creation, Severus. Therefore it's my duty." With that, she downed the contents of the bottle and walked to her desk.
Sitting down, she put the bottle away, pulled a few pieces of parchment towards her and picked up her quill. Dipping it in ink, she glanced at the clock and started making notes.
10:12amNo taste
Slight tingle in the back of the throat at ingestion
Breathing normal
Heart rate normal
No skin reaction
Severus joined her at the desk. Taking her left hand in his, he watched her carefully, concern plain on his face. They waited. At intervals, Serena made more notes.
10:22amNo physiological changes
Serena fidgeted. Severus tightened his grip on her hand and asked, "What's wrong?"
"You're staring at me. You know I hate it when you do that!"
He smirked. "That's not what you said two nights ago."
"Would you behave yourself? This is an experiment, if you'll remember!" She said, laughing at him.
They waited.
10:32am
No physiological changes
In all, they waited an hour. When no reactions were noted, Serena shrugged.
"Okay, so we've proven that the potion's safe. We still haven't proven that it does anything though."
"True. So now we talk to Dumbledore," Severus replied.
Hogwarts Infirmary, Four days later…
Poppy Pomfrey had arranged the infirmary for the test. Her supplies were ready and, if she disagreed with what was about to happen, she was smart enough to keep her thoughts to herself. The Headmaster stood by a window, talking to Kingsley Shacklebolt and Minerva McGonagall.
As Severus and Serena entered, Dumbledore turned to face them. The merry twinkle was missing from his eyes, and his expression was grave. Severus' lips tightened. This had to be done, and Dumbledore knew it.
"Ah, Severus, Serena. Before we start, you should know that Minerva is here to take notes on the test and Mr. Shacklebolt is here as an observer for the Ministry. Amelia Bones, the head of the MLE, has approved the test, with the stipulation that I be the only person casting, and Severus the only recipient. If these terms are not acceptable to either of you, the testing will not be allowed."
"The terms are most generous, Headmaster," Severus replied. Reaching into his robe, he pulled out a small bottle and uncorked it. As Serena reached for his other hand, he turned to her. "Don't worry," he whispered, before tipping the bottle up and drinking the contents.
Giving the empty bottle to Poppy, he turned back to the Headmaster. "I'll need a few moments, Sir. I want to give the potion five minutes before we start."
Dumbledore nodded and McGonagall made a note of the delay.
Serena wrapped her arms around her husband. She hated this. She knew it was necessary, but she should be the one doing this test. Severus had suffered enough through the years, and if this potion didn't work…She didn't want to think about it.
Severus had refused to allow her to take the test. He went so far as to threaten to throw the whole cauldron out, consequences be damned. So now she found herself his arms, frightened for him, and knowing there wasn't anything she could do to stop it.
Severus bent and kissed her gently on the lips. He then pushed her to Poppy, turned to the Headmaster and said, "Whenever you're ready, Sir."
Dumbledore looked at Shacklebolt and received his nod of readiness. Turning to McGonagall and noting her disapproving look, he raised an eyebrow. Sighing, she picked up her quill and nodded.
Facing Severus once more, he gazed into the younger man's eyes, looking for…he didn't know. With a heavy heart, he pulled out his wand.
"Crucio!"
An hour later, Severus sat on one of the infirmary beds, breathing deeply. Serena knelt before him, concerned. He smiled at her tiredly and brushed a lock of hair off her cheek. "I'm fine, Serena. Really. I'm just a little sore. Poppy's potions have eased most of the pain."
Laying her head on his knee, she closed her eyes and shuddered.
The Cruciatus curse had been cast a total of three times, once every ten minutes. When the first two had hit, Severus felt nothing. When Dumbledore cast the third curse, thirty minutes into the test, it brought Severus to his knees. While the potion had done its job, the effects seemed to be time limited.
The draw back was, once the thirty minutes were up, the after effects of the Cruciatus came crashing down on the victim. While it was undoubtedly a breakthrough, and a huge advantage for their side, it wasn't a perfect answer.
Minerva had taken methodical notes of the test. Once it was over, she copied the parchment, and gave one to Shacklebolt for the MLE.
After speaking quietly with Dumbledore, Shacklebolt thanked Severus and Serena for their hard work. Retrieving the potion samples and brewing instructions Poppy had set aside for the Ministry, he left to inform Amelia Bones of the results. Poppy and McGonagall conferred for a moment about the results before both women left the room.
Dumbledore, looking older than ever, sat heavily in the chair at the foot of Severus' bed. "Forgive me, Severus. I know it needed to be done, but I never wanted to cause you pain."
"There's nothing to forgive, Headmaster. It was necessary, and you are the only one I trust to cast that spell."
"Poppy insists that you stay the night…"
"I'll be returning to my own quarters, Sir."
"I really don't think…"
"He'll stay, Headmaster," Serena said firmly, glowering at her husband, who scowled down at her. "You won the last argument Severus. It's my turn this time. You're going to…"
"Serena…"
"You're staying!" She growled. "If I have to, I'll tie you to that bed and sit on you, Severus. You're not leaving the infirmary until tomorrow morning!"
Giving up, he turned to lie on the bed. Crossing his arms over his chest, he glared at her. "Fine!" He said, petulantly.
As Serena stood to escort the smiling Headmaster to the door, she started muttering under her breath.
"…stubborn as a jackass, that one….childish and spoiled…"
Once her back was turned, Severus winked at Dumbledore and grinned. Damn, he loved it when she got angry!
Snape Quarters, later that evening…
After leaving Severus in Poppy's capable hands, Serena returned to their quarters. The potion had been a mistake. Oh, it had worked well enough, but the results had not been what she was aiming for.
Entering the lab, she crossed to her desk and sat down. From a drawer, she removed the blood samples she had taken from Harry and placed them on the desktop. Collecting parchment, quills and ink, she set to work.
With a few flicks of her wand, she cast magnifying spells on each sample. There's a slight color difference. Odd, that shouldn't be.
Casting the spell again, she increased the magnification on the samples to examine them at the cellular level. Interesting. The sample from his arm looks normal. But the blood from the scar has a much thicker cell membrane…why?
Pulling parchment to her, she grabbed a quill and jotted down her observations. Sitting back, she pinched the bridge of her nose before scowling at the samples magnified before her. Why the difference, she asked herself. Come on woman. Think!
Standing, she walked to a bookcase and scanned the volumes. Finding what she was looking for, she grabbed the book and returned to her desk. Placing a hand on the cover, she closed her eyes.
It's thought of as a primitive form of magic, she thought. But it's worked for him before. Merlin knows the wizarding world is full of pretentious gits who'd rather sneer at the thought than examine the facts behind it…
Breaking off her thoughts, she opened the book and set to work.
The Pensieve…
Things were going well. Molly was in seventh heaven. Harry had instructed the contractor to rebuild the kitchen and the living room to her specifications. Molly was spending half her days at Grimmauld and half at the Burrow, watching the construction. The Burrow wouldn't be fully repaired and ready for people to move back in until after the children returned to Hogwarts, but it would be repaired much sooner than she had expected.
Molly, Ginny and Hermione put their heads together over the kitchen design. Harry wasn't sure, but he knew she was making the kitchen much bigger than it had been. He suspected Molly was planning on a large kitchen to feed many grandchildren and that was a thought that made him sort of queasy.
Since there were few people around today, Harry felt it was a good idea to try out the Pensieve. After reading the small instruction booklet, he set the Pensieve down on the table in his sitting room. According to the instructions, the wand acted like a magnet, withdrawing a copy of the memory for placement into the Pensieve. The booklet went on to describe how the memory could be played back or frozen to a specific point. It described how he could walk around a memory, view it from different angles, different perspectives, which was exactly what he wanted to do.
Harry extracted the memory he wanted and placed it in the Pensieve. Then, activating the Pensieve wandlessly, he felt his awareness shift radically.
"…Flying above the town of Hogsmeade. Looking down he saw that many of the buildings were burning; a few had even collapsed upon themselves. Bodies littered the street…"
Harry froze the memory at that point. Despite having an aerial vantage point, he could feel himself rushing down to the ground. He landed softly, without any pain. He stood in front of Gladrags; the building had collapsed and was on fire. Next door, Zonkos was also burning. Many of the buildings looked damaged.
Moving down the street towards the train station, he spotted bodies. Some looked to be alive still, others were clearly dead. A lot of the faces he didn't recognize. Here and there he spotted an Order member. Mundungus looked to be dead or dying, and…TONKS!
She was sitting against a collapsed wall of Honeydukes. Her eyes were closed and there was a bleeding cut on her forehead. He breathed a sigh of relief. He was pretty sure she was just unconscious, not dead.
Looking up, he spotted something that he'd been desperately searching for. It was a sign in an unbroken pane of glass in Honeydukes. The sign read, "ON SALE NOW! FROM MAY 15th TO THE END OF THE MONTH, CHOCOLATE FROGS HALF OFF!"
So that puts the attack somewhere between May 15th and May 31st. Maybe I can narrow that down a bit more, he thought.
Harry continued his search and was appalled by the casualties. Women, children, no one was spared. At one point he thought he might have found a better date when he spotted the scorched front page of the Daily Prophet on the ground. But that issue was dated in April, weeks old. Finally he gave up looking and exited the memory.
It's useful information. It gives me a time frame anyway. I wish I could have pinned it down further though, he thought.
Harry looked over the Pensieve's booklet again and spotted a section on recovering forgotten memories. He wondered if it might be possible to recover any memory from his first year. Now that idea excited him. Maybe he could see his mum and dad?
His locket gave a sudden warning thump against his chest and he paused for a moment. Surely his parents wouldn't mind him seeing them? With that, Harry pulled out his wand and carefully extracted a memory and placed it into the Pensieve.
Entering the memory, he was shocked. Feeling suddenly numb and lost, he tried to break from the vision but he couldn't. All he could do is stand there mutely, helpless, and watch the scene unfold.
Harry looked to be eight year old. He slept on a crib mattress that was too short for his frame. The cupboard was dark; the only light came from a crack under the door. Suddenly, the cupboard flooded with light. Aunt Petunia reached in with one hand and jerked Harry off his bed.
"Get up you freak! Get up and start making breakfast before your Uncle wakes up!" She bellowed at him. Harry scurried from the cupboard, narrowly avoiding a kick to his behind.
Rushing into the kitchen he started putting breakfast on. At one point, Petunia felt he wasn't working fast enough, so she hit him in the head. His face bounced off the counter, his lip split and started to bleed…
Molly, Ginny and Hermione had returned from their trip to the Burrow and all three wanted to tell Harry about the new family sized, deluxe cauldron they had just finished watching the contractor install. Approaching the door to Harry's room, they heard a strange sound. Looking at each other with concern, they opened the door to the room, thinking it was another Voldemort attack.
Harry sat in a chair in the sitting room. On the table before him lay the Pensieve. It was projecting an image above the Pensieve as well as into Harry's mind. Harry's eyes were glazed over, his mind stuck in the vision. The three women froze in shock, watching the image floating above the Pensieve.
Harry looked to be eight or nine years old. One eye was swollen shut and his lip was still oozing blood. He wore no shirt and the bruises from multiple hits with a belt were obvious on his back, some new, some days old. Carefully, he placed his glassed on a shelf.
Little Harry crawled onto his bed, his movements slow and obviously painful. He pulled a threadbare blanket over his thin frame and cried "Mum… Dad… why did you leave me? Can't I please be with you? Please? I promise I'll be good, and I won't eat too much." Sobbing softly he cried himself to sleep, shivering in the cold.
The vision faded out.
The Pensieve at that point released Harry, who sat back, his eyes unfocused. He pulled himself into a tight ball. It was all the more frightening because he made no sound. He just lay there trembling, taking no notice of the others in the room.
Molly glanced at the two girls. Both had tears in their eyes and were clutching each other, horrified by what they had just witnessed. Both had known some of the details of Harry's life prior to coming to Hogwarts, but this vision brought a kind of strange reality to it. Now it wasn't just a tale reported second hand, it was brutally real for both of them. And to see a child praying to join his dead parents…pleading with them?
Molly spoke to the two girls in a hushed tone. "Hermione, why don't you and Ginny go visit your parents for a while? Harry will need you later, but right now I think I better handle this alone."
The two girls nodded and silently left the room as Molly turned back to Harry. He was still oblivious to her presence. She walked over to him and tried to touch him, but Harry flinched away, like he expected her to strike him.
Molly frowned. None of her children had ever flinched away from her before. But then, none of her children ever experienced anything like this either. Kneeling down in front of Harry she called to him softly.
"Harry… Harry dear, its Molly… time to come back to us love…"
Slowly, Harry's eyes focused on her. She could see the pain, made fresh by that vision, in his eyes. His normally bright gaze made dull with anguish.
In a whisper he asked her, "Will you leave me too? My parents did. Sirius did. Why does everyone I love go away?"
The question tore at Molly. This was the crux of his fear. He was afraid being left behind by the people he loved. She wiped his cheek gently as only a mother can do, and she felt her own tears flowing freely.
"No love, we'll never leave you. We're your family now and we'll never leave you."
Harry reached out to her and she pulled him close and both wept. He wept for parents he never got the chance to know. Molly cried, cursing the fates that could be so cruel to a child.
She held him until he cried himself out. Helping him into bed, she brushed his hair away from his forehead and spoke soothingly to him until he drifted off to sleep. She gazed down at his still form and wept bitter tears for the boy…her son…who'd never been allowed a childhood.
Entering the kitchen a short time later, she stopped and gazed around. Everyone was looking at her with grim expressions. Both Ron and Arthur looked like they wanted to hit something. Remus sat, holding Tonks' hand tightly. Both looked angry. Ginny clung to Arthur and Hermione gripped her mother. Emma and Dan looked to be nearly as upset as the girls were.
Molly broke the silence first. "I guess there was no hiding this in the first place. Harry's asleep and will probably sleep for a few hours. The poor dear exhausted himself crying. He'll probably be down for dinner though."
Ron stepped up to his mother and looking at her searchingly. Molly seemed startled by how tall he was. Ron placed one hand on her shoulder and said softly, "Mum, I am so sorry for what Harry is going through, but is it wrong for me to say I'm glad you're my mum? Being poor may not be fun, but being unloved is far worse. If anyone can help Harry, it's you and our family."
Molly grabbed her son in a fierce hug, while both Hermione and Arthur looked on approvingly at Ron and Molly.
Hogwarts, Noon, Severus leaves the infirmary…
Severus entered the apartment, annoyed and put out with Dumbledore. It wasn't enough that he'd had to spend the night in the infirmary with Poppy hovering over him. Shacklebolt had returned that morning with dozens of questions about the test. Once he had left, the Headmaster insisted that Severus join him for lunch to talk over the potion and what it could mean for their side.
And if that man offers me one more damn lemon drop, I will not be responsible for my actions! He thought furiously, as he slammed the door closed and marched into the living room.
"Severus? Is that you?" Serena called from the potions lab.
"Who else would it be, wife? You still have the charm on the door!" He replied grumpily.
Stripping off his robe and thinking of nothing more than a hot shower, he was intercepted by Serena. She came streaking out of the lab and flew into his arms. Grunting at the impact, his arms wrapping around her automatically, he scowled.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing! How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. I was fine last night and I'm fine now."
Pulling back, she looked up at him and frowned. "My aren't we the grumpy one? You look tired."
"I'm not tired. I am annoyed, however. I would have been back sooner but Poppy…"
"You're sure you're alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine! Poppy released me, didn't she? But Shacklebolt came back with questions and then Dumbledore and his damn lemon drops…"
Interrupting him, she said, "I'm glad you're feeling better, Severus. I've got something to show you!" Grabbing his hand, she pulled him towards the lab.
"Serena, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a shower first," he said irritably.
"That can wait. You have to see this."
As they entered the lab, Severus stopped in shock, causing Serena to jerk to a halt. What the hell? The lab was a wreck! Broken bottles and ripped parchment littered the floor. Cabinets were thrown open, their contents scattered everywhere. The desk was covered with books and papers and…was that a melted cauldron?
"Serena?" He croaked. "What on earth…?"
"I know it's a mess. I'll clean it later. What until you see…"
"Clean it later? Serena, you're never like this! One cannot brew anything effectively in a garbage pit! What the hell were you thinking?"
"I found the key, Severus. It was right in front of us the whole time and we missed it!"
"Key? What are you blathering about, woman? Merlin, it looks like the final battle took place in this room. Or worse, Neville Longbottom took over the lab!" Moving to the cabinets, he began to clean up the mess, scowling. "How you can get anything done in here is beyond me. This is the most…"
"Would you listen to me," Serena barked in frustration. As Severus whipped around to stare at her, she rolled her eyes.
"I started working on a salve for Harry's scar last night," she explained.
"Serena, many people have worked on that for the past six years. Myself included. No one has found…"
"LISTEN!" She bellowed at him, throwing an empty bottle against the wall. Severus' jaw dropped. What the hell?
"I am not one of your students to lecture and intimidate, you bloody man! You will stand there and you will listen to what I have to say, or so help me Severus, Filch will be scrapping up what's left of you from the lab floor!"
As she began to pace, Severus wisely kept his mouth shut. It's got to be the Latin temper, he thought. Unless she's pregnant…Oh Merlin! His wandering thoughts were jerked back to his wife as she started to speak.
"All that nonsense the pure-blood community spouts about primitive magic being weak has had a blinding affect on any meaningful research into Harry's scar. No one has been willing to look into its influence at a blood level!"
"Serena, I don't understand…"
"Blood magic, Severus! The boy has been protected by blood magic for years!"
"I hardly think…" He shut his mouth when she picked up another empty bottle and glared at him.
"For nearly sixteen years, that young man has been under the protection of blood magic. It wasn't just his aunt's blood, Severus. It was his mothers! The same blood flowing through his veins! Look," she said, waving to the magnified blood samples projected above the desk. "The sample on the right is from his arm. The one on the left is from the scar. Can't you see it?"
Frowning, he moved closer to the projected images. There were differences…small ones, true, but definite differences in the samples. A thicker cell membrane…if they combined…
Turning slowly, he looked at his wife in astonishment. "But that would mean…"
"Yes! Even if I hadn't made mistakes with the potion, it still wouldn't have worked because the key ingredient was missing! The potion itself, brewed correctly of course, is the base. But the blood magic is the key."
Walking quickly to a cooling cauldron near her desk, she waved him over. "It still needs to be tested of course, but I think I've done it."
Looking into the cauldron, Severus saw a clear, congealed substance. As he reached to dip a finger into the mixture, Serena slapped his hand.
"Now who needs a lecture, Professor?" She asked. Reaching for a sterile swab, she extracted a small amount of the salve and handed it to him. "It won't work for you, or anyone else, of course. It's specifically designed for Harry."
Examining the swab closely revealed nothing new. Looking at Serena in puzzlement, Severus asked, "But how, Serena?"
"The blood, of course. One drop of unaffected blood for his mother's sacrifice and one drop of altered blood for his bond to Voldemort, added to the base potion. It's useless for anyone else because of the blood magic, but it does have an interesting effect."
Taking the swab from him, she brushed it across the back of his hand, saying, "The Ph balance in the skin dictates the color change. It's red for me." As they watched, the area turned brown. Looking into his eyes with a devilish expression she asked, "Fancy a tan, Professor Snape?"
Laughing at his stunned expression, she threw her arms around his neck. "I think I've done it. We'll need to test it, but I'm sure it'll work." Pulling back, she placed a hand on his cheek and continued seriously, "I couldn't just stand by and watch him suffer any longer. Harry's been through too much in his short life. He took away your Dark Mark, took away the pain Voldemort was causing you. I had to do something, Severus."
He nodded in understanding as a small thrill of satisfaction coursed through him. To give something back to the boy who gave everything? Amazing! Wrapping his arms around her, he picked her up and spun her around, laughing at her shriek of surprise.
With her feet once more on the ground, she smiled up at him mischievously. "I believe you said something about wanting a shower? Merlin knows I need one!"
At his questioning expression, she grabbed his hand and, with a wicked look in her eyes, dragged him out of the lab.
Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes…
George and Fred opened the shop a little early. For the last week or more, nothing serious had happened and they figured the prank war was over. Fred accepted the morning supply delivery and anxiously sorted through the boxes. They had a new product in mind and both of them wanted to get an early start on it.
Fred looked at one box, carefully. It seemed a little light, but it was from the correct supplier. Maybe they just had to back ship something, he thought.
Walking over to George at the counter, Fred took out a box opener. It never paid to open a box of magical supplies using magic. They'd learned that early enough in their career. It had taken days for the feathers to disappear!
Deftly slicing the box open, he lifted the lid and froze. George looked over his shoulder and, gasping, froze also.
Inside the box was something truly ugly. It sported long floppy white ears and a white cottontail. But that's where the similarity ended. It flapped its leather wings and, with glowing red eyes, looked balefully at the two men.
George whispered to Fred, "That's a B… B… Bunnybat! They're deadly!"
Fred whispered back, "No I think it depends on if it's an American or Asian Bunnybat."
"Do you know what kind it is?"
"Of course not… remember we dropped out of school in our first NEWT year, Hagrid hadn't gotten to Bunnybats before we left. I don't even remember which type is deadly."
The two took a slow step back from the counter. The Bunnybat burst from the box and started flying around the shop. Both men reached for their wands and shouted as one.
"STUPEFY!"
The Bunnybat halted in its flight and an ominous voice boomed in the shop.
"TSK TSK BOYS, THAT WASN'T VERY SMART!"
"MARAURDERS RULE! WEASLEY'S DROOL!"
"WE AWAIT YOUR FORMAL SURRENDER!"
The Bunnybat was enveloped in a huge cloud of smoke and a deep rumbling sound was heard. The cloud was lit by hundreds of flashes of light. With each flash a new Bunnybat shot from the cloud. They were flying everywhere!
Fred and George tried to make it to the exit but, every time they tried, the Bunnybats would cluster in front of them, forcing them back. Finally, they took refuge under the counter.
Over the din of the hundreds of flying Bunnybats they could hear the door chime ring as someone entered.
"Wotcher Fred… Oy what's this?"
Fred and George looked at each other in relief! THEY WERE SAVED! Tonks was an Auror! She'd save them.
They rose from behind the counter just in time to see Tonks raise her wand. Crying out, they tried to stop her, but were too late. Tonks managed to stupefy five bunnybats at one time. Tonks, hiding her grin, ducked back out the door as the twins looked on in horror, hearing five sets of voices echoing...
"TSK TSK BOYS, DIDN'T YOU LEARN THE FIRST TIME?"
"MARAURDERS RULE! WEASLEY'S DROOL!"
"WE STILL AWAIT YOUR FORMAL SURRENDER!"
Outside of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, a small crowd had gathered, laughing at the mayhem coming from within the shop.
Tonks walked over to Remus, Harry and Ginny with a grin on her face. She snickered and said to the group, "Mischief…"
"…Managed!" The three replied, grinning evilly.
Having finished their shopping, the four linked their arms together and walked off to meet Hermione and Ron at the ice cream shop, laughing merrily.
Grimmauld Place…
Remus and Molly sat at the table each drinking a cup of tea. They had just seen the kids off on the Hogwarts Express and were finally able to relax.
Suddenly the door burst open and Fred and George Weasley erupted into the room. Spotting Remus they ran to him and fell to their knees.
"Remus our blessed friend…"
"…You have to get in touch…"
"…with your Marauder friends…"
"…tell them we surrender…"
"…we bow to their magnificence!.."
"…we'll kiss the ground they walk on…"
"…we'll lick their boots…"
"…and hold their coats…"
"…ANYTHING, but we surrender!"
Remus gave the two a long, slow look before telling them that he'd pass the message along.
Authors Notes:
I want every one of you kind folk to know that my wife and I go through multiple reviews of this before we post and WE STILL find mistakes and typos AFTER we post the chapter. I blame this on an obscure branch of magic known as Murphy's Magic. Its insidious and evil if you ask me, and unfortunately unavoidable.
Ok There are a couple of questions from reviews I need to address here.
The update rate: How often do we update? We're trying for a chapter at least every 1 to 1.5 days, sometimes it might swing as far out as two days. You can do one of two things. You can either read'em as we post'em or wait 'til they are all done.
I know that some are disappointed that Harry didn't use his magic to repair the Burrow, but the fact is having him hire a contractor is letting Molly have a lot of fun. Molly needs some fun doesn't she? Oh for Merlin's sake let the woman have some fun will ya!
Wings and Dan Granger: I had thought I had made it clear. Wings saw that Dan was sick, he was dying and hiding it from his daughter. It was just a little subplot I threw in and it seemed to work for me, but if people have to ask I guess it wasn't clear enough.
Harry's Training and the DA: In a real military organization the General needn't be present to make sure every private is properly trained. Harry's work with the crystals and his work with Snape in controlling his power output is taking up a lot of time. Harry has to rely on his core friends, his command team to make sure that they are doing the training when he has to miss a meeting. He's still attending and still doing personal training. But I left it out because how many times do we really need to see Harry training or the DA Training? I can assure you that we will be seeing more of both in the coming chapters. But sometimes you need to take stuff for granted.
Ginny and Harry's relationship: I personally don't see much of a need to insert deliberate fights into the mix. There is going to be friction between them, especially as the time draws nearer to the end of this book and its sequel. Also look for a lot of angst from Ginny as she realizes that Harry still doesn't believe he will win. And her own doubts because if he faces Voldemort and loses, they will never be able to marry. So look for Ginny/Harry angst as well as Ginny/Parental angst. Ginny has a tendency to go ballistic on Harry when she feels its necessary. THANK GOD I DIDN'T MARRY A RED HEAD!
The power: Well I've discussed this in the past but I'll say it again. Harry and Voldemort will be equals in terms of magical energy when they finally square off against each other. Why does "the power" have to be some magical ability or other special thing. When you think about it we've seen this power of Harry's used time and time again. If you can't see it, I'm not going to spoil it for you. Or maybe I will, on the last chapter of our sequel to this book.
Dumbledore and Harry will have their talk next chapter.