My Pile of Ashes

A/N: Yes everyone, I am still here! I'm so sorry that this I took so long to update. I had a severe lack of inspiration (aka Writers Block) and couldn't figure out what to do. Also, school has been kind of hectic and I can't study and write stories at the same time. The only thing I can say is that I'm sorry and I hope you all forgive me.

Hey, I have a a Beta now, so that's cool. This chapter's been checked over and everything! I send my thanks to MorphManiac, my Beta , for helping me with this chapter! I am extremely grateful. Well, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. If not then uh... shields face ...don't hit me!

Disclaimer: I only own one character in here so don't sue me!

Characters are OOC

Chapter 4: Half Truths and Whole Lies

Three weeks went by and nothing much had changed. Snape was still as bitter as before, and Knowles was steadily becoming worse. Hermione wasn't as mad as she was before, but she still became offended by Harry's increasingly biting comments. Ron was just about going insane from having to pick sides between the two.

Dumbledore was becoming suspicious towards Harry's attitude. He kept asking how he got certain cuts and bruises. Harry always managed to find a way to lie; but then he started asking why Harry's eyes were so bloodshot. He really had to think to cover that one up. He would say things like how he hadn't been getting very good sleep, or his eyes were just itchy. He hoped Dumbledore believed them.

He knew he shouldn't do it. Not this soon. He was really stupid for doing so but he just couldn't stand being this depressed. He wanted to be happy again. At least, happier than he was now. Plus, he was in the Forbidden Forest already; he just had to light up one more. Harry puffed away on his own special mixture of drugs that he had rolled into a cigarette.

He had just smoked three of them last night at the same spot, and although he knew he shouldn't smoke another one so soon, he began to forget about how wrong it was with each inhale. In fact, he began to forget about everything that was bothering him. No more Voldemort, no more Sirius, and, mostly, no more Dursleys. Harry was what he thought was happy; in his own peaceful world, at least for a little while.

He decided that he should probably be getting back to Hogwarts. It was already way after dark outside. When Harry tried to stand, though, he fell right back down. "Whoa," he muttered, clutching his head. His world spun around him crazily. Pressing his hands tighter to his head, he desperately tried to stop the spinning. It only worked slightly. 'I shouldn'a had this much to smoke.' Harry thought slowly.

As he tried to regain his composure he heard a noise. Someone stepping on a leaf. It had crunched very loudly. Harry snapped his head in the direction in which he had heard the noise and saw the outline of a figure dressed in black. He thought it was a Death Eater. He tried to reach for his wand, but he couldn't remember where he had put it. He started to feel panicky.

"Who's it?" Harry nearly yelled. He wished he hadn't, though. His own voice nearly cause his head to explode. The replied voice wasn't someone whom Harry wanted to see at all.

"Harry Potter!" came the cold yet unmistakable voice

.
"Professor?" Harry asked in a shaky voice. The figure came nearer.

"What in God's name do you think you're doing?" Snape asked very slowly and dangerously. Harry thought it smart to throw the bag of pot on the ground to hide it. This movement only seemed to anger Snape even more than he was.

He began to feel very paranoid. What if Snape wanted to hit him? What if he actually was a Death Eater? Would he try to kill him? What was that other noise he heard? Was it more Death Eaters? Did Snape bring Voldemort? Or maybe it was a werewolf? A big, hairy, hungry werewolf that was going to kill both Harry and Snape; if Harry didn't die they'd all blame it on him. Then he'd go to Azkaban.

Harry began to shake. Not only was he scared to death, he felt like his whole body was going to implode on itself. Why did he even come out here? He knew somebody would find him out eventually. 'You're so stupid!' Harry though angrily to himself. Snape snapped him out of his thoughts.

"What was in that bag Potter?" Snape asked suspiciously.

"I-I don't remember." Harry stuttered. He felt terribly cold, yet his face felt like it was on fire.

"What do you mean you don't remember?" Snape yelled. Harry jumped and fell off of the tree stump he was sitting on.

"I thought it was just marijuana!" Harry lied. He knew it was more than that. Snape walked angrily over to the place where Harry had dropped the pot. He bent down and picked up the plastic zip-lock bag, inspected it, then sniffed it. He coughed violently.

"Potter, what's in this?" Snape asked in a strangled voice.

"How many have you had?" Harry just stared at Snape wide-eyed.

"How many?" Snape repeated, his voice raising. Harry jumped again and began counting on his fingers.

"S-Somewhere between err..." Harry stared at his hand in confusion.

"...five, I think." Harry said, more to himself than to Snape. Snape's eyes nearly bulged out.

"You had five of th-" Snape didn't get to finish his sentence before Harry threw up all over the ground. He grabbed his head again, trying to gain control of his vision. This seemed to draw more of Snape's unwanted attention.

"What's in pain, Potter?" Snape asked almost gently.

"Ugh" was the only reply Harry gave. It felt like Harry was on a carousel that was spinning out of control. He laid his head down on ground, pressing his face into the cool dirt. In a moment he was unconscious.

Harry heard someone talking from what seemed a mile away. He could hear a voice, but he couldn't make out the words. They just reverberated in his head, like he was in a long hallway. The only thing he could decipher was Snape calling his name. It was said almost frantically. Harry tried desperately to open his eyes but he couldn't. He tried to answer to his name but it was like he was paralyzed. Then everything went silent again and he was out cold.

Harry woke up several times during the night to more voices. After again failing to understand their words he began concentrating on his surroundings. He really couldn't see much but he could definitely tell that he was by a fire. He could feel the warmth radiating from it. The more he thought about the warmth of the fire and how comfortable he was, the more he felt himself being drifted back into a slumber.

"Severus, perhaps you should summon Miss Granger and Mister Weasley." Dumbledore said in a grave voice. Snape sighed.

"Perhaps." he agreed. After Dumbledore's nod he turned and walked out of the office door. Dumbledore sat down in a chair next to Harry. He still couldn't get the image out of his head when Severus had brought Harry in. He was holding Harry so that his head and neck were resting on one arm and the back of Harry's knees on the other arm. Severus had a look of urgency in his eyes. Harry, himself, looked horrible. His face was almost as white as paper, his red-rimmed eyes were clenched tightly, and he reeked of something awful.

Dumbledore was shocked when Severus told him what had happened. He also felt guilty for what Harry had to endure at home. He had a suspicion that something like that was happening, but not to the extent in which Snape explained. How could he have passes up all the signs? Now here Harry was, malnourished, beaten, and near death.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when he heard his office door open suddenly.

"Where is he?" Dumbledore heard Hermione ask frantically.

"In here!" he called from the chair in his personal quarters. Hermione ran in while Ron walked in almost hesitantly. Hermione immediately put her hand over her gaping mouth as her eyes widened. Ron put his arm over Hermione's shoulder as he muttered "Oh my God" over and over.

"How...what happened?" the red head asked in a hushed voice. Snape, who had just entered the room, looked sharply at Dumbledore who in turn sighed.

"It seems as if Harry has overdosed on drugs." Dumbledore explained, eyes lowered to the ground. It took a moment to sink in but as soon as it did all hell broke lose. Hermione broke into tears and Ron grew angry.

"Are you serious?" Ron asked in a deadly whisper.

"Would we be joking about such a thing?" Snape asked equally dangerous.

"Shut up!" Ron yelled, turning on Snape. He clenched his fists tightly. Then his rage built up even more and he forcefully shoved a small, nearby table over onto it's side. Hermione cried harder at the outburst. Ron ran out of the room and into Dumbledore's office. Sounds of things crashing to the floor and the thuds of feet connecting to various objects could be heard.

Before anyone could stop him, Snape rushed out of the room. He found Ron kicking the leg of a chair at such a force a thick, sharp shard of wood splintered off.

"Mr. Weasley! If you do not stop this minute I will personally make sure that you are expelled for good!" Snape said loudly. Ron abruptly stopped moving and stood completely still for a few seconds. Then he turned around slowly and stared at Snape so evilly that Snape was almost shocked.

Then, as fast as a blink of an eye, Ron lunged at Snape and punched him in the eye. Snape fell back at the shock and momentum of the punch and two things happened: his head hit the corner of the desk, and a crunch from Snape's arm was heard when he tried to catch his fall. Ron, still standing above him, drew back his leg as Hermione and Dumbledore both came running in to see what the crash was.

"Ron, no!" Hermione yelled. It was too late, though. Just as Ron was about to kick Snape in the stomach, Snape grabbed Ron's leg with his good hand. Ron quickly lost his balance and fell backwards to the floor. Unfortunately, the shard of wood that Ron kicked off the chair earlier happened to be lying up-right on the floor so that Ron's shoulder came in contact with it.

The wood impaled his left shoulder in such a way that half of it came out the other side. Ron's screams filled the room for a few seconds before he stopped suddenly. He had passed out from the pain. Hermione was beyond screaming, Dumbledore's eyes were as wide as possible, and Snape was trying and failing to sit up and see what had happened. Dumbledore snapped back into action and quickly yelled to Snape.

"Severus, don't move!" he barked. Snape quit trying to sit up, feeling to dizzy anyway.

"Hermione! Conjure up a stretcher for Harry and I'll handle these two," Dumbledore
snapped. Hermione knew now was not the time to gawk, so she immediately did what she was told.

" 'eadmaster, this isn't nec'ssary." Snape said, voice slightly slurred.

"Please, Severus, just be quiet and let me do my job!" Dumbledore pleaded. He was in a hurry to get them all to the Hospital Wing. Conjuring up a stretcher and carefully moving Ron onto it, he moved on to Snape. Snape tried to protest but with one look from Dumbledore he shut his mouth. Hermione came back into the office, slightly winded, with Harry on a stretcher. She looked expectantly at Dumbledore, and they both headed out the office door towards the Hospital Wing.