A/N well after ten days of suffereing here is your answer to my cliff hanger :)
And valanthe you are about to read what she said enjoy :D
Disclamier - I own nothing but the plot but thats enough!!!
A Ghost?
They walked in silence as if in mourning to Dumbledore's office (though they were not) to discuss Harry condition. "Kit Kat" Dumbledore said to the gargoyle and instantly it moved to reveal a winding staircase which they climbed. They entered a circular room in which many strange yet wonderful instruments were laid out. "Take a seat", Dumbledore offered once the door was closed.
Dumbledore took his usual seat behind his desk, while Poppy chose to take the one opposite and Severus being the way he is, chose to just lean against the wall with his arms crossed in front of himself. "Now Poppy tell us what is wrong with Harry so we can be able to help him."
"Albus," Poppy started uneasily, "…..Albus, well lets start with the basics you saw the two potions bottles I took to Harry." They nodded "Well I'm sure Severus guessed what they were correct?"
"I believe they were a heating potion and a sleeping potion," Severus replied calmly, yet you could see in his eyes that he did not like where this conversation might lead.
Poppy gave him a small nod to confirm this for both Severus and Albus. "Both potions were to solve two problems that are linked," Poppy explained to them. "The heating potion was because Harry has or I hope had slight Hypothermia-"
"I know the castle is cold but it's not cold enough to give a student Hypothermia. That is unless a student was wearing a minimal amount of clothes and no shoes," stated Albus. "Anyway last time I checked we were still in October."
"You are right Albus; he could not have gotten Hypothermia from inside the castle. He was outside." It took a few minutes for this new piece of information to set in. Were all three of them were thinking of how Harry so likes to break the rules a lot of the time, but they didn't know he would do something so dangerous. For they all knew Voldermort was dead but they also knew that there were still a lot of Death Eaters that wish for their master's dream to become a reality. So they did not understand why Harry would do something that he knew was very wrong, even life threatening.
It also took a few more minutes for someone to break the silence. That someone was Severus, "That does make sense if you think about it." The other two turned to him to see how he made any sense of Harry's almost stupidity. "Since the Dark Lord's death at Harry's hands, he has been come more and more distant from everyone, even his friends. This is because a least it seems the most logical, for it was Harry's first kill. I know it sounds horrible putting it like that, but before he actually killed the Dark Lord he had only wounded the Death Eaters that he had came across. Harry used up a lot of energy in this fight, he fought not only humans but Dementors, Giants, Vampires and even trolls from all over the world, so when he finally got to the Dark Lord it must have been very hard for Harry to keep up enough strength and will power to not just give up when he saw him." Severus finished with his chin resting on this chest and the other two looking still confused but seeming to understand the situation Harry was in.
"So in truth Harry midnight walks are really just an act of confusion and trying to get away from it all." Albus said looking satisfied with this answer.
"No, no Headmaster," Severus said annoyed, now looking at Albus square in the eyes. "Do you not understand? Harry has been through a great deal and he isn't confused or trying to get away from anything, he doesn't want to be around the people that more or less forced him to kill." The look of pure annoyance and anger showed clearly on Albus's face he opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Severus who started to speak to again. "I am not blaming you, but everyone that was there that day when Harry and the Dark Lord faced each other for their last duel. You probably have no idea what it is meant to feel like when you are surrounded like an animal in a cage and forced to do something you do not want to do."
"It sounds as if you've had experience and you know exactly what Harry feelings are, so please inform us." Poppy inquired looking quite annoyed.
"Yes Poppy I have felt like Harry did," Severus stated not really wanting to tell them exactly what situation he was in but he could at least tell them how he felt. This seemed to be the only way to get them to listen to him. "You would not be able to understand his feelings, (my feelings) on this matter but I will try my best. Our situations are not the same but the deeds in which we were meant to perform are similar, though there is an age gap. While Harry is seventeen, I was nearing twenty but I was still just as scared just as oblivious to the out come of our decisions. As you know Albus even since my fifth week of being a Death Eater I have regretted it, what I felt was nothing more than hatred towards my self and others who put me in my position-"
"But Harry would never wish ill of us," cried Poppy amazed at what Severus was presuming.
"I think there is more to this hatred than meet the eye Poppy, lets just hear Severus out," Albus said trying to calm a already stressed out Poppy and not only because of what Severus was inquiring.
"You are right Albus, if Harry is feeling just one tenth of what I felt toward the Dark Lord and his so called followers, then I am surprised he has not tried to kill you instead of slowly making himself waste away." Severus grew silent for a time taking a few deep breaths trying to find how he was going to say his next piece. The others waited patiently not wanting to say anything in case he did not tell them anymore. "The only reason I can see for this is that he either loves you all too much, even after all that you have done to him and finds it hard to bring himself to the thought of killing you, let alone actually performing the deed. Or he thinks you to powerful to be able to kill you, which leads me to this that he hates you can come from the reason that you could have easily have killed the Dark Lord yourself but instead you sent Harry to try six times and the first being only when he was eleven."
Severus stopped as fast as he had started that explanation, he had expected to be told why both reasons were insane and even the thought of wanting to kill any one of the staff or Order. But nothing was said, he actually look up to see a pair of eyes looking at him in understanding rather than thinking him insane.
Seeing the look passing between the two men Poppy shouted, "I CAN NOT believe you Albus Dumbledore, you actually believe that Mr. Potter's condition was caused by us, it's absurd, complete insanity." Poppy was on her feet looking into Albus's eyes so she knew he was listening.
Albus came out of his stupor and thought for a moment, "I am afraid to say Severus that Poppy has a point and I have something to say in my defence. I could not kill the Dark Lord even if I had wanted to-"
"And why would that be, you are stronger than the Dark Lord and Harry combined," Severus shot back in anger.
"Because of the Prophecy Severus, the Prophecy," Albus replied calmly.
Severus looking as if he was about to burst a blood vessel simply said, "But the Prophecy never said Harry could not have help in defeating the Dark Lord," and with that he left.
Severus simply pushed himself off the wall and when to the door, opened it and was gone leaving two very surprised Profossors. Though if you looked closer you could see in their eyes the shame and guiltiness of what they had really done to Harry the one that was meant to save them all, 'but' they thought 'did he really have to have done it all alone.'
Severus felt a whole load better after finally being able to say that out loud, though he felt guilty for not being able to say it sooner for it could have prevented Harry present condition. As he slowly made his way back to the dungeons of the school, he could hear the sounds of doors opening as students where about to make their own way toward the Great Hall for lunch. Not paying any attention to his surrounding, Severus did not see a black hooded figure walk by him. It was not until a few seconds later that he realized that was a Death Eater no surely not but it was too tall for any student and no teacher would dare dress like that anymore. For even Severus had taken up to weary navy colours or rarely something lighter.
But when he finally turned no more than four seconds later all he saw was a bunch of frightened fourth year girls, that after just giggled and wandered off. If you had been looking carefully enough you might have seen a small smile grace his lips but it was soon gone as if it was never there. But none the less he did find that rather amusing that girls now, that used to get a scare from Professor Severus Snape ran away screaming or crying, just simply giggled.
Severus though was still not sure exactly what he had seen though he was sure he saw neither ghost nor ghoul or phantom or menace. He could have sworn that it was a real man, a Death Eater. Not wanting to think about it and blaming it on his late night marking and the few nightmares he still gets from the battle; he continued he was back to his quarters.
Though he did not get far because once again something happened; something that was so real that everyone turned to look in the direction of the noise. Severus would never forget that sound, for he and all others heard the high pitched scream of Harry Potter. Though before anyone could tell this to him he had whirled around and sped up the stairs before the last head had turned. Everyone knew who that scream belonged to, for they had heard it a few times before in the night.
Severus weaved and pushed and actually flung poor Professor Flitwick to the ground, before reaching the doors of the infirmary. He blew them off their hinges with a simple spell and though still out of breath from running up at least ten or more flights of stairs, he could not help but have both voice and breath taken away from him. For the sight that meet his eyes was the worst he could have imagined, even with not Dementors in the room all happiness, all light seems to drain away from the sight Severus would never be able to forget.
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A/N Ha! another cliff hanger I think I'm going to do one every time makes sure you come back right Emerald?
Lillinfields - sorry its another cliff hanger, I couldn't resist
Emerald-sliver Serpent - Thank you very much and yes if I can find a good intense story line it will get much more intense (well actually it already is :D)
sesshyluver03 - sorry to hear you hate cliff hangers though when your the one writing them it feels great bwahahahahahah cough cough
And I'm not sure if they'll see this but I want to thank the Anonymous Tipster wpd147 for helping me see what in my story would need to be improved and don't worry later on their friendships will be explained, I even know how it's just about writing it now!!!!! ''