Sanity of the insane

A/n: Well, hello everyone. I've seen the questions a few times, and now, Severus is making his return. I guess you will have to read the story to see the circumstances! Tehe! Well, I'm not going to say much here (because I am so…. URG mad! And I don't' want to incorporate that negative energy into here.)

Enjoy!

Aimee

Sanity of the insane

Chapter 13

Snape's Escape.

"Severus, tell me everything." Dumbledore sat behind his desk, staring pensively at the potion master.

"I've been discovered. For the past two months I've been held in a dungeon, beaten and cursed. I managed to escape, but just barely sir. He's grown more powerful than we could have imagined." Severus ran a shaking hand over his pale face.

"I see." Dumbledore said evenly. "But tell me, how did you escape?"

An odd look crossed over Severus' face. "I managed to take Karkaroff's wand…"

Dumbledore leaned forward in his seat. "Karkaroff? So Igor has gone back then?"

"Not willingly. The dark lord… he has ways of making people come back…" Severus shuddered.

"So you stole his wand and…?" Dumbledore prompted.

"I put the Imperious curse on him. He then was forced to attack Malfoy, and during the disturbance, I made myself invisible, and I escaped in the confusion."

"Yes. He's grown more powerful. That was to be expected. But you were discovered… how?"

"It has been suspected that there was a spy, and when I was called in for surveillance, he knew. He knew all along."

"He knew?" Dumbledore stood.

"Yes. He already knew when I came in…"

"Are you certain?" Dumbledore looked at him sternly.

"Yes! Don't be a fool Dumbledore. He knows more than we think. He has inside sources…" Suddenly Severus' body began to twitch, and his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Severus? Severus?" Dumbledore rushed around his desk and seized the man by his shoulders. "Severus!" He shook him.

"Albus?" Minerva stepped forward from her position beside the desk.

"Minerva, quickly, take him to the hospital wing. Have Madame Pomfrey give him essence of Murtlap soup."

"Yes Albus. Mobilus Corpus!" Minerva pointed her wand at Severus' writhing body, lifting him from the chair, and moving him out of the office quickly.

Dumbledore moved back to his desk slowly, thinking of what this could possibly mean. He reached into the drawer and pulled out his swirling pensieve, placing his wand to his temple and extracting several burdensome memories.

Harry grabbed at his hair in frustration.

"I'm never going to be able to finish all of this homework!"

"Well, Harry, if you would have done it a week ago, instead of courting with Ginny, then this wouldn't be a problem!" Hermione sniffed.

"Hermione. Shut up!" Harry said angrily.

"There is no need to be cross with me. This is your own fault!"

"You think I don't know that? When did I say 'hey, Hermione, how come you let my homework build up?' I didn't, so lay off!"

"Harry mate, what's wrong?" Ron asked from his spot beside Hermione.

Harry took a deep breath. "I don't know. I can hardly sleep because of the pain in my scar, and with all of this homework on top of teaching and Quidditch, I am going crazy."

"Well, Harry, it's only Friday. Maybe you should just relax tonight, and work on your homework sometime this weekend?" Hermione suggested.

Ron oggled. "You never tell me that!"

"Yes, and you don't have a notorious wizard after you. You don't have to teach, you're only excuse for not doing your homework is that you got hungry, or tired or something."

"Well sorry I can't live up to Harry Potter's standard." Ron mumbled indignantly.

"Oh please. I don't ever put you up to a standard, and you know that."

"Right, but Harry's always got the excuse, you're always defending Harry, and I'm your boyfriend Hermione."

"What?" Hermione looked as though she'd been slapped. "What on earth are you implying? That I fancy Harry? Well, I don't Ronald, I fancy you, and that's why I'm dating you."

Ron didn't answer, but settled for looking sullen.

Harry watched the lover's spat with resignation. This is what had become of his friendship; this is what had become of his life. He got up from the couch and walked across the common room where Ginny was studying for divination with her fellow fifth years.

"Err, Ginny?" He asked.

"Oh, Harry! Hi, what is it?" She looked up at him, smiling, but the smile faded when she looked in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really. Would you care to go for a walk with me?"

Ginny looked at her friends, who all gave her knowing looks, she blushed and stood. "Sure." She took his hand in hers and followed him out into the corridor. "Honestly. You'd think my friends would change, I mean we've been dating for nearly a month!"

"Yes." Harry said simply.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Ginny stopped walking, and looked up at him, worry creasing her face.

Harry looked down into her worried face. "I don't know." He said. "I just don't know. I mean one moment everything is fine, and then the next… it's not."

"C'mon." Ginny gently pulled him along. "We need to go somewhere we can talk."

"But, where?"

"The room of requirement, of course." She led him down to the third floor corridor. "Wait right here." She said as she started pacing back and fourth in front of a blank wall. When a door appeared, she opened it and beckoned Harry over. "Come on."

Harry followed her into the room. This time it was small and quaint, with a couch and a fire. Nothing fancy, and for that, he was grateful. He sat beside her comfortably on the couch.

"So. What's up?"

"The opposite of down." Harry couldn't help but grin.

"What?"

"Never mind, I was just joking."

"Oh." Ginny leaned back, against his shoulder, reaching for his hand. "Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry could smell her hair, it smelled of flowers. "Ginny, I can't get him out of my mind."

"Who?" She sat up and looked in his vibrant eyes.

"Sirius." Harry's voice nearly cracked on the name.

"Oh, Harry." She pulled him into a hug.

"He's always there. When I try to sleep, when I eat, hell, even when I'm just walking by the lake, I see him standing there. Sometimes it's just the black dog, and sometimes it's really him."

"Harry, it wasn't your fault. You have to let it go."

"I know. But, sometimes I just feel so guilty, you know? If I hadn't been trying to play the hero, then he would still be alive."

"Harry, you were born a hero. It is a lot, but, when you were just one, your fate as the saviour of wizard kind was sealed."

"It was before I was born."

"Before?"

"Yes. Trelawney prophesized that I would be the one that vanquished the Dark Lord."

"Trelawney? I always thought she was just a fraud."

"Oh, she was, she couldn't' even remember giving her real prophesies."

"I see. But Harry, this isn't about her. This about you. About Sirius." Ginny said gently, still hugging Harry.

"I know that, Ginny. But I've never felt this kind of pain before. I never remembered my parents, so he was the closest thing to a Dad that I ever got!"

"Harry I know that. But, sweetie, it wasn't your fault. I don't know how to make you believe it. But it wasn't."

"How do you know?" Harry let go of her and stood up, pacing the room. "How do you know that it wasn't my fault? You weren't there when I had the vision; you weren't there when I talked to Kreacher. How do you know?"

Ginny stood. "Harry, because I know you. And I know that you would never do something like that."

"Maybe Voldemort left something more than just a scar that night…"

"So this is what it boils down to. You think that you have similarities to that monster?"

"Don't I? I look like him, I'm a parselmouth."

"Harry, you look like your father. And Voldemort wasn't the only

Parselmouth in this world."

"You don't know that! You didn't even know me really until this year. For all you know, I could be Voldemort heir!"

"Don't yell at me Harry. This isn't my fault. I don't know what to do. But don't you yell at me." Ginny bit back tears.

"Oh, Ginny, I'm so sorry." He walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. "I know that it's not your fault. You're the only thing here that takes my mind off of everything."

"It's o.k. Harry. Maybe… Maybe you should go to Dumbledore… and maybe he can help you."

"No, I actually feel better now, thank you for listening Ginny."

"You say that like there is any chance that I wouldn't."

"Isn't there?"

"Harry I love you…" Ginny blinked at her own words, then continued. "I will always be there for you. You have to know that."

Harry was speechless for a moment. She loved him. He hadn't been sure, but after hearing those words, he knew that he loved her too. "Ginny, I love you too. And thank you." He bent down to kiss her.

"Really?" Ginny's eyes glistened. "You do Harry?"

"I think so. Yes. Yes I do Ginny. I think I always did, even back when you were just Ron's little sister."

Ginny grinned. "Of course, it's not your fault. I mean, if I wasn't such a babe, then…"

Harry laughed. "Right." He loved the way that she always made him laugh, even after the most serious of conversations. He knew that that had to be a good sign, and that it would be something of a detriment in the future. Possibly in the immediate future.

"By the way, did you hear?" Ginny said suddenly, "Snape is back!"

"Yes, back, but where? I heard that he is in the hospital wing." Harry replied.

Draco looked around the table. Rumour had it that the head of Slytherin house had returned, but he wasn't sure that he believed it. His father had told him that they had caught the spy, and that it was Snape. How could he, after being caught, have escaped the wrath of the dark lord? It didn't seem possible. Draco had met Voldemort, and he had felt his power. It had made him excited for the day that he would take on the mark, but if

Snape had escaped, then that challenged the enormity of that power. Draco simply couldn't accept that.

"Draco!" He cringed, and turned.

"Yes?" He demanded through gritted teeth.

"Don't take that tone with me." Emily commanded, as was the norm.

"I'll take more than a tone with you if you don't watch it." Draco mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing." Draco seethed.

"That's what I thought. Now, how have you come along with the password?"

"What difference does it make? Now that goody little Potter knows about us, they've been changing the password every day."

"Well, then you'll have to find out early enough so that we can get in before the password is changed."

"What ever you say."

"I know."

"For sure."

"Watch it Malfoy, or I'll have you on a stick. ((For those of you who don't understand this, it's a bit of local humour for you. Just know that it's a threat)) Anyway, I think that tomorrow night will be the perfect time to reattempt it. While every one is at the feast, we can just slip out. Tomorrow is a Saturday; do you think you can manage getting the password before the feast?"

"Yes." Malfoy resisted the urge to punch her.

"Good." Emily turned away from him.

"Look at that." Ron said gleefully, pointing across the Great Hall. "That new Slytherin girl is bossing Malfoy around. It's great."

Ginny turned to look. "Yes, she does seem to have that kind of power." She smirked. "Look's like he's in trouble." She glanced at Harry with a small smile. "Guess he's still not living up to her expectations."

Harry smiled. Neither of them had told Ron or Hermione about the instance of the night that they started dating; it just hadn't seemed important.

"I should probably get a picture of this. I mean, look at him! I bet he even says 'yes ma'am'!" Ron clapped his hands together like an excited child.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly Ron, it's not that funny. I mean, if she is bossing him around, and she's only a first year, just think of how powerful she must be."

"Oh, c'mon Hermione, don't ruin this for me!" Ron whined.

"Okay. Whatever you want." Hermione sighed.

"Whoa. Hermione, are you feeling all right?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, Ginny, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Because, I don't' think I've ever seen you go that easy on my brother before."

"Well, it's just not worth fighting over something like that."

"Ah, I see." Ginny nodded.

Harry leaned over in her ear. "I wonder was Miss Creevey is up to?"

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know, but I am sure that it will become known soon enough."

"So the only question is 'is soon enough… soon enough'?"

"You mean, to do something about it?"

"Righto."

"Hey, what are you two whispering about?" Ron looked at them suspiciously, as the show from the Slytherin table was over.

"Well, Ron, can't Harry and I whisper nothing sweet into each other's ears without you going and ruining the moment?" Ginny asked innocently.

"Oh, sorry." Ron turned red and continued shovelling food into his mouth, not meeting Harry's eyes.

Ginny smirked; it was so easy to manipulate him lately.

Unexpectedly, Dumbledore rose from his seat at the teacher's table, silencing the room at large.

"Now that we have enough food to suffice us for a brief speech. Without further ado I am pleased to welcome back our potions master, and head of Slytherin house, Professor Severus Snape." Weak applause met these words, as it was only the Slytherin table clapping, and only a few of them. "He was vacationing in the America's, and was tied up there for a few weeks.

He is now back with us…"

"Vacationing indeed!" Hermione hissed.

"I wonder where he has really been," Ginny said thoughtfully. "I mean, that wasn't a very plausible excuse, was it?"

"No, Dumbledore usually does much better…" Harry added.

"…That said, I believe that it is time for you all to go to your dormitories for the night." Dumbledore ended with a smile.

"Well, the way that people talk around here, I'm sure that we'll know in no time." Ginny said as she stood taking Harry's arm.

"Did you see the way that the Slytherins all welcomed him back?" Hermione asked. "It was less than friendly, and I think that they know something."

"Of course they know something," Ron put in, "I mean, almost all of them have family in with Voldemort."

"Rumplestiltskin." Ginny gave the password as they reached the Fat Lady.

"Yes, they have, so what is it? If they weren't happy, then he must have done something bad, or good as I'm sure the point of views differ."

Hermione yawned. "Yes, well all will be revealed in time I suppose. But as for now, I'm off to bed."

"Are you sure you're feeling all right?" Ron asked, as he gave her a quick hug.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just tired." Hermione gave him a peck on the cheek. "Good night you guys." She waved as she disappeared through the door that led to the girl's dormitories.

"Something is wrong with her!" Ron said indignantly.

"Wow, I am sure that you relationship will go on for ages with that firm foundation of trust you've got." Ginny said sarcastically.

"Ginny, shove it. I know that something isn't right with her, I mean; she's been acting odd all day… You don't think that she's going to break up with me, do you?" Ron asked tentatively.

"No." Ginny said instantly.

"Just like that? "No?" How can you be so sure?" Ron demanded.

"Because Ron, I know her, and if she was going to break up with you, she would just do it. She's never been one to really beat around the bush."

"What do you know?" Ron slanted his eyes.

"Nothing. Honest!" Ginny held up her hands. "Maybe you should take some time tomorrow to ask her the right questions."

"The right questions? I didn't know that there were wrong questions!" Ron said helplessly.

"Well, mate, I think what Ginny is trying to say is, don't be thick or insensitive." Harry said.

"Of course that's what I meant." Ginny smiled up at him.

"Yea, I know." Harry smiled.

"That's why we're so perfect together."

"Oh, I'm going to be sick." Ron moaned. "I'm going to bed now." He said before practically running out of the common room.

Ginny grinned. "Works every time."

"Yes. So, about this Slytherin bit… what do you think?"

"About Snape or about Creevey?"

"Creevey, Snape can wait."

"Well, I think that she is still trying to get the password, but I haven't got a clue why."

"She wants something."

"Well obviously, but what?"

"I don't know. We'll figure it all out though."

"Ha, yes, regular detectives are we."

"True Sherlock Holmes and Watson."

"Who?"

"Never mind."

"Oh. Well, it is getting pretty late, so I think I should cash in."

"Really? And I was so looking forward to some snogging."

"Oh, I bet you were." Ginny grinned as she leaned in to give him a soft kiss on the lips. "But, you're just going to have to wait. Good night."

"You too. Have sweet dreams."

"Always."

"About me?"

"You wish."

"Hey…"

"Good night Harry."

"Yea, yea." He smiled at her as she disappeared up the stairs to the girl's dormitory.

A/n :tada! So, what do you think? Huh? Huh? He he. I'm still in a cruddy mood, so I'll just get to my comments now:

Spike Blade: Thanks... I think... lol. Please, keep reading.

Haunted essence: Thank you. I always get so excited when I get a new reviewer! I really hope you keep writing and enjoying it!

Sleepyhead : I am so sorry for the confusion. Ginny is in the common room, but then the scene changes, and it's the next morning. Sorry for the confusion! And Draco's plans are maturing, fret you not! As for Harry's reaction, it's sort of neutral, he doesn't really see a threat there. You know? Keep reading though. And you're perfectly welcome for the update! Hope you liked this one too!

Anony: Is this the same person who first reviewed (as my first reviewer) under 'Anon'. Just wondering. Yes, I know, I usually try to keep good grammer, but I get so excited and all, that I tend to be a bit tactless. I have an editor on that as we speak (squish to navi). Please, keep reading, maybe, if you would like, after I start uploading my edited chapters, you can look and see if the mistakes were all caught. Pleaase keep reading, and I hope that you enjoy it!

Fleury: (don't tell anyone, but it wasn't going to be, but I like the thought... maybe... lol. If I decide for it to be though, I will totally give you credit!) Well, you're the only one to comment on Hermione's sister, and yes, I hope that it will be too. (gigglesnort). Thanks for your review. (o.k. I have to ask you something, will you please go look at my reviews for 'The truth isn't far behind me', and read the one from Lilylist. I mean, it totally hit me like a punch, and I just want to know another reader's oppinion on what she's said. Thank you!)

Luna Lovegood2: Thanks! Hope you like this one too!

Hplovesme: (I'm out of cookies now. I mean, a billion is a lot! But it still makes me happy!) Thanks for your review, and I really hope that you like this one!