Chapter 31

He Who Must Not Be Named

Snape stalked to Dumbledore's office in a daze of fury, hardly knowing where he was going or what he was going to do once he got there. He spat the password at the Gargoyle, went up the revolving stairs two steps at a time, then kicked the door open without knocking and only stopped when he saw that Dumbledore was not alone. McGonagall was there, and both of them turned to him as he entered, a look of surprise on McGonagall's face.

'Headmaster,' Snape said in a carefully controlled voice.

'Really, Severus, has knocking gone out of fashion in this school?' McGonagall said reprovingly, shaking her head.

Snape ignored her. 'Headmaster,' he repeated, 'I should like to speak to you between four eyes.' He said no more, staring ahead of him stonily, trying very hard to stay calm.

McGonagall made an undefined noise of disapproval and looked expectantly at Dumbledore, who, however, said, 'Certainly Severus – Minerva, if you'll excuse us, this is important.'

McGonagall looked at Dumbledore incredulously, but got up and left with a curt 'Good night.'

'I see you've outdone yourself once more, Headmaster,' said Snape sarcastically as soon as the door had closed behind McGonagall, 'in keeping important matters from people who rightfully ought to know them.'

'I take it that Harry has told you about the Prophecy,' said Dumbledore gravely.

'You know, Albus,' Snape spat, 'what I want to know is how long you'd intended to keep this from me? How long? When would you have told me?'

'Never,' Dumbledore said firmly. 'This,' he went on, 'has always been for Harry to decide. Harry is central in this Prophecy and he is the one who must judge whom to tell about it and when.'

'Well, that's just brilliant,' Snape snorted. 'And how was he to know that nobody knew? Was he supposed to guess that all by himself? You waited long enough with telling him too, by the way.'

Dumbledore looked stricken. 'That was a mistake, and I have told Harry as much.' He looked at Snape scrutinisingly. 'I can understand that you're upset, Severus – but you do see that this was Harry's decision, don't you?'

'I wonder, Albus,' Snape said softly, 'why you, who keep meddling in other people's business, suddenly decided not to in this case?'

'I see your point, Severus,' Dumbledore said quietly. 'And delighted though I am that you've finally decided to call me by my first name, I wish it were under more pleasant circumstances. But we must look forward now, and see what can be done. There's no use in dwelling on these things.'

Snape looked as if he were about to make another sarcastic remark, but then simply gave a tired sigh. 'But why did it have to be Harry, Albus? Hasn't he been through enough already?'

'Yes, he has, Severus. Of course he has. But he is the only one who can do it. He is the one to whom the Prophecy refers – he is the one whom Lord Voldemort has marked as his equal. However much we'd like to, there is nothing we can do about it.'

'How am I to live with that?' Snape looked imploringly at Dumbledore. 'How am I to live with the knowledge that my son must kill Voldemort – or die?'

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow in surprise, but gave no answer. There was none.

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'I wonder if Lupin has planned anything in particular for Defence Against the Dark Arts today?' Ron said at the breakfast table the next morning. 'I mean, it is our last class.'

'I shouldn't think so,' Hermione said, 'it's full moon, after all, so we'll be having someone else for today's lesson.'

'Oh yeah,' said Ron, 'probably Kingsley Shacklebolt as usual. Well, he's all right.'

Harry sat at the table quietly, listening to his friends talking. Having told his father about the Prophecy felt good – now he didn't have to carry the burden of knowing about it all on his own – but he still felt exhausted by the anxiety he'd gone through during the past few weeks, not knowing where Snape was or when he'd be back – or if he'd even come back at all.

'Hey, Ron,' said a voice from behind him. It was Lavender Brown. 'Aren't you finished yet? I want to talk to you.'

'What about?' said Ron, swallowing the last of his toast, 'our History of Magic project's over now.'

'Yeah, and that's not the only thing that's over, just so you know,' Lavender said haughtily and walked away.

Ron looked after her perplexedly. 'Honestly, I've no idea what she's talking about,' he said. 'I mean, we finished the project – we even got an E on it, that was pretty good. I put quite a lot of effort into all that to be honest.'

Harry looked at Hermione and they burst out laughing, unable to stop for quite a while, Ron looking at them bemusedly.

'Come on, we've got to go or we'll be late for Defence Against the Dark Arts,' Hermione said suddenly and rose. The others followed.

When they arrived at Lupin's classroom the door was already open, and the rest of the class was inside. Standing by the blackboard was not Kingsley Shacklebolt, however, but Snape. Harry stared at him in surprise. This was the first time that Snape had taken one of Lupin's classes this year.

'Just in the nick of time, Potter,' Snape sneered. 'One more minute and I would have taken twenty points from Gryffindor.'

Harry's face was inscrutable as he went to his usual seat, followed by Ron and Hermione. Draco Malfoy gave a light snigger and looked at Harry condescendingly. Harry ignored him.

Snape waved his wand at the blackboard and a single word appeared on it. 'LEGILIMENCY'. Harry held his breath. What was the meaning of this?

Snape looked around at the class. 'Can anyone tell me what Legilimency is?' he said softly.

Hermione raised her hand. Harry, however, decided to remain inconspicuous.

'Anyone besides Miss Granger?' Snape said silkily. Malfoy raised his hand. 'Yes, Mr Malfoy?'

'It's mind-reading, sir,' said Malfoy, looking smug. He threw Harry a contemptuous glance.

'Mind-reading,' Snape repeated. 'Would you like to add anything to that, Mr Malfoy?'

Malfoy looked taken aback. 'Er ... it's the ability to read people's minds.'

Snape said nothing, but looked around the classroom. Hermione raised her hand once more, eagerly, and this time, so did Harry.

'Well – Mr Potter,' said Snape smoothly.

'Legilimency is a way to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind. It's not really mind-reading... The mind can't be read, since it is a complex thing – or at least most minds are,' Harry said, repeating almost exactly what his father had told him during their Occlumency lessons the previous year, and looking pointedly at Malfoy who looked back at him furiously.

Snape simply gave a curt nod and went on, 'And how does one defend oneself against such an intrusion?'

Hermione's hand went up once again, and she said, 'Through Occlumency, sir.'

'Yes, that is correct – Occlumency is the only effective defence against Legilimency. Through Occlumency one closes one's mind so that it can't be penetrated by others. This, however, need not concern you at present – you will not be learning Occlumency here at Hogwarts. It is a very advanced skill, and there are few who are able to master it.' He eyed them all, scrutinisingly. 'What Professor Dumbledore wants me to teach you today is how to recognise Legilimency, should you ever be subjected to it.'

'Does that mean you're going to try and read our minds?' said Terry Boot, a trace of alarm in his voice.

Snape did not answer. He was standing quite still, staring ahead of him.

'Professor Snape?' said Terry Boot tentatively.

Snape came to life again. 'Haven't you been listening?' He was rubbing his left forearm distractedly. 'There's no such thing as mind-reading.'

'But why would we be subjected to Legilimency?' asked Parvati Patil. 'Who would want to do that?'

'Legilimency is a technique that is frequently used by the Death Eaters,' said Snape softly. He paused. 'And, of course, by Lord Voldemort himself.'

For the first time in his life, Harry joined the collective gasp that followed the mention of Voldemort's name. He had never before heard Snape call him anything but The Dark Lord.

'And as you all know, he – they – pose a threat to all of us in the wizarding community at present.'

Harry wondered how many of the other students knew that Snape had once been a Death Eater – he imagined that it must be quite a few; the Slytherins, certainly, and probably some of the others as well. He looked over at Draco Malfoy, who had a look of utter bewilderment on his face, while Theodore Nott's expression was more indifferent. Parvati Patil was whispering something excitedly to Lavender Brown, and some of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs seemed more excited than they would normally have been at the mention of Voldemort's name.Yes, Harry thought – they knew.

'Now,' Snape went on, seemingly unaware of the commotion, 'I am going to show you how Legilimency is performed. I will need a volunteer.' He looked at them expectantly. A sudden silence had descended on the class, and no one was quite willing to meet Snape's eyes. Snape looked around from student to student, then said, 'Potter! I am sure you won't mind aiding me in this.'

Harry stepped forward warily. Was Snape really going to perform Legilimency on him? The thought of it didn't appeal to Harry; there were so many things he'd rather his father wouldn't find out about, not this way at least ... his abysmal performance during Snape's absence, the time when he'd thought that the impostor was his father and was deliberately ignoring him... But no, he would have to brace himself. Would he be allowed to defend himself though? He probably shouldn't, but what if he did it by accident? Well, there was not much he could do about it now. He couldn't very well ask Snape about it, so he'd just have to see what happened. Snape surely knew what he was doing.

Snape and Harry positioned themselves opposite each other in front of the class, clearly visible to everyone. Snape held his wand at the ready, then said, 'legilimens!'

Harry, who had been looking straight at Snape, now saw flashes of memories, images, just like he had during the Occlumency lessons last year. He was on the Hogwarts Express, Luna saying that he looked different ... he was looking in the mirror, his nose hooked, his reflection shockingly like Snape ... he was watching Snape in Dumbledore's Pensieve, taking Polyjuice Potion and turning into James Potter ... Ron and he were playing chess at 12, Grimmauld Place, Snape watching ... Snape was lying, ghostly pale – dead – on the floor of his study ... then suddenly, without warning, Harry could feel himself falling, and he wasn't in the classroom anymore, he was somewhere else, and he was happy – so happy ...

He was in a forest, a dense, dark forest, shadowy figures surrounding him; he was so happy to see them; he had been hoping this would happen for so long ...

'So you managed to escape at last,' he heard himself say in an eerie, high-pitched voice. Voldemort's voice.

'Yes Master,' said Lucius Malfoy in a smarmy voice. His once so shiny hair had a matted, greyish look, similar to the colour of his tattered Azkaban prison robes.

'Well, it took you long enough!' Harry heard and felt himself say. He felt, at the same time, Voldemort's contempt for Malfoy, and his own, and realised that Voldemort couldn't know that he was there this time – only he, Harry, was aware of the connection.

'My Lord,' came Bellatrix Lestrange's voice from the shadows, 'we did our best – we tried our utmost, we have done all we can to come to you as soon as we possibly –'

Harry felt a surge of hatred; a sea of venom flooded him, he could hardly breathe as he saw Bellatrix step forward next to Malfoy. She had killed Sirius, and he wanted to place his thin, long fingers around her neck and slowly squeeze ... no, he had to suppress these feelings; Voldemort did not know he was present, and he must not find out.

'Bella,' Voldemort said, his voice sounding even more cold than usual, 'I am surprised at you ... yes, I really am ... You, after all, have previously escaped from Azkaban, and this time, there weren't even any Dementors around ...' he shook his head and tut-tutted in disapproval. 'Perhaps I should have the Dementors take care of you now instead ...' Harry felt Voldemort smile.

'Master, no!' Bellatrix wailed and threw herself on the ground before him. She reached for his feet, but he moved away – a mere inch, but enough to make her shrink back in deference. 'I am sorry,' she sobbed, 'I swear ... I promise, I shall never disappoint you again!'

Voldemort gave her a light, contemptuous kick on the chin. 'Get up, stupid woman,' he hissed, 'I have better things to do than listen to your pointless wailing.' He looked around. 'Now, I believe we are all here. All the ones I have been expecting, at any rate. It is time for me, now, to tell you about my plan –'

Someone was gripping Harry's shoulders, shaking him. No, not yet, he wanted to shout, but couldn't. If only he could listen – this was where it got interesting! If only he could stay for just a few moments longer. He needed to hear this, it was important!

He couldn't stop himself from gliding away further, however; now he could feel the hard stone floor beneath him and someone's hands shaking, shaking ...

'Harry!' Snape's voice was tinged with fear. 'Harry! Harry!' He was still shaking him.

'Dad,' Harry whispered hoarsely, opening his eyes. 'Dad – they're back ... the Death Eaters are back.'

Author's Note: The next chapter is almost finished and will be the last chapter of this story. Enjoy!