Disclaimer: As much as I want you to believe I own Harry Potter and co. - well I don't.

Chapter Three. Twice is not a Coincidence

Harry jumped out of bed early the next morning. Grabbing the first pair of oversized jeans in sight, Harry promptly fell over with a crash as he hurriedly tried to dress. Fortunately Ron only groaned and continued with his peaceful snoring.

Instead of actually brushing his hair, Harry ran his fingers through his locks. It was going to be untidy not matter what he did so it didn't really matter.

Opening the door quietly as he could, he slipped through the gap and raced down stairs. God he hoped Tonks was okay…

He crept down the hall as quietly as he could. And tiptoed to the kitchen...

Harry stopped instinctively as he heard voices behind the closed kitchen door.

"… and then Dung comes out of nowhere…and he actually saved me Remus…."
"Truly…"

Harry grinned happily, it sounded as though Tonks was alright after all… Straightening his shirt Harry pushed open the door with a 'morning…'

Remus Lupin turned around to greet him with a weary smile. "Morning Harry, we're a bit early up aren't we?"
Harry grinned at his ex-professor then at Tonks. He realised then that Mundungus was asleep on the table and Snape was scowling at him where the kettle was boiling. Why does that oily git have to ruin everything!

Harry took a seat beside Tonks and smiled pleasantly. "I thought I would get an early start to the day…"
Tonks sniffed and past Harry a plate with some toast. "Bet that made Ron happy."
"Still asleep," Harry commented biting into the toast.

"Yes what I want to know is how Dung knew to be there…" Snape said suddenly turning the conversation back to him. Harry swallowed his toast loudly and Snape glanced over him with a hard cold stare.

" 'tis were 'arry," the pile of rugs which Harry knew to be Mundungus said weakly.

Harry wished that the floor would open and swallow him up. Instead he took another bite of toast ignoring the glances of Snape, Lupin and Tonks.

"Lucky guess," Harry said finally in explanation, "I – had – erm heard about… about Tonks' mission and erm… I had the worse feeling about it… Sorry," Harry turned to Tonks at this moment, "I couldn't help but over hearing your conversation…"

Tonks looked totally taken aback. Very slowly she turned to Lupin. "I thought no one was around," she said faintly.
Lupin raised his eye brows as if to say 'there wasn't…' but otherwise didn't make an attempt to reply. Snape however glared at Harry… his dark eyes narrowing…

"That's righ'," Mundungus agreed groggily, " 'arry said 'e though' ya were in trouble Tonks… 'ow 'e knew is beyond me…"

Harry spent the morning with Hermione watching her reread (yet again) Hogwarts, A History. When Ron finally came down from their room, Harry looked up and grinned. "I was going to send a search party for you mate."
"Yeah, like you did for Tonks last night," Ron retorted but continued at the shocked expression on Harry's face, "Everyone has been talking about it all morning, especially outside our bedroom door."
"Oh…"
"How come you didn't tell me last night you weren't going for a drink of water…?"

Harry was saved from answering this when a barn owl flew in with three thick Hogwarts letters. Hermione put down her precious book and took the letters, throwing one each to Harry and Ron before ripping open her own.

With an increasing feeling of dread Harry opened his. The top parchment contained the usual letter for the new school year… He flipped over hastily, looking for his OWL results.

"I can't find them…!" Harry exclaimed, "They're not here!"
Hermione sighed impatiently and Ron laughed. "They've fallen onto the floor mate." He picked the parchment up and handed it to Harry, who looked sheepish.

There was only one result Harry wanted to know about on his OWL…Potions…
"Damn," Harry said glossing over all the results.
"What?" Hermione and Ron asked concernedly.
"Got a borderline outstanding for potions…damn." Harry replied.
"Congratulations…" Hermione said not sure if indeed congratulations were in order.

After hearing the prophecy and after angering Snape last year, Harry was uncertain if he truly wanted to be an Auror. It would be awesome… but honestly what was his chances of surviving that long? If Snape didn't kill him in class, Voldemort will. Was having a career of an Auror worth being taught by Snape for another two years?

Harry sighed and looked up at Hermoine and Ron. "How did you guys go?"
Hermoine blushed and put her papers behind her back. "Okay…"
"Ron…?"
"Yeah, decent mate… got an E for Divination…" Ron said simply.
"Oh." (Harry had got a P, which he had expected and thought was deserved - the amount of work he and Ron didn't do!) "How did you manage that?"
"Dunno, made the whole exam up…"

Snape chose that moment to walk into the room. He was so engrossed in some paper work he didn't see Harry, Hermione and Ron watching him. Shaking his head he muttered audibly, "Damn…I've still got Potter…"

Ron snickered as Snape left the room still engrossed with the parchment. "Looks like there are mutual feelings on both sides of the fences mate."

A few more days of bludging past and Harry had no more strange visions during the night. However, the Amulet of the Serpent's Eye was now a permanent fixture around his neck (although he was careful to keep it hidden).

Harry was lying in bed a week after his first vision, listening to Ron snore when the next vision came to him...

He saw a young man, no older than himself wrapped in a large bottle green cloak. It was snowing, but the stranger's were bare. Harry glanced up to see what the stranger was seeing…

A man and a woman were standing rebelliously side by side on a roughly hewn platform (it seemed a little familiar to Harry). The man glanced up and looked to the boy… "Salazar…" his lips parted but the words came out in such a soft whisper.

It was at this point Harry was aware of a man clad solely in black holding a large ominous axe. As the axe was raised and came down with a threatening thump, Harry closed his eyes… and he ran with the boy. The crowd's jeers and the boy's sobs the only sound in his ears…

Harry had no idea of how long he had ran with the boy. But he found himself alone in a cold dreary room. The door opened with a creak and Snape entered wearing a bone mask…

"Snape…" came a cold and distant voice Harry had came to loath and fear.
"Master…" Snape bent double prostrating himself before, the thing that was Lord Voldemort.
Voldemort fingered his wand thoughtfully; Harry could tell a diabolical plan was forming in his mind.

"You have been betrayed, Snape," Voldemort started softly, Harry forced himself to repress a shudder.
Snape looked up from the floor a mix of confusion and horror spread across his face. Voldemort turned away and continued softly, "Oh yes, your certain loyalties have been made known to me by your fellow Death Eaters…"
Snape stood very slowly. "Master, I…."

Voldemort turned slowly a thin evil jeer light his already ugly features. "I could make the end easy for you Snape or… particularly nasty."
Snape said nothing and pursed his lips, Harry thought he saw Snape quake slightly.
"Bring me Harry, dear Harry… and I will let you die quickly." Voldemort's grin widened, "If not well…."

For a moment Harry thought Snape would agree with Voldemort's wishes. But at the last moment Snape straightened and said clearly, "I cannot…"
Voldemort frowned and raised his wand and Snape meet his gaze levelly…

Harry jumped out of bed, shocked by what he had seen. He didn't even contemplate whose life he was about to save instead he raced to the door and closed it with a bang.

"Harry…" Ron growled, but Harry was already down the flight of stairs and came face to face with Mundungus.
"It's Snape…"

Snape had been at first surprised then shocked by Mundungus' warning. It was not possible that Potter had overhead any orders… for the only order he had received was a burning on his arm were the mark was…

Regardless of his mistrustfulness, Snape stayed the night and never went to meet the Dark Lord. But he had spent a sleepless night walking up and down his room wandering exactly who had betrayed him. It was an uneasy thought…

Because of the very little sleep he had got during the night, Snape descended down to breakfast late and stopped when he heard voices…

"What do you mean you knew Snape was in danger?" came Hermione's busy voice.
Snape lent further to hear Potter reply, "I just knew something was wrong."
Ron snorted. (So did Snape… he was starting to have suspicions about Potter).
"How could you possibly know something like that?" Hermione demanded.
"Not everything has a logical answer, Hermione," Harry replied tensely, "We are magical folk after all..."
"You haven't been inside Voldemort's head again?"
Snape shuddered.
"Nooo…" Potter didn't sound so sure. "At least I don't think I have…"
"Well if you ask me, Harry, something strange is going on. First Tonks and then Snape, within a week of each other."
"Coincidence…"
"Twice is not a coincidence…"
"The Amulet…"

Whatever Ron Weasley was about to say, Snape had no chance in hearing as Dumbledore came up behind him. "Good morning…"

Snape jumped and turned around and glared at the twinkling blue eyes that laughed up at him.

"Spying are we?" Dumbledore asked unconcernedly opening the kitchen door and steeping through. Snape followed scowling at Harry who looked up stunned by the suddenly intrusion.

"I wander if we could have some time alone with Harry," Dumbledore said glancing meaningfully at Hermoine and Ron, who both jumped to obey and left Harry with reassuring glances.

"I wander if you could tell me what you saw last night Harry?" Dumbledore started when the kitchen door closed tightly behind Hermoine and Ron.
Harry glanced almost sulkily at Snape but replied, "I'm not sure I saw anything worth mentioning…"
Snape's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms regally. "Out with it Potter!"
"Professor…" Dumbledore warned with a deep voice.

Harry sighed heavily, it was no use sending both Dumbledore and Snape on a merry chase.
"Snape entered the room and then Voldemort told him he had been found out… then gave him an ultimatum…" Harry glanced at Snape before glancing back down at his shoes… "Which the Professor refused…"
"What ultimatum?"
Harry stared at Snape. ' Why had the professor who hated him so much refuse for his sake?'
"Harry, what ultimatum…?"
"Snape was to deliver me to Voldemort for an easy death…"

Snape and Dumbledore exchanged meaningful glances. "Harry what do you know about the Amulet…?"
Harry rambled off all that he had learned.
"Ah…" Dumbledore leant back in his chair his blue eyes sparkling and then turned to Snape… "He's a seer, that much is clear… The amulet has awakened that power within him."

Snape looked somewhat displeased. "Tell me Potter what else have you seen…?"

Harry was about to argue that he had not seen anything else of importance, but Snape stopped him. "I know you have been holding something back, Potter…"

Harry had no choice but answer. "I see some of Slytherin's memories I think… different ages…" At the look of horror on both Snape and Dumbledore's faces Harry continued quickly, "But I'm sure that it is him…"

Dumbledore and Snape frowned at each other. "Interesting…" Dumbledore murmured smoothing his long beard. "Very interesting…."
"What?" Harry leaned forward. Last year he had been hard pressed to get answers out of anyone, this year it seemed like that trend was going to change.

"It seems with the gift of foresight you also receive the memories of a past possessor. Like he still has maintained a link between you both…" Dumbledore said slowly, "I don't think I need to warn you Harry, be careful… I think Salazar Slytherin meant more than stating you were his one true heir…"

Snape frowned deeply at this and Harry could not help the smallest smile creep onto this face. Dumbledore's next word however soon wiped his smirk off his face. It was the first time Harry had seen Dumbledore stumped.

"Slytherin had something else in mind with giving you that Amulet… but what…?"