A/N

CarebearErin: thanks, yeah it is heartbreaking, loosing him. It's awfully quiet around the house now, with no little bugga walking all over my keyboard whenever I try to write. Oh…and I take it 'unique' is a good thing? (grins)

Silverwhitepoison: I might write a prequel about Neville finding Severus sometime, but I'm concentrating on finishing this story first. That's hard enough as it is (smiles).

Harry, Ron and I looked at the tome and knew for a fact we would be useless. It was written in Ancient Rune. Severus and Hermione cautiously walked towards it, checking for any hidden traps.

"Don't worry," the Fat Friar said cheerfully, "Helga set the traps so that they would only go off when someone unworthy or evil enters. You should be fine."

The two had reached the tome now and very gently opened it. They started talking quietly over what they read, discussing over possible translations, making sure they understood everything…in short, the three of us were bored out of our minds within minutes.

Fortunately Hufflepuff's domain was not only books. We examined the large variety of stuff on the shelves, and discovered many interesting gags. After an hour or so, Hermione called us over.

"There is useful information in here, and it seems Merlin was working on a spell that would expel the Horcrux without killing professor Snape, but he never finished it. We made a list of things that could help, could you go search for those?" she handed each of us a bit of paper.

We set to work, and at the end of that day we had collected the spells, potions and whatever else might help. Hermione and Severus were still going over the nearly completed spell in the diary, talking quietly. I was happy to see Severus showing in interest in this, if only out of curiosity.

"How does the spell work, 'Mione?" Harry asked, as we all walked up to McGonagall's office for dinner.

"Basically, it is a spell that destroys souls. That of course is Dark Magic, but this one has been adapted. It only destroys souls that have been broken by the murders their owners have committed. Theoretically, in a human Horcrux the spell would destroy the soulshard, but leave the persons own soul intact."

"But Snape has murdered," Ron blurted out, "his soul ISN'T intact."

Harry smacked him upside the head while I took Severus' elbow. He had paled and lowered his eyes.

"It's ok, Neville," he said wearily, "it's a logical question."

Hermione glared at Ron and continued. "There is a distinct difference between murders. The murder required the make a Horcrux is the worst. The intent with which one murders is very important. What you do afterwards is equally important. Professor Snape's soul is…well, not intact, but mended. He has repented of his crimes as a Death Eater and the intent with which he killed after his return was not cruelty or malice. According to Merlin, that is vitally important."

Harry smiled. "It reminds me a bit of what Professor Dumbledore once said when I worried about the similarities between me and Riddle. He said something like, it's our choices, much more then our abilities, that make us who we are."

Hermione nodded. "A bit like that. Only this is about intent more then choice, as sometimes there is no choice."

I frowned. "And this spell…you say it's a theory?"

She sighed. "Merlin didn't exactly have lots of test subjects. He had to go by logic a lot. The stress on the human body when the soulshard is removed, is immense. Merlin guessed that his spell gave the person in question only about a one in ten chance of surviving the force of the spell. But even if the host does not survive, the soulshard would be gone; so there would be no Greater Inferi."

At that moment, Harry dropped to his knees and clutched his scar, screaming in pain.

Severus was with him in an instant, leaning Harry's back against his chest and restraining him. "Come on, Potter, remember your Occlumency. Close off your mind. Push him out and shut the door. Do it, you pathetic Gryffindor! Don't let him take over."

Harry gasped, but seemed to focus more. After agonising seconds, he relaxed and slumped against Severus.

"Pathetic Gryffindor?" he sneered, before shuddering all over.

"Voldemort. He's coming here. He wants to take Hogwarts while it's empty. Tomorrow at sunset."