Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hey there everyone! Thank you all so much for your reviews, I love them all! Now, if you are one of my readers from my LOTR story, you can skip this next part. All righty then, the bad news I have is that I am going out town and will not absolutely no connection to the net at all, meaning no updates. Sorry! Anyway, a huge thank you to my beta enb2004 who has some great HP fics that are must reads. As promised, here is Chapter 11. Enjoy!
Severus was pacing up and down in a separate room of the healing wing while Poppy was once again attending to Harry. His thoughts echoed his motions and were going in circles as what Harry had told him finally sunk in.
Before he had been too preoccupied with Harry's well being to really comprehend what Harry's vision meant. Voldemort knew that he was the spy and that meant that if he ever left Hogwarts doors, he would be dead in a matter of hours. It was truly a frightening thought.
"Severus, Ms. Granger just told me what has happened," Albus said from behind him.
Snape jumped around, startled by the old headmaster. How Albus always managed to sneak up on him had always perplexed and somewhat amused him.
"Albus, forgive me, I have failed you," he said lowering his head in shame. He was no longer of any worth. His position had been compromised, he had failed his mentor.
"Nonsense Severus," Albus said tipping the young man's head up to meet his eyes. "You have never failed me. Quite the contrary in fact. You exceeded my expectations over a hundred times. You retained your position as a spy for me far longer than anyone else. You managed to fool Tom for a very long time, an accomplishment that is not to be taken lightly."
Severus wasn't quite convinced but nodded anyway. The Headmaster didn't buy it of course but let it go for the time being, for which Severus was thankful.
"And how is young Harry doing?" Albus asked changing the subject.
Severus scowled. "I wish I knew. Since Poppy got her hands on him I haven't seen either one of them. She kicked me out of the room!"
"Did she now?" Albus said smiling. "That doesn't sound like Poppy at all."
"Albus," Severus groaned.
"Just lightening a situation my dear boy, just lightening a situation. Now, what do you say we go calm down Harry's quite distraught family?" Albus suggested.
"How can we comfort them, let alone ourselves when Poppy hasn't remerged to tell us what is wrong with the boy and how he is doing!" Severus growled.
"Why Severus, if I didn't know better I would say that you cared for Harry," Albus said his eyes twinkling in that infuriating manner.
Severus put his head in his hands. The old sorcerer had somehow manipulated him into admitting that he was concerned for Harry and possible even liked the boy. Dear Merlin, what was this world coming to?
A Snape caring for a Potter? Ridiculous! The two families had been feuding far longer than either family could remember. Yet somehow, Severus had come to care for Harry in a matter of days. It was funny how one moment could change a person's entire view on someone else.
"You should have been in Slytherin Albus," he said tiredly.
"So you have constantly told me. Come, let's see if we can't get Poppy to tell us something of what is going on with Harry."
"No need Albus, I'm already here and have been for the past few entertaining minutes. Severus, I always knew you were a mother hen, this just proves it," she said.
"POPPY!" Severus cried out as he quickly checked the room out for any more eavesdropping people.
"How is Harry doing Poppy?" Albus asked cutting Severus off.
"He's all right now but I'm going to keep him in here for another two days just to be on the safe side. The vision was quite startling in it's intensity as it hit him when he was awake. In a few days he'll be fine and getting injured in those Quidditch matches of his before you know it," Poppy said with a small smile.
"Thank you Poppy, that is of a great relief for us all to hear. I'll go inform everyone else before Sirius and Molly barge in here and tear the place apart," Albus said. "Coming Severus?"
Severus nodded and followed Albus out of the private room as he prepared himself to be hoarded by quite a few worried people. Why could nothing in his life ever be simple?
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Sirius growled as he paced outside of the healing wing. Why could nothing in Harry's life ever be simple? Was that really too much to ask for for a boy who not yet even fifteen!
"Sirius, calm down," Remus said soothingly. "Harry is very strong, he'll get through this."
"He shouldn't have to be strong though Remus! He isn't even fifteen yet and he has the weight of the world on his shoulders," Sirius exclaimed.
"I agree with you completely Sirius," Molly scowled. "The poor dear has far too much on his plate as it is. Harry never should have had to gone through what he has."
"What's done is done Molly. No matter how much we may wish to change the past, it can not be done," Minerva said sadly.
"I know," Sirius said as he stopped pacing. "It doesn't make it any easier to accept though."
"It never does," Albus said coming up from behind the gathered group.
"What never does," Ron asked breathless as he ran up to the group at long last.
"It doesn't matter Ron," Hermione said tactfully knowing exactly how her teachers felt, for she felt the same. What she wouldn't give to be able to go back into the past and fix all the mistakes that had been made.
Ron looked around in puzzlement but for once kept his mouth shut, a definite first. "How's Harry," he asked changing the subject.
At once, all eyes turned to Severus and Albus, everyone daring them silently to even try telling them they knew nothing.
"Rest assured my friends that Harry is fine, or will be in a few short days according to Madame Pomfrey. No, you may not go in just yet. Poppy will tell us when we can," Albus said anticipating their request.
Molly, Arthur, Sirius, and Remus scowled but reluctantly nodded. The teenagers also nodded but were privately making plans to sneak into the infirmary later that night when the adults were all in bed.
Dumbledore, of course, knew this but did not say anything. He had learned long ago that when it came to Harry's well being, nothing would stop his friends from visiting him, even if it meant disobeying him.
"I bid you all a goodnight and please, do try and get some rest," he said looking straight at Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the twins.
"Yes Professor," they answered innocently not fooling Professor Dumbledore or Minerva for a second.
"Hmm, yes, goodnight everyone," he said before leaving.
"Well then, you heard him you lot. Off to bed with all of you," Molly said once Dumbledore had left.
Grumbling, the students left the hospital wing and went up to Gryffindor tower.
"So," George said once his mother and father had gone upstairs and out of hearing range. "When are we going to sneak out and see Harry?"
"As soon as I find his damn cloak," Ron muttered as he rummaged through Harry's trunk.
Fred, George, and Ginny shared confused looks. "Um Ron? Why do we need Harry's cloak and how is that going to help up sneak down to see him?" Fred asked.
"Oh, I guess they don't know about it Hermione," Ron said absently as he continued rummaging through the trunk.
"True, I suppose we are the only three people to use it. I don't think Harry's told anyone else about it actually," Hermione said.
"Um, hello? We are still in the room you know. What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Ginny asked.
"Ginny, watch your language," Hermione scolded as she moved over to help Ron find the cloak.
"Hermione!" she and the twins exclaimed together in annoyance.
"All right, all right, yeesh. Impatient lot aren't they," Ron said to Hermione.
"So it would seem," she said.
"RON, HERMIONE!" the twins yelled together while Ginny sent the duo a withering glare that should have scorched the carpet in its intensity.
"We're looking for Harry's invisibility cloak. I think he wrapped it up inside out to hide things from the Dursley's. Ingenious really. Only he knows where he put it and because it's invisible, it's nearly impossible to find," Hermione said.
"Wait a moment, Harry has an INVISIBILITY CLOAK!" George said.
"Those are extremely rare! Where on earth did he get one!" Fred exclaimed.
"He got it first year for Christmas and it was his father's," Hermione said softly.
"Oh, wow, it must be a Potter family heirloom. Those things are usually passed down from generation to generation," Ginny said.
"Ha! Found it!" Ron exclaimed.
Ginny and the twins looked at it with confusion. "Um Ron, you do realize that will never fit all five of us, right?" George said.
"Oh, I didn't think about that," Ron said gloomily.
"Oh honestly, give it here," Hermione said impatiently. Once she had it, she took out her wand and quickly uttered a spell to enlarge it by about five times.
"Hermione!" everyone gasped.
"It's illegal for an underage witch to do magic outside of school," Fred said.
"I mean we can, but then we're of age," George added.
"Honestly, are we or are we not in school right now?" Hermione said.
For a moment, Ron, Ginny, and the twins blinked dumbly.
"Oh, okay, that works then," Ron said relieved. The last thing he wanted was for Hermione to be expelled, not that it was likely to happen.
"So what are we waiting for! Let's go already," Ginny said impatiently.
Quietly, the group of five teens went under the cloak and slowly walked towards the hospital wing.
"It's to bad that we don't have the map with us. I really don't want to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris," Ron whispered as they walked through the hallways.
"Don't worry little bro. Should we encounter them we know plenty of passages and shortcuts that will help us escape," Fred said.
"Good to know," Hermione muttered.
"Come on, come on, keep walking," Ginny urged them all on.
"Hmmm, Ron, I do believe our baby sister isn't as over her crush on Harry as she would like us to believe," Fred said.
"Oh yes, I agree. See how she's blushing?" George snickered.
"Fred, George, may I remind you that we are in school and Ginny's magic can not be traced," Hermione said innocently.
"Uh oh," the twins muttered just as Ginny grinned and hexed them, successfully covering them from head to toe in boils and warts that just happened to be green and silver. "GINNY!" the twins screamed.
"SHH! Are you trying to get us all caught!" Hermione whispered.
"Everyone, quiet, we're here. Remember, if Madame Pomfrey catches us we're all dead," Ron warned everyone.
As they approached the doors, they stopped talking and quietly pushed them open. Harry was on the bed closest to the window, the one he claimed was the softest and had the best view. He would know after all with all of his visits to the infirmary.
Taking off the cloak, the five teens plopped down on the beds besides Harry's.
"He doesn't look to good does he," Ginny said eyeing the white bandage around Harry's head, hiding the infamous scar that had split open.
"He'll be fine Ginny, Harry's strong. Too strong at times I think," Hermione said.
"I couldn't agree more," Ron grumbled. "Anyway, seeing as we're alone right now, there's been something I've wanted to talk with you about."
"Go on Ron, what is it?" George asked.
"Well, I wanted to make Harry our brother in blood as well as in name. He can become our blood brother and that way, he'll at least have some blood protection when attacked. It might not be as strong as his mothers, but it's something," Ron said.
"Ron! That's bloody brilliant!" Hermione exclaimed in a rare display of using curse words. "I just wish Ginny and I could join you."
"I know, but at least this way, Ginny can still marry Harry."
"RON!" Ginny shrieked.
"Uh oh, now you've done it little bro," Fred said.
"Uh huh, I'd watch out if I were you," George said.
"Too late," Ginny growled as she grabbed the three nearest pillows and threw them at her older brothers.
Hermione burst out laughing at Ron's and the twins startled expressions. "What? You should know better than to get on the wrong side of a witch," she said.
The three male Weasley siblings exchanged looks.
"You do know what this means don't you Ron?" George asked.
"Of course, they won't know what hit them," he said.
"Let's do it," Fred said.
Before Hermione or Ginny could even question what on earth they were on about, they were suddenly attacked from both sides by the guys.
"That's it! This means war Ronald Weasley!" Hermione shouted.
Before long, an all out pillow fight broke out and the sounds of laughter could be heard far away from the hospital wing.
Farther down that corridor, Professor Dumbledore was smiling while Professor McGonagall was frowning. "Shouldn't we go and stop them before they wake up the entire castle or Harry for that matter?" she said.
"No, let them be. In the coming years there will not be much time for innocent moments of fun like this. Before they know it, they'll be plunged into the war along with the rest of us. Let them enjoy themselves while they still can," Albus said.
Minerva frowned but realized that Albus was right, as usual. Innocence would be a thing of the past before they knew it. She could let the children be children for today. They would be forced to become adults shortly. Such was the way of war and there was nothing she could do to prevent it.
The coming year would be hard on all of them, Harry in particular. War was brewing and it was only a matter of time before it swept everyone into it's path.