A/N: I Own Nothing
A/N: Thanks to everybody who reviewed. Reviews are always appreciated. Keeps me going, even when I start to get lazy, lol. Anyways here's another chapter, enjoy. Sorry this chapter took so long compared to the other one's, procrastination kicked in (blushes embarrassedly).
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Severus Snape had decided to stay at Hogwarts during the summer. There was no reason for him to go to Snape Manor; it was an empty and very cold place to live. Hogwarts he felt would suffice as living quarters, unless for some reason he desired to go back there, but he knew he never would. Staying at Hogwarts during summer vacation always had a brighter side, it allowed for him to be able to plan lessons earlier and have more time working on his own projects.
Severus had spent the majority of the day; revising lesson plans for first, second, and third years, and checking inventory to see what would be needed for the following year. The other years lessons plan he would do the following day.
Around 10:00 at night, he decided it was about time to start working on his many new potions in which he was creating. He had about twenty cauldrons bubbling, and brewing, all calculated to perfection. He examined them all making sure that special precautions were being taken, because each potion had specific needs, and he did not need anything happen that would set him back. Some of these potions had taken months, even years to create, and he was not about to let sloppiness ruin all his hard work.
Severus stopped short when he came to the last one. The potion was a dark blue that was emitting bright red sparks. Everything seemed to be going according to plan, and at midnight he would be able to add the unicorn hair that would help purify the potion, and the dragon's blood that would make the potion stronger. This one was a special request for Dumbledore that would help the Order immensely and the general wizarding public. This was meant to stop two out of three of the unforgivables.
This potion would make the drinker immune to the curses, something that was never done before. This would surely win him an Order of Merlin First Class.
All the potion required was for the user to take three small drops, and the cruciatus and the imperious curse would no longer affect the person. Severus had been preparing and testing this potion for over two years, and only recently was he able to figure out how to block the two spells. The dark blue colour of the potion meant that the cruciatus could be blocked. The red sparks that were flying everywhere meant that the user would be able to throw off the imperious curse without any hesitation.
There were just a few minor adjustments that needed to be done in order for the potion to work to its full extent, but it was done.
At midnight Severus added the unicorn hair. He stirred the potion twelve times clockwise and then fourteen times anti – clockwise. He had to let the potion sit for three more hours before he could move on to adding the dragon's blood.
During that time, he read the daily prophet. It was the same old thing. There were small breakouts of Death Eater attacks, and Kingsley Shacklebolt the new Minister for Magic, was searching endlessly to bring Voldemort down, while trying to repress the attacks from the Death Eaters.
'Bunch of Rubbish." He snarled to himself as he folded the newspaper up, and threw it in the fire. He watched as the corners of the paper furled until there was nothing left.
"They'll never be able to find Voldemort, unless he wants to be found, it's just a waste of time." He thought amusedly to himself.
At 2:58 he went to check up on the potion. He smiled happily to himself when he saw the contents in the cauldron, the colours of the liquid changed, and the dark blue was now a light blue, and the bright red spark was nothing more but a soft glow of orange. He added the Dragon's blood turned it clockwise three times.
This time the potion seemed to let out a multicolour vapour. And he knew that it had worked.
All he needed to do now was test it on himself. More than likely he knew that he was going to end up the guinea pig, but it would have to wait; he wanted some sleep that night.
Severus was so tired and had a bad headache that he decided to see Madame Pomfrey for a pain reliever potion, since he was clear out of his private stock.
That's when he saw them. All his teaching years at Hogwarts he had never known anything like the two that he was going to face in a second. Sure there were lots of kids that seemed comparable, but each year they found a way to keep outdoing themselves.
He shuddered with distaste. There were too many of them, red hair, lanky bodies, they thought they ran the place, well with the exception of Potter.
He was glad that they had left Hogwarts a few months earlier before the last term ended. If they had not then he would have been ready for St. Mungo's insane asylum ward. After seven years of putting up with them, he was ready to crack. He noticed during that year that he was not the only staff member to feel this way whenever the Weasley twins were mentioned. Professor McGonagall looked at times as if she were ready to tear her hair out, and poor Professor Flitwick always gave a soft yelp at the names of Fred and George.
Now here they were standing on the stairs with a battered Potter, on a stretcher.
"Probably a trick gone wrong." He thought to himself, with a smirk.
That's when he let himself be known to the two red haired men. "Uh Hum." He said, he knew that tone would make any students blood run cold, and he loved it. The fear that he caused always brought delight when he saw the children dart trying desperately to escape his wrath.
However, the fear that was usually brought out did nothing to affect the twins. Instead they shot their old professor a look of utmost hate. They had seen him during Order meetings, but both sides never bothered with one another, unless it was deemed absolutely necessary.
"What do you want Snape." George seethed through clenched teeth. He hated the man that was standing before him.
"Now, now, Mr. Weasley. Where are your manners? I know you're mother did not bring you up this way." He smirked, knowing he would get a rise out of the young man.
"My manners left when they saw you, and your great big nose."
"If you don't mind, Severus, we have things that needs to be done. Good day." Fred said trying to intervene between the two.
"Actually I do mind. As I see you've got the wizarding worlds golden boy, on a stretcher. So tell me, was it one of your little pranks gone awry?"
"It is none of your business. It is between Harry, us (he said this pointing to himself and George), Madame Pomfrey, and Albus, and whoever else Harry wishes to disclose his injuries to," Fred tried to control his voice with all his might. "but I highly doubt that he would come running to a greasy git like you, when he awakens, so Good Morning." He put a hand to his mouth trying to suppress the laughter that wanted to escape.
"I will not be insulted by the two of you, leave this premise right now." Severus' anger was growing, soon he would give them a what for.
"Yea and leave Harry to you I don't think so." George had almost sounded like a snake as he said this. "And since when do you own this school, I always thought it was the ministry, you can't tell us what to do. So mind your own bloody business." George cursed.
"You two do not have permission to be here, Potter on the other hand seeing that he is a student should see Madame Pomfrey, but you two leave." He pulled out his wand, and yelled. "Dimitto."
The two boys felt their bodies fly forward pulling them both in separate directions away from their hurt friend. They came to a sudden crash when they felt their bodies banging against the entrance door to Hogwarts.
Snape had forgot to open the doors when brandishing the two devils away. "An extra bonus." He thought to himself, when he heard the boys' bodies slamming into the door.
"WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE?" Yelled a voice from across the hall.
The blue of the nightshirt would have usually matched the sparkling blue eyes, of the elderly headmaster. However, in his given state his eyes were burning black with fury.
Albus Dumbledore had been in his bed sleeping when he heard shouts and banging coming from within the corridors of the magnificent castle. He jumped up from his bed, and rushed to see what and who was causing such a racket, this early in the morning.
He was quite surprised when he saw the potions professor standing on the marble staircase, yelling at nobody in particular.
"Severus, I'm astonished at you. Making so much noise at this hour." Dumbledore reprimanded his staff member. "I would think you would have some common sense."
Severus sighed inwardly; he could not deal with all of this tonight, first the potions, next the splitting headache, then the Weasley twins and Potter, and now the headmaster. He wondered how much more he would have to endure before it was all over.
"Do not lecture me, old man." He spat at the elderly old wizard.
"Now, now, Severus, lets talk about this calmly."
"There is nothing to talk about I have handled the situation, and it has been taken care of."
"Oh, so that's why you threw us at the entrance door." A dishevelled George said as he ascended up the stairs, followed by a similar dishevelled boy.
There was a small difference to the boys. Fred the usual peacemaker had his wand pointed directly at Severus' chest.
"Mr. Weasley put that down. (Dumbledore had only called Fred by his surname because he was tired and could not distinguish between the two; it was just easier, as not to insult anybody).
Fred obediently lowered his wand, but glared spitefully at the potions professor.
"Somebody explain to me what is going on right now!" Professor Dumbledore yelled in exasperation.
"Potter, that's what is going on." Professor Snape motioned his hand to the still boy lying on the stretcher.
Professor Dumbledore's gaze switched from the three angry people in front of him to the frail body behind him. His blue eyes, which were not sparkling before, were definitely not sparkling now, instead they looked like a whirlwind of anger.
"Are you telling me that a seriously injured boy is fighting for his life, and you three are standing here arguing with one another." Dumbledore stood in astonishment.
In unison all three heads bowed in shame. They each had forgotten that Harry was injured and in desperate need of help, and here they were acting like a bunch of two year olds.
"You should all be ashamed of yourselves. I thought that at least you two would have cared more, and put aside your petty differences for the sake of your friends. I am very disappointed."
"Sorry." They all mumbled ashamedly.
"If you three are done, let's get Harry to the infirmary." Dumbledore said harshly.
Nobody could recall a time when the old headmaster had ever sounded like that before. They had all made the Headmaster both disappointed, and angry, something that was never done before. Not even when Snape had confided in Dumbledore about being a death eater, and not even the time the twins had accidentally changed their headmaster's hair to a fluorescent pink, had Dumbledore been this angry, and upset.
Dumbledore floated Harry the rest of the way to the infirmary, followed by Snape and the Weasley twins taking up the rear.
"Poppy." Dumbledore called from inside the infirmary.
He laid Harry on top of one of the beds, removing the stretcher from beneath him. He left the three other people there standing stock still, and made his way to meet the person he just called for.
The motherly old medi – witch came out of her office wearing a bewildered expression on her face. Her hair was scrunched up in a tight bun, and she was still wearing her night robes.
Madame Pomfrey was quite surprised at being woken up so early, especially since it was summer. Because of the summer, there were no students there to get injured, or sick. If it were a teacher, which was very rare, because most had their own potions to help whatever ailed them, they would not be calling on her so early in the morning. For once Madame Pomfrey was confused to say the least.
"What is it Professor Dumbledore?" She asked concerned.
"It's Harry Potter."
"What has that boy done now, I tell you he cannot even stand two minutes without getting into trouble. If he did something stupid I will not mend him this time." Poppy said infuriated.
"I don't know what to tell you Poppy, I found the Weasley twins, and Severus on the marble staircase headed towards the infirmary's direction, Mr Potter on a stretcher. Maybe it will be better if you ask them what happened yourself. I am also curious in knowing." Dumbledore said sadly.
Madame Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore made their way towards the rather unusual group that were huddled in the far end of the infirmary.
When Madame Pomfrey saw the sick boy sleeping, she knew that it was not the way Harry would normally come in to the infirmary. Sure he was hurt every time he was there, but those hurts never left him fighting for his life, and this she realized was exactly what he was doing.
"Explain." She said tartly.
"Well you see this is what happened." George said but was soon drowned out by Fred's Version.
"Hermione got a letter."
"We were at his uncle's house."
"Snape threw a curse at us."
"And now we're here."
Poppy Pomfrey was terribly confused by the end of the jumbled version she looked to Dumbledore for help; maybe he understood the meaning of what they said.
Dumbledore just smiled at the motherly matron; apparently he was just as lost as she.
"Lets try this one more time." Amusement sparkled in his old grandfatherly blue eyes. "Fred why don't you explain."
Fred went into a long and winded version of how Ron, Hermione, and Ginny flooed to their apartment, and presented Harry's letter to them. He then went on to explain what they saw and heard when they went to the Dursley's house. He finally finished with a last long breath about how they ended up at Hogwarts, and the encounter with Professor Snape.
After hearing Fred's rendition of the story, all fell silent sitting down with dumbstruck faces. Professor Snape seemed to be the only one sneering, happy that the Gryffindor golden boy had finally been put in place.
"Severus do not let me hear that you were cursing former or any other students ever again." Dumbledore turned to face the man that was sitting before him.
He then turned to face his medi – witch, "Madame Pomfrey, help Harry." Dumbledore sounded older than his 154 years.
"Yes, sir." She said through her tears. Even though she was usually harsh with her patients, she still cared deeply for each one, and hated to see any of them in trouble.
"Cruatio alius contraries." Madame Pomfrey said.
She waved her wand around Harry's body. A soft white glow appeared, blinding everyone in the room. It lasted for about five minutes, and then it slowly faded, as the spell was doing its job.
Madame Pomfrey drained from all the magic she had to use to heal the patient, flopped down next to Dumbledore.
"He's healed." She waved her hand, brushing a lose strand of hair from her face.
"Then why isn't he awake?" Fred looked at Harry worriedly.
"The spell was able to heal all of his internal and external injuries, but I'm afraid that Harry will have to wake up on his own. He needs to deal with what has happened, and this appears to be his way. Give it time; soon you'll all have him back. Now if you don't mind I'm tired, I'm going to go to bed, but I'll be back in a couple of hours to check up on him, if there are any changes just call me."
"Thank you, Poppy." Dumbledore stated, sadly. "Fred, George, you can fire call Hermione, and let her know that they can all floo here and see him, I know they're probably beside themselves with worry by now." Albus Dumbledore pulled out some floo powder and held it out in an outstretched hand for one of the twins to take.
"Thank you, sir." Fred said grabbing the soft powder. He knelt down on the floor by the fire and tossed in the floo powder. "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." His head felt like it had become detached from his body, as it floated to it's destination, it was an odd sensation.
Fred found the sight that met his eyes in his apartment rather amusing. All three teenagers were sleeping where they last left them. Hermione's head was sprawled atop the table, her bushy hair covering every inch of the glass top. Ron was lying on four chairs, because of how tall he was, and Ginny was sleeping curled in a small ball at the corner of the kitchen on the floor.
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"Hey Gin, Harry's ok." Fred said quietly to her, not wanting to frighten his little sister.
Ginny opened up her tired brown eyes, and looked at her brother 's head floating in the fireplace. Ginny could not comprehend the person whose head was floating in the fireplace at first, only recently had she been able to fall asleep, and she had woken up disoriented.
"Fred?" She asked him.
"Yea, did you hear me?" Ginny shook her head. "Harry's going to be ok."
Ginny screamed in delight hugging her favourite brother tightly. She admired them and loved them all, but Fred was her favourite.
Ginny's scream had awoken the other two who were slumbering. With sleepy heads they looked at Fred the same way as Ginny had done.
"Harry's going to be fine." Fred said for the third time that night. This time it was as if he were insuring himself as well as the other two.
"Can we see him?" Hermione and Ron asked in one voice.
"Yea, Dumbledore gave all of you permission to floo to Hogwarts."
"Wait a second, I thought you guys were going to bring Harry back here." Hermione stated.
"We were, but Harry was in a lot more trouble then we would have ever thought. So we had to change our plans. Sorry we would have told you, but there was no way of getting in touch."
"W-w-what time is it anyways?" Ron asked trying to hold back a yawn that escaped his mouth.
"5:30."
"I want to go see Harry, NOW!" Ginny demanded.
Everybody knew by now that what Ginny wanted Ginny got, there was never any point in arguing with the fiery redheaded girl, she always won. Besides this time everyone was agreeing with her. They all wanted to see Harry.
One by one they all flooed to the infirmary where Harry was lying on the bed, no sign of movement had been noticed.
Ginny was the first one to the bedside, where a tired Dumbledore was sitting, along with Snape.
"Oh Harry." Ginny cried at seeing him oblivious to everything.
"There, there Ms. Weasley, Harry will be fine. I can assure you that." Dumbledore tried comforting her.
"Hey mate, you want to go flying. If you do then you have to wake up." Ron tried coaxing his friend.
"Ron, leave him, he'll come around on his own. This is Harry's way of dealing with what has happened, and until he's come to terms with this he won't wake." Hermione told him just like Madame Pomfrey had already explained to the older boys, also breaking down and crying.
Ron went to her side, and lovingly put his arms around her and embraced the one he loved. He knew right there and then that Hermione was the one he wanted for life.
"What are you all crying about?" Snape asked them. "We all knew that Gryffindor's golden boy would be fine." He said. "Now if you don't mind Albus I'm going to bed, Potter here has been nothing but a disturbance, and because of hime it seems like I won't even be able to get my bloody potion."
Snape was ready to leave his robes already billowing around his ankles when he heard Dumbledore from behind him.
"Severus you will come with me!" He said softly, but firmly. The potions master knew not to argue with the old man this time.
Dumbledore turned toward the children and said in a more softer and gentler tone that was undemanding. "The rest of you can visit Harry, I'm sure he would appreciate it. There's something I need to speak with the professor about, then I'll be contacting the order, and you're parents. This he spoke to the Weasley twins. There will be punishment. Nobody is allowed to leave Hogwarts ground. Do I make myself clear." This was not a question, but a statement.
The others nodded in agreement. They would never have left Harry's side even if the old headmaster had never suggested that they stay. They would have argued, and then got Ginny to do her magic. They finally got Harry safe and protected, and now, they would not let him out of their sight.
"Severus come!"
And that was all the children heard from the professor's conversation as the two of them walked out of the infirmary and down the large hallway to Dumbledore's office.
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Once they reached the gargoyle that blocked Dumbledore's office, he cried out the password jovially. "Lucky Charms," His eyes twinkling.
"You know Severus, they're magically delicious." At the mention of this Albus Dumbledore seemed to be behaving like an overexcited seven year old. "They're actually really good, you should try it someday. The muggles eat it for breakfast."
Severus looked at Dumbledore as if he snapped. "You're mental old man." He hissed.
The stone gargoyle jumped back allowing entrance into the circular and extravagant office.
"Sit!" Albus said pointing a long bony finger at the chair opposite his desk.
Snape sat watching as the old wizard took a seat behind his desk.
Albus' fingers arched under his chin he looked quizzically at Severus for a minute trying to discern his thoughts.
"So Severus," He began not knowing how to start. "Do you really hate the boy so much, even though he has done nothing to you."
Severus was startled; this was not where he was expecting Dumbledore to go. He had thought that Dumbledore wanted to talk about Voldemort, and another mission that that the potion master would have to go on.
"Yes, Potter has been nothing but a menace since he came to this school. In my opinion it would have been better if Voldemort had actually killed him when he was a baby." He sneered.
"You don't mean that now do you? Or are you just saying that because you're mad that James saved your life, and now you feel like you owe it to Harry to save his?" Dumbledore stared at the cold-hearted man, knowing that it was not the way that that man actually felt.
"I DO MEAN THAT." He yelled. "Now if you don't mind, I'm tired, it's been a long night and morning, and I want to get to bed." He started to get up from the pouf chair in which he had been sitting on, but the look that Dumbledore gave him, made him reconsider.
"Tell me something," Dumbledore said calmly. "If you really hated Harry as much as you claim, how come you tried to save his life numerous times, when one time would have been sufficient?"
"Because I felt obligated to."
"Even though you knew that James was behind the whole plot at first, you were never really obligated."
"I don't know what you're playing at, but if you continue talking in riddles, I will give Harry to Voldemort on a silver platter." His black eyes enraged.
"You're free to go Severus." He said sadly.
Severus made his way to the door and as he was about to push it open, he heard Dumbledore speak.
"Just tell me one thing, just so that I can have it confirmed. Can you really hate your own son that much?"
"Y-WHAT?" He looked at Dumbledore as if he were mad. He wanted to shout at him. "You're really off you're rocker. What do you mean my son?"
"Exactly what I said, You're son. But you're right Severus, you need some rest, go to sleep but I expect you here, once you awake. There's a mild sleeping draught on my desk. Goodnight." And with a snap of his fingers Dumbledore vanished in thin air.
Severus grabbed the sleeping draught off of Albus' desk and headed towards his private chambers. "Mental that one, he really is off his rocker. My son, I'd die before Harry Potter was my son." He thought to himself.