Chapter 12: "Bad Water"

"What can you tell me about Nagini?" Harry inquired.

"You must kill her before you kill him," Snape said matter-of-factly.

"Why?"

Snape drew closer to Harry and in a whisper, "The Headmaster told me that you and he were hunting the horcruxes. It was Slytherin's ring that caused his hand to burn and wither."

"You know about horcruxes?" Harry was surprised.

"Of course, I do," he offered with a sneer. "How else do you suppose I could have kept the Headmaster alive for as long as I did?"

Harry looked puzzled.

"You mean he did not tell you that my potions were all that kept him alive?" Snape now looked puzzled.

Harry shook his head, "When we got back Madam Rosmerta's he wanted me to get you. But Draco got to the Tower before…"

Snape rubbed his chin thinking, "Tell me what happened that night, insofar as you can."

"I am not at liberty to say much, sir," Harry spoke, "Professor Dumbledore swore me to secrecy. He said nothing about his death ending that pledge."

Snape took Harry by the arm, "Come with me, Mr. Potter."

They silently made their way to the dungeons. Snape escorted Harry through several wards and into his personal lab at the back of his quarters.

"Now, Mr. Potter," Snape began, "Let me explain some things to you that may fill in pieces. I would hope that you would do the same for me."

Harry considered it.

"You are loyal to the Headmaster as am I. Before we debate the issue, just hear me out," Snape cautioned before going on. "The Headmaster told me that you and he were going after another horcrux. I advised him against it as his health was already in jeopardy. He explained to me that you would be with him and would bring him back either way."

Harry kept looking at Snape as Snape paced back and forth.

"He had not taken his potion that night," he held up an emerald coloured fluid in a small vial. "Did you encounter anything that I might need to know about?"

Harry pondered it a moment, "Why do you ask, sir?"

Snape realized he'd left out one important piece of information, "Harry, if things go according to the Headmaster's plans, he's not really dead."

Harry was stunned beyond belief, "What!"

"The Headmaster took a Draught of the Living Death that I had prepared especially for him. It was set only to take effect upon the administration of a nonverbal spell. Since he had been damaged by the destruction of Slytherin's ring horcrux, I cannot be sure that he's still alive. We argued about it. Now, what do I need to know?" Snape looked Harry in the eyes.

Harry hated it when Snape did that, "Do you have to look me in the eyes like you are going to invade my mind?"

Snape rolled his eyes upward with a sigh, "I thought Hermione had taught you occlumency."

"She did, and we still practice," Harry told him.

"Then why are you acting as if I'm invading if you have the ability to push me back out?" Snape said in an exasperated tone. "Oh, this is getting us nowhere. I hate repeating myself Potter. What is it that you are not telling me, or I will invade your chaotic little mind!"

Harry pulled back a bit, "Truce!"

Snape nodded and backed up.

"Professor Dumbledore had to drink some potion in the cave just to get to the locket. Then he was so thirsty, and I could not get the aguamenti charm to work, that I gave him some of the lake water," Harry left out the details that were contributing to his own fear that he was as responsible for Dumbledore's death as Snape was.

Snape reeled back on his heels, "This cannot be good," he murmured.

"What! Did I do something wrong?" Harry began to worry as if he were back in the cave that night.

"You must take me to the cave. Do you think you can find it again?" Snape demanded to know.

"How are we going to get there if you can't apparate?"

"You will take us both. I'm effectively placing my life in your hands," Snape countered. "Try not to get us both killed. The Headmaster's life depends on you now."

"Hey, I've been practicing. But, I'd rather ride a broom…" Harry offered.

"Takes too long. I'd be missed. We'll have to apparate there and back," Snape concluded as he gathered empty vials to gather samples in. "Come on. There is no time to waste."

They slipped off the castle grounds and Harry offered Snape his arm. In a moment later, they were on the large rock by the mouth of the cave.

"This way, Professor," Harry led the way in.

They slogged through the icy water just as Harry had done a year ago with Professor Dumbledore. This time it was Snape who dried and warmed them. Snape made the blood offering from his scarred Dark Mark to open the door.

"The lake is full of Inferi," cautioned Harry.

Snape's lips turned, "I hate those things."

Harry showed Snape the boat. Cautiously, they made their way to where Harry had left the goblet of potion.

"Let me have your wand, Harry," Snape requested.

With the wand, Snape coaxed the last few drops of potion into the next vial. Once stoppered, "Time to get out of here and back to my laboratory."

"You think you can make an antidote to that and the lake water?" Harry really needed to know.

"We'd better hope I'm as good a Potions Master as everyone seems to think I am," it was the first time Harry ever heard self-doubt come out of Snape's mouth.

Before leaving the cave, Snape scooped up water from the lake as Harry stood at the ready to provide a fiery escape. As expected, the Inferi came out and Harry did exactly as he'd seen Dumbledore do. Two wet men returned to the grounds just in front of the Hogwarts gate. Snape muttered the password and the moved through. The night was not terribly cold for late spring, but the wet clothes made the pace a little slower.

Snape shed his outer garments the moment he was back in his chambers.

"I suggest you do the same, Mr. Potter," Snape offered a fire in the hearth. "It's going to be a very long night. When you get dry, get me Hermione."

"Sir, she'll be in bed at this hour," he reminded Snape. "Besides, as a male, I cannot go into the girls' dormitory."

Snape looked up and smirked, "Tried that, did you?"

Harry laughed, "It's not what you think…"

Snape gave a little chuckle, "How would you know what I think, Mr. Potter."

Harry was shocked that Snape actually had a sense of humour buried somewhere under all that gruff.

"What's the matter, Potter, can't take a joke?" Snape smirked.

"Sure, I can…" Harry sputtered, "It's that I never expected one from you, is all."

Snape looked up at Harry, "I'm really not as unfeeling as you believe me to be, Harry. I'm as human as the next man. And, I do have a sense of humour…" he finished and returned to analyzing the samples they had collected.

Morning found Harry asleep on the couch in the sitting room of Snape's quarters. Snape had fallen asleep at his workbench. Harry had managed to get himself dry before collapsing; however, Snape's clothes were still damp and his boots waterlogged. When Harry awakened, he staggered into the Snape's lab. Gently, he shook the Potions Master's shoulder. A very hazy Severus Snape pulled himself into a seated position and began to take stock of where he was.

"I should have dried off last night," he grumbled. "My feet are frozen."

Harry turned his wand on the older man's feet and offered a warming and drying charm.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter," Snape sounded genuine, "That will do nicely."

"So Professor…"

"I believe you may now call me Severus," he held out a hand.

Harry could scarcely believe it, but he took Snape's hand.

"Did you figure out what is in this stuff?" Harry waved his hand over the vials they had brought back from their night's sojourn.

Snape rubbed his eye and pinched his nose, "I've figured out some of it. The Dark Lord must have been quite a Potions Master himself although there is no record of it."

Then it hit Harry, "Slughorn!"