Desperation Pt 2

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One Shot: Desperation Pt. 2

Harry crashed through a door, his mind running faster even than his feet, as he realized that there was nothing left now. No one would ever believe he wasn't the attacker. He'd be expelled, sent back to the muggle world, stuck with the Dursleys at least, likely jailed in the wizarding prison at worse. Another blast of energy just barely misses him as he climbs the ladder, scurrying as fast as his hands and feet could carry him, to the top of the south tower.

As the cries from below grew stronger, he felt his heart harden, a sordid determination fill him.

"I'll never go back." He said as he took a final step, and for a moment he was free...

And he fell.

Four Hours Later

The portrait behind which the Gryffindor Common Room hid swung open, the clamor and din dwindling out till there was silence. The tall witch entered, looking not quite so severe as she would normally, to meet her charges as her fellow Heads of Houses were doing elsewhere.

"Professor?" Hermione spoke up immediately. "Professor, no one has seen Harry! I left him in the Library when I came to help you."

McGonagall nearly flinched, only her strength of will keeping her features locked in stone. She studied the girls face momentarily, before sweeping the room of silent students.

"Earlier today…" She started, before pausing, seeming to take a deep breath. "Earlier today Mr. Potter fell from the south tower. We were alerted almost immediately...Despite our best efforts...He passed away shortly after."

"What?" Hermione said, shocked to her core. "No, professor, that...that can't be! He was...I left him in the library! He...he…"

Whatever else she meant to say was lost in a sea of tears, her small body wracked in tears, as Ron attempted to console her. His own face hid it well, but a studied look would show the brimming of tears as well.

"Professor?" Percy asked, standing as tall as he could. "Is this related to the attacks?"

McGonagall studied him as well, before shaking her head. "No Mr. Weasley."

A few more questions were asked, but none bore fruit. All that anyone would know was that Harry Potter was dead and that it was not thought to be related to the attacks. As the gamut of emotions ran through the room, no one noticed a small redheaded girl sitting by herself, smiling as she wrote in her diary.

Dumbledores Office - That Evening

Professor Dumbledore sat as still as stone, his face in his hands as silent tears streamed down his face. Fifty years had passed since last a student had died at Hogwarts, and this one struck him twice as hard. Outside his office, the staircase began to rotate, alerting him to a visitor incoming. While under normal circumstances he would have a portrait to tell him who, they were currently all off in other places, spreading the news. The heavy wood door slid open, the dark figure of Severus Snape in the shadow of the door.

"Albus, the Slytherins have been informed." He says as he sweeps into the room.

"Thank you, Severus...What were their reactions?" Albus asks, replacing his glasses.

"No murderer resides within the house, Albus. They reacted with fear and even sadness. As much as Slytherin may hate him, he was still but a 12-year-old boy…" Severus says, frowning.

"What of the other houses?" Severus asks into the silence.

"Nothing of note...I'm still waiting to hear back from the South Tower Portraits," Albus explains. "It seems that the only two that may have seen anything are hysterical. We'll learn more soon enough."

Severus is silent for a moment, before speaking up. "Do we think this is the work of The Dark Lord? What of the girl?"

"I can't be certain...but no, I do not believe this is his style. Pushing a child from a tall height does not have the theatre that he so craves. I think the proximity to the new attack only coincidental." Albus responds, before suddenly turning towards one of the portraits as it's inhabitants slips into view.

"Albus, I've gotten news from St. Gerald, the hallway portrait in South Tower. I've been told that Mr. Potter came upon the scene of the attack, and was almost simultaneously set upon by a group of students who believed him responsible. They chased him, but he had a sizable lead." Professor Black's portrait said.

Albus frowns, before swiftly standing.

"Albus?" Severus asks, watching him.

Albus ignores the question, rifling through one of his many stacks of items, before coming out with a small hourglass hanging from a golden chain.

"I need to see what happened. I need to know if this was an accident or murder." Albus responds, before turning to leave the office. "Wait here for me, Severus. I'll only be a moment."

No sooner had the heavy door closed, was it opening once more, an Albus now seven hours older walked in, looking a decade older at best. He sat down in his large chair, taking his glasses off, and rubbing lightly at the bridge of his nose.

"Albus?" Severus asks, having not moved from where he at.

"It was not murder, Severus, but suicide," Albus says, barely a whisper. "I followed him all day, invisible...The children were cruel...they truly believe him to be behind the attacks. When they found him near Ms. Lovegood, they believed to have caught him red-handed...They chased him through the tower...He stood on the railing for a second, before-"

"Enough!" Severus says, his chair sliding back as he jumped to his feet.

"Severus?" Albus asks, startled. "I-I'm sorry...I had forgotten."

"Forgotten what, Albus?" Severus says, "Forgotten that I myself stood on the balustrade of the towers, considering death, after a particularly vicious day at the hands of the Marauders?"

Silence fills the room, even the portraits stunned silent.

"I am resigning, Albus. Effective immediately." Severus says.

"Severus, why?" Albus asks, shocked. "We need you now more than ever!"

"Need, Albus? I have never once felt needed in my entire life, and certainly not at Hogwarts. The 'Bat' of the dungeons, they call me." Severus sneers. "But no Albus, I am leaving because my job here is done. Harry Potter has died, and with him, any hope that the Dark Lord will be gone forever."

"Severus, please. The Prophecy may not be accurate. We may have misinterpreted it. There is still hope!" Albus nearly pleaded.

"HARRY POTTER IS DEAD!" Severus roared, slashing his wand, the chair beside him turning to dust.

The silence rings throughout the room, only broken by the soft sniffling of one of the many portraits.

"The Chosen one is dead, Albus. My job here is finished." Severus says. "We have failed…We have doomed us all."

"What of Mr. Longbottom?" Albus asked. "If Harry has died, he can not fulfill the prophecy. It must be Mr. Longbottom."

"If Longbottom is the chosen one, Albus, we were doomed from the start," Snape replies, before vanishing the pile of dust.

"You say that like you thought Harry would one day be capable." Albus says, "Did you come to care for the boy?"

As Severus begins to answer, the heavy door behind them swings open, as McGonagall enters.

"Minerva?" Albus asks, startled at her appearance. "What's happened? Another attack?"

McGonagall can barely respond, her faced coated in tears before she finally speaks up.

"It's Ms. Granger...A-albus, they found her hanging in the bathroom!"

As Albus rushed from the room, Severus stood still, his eyes looking down at the floor, considering follow after. He shook his head, before moving towards the fireplace, and took a handful of Floo powder. A muffled word, a flash of light, and Severus Snape was gone.

A/N: Maybe we'll see a part 3?