Harry turned around at the cold voice. A look of surprise covered Harry's face before he completely recognized the man in front of him. "H-How did you know it was me?" Harry croaked. His fingers went to his face. It was still disfigured. How could anyone recognize him? He no longer looked like James. He looked like a monster that didn't deserve to live.

"Please, I can sense your strut from a mile away, just like your father's," the man said, dismissing this fact with a wave of his hand.

"My father did not strut!" Harry cried, defending the father he never knew, the father he no longer looked like. Severus Snape looked at Harry with disbelief. Harry looked down at the floor quickly when he was forcibly reminded that he no longer looked like his father.

"Come with me, Potter," he said venomously.

"No," Harry said, his eyes hurried up to look at the older man in the eye. He shrank into the room a little more, looking for a way out. Snape was blocking the doorway, though.

"Don't be stupid, come with me," Snape said. Harry planted his feet and refused to follow his old professor. Snape looked at Harry, clearly exasperated. "Petrificus Totalus," he said in a bored tone. Harry's limbs flew to his body and were locked in place. Unable to keep his balance anymore, Harry toppled over and Snape smiled cruelly as Harry fell onto his side. Harry fixed a glare at Snape's feet. Snape pointed his wand at Harry and levitated his stiff body into the air. Snape then directed Harry's body down the hall. Luckily for Harry, no students were wandering the halls. Left with nothing else to do, the resentful young man watched the ceiling drift by. He could only guess where Snape was taking him. Harry was finally going to die, and at the hands of a supposedly ex-Death Eater. The war was over; Harry had killed Voldemort and bound all of the Death Eaters. Apparently, Snape had somehow weaseled himself out of the Ministry's clutches once again. So now, after all the work he had put into the war, pre and post, Harry was going to die by the hands of a Death Eater.

After a few minutes of Snape leisurely walking down the halls, Harry was gently lowered to the ground. "Liberacorpus," Snape said. Harry's arms and legs sprung away from his body as he suddenly received full range of motion once more. Harry stood up quickly and looked around. The glass jars that sat on shelves around the room glowed eerily in the dim light. Harry shivered slightly in the chill. He pulled out his wand and faced Snape.

"Just go ahead and kill me now," Harry said coldly.

"Now why would I want to do that?" Snape asked as he took a seat behind his desk.

"I'll make it easy for you," Harry challenged. He laid his wand on the professor's desk and held out his hands to his sides, his fists clenched in anger. Snape looked at him dubiously.

"Quit being stupid. I know it's hard for you, but honestly!" Snape said, his thin patience wearing out. He picked up Harry's wand and handed it back to the boy. Harry took it and looked at Snape, waiting for the killing curse and the flash of green light that he had so often seen in his dreams. "Well, sit down," Snape said. Harry walked slowly to the straight-backed chair that sat in front of the desk. He sat down slowly, warily eyeing Snape's wand that was still in the man's hand. "My lord!" Snape said. He put his wand on the desk and stared at Harry. "Look at me." Harry reluctantly brought his eyes up to the professor's face. Snape looked at Harry coldly. "You're killing your friends, you know?" He paused a moment for Harry to mentally follow him. "I'm not going to force you to go back to society or anything. That's purely your choice."

"No, but you're going to revenge Voldemort and kill me, aren't you?" Harry challenged.

"Shut up, Potter," Snape said tiredly. "Even someone as thick as you should be able to see that I'm not going to kill you." He paused a second, waiting for Harry to interrupt again. When the boy merely continued to stare stonily at the hooked-nose professor, Snape continued, "Your friends are miserable. They have been ever since you disappeared." Harry stared at Snape in shock. He apparently thought of something, because the expression was quickly replaced by a skeptical look.

"You're not going to give me a choice are you? You're going to call the Minister down here. That way you'll get some such reward for turning a killer in," Harry decided. There wasn't a chance that Severus Snape was going to show a sliver of humanity.

"Potter, has your time alone made you thicker than usual?" Snape asked the young man in front of him. "Why would I turn you in? It was a war. Besides, you were the only one who could kill the Dark Lord," Snape said.

"What about Colin Creevey?" Harry asked, choking on the boy's name.

"What about him? He was a casualty of war, the foolish boy," Snape said, shrugging his shoulders.

"I killed him," Harry said softly.

"What's your point, boy? Everyone makes mistakes."

"I used the unforgivable killing curse," Harry said. He held out his wrists. "Go ahead, tie me up and turn me in, I deserve it."

"SHUT UP!" Snape roared. Harry glared at the man. "For once, quit being a whiny prat!" He breathed heavily for a moment then seemed to have calmed down. He leaned in closer to Harry, his voice barely over a whisper. "I just wanted to warn you that you're killing your friends by staying away and refusing to-" There was a knock at the door. Both men's heads spun towards the door. Harry stared at it for a moment. "In here, Potter," Snape said to his ex-student. He opened a door to a small closet behind his desk. Inside was his private store of potion supplies. Harry didn't hesitate for a change and ducked into the closet. Snape waited a moment after Harry had gone into the closet before opening the door into the hallway. From inside the closet, Harry could hear a muffled conversation. It sounded like a girl to Harry, but apart from that, he could distinguish nothing. A few minutes went by. Harry heard the sound of a door shutting. Afterwards, there was no more talking. Could the student still be inside the professor's office? Harry dismissed this thought quickly. Snape would sooner kiss Harry than leave a student inside his office alone. Then again, Harry was alone in Snape's office…Harry shook his head; he wasn't a student. He waited a few more minutes before carefully opening the door. He looked through the crack at the small piece of the room he could see. No one was there. He then opened it far enough for his head to fit through and looked at the rest of the room. No one was there. Harry stepped out of the closet and shut the door. As he turned to leave the room and go back to the library, Harry noticed something sitting on the professor's desk that hadn't been there before. Harry stepped closer and saw a piece of parchment lying on top of the package. He picked up the piece of parchment. On it, scribbled in a spidery script were four words. It's up to you. Harry picked up the package and opened it carefully. Once it was open, a silvery piece of cloth washed over his hands, slipping over and around his fingers like water. It was his invisibility cloak. Harry paused for a moment, contemplating his next move. Making up his mind, he pulled the cloak over his head and carefully stepped out of the office, after making sure he was completely covered. He strode quickly toward the library. He walked up the hallway that lead toward the Great Hall. Once he reached the large open hallway, he heard footsteps and murmured conversation. Harry saw Snape walking with a student. Out of curiousity, Harry followed the pair. As he got closer, Harry decided that the girl must be a first year. She was too short and her voice was higher than the older students. Snape was explaining to the girl that first years weren't allowed on the House Quidditch teams.

"But Harry Potter was a first year!" the girl piped up. Harry rolled his eyes, grinning. They passed through an intersection. He heard a familiar voice and left the student and professor to follow the voice. He quickly caught up to two young men walking down the hall. He recognized the flaming red hair quickly and the lanky figure, but the other young man didn't look familiar. Harry sped up his walk to catch up with the pair.

"She has to understand!" Ron hissed to his companion.

"You probably could have convinced her in a different way. You didn't have to hit her," the other man reasoned. Ron hit someone? Harry stopped in shock. The boys kept walking and Harry missed something Ron said, but he quickly caught up, eager to find out why he had hit a girl.

"Roger, she has to understand. She has to accept it!" Ron said. It was obvious that he was exercising all of his self-control to keep his voice down. What does she have to understand? Harry wanted to ask, but stopped himself.

"Why don't you go apologize to her and talk to her?" Roger suggested. Ron shrugged his shoulders.

"But Hermione has to understand that…" Ron said, trailing off. Ron hit Hermione? Harry had to convince himself to keep up with the two, that and not hit Ron back for Hermione. He mentally urged Ron to continue, eager to find Ron's reasoning behind such a mad act, but Ron shook his head. "I guess you're right. Do you know where she is?" Roger shook his head. Harry looked away from the pair. They were standing outside of the Gryffindor common rooms. "Hang on just a second. Maybe Ginny knows where she is." Ron walked up to the Fat Lady. "Snicker Bicker," he said. The portrait swung open and Ron crawled through. Harry followed behind. The common rooms looked exactly the same. Harry saw Ginny curled up in a plush chair reading a book. She looked up at the sound of someone crawling into the common rooms. She glared at her brother and he promptly turned around and left. Harry looked at Ginny and let Ron go chase Hermione on his own. Harry started to walk up to Ginny. He walked around the chair so that he was between the fire and the chair. She looked up from the book and looked beside her, toward the fire. She closed her book, smiled and looked at him. She could see him through the invisibility cloak! That didn't make sense. Harry opened his mouth to apologize, but was interrupted when she happily called.

"Erik!" Harry stared at her for a moment, and then he realized that she was looking through him, not at him. Harry stepped out of the way and looked at the fire. He had brown hair had blonde tips that stood up at various angles. Harry watched with an open mouth as Ginny knelt on the floor by this boy. "Did you get Rashida's okay?" she asked him.

"Not a problem," he said smoothly.

"Well, then get in here!" Ginny said. She scrambled to stand up and give the boy room to get through the fireplace. His head disappeared and moments later a tall boy walked through the green flames. Ginny rushed to him and hugged him. Harry's jaw dropped even further. They sat down next to each other and began talking in low tones. Harry left the pair, thinking furiously. The other man's face looked familiar, but Harry couldn't place it. He sat down in a vacant chair and looked at them. Harry let his mind wander. The man leaned down and pecked Ginny on the cheek. A scar showed itself on his neck. Harry stifled a gasp as it dawned on him who this man was. The man leaned in for a kiss. Ginny turned her face away, though, and his lips fell harmlessly on her cheek. Harry clenched his fists at his side.

"What's the matter Gin?" the man asked. He pushed a lock of her hair that had fallen out of her ponytail to rest behind her ear. Harry clenched his jaw, biting back a yell.

"We're at school," Ginny whispered. The man pouted his lip a little and Ginny reached up and put her index finger on his lips. "Don't do that. You know I can't resist the puppy-dog look!" Ginny complained lightly. The clock chimed behind Harry and he jumped slightly. It was later than he thought it was, midnight. Where had the time gone? It couldn't have been later than ten when the first year stopped by Snape's office. Ginny turned around and looked at the clock disapprovingly. "Stay here, I'll be right back," Ginny said. She squeezed his hand a little bit before she began to round up the younger kids. "Come on. You guys have to get to bed!" she chided calmly. Harry frowned. He didn't remember a rule like that! All of the students went up to their dormitories without a complaint, except four girls. Ginny looked at them. "I'll be up in a second, guys," Ginny told them. They looked at Erik. Clearly, they didn't approve of him, and Harry agreed with them.

"Oh, no, it's okay, we'll wait for you," one of them said, smiling sweetly. Ginny rolled her eyes and turned back to Erik.

"I got to go," she said softly.

"Do you really? I just got here," Erik complained. "I got off work and came straight here and still we can't have more time?" he asked.

Ginny looked at her friends then back at Erik. "Yeah, I have to go, sorry."

"But didn't you make up that rule so we could be alone?" Erik pressed. She did? Harry was amazed that Ginny would do that.

"Yeah, but I have to go," Ginny said with another look at her friends. Ginny leaned into the older man. She sighed when she let him go. Harry glared at the older man as he watched Ginny go to bed. She blew him a kiss as she ascended the stairs, pausing as if hoping that her friends would continue up the steps. Displeased at Ginny's dawdling, one of her friends got behind her and pushed.

Erik sat down and Harry sat in a chair facing him. Harry could see why Ginny was into this guy; he had looks. After a couple of minutes of silence, Erik stood up and left the common room. Harry followed him. Though Erik didn't know it, the two walked to the front doors together. Once outside, they went their separate ways. Harry walked towards the forest while Erik walked down the long path.

Harry stopped and sat by the lake. As he sat down, he pulled his invisibility cloak off. Carefully, he folded it and put in his lap so he wouldn't forget it later. He needed some time to think. He heard a rustle as something pushed grass aside. Without looking behind him, Harry called out, Hey Giolla.

But I wanted to scare you, Giolla joked. Why the long face? she asked when she slithered up next to him.

It's Ginny. I guess I should be happy that she's not moping over me but…

But you want her to be miserable? Giolla supplied.

No! Harry said, shocked. It's just that that kid's a Death Eater, or he was…

You realize I don't know whom you're talking about? Giolla confirmed.

Yeah, I just want to talk, Harry said quietly. It helps clear my mind sometimes to talk out loud. You know? He looked at the emerald snake that was coiled beside him.

I know. Talk.

What should I do? Harry asked, turning his face away from the snake and towards the black glassy surface of the lake. A ripple formed and a tentacle of the giant squid broke the stillness. Harry watched as it tapped the surface of the water as if in greeting before disappearing to the unknown depths once again.

So you want to listen? Giolla laughed. Harry blushed a little bit.

Yeah. I suppose I do.

Well, you should go back home, Giolla said matter-of-factly.

But what if they don't want me? Harry looked at his feet and picked at a few blades of grass that were beginning to yellow with the lack of rainfall brought.

You won't know until you go home. Giolla said quietly.

Ron can't be okay with Ginny dating that creep! Harry burst out. I mean, I don't…

Yes you do. You want that girl all to yourself.

I don't know what I want, Harry said, frustrated.

What did the mirror show you? Giolla asked. She came closer to Harry and he instinctively stroked her scaly back with a few fingers.

That's just it, it didn't, Harry said. Giolla wrapped herself around his arm, and he reached across and began to stroke her with the other arm.

I don't believe you, Giolla stated blatantly.

Well, it's the truth, Harry said.

Then I'll tell you what you want. You want to break Erik and Ginny up, get back together with her, and go home, Giolla informed her master. Not necessarily in that order.

Never, I doubt I could ever return home. After all, I kind of left them with a big mess. All those Death Eaters, and I killed Colin… Harry let his voice trail off into the night.

It was war; people die in war. If you feel so guilty for the deaths and prisoners you left your people with, then why don't you return home and help your people return to their old lives? Giolla asked shrewdly.

Because… Harry started heatedly. Though, he couldn't find anything to say once he looked into the serpent's bottomless eyes.

Sleep. Let the idea of going home mull over your tired brain. Once you've recharged, I'm sure you'll see what I mean when I say you must return home. But…

But nothing. You know I'm not evil. I felt your probing last night, Giolla said simply. You saw nothing of interest in my mind, I assume.

I did not!

Yes you did.

I did. I'm sorry, but I had to know.

Then go to sleep! We'll talk again about going home in the morning.

Harry said nothing in reply, but silently stood up and walked towards the forest and his campsite.

Author's Note: Wow, I seem to be developing a bad habit to take a really long time to update. I am soo sorry! Please forgive me! My updating schedule often directly correlates to school. My one friend at school often reads over my chapters to make sure it all makes sense and that. And since I haven't had school, and the original ending to this chapter didn't flow or fit at all…. it's just been a mess! So sorry again! By the way, happy belated New Year! And merry very belated Christmas! (Yes, I am a Christian that celebrates Jesus' birth on Christmas, if it offends you to be wished a merry Christmas, then just pretend I said nothing and review my latest chapter :)

Response to Reviews: Wow, this was just depressing. I got a total of four reviews for this chapter…. and I waited a long time, hoping to get more…. but alas, it's your problem if you don't review. I don't think I will take Harry home until I have one hundred and thirty reviews (130 reviews) And trust me, Harry's coming home soon. So you better get those reviews in! There were no anonymous reviews. However, one major thing I notices people commented one:

"Ron hit her?" Yes, he did. Think about it, he was upset himself and she was just making him feel worse, and he needed…wanted to make her shut up and realize the depressing truth he knew…does that make any sense? He wanted to knock some sense into her…. that issue was also slightly dealt with in this chapter. Well, so long.