Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.

Harry's New Boggart – Chapter 5

The Memory

Harry looked around, certain he had seen this place before, or maybe dreamed it. They were inside a poorly lit old mansion that had probably been beautiful long ago. The door opened, and none other than Professor Snape, with his greasy black hair and black clothes, walked inside, stepping through Ron and Hermione. They followed him up a set of stairs. "Is this Riddle Mansion?" asked Hermione, who apparently remembered his dream from the summer before their fourth year.

"You're right, Hermione. I knew it was familiar."

"This is where Tom's father used to live?" asked Ginny, holding Harry's hand.

"Yes, and also where he and his parents were killed," responded Harry. He felt Ginny tremble slightly as they continued up the stairs in silence.

Professor Snape knocked on the door at the top of the stairs.

"Who dares disturb me?" came the voice that filled Harry's nightmares. Voldemort himself was on the other side of the door.

Snape knelt before the door with a bored expression. "It is I, master, your humble servant, Severus Snape. I am here to report." Harry got a perverse pleasure at seeing that slimy, traitorous git on his knees.

The door opened, and Voldemort's voice hissed, "Come in. What is the news of Hogwarts, Dumbledore, and Potter?"

"Master," replied Snape, still on his knees. "Hogwarts is still well guarded. When the Headmaster leaves, which is always without prior notice, security is even tighter than usual. I believe he is beginning to suspect me. He is growing irritated by my lack of pertinent information. He wishes me to keep a closer eye on young Malfoy."

"Not altogether unexpected," hissed Riddle. "The boy is even more of a fool than his father. At least he pretended to be against me, to the point where Fudge considered the man a friend. This boy openly supports me and hates Dumbledore and Potter." Then a smile crossed his face. "Even if he somehow manages to survive his mission, I'll still kill him for his stupidity."

Snape nodded and sneered. "Yes, master."

"What news of Potter?"

Snape smiled. "He appears to have found love in the youngest child of a blood-traitor family. Her name is Ginevra Weasley."

Harry put an arm protectively around his girlfriend at this point muttering, "I'll kill that…"

"Quiet, Harry!" whispered Hermione.

"Oh, yes," sneered Voldemort, "The Weasleys have been a thorn in my side for too long. Isn't that the girl that Potter rescued from the Chamber of Secrets?"

Snape nodded, "The same."

"This isn't good, Snape. They may have bonded at that time. Do what you can to keep them apart until I find the opportunity to deal with her personally."

"Bonded?" repeated both Harry and Ginny, looking at each other.

Snape sneered, "That shouldn't be too difficult to do, since I have Potter in detention for almost all his free time since he used my spell on young Malfoy."

"Oh, yes. Have you been able to locate your old potions book yet?"

"Not yet, but I believe the fool isn't using it anymore. Professor Slughorn mentioned something about his grades slipping since he started dating Miss Weasley. Hopefully, he hasn't read the whole thing yet."

"You were a fool to leave it lying around, and I should crucio you again for it, but I won't this time because of the valuable information you've given me."

"Thank you, my Lord."

"I have one more question, Snape. It's about the elaborately carved mantelpiece above the fireplace in the Slytherin common room. It is still there and in tact, isn't it?"

"Of course, my lord. Why do you ask?" replied Snape, looking confused.

"That, Snape, is none of your concern," hissed the Dark Lord. "What is your concern is to make sure that no one ever disturbs it."

"Of course, my lord," promised Snape, bowing his head. "I apologize for asking."

"Get out of my sight and get more information."

"Yes, master." Snape got up and started walking toward the door when Harry and company found themselves pulled out of the pensieve.

"Wow," they all said in unison.

"We need to stay longer," declared Harry.

"Ron, Ginny, could one of you write you your mum and ask if we can stay one more overnight because it's taking longer than we'd hoped to retrieve everything Dumbledore left us?" asked Hermione. "You can use a school owl."

Minutes later, Hermione and Harry were speaking to Ms. McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore's portrait.

Harry stated, "We have reason to believe that something important is hidden in the Slytherin common room, and would like your permission, along with the password, to check it out."

Dumbledore's portrait nodded his head while McGonagall looked surprised. "Why there? Why do you suspect that all of the sudden?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he explained, "Minerva, I believe they have discovered information in my pensieve that has led them to that conclusion. Am I correct?"

"Yes, sir," both Harry and Hermione answered.

"Do you agree with their request, Albus?" asked McGonagall, surprised.

"I do, indeed. However, I am no longer headmaster here."

"Very well, the password is 'serpent.' I'll show you the way when you're ready to leave."

Although Harry already knew where Slytherin Dungeon was, he didn't want to explain how he found out to McGonagall, so he stayed silent.

"We'll have to wait until Ron and Ginny get back from the owlry, which should be momentarily. In the meantime, that is, if you don't mind, Ms. McGonagall, we'd like to discuss something with Professor Dumbledore."

She appeared a little put out, but when she saw the portrait nod his head, she muttered, "Very well," and walked out of the room. Hermione immediately sealed it magically.

"I hope we haven't offended her," said Hermione with a concerned look on her face.

"I'm afraid Minerva is not used to being, how do the muggles put it, out of the loop," explained Dumbledore. "I assume you wish to speak with me about that memory."

"Yeah," replied Harry. "I don't understand!" He took a deep breath. "He told Voldemort about Ginny, which proves to me he's a traitor, but he also gave you that memory. Then he killed you!"

Albus chuckled, "I must admit those actions do contradict each other."

"I don't think it's funny, sir," responded Hermione, looking aggravated.

"My question is," said Harry, "is he a traitor to you or Voldemort or both? Whose side is he on?"

"I believe you have just gotten to the heart of the matter, my boy!" stated Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "He is not on anybody's side but his own! I was fooled because he proved to me that he was against Voldemort. Because of this, I assumed he was on my side. That was my mistake."

"I was wondering if, if his killing you was part of your plan, sir," asked Hermione sheepishly.

"I knew of his unbreakable vow, but my death was never part of the plan. The plan was to persuade young Mr. Malfoy to join us, and then to protect his family. That would have fulfilled at least part of Professor Snape's vow of protecting Draco. The part about finishing the job himself could have been postponed indefinitely."

"I see, sir," replied Hermione.

"Then he is a traitor!" declared Harry.

"Of course he is," agreed Dumbledore. "He used an unforgivable curse on me. In order to successfully do that, one must truly hate the victim and have no pity whatsoever. You found that out when you tried to crucio Bellatrix at the ministry." Hermione glanced at Harry quickly. He'd never told her that. "Since you weren't completely full of hatred, as she is, it didn't work. Likewise, if Professor Snape were not full of hatred for me, he would have been unable to successfully use the killing curse. Unforgivables require a lot more than pointing a wand and saying an incantation. That's why the Ministry of Magic believes that once you have proven that you are capable of using one of those curses, you are beyond redemption. That's why they carry a life sentence in Azkaban."

Hermione appeared to be absorbing this new information. Harry simply said, "So Snape is a wildcard? We don't know who's side he'll take at any given time!"

"Except for one thing," replied Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eye. "When I learned of his unbreakable vow to Mrs. Malfoy, I made him take another unbreakable vow to me."

"Another one?" asked Harry.

"What was it?" asked Hermione.

"That he will not harm you, Harry, and that he will defend you against Voldemort with his life. I'm afraid I didn't have the foresight to include your friends in the vow." The portrait of Albus Dumbledore lowered its head in shame. "This is yet another time I have failed you, Harry. I hope one day you will forgive me for ignoring your suspicions about Professor Snape. I have been arrogant. I thought that if I trusted someone, anybody who didn't was mad. You were right to question me. I'm sorry."

"Professor," pleaded Harry. "I'm not angry with you. I'm angry with Snape, Voldemort, and the Death Eaters."

"Harry," said Hermione. "I also need to apologize for ever doubting you…"

"I'm not mad at you either, Hermione. You have never tried to do anything but help me. I don't often say this, but I really do appreciate everything you've done for me. You're the best friend anyone could ever ask for, and the closest thing to a sister I'll ever have." She threw her arms around him in an embrace that he returned while Dumbledore's portrait watched with shining eyes.

"That," stated Dumbledore when Harry and Hermione came apart, "is what Voldemort will never know. The love of friendship that you share with Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, to name a few. That, and the bond of love you share with Miss Weasley are things that Tom will never understand."

"That reminds me, sir," said Harry, "Voldemort mentioned a bond between Ginny and me."

"That," replied Dumbledore, "is something I'd prefer to discus with Miss Weasley and yourself privately. No offence, Miss Granger."

"None taken."

A few minutes later, when Harry and Hermione left the office, they found Ron, Ginny, and Ms. McGonagall waiting for them, so they proceeded to the Slytherin dorm. The entrance was a bare, damp stone wall. Ms. McGonagall said the password and the stone door concealed in the wall opened to reveal their common room. She then left them to their task, wishing them luck finding whatever it was they were looking for.

Hermione and Ginny looked around at the long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. They'd never seen it before. Harry and Ron, who'd been there in their second year, headed directly to the fireplace, which wasn't lit. Above it was the elaborately carved mantelpiece that they noticed had a snake's face in the center. After Harry pointed it out and suggested he speak parseltongue to see what happened, Hermione insisted he put on the safety gear, which she'd made Ron carry, first. After he reluctantly put the 'armor' on, he had everyone else step away. He hissed, "Open" to the mantelpiece, and it started to move.

Chapter end