I don't own Harry Potter. By now, most of you know that Lunastar1981 on Hogwarts Extreme is my account on that site. So, I am not plagiarizing this story, which has a little of The Deathly Hallows in the first chapter before going to the book The Half-Blood Prince. I hope those who enjoyed the original Flames will also enjoy this sequel.
Chapter One- Plans For the New Year
Snape muttered incantations as he pointed his wand at the right hand of Dumbledore which was blackened and burned. He also tipped a golden potion into Dumbledore's mouth who was semiconscious. As his eyes fluttered open, he focused on Snape whose ears twitched in irritation.
"Why, why did you put that thing one?" he said, pointing at a cracked ring on the desk. "Surely, you knew it was cursed. Why even touch it and did you think breaking it would break the curse?"
Dumbledore didn't answer.
"You were lucky to return here and summon me. I have managed to trap it in one hand for now."
Dumbledore examined his hand. "How long do you think I have?" he asked calmly.
Snape sighed. "I would say at least a year. I can't halt it forever as it is a curse that strengthens over time. If you had summoned me earlier, I may have bought you more time."
"Not even your fox magic can help?"
"No; not even my magic can hold off powerful curses."
"Well this may be fortunate, actually." He smiled at Snape's perplexed expression. "I refer to Lord Voldemort's plan revolving around me. He plans to have the poor Malfoy boy murder me."
"He doesn't expect Draco to succeed. This is punishment for Lucius' failures. Torture for his parents while he tries, fails, and pays the price."
"So, he has a death sentence pronounced on him as surely as I have. I take it the job falls to you once Draco fails."
"I believe that is the Dark Lord's plan and he believes he'll soon have the school in his grasp as well."
"If that happen, do I have your word that you will do what you can to protect the students of Hogwarts?" Snape nodded. "Good. Your priority will be to discover what Draco's up to in order to kill me. Offer your assistance, surely he'll accept as you are his favorite teacher."
"Less so recently. He blames me for Lucius losing favor with the Dark Lord. He believes I am usurping his father's position."
"I am more concerned about the accidental victims of whatever schemes occurs to the boy. Ultimately there is only one thing to be done to spare him from Lord Voldemort's wrath."
"You intend to let him kill you?"
"Certainly not. You must kill me."
"Would you like me to do it now?" Snape asked ironically after a long silence. "Or would you like a few moments to compose an epitaph?"
"Not quite yet. Let Draco have his chance and when he fails then you will do it."
Another long silence and then Dumbledore said, "How are things between you and Harry?"
Snape cheered up at the topic. "Could not be better. His magic is growing stronger and we could not be more in love."
"That is good and, considering how close you are and Harry's need for you, I will allow you both to share a room this year and possibly next year too."
"That is generous, Headmaster. Harry will be delighted."
"Speaking of Harry, might I ask for his assistance in another matter? We are short a staff member again as Umbridge no longer wants to teach and I believe Harry may help me in persuading an old friend to come out of retirement."
"Which friend would that be?"
"I believe you would remember him: Horace Slughorn."
"Yes, I remember. He taught me. But his subject is Potions, so why…?" His gold eyes went wide. "I will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, is that correct?"
"It is and I ask you not to tell Harry which I know is difficult as you two essentially have no secrets."
"There is much that I have not told Harry yet, but there are very few secrets between us."
"I will not tell him which subject Horace will teach, that is if you will allow me to require Harry's help."
"Of course you can ask him, Headmaster."
"Actually, if you could deliver my request to him, I would appreciate it. If he agrees, I will call on him sometime next week."
"Yes, Headmaster." Snape strode to the fireplace, threw some Floo Powder into it, stepped in, and said, "Spinner's End." The office whipped away in a whirl of green flames.
Snape stepped out of his home's fireplace and was nearly knocked back into it by a whirl of silver highlighted black hair and gold-green eyes. He was able to maintain his footing and laughed as he embraced his mate. "Nice to see you again too, Harry."
"Why did Professor Dumbledore summon you?"
"He and I had a variety of matters to discuss, a couple of them concerning you."
"What?"
"One of them I will save for September as a surprise. The other involves a request the headmaster wants of you and asked me to deliver. As I'm sure you know, we're short a teacher and the headmaster hopes you will help him persuade an old colleague to come out of retirement."
"Who is it?"
"Horace Slughorn. He taught me when I was a student."
"Oh. Well, okay. I'll help persuade him, whatever that means."
Snape had a very shrewd idea of why Dumbledore wanted Harry's help. Slughorn was known for collecting students who were very talented in areas where he could make Ministry connections for them. Those students, in turn, showered Slughorn with letters, treats, and other perks as thanks for their jobs. It was quite likely Slughorn would want Harry for a couple of reasons: His being a fox, for one, and the prophecy whose contents had leaked t the press. The Daily Prophet had dubbed Harry as The Chosen One; the one to defeat Voldemort.
All this went through his mind in a second before saying, "Then he'll be by sometime next week to pick you up."
Harry nodded as he looked down at the newspapers and leaflet that had arrived that week. "Severus," he said as he picked up the leaflet. "What's an Inferi?" He tapped a claw on the word.
"Inferi is plural for Inferius, Harry. Inferius is a corpse reanimated by a Dark wizard's spell. The Dark Lord killed enough people in his rise to power to create an army of them. And no," he added as Harry opened his mouth. "Inferi are nothing like zombies. Inferi do not eat flesh as zombies do."
"They sound scary, though."
"Most people fear the undead, but one can protect himself from them by repelling them with light and heat; in other words, fire."
Harry was silent for a time. "He's moved into the open. Voldemort, I mean." He paused to allow Snape's ears to flatten and his tail to jerk slightly. "His followers collapsed a bridge and then those two murders."
"Yes. When he attempted to steal the prophecy himself, he knew that he couldn't slip back into the shadows again. You remember my telling you to hide whenever a Death Eater comes to visit?"
"I do and I promise I will stay out of sight."
Snape smiled as he took Harry in his arms. He scratched behind one of the silver-tipped ears and Harry gave a growl of pleasure. He had grown very comfortable being a fox and making canine sounds as it was his heritage. His tail brushed along Snape's left leg and Snape gave his pleasure growl in response. He scratched the ear faster.
"Oh, Severus," Harry moaned with a whine as he sensed that the two of them were building toward having intimacy time.
