A/N: OK, I've mapped out the rest of the story, I just have to weave it all together. It was a challenge, but I'm mostly finding new ways to bring about the final showdown.
Chapter 31 - Reclaiming Our Power
Severus looked up when Harry entered unannounced, and though he didn't intentionally search for it, Harry noticed the glimmer of relief in the older wizard's face. He's glad to see me.
"I was just about to ask for a tray," Severus told Harry, watching and noting that he was making a beeline for his bedroom, "do you want dinner yet?"
"No thanks, sir," Harry said. "I'll ask for something in a while." He made a point of closing his door, which, per their understanding, meant he wanted privacy.
Once he was in the confines of his room, Harry climbed onto his bed to lean against the backboard and brood. His eyes settled on the enchanted window which was conveniently located directly ahead, at a short distance from the foot of his bed. He settled his stare at the underwater scenery that depicted the aquatic life of the lake.
"I don't suppose you could show me a fire burning in a stone hearth, by any chance?" he asked flippantly and out loud. He shouldn't have been surprised when his request was granted. But he was, and pleasantly so.
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Severus spent the better part of that evening tracking each of his Slytherins down to see for himself which of them had been violated by some sort of spell or curse, and which might have been a perpetrator. By eight o'clock, he was back in Dumbledore's office with Lupin and McGonagall, and later, Lucius. Each summarized his or her reconnoitering results for the others. The final conclusion was that the havoc within the castle was the handiwork of an as yet unidentified group of wizards, who had strategically unleashed a series of destructive ploys, which had yielded the various maladies tormenting a random selection of the student body today.
In addition to the chocolate frogs and the enchanted bludger, there had been the rooster hex that had afflicted several first years who had been gullible enough to help themselves to bottles of butterbeer, which had been set out on a tray in the North Garden. That syndrome had blessedly worn off after approximately two hours. There had also been a selection of students who'd returned from Hogsmeade in distress, because they'd been attacked on their walk back, and all of their purchases had been stolen. Not one of them could describe, or really even remember, their attackers. They could only remember the trauma of the event.
At nine o'clock, Hermione Granger, Hannah Abbott, and Ernie Goldstein had arrived to inform the Headmaster, et al, that they'd heard from each of the students in their respective Houses that the perpetrator of the chocolate frog offense had been none other than Fay Dunbar.
Severus and Lucius had exchanged a look of exasperation while the students spoke, but as soon as they'd been thanked and dismissed, Severus declared, "Now we simply need to know which Fay Dunbar was responsible?"
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By the time Severus returned to his quarters at ten o'clock, Harry had long since eaten dinner, reviewed the topics for Monday's classes, showered and dressed for bed, and now was a bit disturbed that Severus had been gone for so long.
"I was just about to do what you always do, and demand to know where you were," he announced, holding up his coin so that the older wizard could see.
Severus smirked at him while pouring a small measure of firewhiskey for himself and heading for his leather chair. "Have you had a restful evening?" he asked, already observing that Harry seemed to be in better spirits now.
"Yeah," Harry said softly. "I was going to go to sleep soon, but the fact that you've been gone so long tells me there's been more trouble."
"There has not," Severus informed him matter-of-factly. "But there has been information gathering." He proceeded to inform Harry of their findings, concluding with the Fay Dunbar bit. The sneer of annoyance that Harry displayed actually amused the older wizard enough to unleash a rare smile. "I readily admit I had a fleeting fear that the two of you were growing close."
Harry snorted. "Not. A. Chance," he enunciated dramatically, inadvertently impersonating Fay's impersonation of Severus, while also coming over to plop down on the sofa, and consequently missing the deepening of Severus' amusement at his quite adept impersonation of the one and only Severus Snape at his finest. But Harry was studying the flames, as his thoughts revisited the day's events. And those thoughts had settled back at Privet Drive. "Do we have an idea who we interrupted at my aunt's house today? I know Bellatrix was one of them, but the others?"
"The assumption is that it was her husband and his brother," Severus sobered quickly as he informed Harry. But he added drily. "If only we could interview your relatives with any confidence that they'd actually give us real information."
"Dumbledore could Legilimize them again," Harry suggested, finally looking back at the older wizard. Severus responded with a mild smirk that Harry read to say why bother? "Hang on," Harry said suddenly, "wasn't the Dursley's place warded against the likes of the LeStranges getting in there?"
Severus had his coin out as fast as his responding frown formed on his face. "Good point."
Headmaster, if you are….. by chance not yet….. retired for the night,….. Harry and I have….. further questions.
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Severus' sitting area was now crowded with all of the coinholders, including McGonagall.
"I am afraid I must admit I was less than inclined to offer your muggle relatives the strongest degree of security, Harry," Albus answered Harry's question about the warding at the house on Privet Drive. He said these words with a measure of self condemnation, and added, "I advised the Ministry auror to use his most common warding, knowing that many of the Death Eaters would be able to bypass these." He paused to take in the shocked expressions responding to his admission. "And, as usual, I underestimated the vehement dislike for all things magical that the Dursleys possess."
Sometime in the last few minutes, as the group had arrived and assembled around the room, a tray of beverage options had circulated, and Harry had taken a butterbeer, which he'd nearly taken a sip from as Albus had spoken. Luckily for those sitting closest to him, he hadn't done, because his sputtered reaction would have sprayed it far and wide. He gawked at Dumbledore. "Did you really just admit you were alright with them possibly getting killed?" He flashed a look around at the others and found many raised eyebrows among them. McGonagall had her hand over her mouth.
"Of course not, my boy," Albus responded quickly, "forgive me, I neglected to explain that the standard security warding, while not strong enough to prevent entry by dark wizards, is designed to prevent the use of the Unforgivable Curses, and any type of curse that creates bloodshed, or dire enough violence to cause death."
Harry frowned in galled shock. "But it did allow the Cruciatus! I could swear that's what Dudley got hit with!"
"The spell used on your cousin was actually not nearly as powerful, Harry," Remus interjected.
"Oh," Harry said. Typical Dudley. "I guess I should have expected he'd bleat and yell over anything, really…"
"I do admit I took a great risk, but I did so because there is another element of those wards that has already yielded three arrests," Albus continued, and now his eyes emitted their twinkliest of twinkles. "I just received word that the three LeStranges were intercepted at St. Mungo's, where they'd gone for treatment, not of bullet wounds, but for the permanent orange skin and hair that results from Disapparation through those wards." Now he smiled broadly, and sat back in his recently transformed armchair to take a healthy swig of his own butterbeer. "Alas, the entire plan worked in our favor, for now I do not have to answer for the Dursley's demise at the hands of dark wizards, nor do I have to offer them any further protection, as it's quite clear that Vernon Dursley can protect himself."
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Harry awoke at seven the following morning and dressed for school after quick morning ablutions. He grinned at the raised-eyebrowed expression on Severus' face as he bid the older wizard goodbye, and headed up to the Great Hall for breakfast. Today is Monday, 20 January, and I'm going to have a good day. In fact, he'd sworn to himself that this week, at least until the next round of interviews with the Wizengamot, would be a normal week. He'd spent a decent amount of yesterday's private time in a state of calm, where he'd retreated into his center, and had reviewed the things that mattered most to him:
1) being done with Voldemort's damned residue of evil
2) legal emancipation.
Somewhere from within those inner reflections, the wiser voice of Harry Potter had suggested that he practice living normally, as much possible - that he intend normalcy into reality.
It was worth a try, anyway!
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Harry actually did very well in his classes and also in maintaining that same balanced state, all week long. Much of this was likely due to the fact that he utilized his bedroom every night, which availed him to nightly recaps of his day to Severus. Severus had listened raptly to everything Harry spoke about, and had given sound feedback. Plus, he'd proofread Harry's assignments, so Harry had a good feeling about the marks he would be getting. The combination of those interactions, the confidence in his schoolwork, and the nightly sound sleep, truly helped Harry feel more stabilized, and able to awaken to a new morning, feeling himself to be on solid ground.
The same could not be said for literally everyone else in the castle, because the disruptions of random chaos-inducing events continued, and everyone was on edge from a collective fear of being the next victim. By Wednesday of that week, the Headmaster had read the proverbial signs, and had decided to cancel the original upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.
"I can only hope that by mid-February, when we're scheduled to have our fun over Valentine's weekend, that this level of disruption will have concluded," he told the student body at dinner that night. In truth, the majority of the group seemed to agree that it was best.
"Will you still have to go into town for your next interview, Harry?" Hermione asked with a worried frown.
"I'm assuming so," Harry replied. "Haven't been sent word about the time yet." The way all of this was being handled was just plain pathetic, in Harry's opinion. Perfect timing that the Ministry is in shambles, to the extent that they'd had rogue representatives cause trouble at Hogwarts, right when Voldemort and his goon squad were kicking into high gear. So much is going on that everything is in disarray. "I'm scheduling a modified DA meeting for tomorrow night," Harry announced. "I'm only allowing upper years to come. The magic we'll learn is too taxing for the younger ones. Only fifth year and up, except for Ginny and Luna." He ducked his head so that no one else could hear. "Remus used a spell on a Death Eater on the Night Bus that isn't lethal on its own, but could be quite effective in stopping an attack… literally. He showed me how to cast it last night. I want to show it to the ones who would be on the front lines if something happens here at school. I just feel like we're all sitting ducks right now."
The looks on Hermione's and Ron's faces were of shock, but also determination. He knew they really had no idea what actually could happen, and how much peril they all could be in, if the remaining Voldemort loyalists decided to attack.
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It wasn't until Thursday morning that some of the reality of last weekend's events came back to haunt Harry.
Hermione huffed after reading the lead story in her copy of the Daily Prophet. She looked at him with narrowed eyes. "I think you'll want to read this, Harry," she advised firmly.
Well, it was great being the only one not bothered while it lasted, Harry grumbled inwardly as he unfolded the paper and began to read:
THE DAILY PROPHET - MORNING EDITION
An Orange Stain on High Society
by Rita Skeeter
Well, well, well, dear readers, it would seem that amidst all of the unanswered questions and accusations about all things associated with You-Know-Who, and those who have long been rumored to follow, finance, and revere him, a few indelible facts have surfaced for this reporter to share with you.
FACT: Three wizards of the LeStrange surname, one Bellatrix, her husband Rodolphus, and her brother-in-law, Rabistan, have each been arrested and released, after paying heavy fines for trespassing on, and tampering with, muggle property. The proof of these infractions is in each one's very, VERY bright orange visages, which are compliments of Ministry-sanctioned warding done on muggle households deemed vulnerable to attack by followers of He Who Must Not Be Named. "For these three to have been hexed with the orange stain, they had to have Disapparated through Ministry warding." This is according to Auror John Dawlish, of the Ministry of Magic Department of Law Enforcement, with whom I spoke just now.
FACT: This reporter was unfortunately denied access to the records of these arrests, but I was able to confirm that they occurred on Sunday evening, 19 January, after which healers at St. Mungo's Hospital fulfilled their civic duty to inform the Ministry of Magic of the three patients who were seeking relief from their stains. One healer, who asked to remain unnamed, informed me that each of these alleged trespassers had also done some very rudimentary healing on themselves, in effort to resolve quite astounding wounds caused by a muggle weapon known as a shotgun.
FACT: The two Hogwarts professors, along with Lucius Malfoy and Harry Potter, who were arrested and released without charge after the incident on the Night Bus, have each given testimony to the Wizengamut on that event. You will recall, dear reader, this event also involved the LeStranges. One might wonder just how much longer the orange trio will be allowed to remain in polite society? It's difficult not to conclude that the Lestranges were among the perpetrators of that attack as well, and had not yet learned their lessons. One might infer that the very reason the Ministry employs such an embarrassing tool against trespassers, is to permanently stain not only their faces, hands, and hair, but also their character.
I will conclude with the observation that while all parties have maintained their innocence, the LeStranges have now demonstrated criminal tendencies. After all, they are the ones with THE STAIN. This reporter will be less inclined to take their word as final without further investigation!
Harry put the ridiculous rag down onto the table and shook his head while he tried to process Rita Skeeter's very slow grasp on reality. He shot a glance at Ron, who'd just finished reading Neville's copy of the article, and found his best mate to be in a similar state. Neville was the first one to laugh, and then Harry, and then finally Ron and Hermione. It started as chuckles but became outright guffaws of ironic humor.
Harry's coin warmed and he just knew the message was from Severus.
….. ….. …. the stain?
Harry looked up at the mentor he was coming to revere the most deeply, and found Severus hiding his face with both hands, elbows on the table, shoulders shaking with clearly raucous laughter. It went on for several seconds before the formerly reviled potions professor turned in his seat to leave, keeping his back to the students. THAT made Harry laugh so hard he had to mop the mirth from his running eyes.
A/N: This chapter is short, but Ch 32 is started.
