Yes, it's been a VERY long time, but I think I should answer some of these reviews...
LoveOfTheMoon:
Yeah, that's what I thought too, but I had to put something
out to move time along. Things just come randomly into my head as I
try to fill in these gaps between the major events. Sorry 'bout
that!
HecateDeMort: I tell quite a few people to go
f themselves on a daily basis! It can be very
enjoyable!
Starangel2106: Yeah, I got pretty good
results on the exams, but I was never told how I did on the Math
B…….wonder if it's like that everywhere and not just me. Oh
well, in a few weeks, I can find out. It's creepy when you find
your old math teacher at the place you work though (shudders)….but
anyways, thanx!
Savage Amazon: I know, I've made
you wait ages for me to update.
Read300300:
Thanx!
Celestialbeingoffire: It sorta is an
extension, but I've found that it's easier to write it like this
than it would be if I'd kept Harry with his sisters. If I hadn't
changed that, I prolly wouldn't've even made it to Chapter 12.
And just for the record, there is not one ounce of plagiarism in this story. Nada, zip, zero, zilch, niente. Nothing. If it looks like it, then it's nothing more than mere coincidence. What happens here is what's going on in my own brain for this story. Don't like it, don't read it. I'm sure no one held you at gunpoint and made you click on the link to my story. Otherwise, deal with it. I'm not trying to be a bitch or anything, but I don't take too well at being accused of something that I haven't done.
It took over a week for Harry's wounds to fully heal from his experience at the Dursley's. He became a lot happier as well, but he was still reclusive. Once again, he avoided physical contact. He didn't want to get into things like that before he was ready.
In the middle of August, Severus took him to Diagon Alley to get his school supplies. It didn't take very long, as Harry only needed a few books and enough ingredients to refill his stock for potions. Afterwards, they got ice cream and returned to the castle.
"Did you ever get the chance to practice your mental magic?" Severus asked him, a week before the Start of Term Feast.
Harry looked up from his copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7.
"Not really," he said. "I spent too much of my mental energy fighting a never-ending dizzy spell that threatened to put me into a coma."
"That's too bad," Severus said. "I was kind of hoping you might've had at least a little time between 'things' to work on it."
Harry thought for a moment.
"Actually, I did have time—shortly before my birthday. There were a few days, maybe a week, of relative peace. But I was so tired and worn down that I could barely stay awake for longer than fifteen or twenty minutes."
Severus nodded. He knew what that was like, having been there before.
"But maybe now that I'm away from all that, I can start to work on it," Harry said. "But first, I have some homework to get out of the way before I get a couple of months' worth of detentions."
Severus smiled, and both returned to their work.
Harry spent over a week writing his essays for classes. He was mentally exhausted when he finally finished his last essay, which was for Professor McGonagall.
"Thank God that's done with," he said, stretching as far back as his chair would let him. Looking out the window, he saw the giant squid turn over in the lake and spread its tentacles out like a star with many points.
There were three days left of the summer holiday to go, yet it seemed like it was just yesterday that Severus had rescued him from the Dursleys. He really didn't mind it, actually. He liked to keep busy so he could keep his mind off of things. When he wasn't doing his homework, he read a book from the library, mostly about the history of charmed ones. It was rather interesting. He never would've guessed that they went back just as far as witches and wizards, if not further. He wanted to talk to the headmaster about it all, but he wasn't in the mood to talk to Dumbledore. He vaguely wondered if he could even maintain a civil enough tone with the man.
He knew Dumbledore meant well, that he only wanted to keep Harry safe. How would he know that Harry was in more danger with Uncle Vernon around than he was with Voldemort? Harry could hardly expect Dumbledore to know anything of what went on beyond the pristine lawn and intricately designed front door of Number 4, Privet Drive. But Harry had reached a point where he wasn't sure if he could count on the old man's decisions anymore. He knew that he didn't care either way, as he was sick and tired of having to defend the entire world, Muggle and wizard alike. Especially after Sirius had died in the Department of Mysteries. He could remember his anger clearly.
"I'VE HAD ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, I WANT OUT, I WANT IT TO END, I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!"
It was several years of pent-up frustration that was waiting anxiously, painfully, to be released. And seeing Dumbledore so calm and yet so vulnerable only angered Harry further, even after he found he could no longer vent his outrage in a physical manner. But there was something he'd forgotten, until now…
"…you can still call home…where your mother's blood dwells….you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort…"
But Voldemort used Harry's blood to resurrect himself in the graveyard two years ago. That meant he also had Harry's mother's protection flowing through his veins. So how did that keep him from breaching the security put into place at the Dursleys and doing away with Harry?
"…he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not…either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…"
The whole thing was just ridiculous. His destiny was mapped out long before he was even born, and he had absolutely no control over the whole damn thing! Not to mention that he was too young to have to fight for his own life, let alone the lives of millions of people.
And just how exactly was Harry supposed to defeat the Dark Lord? Harry only had six years of magical knowledge under his belt, accompanied by the powers he still wasn't used quite to, piss poor Occlumency skills, and less than five years of scattered defensive training. Voldemort had spent years researching magic and the many properties it held, and was an expert at all that inflicted torture and death.
Harry sighed, and looked out the window again. The sun had long set, and the moon was half covered by thin clouds. He put the matter aside in his mind and gathered his Transfiguration essay and book. It was time to get some sleep.
He could only pray that this year would be a quiet one.
The morning of September first was dark and eerily quiet. With the exception of a chilly breeze, nothing stirred on Hogwarts' grounds. The clouds were ominously dark, their tops spiking high into the upper atmosphere. And it was foggy.
"Here goes yet another rainy first day back to school," Harry muttered to himself. He was leaning up against a tree near the Forbidden Forest, just taking it all in. Not that there was a whole lot to get lost in.
"Same shit, different year, I supposed," Harry muttered, to no one in particular. He slid down the trunk of the tree until he was in a sitting position with his knees up to his chin. He had over nine hours to waste away before the Start of Term Feast would begin for his last year of school.
He wondered who the new DADA professor would be. Apparently Professor Jones had been murdered during a visit to Hogsmeade just after term ended. He was sure that Dumbledore's choices for that position were very few. There were three other positions that needed filling as well; those of Ancient Runes, Herbology and Head of Hufflepuff House, and Quidditch teacher. The headmaster had a better chance of hiring someone to fill any of those positions than that of DADA.
Morning ended and it became well into the afternoon, but one wouldn't know it by the looks of the sky. The clouds had darkened, the wind had picked up, and one could see flashes of lightning and hear faint rumbles of thunder in the distance.
Some time later, Harry looked at his watch. It was 23:12. He got up and started walking back towards the castle, wondering vaguely what the rest of the students were doing on the Hogwarts Express.
Severus watched the sky through an open window deep into the second floor corridor. Hardly anyone ever wandered through here, perhaps because very few people knew or bothered to know about it. For that, he was glad, for it meant that he could be alone with his thoughts.
He sat there, gazing out on the grounds for several hours. The fog lingered throughout the afternoon, making it even harder to see as the clouds darkened. He could hear thunder somewhere in the distance, but he couldn't see any lightning from where he was. He knew Harry was out there somewhere, though he couldn't see him either. He wondered how upset Harry was at Albus. Neither of them had seen the headmaster the entire time Harry had been in the castle. Severus didn't even know if he knew about Harry, but figured he probably did and had too many other things going on. It had been a quiet summer, without so much as a rumor from Voldemort or his followers. Severus had only been Summoned to one meeting so far, and that was some time in July. He had been quite relieved to hear Voldemort say he didn't want to kill Harry yet. Severus had been having difficulty in concocting a plan that would enable him to "kill" Harry and not expose him as a spy. All the same, Albus had been keeping an ear out for anything suspicious, and the Order continued to stay alert, in case Voldemort decided to act without warning. Still, there had been nothing. Just peace and quiet.
It had been a strangely quiet day, even with the wind blowing as it did. Everything about it had been strange, right down to the porridge Severus had attempted to eat for breakfast. He'd woken with a twisted feeling in his gut and hadn't been able to get rid of it. He figured it had something to do with the weather and put it aside.
He heard the bells of the clock. 23:30. He stood and closed the window, but not before noticing that the wind had died completely. He frowned.
"Come on!" he berated himself, "There's probably a storm on its way. Get a damn grip!"
He strode down the hall in the direction of the dungeons. He needed to get ready for the Feast. Perhaps he might find something to ease his stomach.
Harry waited in one of the Charms classrooms. He watched as the students got out of the carriages and trudged up the path to the castle. He saw Hagrid leading the first years across the lake. Harry wondered briefly why the first years had to be brought across the lake, besides to keep them separate from the rest for the Sorting. Deciding he would think about it later, he left the classroom and made his way down to the Great Hall before the last of the students arrived.
"Harry!" It was Hermione. She looked slightly windblown, despite the fact that the wind was no longer blowing. Ron was behind her, and when he saw Harry, he grinned.
"Hey, guys," Harry said. "How was the ride?"
"Dark and gloomy," Ron answered. "Malfoy came in to ask where you were and why you weren't on the train. He wasn't to cocky when he found that you'd gotten here already."
"We heard him as he left the compartment," Hermione said, as they walked into the Hall to take their seats. "He was telling Crabbe that he wished he could've gotten to come to school before everyone else, to get away from his mother."
"Well, I guess you can't have everything you want, can you?" Harry said. Hermione smiled and Ron nodded.
All three watched as Professor McGonagall brought the stool and the Sorting Hat out. The first years wore the usual mix of expressions and they stood in a huddled mass before the Hat. After a few moments of silence, the hat began to sing.
There was a time so very long ago,
There were four who stood strong and proud.
Together they built a magic school,
And taught as much as their skills allowed.
Each wanted to choose their pupils,
And so it came to be,
Students were split between the four,
The consequences the founders did not see.
Gryffindor chose those with courage,
Gentility and valor at heart.
To Slytherin went those with the purest of pure blood
And devious ways that set them apart.
Ravenclaw took those eager to learn,
With quick wit and intelligence.
Sweet Hufflepuff took the rest,
And taught each without difference.
This continued for quite some time,
Then discord began and it wasn't long before,
Slytherin packed his bags and left;
The friends were four no more.
Those years have long passed,
Bound I am to divide you all,
Yet I fear what I must do
Will someday lead us to our fall.
Listen now, and never forget,
Don't brush my words away,
Understand what's at stake, for
If you don't, there will come a day
War will come inside and
Turn friend into foe,
Each will be alone,
Who to trust, no one'll know.
Remember what I have said,
Heed my warning.
I've said and done all I can,
Now let's begin the Sorting.
"Another warning," Harry commented, looking at Ron and Hermione. "What could it be this time? Besides the normal dangers?"
"Who knows?" Ron said, looking warily at the hat as Benjamin Crosby was sorted into Hufflepuff. There was a rumble of thunder from outside, indicating that the storm had arrived.
Hermione exchanged a look with Harry. Both knew that Ron hadn't caught the meaning behind Harry's comment, and Harry knew Hermione was the only one who understood the Sorting Hat's song like he did. He started to get a strange feeling that something wasn't right, a feeling that he couldn't seem to shake. But he stayed quiet, not wanting to share what he was feeling or thinking, and they watched the Sorting in silence. When it was done, Dumbledore stood up.
"While I do have some announcements I would like to share, I realize that you are all dying to indulge in some fantastic food, as I most certainly am. So, I beg you, EAT!"
The students cheered and dove right in as soon as the food appeared in front of them. At the Gryffindor table, everyone served themselves great heaps of food, while Harry piled enough onto his plate to make it look as though he was eating. No one seemed to notice that he was doing little more than nibbling, which was just fine with him. He listened to the others talk about their summers, occasionally making a comment. He was anxious for the Feast to end and his bad feeling to vanish. Before long, the headmaster stood again, and the Hall became silent. Lightning flashed, throwing shadows across the walls.
"As you all should know by now, the Forbidden Forest at the edge of grounds is, as mentioned, forbidden," Dumbledore's twinkling blue gaze flicked in Harry's direction before continuing. "Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked to remind you all that magic is not allowed in the corridors, as well as a long list of other things, which can be viewed at the door of his office."
"You may have noticed that there are some new faces among the staff this year. First, I would like to introduce Professor Eliza Vance, who will be filling the posts of Herbology and Head of Hufflepuff House."
Eliza stood and bowed as the students applauded her. She resumed her seat.
"Second, Eliza's sister, Beth Vance will be taking over as our Ancient Runes professor. Both her and Eliza have requested that you call them by their first names, as they share surnames."
More applause. "That's great!" Hermione said, smiling. "That means McGonagall won't have to cram two subjects at once into her schedule."
"Although I'm sure she could handle it just fine," Harry said, as another flash of lightning illuminated the hall.
"Third, I am proud to say that Larius Krendler will be replacing Madam Hooch as our Quidditch professor."
Some more applause, much more enthusiastically this time, for most of the students knew Professor Krendler from his reputation as an expert of Quidditch.
"Finally, I must say, it has been rather difficult to find a teacher for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position this term. I'm beginning to think that they've turned themselves into Implottables…" There was scattered laughter at this, as Dumbledore sighed and shook his head. "Fortunately, I managed to find someone at the last minute who was more than happy to return to Hogwarts for yet another teaching post. May I introduce, Professor Arsenius Anastasius Snape!"
"Oh, no," Harry moaned. He couldn't believe his ears, or that he hadn't noticed the man sitting on Dumbledore's left the entire time. "This can't be…"
When the Sorting Hat finished its song, Severus reflected over the words. Yes, there was a clear warning in it, almost the same warning the hat had given the school two years previously. However, the song in no way eased the sensation in his gut. If anything, it made his stomach twist even more. On top of that, there was thunder and lightning from outside. O yes, the storm was definitely there.
He tried to eat, but found he could only nibble. Not that he ever ate much to begin with, but he knew he was hungry. He just couldn't bring himself to eat more than a few bites without wanting to become violently ill. Which was why he was extremely grateful when Albus finally stood and began his announcements.
"As you all should know by now, the Forbidden Forest at the edge of grounds is, as mentioned, forbidden," Dumbledore paused before continuing. "Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked to remind you all that magic is not allowed in the corridors, as well as a long list of other things, which can be viewed at the door of his office."
"You may have noticed that there are some new faces among the staff this year. First, I would like to introduce Professor Eliza Vance, who will be filling the posts of Herbology and Head of Hufflepuff House."
The aforementioned stood and bowed to her applause before sitting down again.
"Second, Eliza's sister, Beth Vance will be taking over as our Ancient Runes professor. Both her and Eliza have requested that you call them by their first names, as they share surnames." Applause. "Third, I am proud to say that Larius Krendler will be replacing Madam Hooch as our Quidditch professor." More enthusiastic applause, followed by more illuminating lightning. "Finally, I must say, it has been rather difficult to find a teacher for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position this term. I'm beginning to think that they've turned themselves into Implottables…" Some people laughed at this. Dumbledore sighed and shook his head. "Fortunately, I managed to find someone at the last minute who was more than happy to return to Hogwarts for yet another teaching post. May I introduce, Professor Arsenius Anastasius Snape!"
Severus froze, his eyes gazing unfocused at his goblet. There was only one thing, one word, in his mind at that moment.
'NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'
Well, it's been…..how long? Add a week to that list because the server at school was down all last week…we got a wireless network set up for our district and it fails every so ofter….
And I have updated for all of you loyal readers. I will freely admit, I am a procrastinator, not to mention extremely lazy these days. But I've answered your wishes for more…..but I'm not done yet!