A/N: While working on Year 5, I realized that I could get away with putting in a bit more detail. So I went back to Chapter 2 and expanded upon each of the years. This chapter is the expanded version of Year 4, while the previous chapter now contains expanded versions of Years 1 and 2. Please read that one as well.

Chapter 3

The Present

Those times had been seemingly simple, Harry thought. He had depended upon Snape to get him through some tough situations. It wasn't until his fourth year that things began to get more difficult. Truths came out, danger was afoot, and Harry could no longer hope for everything to turn out alright in the end.

Snape was there for him throughout, but unlike before, he couldn't fix everything. That didn't mean that the man wasn't the greatest support he could ask for during the most trying time of his life- up till then- the Triwizard Tournament.

Hogwarts 1994-1995

Harry felt numb as his legs automatically took him to the back room where three Triwizard Champions stood. The adults stepped in, saving Harry from answering Fleur Delacour's question and his eyes automatically roamed to Snape. Snape's face betrayed no emotion, though his eyes were flashing dangerously. As the conversation about whether or not he'd entered himself in the tournament went on, Harry felt his heart sink; did Snape also believe that he had entered himself in the Tournament?

"What could Dumbledore possibly gain from placing a fourteen year old in the Tournament, Karkaroff?" Snape drawled out suddenly, his eyes narrowing at the now spluttering Durmstrang Headmaster.

And, despite everything, Harry found himself relaxing. Even though he had not spoken to Snape in months, the man was on his side.

...

When Colin Creevey interrupted a Potions class, Harry was given detention for having to attend the Weighing of the Wands ceremony, and he entered the classroom that evening to face a very worried Severus Snape.

"Harry, are you alright? I am trying to find a way around the magical contract but it is proving to be nearly impossible," he scowled.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said gratefully.

Snape regarded him for a long time before abruptly saying, "I cannot tell you what the tasks are, but I will do everything in my power to help you."

Suddenly, Harry felt a huge weight lift off his chest; everything would be okay.

...

After the first task, Snape was the first one through the tent. He was paler than usual. Harry grinned at him. "I did it, Professor!"

"And nearly gave me a heart attack," Snape sighed as he examined Harry's shoulder to make sure it was not infected. "Dementors, dragons, trolls, basilisks. I might have aged twenty years since you started Hogwarts." Harry smiled, brightly. Snape had never outright told him that he cared about him but when he said things like that…

"You flew… very well. But don't get complacent, Harry," Snape warned. "There are still two more tasks left –"

Just then Hermione and Ron burst through the door and Harry watched as Snape silently slid out.

...

"Harry, what exactly were you doing out of bed last night when you know that someone's trying to kill you!" Snape spat as he paced around the room. He had caught Harry on the way back from the prefect's bathroom last night, though Professor Moody had 'saved' him.

Harry had known there was no way to delay the inevitable, so he had decided to go to Professor Snape's office himself the next day.

"I was trying to work out the egg clue," Harry said in a small voice.

"And you couldn't have worked it out anywhere else, or during the day?" Snape drawled sarcastically. "There is no excuse to risk your life even more, Harry. How can you expect people to protect you when you make it so difficult?"

Harry didn't answer, looking down ashamedly. He knew there was no excuse to have been out of bed.

"Well, did you get the clue?" Snape demanded after a pause.

Harry looked up. "Yes, sir, it's mermaids, which means that I'm going to have to go underwater."

"Yes, and…"

Harry vaguely wondered whether Snape had made him brew Potions in their secret sessions involving Gillyweed last month for this very reason. Harry mentally snorted. Of course he had. "And I need Gillyweed, sir."

Snape nodded. "Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to give it to you. However if you were to brew a Potion involving Gillyweed, it would be quite easy for you to slip some in your pocket." Snape paused. "If I catch you, it will be detention."

Harry grinned. "Got it, sir."

...

Harry kept glancing at Snape, disturbed as he sat to do his homework in Snape's office.

Snape seemed to have noticed. "What's the matter, Harry?" he asked.

"Nothing," Harry said quickly looking down.

"Harry, if something is wrong, it is best to talk about it. What is it? Are you nervous for the next task?"

"No, nothing's wrong, just leave it!" Harry snapped.

Snape looked taken aback. "If that is your wish," he said coldly.

Harry's anger soon dissolved and he finally sighed and said, "I just saw something in Dumbledore's Pensieve, alright?"

Snape froze. "What?" he asked quietly.

"He said you were a Death Eater!" Harry blurted out.

Snape seemed to relax a little bit. "I was," he answered.

"Why?" Harry asked angrily.

Snape regarded him carefully. "I was an angry and hurt young man and I joined in my folly. You will perhaps not understand my reasons and I don't expect you to."

"Dumbledore said you were a spy," said Harry after a while, not meeting his eye.

"Suffice it to say being a Death Eater was not all that I thought it going to be. I turned spy for Dumbledore soon after joining," Snape explained. "If the Dark Lord returns, I will continue my duties. That is why I asked you to keep our relationship secret from the very beginning. I cannot risk him being suspicious of my loyalties."

Harry nodded. "I trust you, sir."

...

Severus Snape remembers…

Before the Third Task, he watched as the Champions were wished luck by their families, all except Harry. He was grateful to Molly and Bill Weasley for coming, but he could see the sadness in Harry's eyes as he watched the other Champions.

He wished, for a brief moment, that he could have been the one wishing Harry luck with the other families but then he shook the thought away. There was no use dwelling on dreams.

He walked up to where Harry was waiting alone, having sent the Weasleys to sit with Granger and Ron Weasley.

"Mr. Potter," he drawled, in case anyone was listening.

"Professor," Harry said inclining his head.

"Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Harry said, attempting a smile.

"Just remember, there are many people here who care about you." Snape cleared his throat, "I count myself among them."

It was the first time he had said it, and Harry burst into a wide smile. "Thank you, sir," he said, sincerely.

"Good luck, Harry," Snape said quietly as Bagman announced that the Task was about to begin.

Surreptitiously looking around to make sure no one was watching, Harry gave him a quick hug before joining the other Champions, leaving Snape frozen in place.

...

He was pacing just outside the maze. Harry had made it past the first and second task and now, after this, the final task, it would all be over. He didn't care if Harry won, just that he made it out alive. Krum and Delacour had already been removed from the maze. Only two champions remained. What was taking them so long?

Suddenly, he felt a stabbing pain in his left forearm, and clutched it, gasping, as he tore his sleeve up. There was the Dark Mark; clear and black and burning: the Dark Lord had returned. He knew he couldn't go to his side yet; he had to wait for Harry, but time passed and there was no sign of him. He heard shouts from the other side of the maze and heard someone shout, "Diggory is dead!" Only one thought came to mind: Harry! He rushed to the entrance of the maze where he stopped abruptly; Harry lay sobbing over the dead body of Cedric Diggory.

His heart nearly stopped, but he walked forward, trying desperately not to show the emotions that threatened to spill. He watched with narrowed eyes as Moody pried Harry away from everyone, towards the castle. He quickly pointed it out to Dumbledore who had been talking to the Minister.

The aftermath was terrible. He watched as Harry tried to absorb everything that had happened. And then Harry was going up to Dumbledore's office. Severus knew he had to be there, and looked desperately at Dumbledore who gave him a subtle nod. He walked with Harry and Dumbledore to Dumbledore's office where Black was waiting.

"What's he doing here?" Black snarled.

"Severus wishes to know what happened," Dumbledore said sternly.

Black turned to Harry, expecting him to protest, but Harry didn't, merely saying, "It's fine, Sirius."

Severus listened with horror as Harry told his story. A window exploded when Harry mentioned being put under the Cruciatus, but everyone assumed it was Dumbledore's doing. Severus tried to take deep breaths. It had been years since he had lost control of his magic.

He gripped the arms of his chair hard when he began to speak about Lily coming out of the Dark Lord's wand and watched with jealousy as Black was the one to comfort Harry instead of him.

Dumbledore asked him if was ready and he nodded. This was something he had to do, something he had promised himself long ago that he would do. He would do everything in his power to bring down the Dark Lord, for Lily, and for his son.

...

"Where are you going?" Harry asked, panicking as he watched Snape turning to leave.

Snape turned around. "You know what I must do, Harry," he said quietly.

Harry's blood turned to ice. "No, you can't go!" Harry cried. "He'll kill you!"

Dumbledore turned to him. "Harry, Professor Snape will be fine," he said soothingly.

"No, he won't!" Harry said stubbornly.

Snape came over to Harry's bed, ignoring the curious looks from the Weasleys. "Harry, look at me," he said softly. When Harry turned to meet his eyes, he said, "I promise you I will be fine. The minute I get back, I will contact you. But I'm the only one who can do this. Do you understand? This is something I have to do."

Harry nodded slowly and Snape glanced over him, as if taking in every feature, before abruptly turning around and walking out the door.

The Present

After that, everything changed. Snape had indeed contacted him, but going along with his position as spy, there were less one-on-one meetings, less Potion brewing detentions. Harry could tell that Snape was trying to avoid him, and as much as he wanted to speak with him, Harry understood that he could do nothing about the distance now between them.