Title: Harry Potter and the Summer from Hell

Author Ladye Black

Warnings: some slash content

Pairings: HPSS

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine. Characters belong to J.K. Rowling and such.

Chapter 27

Severus's eyes glowed in triumph. "Got it."

Harry, who had been looking through another heavy tome, looked up at the quietly spoken words. "What was that?"

Snape turned his satisfied look towards Harry. "I've figured out the spell we can use to defeat Voldemort."

Shoving his chair back so hard it toppled over, Harry hurried over to the desk where Snape was currently seated. Hovering over the other man's shoulder, he studied the parchment filled with Severus's spidery scrawl.

Harry whistled lowly. "Wow, that's complicated."

Snape turned to look up at the other man. "I just took a spell designed to be used by holy beings and turned it into something to be used by Humans. Of course it's complicated. However, it should work."

Harry blinked in surprise at the expression on Snape's face. He was smiling ever so slightly, and his eyes…his eyes sparkled with barely contained pride and excitement. Over the bond they shared, Harry could also feel something else, rising hope. Severus was beginning to believe that their plan would work, seemed almost certain that it would.

Unable to resist both the expression and the feelings, Harry leaned down the few inches separating them to claim the dark-eyed man's lips. Severus blinked in surprise, but allowed the kiss to continue for a few moments before pulling away.

"We should show this to Albus right away."

Harry sighed, but then nodded in agreement. "You're right. The sooner we show this to him, the sooner we can use it, and then Voldemort will finally be out of the way." His eyes lit up.

"No more Voldemort to worry about," he sighed, obviously enjoying the thought.

"Yes, I suppose that prospect would please you."

"More than you know," Harry answered, his eyes burning into Severus's.

"Harry…"

"No," the boy said as he placed a finger against the man's lips. "We'll discuss this after we defeat Voldemort." He removed his finger then gathered up the parchment Severus had been working on. "Right now, we need to take this to the Headmaster."

With that, he headed out the door, Severus following him after several moments.

Dumbledore set the parchment down slowly before looking at Severus. "You are aware of the risks this poses to you, I take it?"

"Of course."

Harry frowned. "What risks?"

"Nothing that concerns you," Snape said evenly.

"I think," Harry replied lowly, holding back his anger, "that if the Headmaster thought it worth mentioning, it does."

Before the other man could deliver a cutting remark, Dumbledore intervened. "Severus, I think you should explain things to him."

For several moments, Headmaster and Professor locked gazes in a silent conversation that Harry had no idea how to interpret. Eventually, however, it was Snape who sighed and looked away. Sitting back in his chair, he began to explain.

"There is a chance I will not survive."

Gripping the arms of his chair so tight that his knuckles turned white, Harry stuttered. "W-what?!"

Snape folded his hands in front of his mouth, elbows resting on his stomach. "For this spell to work, I must approach the edge of death to release my soul from my body. There are two dangers to this."

"Only two?" Harry asked, rather caustically.

"Shut up if you want to hear this," Severus glared.

The green-eyed boy glowered, but kept silent.

"Very good," Severus observed. "Now, the first danger is perhaps the more obvious one. The edge between life and death is very thin. I could go too far and die."

"And the second?"

"The second danger presents itself after my soul leaves my body. If it doesn't stay connected to my body, it might not come back. This would result in my body dying, and I would likely become a ghost."

Harry's death grip on the chair tightened. "And once a soul is disconnected from its body, there's no way to reconnect them?"

Snape nodded. "Once the connection between a body and its soul is severed it can not be repaired."

"That is where you shall come in, Harry."

Both men turned to look at Dumbledore. "What do you mean?'

Dumbledore looked at them over the rim of his glasses. "I believe that we can adjust this spell slightly to include a second person. The anchor."

Snape frowned as he stood to take the parchment that the Headmaster held out to him. Studying it, his expression changed to one of understanding. Swiping a quill from the Headmaster's desk, he feverishly started crossing out lines before adding new ones. It was several minutes before he stopped, looking over his work once more before allowing a satisfied smile appear on his face.

"This might work," he announced.

"Dumbledore smiled. "Good, now, I believe it is time for you both to get some rest."

"But, Albus-!"

"Rest, Severus. I know you wish to get started on this right away, but you will have a better chance of success if you are well rested. This is a complicated spell you will be performing. It is best if it is done while you are in top condition."

Snape nearly pouted, obviously not likely the suggestion.

Dumbledore continued. "While you and Harry are resting, I shall call the Order together at our headquarters to inform them of our plans."

He smiled at Snape. "We have waited many years for this chance, Severus. It will not hurt to wait a day or two more."

The other man let out his breath slowly. "As you say, Headmaster."

"Excellent! Now, please escort Harry down to the dungeons. I've already had the elves prepare a set of rooms down there for him. They're the ones next to yours with the mermaid that guards the entrance. You know the ones I'm talking about, yes?"

Severus nodded before he stalked out the door, leaving Harry to scramble after him.

TBC…

Wow, long time no see, ne? Sorry about that. Don't worry, I do intend to finish this fic, it might just take awhile…