Well, I am awake and kicking and screaming because I want to be asleep, but if I sleep my week will be messed up...ugh. (FYI it's noon right now and I've been up since 6 in the evening yesterday...)

One day, a girl handed Harry a piece of parchment and he read it aloud to Theodore. Aragog, Hagrid's beloved spider, had died and Hagrid wanted Harry to come down and help him bury him.

"Would need ridiculous amounts of luck to get down there without being caught." Theodore commented and Harry felt as if a stack of books had fallen on him.

"Luck...luck...luck..." He faced Theodore. "That's it! That's what I need! Snape gave me the clue! He said I was intelligent enough to figure it out on my own and that if couldn't then he couldn't see how I was doing so well in all my classes, but especially Potions! He wanted me to figure it out on my own! And you just told me! Luck! If I drink the luck potion then I'll be able to..."

Horror struck his face as he stared at the perplexed look he was being given and he clamped his mouth shut and turned away as quickly as he could.

"Luck?" Theodore started to follow after him. "What do you need luck on?"

"Nothing." Harry said hastily, walking faster, but Theodore's long legs kept him in perfect stride.

"Don't lie, Harry. Are no good at it."

"I am too!" Harry scoffed. "But I'm not lying."

Theodore gave an annoyed sound and cut in front of Harry, forcing the other to stop. "What have you been up to?"

"Nothing."

"Trying to figure out what Draco's doing?"

"No."

"Or perhaps trying to figure out who's side Snape is on?"

"No."

"Maybe wandering who's been trying to kill Dumbledore?"

"No." Harry paused and then added, "Well, yes in a sense. I'm wondering about all these things really, but I don't need luck. I was just thinking it'd be nice to have a nice day and then I don't have..."

"Don't lie." Theodore gave him a disgusted look. "You're terrible at it!"

"I'm not terrible at it!" Harry growled. "And shut up! I'm not lying!"

"You clearly are." Theodore sneered. "And whatever it is I'm not permitted to know. Something for the Order? Or Dumbledore specifically?"

"Trying to get it out of me, so you can tell your boss?" Harry snapped.

"Can we count this as a fight in which we break up?"

Harry wrinkled his nose. "No."

Theodore sighed. "So you're going to finally use your luck potion? Well, it's about time. Your luck has been awful lately."

"Thanks." Harry grumbled before shoving past his friend and starting towards the dungeons.

"Remember, you're giving me half."

"Half?" Harry gave him a dark look. "I'm might need all of it!"

"Promised me half." Theodore growled. "Give it to me or I'll tell Draco you're spying on him and have done with it."

"I'm not spying on Draco."

"Really?" Theo's eyes glinted. "Because I swear you were telling Zabini some pretty informative stuff."

Harry froze, eyes wide, and turned to look at Theo. "What?"

"Oh, and by the way, Harry." Theo's voice had become suddenly sweet in a dangerous way. "You may be frightened to use Unforgivables at Hogwarts, but don't think for a second I am. Wasn't hard to coax the truth out of Zabini once the spell loosened up his tongue. Been a bit wary to talk to you about it, hasn't he? Been a little difficult and unhelpful?"

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Oh, mostly to annoy you." Theo's smile was as deadly as his tone. "And to see if I couldn't find some dirt to use."

"So, what?" Harry hissed. "Blaise asked me to keep my eyes open for suspicious activity from Malfoy. He's worried. I'm not surprised. Most people would be."

"But you didn't bother to report me?"

"You've always been a special case." Harry mumbled, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him. "Clearly. I haven't told anyone about...your little secret."

Theodore's eyes glinted again, this time with glee. "Well, at least, we can count on you to be consistent, therefore predictable...but I am shocked you're not sharing as well as you used to."

"Dumbledore and Severus are my friends as much as you and Hagrid." Harry stated sternly. "I wouldn't betray their confidence anymore than yours. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go use my half of the potion and you had better hope it's enough."

"Oh, am pretty sure it's you who should be hoping." Theo's tone was back it's bored drawl. "Am hoping it isn't and I can find out what you're up to."

Harry didn't reply as he continued on his way. He would use the potion later in the evening. While Harry attended Potions, Theodore was taking his test and Harry wasn't surprised when he learned the boy had passed.

"Will pass though when the time comes." Theo shrugged. "Was easy."

"That's good to hear."

"Going to tell me what you're up to?"

"Going to lose your half of the potion if you keep asking." Harry snarled back and this silenced Theodore.

The half of the potion Harry used turned out to be just barely enough and, after visiting Hagrid with Slughorn, was able to coax the memory out of him. Thankfully, his luck didn't run out when he arrived back in the dungeons because he was able to learn that Dumbledore had returned to the castle and therefore Harry could take this memory to him. He had learned about what Horcruxes were and that Voldemort had created six of them: Tom Riddle's Diary, Marvolo's ring, Hufflepuff's Cup, Slytherin's Locket, and Nagini and either a thing which had belonged to Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. The diary Harry had destroyed and Dumbledore had already destroyed the Horcruxes in the ring and, to Harry's shock, the locket. Harry hated to admit it, but he had forgotten all about the locket, even with Dumbledore mentioning it before.

"Theodore delivered this to me last year." Dumbledore explained. "I doubt he had any idea what it had been made into and seemed pleased I would be returning it to its rightful place beside Gryffindor's sword. I, having figured what it was, destroyed the Horcrux within it and have done just that. This leaves us halfway to our goal."

Harry returned that night to his dormitory, feeling both weary and, yet, relieved because he now knew what it was he needed to do in order to destroy the Dark Lord.

A few days later, Katie Bell returned to school, much to the joy of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. This return, however, seemed to have a nasty turn as Katie gave Draco the most distant look ever (almost exactly like the one Luna usually wore) the moment he walked into the Great Hall. Draco bolted, Ronald in hot pursuit, and Harry quick to follow.

The boy's lavatory had likely never seen such a battle. Draco and Harry were hexing and jinxing the daylights out of Ronald and then Harry had used it. He should have known better than to use it.

Sectumsempra.

Ron was on the ground in moments, cuts erupting all over his body and bleeding profusely. If it wasn't for Myrtle beginning to scream "MURDER IN THE BATHROOM!" Harry wasn't sure a teacher would have made it there in time...if only it hadn't been Snape.

Snape fixed up curse in no time, being the creator he therefore knew the cure, and then he ordered both Draco and Harry to remain right where they were while he took Ronald up to the Hospital Wing. Harry had no plan of leaving and it seemed neither did Draco as they stood there watching the Potions Master leave. It took a couple minutes before Draco found his voice.

"Thanks."

"I owed you one." Harry muttered quickly.

"I thought you'd already paid me back for that." Draco threw out in an obviously fake casual tone.

Harry didn't reply and the two boys listened to Moaning Myrtle cry harder and harder.

Snape returned in ten minutes' time and ordered the ghost away before rounding on them.

"I didn't mean it to happen!" Harry confessed instantly. "I didn't know what that spell did!"

Snape spoke darkly. "Apparently, I underestimated you, Potter. Who would have thought you knew such Dark Magic? Who taught you that spell?"

"I..." Harry swallowed and then mumbled. "You."

"I am not such a fool to even think to teach such spells," Snape snarled. "Nor would I forgotten if I had."

"I meant..." Harry fidgeted. "I meant that I had read it in your old Potions book."

Snape grew very still, eyes narrow and jaw tightened. Draco on the other hand was staring between the two in absolute awe.

"Draco," Snape spoke slowly and deliberately. "You are to go straight to the Dormitory and tell no one of what you have witnessed here."

"Sir." Draco didn't argue and left as quickly as he could.

"You, Potter," Snape was whispering now and Harry took this as a sign of impending wrath. "Will bring me your Potions book. I will be waiting in my office."

"Sir."

Harry hastened after Draco, but said nothing to the other boy. Retrieving his book, he soon found himself in Snape's office, sitting in the chair facing his Head of House while Snape glared across his desk at him.

"This explains your sudden rise to most skilled Potioneer of your grade." Snape sneered at Harry. "I had begun to wonder if it was because I was no longer teaching you."

Flinching, Harry opened his mouth to refute this idea, but Snape had already begun speaking.

"Has it ever occurred to you, Potter, to practice a spell first on a test subject other than a fellow student before using it against enemies?"

"N..."

"And has it ever occurred to you that if you've found a book filled with spells that weren't particularly kind, that perhaps a spell labeled "for enemies" is probably going to be many times worse than any of the other spells?"

"No..."

"You are an idiot."

"I figured the book was yours." Harry hissed. "And therefore I didn't think anything in it would be evil."

Snape stiffened, seeming a bit taken aback by this proclamation, but he quickly recovered. "One should never assume."

"What's my punishment, sir?"

"I would have thought the fact you had hospitalized and perhaps scarred Mr. Weasley for the rest of his life was enough of a punishment."

Harry frowned and then looked at Snape with a hint of fear in his eyes. "Honestly, I don't think that's enough."

"You feel no remorse?"

"I wouldn't have used that spell on him if I had known what it was..." Harry hesitated and then whispered, "But I don't really feel bad for having used it."

Snape nodded slowly and then patted the book. "I should be taking this away from you, but given the fact you have been using it for so long, I see no point. You will share this information with no one understood?"

"Yes, sir." Harry nodded.

"If you have shared already, you will inform those you've told not to use that particular spell."

"Yes, sir."

"You may go."

"What about my punishment?"

Snape looked at Harry for a long time and then stated, "Your punishment? If you're so insistent on having one then I suggest you go and tell Mr. Weasley you're sorry."

"N-no..."

"Than go to your dormitory and speak nothing of this. I have already altered Mr. Weasley's memory, so that he had no idea what spell was cast at him. As long as you and Draco keep your mouths shut, there shouldn't be any trouble."

Harry stood, but then gave his professor an odd look. "Sir, why the Half-Blood Prince?"

Snape's eyebrow rose and it seemed he was about to tell Harry to leave again, but then thought better of it. "My father was a Muggle, my mother a witch. Her maiden name was "Prince". With these variables I was able to come up with a title for myself...which you will repeat to no one."

"Yes, sir." Harry gave a final nod before exiting the office and obeying Snape's words to the letter.

He had never thought he'd have landed himself in such a terrible position.

Well, I am surviving. Got my second wind. Got coffee from my perfect boyfriend (I'm only saying that because he reads these and I need him to think I like him...shhhh :P) haha :D