Not many students bothered to go to Hogsmeade now that their professor was dying. The atmosphere in the castle was depressed. People spoke in whispers, in class the professors no longer took points off for their student's absentmindedness. It was as if the castle itself mourned Harry Potter.
The few who did visit the town did so out of necessity, to get supplies, or to get away from the crowded castle to grieve in silence.
It was one such student that on that day saw a man chasing a rodent.
"Werewolf," she absentmindedly noted, reading the man's aura, as she called the 'solar flares' from people's magical cores. It did not frighten her. History class had covered werewolves. The professor had been very adamant that they should learn to see them as people with a monthly problem.
Thinking about her professor she noticed something off in the rodent's aura. Or rather, the fact that it had one at all was strange. Auras were reserved for magical beings.
She narrowed her eyes. They had covered the Voldemort years now and she remembered the story of his rebirth.
"Accio animagus!" It worked. She caught the little critter at unawares. Grabbing him from the air, she studied him. Yes – a silver paw.
A panting werewolf rushed towards her. "You…wheeze caught him! Thanks…"
The rat wriggled, bit and scratched her hands, but she didn't care. She saw in its aura what she had seen in only one other.
"Remus Lupin, I presume?" Fiona Grendel said with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
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Phoebe had fallen asleep. Albus had laid her next to Harry on the bed and was watching over them. Minerva had picked Severus up hours ago to take him back to Hogwarts. He stroked his history professors hair and noticed the white streaks in it.
"My poor, poor boy," he said softly, "you never really were happy, were you? Ah, Harry, I'm so sorry."
One of the receptionists entered.
"Headmaster Dumbledore? I am sorry to intrude, but you have a Floo call. It is apparently urgent. You can take it in the waiting room down the hall."
With a sigh, the old wizard got up and answered his call.
"This had better be important," he began, and then he froze. In the Floo he saw two faces he would never expect. Remus Lupin and Fiona Grendel seemed flushed and excited.
"Headmaster," Remus began, "Albus, you must come quickly. We captured him."
Albus stared dumbly at them. "Who?"
"PETER!" Remus nearly bellowed, "I was coming back to Hogwarts with him, but he got away from me in Hogsmeade. Miss Grendel here recognized the animagus and caught him. We have Wormtail."
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Albus did not hesitate in stepping through the Floo and going back to Hogwarts where an agitated Remus waited for him.
"I was told about Harry – is it true, Albus?"
The Headmaster nodded sadly.
"I must go to him," the werewolf said, "My cub…"
"Remus, stay for a moment longer. Yes, Harry is dying, but with Peter we have a chance."
"A chance? For what?" Two confused stares met his.
"The Healers believe they can try to neutralize the curse in Harry, but they need a Dark Mark. Harry refused to let Severus be used, so we gave up hope. But now Peter is here, and he owes Harry a life debt…"
Slowly comprehension dawned. "I'll get him, we'll make him…" Remus started for the door.
"Wait, Remus. Peter may not have been the strongest of wizards, but he was Tom's confident for many years. He may have knowledge we need."
Soon, a shaking rat like man sat in front of the Headmaster. Fiona, who had remained quiet in the hopes that the older wizards would forget her presence, shivered. She had never seen the Headmaster so – so powerful. His aura, which had always been strong but never frightening, suddenly expanded and nearly filled the room.
"Mister Pettigrew," he said coldly, "What a surprise to see you again."
"H-Headmaster…" the man babbled, "I – I can explain…"
"No need, Peter," Remus growled softly, "we know it all. The question is just – do you die a quick and painless, or a horrible and gruesome death?"
Fiona saw the man sweat, and felt queasy. Surely they would not kill that man, no matter how horrible he was, right here?
"R-Remus, please…"
"No, Peter," Dumbledore interfered, "no more lies. No more excuses. You have just one chance, one way in which you can earn some leniency."
At the prospect of a way out the rat looked up, hope glittering in his beady eyes.
"Harry is dying from Voldemorts curse," Remus said, ignoring the flinch at the late Dark Lord's name, "he can only be treated with dark magic. Like that of the Mark."
Wormtail blanched. "S-surely Severus…"
"No," Dumbledore shook his head, "Severus is out of the question. Your Mark, however…"
"It would not work," Peter shook his head, "The curse came from the Dark Lord. The Mark came from the Dark Lord as well. They would only strengthen each other, especially mine."
"Because your hand was used in his rebirth?" Remus understood.
"Yes. See, Death Eaters, when they get the Mark, get an amount of Dark Magic. That's why the Dark Lord only ever Marked a few people at a time, he had to replenish his magic. The magic of the Mark is alien to us. It causes great pain until it merges with our own magic. Normally, that would allow that magic to be used in a cure for Harry, because it is no longer entirely Voldemort's. However, because my Mark is connected to Voldemort by more than just magic, it won't work. It would kill both me and Harry."
"Then there's no hope," Remus dropped his head in his hands. Tears rolled down his fingers and unto the floor. Dumbledore just stood there, numb.
Fiona had crept forward until she was facing the bound man.
"Your magic is tied," she remarked, "but Severus's is not. How come?"
"Our Lord knew Severus's magic had not merged with our Master's. It – amused him. Severus showed great strength in being able to resist the merge. It really is immensely painful to do so. That is also how Severus managed to betray our Master. Once the merge had taken place, betrayal was impossible. We had almost become one with him."
"So the magic from Severus's Mark could be used if it was merged with him?"
"Or with anyone else," Peter admitted, "it has to be – almost filtered, as it were. But theoretically, it could, yes. Severus's part of the dark magic is probably the only part that can be extracted without killing him when done with the proper spells. If someone like the Headmaster were to infuse it with his own magic…"
"Of course," Albus whispered, "I have heard of that. The spells have been considered lost…"
"Our Lord knew them," Peter spoke up, trying to be cool and confident and failing miserably, "I will teach them to you, for a price."
Lupin's eyes glowed gold. "What price, rat?"
"Not my freedom – I'm not fool enough to think I could get that. I will teach you the spells, and I will act as the mediator between the dark magic from Severus and the Headmaster, which is the most dangerous part in it all, in exchange for a life sentence in Azkaban."
"Would it hurt Severus?" Albus demanded.
"It would just liberate him of something he wants rid of anyway," Peter answered, "there should be no pain involved for him. Only for you. When the magic from Snape gets to you, you will have to infuse it with your own. It will resist."
Dumbledore nodded in understanding, but Remus hesitated.
"How will that cure Harry? Won't we just be exchanging one dark curse for another?"
"The two sources of dark magic will annihilate each other, leaving only the bit of light magic from the Headmaster," Peter answered, feeling more confident now that he wasn't going to die.
Albus sighed. "We…" He broke off and bowed his head.
"We'll have to ask Phoebe. I'll go talk to her. Remus, you take Peter to St Mungo's. Mister Pettigrew, I swear, if you attempt to get away…"
"I can't," the rat shivered under the icy blue gaze, "this is the last chance to fulfil my life debt. I'd be dead either way if I don't fulfil it now."
"Good. Fiona, go pick up Severus, then Floo to St Mungo's from Professor McGonagall's office. Hurry!"
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Phoebe woke up to the Headmaster shaking her shoulder.
"Albus? What…"
Quickly he explained that another Death Eater had been found. He hardly got started when Fiona entered with Severus. Apparently the girl had practically apparated through Hogwarts to get the child.
"Severus? No, Albus, we agreed we would NOT use Severus," she picked up the little boy and held him protectively. Not understanding what was happening, Severus began to cry.
Into that mess, Remus and wormtail entered.
"Phoebe, we have been assured it will not hurt Severus at all, or I wouldn't agree to it," the Headmaster pleaded.
"That? That, that child is Severus?" Peter gasped.
"Yes," Fiona answered, tensed, "and if you hurt him, there will be a LOT of people after your blood."
"Well, it will make extracting the magic much easier," the balding wizard shrugged.
Phoebe looked between them. "Can it really be done, Albus?" she whispered, her eyes filled with hope as she tried to soothe Severus.
"Peter assures us it can, and his life literally depends on it," the ancient wizard said grimly. He then took Severus from Phoebe.
"Hush, my little one, shhhh, grandpa is here," he rocked the child a little, "Can you listen to grandpa for a moment?"
A few more hiccups, and Severus looked at his granddad.
"Severus, you know Harry is very sick. Now we have found a way to make Harry better. Would you like to make Harry better?"
The boy nodded.
"It won't hurt, but it will be scary. You will feel strange, and Granddad and Harry will probably be in pain and scream. That may frighten you."
"Ganpa no pain," Severus seemed upset at the possibility, "Sev'us make Harwy better."
"Severus and Granddad make Harry better together," the old wizard corrected.
"Now, Fiona will be holding you and stay with you until it's all done, alright? You can sit on her lap."
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Severus was frightened. Harry was so quiet and everyone so sad. Reluctantly he let himself be planted on Fiona's lap.
"Ona," he said softly. This girl he knew well. She felt safe. Leaning back into her and putting his thumb in his mouth he hoped they would soon be back home and things would be normal again.
The little strange man began to talk and Granddad waved his wand. Suddenly he felt something weird in his tummy. It didn't hurt but it felt strange and he clung to Fiona so she could protect him.
Suddenly the feeling was gone. He felt better, better like the time he had gotten a splinter and had walked around with it all day. By the time it was evening he was so used to the sore that he didn't notice it anymore. Then the nurse had spotted it and gotten it out, and when it was out and healed, he noticed that it HAD felt bad.
Then Granddad collapsed. He wanted to go to him, but Fiona held him, whispering into this ear that everything would be alright. But how could it be alright if his Granddad was on the floor screaming like that?!?
Fortunately Granddad got up soon. But then Harry began to scream! He clasped his hands over his ears and buried into the girl.
The strange man was with them, holding them both since Fiona was crying too. Severus felt the strong arms and grabbed hold of the man's robes with one hand and Fiona's with the other.
Then all was quiet.
Carefully he peeked around the strange man's arm. Granddad and Phoebe and Granddad crying.
Harwy? Struggling up, he tried to see over the edge of the bed.