It's My Life
It was about 2 am on the 15th of December as Harry woke from an awful nightmare, or so he believed it was. Harry sat up in bed, panting to catch his breath; his scar was searing with pain. Harry tried to cover his forehead and will it to stop, but to no avail. Harry coughed a few times and tried to catch his breath. Harry had seen a vision, he was sure of it; Arthur Weasley was in trouble. Harry had been seeing flashes all day and never got a chance to speak to Severus as he'd been handling things between classes, meetings, and being called once to Voldemort's side. Harry had gone to bed before the man returned and after what he just saw; Harry needed to tell him. Harry struggled to get out of bed and fumbled as it woke Theodore up.
"Harry, what in the name of Merlin's beard are you doing? It's two in the morning…" Theodore whispered.
"I…Need to get to Snape…" Harry couldn't catch his breath. "Mr. Weasley…Saw…Trouble…"
"Alright, easy…" Theodore got up and went over to him. "Try to breathe. I'll get him for you, just stay put here…" Harry only managed a nod, but the pain in his head made him nauseous. "I can't leave you unattended like this. Hey! You lot, wake up!" He went around to each of the beds and woke up their other roommates.
"Theo, what the bloody hell?" Gregory groaned.
"It's two in the-," Blaise started.
"Shut up!" Theodore cast Lumos Maxima and had it float in the center of the room up by the ceiling. "Harry had a vision of someone in trouble, he needs Snape…But I don't want to leave him alone. He can barely breathe and he's in pain."
Draco was first to his feet to go sit next to Harry. "Go. I've got Harry…"
"Take…Cloak…" Harry pointed to his wardrobe.
"Cloak?" Theodore asked.
"His invisibility cloak, it's in the first drawer under his pajamas. Wear it to get to Sev's…" Draco remarked.
Blaise fished it out and tossed it to Theodore, who threw it over himself and quickly rushed out of the dorms. "It's alright, Harry…Just try to breathe…" Blaise told the male.
Theodore rushed out of the common room and went right to Severus's quarters. Keeping himself shielded, Theodore knocked quickly and stepped back as the door opened to reveal Severus in his normal attire. Theodore poked his head out.
"Nott…What are you doing up and out of bed? And is that Potter's cloak?" Severus asked.
"I came for Harry…" Theodore panted. "He had some vision about someone being in trouble…He said he needed you, but he can barely breathe and he's in pain."
Severus summoned his potions bag and left his room, following Theodore back to the common room, then up to the fifth year dorms. "Potter," Severus went over to his bed. He quickly got a calming potion out and gave it to Harry, then a pain one. Harry took both and eventually was able to calm down and even his breathing. "Tell me what you saw,"
"Like the ones I've told you about before…" Harry looked at him. "Me being the snake…It's Arthur Weasley, he's in trouble…At the ministry."
"Harry, are you sure? I can't put out an alert like this if it's just a nightmare or the dark lord trying to scare you." Severus asked.
"Professor…I haven't had problems in months since we started Occlumency training. It wasn't just a nightmare, it was a vision…I was able to see and hear everything. He's in trouble, please?! Nagini attacked him, he's in some…Room with a bunch of glowing blue globes. You have to save him, please?" Harry pleaded.
Severus looked into Harry's eyes; he was telling the truth and he was sure. Harry wouldn't get this worked up over nothing and he knew the difference between dreams and visions; he knew what was real and just the dark lord trying to scare him. "The rest of you stay here, Draco, help me with Potter. We're going to Albus's office."
"Why him?" Draco asked.
"He's got the connections to get to Arthur fast, if we want any chance of saving him. Obviously, we cannot leave the school." Severus informed as he helped Harry up and Draco stood with them, giving Harry someone to lean on. "Let's go." He urged. Severus led them out of the dorm, then the common room.
. . .
Severus was first to Albus's office and brought Harry and Draco behind him. "Albus…" Severus said.
It only took a moment for Albus to emerge from a door, standing in his usual robes. "Severus, whatever is the matter?"
"It would seem Mr. Potter has a connection to the dark lord through the scar and the visions have shown him when the dark lord is doing something he should not be." Severus explained.
"I see," Albus looked over at Harry. "What did you see, my boy?"
"Arthur Weasley roaming around some room in the ministry of magic, one with glowing blue globes. Shelves of them. I see him hear something from behind and turn, then he's attacked and on the ground…Hurt and bleeding. I heard Voldemort's laughter…" Harry explained.
"Harry, were you looking down at this scene or-," Albus started.
"I-I was the one attacking him. I…See things through the eyes of his snake…As if I'm the snake." Harry informed.
"Oh, dear…Arthur is on guard tonight at the ministry," Albus turned to a portrait on the wall. "Severus, if you would be so kind to go wake Minerva up and have her get the Weasley siblings to my office?" Severus nodded, giving Draco a stern look to make sure Albus didn't try anything with Harry while they were there alone, and then Severus left the office. "Professor Everard, will you go to your other portrait to sound the alarm at the ministry. Phineas, would you please alert the Order at headquarters. We need to ensure the right people find Arthur." Both of the people Albus spoke to in the photos quickly left. "You did the right thing, Harry, by coming to me. This is very serious…" He sighed.
"The Weasley's have always treated me like one of their own through an unofficial adoption…" Harry stated. "If anything happens to Mr. Weasley…" Harry tightened his fist. "I swear I'm gonna kill that miserable…"
"Harry, let's not finish that sentence," Draco said calmly. Harry nodded, obviously worried.
"Draco, why don't you let Harry take a seat over there?" Albus motioned to a couch. "We'll get this sorted out."
"Albus, the alarm has been sounded at the ministry; it's going into lockdown to search for intruders, or very large snakes," Professor Everard informed, returning to his portrait.
Not too long later, Severus returned with Minerva, who had Fred, George, Ginny, and Ron with her. "Albus, whatever has happened?" Minerva asked.
Phineas now returned. "Albus…He's been found, exactly as Mr. Potter described in his vision. Currently on his way to St. Mungo's. Someone is informing Molly…" Phineas informed, returning to his portrait.
Albus sighed in some relief. "Harry had a vision of Mr. Weasley being attacked while on guard tonight at the ministry…He was attacked by Lord Voldemort's snake, but been found and on his way to St. Mungo's. I'm certain Mrs. Weasley will be there shortly."
"Dad…" The four Weasley siblings gasped in fear.
"Not to worry, children…It was thanks to Harry seeing this that we were able to act so quickly to save your father. I expect that he'll be recovering a while, but will recover fully. I will allow you to floo to St. Mungo's from my office if you'd like to collect your things. Consider this an early holiday, excused from all work. Your focus should be your family now. We will see you after the new year." Albus informed.
"Thank you, sir," Ron sighed, then he turned to Harry and hugged his best friend. "Thank you, Harry…You saved dad's life…"
When Ron stepped back, George and Fred hugged him, then of course, Ginny. "Come, I'll take you back to the dorms to get your things." Minerva motioned for the four Weasley siblings to come with her.
"Harry, are you alright?" Draco asked. "You seem pale."
"He could have died…Arthur could have died if I'd ignored it and passed it off as just Voldemort toying with me as he has been all day." Harry tightened his fist again, this time, until it cracked and his knuckles turned white.
"This has been going on all day and you didn't tell me?" Severus asked.
"I know how to differentiate between him toying with me and what he's actually trying to show me. It's clear he knows about the connection…He knows how to screw with me. But…I don't think he knows when he's showing me something he's actually doing. Why would he show me he's going after Arthur? He knows I'd tell someone, and he'd get caught or fail in killing the person." Harry considered, mostly to himself, but still aloud to be heard by Draco, Albus, and Severus.
"It's possible that he is unaware of the connection allowing you to see things that are not intended to be seen. If so, we can be grateful. It saved Arthur's life, Harry," Albus said.
"And if he does know, he's using it to show me how many people he'll kill to get to me…" Harry remarked. "It's bad either way!"
"He's stressed, and tired, Professor Snape…Perhaps we should take him back to bed?" Draco suggested. "He doesn't look well."
"No, he does not." Severus agreed. "How do you feel, Potter?"
"Worried. Nauseatingly worried with a splitting headache…" Harry sighed.
"Did the pain reliever I gave you do nothing?" Severus inquired. Harry shook his head.
"Nothing can stop the pain around the scar, sir…It'll die down with time…" Harry informed. "I'm hyped up, probably not gonna be able to sleep."
"I've got stomach soothers and sleeping draughts, Mr. Potter…I assure you that we can get you some relief to sleep the rest of the night." Severus remarked, arms folded. It was part of their arrangement of Severus being his guardian that they had to act as if nothing had changed between them, except the fact Severus was now his head of house. "Come along, it's late…" He urged as Draco stood and helped Harry to his feet.
"Severus, I'd like to speak to Harry about these visions. I'll return him to the dung-," Albus started.
"Albus, it's two-thirty in the morning; it's very clear to see Potter is shaken up and tired, needing to rest. I am taking Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter back to the dungeon now. I am more than aware of the visions as Potter has come to me about them, and I've been training him to shield his mind; we've just not quite hit the point he does it unconsciously. It takes time to master this skill." Severus informed calmly. "Come along, boys." He guided them out of the office. "Thank you for your assistance, headmaster. And goodnight."
. . .
Returning to the dungeon, Harry was taken right back to his bed in the fifth year dorms and sat down. Severus sifted through his bag to get the stomach soother and dreamless sleep draught. Harry took them both and soon after taking them, fell right to sleep on his bed. Severus used his wand to cover Harry up and them draw his curtains closed to allow the boy to sleep peacefully.
"Is he going to be alright, Uncle Sev?" Draco asked gently.
"With time. Harry and I may need to work more on his Occlumency training, we only spend an hour every night after dinner and until curfew with it." Severus sighed. "We'll talk more in the morning; he's permitted to sleep in if he needs it or the potion keeps him out longer. All of you should be getting back to bed." He informed.
"Yes, Professor." The fifth year Slytherin boys replied.
Severus looked back at Harry's sleeping form and then left the room to return to his quarters. This link between Harry and Voldemort was bad news and Severus would need to step up the training to get Harry to shield his mind while unconscious or things could be very bad. Severus waved his wand to get back into his sleep clothes and then went to his bed. It had been a long enough night as it was.
. . .
It was now the 20th of December, just five days until Christmas. Students going home for two weeks to enjoy the holiday with family left on Monday the 18th, and were not set to return until the second week of the new year, Sunday the 7th of January, and classes would resume on the 8th. Ron, Ginny, Fred and George all left around 3:00 am on the 15th via floo network and went right to St. Mungo's where Molly Weasley was waiting with them along with William, or he usually went by Bill Weasley and Percy Weasley. Charlie Weasley was working on getting home from Romania. Harry had filled in Hermione, who told the other Gryffindors about what took place. That Harry had a vision where he saw Arthur attacked and it was thanks to acting so quickly that Arthur was saved. Thus far, Harry had learned that Arthur would make a full recovery, but it would be a long one. The venom Nagini got Arthur with was making it hard to stop the bleeding, so Arthur had to have several doses of blood replenishing potions while staff worked to remove the venom. Harry took the train to King's Cross on the 18th, and he was picked up by the Dursley's until Severus came later via floo to pick him up. The golem was reactivated as Harry and Severus continued onto Potter Manor.
Harry was glad to be home, but he felt restless because of the attack on Arthur. With the time home now, Severus and Harry started working at the Occlumency training more since there was no need to worry of a curfew like at school. Harry was also glad to be home because Albus had been trying all weekend to talk to Harry and he just found excuses to escape. Albus was obviously being more careful with cornering Harry since the man likely figured out that if he caused Harry to freak out like last time; people would take notice.
"Harry?" Severus entered the main room of the manor to find Harry sitting on the couch and just staring into the fire.
"Hi, Severus," Harry greeted.
"How are you doing?" Severus inquired.
"The best I can, I guess…" Harry replied softly.
It wasn't any secret to Severus that Harry had depression, and just because Harry had that breakthrough moment on Halloween didn't mean he was cured. Depression never truly went away and no matter what progress had been made in coping properly, bad things happening could set someone backwards in healing. The attack on Arthur Weasley seemed to do just that, so Severus was keeping a closer eye on Harry. No matter the revelations from Halloween; Harry could still slip back into wanting things to end when the emotions became too much.
"Would you like me to take you to St. Mungo's to see Arthur?" Severus asked.
"No…No, it's fine. I'm sure I'll see him for Christmas. Ron's written that the bleeding has lessened and it's looking like he'll be home for Christmas, but still recovering beyond that." Harry replied. "That's all I need to know that he's getting better."
"Will you be going there for the holidays?" Severus questioned.
"Well, for a little bit…I do want to see the Malfoy's too. Narcissa was all too excited to invite us to the manor for lunchtime on Christmas day when she saw Draco and I at King's Cross." Harry informed lightly.
"I invited Sirius and Remus here for Christmas morning with us." Severus told him calmly. "That works out then. We'll have a Christmas morning here, then lunch with the Malfoy's and dinner at the Weasley's. I can send you with Sirius and Remus there as I know they've been invited too. I'll spend the night hours with the Malfoy's." He stated.
"Works for me. I'll let you know when I'm back here, I'll floo call." Harry promised. "Oh, and I think we're going to Grimmauld Place for Christmas dinner. It's bigger, or so Mrs. Weasley says."
"I appreciate that." Severus nodded. "Now…How are you feeling mentally?"
"I don't really know, but I don't want to die if you're looking for that clarification." Harry admitted.
"I admire the honesty, thank you." Severus replied. "I suspect you're taking things that happened to Arthur pretty hard. Upset that he got hurt, mad that you weren't able to block the connection?"
"Not mad I couldn't block the connection. I meant what I said in Dumbledore's office that night, I don't think Voldemort knows I can see things he does. Why would he show me something I could stop? It doesn't make sense…If he was trying to make me suffer or draw me out to fight; he'd just start killing people." Harry informed. "The connection is undeniable, but I don't think he's aware of how open he leaves himself."
"I concur with your assessment. And in meetings, the dark lord has not said anything to reveal he knows that you know." Severus informed. "Either way, we still need to work at keeping him out of your mind. If he's unaware, we need to keep him such."
"Severus, do you think it's possible that he doesn't know about the connection at all and the reason I see things is entirely…I don't know, mystical. I know we live in a world of magic, but I can't help but feel like I see the visions as a warning." Harry asked. "If it sounds stupid, tell me…I won't take offense."
"No. No, I don't think it's foolish at all, Harry. In fact, I think you may be right. Your theories back it up that the dark lord wouldn't purposely show you what he's doing because he knows you'll act on it to save the people you care about. If he was trying to draw you out, he'd just kill those people and you'd find out through other sources. Things that would take you by surprise. In your vision, you saw things through his snake's eyes and he doesn't reference you directly; he speaks to his snake. If he knew you were there, he'd direct his orders to you." Severus explained. "Very good deduction, Mr. Potter. Five points to Slytherin," He joked to lighten the mood a little. "Still, we need to keep him from figuring out the connection and using it against you."
"I'll work harder at the Occlumency training," Harry nodded. "I definitely don't want him using me to hurt anyone…"
"We can practice later today. I've got a few potions I'm finishing up. Oh, and if it may brighten your mood any…I got a notice from the bank earlier, the investigation against Albus has moved to the viewing segment. The notice says it's been in in viewing since October, but obviously there was more to add with the new things we sent. I was told this would be the longest portion of things because they have to go through your claim, the memories, everything regarding you and Albus to determine if he's unfit to be your guardian. I am sure that it will be found that he is, but we must stay on our toes."
Harry nodded to him. "Is there anything we can do about Umbridge? She's failing me on purpose, you've seen my work…"
"I'll send an anonymous tip to the ministry about her," Severus remarked. "It'll be enough that Fudge will look into things, but just know that they're aren't on your side with the whole supporting Voldemort being back thing."
"I know…But that doesn't give her the right to fail my actual work when it's correct and done." Harry said. "They don't have to believe me when I say he's back, I meant what I said to her that day. When he finally shows himself as back, I'll laugh in their faces and say I told you so." He muttered.
Severus chuckled a bit. "Ever the Slytherin," Harry actually smiled when Severus said that. Yes, he was Slytherin and it was overdue that he started showing his true self.