"Harry, who's that from?" Hermione at breakfast. They had come back to Hogwarts a week ago, but it still felt like they were on break. The entire atmosphere of the school was relaxed, something it hadn't been since Harry's fourth year. Probably before that, if he was honest. Did Hogwarts ever have a relaxing side?

"Oh, a guy I met a year ago, his name's Blake. We met the summer of fifth year when…yeah." The topic of fifth year was never a happy one, and the group tried their best to ignore it whenever it would arise in conversation. "Anyway, he's from Texas! Pretty cool, right? He's the one that introduced me to all that inheritance stuff."

"Has he written to you before?" Hermione asked, scooting closer to read over his shoulder.

"Sometimes, usually when I write first. He was pretty shocked by my letter. Apparently, he was used to seeing friends and family maybe once a year. Said he wasn't used to actually interacting with them through 'those damn owls'. His words."

Ron snorted, taking a bite of his eggs. "So, what's this one say?" He spoke over his mouthful of food.

Harry opened the envelope, the letter falling out of his hands with a gasp.

The death eaters have attacked the alley

Be safe, kid.

"Merlin," Hermione said, skin palling. Diagon Alley? Attacked by death eaters? Why?

"What is it?" Ron snatched the letter out of Hermione's hands. They sat in silence for a moment, minds reeling. Neville walked over, eyebrows raised.

"What's up?" Neville asked, sliding next to them. The boy was grateful he hadn't piled any food on his plate; his appetite was lost the very next second. "Bloody hell."

"I wonder why," Hermione mused silently. Harry pushed the eggs around his plate, and even Ron had stopped eating. It made no sense.

A hand fell on Harry's shoulder, making him flinch. McGonagall smiled down at him, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Mr Potter, I'm afraid you have a morning detention with Professor Snape. Now, don't lose our house any more points and let's be on our way."

"I do? I mean, yes, Professor. I'm sorry." Harry nodded at his friends. If Snape was calling him for something so randomly it had to be important.

They walked briskly down the hall, the dower professor urging him forward and faster as they neared Snape's office. Harry's heart dropped to his stomach, making him feel sick. What had happened to his dad the man?

"Professor, what is going on? What's happening? Is he-..." Harry's thoughts flashed with countless thoughts, each one worse than the last. He had seen what the prophet had posted, that means Voldemort had too.

"Not here, Harry." McGonagall said. "The walls have eyes and ears privy to all."

Harry was desperate for them to get to the potion maker.

"I wonder what that was about," Neville said, rubbing his stomach. His appetite didn't stay gone for long. He had skipped dinner last night due to a headache, and he was starving because of it.

"Who knows, probably Snape being Snape." Ron rolled his eyes at Hermione's glare. "What?"

"You know what."

"Do I? Enlighten me."

Neville snorted. "Who are you and what did you do with Ron?"

"What?"

"Since when do you use words like 'Enlighten'?" Hermione couldn't help her own giggle. Ron's cheeks flushed.

"I know big words! Besides, I've been reading."

"Didn't know you could read," Hermione teased. It was something their group joked about since second year, Ron and Harry having filled her in on what Malfoy had said when they were disguised as Crabbe and Goyle.

"Bugger off, arse."

The redhead was hit over the head softly, Ginny grinning as she sat down.

"Is that any way to speak to a girl? Where's Harry?"

"Detention," Neville told her, the flap of wings making the group look up. Mail had already been delivered today, what was going on?

Owls flew in through the open windows left and right, dropping rolled-up newspapers on everyone, regardless of if they had a subscription or not. Ron caught one of the stray papers as it fell, taking off its binding in a hurry.

Diagon Alley, attacked?

Rita Skeeter

You read that correctly, ladies and gentlemen! As of last night, Diagon Alley was attacked. "By Whom?" You may be wondering. By You-Know-Who. His reign of terror has started once again.

I beg all my readers to be safe.

"The paper feels weird," Ron said. Neville reached over and rubbed it. He was right. It felt almost slimy.

"Let me see it," Ginny took it from them. "Oh, I know what this is!"

"What is it?"

"It's false-message paper, just like Fred and George sell." Hermione took it, frowning. "A couple of months ago they had an anon buyer buy their whole stock in bulk. It's how they're doing so well. They racked up the price two-fold and get a sum of money for it every month since." Ginny explained.

"Why'd they tell you of all people?" Ron asked.

"Because I actually listen to their plans. They're some sneaky rats sometimes, I swear."

"Ugh, don't use rats."

"You can't be traumatised by rat's forever, Ron."

"I slept with one in my bed for-"

"How do you figure out the secret message?" Hermione interrupted.

"It depends on the type of paper. Some need water, air, or fire. And, well," Her voice dropped to a low whisper. "I don't know if they are selling them yet, but some require blood."

"Nuh uh," Ron denied. "It's the twins, they couldn't do something like that."

"I'm serious. I know it was a concept of theirs but…it's the twins, you're right. I don't know how serious they were, but if they set their minds to it, they'd do it."

The group fell silent, and Neville reached around, grabbing as many newspapers as he could. He looked around grimly, but it was obvious his friends shared the same idea.

"Let's go test some elements."

"Severus!" Harry shouted, rushing to the man. Snape was laying on his side, a look of pain clearly etched on his sharp features. "What happened?"

"Why did you bring him here?" Severus asked McGonagall, clearly ignoring Harry. The teen dropped to his knees, trying to inspect his father's wounds.

"He deserves to know what happened - Merlin's beard!" The old woman rushed to a cupboard, bottles clinking against each other as she looked through it. Harry's eyes skimmed over Severus until he realised what was wrong.

Severus' side was bleeding profusely.

Using the little training he remembered from muggle health class he took as a ten-year-old, Harry pressed his hands over the would, wincing as Severus cursed. He wasn't trying to hurt him, but the bleeding needed to be controlled, even if only for a little bit.

"That won't do anything," he panted. "It was made with dark magic."

"Something has to help," Harry's voice came out lower than he had expected. He took a spare potion from McGonagall, uncorking it and pressing it to the man's lips. "Drink, please."

"Harrison-"

"Please," He begged. Severus swallowed thrice, finishing the potion. Harry's thoughts began to race, the feeling of his father's blood dripping off his wrist was not going to be forgotten anytime soon. It was horrid, but Harry tried to persevere.

An idea struck Harry.

If his magic could be used to harm, it could be used to heal.

"Professor, I need to try something." He gestured to where his hands were trying to clog Snape's wound. McGonagall quickly dropped to her knees, replacing Harry's hands with her own.

"What are you going to do, Po- Harry?" the woman asked.

"Putting my inheritance to good use." Harry responded. His heart hurt when Severus tried to sit up, making him shout in pain.

"Harrison, absolutely not." The potion master gritted out.

"I can try, Severus." Harry finally met his black eyes. "I'm not going to let you die."

"These things happen, and I have my orders in place because of it." McGonagall gasped.

"What do you-no, not important, this can work,"

"Like the phoenix did?" Snape groaned, having to lay back down. He was going to bleed out at this rate. "Harrison, I have a will."

"You don't need a will!"

"You will get all of my assets, I made it a few weeks ago. All that is mine will go to you…son." Severus took in a deep breath, and an involuntary sob left Harry's throat.

No, he wasn't going to get a dad just to lose him a year later. He wouldn't stand for this.

Pressing his hands together, Harry concentrated with all his might, following the same process when making the phoenix. Except, instead of magic fuelled by his greed to end Voldemort, it was filled with the desperate need to save his father.

Please, he chanted in his head.

"It's no use," Snape breathed shallowly. "No use at all."

Harry paid him no mind, focusing more on his magic. He needed something that would save this man, no matter what the cost.

Suddenly, a white light began to emit from his hands, and Harry squeezed his eyes shut. A ball began to form, making McGonagall gasp.

"Harry," she tried to reason with him. Snape's eyes were closed, his breathing stalled. Harry paid it no mind, placing his hands over the wound.

Please, he begged mentally. If not for him, then for me.

Fine. Harry recognised the voice. Time. Just this once, I'll intervene.

"Thank you!" Harry said aloud, trying his best not to cry.

You lose your own chance for rebirth, child.

"I don't care!" Harry shouted, pressing the magic ball deeper into Severus' wound.

"Harry?" McGonagall tried to reach out to him, but her fingers brushed against an invisible field. A spinning clock hand invaded her vision.

You will die when the time comes, Harrison Snape. You will join them to rot.

"I don't care!" He reiterated. "I'd die a thousand times over if I had to, just save him!"

So be it.

The light in Harry's hands was pressed inside Severus with a final heave. Harry slumped forward, suddenly exhausted. He hoped more than anything Severus was going to be alright, that Time had actually done as he had said. He knew the deity was good at keeping his word, yet he still shook with anxiety.

Then, suddenly, the blood that had clogged the stone floor and couch began to seep back into his body. Harry watched through tired eyes as the last drops of red liquid retreated into his father's skin. The skin etched together perfectly, folding over and healing at the same time. Slowly, the colour found its way back into the man's skin.

Wrist. Time's voice shot through Harry's head like a bullet, and Harry frantically looked at his own wrist's, then Severus'. Harry gasped aloud, the dark mark was gone!

Harry let go of the tears he was holding back, laying down on his father's stomach as he heaved, stomach and heart twisting.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," he chanted on repeat. Tears flowed freely down his face, staining his face. His head hurt, his body was sore, but that didn't matter Severus was alive.

Snape gasped, eye's snapping open in shock. He looked down at the boy on his chest, crying and dry heaving.

"You're alive, oh God, you're alive."

"I am," he said simply, his hand moving to Harry's hair. It looked shinier, tamer so far. "I am alive thanks to you, my son."

Harry sobbed harder, but it was like something clicked into place. Both hearts felt lighter than ever.

The two comforted each other in silence, a hand carding through Harry's curls as his sobs turned to whimpers. Snape was really alive. Harry didn't care what it cost him, not now.

Although, he soon would.

"So, why do we have so many newspapers?" Ginny asked, dropping the handful of newspapers she had onto the common room coffee table. "I mean, I get why, but there's only five elements in this world."

"Not true, there are twelve natural elements of earth." Ron corrected.

"Mate, there's one hundred and eighteen." Neville looked confused.

"Well, actually only ninety-two." Hermione looked up from her book.

"Riiiight, anyway, let's get started." Ginny sighed. "Where do we start?"

"Shouldn't you know this, miss genius?" Ron chided. His sister just rolled her eyes.

While the two red-headed siblings bickered, Neville and Hermione busied themselves with separating each stack into a separate pile, enough for all of them to have twelve, with one left over. Hermione set it aside. It was good to have an untouched copy just in case.

"How do you suppose we go about using the elements? Just rub some dirt on it or something?" Ginny questioned.

"There are spells for each of the twelve elements in the magical world. Here, one second, I'll go get my book." Ron stood up, lunging up the stairs three at a time. Hermione and Neville shared a look.

"He's really serious about becoming one, then?" Neville answered Hermione with a nod.

"He's been studying hard, especially once we found a spell for his dyslexia."

"Huh? What dyslexia?" Ginny asked the group.

"Ron's," Hermione answered. "Didn't you know? It's why he struggled so hard in class. We only figured it out this summer."

"Gran was able to locate a spell that would help. My dad exhibited symptoms of being dyslexic as a kid. Truth was he just hated reading, Gran wasn't happy. I'm just glad she still had the spell book."

"I am too," Ron interrupted, bounding down the stairs with a book in his hands. "Still wish we would have tried the potion. Casting the spell all the time is so useless."

"Useless he says," Hermione sighed. "What's the book for?"

"Has a list of all the elements. Not spells, but we can figure it out for ourselves I think." He plopped the book down, flicking through the pages before he settled on one. "Here it is."

The list of elements in this world is ever changing, but there are twelve core elements that make up runes, and most of the magic we use today. They are our nature, or heart, and our peace. Each stroke of your brush, or carve of your knife, can change a rune's meaning, so be wise with what you do.

Earth

Water

Wind

Fire

Thunder

Ice

Force

Time

Flower

Shadow

Moon

Light

"Those make no sense,"

"Sure they do," Ron told his sister. "You just gotta know what they mean."

"Ron…how advanced is this?" Hermione asked her friend.

"Not very! I just- what I lack in reading I make up for in maths and runes. It makes sense, you know? So Babbling gave me some books."

Hermione nodded, mind wandering. Had Ron always been so smart? Probably not, but the idea of her having belittled him for years when he hadn't deserved it made her cheeks heat up in shame.

"Well… let's get started."

After a few minutes of discussion, the group split off to work. Hermione and Ron hit the books researching together as Neville and Ginny worked on trying spells. With their only available source being a list of twelve elements, they had a lot of work to put in. Sometimes it was easy, and they all agreed to it.

"Aguamenti should work, right?"

Other times, not so much.

"Loszomrise wouldn't work, it just summons flowers!"

"What about Terramorphus?"

"That just turns things into dirt!"

Even after an hour had passed, the group hadn't come up with anything. Papers were torn, wet, electrocuted, crinkled, and left worse than wear. Hermione's eyes hurt from speed reading too much, while Neville, Ron, and Ginny all groaned into their respective couch cushions. This was simply too much!

An idea struck Neville.

"Ginny, what was the other thing you said? That could unlock one of these papers?"

"Blood, why?" Her eyes widened. "No, absolutely not. It was just a prototype, I doubt they'd actually sell something like that."

"I mean, it is worth a shot," Hermione winced, even though Ron nodded along with her. "Do we still have a paper though?"

"We should," Neville said, looking around their area. He spotted their last paper in between two couch cushions and pulled it out, dusting it off.

Hermione transfigured a quill into a needle, passing it to Neville with an encouraging smile. Neville took a deep breath, holding his hand over the newspaper, and pricked his ring finger. A few drops fell from the tiny wound, and the group of four stared intently as nothing happened to the paper. Neville sighed, let down.

"Wait, let me try it." Neville passed his friend the needle, and Ron was next to stab his hand. Drop after drop fell from his fingertips, painting the white paper red. Suddenly, small white letters began to appear.

The entrance door swung shut, startling them all. Harry! Except-

Neville clamoured from his spot, running up to the brunette. Without even seeing his family, the boy instantly knew something was wrong with his friend. His posture was off, his skin paler than he had ever seen it. When Harry looked u to give him a half-hearted smile, Neville noticed even his lips looked thinner.

"Harry?"

"Hi, Nev," It was clear to the child that Harry was exhausted. "I gotta go do something."

Neville's heart dropped to his stomach.

"I'll come with you," Neville followed the taller boy, eyeing Harry as he ascended the stairs.

"Me too!" Ron called after them, wincing as he rubbed his hand across the bloody newspaper. "Uh here, you guy's deal, be right back!"

Hermione and Ginny just blinked.

"Did they really just abandon us?" Ginny asked, jaw dropped

"Seems like it," The other girl replied. The blood on the page seemed to gurggle at them. Hermione assumed that meant it was working. "Now, while that does…whatever it's supposed to do, why don't we talk?"

"Harry? You okay?" Neville called out to him, Ron following close behind. "You look awful."

The only thing that alerted them to Harry's presence in the room was the sound of soft sniffles.

"C'mon, Harry. Talk to us."

"I-I can't, you don't understand."

"We don't understand a lot of what you say, Hare, but we still listen anyways." Neville said with a smile.

"Sev- Snape, he almost…"

"He almost what?" Ron prompted.

"He almost died today." Harry told his friends the story of what had happened that morning; how McGonagall rushed him to Severus' bedside, the deal he made with time, the magic that happened.

And the will.

"Even Dad doesn't have a will…" Ron said, shocked.

"My father didn't either," Neville whispered. "Not that I need one in the first place, as he's still alive, but, yeah."

"It caught me off guard. At the time I- I didn't know what to think."

"I think you need to lay down," Ron told Harry. The scarred boy sighed, shaking his head.

"I can't not yet. I still have so much to do, so much to prepare for."

"Like what?" Neville asked.

"Like a will of my own."

"Harry…"

"No," Harry stood up, looking at his best friends, his brothers. "I could die any minute, we all could die at any minute! I need to be prepared, I need to have this back up, in case something happens. In case it all goes wrong."

His voice had lost conviction in the end, sadness overtaking it. He didn't want to write a will. He was sixteen. He should be out snogging girls or something, focusing on school. Not his impending doom.

"We'll help," Neville told him softly. "Whatever you need."

After a few hours of jotting down the things Harry owned, all three of them felt better. Harry laid on his back, eyes closed as Neville explained how their morning had gone.

"How did you know that a different blood type would work?" Neville asked Ron as Harry began to finally relax. "How did you even know we had different blood types?"

"Ginny's not the only one the twins tell secrets to. And, I didn't. I just know that Mum said my blood type is the easiest to duplicate vials of because it's "O-negative". Whatever that means. Plus, Fred and George used my blood for something a while ago, paid me a load of gold for it! It made sense it would be for this."

"Duplicating blood?" Harry asked.

"I was really sick once as a child, and they couldn't figure out what it was. Turns out it was just a rareform of dragon pox, but we thought it was something dangerous. So to study it, they took some blood and duplicated it." Ron explained.

"I didn't know that was something a person could do…"

"It's not common, but it's a good skill Medics have on hand, especially during times of-" Neville was cut off by a loud banging.

"Guys!" It was Hermione! "We found something!"

The three boys left their dorm, following the running girl down the stairs and back to the common room. It was a gorgeous day outside, even with the cold, so the common spaces were devoid besides one or two seventh years studying.

"Mentioning tomboyish waters, elk unification willowy is superb- Hermione what the hell is this?" Ron deadpanned.

"An Anagram you bendable spoon, look!" Hermione moved the letters around with her wand, most forming a sentence while a few were pushed to the side.

"Soon, this may not be me writing. I will let you know if I can." Neville read aloud. "Wow…do you think…?"

"Voldemort has taken over the press." Harry muttered.

His eyes darted around his friends' faces, watching as differing levels of shock and fear painted them. What were they meant to do? Voldemort was going further and further ahead each day. Harry steeled his resolve, swallowing the fear and guilt that lay just beneath his heart.

"Hermione, we need to find the diadem, now."

"You sure it's in here, Dobby?" Harry asked the little house elf. The creature nodded, hopping from one foot to the next.

"Dobby is sure Master Harry Potter, sir. Dobby can feel the evil energy." The elf assured.

"Right, well," Harry looked at his friends. "Guess we go in then?"

"Are you sure it's safe, Harry?" Hermione questioned. "We don't know what sort of protections this diadem has, what if someone gets hurt?"

"That's why we're all going in together, I reckon." Ron said, giving Hermione a soft smile. Harry and Neville shared a look. So THATS what was going on between them. The two boys allowed themselves to snicker as they thought of a plan. Dobby had opened the room of requirement for them, now it was their part of the plan. Go in, receive it, and destroy it.

Easy as pie. Theoretically.

"Now or never," Neville muttered, pressing his hand to the door. It opened with a loud groan, making the four of them jump as it scraped against the stone floor.

The building inside was dark, piles and piles of meaningless objects stacked higher then they could possibly have imagined. They were careful not to bump into anything, especially the cages of animals. Some were still alive, while some were nothing but bones.

It made Ron cringe.

"Dobby?" Harry asked. "You coming?"

"No, no, Mister Potter sir, Dobby can't go in the room. Not his area."

"Well isn't that great," Hermione rolled her eyes, pulling Ron's hand away from a glowing red stone. "Don't touch that! We don't know what's in here."

Hermione was right, they needed to be in and out as quickly and as safely as they could.

"Keep watch, Dobby. We'll be back soon." Harry had started walking before the little guy had even responded.

"Do you have any clue where it could be?" Ron asked.

"Nope. I wish I still had the locket." Harry winced instantly at his careless comment, but it seemed the other two boys were just going to ignore it for now. Harry was grateful.

Now, to just get through this never ending labyrinth.

As they walked deeper into the room, the usual smell of ancient oak and stone gave way to a strange, stale odour. Gone were the marble floors, now the floor is covered in dirty, old rags, and the air feels cold and damp. Ron checks out on the bookshelves, gagging as cobwebs cling to his skin. Harry feels his heart stop, just for a moment.

They were getting closer.

"Can you still feel it?" Neville asked, worried. Hermione was plucking cobwebs (and spiders, but no one was going to tell Ron that) off of the redhead, trying her best to hold in her laughter.

"I don't think so, it's just that… I'm so used to how his magic felt, what his soul felt like. I feel like I'd recognise it anywhere." Neville didn't miss how Harry's hands came up, grabbing at invisible air. He was missing the locket.

"Right, yeah. Let's keep going then."

A few minutes later, another sharp noise left Harry's lips. His eyes blurred, and Neville had to help keep him upright. Harry knew what this was; the dizzying effects of dark magic.

"It's here, right next to us…" Harry mumbled. "Over…there?" Harry made a random gesture. Hermione and Ron quickly moved to that area, Nevill taking his time in placing Harry on the floor.

"Don't go anywhere,"

"Wouldn't if I could," Harry snipped back. He could, however, close his eyes for a few minutes. The magic made him so sleepy!

We could be great together, Harry. It's not too late.

The voice sang in his head, and Harry tried his best to ignore it. Even though Voldemort wasn't in his head anymore, his words still ran through it whenever he thought he had a moment of peace. It wasn't fair, but Harry had learned to live with the constant hell.

I am not hell, Harry. I am truth.

"Just shut up," Harry skopje aloud, exhausted. Perhaps it was the emotional outbursts he had had that day, but Harry didn't want to do anything but sit in bed and stare at the ceiling.

"Harry! Harry, I think we found it!" Hermione's voice was so filled with emotion, it even managed to wake Harry up long enough to give her a "whoop!" of encouragement.

"What do we do?" Ron asked, staring at the glass casing of the tiara.

"Should we take it out?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Neville." Hermione reasoned. A soft snore sounded.

"Harry?" Neville called out. "I'll check on him, you guys decide."

Neville headed back to his friend, gasping as he saw the state Harry was in. Though sleeping, the teenager was panting as if he was running a marathon, a pained look on his face. His body twitched randomly, and he didn't even shake when Neville shook his arm.

"Guys! I've gotta take Hary to Pomfrey!" He shouted.

"Why?!" Hermione stumbled, jogging up to them. "Oh shit,"

Not one to swear, Hermione covered her mouth, Ron's eyes widening as he approached them.

"We can do it later, I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"..o" A small noise left Harry's parted lips, his breathing quecking. "Now,..it." His partially opened eyes closed again.

"We have to get him out of here," Hermione frantically said.

"We'll destroy it," Ron assured. "Get him out of here."

Neville nodded, letting Ron hoist Harry up on his feet. He could feel the heat radiating off of Harry's body through their clothes. What had caused this?

Going back the way they came, Neville exited the Room with a sigh and a heave. Harry was a lot heavier like this; barely able to support himself and practically being dragged through the halls of Hogwarts.

"Longbottom!" A sharp voice called out.

"Snape? How did you-?"

"The elf, give him here." Neville only hesitated for a moment, passing Harry over to his father. "What happened?"

His voice was stern, frightening even. First year Neville would have pissed himself hearing it. Now, Neville was older, and he had both his own confidence and Harry's power backing him. He could hear the worry in Snape's voice. It was uncanny how similar the two sounded, Neville realised. When Harry was worried, he sounded exactly like Snape did now.

"We found a horcrux. We're going to destroy it."

"Idiot child!" Though he insulted Harry, the lines on his face deepened, showing his true worry. Gran was like that too, she insulted him when she was worried. Like when she insulted him for being pushed out of a window.

Snape picked up Harry gently, carrying the boy bridal style. It shocked Harry. That's how one was carry a sleeping child to be-"

Ah.

"Are you taking him to Pomfrey?"

"No, this isn't a regular sickness." Seeing NEvilles expectant look, Snape continued. "Exposure to dark magic"

Neville followed, hot on his heels, as Severus went down stairs. The normally moving stairs seemed to still for the man, allowing him to quickly pass.

"There won't be- is your dorm empty?" Snape questioned, voice sharp.

"Uh, should be? I can make it empty." Snape nodded, and they headed to Gryffindor tower instead.

Thankfully, the common room and dorms were empty besides a single girl napping on the couch, and Snape was able to bring the boy up the dorm stairs and to bed.

"Accio bottle twenty-eight, no! Bottle twenty-nine" Two bottles flew upstairs after a moment, Snape catching them both. He tossed the unneeded one to Neville. He approached Harry's bedside, the boy looking worse than he did ten minutes ago.

"It's alright, it'll be over soon," Snape soothed. Neville pretended not to hear. Snape opened Harry's mouth, pouring the contents down his throat. The little that was left in the bottle was smeared on the boys forehead. As he did, a soft, blue glow surrounded Harry, encapsulating him in a strange, magical aura.

Slowly, purple traces of…something began to rise from Harry's body, mixing with the icey blue of the magic that was around him.

"Da..?" Harry muttered, exhaustion in his features. The sound of his voice mad Neville jump, He sounded…different. A little deeper, but also…smoother? Neville was in no state to deny it.

"Relax, Harrison, it's almost over." Harry closed his eyes again. Neville watched as Snape frowned.

"What is it?" His eyes followed Snape's gaze. His jaw! "Bloody hell, is he?"

"It seems like it."

Harry was beginning to look like an exact copy of Snape!

"This should have been done when he first stabbed himself in the head," Snape grumbled, watching more purple aura rise out of Harry's mouth. After a few minutes of silence, the only thing leaving Harry's mouth was the same blue that had started this all. SNape waved his wand, dragging the now black substance back to the vial it was in. "He'll be better after he rests."

"What was that? What happened? What did you do?" Neville didn't wince even when Snape levelled him with a glare. "Please, he's my…"

There was no word that described what Harry truly was to Neville. He was simply everything.

"When one becomes used to being around, or using, Black Magic, it becomes an addiction. It's harder to catch being around it, say, living with the House of Black, or living with it in your head as Harrison had."

"So he was addicted to it?"

"In a sense. Thus, when he took care of the Horcrux, he was 'freed' from his addiction. However…"

"Being near it again, and for so long was like relapsing." Neville concluded. Snape gave a nod. "So what did you do to him?"

"An old Japanese finding- using purified spring water infused with purified magic. It has darker origins itself, but it works on clearing leftover dark magic from a victim's body."

With how he sounded, Neville figured he had had to use it on someone else before. Maybe even himself.

"So it just takes out the bad stuff and replaces it? And how do you purify magic?"

"You ask far too many questions, Longbottom." Snape sighed, pulling the ends of his hair slightly. Neville's eyes widened. Harry did that too! "I will not tell you how it is made, as in today's standards it is a crime to craft this certain 'potion'. What it does is infiltrate the body. Think of it as a vaccine. It goes in, taking out the left over dark magic, or most of it at least, and rendering the being 'pure'." Snape bit his thumb as he turned to look at Harry again. "It doesn't explain why his looks suddenly became like this."

Snape paused for a moment, looking the boy over once more.

"He'll be fine as long as he's not around any dark magic for at least a year. It'll be like relapsing over again."

"You have the same mannerisms, you know." Neville pointed out, enjoying seeing the shock on Snape's face. "Harry does the hair pulling and thumb biting as well."

Severus Snape did not storm out of the fifth year Gryffindor dormitory, but when Neville told Harry what had happened, Snape totally had.

"Dobby?" Ron called out, holding a box wrapped in a cloth. The elf appeared in front.

"Mister Wheezy!"

"Can you teleport us while we are in Hogwarts?" Hermione asked, the elf shook his head.

"Dobby can do in and out, Miss Hermy, but no throughout. Dobby is a useless-"

"You can take objects though, right?" Ron quickly interrupted.

"Yes! It is how we House-elves do laundry!"

"Great, take this to the chamber." Ron handed the package over to the elf, watching him pop away. Sharing a look, Ron and Hermione ran to the second floor bathroom as quickly (and as safely) as they could.

"Sahhh, hissss, uhh" Ron made random snake noises at the sink.

"Hisssss." Hermione tried. They were at it for a while before some sound Ron made had struck gold. They slide down the slide, walking through the tunnels of the underground. Dobby awaited them in the first open room.

"Think a fang will work?" Ron asked, picking one up. "Uh, Dobby?"

"Yes Mr Wheezy?"

"If I asked you to test if this had any venom, would you?"

"Yes Mr Wheezy! Dobby will bes testing it on a vermin."

"A rat if you can." Ron said, one hundred percent serious. Dobby popped away for a few moments, coming back with a shake of his head.

"Dobby is fearing there is no more venom in the tooth!"

"Well shit," Ron cursed, beginning to pace.

"There's one other way," Hermione said quietly.

"No, Hermione. That's dangerous."

"And Harry trying to heal himself with illusion magic isn't?" She challenged.

"That's different, he was deluded. No one supported him."

"Well, support me." They stared into each other's eyes for what felt like eternity, before Ron finally nodded.

"Fiendfrye!" Hermione casted with a passion. Ron wouldn't have been able to do it. For all that he hated rats, Ron still brought them outside when they ended up in greenhouses or Hagrid's hut, or even classrooms. He couldn't even cast Imperio when they had tried. Ron was good, for all of his faults and anger.

Hermione was too, but she had something in her that called out higher than being good. She was self-seeking in a way no one else was. The single trait that had qualified her for the Slytherin house.

The black flame devoured the box and table that held the diadem, the shrill screams of a soul being released gratring on their ears. The flame flicked the walls.

"Retreat." Hermione commanded. "Retreat!"

The black shames shot at the two of them; Ron standing and fear and Hermione in confidence.

The flame went right back to Hermione's wand. She let her arm fall to her side with a gasp. She looked into Ron's eyes. A shared disbelief crossed their faces until suddenly they were laughing, wrapping each other in hugs that screamed of something more going on.

"Hermione, you're incredible." Ron said, almost breathlessly. "Absolutely wonderful, powerful, Merlin, you're-"

"Just kiss me."

Ron did as he was told.

"Severus?" Harry said, knocking on the door. A single hum of a response let Harry push open the classroom door, closing it behind him. "Are you okay?"

"I should ask you that, Harrison. What were you thinking!?"

"Uh…"

"We'll talk about this later. You need to rest."

"So do you," Harry countered. Severus sighed.

"I was, until a frantic house elf jumped on my bed screaming my son was in danger."

His son. The words swirled around Harry's chest, tight and pulsing. Tears filled his eyes.

"You- I'm sorry." Harrison needed Slughorn's memory as soon as possible, with what Snape had been through he-

"Harrison, I'm fine. You're the one I'm worried about. That was an exhausting process-"

"So was yours!" Harry barely kept from shouting. "You were- you were going to die."

"So were you, if I hadn't been there to help." He sounded stern, but not mad. Harry wasn't used to that. "An obscurus can be made from more than one way, Harry. A re-addiction to dark magic is one of those things!"

Harry raised his eyes to meet his fathers. Exhaustion was evident on his face. SNape's thoughts mirrored his own.

"You need rest."

"So do you."

"I can't, not yet. Ron and Hermione haven't filled me in yet."

"They can do so after you rest." Harry paused.

"Can I rest here? With you?"

Snape paused, staring at him, eyes wide. Did Harrison really want to spend his time with him? His eyes searched Harry's green ones he was so glad they were still green, the boy still held a trace of LIly and found nothing but truth. His son actually wanted to be in his presence! Snape managed a soft smile, barely on his face, but he knew the boy saw it.

"Always."

That night, hours later, one Draco Malfoy would creep into the Room of Requirement.