Life Debt

A few days had passed since the Easter get together at Malfoy Manor where not only did Ron and Hermione come up with a brilliant way to cheer Harry up a little bit, but also that Severus gave Harry back something very meaningful that had a positive impact. In addition to those two major things, Harry was able to recreate the spell Voldemort used to place the dark mark, thereby giving him the power to reverse and remove it.

And now, Severus, as Harry promised he would be, was free of Voldemort. Of course, Severus was still going to be in the Order of the Phoenix; he just wasn't spying into Voldemort's meetings anymore. Narcissa had never been marked, but she had been loyal to Lucius because they did love one another and she supported her husband no matter what.

Lucius, Francis, Theodore Sr. and Gregory Sr. were also now free. Those three were safe behind Lucius's wards of Malfoy Manor until a solution could be reached on how to keep them protected from Voldemort. Their homes were just homes, and they weren't lords or lady's to their bloodlines, so none of them had the ability Lucius had as Lord to fully fortify his home from unwanted intruders.

Harry had anticipated that Voldemort knew his mark had been messed with and five people were no longer connected to him, and it was very obvious that Harry being a Parselmouth, had been the one to undo his work. There had been no discrepancies about the fact Voldemort was going to order a manhunt to find the people who betrayed him.

Another side effect of Voldemort's anger had been setting off the searing pain in Harry's scar that gave him a migraine bad enough that he couldn't deal with light or sound and was nauseous. Harry had already been really tired from the days prior to that because of Severus purging his system of all those potions Harry got semi-addicted to when his depression took over after that night in the infirmary when Sirius had done what Harry said he would.

Lose it with anger when he found out about the marriage and that it had been because Harry wanted to get away from him. After Severus and Harry got home from the manor, Harry did sleep for a bit, but it didn't last because of nightmares and then when he was awake, the pain would be there.

It took almost two days for Voldemort's anger to subside enough that the scar stopped hurting. Harry mostly spent his time during the episode in his and Severus's bedroom where it was dark and quiet. Ivy would cuddle up to Harry during the day, and Severus would be there too, or making sure nothing happened to Harry when the teenager was moving around to use the bathroom and shower. When Harry finally felt better, he seemed happier and Severus was relieved. It didn't mean Harry was cured of his misery, but the potions master was happy to see the smile had returned.

At current, it was April 3rd. In three days, it would be time to return to Hogwarts for the last two and a half months of school. After this…Harry would get to hopefully enjoy his summer with Severus and friends, then it was just one more year of school and he would be able to graduate. It was exciting, in some ways. Harry still expected something bad to happen at the end of this year, like it always did. It would likely be another run in with Voldemort because that man was not going to let it go that Harry figured out the mark.

"Harry!" Severus called from the main floor.

Harry had been in Severus's room, well, their room now. Harry was putting his stuff away in the extra closet and dresser. "Yeah, Sev?"

"Dumbledore has called an Order meeting and I'm heading over to headquarters. Do you want to come?" Severus inquired from the base of the stairs.

The teenager came out of the room. "I thought I wasn't allowed?"

"Who told you that?" Severus wondered.

"One of the meetings held at Grimmauld. Moody told me the Order was only for of age wizards." Harry said.

"You're of age now, remember?" Severus chuckled.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry…I forget sometimes. Sure, I'll come." Harry nodded as he hissed to Ivy to come, then Harry made his way down the stairs with Ivy hanging around his neck. "Ready. Are Lucius and the others coming?"

"Not right off. Albus is leader of the Order, so they need his permission to join. I'm sure it will take some convincing before he agrees." Severus remarked as they got to the main room and stepped into the fireplace. Severus grabbed the floo powder. "Want the honors?"

"12 Grimmauld Place Main!" Harry called as Severus tossed the powder down and they were gone.

. . .

Arriving at Grimmauld Place, Harry and Severus stepped out of the fireplace to brush off then make their way up to the formal dining room where the meeting was being held.

"Severus, you've arrived." Albus greeted.

"And with Harry. You know he's not supposed to be here." Molly stated.

"Harry is an adult, he has as much right to be here as any of us." Sirius said firmly. "Severus, Harry…Join us, please?" He invited.

"How are you feeling, cub?" Remus wondered.

"Better," Harry responded as he and Severus sat down. "Also, why is the rule only of age wizards and witches?" He asked. "It's kind of stupid."

"Because of the trace on their wands. If there's a battle, they would get in trouble." Albus informed.

"So…Am I the only one who remembers the ministry battle last year? Where the army of underage students fought against Death Eaters and won? In the ministry itself, and no one got in trouble?" Harry commented.

"He's got a point, ya know…" Ron muttered.

Ron and Hermione were there, Harry knew they both turned seventeen already. Hermione in last September. Ron in this March. Other notable members were Fred and George, then William Weasley, who went by Bill and his girlfriend, Fleur Delacour, who had been one of the Tri-Wizard Tournament's competitors from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France.

Alastor Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, and Kingsley Shacklebolt were there. So was Minerva McGonagall. Obviously Sirius and Remus were present, it was Sirius's house. Molly and Arthur were there and Hagrid. Harry actually didn't know he was a member of the Order until now.

"I side with Harry here," Sirius stated, and Remus nodded. "This is war, I think we can afford to waive the normal to survive."

"I've got plenty of other friends who would like to join and be part of the force fighting Voldemort." Harry said. "Neville, Seamus, Dean. Hannah. Luna. Draco, Pansy, Theo, Vin, Greg, and Blaise."

"We've actually got Angelina and Alicia on their way." Fred and George offered.

"We're here!" The two girls announced.

"We can't take the risk with any of the Slytherins. Four of them, actually." Albus sighed.

"Wow, Headmaster…That's incredibly biased and discriminatory." Harry commented, folding his arms over one another. "I remind you I'm a Slytherin too and I'm married to a Death Eater."

"Severus changed sides." Albus argued gently. "He's only bearing the mark because no one can remove it and he's the Order's spy."

"And what if I told you that the four you speak of aren't on Voldemort's side anymore, Professor?" Harry inquired.

"Well…-," The man paused. "I suppose if they could prove they've truly left his side and wish to fight for the Light, I might be open to the idea. But again, I don't see it likely. They've been with Voldemort a long time." Albus added.

"What proof?" Harry pushed. "Them without their marks? Or undying loyalty like Severus agreed to if you put my parents into hiding sixteen years ago?"

"Their marks being gone is impossible because no one has the power to remove it, Harry. We tried with Severus, everything possible." Alastor commented.

"Well, you didn't try with me." Harry stated.

"Harry, while you are very powerful for your age, we're tried everything with those far stronger than you. Myself included," Albus began.

"It was nothing to do with strength, Headmaster. I do have power you don't," The teenager scoffed. "Show them, Severus." Harry sat back with his eyes closed. Severus unclipped the buttons and pulled back the sleeve of his left arm, revealing a bare arm to the group. "Several people here, in fact, saw me remove the mark from Severus's arm not more than four days ago during a little get together at Malfoy Manor." He informed.

"Bloody brilliant display too." Arthur added.

"What I have that you don't have is the ability to see magic physically, and speak Parseltongue. Only a parselmouth can remove it." Harry stated.

"Harry was able to recreate the entire spell Voldemort built for the mark." Hermione said. "Not just figuring it out, but also having the power to duplicate the mark Severus had and place it on himself before removing it."

"Not only did I do this for Severus, but also Lucius, Francis Crabbe, Gregory Goyle Sr., and Theodore Nott Sr. Narcissa was never marked, she just supports what her husband does. All five of them are unmarked and do not stand on Voldemort's side any longer, all in effort to protect their families." Harry revealed. "If that's not a good reason, then our definitions of what is the greater good are vastly different. If Severus can redeem himself, anyone can, Professor Dumbledore."

"Lucius is currently holding all of them and their families at his house because he can adjust the wards to lockdown from all those unwelcome as Lord Malfoy. I would think, that like you did for Severus years ago, you might be able to assist and offer sanctuary to others who no longer support Voldemort. Sadly…" Harry began again. "I feel like all of that went in one ear and out the other because all you heard was that I removed Severus's mark and you no longer have a spy."

"That's kind of a problem, Harry. We needed that information to keep you safe," Alastor enlightened.

"I can protect myself, thank you. We don't need to be purposely endangering one of our own." Harry replied. "Now, are you going to help the others? I would think diminishing Voldemort's following is a positive thing while doubling to grow our own. They are, as you've said, able to join as adults. I believe their children should be allowed too, most of them are close enough to turning seventeen if not already there."

"He makes a good argument, Albus," Kingsley spoke up. "None of the students who were part of Dumbledore's Army a year ago were punished for their actions at the ministry despite being underage. The restriction is set that they shouldn't be doing magic on their own, without supervision. Among the Order, there are more than enough adults to watch them."

"Harry is right, we should be building out our own force. I hate to admit it, but Harry taught those kids right." Minerva said. "I heard every student in the army knows how to cast the Patronus Charm. That's impressive, and every student in that Army passed their OWL for Defense Against the Dark Arts with an O whereas others barely scraped by because of Umbridge's tyranny."

"It has to be a vote." Albus sighed. "All in favor of Harry's motions to let underage students join the Order and welcome the former Death Eaters among us?" The vote was pretty clear, almost everyone was in favor. "Very well then. But no one younger than fifteen joins. There is a certain degree of spell knowledge required…Those from your army, Harry, who are fifteen and older, are free to join. Might as well call them here. Severus…Will you fetch the rest?"

"Yes, Headmaster." Severus stood up.

"You can use the floo upstairs, Severus, to call to Malfoy Manor." Sirius told him.

"I'll take the main one." Harry informed.

. . .

It took a good forty minutes, but everyone came and was now seated down in the dining room. Albus took it on himself to check the former Death Eaters, and inform them he offered protection for them and their families. It wasn't just those who served Voldemort, though. All of Harry's Slytherin friends came with their parents, so the Parkinson's, Blaise's mum, plus the wives. Harry got Neville, Luna, Dean, Seamus, Hannah, and Ginny to come.

"Now that we're all here and protection details are decided on and will be set up before we leave…" Albus started.

"Wait, Albus," Severus looked around. "Harry's not back yet."

"He…Said he was right behind us," Neville enlightened. "We came from your office at Hogwarts, Professor Snape."

"Well, I came from home, actually." Ginny corrected.

"But the rest of us were at the school, we stayed there for the holiday…Except for the one get together at Easter." Dean mentioned.

It was five minutes later when Harry walked into the room and took his seat next to Severus. "Where have you been?" The potions master inquired.

"I was talking to Slughorn." Harry admitted before he looked at Albus and held up a clear small jar. "I got what you asked for, Headmaster. What you wanted from him."

"Dare I ask how you got him to finally divulge it, my boy?" Albus asked, inspecting the vial from his seat; there was just a silvery-blue strand within.

"I used my mother's memory…" Harry stated. "Not that I'm proud of such, it was rather manipulative."

"What did you say?" Severus questioned.

"I told him I was what everyone believed I am. The chosen one who has the power to defeat Voldemort. And the reason I survived that night was because of my mother. That her love for me wouldn't let her stand aside and she sacrificed herself to protect me."

"I told him he had something I needed to defeat Voldemort, that he needed to be brave like my mother was or he'd disgrace her sacrifice and she would have died for nothing." Harry informed. "He handed it over after that, with the request I didn't think badly of him because I had no idea what Riddle was like, even then."

"Well done, Harry…" Albus praised. "Hand it here. We'll view it back at school when term resumes."

"I'm not gonna give it to you yet. In return for what I've done for you, Professor…I want you telling everyone what it's all about. No more secrets. We're grouped to fight Voldemort, then everyone is privy to the same information." Harry said.

"As you wish, Harry," Albus agreed. "Over most of this year, Harry and I have been reviewing memories I have of Tom Riddle in his youth, before he became Voldemort. One in particular was gathered from Horace Slughorn, Tom Riddle was quite proficient in potions enough to be in Horace's Slug Club." The man paused.

"We were looking for anything to see where he went dark, or anything of use as to why he became so powerful, and did not die when his curse rebounded. It's understandable why Harry lived, his mother provided the ultimate protection created from her undying love to keep her son safe. However, while it protected Harry, it was a killing curse rebounded. It should have killed Voldemort. And it did not."

"It only left him without a body." Harry added.

Albus continued to explain how he knew Voldemort was not dead after the night in Godric's Hollow. That he was a wraith first, sharing a body with Quirrell. A part of him preserved in the diary, where he tried to return to a body using Ginny. Finally, how he was restored at the end of fourth year with Pettigrew's help. However," The man paused.

"There should have been no way he survived the killing curse when it rebounded. We understand that it left him with no body to use, but we want to understand why and we believe it's something to do with this particular memory. A conversation between Horace and Tom, when Tom was still a student. The memory I had gotten from Slughorn was altered, and faded out key information. I suspect it is due to Horace feeling ashamed about whatever he revealed to Tom." Albus stated. "I had requested Harry to stick to Slughorn this year and try to get this from him. I knew Horace would take a shine to Harry because of Lily, who was one of his favorite students along with Severus."

"Right, so…This memory now should reveal what is needed to weaken Voldemort?" Draco asked.

"That is what I believe, yes." Albus nodded.

"Well, no time like the present. Everyone wants him gone," Harry told Albus. "Let's see it."

"We'll need to go to my office for the pensive, Harry." Albus reminded.

"You're not the only one with a pensive, Albus. Winky!" Severus called as his elf appeared.

"Master Severus has summoned Winky?" The elf said.

"Bring me my pensive here, please?" Severus asked.

"Of course, Master Severus." Winky vanished for a moment, then reappeared holding the object and left it floating in front of Harry.

"Thank you, Winky. You may return home now." Winky disappeared again. "Go on, Harry. Pour it in."

Harry poured the memory into the pensive as Severus tapped the rim with his wand and rose the liquid from the container to make it visible to everyone there. It started with Tom Riddle, sixteen years old, flicking the hourglass in Slughorn's office.

/Horace Slughorn's Memory/

Tom Riddle approached Horace slowly. "Sir, I was in the library the other night, in the Restricted Section, and I read something rather odd about a bit of rare magic. It's called, as I understand it...A Horcrux."

"I beg your pardon?"

"A Horcrux. I came across the term while reading and I didn't fully understand it." Tom responded calmly.

Slughorn seemed uneasy, but spoke, nevertheless. "I'm not sure what you were reading, Tom, but this is very dark stuff. Very dark indeed."

Tom smiled. "Which is why I came to you."

Horace stares at Tom for a second. "A Horcrux is an object in which a person has concealed part of their soul."

"But I don't understand how that works, sir."

"One splits ones soul and hides part of it in an object. By doing so, you are protected, should you be attacked and your body destroyed." Horace explained.

"Protected?" Tom questioned.

"That part of your soul that is hidden lives on. In other words, you cannot die." Horace revealed.

Tom looks into the fireplace. "And how does one split his soul, sir?"

"I think you already know the answer to that, Tom."

An odd glint in the teenager's eyes sparked with the fire crackling. "Murder."

"Yes. Killing rips the soul apart. It's a violation against nature." Horace informs.

"Can you only split the soul once? For instance, isn't seven...?" Tom trailed off.

Horace looked affronted, almost in horror of the idea. "Seven? Merlin's beard, Tom! Isn't it bad enough to consider killing one person? To rip the soul into seven pieces...This is all hypothetical, isn't it, Tom? All academic?"

Tom smiled, "Of course, sir. It'll be our little secret."

/Memory End/