A/N: Hello! I hope you enjoy this chapter! If you do, please, leave a review! Love reading them! I love all of you so much. Thanks and see you again!
Chapter 17
"So, you're really not going back?" Harry asked the twins as they ate breakfast with Snape who was perusing the Daily Prophet.
"Much to Mum's horror," Fred said with a grin.
"School has never really been our forte," George said lightly and they all looked at Snape when the man snorted behind his paper.
"Aw, Snape, are you gonna miss us?" Fred teased.
Snape lowered his paper just enough to give them a deadpanned look. "Hardly. I can't get away from Weasleys fast enough."
"Don't worry, we'll keep it secret," George said conspiratorially and Snape narrowed his eyes over the Prophet.
"Keep what secret exactly?"
"That we were your favourite of the Weasley bunch," Fred said as though it were obvious.
"My apologies, gentlemen, but that distinction belongs to William," Snape replied.
Fred and George gasped loudly, eyes widening, and clutched their chests dramatically. Harry's mouth curved up in amusement around his fork as he watched the antics and Snape's reactions.
"The betrayal!" the twins exclaimed together and Snape rolled his eyes, raising his paper again.
"Morning, all," Bill greeted as he entered the kitchen.
"The thief!" the twins cried, making Bill pause in pouring himself coffee as he started at their exclamation.
"Sorry?" the curse breaker said, confounded at what he'd walked into.
"To think, our own brother," Fred lamented.
"The taker of such a great one's admiration," George added.
"To take away such a momentous achievement from his own flesh and blood—"
"—but be so wholly unaware."
"Oh, the pain."
"It does hurt to fall so low."
"Come, brother, let us lament our failure in solitude," Fred finished, both of their heads dropping as they rose to their feet.
Harry couldn't help but chuckle as Fred and George slunk from the kitchen, looking like kicked, forlorn puppies. His chuckles turned to full laughter as Bill watched them, blinking dumbly.
"What the hell was that about?" Bill asked, finally pouring his coffee even as he continued to glance at the doorway in bewilderment.
"Turns out you're—hey!" Harry shouted as a Stinging Hex hit his neck and he scowled at Snape.
"I do not recommend you finish that sentence," Snape said, turning the page of the Prophet casually.
"Right, can't possibly let anyone know that Severus Snape is a human being that likes other people," Harry mumbled, rubbing his neck.
"The ones who need to know do," Snape responded simply.
Harry's follow-up was interrupted by Mrs. Weasley's voice echoing through the house.
"Get ready, kids! We leave for Diagon Alley in fifteen minutes!"
Harry's eyes widened at the announcement and he cursed, jumping up and dashing away from the table. He crashed into his room and snatched his bag from the chair it'd been tossed onto. He dug around inside as he hurried back downstairs, rejoining Snape and Bill in the kitchen. He huffed and dropped the bag on the table, using both hands to dig around the expanded space, fully aware of the raised eyebrows he was receiving.
"Potter, what is wrong with you?"
"I need your help."
"Well, that is the purpose of my very existence," Snape drawled, taking a slow drink of his coffee.
"Exactly," Harry said, nearly up to his shoulder in his bag. Snape arched a sharp eyebrow as he chewed a bite of his omelette, his magic buzzing with a mixture of irritation and amusement almost as though the man couldn't decide how to feel. "You signed on to protect me albeit via a little bit of emotional blackmail, but still. I didn't ask you to. I generally wanted you to leave me alone actually."
"Extraordinarily tempting."
"Liar. I'd be dead if you meant that," Harry retorted. "I think you've secretly liked me all along." He fought back a grin as Snape's eyes narrowed.
"What the hell do you want?"
Finally finding what he'd been searching for, Harry slapped the piece of parchment onto the table. "Tell me what elective to take."
"You haven't decided?" Bill said, surprised, and Harry shook his head. "Mate, you're about to go to Diagon Alley."
"I know which is why you need to tell me which one to take," Harry said to Snape.
"And why would I do that? You do not have a history of listening to me," Snape pointed out.
"That's not true," Harry countered and the withering look Snape gave him was so sharp he swore he could physically feel it. "I've listened to you this summer."
"Hardly," Snape scoffed, "and six years later."
"Better late than never?" Harry offered.
Snape just sighed. "Get on with it, brat."
"I'm taking Animagus Training, but what else?" Harry asked. "Magical Theory or Duelling?"
"I recommend Duelling," Snape replied. "Not only will you benefit from learning to fight, but you will learn Magical Theory as a result of Animagus training and our training should you be willing to continue at school."
"Are you?" Harry asked, gaining a questioning look from the professor. "You've hated me far more than I ever hated you and you've had way more years to have reasons to hate me. I know you've been…around this summer, but do you really want to take it outside this house? Do you want to deal with me when you have a chance to pretend you have nothing to do with me?"
Snape considered him with an odd look for several minutes and even the man's magic wasn't giving any clear emotions. Damn Occlumency. After a couple minutes, the man lowered his coffee.
"Have I imagined these last five weeks? Yes, I hated you and quite voraciously though not without reason," Harry rolled his eyes, "but I believe I have made it clear that that is no longer the case. While neither of us may have believed it possible, it is possible for things to change."
"It's been a month," Harry pointed out.
"Suffice to say, it has been an…interesting summer," Snape conceded. "Might I also point out a couple flaws in your assumptions. First, I could not even begin to hope to pretend I have no connection to you, even if I wanted to."
Harry huffed and scowled slightly. "You're a jerk, honestly."
Snape continued as though he hadn't spoken. "Second, I will still be 'around' and have to 'deal with you' regardless of if we continue given I teach both of those electives."
"That doesn't mean you want to," Harry pointed out again.
Snape sighed and pushed his breakfast aside to lean forward, an elbow on the table and his hands clasped. He held Harry's eyes steadily. "I very deliberately manipulated the task set to me by the Dark Lord so we could continue as we have been without the need for secrecy." He paused and Harry couldn't help but fidget under the gaze. "Enough with the self-deprecation, Potter. I do enough for the both of us. I made a promise, one I intend on keeping for the first time in my life, and I have made my choices. Take the Duelling elective."
Harry felt himself heat up as he flushed before giving a small smile and finally writing down his second elective choice. The parchment glowed the moment he finished writing and it all changed, the short explanation and list replaced by a longer description, schedule, and book list.
"Let's go, kids!" Mrs. Weasley called.
Harry shoved the parchment back into his bag and swung it over his shoulder. "Thanks."
"Potter."
Harry stopped in his dash to the kitchen doorway and looked back at the professor.
"Be smart," the man said. "Be safe."
Smiling just slightly again, Harry nodded and hurried into the sitting room. Mrs. Weasley was standing by the fireplace as Ron, Hermione, Ginny, the twins, Tonks, and Lupin stood around, waiting to leave. Once Mrs. Weasley noticed his arrival, she grabbed the Floo Powder from the mantle and held it out, each of them disappearing to the Leaky Cauldron one by one.
Stepping into the Alley was a shock to the system. It was nothing like that first time when Hagrid had brought him. Then it had been loud and bright and busy and pure magic. Now, it was dark and broken, on the verge of being a ghost town. Few shops were open and even fewer people were in the streets. Patrons walked with their heads down and those that had ventured out for school supplies held their children close. It made Harry wonder how many families were going to take the risk and send their kids back to Hogwarts.
They moved silently from shop to shop, Tonks and Lupin standing guard outside each. Fred and George followed Harry, keeping up casual conversation as Ron and Hermione did their best to get as far from him as possible in each shop. As they were exiting Tomes and Scrolls, Harry glanced around only to spot dark figures with a flash of white disappear down a nearby alley.
"Interesting time and place for the Malfoys to be out shopping," Fred said, he and George stepping up behind Harry again.
"Borgin and Burke's is typical of their outings," George observed.
"Except Voldemort doesn't trust them anymore," Harry reminded. "Except Draco who's being trusted with two tasks: the Vanishing Cabinet and Luna."
"And even they'll know they won't find Luna in Knockturn Alley," Fred said and they all looked at each other, silently coming to the same decision.
Spotting Mrs. Weasley still inside with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, and Lupin and Tonks observing the other direction, the twins quickly Disillusioned themselves and Harry pulled his invisibility cloak from his bag. They snuck away from Tomes and Scrolls and slipped down Knockturn Alley which was completely devoid of life. Coming upon Borgin and Burke's, Harry stepped up to the window, peering in and feeling the twins stand on either side of him.
Inside, a few black-clad people were arranged around the small shop. One very large and hairy man in tattered robes he didn't recognize, but he recognized Draco in a corner by a large cabinet with Narcissa and he recognized Bellatrix at the shop counter speaking to the owner. Rage immediately made Harry grow hot and he clenched his jaw, her taunting cackle echoing in his head and his magic boiling. The buzz of the Dark Marks reached for his magic, recognizing the power and shared magic, and he began noticing the slightest differences in the way each Mark felt.
"Calm down, mate," Fred whispered.
"Before they feel your magic inside," George added.
Knowing they were right, Harry forced himself to take deep breaths and use the mist technique Snape had taught him to cover the painful, enraging memories. His magic steadily settled until it was gently rolling instead and he was able to focus through it on the shop's occupants.
"It is in working order?" Bellatrix said to the shopkeeper, looking across the shop at Draco who was very slowly examining the strange black cabinet.
"Perfect, Madam," the shopkeeper said with a crooked smile. "Just needs the other end fixed up."
"The big job for our little Draco," Bellatrix cooed tauntingly, bringing a glance from the blonde over his shoulder. The grey eyes were underscored by dark circles and were glazed with uncertainty or fright, Harry wasn't sure. He moved his own eyes beyond the Slytherin to the cabinet.
"I need to get in there," Harry whispered.
"What?" the twins hissed.
"If the one cabinet is here, maybe there's some kind of record, something that says where the other one is in Hogwarts," Harry told them. "If I know where it is, maybe I can destroy it before Malfoy can fix it."
There was a moment of silence and Harry knew, somehow, despite being Disillusioned, that the twins had shared a look.
"Don't get killed," Fred warned.
"Or Snape will kill us," George said.
Harry felt them move from beside him and, seconds later, a glittery bird appeared inside the shop and flapped around the large man who growled and swatted at it. The man started crashing into the shop's items, merchandise falling to the floor as he bumped tables, counters, and shelves. When the twins flashed into view, Harry's eyes widened.
"C'mon, boy!" Fred called, all eyes inside the shop snapping to him and George.
"Got a real treat for ya!" George said with a grin.
"Get them!" Bellatrix screeched and the man barreled for the door.
Fred and George reapplied their Disillusionments and disturbed the air as they raced behind Harry out of the alley. When the man exited the shop, he held the door open as he snarled and sniffed before taking off after the twins. With the distraction in place, Harry quickly slipped through the door as it slowly swung closed. Heart pounding, Harry pressed himself against the window as Draco turned back to the cabinet and Bellatrix to the shopkeeper.
"Nothing but filth in this place," the shopkeeper sneered.
"Do you have the other item we discussed?" Bellatrix asked as though the man hadn't spoken.
"Of course, Madam." The man inclined his head with another twisted grin and gestured in Draco's direction. "This way."
The shopkeeper stepped around the counter and led Bellatrix to the far end of the shop, just past Draco, Narcissa following as they passed. With them out of the way, Harry tiptoed to the door behind the counter, shimmying through without touching the partially ajar door. The tiny office was chaotically packed with boxes, stacks of papers, and items Harry had absolutely no desire to touch. He chewed his lip, looking for where to start, before beginning to just open boxes and leaf through papers, trying to be as quiet as possible. When he tilted boxes to see if there were any labels on the drawers of the metal filing cabinet, they bumped into a mountain of papers with what looked like a letter opened on top and they fell to the floor. The clatter of the letter opener was muffled by the hundreds of papers fanning across the floor.
He cursed quietly and paused, listening for approaching footsteps or voices. When there was nothing, he turned back to the filing cabinet and slowly pulled the top drawer open, cringing at any sound it made. He scanned the tags on the folders and was about to move onto the next drawer when a tag near the back caught his eye.
Riddle, Tom: 1946-1949
Harry pulled the folder out and opened it, revealing a small package of papers. Scanning, he found the first to be a simple employee information page, bolstering him to flip through page after page until he found one that began a long list.
Clients and Acquisitions
It was followed by pages of names, dates, cataloguing numbers, and prices. He frowned as he read through the dozens of items Riddle had bought or sold and the names of people Riddle had done business with. Nothing stood out or made sense given the cataloguing numbers gave him absolutely no information, and none of the names were ones he recognized until…
Hepzibah—
"Oi, what're you doin'? Who the hell are you?"
Harry spun around at the shout and stared at the shopkeeper in shock as his cloak slipped off.
"Potter!" Bellatrix cried.
Harry had enough presence of mind to snatch Riddle's file before ducking to avoid the witch's Blasting Curse. The filing cabinet exploded, bits of metal and papers flying around the room. As paper rained down on him, Harry snatched up his fallen cloak and flicked his wand into his hand.
"Expulso!" Harry shouted and both the shopkeeper and Bellatrix flew backwards into the shop, crashing into the counter. Harry ran out of the office and leaped over the counter while they were dazed, heading for the door. He paused briefly and looked back at Draco, meeting the wide grey eyes. His magic immediately tried to reach for Draco's Mark, not unlike how it reached for Snape's, and he saw the smallest tilt of the blonde head in response to something.
Harry felt the jagged magic of the Exsanguination Curse and waved his wand, shouting, "Protego!" but used his excess magic instead to divert the curse to a nearby shelf. Something on the shelf shattered and an ear-piercing scream filled the shop, making Harry cringe and Draco slap his hands over his ears. When Bellatrix howled, Harry dashed out of the shop and raced up the alley. Bellatrix's footsteps were running behind him and he subtly used his magic to help deflect the curses he felt and read being thrown at his back.
He was almost out of Knockturn Alley when he found himself crashing into the man that had chased after the twins. He tumbled to the ground and the man growled, raising a hand with long, sharp claw-like nails above his head. Harry scrambled backwards, snatching his cloak and Riddle's file from where they'd fallen. At the same time the man's hand came at him, a large cloud of thick black dust appeared, concealing the area, including them, making it painfully startling when claws sliced across his thigh.
He cried out and scrambled blindly to his feet. He was startled when a hand grasped his arm and he was pulled from the mist, bringing him face to face with the twins.
"Let's go," they said and they took off running towards the twins' shop. They hurried inside, George locking and warding the door behind them while Fred led Harry to sit at the bottom of the staircase. He did so heavily, hissing at the pain the jostling caused in his leg. His pant leg had three long horizontal slices, mirrored by the cuts in the skin below. Blood was seeping into his torn jeans and he grit his teeth as Fred moved his jeans to see the injury.
"They don't seem too deep," Fred told him.
"You know Snape's going to kill you," George said and Harry nodded.
"I know."
"Did you at least find anything to make it worth it?" George asked, handing some bandages to Fred who started taping them to Harry's leg in temporary treatment.
Harry held up the file. "Voldemort worked there. I don't know if that means anything, but I did see a name I recognized from when I touched my horcrux. I need to get back in there."
"Are you mad?" Fred protested.
"There could be more that helps," Harry argued.
"You're not going back there," George refused.
"I need all the information I can get. The name I recognized has to do with a horcrux," Harry told them. "There has to be more on the items Riddle bought for the shop. What if this is where he found his horcruxes?"
The twins glanced at each other unsure.
"We'll do it," Fred said and Harry frowned. "We'll get back in there and find what you need."
"We'll need to know what we're looking for though," George added.
Harry shook his head. "No, you can't. It's too dangerous. I won't let you."
"And you think we'll let you?" Fred countered.
"You might have some wicked luck and powerful magic, mate, but you don't get to jump in if we can help," George replied and Harry blinked. The words were curiously similar to Snape's about looking before jumping.
"Besides, you're back at Hogwarts in two weeks," Fred continued. "Can't do a whole lot of breaking and entering and burglary from there."
"Let us help," George said.
Harry stared at them, hesitant, before sighing and nodding, making the twins smile.
"Come on, let's get back to Number Twelve," Fred said, helping Harry to his feet.
"Mum's probably hysterical."
They moved through the Alley swiftly to the Leaky Cauldron where they Flooed back to Grimmauld Place. Upon his typical clumsy exit from the fire, Harry was confronted by a myriad of frantic voices, George's prediction about hysteria clearly having taken the entire house, before one stood out, making him groan.
"POTTER!"