Chapter 15:

The Warning

As long as he lived, Harry was sure he would never forget that night in the forest. The prospect of detention was bad enough without meeting Filch. Harry had hoped the detention would be with Professor McGonagall.

Neville was almost white when he, Hermione and Harry put on their cloaks and left the Gryffindor common room.

Ron said he'd wait up for them. Harry could tell he was feeling terrible that he hadn't gotten in trouble with them. But since he'd been in the hospital wing at the time, he couldn't have helped it.

Neville was sniffling slightly as they walked to the entrance hall. At night, the castle took on a tone of eeriness; the torches casting flickering shadows on the walls.

Filch was waiting for them, along with Draco Malfoy, whom Harry was pleased to note looked just as nervous as he was. Filch got a lantern and then they were heading outside into the darkness.

Harry heard a sound and glanced over his shoulder just before the great doors shut. He caught sight of Snape's retreating figure. Harry shivered.

Hagrid was solemn when they arrived at his hut, fitting an arrow on a giant crossbow. Malfoy's whining about this being servant's work got no sympathy from either Filch or Hagrid.

As they entered the forbidden forest, everyone was silent. The forest almost had a way of making them feel like they shouldn't be there. And they shouldn't have, except as punishment.

Harry was prepared to meet anything, from the werewolves Draco Malfoy was worried about to the centaurs they did come across. When it was just Harry, Malfoy and Fang, Hagrid's boarhound, it was clear Malfoy was just as terrified as Harry, though he tired to hide it.

Then they saw the dead unicorn. The shimmering blood and the black-cloaked creature slithering towards it.

Malfoy's scream of terror and Harry was suddenly left alone. What Harry remembered most of all was the pain. The strong, agonizing pain that shot through his scar and almost paralyzed his whole body.

The horrible long seconds as the cloaked creature advanced. The rescue by the centaur.

But most of all, Harry pondered the figure who had made his scar throb. The creature who had been drinking the unicorn's blood. It had undoubtedly been Voldemort.

Ron was asleep in the common room when Harry, Hermione and Neville returned. Neville scurried off to bed. Harry and Hermione shook Ron awake.

"Huh? What?" Ron muttered.

"Ron! Ron! Wake up!" Harry said. "I saw him! I saw Voldemort!"

"What?!" Ron was instantly wide awake, his eyes as round as saucers. "You saw you-know-who? How? Where?"

Harry explained what he had seen and what Firenze the centaur had told him.

"If I'm right," Harry said, pacing the rug, "Voldemort is the one killing the unicorns. Voldemort's weak, but-"

"Stop saying his name," Ron gasped.

"But, if he gets strong again," Harry continued, "he could come back."

Ron swallowed. "You mean like it was before? When you-know-who was in power?"

Harry nodded. "That's exactly what I mean. And we've got to stop Snape."

"What's Snape have to do with this?" Hermione asked.

"Don't you see?" Harry cried. "We thought Snape was hoping to steal the Philosopher's Stone for himself. But he doesn't want it for himself."

"Who's he want it for?" Ron asked, but his face told he already knew.

"He wants the Stone for Voldemort," Harry replied, leaving a chill in the air.

Snape working for Voldemort…

It was a very frightening thought.

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As the end of term exams descended, so did the warm weather. It was difficult for anyone to concentrate. The castle, normally cool and drafty, turned to hot and stifling. Even down in the dungeons, the air was less chilly, though it remained just as damp.

Since Snape spent most of his time in either his office or dungeon classroom, the change didn't effect him so much.

But it did effect the students. They all seemed to be less talkative, more focused and by the pocketfuls of notes, it was obvious they were all studying hard for their exams.

Even Harry Potter. The boy worked feverishly on Potions, though Snape was sure Harry was also watching him closely.

Ever since he had served detention, Snape felt sure the boy looked at him differently. Almost with fear. When Snape caught his eye, Harry would colour and look away. Whenever Snape passed him in the hall or approached to exam the mixture in his cauldron, Harry immediately ceased talking, his face almost ashen.

What had induced this change, Snape did not know. What had happened in the forbidden forest was the business of Hagrid and those who had been there. Snape only knew it had to do with some abnormalities and he could even venture a guess the activities of the third floor corridor were involved.

How much Potter knew wasn't the point. It was his safety.

The exams came in a landslide and buried everyone for a while, from the smallest student to Snape and Quirrell. Snape had little opportunity to watch Harry, as he would have dozens of parchments and potion samples to grade. He had a headache even before the exams were over and the students had a free week.

The castle became blissfully quiet as most of the children took advantage of the warmth and camped out on the grounds, enjoying the sun.

Snape and the other teachers spent all their time grading parchments. It was a tedious job and usually made Snape grumpier than ever.

He couldn't concentrate. After trying to read the same sentence about the components of a Forgetfulness Potion for the sixth time, Snape rolled up the parchment and decided it was high time for a break. He shut his office door behind him.

Snape's mind was not on grading papers. He wanted to talk, but to whom or of what he wasn't certain.

He tried the headmaster's office only to find Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.

Maybe fresh air would help. Snape turned down another hall and ran into a trio of students whispering near the library.

It of course was Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Harry was speaking adamantly, the others listening closely.

"It has to be soon," Harry said.

"But how can we-" Weasley started.

Then Hermione saw Snape and gasped.

The two boys whirled around.

Snape met their gawking stares calmly. "Good afternoon."

Weasley and Granger turned red.

Snape folded his arms and slid his hands into the recesses of his robes.

"Now, I wonder why the three of you would be inside on a day like this," he said, testing their reactions.

Was that guilt or determination on their faces?

Snape's gaze went to Harry, who glared back at him from behind his glasses. Yes, that was determination. Snape's reaction was to feel worry.

"You ought to be more careful," he said, smoothly. "Hanging around like this, people might think you were up to something."

Harry flushed, but he didn't look away. Whatever this boy had just made up his mind to do, he was still going to do it.

Snape switched his tactics and went for a more threatening approach.

"If anything else happens, Gryffindor might find itself with no points at all. And your House can't afford to lose any more, can it?"

Weasley made a noise like a squeak and Granger shook her head, but the other boy stood his ground.

"No, sir." It was said with a resistant tone.

Snape took a step closer.

Harry didn't flinch.

Snape narrowed his eyes.

"I warn you, Potter- if I catch you wandering at night again or stepping even one toe out of line, I will make sure you are expelled from Hogwarts. Personally."

Whether the warning had its desired result or not, Snape didn't stick around to see. He strode off with a cloud of vexation over him and an uneasy feeling in his chest.

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