Unforgivable Promises

Unforgivable Promises

Aethen

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Chapter 11

Harry's life quickly entered a routine at Grimmauld Place. In his mind, he had split the day between Voldemort, school, and Snape. Mornings were dedicated to defeating Voldemort, and afternoons were spent in, as Ron had called it, Remedial Potions. Evenings were for Snape, though neither the Potions Master nor his friends knew that. They would have tagged their after-dinner studies for Voldemort; Harry's focus was much more narrow. Yes, there was a chance that if they could discover the secret of the Markings, Harry could use that to weaken Voldemort's power base. But that was never where the young wizard's attention was gathered.

So far, he had given little thought to actually fighting the Dark Lord. He knew it would happen eventually; the prophecy had guaranteed that. But he had no idea what his part would actually be. Was it something only he could do? Or was it simply that he would be in the right place at the right time to do what anyone else, in the same situation, could do? The prophecy had not exactly been specific.

-----

A week after his first potions session, Harry reflected that the tutoring was going much better than he had expected. He was even having a hard time remembering why the class had been such a problem for him in the past.

"I can't believe I couldn't get this right last year," Harry said. He was just bottling the remains of his hair growth potion. His previous attempt, one of the first potions of the term, had sent both Harry and Ron to the infirmary for an emergency dose of Binny Birtleberry's Back Hair Vanishing Cream. This try, though, had properly contained its effects to Harry's head and limited the growth to only a few inches. To Harry's dismay, longer locks proved just as unruly but slightly more distracting than his old style, so a quick charm had him looking like his old self.

"Well," Snape said. "I imagine it is easier to concentrate without Granger and Weasley here."

"I suppose," Harry said. "And it's nice not having Malfoy around distracting me either."

"Have a thing for blonds, do you?" Snape raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Not bloody likely," Harry said. A week ago, that would have had Harry blushing, but he was finally getting used to such questions. In truth, he enjoyed being able to talk about things like that without worrying about how someone would respond. He secretly suspected Snape enjoyed it as well but hid it behind the excuse of trying to embarrass Harry.

"Anyway, even if I did like blonds, he's not my type. If I wanted to date someone who took hours to dress and fix their hair, I could just go out with a girl." Harry put the bottle in a box holding a surprising number of successfully brewed potions. A frown creased his face when he turned around. "Professor, how much do Voldemort's recruits know about what he's like before they take the Mark?"

Snape looked up from his own work. "In what way? Clearly they all know what he wants to accomplish."

"I mean. . ." Harry's gaze swept the room aimlessly. "Well, I've read some of the historical stuff about what he did before I was born. Most of it talks about him using the Dark Arts and being responsible for a lot of deaths, but it's not very specific."

"You are speaking of the things you have seen and felt him do."

"Yeah, I guess. Do they know how much he enjoys torturing innocent people? Do they know the kinds of things they're going to have to do for him?"

"To some extent, yes. Some know more than others, depending on how they come to him in the first place."

Harry frowned and began cleaning up his work space.

"Draco knows." Harry detected an unmistakable tone of regret in Snape's voice. "He knows what he'll be asked to do. He knows what kind of horrors he will witness. His father raised a fine copy of himself, Harry. Draco knows what he's doing, and he wanted the Mark."

"I thought you didn't know he was going to be Marked."

"I did not know it would happen so soon. But I am a Legilemens, Harry. I can tell you today which students, Slytherin and otherwise, would accept the Mark if it were offered. And I know which students know truly what that means."

"How can they know and still want to be a part of that?"

"These children were raised in the Dark Lord's shadow, Harry. When I first knew him, he was a charismatic leader with ideas that could have changed all of the wizarding world, and not all of them in bad ways. But the true Dark Arts corrupt. He lost his ideals and dreamed only of gaining more power. By the time that was clear to the rest of us, we had already been Marked and our choices limited. And not a few of his closest supporters had also been corrupted by the same forces. He was once a political and social cause. He is now a religion. And a child raised in that fanaticism defines morality through their idol's words. It is not wrong if the Dark Lord says it is right."

"So there's no hope for any of them?"

"Hope for those who would gladly see you dead?"

Harry frowned at Snape's words. Even now, with all of Voldemort's forces seeking him, Harry could not help but pity most of them. A few he hated. Those he had met at the Ministry of Magic were easy to despise. But the rest? How many were tricked into service? How many were born to it and knew no better?

"I see no hope for them, Harry. Those of my generation, perhaps. Surely I am not the only one with doubts. But Draco was never given a chance. He was lost the day he was born."

"Have other students taken the Mark?" Harry had to know but dreaded the answer.

"I do not know. I was not informed of Draco's Marking, after all, " Snape said. "The identities of Death Eaters are protected for as long as is reasonable. If there has been no need for me to know, I will not have been told. I suspect, however, that Draco is the first. His father was and remains a valued advisor, and my opinion on Draco's loyalty is unnecessary. His Marking is likely a precursor to more students being inducted."

"They would do that without you?"

"Not if I remain in his favor, no. If other students are Marked without my knowledge, that is a better indication of mistrust." Snape turned an empty bottle over in his hands as his gaze lingered on the glass surface. "I have been called to the Dark Lord. He wishes to see me tomorrow night for an unusually long meeting." Harry blanched.

Snape saw Harry's face turn white and nearly smiled, amused. "There is little danger. If he has some proof that I am a traitor, he would not wait a day to see me dead. If he only suspects, then the task he has set for the new school year would reveal me, and in the mean time, he would use me to feed bad information to the Order. That he specifically informed me I would be with him for at least a day is also encouraging. He expects me to have a reasonable excuse to be away for that time. He would not care about such details were I to be dead in two days."

"Draco will be there, then, won't he?" Harry, despite his eroding morale, was gratified to see the look of surprise on Snape's face in light of his deduction. "You'll be going over which students to Mark."

Snape nodded. "That is my belief, yes. It is Albus's as well. Astute."

Harry smiled at the compliment. "Does that mean you'll know when they Mark them?"

"Perhaps. Why?"

"Well, I was talking to Hermione the other day," Harry said. He had not intended on taking this route, but the opportunity seemed promising. A part of him felt bad for misleading the man, but he assured himself that it was not really a lie. Plus, it was for Snape's own good. "I'd really rather not have to feel another Marking. 'Mione thinks that the pain I'm feeling comes from Voldemort, not his victims. Not directly, at least. She thinks he's empathic and he feels what they do, then I feel what he does."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "I had not considered that. It is possible. No sane person would choose to feel such pain, but the Dark Lord has not been sane for many years."

Harry nodded. "Anyway, Neville's parents were given a potion for–I guess it's mental pain or something. Pain that's not coming from the body. It was his father that got it, actually. But I don't know what it's called, and he can't exactly owl the hospital from here without the Order freaking out."

"I can find that out." Harry was a bit shocked that Snape had agreed so easily. "But if I do, and if I can procure it, you will only receive it after I have fully studied its effects. And you will only take it under my direct supervision."

Harry quickly agreed. He only wanted it for the Markings, and that was when Snape would be willing to administer it. And nothing he had said was a lie. He really did not want to experience another Marking.

-----

"Bad news, Harry," Neville said. They group had finished dinner and left the Order members planning some new operation. Harry had an idea what Neville was going to say, but let him finish. "Dumbledore wouldn't let me owl Gran. I don't know if I can find out what that potion is."

"I've been going through the library, but Neville thinks it was a brand new potion when they used it on his father," Hermione said. "All the books are way too old. Even if we found out the name, I doubt we'll be able to find out how to brew it."

Harry grinned. "I solved that problem before dinner. Snape's going to find out what it is. And he's going to either get it or make it."

Ron laughed. "How did you manage that one, Harry?"

"Well, there's probably going to be more Markings before school. More students." Harry's revelation brought the tone down a bit.

"I guess we had to expect that," Ginny said. The others nodded. "How many?"

Harry shrugged and explained the conversation he'd had with the Potions Master.

"Well, if Snape's doing our work for us, what's next?" Ron asked.

"I had an idea. But I don't think you guys are going to like it," Harry said. "So far, the only time I witnessed a Marking was when I accidentally got pulled into it. So there's no guarantee I'll just happen to be in Voldemort's mind for whoever's next. I need to be able to get in whenever I want."

Ron jumped from his chair. "Harry, no!"

"There's no choice, Ron. I'm not happy about it either. But there's no other way if this is going to work."

"So it doesn't have to work, then. It was a good idea, Harry, but we don't know if you'll be able to do anything even if you are there for a Marking. It's not worth it."

"Yes, it is. I'm doing this, Ron. I want your help. I want everyone's help. But I'll try on my own if I have to."

Ron fell back into his chair. "Merlin, Harry. At least wait until we're back at Hogwarts, then. I'm sure Dumbledore won't let any Death Eaters into the school. Hermione can find out more about what's going on if she can get into the school library. Right Hermione?"

"Ron's right," Hermione said. "There's a lot in the forbidden section I haven't seen. You can lend me your Invisibility Cloak and I'll do more research."

The group sat in silence for a while. Harry knew he had to explain himself, but he didn't trust his voice. Everyone knew he was getting along better with Snape, but none of them knew exactly why. It was a lot easier to let them all think they'd achieved a truce, but Harry was starting to think of the man as a friend. And he knew no one would understand that. But he also needed his friends' support. He could do it alone, yes, but he wanted to know his friends would be looking out for him, too. Finally, he whispered, "They're going to kill him."

Puzzled looks prompted him to say more. "If I live long enough to get into the school library, they'll kill Snape. I need to figure this out before the summer ends."

"Well, he. . ." Ron gazed down at the table.

"Don't say it, Ron," Harry warned.

Ron shook his head. "I wasn't going to. I don't like him, but I don't think he should die. Not if we can stop it, I guess. But if it comes down to him or you, Harry-"

"Don't say that either!" Harry was nearly shouting, and his friends looked shocked. He lowered his voice. "I'm sick of people saying things like that, Ron. I'm sick of buying time with other people's lives."

Ginny laid a hand on Harry's arm. "It's their decision, Harry. You've never asked anyone to protect you."

"I still have to live with their decisions, Ginny. I can't keep people from choosing. But I hate hearing it."

"What do you need us to do, Harry?" Neville asked.

With a quick smile to Neville for changing the subject, Harry said, "Well, I don't know if I'll be able to get back on my own, do I? I need you guys to wake me up if I get stuck in there. And to cover for me if someone finds out what's going on."

"What do we do if you won't wake up, Harry?" Hermione asked. "Look, I know you don't want to wait until we get back to school, but at least let us find out how to get you out of there."

Harry was not too concerned about that. "I always wake up eventually. And if he's not doing anything that hurts, I hope I'll be in enough control to pull away if I want to, or at least wake up if you guys are doing something. Give me five minutes. If I'm still in there, try to get me up. If that doesn't work, go find an adult and tell that I'm having another vision. Okay?"

Though no one seemed too keen on the idea, they all finally agreed.

"Alright, then." Harry sat down on the bed. "Here goes."

Harry focused on Voldemort, knowing it would take another surge of emotion to get him in. He thought about his parents and what Voldemort had done to them. Unbidden, his mother's voice came, pleading for her son's life. Sadness washed over him, then anger. Voldemort had taken everything from him, and he still was not satisfied. He was trying to kill Harry. His Death Eaters had just tried to kidnap his friends. They'd kill them all if they could. Harry considered everything the Dark Lord planned, and his anger grew. He was Marking students and he was going to kill Snape. Soon, Harry's anger blossomed into hatred. Harry felt himself sliding away, and found himself staring out of a familiar pair of eyes.

Wormtail stood across a long dark table. A wide piece of parchment was spread out before him. Off to the side, the rustle of robes and a closing door marked someone's exit.

"She will not be leading the attack, my Lord?" Pettigrew bowed his head as he spoke.

"Bellatrix has grown unstable. We will use what she knows, but she cannot be trusted to control herself if my Death Eaters meet resistance. We lost far too much in the Department of Mysteries last time because the fools wanted more to fight than to succeed. Tonight I want only the crystal ball. That will tell us where the Order is hiding, and then we will have our revenge on them, and the boy."

Wormtail bowed his head lower. "And if it has been moved, my Lord? Your Death Eaters will want to know how to proceed."

"Tell them to return immediately if the orb is not there. They will leave no trace of their entry. Not a paper disturbed or I shall be most displeased."

"And then, my Lord?"

A guttural growl.

"Please forgive me, my Lord. But we know the crystal ball was in the museum archives two days ago. If it is no longer there, then one of the Death Eaters sent must be the spy."

"A spy. Do not be stupid enough to think there is only one spy among my followers. If they fail tonight, they will all die. I will take no chances."

"May I-"

"Yes. If necessary, you may kill them."

"Thank you, Lord Voldemort." Pettigrew bowed low. "If that is all, my Lord, I shall instruct your Death Eaters that they leave at midnight."

Within Voldemort's mind, Harry frantically wished himself awake. He could get in, it seemed. But now that he was here, he realized he had no idea how to escape. He did not even know how much time had passed. Were his friends still waiting, or were they trying to get him back? He focused on his own body and concentrated on returning there as hard as he could. Nothing. Now the panic set in. He knew he would return to himself eventually, but he needed to talk to Dumbledore now.

A shockwave hit him. The force of a blow took his breath away. Suddenly he was engulfed in painful heat. Now he was cold, shivering. When he opened his eyes, his teeth were chattering. Snape stood above him, holding a bucket. Hermione and Lupin stood behind the Potions Master, both looking concerned and relieved at the same time. Harry realized he was soaked.

"What happened Harry!" Ginny rushed to his side. "You were just sitting there, then you passed out."

Reoriented, Harry caught on. Sneaky girl, that one. "I don't know. I guess I had another vision." Snape's eyes narrowed, and Remus turned white.

"How bad was it this time, Harry?" Remus asked. "You weren't thrashing around like last time."

"No, it was okay," Harry replied to everyone's relief. He suddenly remembered why he had needed to wake up so urgently. "I need to talk to Dumbledore–now. I saw something. A plan for tonight." Harry jumped out of bed, still dripping.

"Albus is not here," Snape said. "Nor can we contact him safely."

"Then. . ." Harry's mind raced. "Shacklebolt! Or Mr. Weasley! They're going to steal something from a museum somewhere. A crystal ball from a museum's archives."

"There are a lot of crystal balls, Harry." Snape laid a hand on Harry's shoulder and the boy calmed down little. "Do you know what powers it has?"

"It's supposed to show him where we're hiding."

From behind Snape, Harry heard a muffled gasp. Snape turned around. "You squeaked, Miss Granger?"

"I know what they're looking for. Is there anyone in the Order who works at the Royal Museum of Wizard History? Or someone high enough in the Ministry to get inside?"

"First enlighten us on what you think the Dark Lord wants."

"Well, as Harry and Ron know, I've been to every museum in London."

"That is hardly a surprise, Miss Granger. But you are wasting time." Snape's annoyance filled the room.

"Sorry sir. But I saw a crystal ball in the Royal Museum. It was a replica, though, and the card in the case said that the real one was in a vault in the Museum's archives. They said it was made by the High Priestess of Avalon before Uther Pendragon was born, and she foresaw Arthur's coming in it. The crystal is hollow, and it's filled with water from the Scrying Pool on Avalon. Legend says it can see through any magical protection."

"I'll get ahold of Tonks and have her get to the Museum with a team of Aurors," Lupin said.

"Wait!" Harry said. "Don't send Aurors."

Snape looked like he was planning on saying something exceptionally condescending, then stopped himself. "What did you have in mind?"

"Voldemort knows there's a spy. Well, he thinks there's a few, but it sounds like they know there's definitely one. Can we get someone to hide the crystal ball? They won't look too hard for it if it's not in the vault. They're not allowed to, actually. Voldemort said so."

"He'll kill them, Harry. Are you willing to send them to that fate rather than arrest and Azkaban?" Remus asked.

"They won't let themselves be arrested, will they?" Harry turned to Snape, who shook his head.

"Not likely, no. The Dark Lord expects his followers to choose death over capture. They will fight to their last breath."

"So this way, the Aurors aren't in danger." Harry said softly.

Remus nodded, then said, "We'll get this information to someone, Harry. Don't worry." He turned to leave and Snape followed him out. The door was still unlatched, and it opened a tiny bit after the Potions Master pulled it closed. The gap was just enough to allow the students still inside to overhear Snape call for Remus.

"Lupin, if you ever say anything like that to the boy again, I will personally drive a silver dagger through your heart."

"What in the world are you-"

"Potter is not sending them to any fate! They made a choice to follow, and the Dark Lord made a choice to kill them if they do not succeed. I assure you the possibility of death follows any failure on the part of a Death Eater. Harry has nothing to do with that. How dare you couch his advice in those terms?"

"That's not what I meant, Severus, and you know it! I was making sure Harry knew what would happen so he didn't feel guilty after it happened."

"He already feels guilty. And you were not telling him anything he did not already know. There are, at best, a handful of wizards in the Order who understand the Dark Lord as well as Harry has been forced to. You are not one of them. You cannot protect him from what he knows, and your attempts at such are only going to hurt him more."

The sound of a door closing marked the end of the conversation, and the group in Harry's room remained silent as they listened to Remus's footsteps disappear down the stairs.

"Well," Ron said into the silence. "I never thought I'd hear that." Neville began to laugh nervously, and was soon joined by the others.

-----

Several hours later, Remus returned to Harry's room. His friends were still there as they all waited anxiously to hear about the museum.

"It looks like everything went fine," Remus said. "Shacklebolt got in touch with the Chief Curator who agreed to hand the ball over to the Order for safe keeping. Dumbledore is going to study it and see if we can use it. But it's safe for now."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. "Way to go, Harry," Ron said. Harry responded with a weak smile.

"And Harry," Remus said. "What I said before. . ."

"It's okay, Remus. I know you didn't mean it like that. It's not my fault they joined him, and it's not my fault he's crazy. Snape was probably just mad and decided to take it out on you."

"Yeah, we know a lot about that, don't we?" Ron added. Neville chuckled and Hermione rolled his eyes.

"Maybe," Remus said. "Or he's just being protective of you. It's easier to let him yell at me when I think he's looking out for you, so I'll go with that." Remus gave Harry a wink and headed into the hall.

"You should all get to bed," Remus said as he strode off. "There's no easier way to be yelled at by Molly, and I don't want her thinking I let you kids stay up too late."