The Servant

Harry stood still as his eyes tried to adjust to the oppressive darkness. He made out the motionless figure of his former professor standing in front of him in the narrow tunnel. Beyond that was a shimmering wall. 'Astounding, Potter. You made it into the cave without anyone holding your hand. More courage than your father would have shown,' Snape jeered.

'Don't talk like that about my father, you coward!' Harry hissed angrily.

'I am no coward, Potter. Your father, however was one. Only he would consider fighting a man who was outnumbered to be fair game,' he mocked bitterly. Snape continued to taunt the boy, walking a tightrope as he tried to purge the feelings of shame and gratitude out of his system, without pushing the boy far enough to lose control.

'Enough!' growled Harry, seething after this continued for a long while. 'I didn't come here to make small talk. Just shut up and get it over with, Snape. Unlike the coward that you are, I am not afraid to take on your master.'

Snape glared at him and Harry glared right back. 'I hope you remember how to approach the Horcrux?' Snape enquired in a deadly tone.

'Who wouldn't, if they had had to do it three times with you?' returned Harry frostily. Snape ignored this.

'The Dark Lord has additional protections on his Horcrux familiar. Thus, our approach differs. We must cast simultaneously. That means, Potter, we carry out our tasks at the same time,' he said smoothly.

'I know what the word means!' said Harry indignantly.

'Exceeds expectations, Potter,' mocked Snape.

'I reiterate. You wait neither for me to finish casting potion or spell before casting yours!' he said. 'We must synchronize our efforts as this particular Horcrux is of a different... nature. Those quick Seeker reflexes should prevent you from lagging behind... or was your position secured by a scar instead of skill?' he said in derision.

Harry fumed, but refused to rise to the bait. 'Then what?' he asked tightly.

'After the final barrier is breached, you will distract the serpent by engaging it in...conversation,' he said in obvious distaste. 'I will kill it.'

Harry nodded warily. He approached the shimmering wall with his wand out.

He turned his head to see Snape just behind him with wand at the ready. He had a gleam in his eye that Harry did not quite like. He suspected that Snape had something up his sleeve. He started to move to the side, unwilling to have an enemy at his back.

Harry had merely a grunt as a warning before Snape hurled his first hex at the barrier, narrowly missing him.

Harry shouted angrily at the near miss but bit back further response. He wasted no time in countering it. Miraculously, his counter-spell landed mere seconds after Snape's did.

'Keep up, Potter!' yelled Snape.

'I would if you warned me before hexing, you arse!' Harry roared back.

'I did, you arrogant brat! Pay attention!' Snape bellowed as he sent another hex at the wall.

Harry's reflexes caught up with him and his counter-spell landed at the same time.

Curse after Dark curse sped at the shimmering barrier. The counter-spells shot out in perfect synchrony. The insults and vicious barbs that flew between the two little affected their concentration. Harry manfully ignored jibes about his father and godfather being bullies, while Snape paid no attention to comments about throwing stones from greasy glass houses. Although neither lost a step in casting, both quickly became riled.

Just as Harry thought he would lose control of his tightly-reined in anger, Snape rasped out, 'The potion!' as he cast a vial of viscous black potion at the centre of the wall. Harry instantly threw his vial of fluorescent silver fluid after it.

The vials shattered together and the shimmering barrier dimmed for an instant. Snape began incanting spells of Dark power even as Harry incanted Dark countercurses. The darkness lightened as a dazzling bolt of light struck the wall, shattering it. They paused, and for a moment, the cave was silent.