The Servant

Harry's voice grew stronger. 'But I don't understand why Voldemort didn't use the spell himself all those years ago, when he was trying to get a new body.'

'The spell can only be performed on a living body fatally cursed with Dark magic. And there are drawbacks,' said Snape hoarsely.

Dumbledore threw him a look of reproach.

'Drawbacks?' asked Harry fearfully.

'Yes, Potter. The headmaster will never get a proper night's sleep again, Snape said tersely.

'What do you mean?'

'That's enough of that, Severus,' interrupted Dumbledore. 'I merely do not sleep as soundly as I used to.'

Snape snorted. 'Doubtless. One cannot sleep soundly if one cannot sleep peacefully.'

'You mean... nightmares, sir?' asked Harry hesitantly, thinking of his own nocturnal visions.

'Precisely, Harry,' answered Dumbledore swiftly, throwing Snape another warning glance.

Harry looked up at Snape. 'So the master you referred to was actually Professor Dumbledore?' he asked.

Snape nodded, and Harry was silent for a moment.

'I apologize for ... everything,' he trailed off.

Severus nodded brusquely

Harry was startled by Snape's unexpectedly neutral response and stared at him, wondering if a stray spell had left lingering effects on the sour Potions Master.

'We could not tell you any of this,' said Dumbledore, 'for we learned that Voldemort had placed additional protections on his Horcruxes. There was only one safe way to destroy them. It had to be brought forth in the spirit of enmity.'

'But how, sir?' exclaimed Harry.

'The magic that surrounded it was so Dark and powerful, it would taken deep hatred to reach it. Not merely a single wizard's hatred of Voldemort, but intense loathing between two enemies. Anything less than that would have triggered the wards, causing the destruction of everything in the vicinity. The only suitable people for the task were you and Severus. That was yet another reason why Severus had to appear guilty of my death. To create strong enough animosity between you both to get to the Horcruxes safely.'

Harry turned to Snape.

'When the hailstorm came up, I had strange visions,' Harry said quietly.

'That, Harry, was a part of the enchantments Voldemort concocted,' said Dumbledore. 'They were built to befuddle the mind when the wards protecting the Horcrux were about to collapse. They were meant to incite violence, even murder.'

Harry had the grace to look embarrassed, and asked Snape 'Then why weren't you affected?'

'I was,' Snape replied. 'It was the headmaster that prevented us from acting on the impulse.'

'That was really your voice that I heard?' Harry asked Dumbledore in amazement. 'How did you know what I was thinking?'

'Legilimency, Potter,' said Snape in a tired voice.

Harry was silent.

'Where have you been all this while?' Harry asked Dumbledore after he had absorbed all this information.

'I was there, invisible, at the site of each Horcrux. While the two of you cast soul-shattering spells, I cast the most powerful charms I could to dispel the soul fragments so that they could never be put together again. I don't know if you noticed my magic blending with yours and Severus' - a flash of golden light,' he said.

Harry's head was spinning with all the new information. 'I believe that's enough for today,' said Dumbledore, seeing this.

Harry nodded, and on impulse, hugged his tired-looking Headmaster. 'I'm glad you're back, Professor Dumbledore,' he whispered in the old man's ear. 'And thank you, Professor Snape,' he said, extending a hand to Snape, who hesitated before shaking it reluctantly.

'We will talk again tomorrow, Harry,' Dumbledore promised him as they Apparated home.