The Missing Day

Entering the Headmistress' office two weeks after Dumbledore's death, Harry was pleased to see that McGonagall had kept most of the former occupant's belongings. His eyes scanned the room, passing over the Pensive and Fawkes' now-empty cage, until they reached the south wall. The faces of countless of countless former headmasters stared back at him, some smiling, some scowling ("How did you get in here--back in my day we'd expel disobedient students like you" growled the aged portrait of Phineas). Slowly, Harry raised his head to the once-empty portion of wall, his stare frozen in a mixture of joy and despair as Dumbledore smiled back.

For several minutes, Harry stood transfixed--having imagined this moment for the entire fortnight he had just spent at the Dursley's, it was Dumbledore's soft voice that brought his mind back into reality:

"Hello, Harry," he spoke, his voice slow and calm, but his gaze spoke volumes. Harry had never seen Dumbledore's eyes quite so sullen, conveying at once a look of regret that Harry had not thought possible from his seemingly infallible friend. "I do not envy you the past two weeks. The other portraits have filled me in on recent events; my funeral, the sudden rise in attacks by the Death Eaters, the disappearance of Snape."

At the sound of that last word, Harry's mouth opened wordlessly; despite the torrent of questions that streamed from his brain, each seemingly more important than the next, all he was able to say is: "Why?"

"I trust that you have many questions, and I promise to answer them all." Dumbledore's voice quivered as he spoke. "I may have been misguided in my trust of Snape, but my greatest regret is my failure to have been fully open with you, even in what I knew to be my final days."

As he spoke, his eyes fixed on an old cabinet above the Pensive: "It is time that I share with you my most guarded secret." Harry walked over to aged cabinet and opened its doors to reveal countless odd devices and artifacts.

"Look behind that gold compass," Dumbledore directed. Harry pulled out a glass phial, immediately recognizing it as the type Dumbledore stored the silvery thoughts of many people. As Harry brought the phial to the Pensive, the portraits voice started up again.

"You will recognize the place as the Hog's Head. It was deserted that morning, for the news had not yet spread that Voldemort has vanished after attempting to kill you. Let us talk more after you have seen my memories from that day."

Slowly, Harry brought the phial to the Pensive, and mirroring the Headmaster's actions from their lessons many months ago, he emptied the contents into the swirling abyss. Waving his wand above it, he felt the familiar sensation of falling.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim morning light of the old bar, Harry saw a slightly younger Dumbledore whispering to the owner.

"Thank you, Aberforth, but I must ask you to busy yourself in the backroom now, for I hear him approaching." At that moment, the doors squeaked and a robed figure entered. Even before the stranger fully removed his hood, Harry recognized him at once.

"Good morning, Serverus. I admit I was quite shocked when I received your owl, I would have expected you to be on the run, like the rest of your Death Eater cohorts. Voldemort clearly took the contents of the prophecy to heart, he barely waited a day after you disclosed it to him before attacking the Potters."

Flinching at the sound of Voldemort's name, Snape waited several moments before responding, clearly taking in every word of the accusation.

"I return to you at your mercy, Albus. I did not foresee the Dark Lord's swift response to the... gossip I passed along. Is it true that the Potters are dead?" Snape spoke humbly, but Harry recognized in his voice the same arrogance that became all too familiar in later years.

"No, their son, Harry, survived." If Snape was disappointed in this news, Harry could not read it from his stoic expression. "I daresay your Master underestimated the boy."

"My Master went too far. As I told you when I applied for the job at Hogwarts, I no longer see him as the savior of our kind. I recognize his eloquence as arrogance, his ambition as blindness and his actions as... evil. I admit to having fallen for his ideal of a pure Wizarding race, for the inferiority of the half-bloods.

"Indeed, he was never aware that I, his most trusted, am a half-blood myself. He has gone to far--too attack a one year-old boy is abhorrent. It is with the uniqueness of hindsight that I realize how wrong I was to support him."

Dumbledore stared at him--Harry could not tell if he was attempting occlumency of simply choosing his next words wisely.

"Severus, you would not be the first to be blinded by the temptations of power. However, I would be amiss not to point out that your epiphany seems... well timed. As we speak, Death Eaters are being pursued and arrested. Voldemort is gone, defeated by the boy prophesized to undo him." Dumbledore's cold gaze continued, appearing to bore through Snape's slimy exterior.

"Ah, but there you are mistaken, Albus, for Voldemort has left behind a Horcrux. Where it is I do not know, but I can assure you that this is not the last we have seen of the Dark Lord and his followers. I, however, do not wish to be among his misguided followers when he returns."

At the mention of a Horcrux, Dumbledore's gaze faltered: "A Horcrux... maybe today is not quite worthy of celebration. I was not aware the knowledge of such Dark magic persisted to this day. How can you be certain?"

"As his most trusted, I was privy to many of the Dark Lords secrets. I regret that he did not tell me more." He stared back at Dumbledore, appearing slightly anxious.

"I... , I could..." Snape's voice falter for a moment, but then immediately continued: "I could help you locate the Horcrux--I pledge myself to your service. I will be at your side when we destroy the last vestiges of the Dark Lord"

Harry had the sudden urge to shout at Dumbledore--how could he possible listen to this sycophant, this murderer? How could he not just pull out his wand and bring him to the aurors?

"I have no doubt that your assistance in finding the Horcrux will be invaluable, Severus, but my more immediate concern is for the boy. I have made provisions to keep him safe for now, but whenever Harry enters the Wizarding world, he will be in danger. It is because of you that his life will continuously be at risk as long as Voldemort's soul remains. "

"Yes, he will be the first target of the Dark Lord. However, I can keep him safe, I will watch over him for you. Give me the job I applied for at Hogwarts and I will keep him safe for the seven years he spends in school. Who better for Harry Potter to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts from than me?" Snape eyed Dumbledore, clearly probing the effectiveness of his speech. After nearly a minute of silence, Snape continued in a firm voice: "I vow to keep Harry Potter safe, I will make an Unbreakable Vow!"

As Snape completed this last sentence, Harry doubled-back in shock. Surely, Dumbledore couldn't let this man protect him--the man whose unforgivable actions lead to the death of his parents. And yet, even as he thought this, he knew Dumbledore's answer. Suddenly, everything made sense!

Harry's head spun as he watch Dumbledore summon Aberforth into the room, fighting the urge to gag as Snape took hold of Dumbledore's hand and Aberforth completed the charm--a snake of light emerged from his wand and encircled the intertwined hands.

Slowly, the implications of this vow set in--Snape could not harm Harry, nor could Harry be harmed in his presence. A deluge of images flooded his mind--of Snape casting a couterjinx to Quirrell's attempts at broom sabotage, of Snape shielding Harry from an attack by the werewolf Lupin, and finally Snape protecting Harry from the Death Eater's outside of Hagrid's hut just three weeks ago.

As the light from the wand diminished and the scene around him faded, Harry's eyes adjusted to the brightness of Dumbledore's office. His eye's met Dumbledore's and for the first time in six years, he knew that no more explanation was necessary.