Harry Potter and the Dangerous Choice

Chapter 19

The Traitor

Harry burst into the Great Hall. The enchanted ceiling reflected the black storm clouds and pounding rain of the early summer sky. He was still carrying the child, who was now asleep on his shoulder. Harry limped slightly as he walked up between the house tables toward the head table. The entire room became quiet. He heard Ron gasp, "Harry!" Hermione and Ginny hurried forward toward him, but he was looking past them. He was looking only at Snape. When Hermione reached him, he paused and laid the sleeping child in her arms.

A shriek came from across the Gryffindor table. "My sister!" a girl's voice screamed. "That's my baby sister! She's bleeding!" Harry saw Natalie MacDonald trying desperately to reach the place where Hermione stood. Harry knew the blood was his and Neville's. The child was unhurt. Hermione looked dumbstruck.

Lightening crackled across the ceiling of the Great Hall, branching out in white-hot fiery fingers with the rumble of thunder in the background. Harry was filled with rekindled rage as he looked upon Snape. Ginny, as though sensing the danger, took hold of Hermione's arm and pulled her out of the Harry's path. Harry turned his attention back to the head table. Only three seats were taken there; Professor Sprout, Madam Hooch and Severus Snape. Harry raised his wand and continued forward, teeth clenched. "Snape!" he shouted as rage filled him up.

The potions master rose from his chair, narrowing his black eyes at Harry and slowly withdrew his own wand. "Potter, I recommend that you take a seat, or go to the hospital wing, before your abnormally large ego makes you say or do something that you will regret." There was no twinge of fear in Snape's voice but a suppressed hatred. The Slytherins, who normally laughed at any slur on the Gryffindors by their head of house, were all silent, and watchful.

"I just escaped from your master and his band of cowards. I hope I ruined their fun," Harry said, moving forward. "The most interesting thing about my stay at St. Mungo's was hearing your voice there." The lightening crackled again. Harry had not broken eye contact and now stood in the open space between the house tables and the head table. The rain beat hard against the windows, but all else was silent. In a soft voice that was barely controlled, Harry hissed, "Now it's you and me." A rumbling of voices like muffled thunder rose and died behind him.

"Potter, I was prepared to give you a chance to take your seat. It seems that I will have to give you a week's detention and take fifty points....."

Harry shouted over him, "Snape, I'm calling you out!"

Snape stepped slowly around the teacher's table, eyeing Harry. "Potter, you are not wizard enough to take me on." Harry ignored him, assumed the dueling position, and waited. Snape crossed his arms and tossed his greasy black hair off his face. His manner was careless, but Harry sensed he was nervous. "You are just like your father and his miserable friends. You don't know nearly as much as you think you do, Potter."

"I know a traitor when I see one," said Harry slowly and with fury in his voice.

Harry vaguely heard Professor Sprout gasp. Out near the Gryffindor table Ron was insistently telling the students to get back out of the way. Through scrapings and stumbling, Harry could tell they had moved toward the back of the room.

Snape made a show of dismissively turning his back on Harry but spun quickly crying, "Expelliarmus!" Harry was more than ready and blocked the spell, countering with a stunner that barely missed as Snape dove to his left. Harry could hear Professor Sprout and Madam Hooch screaming. He was not listening to them. Blood was pounding in his ears.

Snape shouted, "Stupefy!"

Harry yelled, "Protego," blocking the spell.

Snape's lip curled menacingly, "Potter, give up now before ..."

Harry shoved a table out of his way and shot a stinging hex at Snape who yelped as it struck his arm. Harry had no intention to listen to the empty threats of this man that he hated so very much. Snape muttered something before Harry could strike again. Madam Hooch was shouting for Snape and Harry to put down their wands, but was hit by Snape's stunning spell as Harry dived out of the way. She slumped to the floor behind him. The plump form of Professor Sprout was running from the room calling for Dumbledore. Harry shouted "Impedimenta" as a blast of red light shot past, he arched out of the way and the spell hit a suit of armor against the far wall.

Pain and exhaustion were causing Harry's wand arm to shake and his movements to be less than agile. His anger had left him feeling fairly clear headed, and that was something. He focused completely on Snape. He was a double agent, who had betrayed the Order, and who had delivered him and Neville up to be killed. Harry was going to pay Snape back for everything that had ever passed between them. Sweat beaded his face as he shouted, "Stupefy," again. Snape blocked the curse as he ducked under a table out of the way. Harry charged forward. If he could just stun Snape then he could get close, look him in the eye and make sure the last thing Snape saw was his face.

Harry tried to dodge the curse that Snape shot back at him, but it hit him square in the chest and he fell backwards, slamming his head against a bench. He could vaguely hear the shouts and screams of students and teachers as he pulled himself back to his feet. His head was pounding. He had a brief but clear image of Ginny and Ron with their wands out. He used a blasting curse next, which knocked Snape off his feet, and sent several tables flying. As he sprang forward, Snape scrambled to a standing position, no longer looking smug, but rather worried.

"Consistostitum!" yelled Harry, using a spell that Mac had showed him to hold an opponent immobile. Snape froze for a moment and Harry scrambled over a fallen table toward him, but before Harry could curse him again, Snape stumbled backward with a deadly scowl on his face.

Snape missed entirely with his next spell, probably owing to being partially immobilized. Harry aimed another stinging hex at Snape's wand arm. The potions master snarled as he backed toward the doorway, rubbing a spot on his forearm and then he threw his next curse. Harry cried, "Impedimenta," and whatever the curse had been caused a large smoking burn mark on the stone floor at Harry's feet. Harry aimed to stun Snape again.

Snape flung himself to the side and then cried, "Crucio!" Harry fell to the floor at once in excruciating and burning pain. For the second time that day, Harry writhed on the floor, unable to escape.

There was more screaming from the students around the Great Hall. More chairs were overturned as people flattened themselves against the walls. The pain suddenly ceased and Harry pulled himself doggedly to his hands and knees. The ceiling overhead crackled with another bolt of lightening. He could see Snape trying to reach the door. With great effort, he raised his wand and yelled, "Expelliarmus," and this time Snape's wand flew from his hand. Harry scrambled forward, fighting soreness and exhaustion, toward the wand of his enemy. Snape spun around and dove to reach it too, but Harry was faster and kicked it out of the way. Snape groaned as he saw his wand go skidding across the floor.

Harry leapt forward as Snape spun on to his back. Before he could sit up, Harry grabbed the neck of Snape's robes and pushed him back to the ground. He had his knee on Snape's chest and a hold on his collar with a strong desire to strangle the traitor with his bare hands. He wasn't about to let the potions master go out in one simple flash of green light. He wanted him to suffer for his treachery. Harry raised his wand and cried, "Diffin...."

"STOP!!!" came a booming voice from the door to the entrance hall. Harry found he could not move his wand for a moment. It was as if it were frozen in space. When his hand was released, he saw Dumbledore striding up to them between the house tables, with a look of fury on his face.

Snape was now struggling to pry off Harry's hand, but he clung on as hard as he could. Snape was not going to escape the justice that he deserved. Dumbledore looked at Harry and then at the potions master. "Kindly release Professor Snape, Harry." Finishing off the traitor was all Harry wanted, nothing more. He didn't care how many witnesses there were, and he was willing to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban for doing it. "Harry," the old wizard's voice said more softly in his ear, "you must release him."

"Do you know what he's done?" screamed Harry into the silence.

"Harry, stand down, now. I will take over," Dumbledore's voice reverberated insistently in his head.

Harry looked up at the head master who was standing next to him, putting just a bit of pressure on his shoulder. Dumbledore was going to pull him off Snape. His head was pounding and he felt very tired but he couldn't let Snape go, not now. What if he let go and Dumbledore would not believe that Snape was on the side of the death eaters? He didn't want to, but somehow he relaxed his grip and Snape twisted out of his reach.

As soon as Snape was free, he grabbed up his wand, clambered to his feet, and made to leave the room. "Severus, not so fast," said Dumbledore. "You will please come along to my office, now." Snape did not turn but continued toward the door. Dumbledore drew his own wand from inside his robes and flicked it in Snape's direction and he slumped to the floor in a heap. The students' shocked silence lasted a long moment. No one moved. Then a rush of whispers began.

The events of the day seemed to crash down on Harry in this one moment, he tried to stand but his legs buckled from exhaustion, and he dropped to his knees on the cold stone floor. Dumbledore was giving orders, which Harry could only vaguely comprehend. He noticed his leg was bleeding and tried to remember how it had happened. A fog seemed to cloud Harry's head with anger and confusion vying for control. He was sick at having killed earlier, yet he was more sickened by what the death eaters had been willing to do to innocent people, what a Hogwarts teacher was willing to do.

Dumbledore swept his wand around the room and tables, benches and chairs righted themselves and returned to their normal positions. "All students take your seats at your house tables," he ordered. There were murmurs and shuffling as the students complied. "Ms. Granger, please go to Madam Hooch and use the Ennervation spell on her, then help her to the hospital wing. Ms. MacDonald, you should take that child along to Madam Pomfrey as well. Mr. Weasley, if you would levitate Professor Snape up to my office. Don't worry; he will not wake for a while. Mr. Longbottom, you look injured. Can you manage coming with us, or do you need to go to the hospital wing directly?"

"I'm all right," said Neville in a shaky voice.

"Let me help you Neville," it was Ginny's voice.

Dumbledore helped Harry to his feet. "Sir," he began, "the Weasley twins and Remus..."

"They are fine," said Dumbledore succinctly, steering him firmly toward the door.

The stunned students were all resuming their seats and the path was now clear to the entrance hall. Once they were all in the corridor, Ginny left Neville and supported Harry as Dumbledore turned back into the Great Hall. He raised his wand and said clearly, "Obliviate!" A second later, the hall was transformed. It was as though nothing unusual had just taken place. The normal din of dinnertime, with people talking and serving themselves from platters of food replaced the shocked looks of moments before. It was as though the whole thing had been a dream. Dumbledore turned to Harry who was looking at him open-mouthed. "They will not remember any of this," he said as he steered the group toward the stairs.

"I..." began Harry.

"Not here," said Dumbledore firmly. He took hold of Harry's arm and they made their way to his office. Ginny was walking next to Neville, and keeping his bleeding hand elevated. She looked back at Harry once or twice with concern in her eyes. Harry tried to give her a reassuring nod, but he wasn't sure anything about his present condition conveyed that everything was, or would be fine. He vaguely wondered what was going to happen next. He had done two murders and then he had attacked a teacher in front of the entire school. How would Dumbledore sort this out?

The stone griffin leapt aside when Dumbledore spoke the password, "Canary Creams," and they rode the stairway in silence. Ron stepped off at the top and accidentally banged Snape's head into the door of the office before Dumbledore waved it open. Once inside, Ron lowered the body of Professor Snape to the floor and stood beside him. Dumbledore motioned for Harry and Neville to sit down. Harry who was feeling decidedly dizzy was happy to do so. Dumbledore took a seat behind his desk and to Harry's surprise, turned to Neville and asked him what had happened, asking him to begin with last thing he remembered before he was kidnapped.

Neville flushed a bit red but began to explain, haltingly, how he had gone to Professor Snape's classroom for detention the previous evening and then remembered nothing until he woke up in the dungeon room of St. Mungos. "One of the death eaters beat me, and then I passed out. The next time I woke up, Harry was there," Neville paused, but Dumbledore signaled for him to continue. "Once Harry came round, he got us out of there. It helped that one of those death eaters... the one with the silver hand... was dead clumsy and spilled our wands on the floor, but if it wasn't for Harry, I'd be dead, sir. And, sir, he had to kill those two death eaters, because it was them or us, and I wasn't fast enough..." Harry heard Ginny move behind him. Then he felt her hand squeeze his shoulder. Could she still like him when he had killed?

Neville was rushing through the explanation, missing many points and mixing up the order of events so that Harry was not sure Dumbledore would follow the story, but he was too exhausted and angry to care. He glanced over his shoulder at Ron, who looked anxiously back and then down at the black, motionless form of Snape. Harry turned back toward the head master and tried to pick up the thread of what Neville was saying.

"...then he found that little girl and he wouldn't leave her behind... her parents dead on the floor there and all...I mean... what kind of people would do a thing like that? When we got past the guards it turned out we were in St. Mungos. Then we ran and Harry got us on this bus thing and then..."

Harry lapsed into thought as Neville talked on. Neville understood little of what had really happened or what it meant. Hearing his version of the killing of Bellatrix and Rabaston made it seem as though it had been someone else, other than he who had done it. Harry felt frustration and soul wearying pain vying for control in his head. When would he be ready to take on Voldemort and end this endless flight from one danger to another? Why had he been destined to kill people that he didn't even know? Why were there people who hated him for merely existing? How had he inherited this despicable fate?

Neville finally came to their arrival in the hallway at Hogwarts. Harry watched Dumbledore's face as Neville finished the story. He made no sign of any kind. Then as an after thought, Neville said, "Sir, we heard Professor Snape down in that dungeon and he was talking about bringing us there. That's why Harry went after him. I think Professor Snape was the one who knocked me out." Neville looked as though he had spoken terrible treason and hung his head.

"Neville," said Dumbledore quietly and calmly, "thank you for explaining this to me. It was very helpful. Why don't you allow Ron to take you off to Madam Pomfrey? I think your hand needs some attention." Neville's handkerchief that was wrapped around the gash on his hand was soaked with blood. Harry glanced again at Ron who looked almost as white as Neville, then at Neville who looked grateful to escape. Ron escorted him from the room and it was silent again.

Dumbledore sighed deeply, "Harry, I can guess much from what Neville said, and didn't say. I'll only ask that you fill in a few gaps."

Although Harry knew he must answer these questions, his rage and his guilt at what he had done this day were overpowering, so although he opened his mouth, he was unable to form a sentence worthy of giving voice. He ended up nodding and waiting.

"Tell me what happened with Professor Trelawney."

Harry recounted what the divination teacher had said before she died. "...so, he still doesn't know the entire prophecy," Harry concluded.

"And Professor Snape?"

Harry was able to describe that particular conversation from memory, for it was burned into his brain. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow slightly when Harry reported the part where Snape suggested to Malfoy that he kill Aberforth for retribution. Then he finished by telling how Snape had employed Draco Malfoy to help with the kidnappings.

"This is why you were dueling with him." It was a statement and not a question. Dumbledore rose and strode over to the unconscious Snape. He rolled Snape over onto his back, picked up his limp arm and examined the back of his hand. Then he let the arm fall to the floor and looked at Snape thoughtfully, "So, Severus, you chose betrayal."

The head master walked back to the desk and stood looking down at Harry. "You had to kill two death eaters to escape?" asked Dumbledore.

"Bellatrix Lestrange and someone named Rabastan. I didn't think I had any options if we were going to get away," said Harry listlessly. "Will you be reporting what I did to the Ministry?"

"Hardly!" said Dumbledore. "You did an amazing thing Harry, to escape as you did and save Neville and the child in the process. I'm sure you know you could have apparated at any time?"

Harry looked up at Dumbledore, narrowing his eyes, and said with stubborn determination, "no sir, I couldn't have."

"No," Dumbledore sighed, "I don't imagine you could." Ginny was standing in stunned silence at Harry's side, her hand squeezing his shoulder so tightly now that it hurt. "Ms. Weasley, please go to the owlry and send a note to your brothers, Fred and George. Tell them that Harry and Neville have arrived safely. They are waiting for word."

Harry looked up at her. She looked shaken, but she looked firmly up at Dumbledore. "I'll send them an owl, but Harry needs to rest, sir." She waited for him to nod his agreement and then she left the office.

The head master rested a gnarled hand on Harry's arm. "Harry, as Ms. Weasley suggests you need to go to the hospital wing and to get some rest. I'd like you to spend the night under Madam Pomfrey's care. We can discuss all of this at length later."

"Mostly, I'm just tired, sir," Harry said stoically. "Pettigrew...he was there at St. Mungos. He was the one who spilled our wands. He did it on purpose to give us a chance to escape."

"I guessed as much from Neville's version of events," said Dumbledore. "He had a debt to repay to you, as I have explained to you before."

"He told me that we are even now," said Harry. "What are you going to do with Snape," he asked, feeling the need to tie up the loose ends before being sent away. "Draco Malfoy...he was involved too. And Mac...is he all right? Snape said he stunned Mac and did a memory charm on him..."

"Harry, Harry, this can wait until you are recovered. Your head is bleeding."

Harry would not be put off. He wanted some answers; he deserved them. "Snape, and Malfoy, and Mac..." Harry repeated.

"I cannot answer the first two questions yet, Harry as I need to gather some more information. Conner is, however, recovering," Dumbledore said resignedly. "Interestingly, Theodore Nott, of Slytherin came to me just prior to the attack on Hogsmeade and warned me that something was going on. He was quite worried about you. He said he owed you for saving his life."

"Theodore is my friend," Harry said. Dumbledore stared over his spectacles at Harry, but Harry did not elaborate. Then his brain clicked, "What attack on Hogsmeade?"

"I can see there will be no rest for you until you are more fully informed. Very well then," Dumbledore said. "Just after you had left the castle this morning I was informed that Sibyll Trelawney had gone missing. I would have stopped you from going to the village at that point, had I known this earlier. Sibyll's disappearance was much too similar to Percy Weasley's escape from his locked room. I now realized that there was a person within the castle who was the perpetrator."

"Mr. Nott came to my office with his warning and I contacted Aberforth. He immediately launched a discreet search and I myself set off for Hogsmeade, although Voldemort had already taken you. I was waylaid by your friends who were very upset, saying you had gone missing. Apparently, they had searched for you themselves. Miss Weasley was quite insistent that I come strait away. By then the attack on Hogsmeade had started and the dragons were running amuck. I decided to call in the Order to search the village for you."

Harry struggled to form another question; his brain seemed to be operating in slow motion. "Voldemort was called away just as he was going to kill us...something about an attack," Harry said. "Why were the dragons loose?"

"Voldemort's followers had a spell to befuddle the dragons, but it did not succeed as they had hoped. Dragons are not easily overcome, being too powerfully magical. When the spell failed to work, Voldemort apparated into the village to call off his death eaters. His arrival caused a panic. I can only assume he still believed he had you locked up in St. Mungos and wanted to get back there because he and his death eaters disapparated as soon as they could. Still many innocent by-standers were wounded and several residents of the village were killed. Luckily, no Hogwarts students were seriously hurt. The report is here in the Daily Prophet." Dumbledore handed a copy of the paper to Harry. "The Ministry is trying to clear up things in Hogsmeade right now."

Harry could not focus on the newspaper in his hand and he laid it back on the desk.

"There are few people who know that you were kidnapped, Harry. I asked your friends to keep it quiet and Mr. Nott will not tell, nor will the members of the Order. I do not want to draw any additional attention to you at this time. If we report the attack to the Ministry I am afraid someone will begin asking questions that may interfere with your training or compromise your safety."

"What safety would that be?" asked Harry sarcastically.

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "As I told you last year, I wish with all my heart that this burden had never come to you, but it has. Think of this, if you can. Each encounter with Voldemort, each time you thwart him, you raise his fear of you. A man who has fear, has doubt, and doubt causes a man to make errors."

Taking Harry's arm, Dumbledore began to help him to his feet. Harry felt as though every muscle in his body was sore and refusing to move. The back of his head was pounding from the beating by the death eater and the bang it took during his duel with Snape, but he rose to his feet. "Come along," Dumbledore was saying.

Perhaps it was because he had only eaten toast that morning and nothing since or having been hit with a stunner and the Cruciatus curse twice in the same period of time. Perhaps it was the emotional crash that follows a crisis, but as Harry stood, the room went slowly black and he slumped to the floor.

When he awoke in the middle of the night, he could hear the sound of rain pelting against the windows, and in the soft candlelight, he saw Ginny seated by his bedside, with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. He was in a small room with one high window, a folding screen and a nightstand. He shifted his leg and noticed it felt considerably better. Madam Pomfrey must have sorted it out. He felt his head, which was bandaged. It still hurt quite a bit, and the side of his face felt puffed up.

"Harry," said Ginny softly, "how are you feeling?"

"Not bad, really," he said hoarsely. "Where am I?"

"It's a private room in the hospital wing. Dumbledore didn't want anyone bothering you just yet...I told him I'd stay with you," she said looking at him closely. "Do you want some water or anything?" she asked as she felt his forehead and cheek.

"I'm ok, really," Harry said softly. "You know, you have to trust that I can take care of myself," Harry said, repeating what she had said to him weeks ago.

Ginny managed a smile. "If this is what you look like when you're taking care of yourself, then perhaps you need some extra lessons," she said, trying to put on a brave face.

"Is Neville all right...and that little girl?

"They're fine," said Ginny. "Dumbledore is contacting the MacDonald's relatives."

Harry had almost forgotten that Natalie had claimed the small girl as her sister in the Great Hall. "You know, he made them orphans too," said Harry quietly, "Voldemort."

Harry tried to sit up but the throbbing in his head made him decide to keep it on the pillow for the time being. Instead, he slid over, and pulled Ginny to him. She climbed onto the bed and lay down on top of the covers next to him. It felt good to hold her, and to stroke her hair and to try not to think of anything else. The necklace he had given her was lying against the skin of her throat. The little golden rune glittered in the candlelight. Harry touched it... the rune of Protection... "Just stay here, ok?" he asked drowsily.

"Even though we might be seen?" asked Ginny.

"It was you who told me we shouldn't let Voldemort run our lives, and you were right. Who knows how long we really have?" he said. Ginny kissed his cheek and settled in next to him as he drifted back into blissfully dreamless sleep.

Harry woke while the sun was just casting the first pink light across the horizon. Ginny was still lying in his arms, breathing softly. He felt grateful that she had stayed with him. He watched her sleeping face for a while, and then he pulled away and climbed out of bed. His glasses lay on the nightstand and he put them on. Someone, probably Ginny, had left him a clean change of clothes. As he dressed behind the screen, he heard her stir.

"Harry, maybe you should stay in bed for a bit. You've been through a lot," Ginny said sleepily.

"I want to see Dumbledore," Harry said. "I want to know what's being done with Snape."

"I still think you should get back in bed. I'm sure Dumbledore has Snape under control," said Ginny.

Harry bent stiffly and tied on his shoes. "I've got to know, then I'll come find you, ok?"

"I'll go get Ron and Hermione and we'll all go to breakfast, then," said Ginny. Harry nodded and stood up. He felt light-headed and had to hold on to the wall for a moment until the dizzy sensation stopped. Ginny got up and came over to him. He could tell she was resisting the urge to support him. Instead, she struck a falsely happy attitude and said, "And Harry, I know nothing happened at all last night, but please, keep away from Dumbledore's Pensieve for a while, won't you?"

He faced her and grinned, then hugged her and planted a kiss on her mouth.

Harry made his way to the all too familiar office of the head master. He knocked on the office door and heard, "Enter," from within. Apparently, he was not the only one awake early this morning. As he entered the room, he saw Remus, Dumbledore and Arthur Weasley talking to Neville's mother.

"Oh, Harry!" she cried as she turned and recognized him. She rushed forward and engulfed him in a tight hug. "Oh, thank you...thank you for saving my son!"

Harry's face reddened, but he allowed himself to be hugged for a long moment. "It's all right, Mrs. Longbottom."

"No it's not," she said looking into his face. "I owe you so much. You saved Neville." Alice Longbottom held him at arms length. "You killed Bellatrix Lestrange. Do you realize what that means to me?" she asked quietly.

"Really, Neville did as much as I did," said Harry. "He was brilliant. We'd never have gotten out without him. He knew just what to do with that little girl."

Alice Longbottom looked appreciatively at him, and stroked his face. Then she left the room.

Remus and Arthur were next to hug him and pat him on the back. As they steered him to a seat, he asked, "Remus, what happened at Fred and George's shop...after I left?"

"Well, Harry, two of Voldemort's death eaters came in and started trying to push Fred around. Then George went to help him. About that time, three more showed up and you heard the fighting on the stairs. We three managed to stun the lot of them and hold them till the Ministry aurors could come and claim them. They are all in Azkaban, as we speak." This news was like a giant weight being lifted from Harry. He had wanted to stay and help them. After all, they were fighting the death eaters that were after him. Putting his friends in danger did not sit well with him.

"Yes, Fred created some trick stairs, using his wand, and they were all stuck in place. Then George knocked them out. They hardly needed my help at all," laughed Remus.

"Remus," said Arthur, "we should be getting on with this. We've plenty to do yet." Turning to Harry he said, "I'm very glad you're all right. You don't know how worried we were. Molly will be so very happy that you are up and about." He came over and squeezed Harry's shoulder as he headed toward the door.

When they had left the room, Harry asked the question now burning in him, "What about Snape?" For once, Dumbledore did not correct him and say Professor Snape.

"Very well, Harry," said Dumbledore, taking a seat heavily behind his desk. "Severus is a skilled Legilimens and a skilled liar. He has deceived Voldemort and me as he angled to improve his own lot. The Order will be holding him at a secret location for the time being. He is much too dangerous to be allowed to fall into the hands of the Ministry at this time. He is claiming, of course, to have been under the Imperious curse. He claims Malfoy was controlling him to get him to bring Trelawney, you and Neville out of Hogwarts. I believe otherwise, however. He and I had an old agreement...a contract, if you will. Very like the parchment list Ms. Granger devised for your D.A. group," Dumbledore chuckled to himself. "Yes...very like that." Dumbledore turned to Harry, "If you should ever see him again, you will notice he has a mark upon his hand. It is a sign of his treachery."

"So you won't even send him to Azkaban?" asked Harry angrily.

"Snape knows too much, Harry. Regardless of which side he is really on, we cannot have him imprisoned with the death eaters or questioned by the Ministry. He could reveal too much. We want him under our control. Arthur and Remus are handling the details."

"If you want to know what he's given up to Voldemort, why don't you use Veritaserum on him?" asked Harry.

"Snape built up a tolerance to it as part of his defenses. If someone were to try to use it on him, he would be able to fight its effects and give the answer he chose, rather than the truth."

Harry was perplexed, but he had lots of other questions and so he plunged ahead. "What about Malfoy, then?"

"I have called his mother in to meet with me. We shall see what comes of our discussion. At Hogwarts we have him under some small amount of control but out in the world, I fear he will become an active disciple of Voldemort," Dumbledore said. He must have noticed the black look on Harry's face, for he said, "Which would you chose Harry, if you were me?"

Dumbledore looked mildly at him. Harry could see Dumbledore's point. Malfoy, expelled, could be worse than Malfoy left in school. Still it seemed very wrong.

Harry left Dumbledore's office with a lot on his mind. He had escaped again, but just. He doubted that he could have gotten himself and Neville out if Pettigrew had not helped them. It was luck and chance but not skill, he told himself. At the bottom of the spiral stairs, he almost ran head long into Ron, who was waiting there with Ginny and Hermione.

"All right, Harry?" said Ron.

Harry nodded while Hermione threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "We were so worried, we were sure you were....well...that you might not come back," she said, her eyes filling with tears.

Ginny took his hand and squeezed it.

Harry was so happy to be back with his friends that he couldn't help but smile. It seemed that he could not get satisfaction from Snape, or Malfoy. Voldemort was still after him. Still he had his friends.

"I should go see Neville," he said.

"Neville was taken home this morning by his mum," said Ginny.

"Really?" asked Harry, "He's coming back, isn't he?"

"Just going home for a day or so. Madam Pomfrey said he needed more rest," said Ron.

"His mum seems really nice," said Hermione. "His family has already lost a lot to Voldemort, haven't they?"

Harry nodded. He suppressed the thought that no one was going to come and take him home to heal. No parent was going to talk him through that moment when he'd killed people. Still, what real family he had was right here with him. "I should at least see how that little girl is doing. She's Natalie MacDonald's sister?" Both girls had lost their parents. The least he could do was to see that she was all right.

Hermione nodded. "Dumbledore came down to the hospital wing with you. He had to levitate you there. Then he took Natalie aside and told her that her parents were killed. She...well she was terribly upset and crying of course. Madam Pomfrey ended up giving her a sleeping draught after that."

As they started toward the hospital wing, they met Ludo Bagman puffing up the staircase in their direction. He stopped and looked in surprise at Harry. "Well...Harry...Well. So you're here are you?" he said. "Well good to see you...and ummm... good you weren't hurt...in the village, that is." He looked around at them all, "Well...I need to see Dumbledore right away. Hogsmeade is a disaster, dragons all nervous and over excited...must come up with a good plan." Then he hurried off.

"Strange," said Ron looking after him.

Harry watched Bagman going toward the head masters office. He had a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. Turning back, he shook off the sensation and asked, "Did you see the dragons get loose?"

Ginny began, "I told Ron and Hermione you weren't in the Three Broomsticks. We all looked, but we couldn't find you, and we got back here as quickly as we could to warn Dumbledore that something had happened to you."

"Ya," said Ron, "Malfoy was acting as though he knew something but wouldn't tell us, so Ginny hexed him. Left him twitching in the middle of the street."

Hermione continued the story, "When we got here, Dumbledore was coming out the front door and in a great hurry. He listened for a moment and then he rushed off toward Hogsmeade. We could see smoke rising from that direction, and were just about to follow, but McGonagall came out and told us we had to go right to our common room and stay there."

"As others got back from Hogsmeade, they said the dragons went mad and were stomping about and breathing fire. Colin Creevey said he saw a load of masked wizards running about cursing people; Cruciatus mainly. As far as I know, only a few Hogwarts students got hurt, and then it was mostly burns and scrapes."

"Hermione figured the attack was supposed to be a cover for taking you," said Ron. "Those masked wizards did quite a lot of damage within a few minutes. It took the Ministry quite a while to get the dragons back under control once the death eaters were gone. I sent Charlie an owl right away. He wrote back last night and told me they were still trying to calm them back down."

Upon reaching the hospital wing, Harry pulled open the door. Inside, Madam Pomfrey was holding the little girl who was screaming. "Poor dear is simply over tired," she said, as they entered.

"Is she all right?" asked Harry. "I couldn't really tell how she was doing or anything...while we were escaping."

The wet-cheeked child drew a great gasping breath and held her arms out toward Harry. He looked blankly around as the girls smiled at him. "What?" he asked.

"She wants you to take her," said Hermione, suppressing a giggle.

"All right then, I'll take her," said Harry, and he took the little girl from Madam Pomfrey's arms. She yawned and quieted. As he held her, she stuck a chubby fist into her mouth and rested her head on his shoulder. "How is Natalie doing?" he asked.

"She has had a great shock. She is still sleeping. Her relatives arrive tomorrow to collect her and her sister, here," she looked at Harry approvingly as he held Natalie's sister. "Well, Potter, you seem to have an affinity. I'm going to get the little one a bottle. Perhaps you could hold her until I return," said Madam Pomfrey who then bustled out of the room.

Harry had fair few experiences with small children and felt rather like an idiot standing there. When Madam Pomfrey returned, he quickly handed the child back and she eagerly took the offered bottle. Harry and the others left Madam Pomfrey cooing over the little girl.

No one in the Great Hall gave Harry a second look as they walked in and took seats for breakfast. Harry looked around remembering the havoc he and Snape had caused in this very room just yesterday. Dumbledore's memory charm had done its job. Harry relaxed, until Dennis Creevey came hurrying up, "Harry, were you hurt in the attack, yesterday?"

Harry looked at him quizzically, until he realized his head was still bandaged. "Ummm...Yes Dennis, got a bump on the head." Dennis said he was sorry to hear it and left to join his friends down the table.

Mac had not been in the hospital wing nor was he sitting at the teacher's table, so Harry guessed he was in his rooms. He'd go see him when breakfast was done. It seemed likely to Harry that Snape had cursed Mac just after Harry had left him in the hall on Friday night. Mac had gone back to Snape's classroom, after the incident with the detention, and had probably walked in on Snape cursing Neville, or something. If he had gone to the potions classroom alone, Snape would have cursed him too.

When they left the table twenty minutes later, Harry was sidetracked by the arrival of Fred and George Weasley in the entrance hall. They were in high spirits and insisted on dragging him and the others down to Hagrid's. They all trooped down across the lawn to Hagrid's cabin and he welcomed them in happily.

"Harry, glad you're ok," said Hagrid. "Terrible worried we were for a while. And Professor Snape...well, who would a thought!"

They all sat around Hagrid's table, while George passed out cold butterbeer. It seemed a bit early in the day for butterbeer and it didn't go well with the eggs and kippers they had just eaten, but they all took a bottle and talked animatedly for several hours. Harry had to recount the entire story again, although he left out the part about Trelawney and the prophecy. Then he asked Fred and George about the death eater attack on their shop.

In fine form, Fred and George re-enacted the attack, taking various parts and using funny voices. They made the death eaters sound like blundering idiots as the others roared with laughter. Finally George and Fred got up to leave saying they needed to get back to their shop. Fred hinted they were expecting a shipment of some unusual ingredients they needed to make a new product that George claimed would revolutionize a jokester's bag of tricks. From the little they would divulge, it sounded both dangerous and brilliant. Harry was sure Fred and George would have another hit on their hands. Ginny hugged her brothers and they shook Harry's hand, before walking off toward the gates.

Hagrid insisted on walking them all back up to the castle. "You lot are always out of bounds, and look what can happen. You all need to be more careful. I know you're nearly of age, but ya can still get in a load of trouble and it worries me," he said pointedly as he left them at oak front doors.

As they climbed to the first floor landing, Ron and Hermione were arguing over the effect butterbeer might have on Muggles. As they bickered, Harry whispered to Ginny that he'd see them back in Gryffindor Tower, once he had looked in on MacNessa. She nodded and followed Ron and Hermione toward the next staircase, shaking her head at them.

Harry approached the door to Mac's rooms and knocked. He was asked in with a gruff, "Come!" He entered the room and was surprised to find both Mac and Mad Eye Moody sitting by the fire.

"Potter!" said Moody, his magical eye swiveling around, taking in Harry.

Mac's face brightened at the sight of Harry. He was sitting in a chair by the fire. He had a pot of tea on the table next to him, along with a number of vials, which Harry guessed contained potions to get him back on his feet. "Well, young Harry, I'm very glad to see you are all right. Sit down now, and tell us everything," Mac said shifting stiffly in his chair.

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital wing, sir?" Harry asked.

"Oh...that molly coddling is not for me. I'm not unconscious, am I? Or mortally wounded? I'm perfectly fine here."

Moody guffawed and stomped his wooden leg on the floor, "Well said!"

"It was Snape who cursed you, sir. I overheard him in the dungeon at St. Mungos," said Harry, pulling up a chair.

"Dumbledore told me last night, after he talked to you," said Mac.

"I'm not sure Dumbledore quite believed it when I first told him. I guess he still wanted to think that Snape was on our side."

"Well, he's been keeping Snape's little secret all these years, hasn't he?" said Mac, matter-of-factly. Harry, who had been ready for Mac to ask about his captivity, was momentarily shocked into silence. It seemed to take his brain a moment to digest this statement.

"What secret?" asked Harry.

"Well, what I'm going to tell you is a lot of rumor and speculation. Take it for no more than that. Snape was bitten by a vampire just after graduating from school. The nasty creature had been consorting with Voldemort and Snape simply got in its way one night, or so the story goes. He had a small window of opportunity to survive that night. Snape begged Voldemort for help, but Voldemort laughed at him and threw him out to fend for himself. Snape went to Dumbledore who managed to keep him alive and from turning into a foul night creature," Mac explained.

"Yes," said Moody, "Dumbledore taught him the charm that would keep him safe and he gave him a job. If anyone were to find out Snape's true situation he would be confined by the Ministry for life."

"How do you two..."

"I put the pieces together. A death eater told me some of it years ago, during an interrogation," Moody responded.

"And I was told by an old friend," Mac chuckled and grinned at Moody who smiled back with his crooked and scarred mouth.

"Why would he go back over to Voldemort?" asked Harry, "...if Voldemort left him for dead."

"Severus was ambitious and wanted power. Voldemort has it and that is a powerful magnet for some men. He couldn't ever to hope to be the master of either Dumbledore or Voldemort, but if he played them both off against each other, as long as he could, then he was the one in control, in a manner of speaking." Mac paused, "Of course, this is purely speculation on my part."

"So he chose Voldemort," said Harry.

"I don't know if he did, really," said Moody. "He just got caught while playing an incredibly dangerous game."

"I'd like to kill him," said Harry quietly.

"I understand from Albus that you did some killing. He said you had to use the killing curse on a couple of death eaters," said Mac.

Harry inadvertently shrunk back in his seat. He did not want to re-live that moment and the hatred that was so great he was sickened by the thought of it. He pushed the feeling of rising nausea down. Still, not a moment ago, he had said he wanted to kill Snape. "I...I don't really want to talk about it," he said.

"Of course you don't want to talk about it. No one who kills and who has a conscience wants to think on it. Conner and I are old men, Potter, and between us we've killed our share of fellow human beings, I dare say," said Moody.

Mac nodded, staring into the fire, and said, "It's easier to do in battle, because you are just reacting, trying to stay alive yourself."

"How'd you learn the curse, Potter? Usually it takes practice..." asked Moody. Mac raised his eyebrows and Moody nodded knowingly. "I see. Well you learned from the best."

Moody looked over at Harry, "You did well, boy. I know it doesn't feel good, but you did well. You killed two monsters who relished torture, who would do anything the dark lord asked regardless of how vile. Taking that kind of evil out of the world is a dirty, nasty job, but it's the right thing."

Harry wished he could rationalize away his actions so easily. The two old aurors had seen much more evil than he had. Maybe that's what it took to resign yourself to having taken a life. Harry didn't know, and he didn't want to think about it. Still being here with men who had fought the dark side and who had killed, made him feel better, or at least understood. He took the cup of tea Moody handed him and sipped it slowly.

They all sat together for the next hour, watching the dancing flames and drinking their tea, occasionally speaking about unimportant matters.

However happy Moody and MacNessa were with him for killing two death eaters, Harry found it hard to be so callous about what he had been forced to do. That night he woke after tossing and turning for several hours. He rose and paced the dormitory from his bed to the window several times. The sky was dark and moonless. Details on the grounds were almost invisible in the blackness. It made him feel that he was floating in darkness as he looked down and there was nothing to distract him from his restlessness.

Harry felt that things were annoyingly unresolved and it was bothering him. Snape was a traitor to the Order but was not being properly punished. Malfoy had helped Voldemort but would probably be allowed to stay at school. Even though Harry understood Dumbledore's point, it still rankled. His brain was spinning with the events of the last forty-eight hours. Finally, he decided to go and sit in the common room for a bit. He threw on his dressing gown, then quietly closed the door on his two, remaining roommates, who were able to sleep, and padded downstairs.

Although it was quite late, there were some fifth years in a corner, studying. O.W.L.'s were beginning on Monday. Harry had forgotten that. They looked up but returned to work immediately. Harry plopped down on the old sofa in front of the fire and dropped his head back closing his eyes. Even with eyes closed, he could see those he had killed, dropping as he cursed them. He replayed Voldemort forcing Trelawney to repeat the prophecy and the dead eyes of the divination teacher once her strength finally failed. In slow motion, he could see himself and Neville running for it; shouts, curses, and jets of light, the mayhem and terror.

"You all right?" a soft voice asked.

It was Ginny. Harry had not noticed her among the other fifth years. She must have been reading in the chair with its back to him. "Ginny, I didn't know you were still up."

"O.W.L.'s start tomorrow," she said with a sigh.

"And I made you stay with me all last night when you probably wanted to be studying," said Harry feeling now that he had been very selfish.

"First, I would have stayed with you even if I did have a test first thing this morning," she said with a look of concern. "Second, if I don't know the material by now, then I guess I deserve poor grades." Ginny smiled briefly then looked more closely at him, "But why are you up? You look exhausted. Is anything wrong?" She came around and sat next to him.

"Nothing...." said Harry, "...everything." He suddenly felt like he was burdening her and he was angry with himself for it. He was worrying about Voldemort again. He was angry about Snape and Malfoy. However, talking about it didn't make it better and wouldn't make it go away. And while it was very comforting to spill his inner most thoughts to Ginny, she had her own worries, what with exams beginning in the morning. "It's really nothing," he said.

"Oh, Harry, that's not true," she said pointedly. "You're a miserable liar." Ginny moved over closer to Harry, perching on the edge of the sofa. She whispered to him so none of the other fifth years could hear, "You've had another really horrible experience, that none of us can totally appreciate. Fighting Voldemort is more important than any exams or classes, or anything else. If he wins, we'll all be dead or enslaved. So, Harry, I'll listen to you whenever you want. I'll do whatever I can to help you." Ginny put a hand on his knee, "I want to. You should know by this time how I feel."

Harry sighed and looked at her and as he did, the tension left him. He couldn't explain it but just her hand resting on his knee gave him some comfort. He felt warmth spread through him at her touch and her words. He felt his body relax and his mind slow down and clear. "Thanks, Ginny," he said looking into her eyes. "I believe I'll go and get some sleep now."

Ginny looked at him penetratingly, "I tell you I'll listen to anything you want to say, and you tell me you're off to bed?"

Harry gave her hand a squeeze. "You may not believe it, but you just helped me a lot. Really! See you in the morning."

Harry saw Ginny look quizzically at him as he began climbing the stairs to his dormitory.