My Eternal Curse

My Eternal Curse

By Mara456

Chapter Thirty-Six

The Learning Curve: Part Seven - Surreal Conspiracies

Alicia stood in front of her desk, dismissing her Gryffindor/Hufflepuff sixth year Arithmancy class. She watched Miss Granger as students began exiting the room.

"Stay, Miss Granger, there is something we need to discuss," Alicia ordered.

The young witch joined her at the front of the classroom.

"What can I do for you, Professor?" Miss Granger asked.

"If my memory serves me correctly, you were Miss Weasley's tutor in Arithmancy," Alicia stated. "You also helped her with projects in various other subjects, correct?"

"Yes I was, Professor, at least until her equilibrium shift," Miss Granger replied. "After that, our sessions somehow evolved into debates."

"Then you have an understanding of the inner workings of her thought processes," Alicia appraised. "Good, I was hoping you did. Follow me."

She led the Gryffindor Prefect to the teachers' Staff Room, while the girl's shadow kept a respectable distant behind them. They entered the empty room and she directed Miss Granger to look at the chart still attached to the bulletin board. Miss Granger openly gaped, when she realized what she was seeing. Alicia allowed the Prefect time to take in the work of art, knowing that the bright girl would speak when she was ready to.

"Ginny created this?" Miss Granger asked in awe.

"Yes," she responded.

"Did she say why?" Miss Granger probed.

"She said 'I started out with the construct in the center, but I couldn't give you a truly accurate representation of its effects, inter-relationships, and interactions with our reality without adding its environment,'" Alicia recited.

"Well, that explains this data," Miss Granger commented.

"How so, Miss Granger?" she inquired.

"In our advanced Arithmancy discussions, Ginny has maintained that using mathematical formulations in a closed system is unnatural, thus forming unnecessary limitations," Miss Granger explained. "As far as she's concerned, nothing stable develops in a vacuum, so, in order to have the desired effect, you need to include the necessary interrelating layers that go together in order to deal with the problem in its totality. Therefore, by defining reality accurately, you can manipulate it on a far grander scale than usual, because you comprehend both its nature, and the loopholes therein."

"Does Miss Weasley have any idea how advanced a level she's working on?" Alicia asked.

"No, ma'am," Miss Granger attested. "She thinks the conclusions she's drawn are simply a logical extension of what you have taught us."

"What do you think?" Alicia asked.

"I think she has a point, but the sheer complexity Ginny's talking about would be impractical when working on a smaller scale, unless you can compile the data you require with a rapidity much higher than normal," Miss Granger offered. "How long did it take Ginny to do this?"

"Under an hour," Alicia supplied.

"Oh my," Miss Granger gasped. "When she puts her mind to something..."

They lapsed into silence.

"I'm trying to arrange for Miss Weasley to do a dissertation with me tomorrow, and I would like you there," Alicia informed her. "I believe you could be instrumental in helping me understand her unique viewpoint."

"I'll do my best, Professor," Miss Granger agreed.

"When I've set them up, I'll inform you of the time and place, assuring that you're excused from any classes this runs into," Alicia said. "Thank you for your time, my dear. You're free to go."

"I'll be glad if I can help," Miss Granger responded. "Good day, Professor Vector."

Alicia watched her bright student and the Auror leave. Lydia was right, Miss Granger was a very adaptable, multitalented individual, but the girl's not going to get far until she finds something she has a genuine passion for. All the potential in the world won't single you out to a master without the spark, the passion it takes to see things through. The girl still has plenty of time to figure it out, she's only a sixth year, after all. It took Alicia a lot longer than that to decide what she wanted out of life. Some of her old housemates still didn't have a clue what they seriously wanted. There's no point in rushing it... Alicia turned back to the Arithmancy chart. It was time to deal with the part she was dreading, getting permission from Severus. Considering the pressure his apprentice was under, she was going to need all the help she could get.

*~*~*

In the kitchens, Severus and Zachary sat across from each other at a table set up for them enjoying a pleasant lunch, free of the constant annoyances they had to put up with in the Great Hall. Severus had been skeptical of the Divination teacher's suggestion that this would be the last place anyone would think to look for them, but, against all odds, it was turning out to be a good idea. Zachary had put up silencing and obscuring charms so that no one could eavesdrop, or even see them. Amazingly, the house-elves were mentally quiet, and when ordered to, kept their distance. Not too long ago, he would have found retreating this way to be undignified, but times change, and he was discovering that so do people. Besides, they needed this little break from the public view to regain their center after the past couple of days of near constant turbulence. They conversed about school matters, Virginia's progress, and the brewing war, within Hogwarts as well as without.

"I've spoken with a couple of my Seers. They're afraid that Ron boy is going to continue stirring up the Anti-Seer hysteria infesting the school," Zachary brought up. "They've decided that the best thing, is to get organized, so that none of the Seer populace ends up isolated the way Virginia has been. I have to agree with them. It's a smart move, but it's also one that could cause a lot of trouble if a divide forms between normal Wizards and Seers. I'm setting up a proposal for this weekend's staff meeting on what we can do to ease tensions in this area. I would appreciate any insights you might have."

"I'll help you however I can," Severus promised.

"The kids mentioned a strange term relating to The-Boy-Who-Lived and Miss Granger, a term I haven't heard since school. What do you know about 'Harborage'?" his friend asked.

"Harborage... now that's a term I haven't heard often," he considered. "It's been a faux pas to discuss that in public for as long I can remember. As if talking about it, in more than rumor and whisper will cause it to occur. It's the only alternative to a re-sorting when a situation has become too disruptive, or dangerous, for a student to remain in their own house. When a Professor, or the student in question, invokes Harborage, the child is automatically transferred to a different house that they have some preexisting connection with.

"Over the centuries, Harborage has been used for only two things. One, when a student's situation has become too hazardous, a Professor can invoke Harborage as a means of intervention. If the Professor or Professors doing so can prove that a student's judgement is impaired, Harborage can be imposed without the student's knowledge or consent. The preexisting connection rule can also be waived if that transpires.

"Two, a student can use it as an option of last resort, if they feel that they aren't safe in their own house, and that their Head of House is incapable of dealing with the situation to their satisfaction. Unlike a resorting, the placement needn't be permanent. The student is free to return to their old house once whatever problems that drove them away in the first place are resolved, though few who have taken this option ever return. To use Harborage they would need a sponsor from the house they're transferring to, forms which are amazingly easy to obtain in the library, their new Head of House's approval, and proper witnesses. Potter and Granger's self-imposed exile from Gryffindor has all the markings of a pre or unofficial Harborage, which is what Filius was referring to at dinner Monday."

"That's why they were so worried about mentioning it to me," Zachary realized. "They were afraid I would decide to make it official... They might have a point. Harry Potter isn't doing as well as he has led everyone to believe. The strain of his visions, compounded by the pressures Gryffindor is putting him under, is wearing him down. Harry honestly believes that his life has less value than everyone else's. I suspect that Albus has somehow led him to this conclusion, or, at the very least, did nothing to discourage it. The poor boy is ashamed of what he is, of the burden he bears. The Gryffindors are making things intolerable for him. They see him as a traitor because he refuses to give up on the ideals that once made that house great. The-Boy-Who-Lived, treasure of the Wizarding World, and everywhere he goes Harry is being treated like dirt. I don't know what's wrong with that house, Severus, but I know that he's far from the only example. I'm afraid that the outcasts of Gryffindor are the only real Gryffindors left. Something must be done, and soon, or Harry and others like him will lose it."

"I agree. Minerva will need to be informed, but I doubt it will make much difference, other than giving her a clue as to who she will need to get out of harm's way," Severus pointed out. "What did you mean by burdens? You never said what you saw in Mr. Potter's vision."

"All the boy can see is Voldemort," his friend explained. "When Harry is under, he experiences the pain of the Dark Lord's victims, along with whatever that bastard himself is feeling. I think I now know what happened the night Harry's parents were murdered. I understand why the Dark Lord has been obsessed with the boy since he was born... Harry is an Atra Seer, a Seer of Darkness, the only one of his kind. I assume you've heard of it?"

"I have heard Ix Chel's little tale about Godric Gryffindor's grandmother," he confirmed.

"The boy's gift activated shortly after he was born, attracting like moths to a flame, the Darkest Wizards and Witches," Zachary narrated. "It hounded Voldemort, allowing him no respite, ultimately driving the monster to destroy the child at all costs. Lily and James made Peter their Secret Keeper, mistakenly believing that the Death Eaters would never torture the information out of him, and moved into Dumbledore's safe house in Godric's Hollow. Shortly after that Peter gave them away. When the time came, James tried to slow the Dark Lord down enough for his family to get away by letting Voldemort only continue his search for Harry over his dead body. Lily had tried to Apparate them to safety, but their assailant had cast a powerful anti-apparition shield around the property, making escape impossible.

"Voldemort made quick work of James Potter, then found Lily and Harry in the child's nursery. Lily Potter begged the Dark Lord to spare the child and take her instead. Voldemort ordered her to move aside, and when she refused, used the Killing Curse on her. With the final obstacle out of his path, Voldemort tried to silence the irresistible siren's song that enslaved him by murdering the seemingly defenseless infant. But something happened that night that the Dark Lord did not intend; Harry's full gifts sprung to life when Voldemort used the Killing Curse one last time. It utilized the energy of the Unforgivable to link Harry and him together, in the process destroying Voldemort's body, but keeping him from perishing until the day comes when the link can be severed, once and for all!

"Meanwhile, Dumbledore only knew a fraction of what had actually taken place that night, but he did know that Harry was still alive. He sent Hagrid to fetch the boy and bring him to a safe location, until his future could be decided. Also, Black having discovered that Peter had betrayed them, rushed to the Potters' home, arriving at roughly the same time as Hagrid. Sirius gave the half-giant his bike then went out to avenge his best friends' deaths, and the rest you know. That is why the scar on Harry's forehead acts as a warning beacon. That is why Harry and Voldemort are obsessed with each other. It's the real reason Voldemort's madness has been growing to such an extreme. The-Boy-Who-Lived is the real reason the Dark Lord wanted the Potters so badly. For as long as they both live, the target has always been and will always be, Harry Potter. It was never about his parents. Despite their work against the Dark, Voldemort couldn't have cared less about Lily and James."

"Have you told Mr. Potter yet?" Severus asked, absorbing this new information.

"No, I don't want to add any more kerosene to the fire," Zachary replied. "The last thing Harry needs in his current state, is more guilt. If the matter is handled badly, I have no doubt that the knowledge that if they had given him up his parents might still be alive today will tear him apart. The day will come when he's ready for the truth, but not today. The one thing I don't understand is why Albus decided to lie to the boy, when he could've just told him that he didn't know."

"That mother's love nonsense always did sound like something that would come back to haunt us one day," Severus sneered. "Since the beginning I've been opposed to lying to his face and coddling him, but my voice has never carried much weight where the young Gryffindor was concerned. Mr. Potter should learn the truth when he's stable enough to handle it. You should speak with Remus, tell him what you know. Amongst the Professors he knows Mr. Potter better than anyone else. He can help you with the young man's case, and... knowing the truth would put his mind at ease."

"I will," Zachary concurred. "Remus deserves to know as much as Harry does."

Severus could only guess what effect this news will have on the werewolf. He somehow doubted that Remus would tell Black the truth until the mutt came to his senses, and was able to accept the information and its source for what they were. He hoped that Remus didn't hold his breath, because it would be a cold day in hell before a blind fool like Black trusted anything coming out of a genuine Seer's mouth, perhaps even including Mr. Potter's.

*~*~*

Neville and Annika headed down to the Great Hall, meeting up with Macdonald along the way. The last day or so would've had been sheer hell if it weren't for his two fellow Gryffindors keeping him afloat. Since the Divination teacher tested him, Neville could feel the emotions of those around him as if they were his own. It wouldn't have been so bad, if his housemates didn't feel like the emotional equivalent of a black hole, sucking away everything he cared about. When Annika had returned to the common room the night before she brought him in on the Seers protection pact. And he let her know that Macdonald could be trusted. First thing in the morning, they brought the other girl into their group. After that the three of them were sticking together as much as possible, not letting Ron's group goad or corner them. They entered the Great Hall together.

Neville, spotting Harry and Hermione sitting at the Ravenclaw table, suddenly missing the days before Gryffindor was divided, when all they had to worry about was Quidditch and their schoolwork. The three Gryffindors turned to their table, each suppressing a groan. The only seats together were near Ron and his goons. Neville led the way, taking a seat facing the Ravenclaw table, with Annika sitting to his right and Macdonald to his left. The three Gryffindors sitting across from them got up, moving elsewhere. Within a matter of seconds, Neville was hit by a wave of suspicion, mixed with other unpleasant emotions. He knew that it was coming from the majority of his housemates, and wondered if this was how Ginny felt when they shunned her over Ix Chel.

"Keep in mind that you're not alone, Neville," Annika piped in, noticing his expression.

"Yeah, not as long as you're with us," Macdonald added.

"Thanks," he replied, feeling a little better.

As they dished themselves up, he noticed that Professors Snape and Montgomery were nowhere to be seen, and that Professor Vector was already getting up to leave. A female Gryffindor third year named Rebecca, sat down across from them, looking excited about something. She was a little taller and more developed than most girls her age, with beautiful hazel eyes, long, cobalt blue hair tied up in pigtails and covered in freckles, giving her a deceptively childish look.

"You're not afraid of us?" Neville couldn't help but ask.

"Should I be?" Rebecca asked in return, filling her plate.

"No, of-of course not," he said quickly.

"Let me let you in on a little secret," Rebecca whispered, leaning forward. "Professor Montgomery says I've got The Sight, a post-cognitive to be exact."

The third year glanced at Ron and his followers as they laughed about something. Neville couldn't help but notice that their laughter had somehow taken on a sinister quality that just wasn't natural coming from Gryffindors. He saw that Colin and Seamus sat to Ron's right, with Dean to his left. Despite the way Ron's sycophants seemed to crowd around him, two seats were reserved for someone, right across from Gryffindor's true traitor. Rebecca shuddered.

"I never noticed it before, but they're... creepy," Rebecca remarked, shaking her head as she looked away. "I hope circumstance allows me to steer clear of them, but somehow I doubt it."

"Why is your hair blue?" Macdonald asked. "Wasn't it red last night?"

"Oh, this? It's nothing..." Rebecca hesitated, brushing a pigtail out of the way. "I just figured out what Ginny's brothers did to my hair, then readapted the charm, making it permanent. Now I can change my hair color to whatever I want it to be." Neville was sure his face had the same surprised expression he saw on both Annika and Macdonald at the third year's statement. "I bet anyone who puts their mind to it can do it," she hastily added uncomfortably.

"Would you mind showing me that later?" Annika asked. "I'd love to take this thing off."

"I can't quite take it off, but I can readapt it for you without a problem," Rebecca offered. "What color would you prefer?"

"Black," Annika answered.

The third year pulled out her wand, aiming at the sixth year's hair. Rebecca whispered a small incantation and a light gray energy covered his friend's hair. When she stopped, Annika's hair was black again.

"I think our housemates' hair will be fine within a week," Rebecca said. "I'll show you how to change the color later, Annika."

"I appreciate your help-" his friend gratefully replied, only to be cut off by a small cheer from Ron's area.

They looked up, seeing Parvati and Lavender take seats across from Ron. Neville turned to the high table, trying to reassure himself that they weren't alone, but saw that their Head of House had left. The third year noticed his worried expression, following his line of sight.

"This can't be good," Rebecca groaned.

The other Gryffindors' voices easily carried down the table, as he silently wondered what Professor McGonagall could be off doing at a time like this.

"...It's great to be out of the hospital wing," Parvati was saying, her voice filled with relief. "I thought Pomfrey would never let us leave."

"How are you feeling, Colin?" Lavender asked. "Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up!"

Colin Creevy typed on a strange muggle-like keypad.

"Don't be, it's Ginny's fault, not yours," Colin's voice came from the pad. "Madam Pomfrey gave me this to make things easier on me. What do you think?"

"It's very stylish," Lavender remarked. "I still can't believe that traitorous bitch got away with this scot-free, while we're paying the price. She nearly kills us, and we get detention for it!"

"I swear, there's no justice anymore," Parvati declared, putting some food on her plate.

He tightened his grip on his fork, sickened by their words.

"I know exactly what you mean, Snape gave us three weeks of detention with McGonagall on Monday," Ron whined.

"Don't tell me she's buying into Snape and Ginny's lies?" Parvati griped.

"They've gotten to most of the Professors, and even Harry and Hermione," Seamus piped in, pointing to the Ravenclaw table.

"I always thought Hermione was smarter than that," Lavender commented, taking a bite.

No one noticed as the pitcher of milk sitting before of Parvati and Lavender bubble unpleasantly several times.

"Luckily, most of us aren't buying into it," Dean asserted.

As Neville's anger increased the milk bubbled again.

"Good, I'd hate to see the wrong kind of Gryffindors take over our house," Lavender agreed. "Damned Slytherin sympathizers... That sort are just animals!"

Macdonald pushed her plate away, horror and disgust rapidly driving away any hunger.

"Those bloody murderers have the nerve to call us animals!" he thought, as the milk started bubbling continuously.

"Calm down, Neville," Annika whispered into his ear, while some students from other tables suddenly turned their eyes on him. "You're broadcasting..."

"Breathe, Neville, breathe," Rebecca urged. "Even I heard that one."

"I agree," Colin typed in. "Especially simpering fools like Longbottom, who'll go along with anything, just to be accepted."

"It's truly sad," Ron agreed.

His friends, realizing what he was doing, tried to stop him, but he was so focused on the conversation that he couldn't hear them.

"People like Ginny should be put down like the animals they are!" Parvati spat. Neville could sense that, not only did she mean it, but that their housemates agreed with her. Annika touched his shoulder, startling him, causing the pitcher to fall over, and covering Parvati and Lavender with badly soured milk. The two Gryffindors jumped up, yelping in disgust. Neville suddenly realized where he was and what he was doing. Thank Merlin they stopped him! If that thing had exploded...

"Let's get out of here before something else happens," Rebecca suggested, glancing nervously at the group of sickened wizards and witches.

Agreeing, they casually started their way toward the exit.

"Hold it right there, Longbottom," Colin inputted. "Did you do this?"

"Do what? I wasn't anywhere near you," he replied, not bothering to slow down. They sped up as they cleared the end of the table, bound for the nearest exit.

"Don't look guilty, and don't look back," Rebecca thought to him, surprising the elder Gryffindor. He followed her advice as they walked out together.

"Well, that was fun," Rebecca commented sarcastically, as they put as much distance between themselves from the Great Hall as they could. "Next time, let's roll around on broken glass, it's more direct. Mindless Dementors in training..."

"Agreed, anything would've been preferable to listening to that," Macdonald responded, still horrified by their housemate's words.

"So much for lunch," Annika said, depressed.

"Got any ideas on how to pass the time?" Rebecca asked.

"I've got one," Neville answered, changing direction. "Follow me."

*~*~*

Minerva entered the kitchens, searching for Severus. When she saw that Zachary was also missing from the high table earlier, she assumed that they were together, but that information did little to aid her progress. Just when she was about to give up and leave the room, they reappeared, sitting together at a table.

"Severus, so this is where you've been hiding," Minerva accused. "I have been looking all over the school for you, and I'm not alone. Alicia's turning Hogwarts upside-down seeking you out!"

"My, Severus, aren't we the popular one?" Zachary quipped. "How fortunate you found us first, Minerva. Now we can get all this out of the way before our next classes. That just reminded me, Miss Brown and Miss Patil are being released today. Shouldn't you be in the Great Hall, in case they show?"

"Poppy assured me this morning that they won't be released until later this afternoon," she informed them.

The house-elf Winky appeared with a chair for her. Minerva ordered some tea before taking a seat across from the two Professors. Zachary waited until the elf had returned and served them before he cast the charms again. She recounted what had taken place during her tutoring session with Miss Weasley, glad that Zachary was here for confirmation.

"After my evaluation of Miss Weasley, I believe that her schism is far more drastic than we first assumed, and it isn't restricted to power," Minerva reported. "The way she focuses, visualizes, even her understanding of the universe is changing. The same extremes of power that have become intrinsic to Miss Weasley have also made her myopic to the severity of her condition. She's lost touch with what is normal, and what is not. So, while Miss Weasley knows that she isn't a normal witch, she doesn't seem to know when she's done something advanced, or impossible, until someone points it out to her. I am now convinced that there is no way I can retrain Miss Weasley to use transfiguration with a wand, without damaging her. Too much of her nature has stopped relying on the old understanding for both methods to work."

"What do you propose?" Severus asked.

"I wish to use my transfiguration sessions with your apprentice to help her explore and study her new gifts," replied Minerva.

"You're hoping to unravel how she's managed to figure out what the greatest minds in your field could not." reiterated Severus.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"Very well, but be careful of how far and how fast you push her. At this point she won't take well to being pressured," Severus warned.

"I wasn't planning to pressure her," Minerva assured him, then turned toward the Divination teacher. "You said you needed to discuss something with me, Zach?"

"Yes, it's about Mr. Potter," Zachary began. "I've uncovered some unsettling information you need to be made aware of." He told her what he had witnessed in Mr. Potter's vision, and explained the current situation. She was shocked that things had degraded so far, without Mr. Potter coming to her about it even once. What did he hope to accomplish by doing this to himself? Was The-Boy-Who-Lived becoming self-destructive right under her very nose? What type of Head of House was she if she couldn't do anything for these children?

"Something must be done," Minerva thought. "I need to have a long talk with Mr. Potter, and make him understand that all he's doing is hurting himself!"

"I agree that we have to intervene before this explodes, but Mr. Potter's current state of mind is too delicate to risk confronting him in the way you're thinking," Zachary responded to her thoughts. "We need to handle this as subtly as we can, so that we don't trigger the very situation we're trying to avoid."

"You're not alone in this, Minerva," Severus added, surprisingly putting a reassuring hand on hers. "We'll do everything in our power to help you save those you can."

"Thank you, Severus. What do you two suggest?" Minerva responded, realizing that they were right. She was feeling more lost by the minute. Whatever they had in mind had better be good, because she feared that not only was the boy's safety was in question here, but his sanity as well.

*~*~*

Zach headed back to his classroom, satisfied with the work they had gotten through during the course of lunch. With luck, they would be able to hold things together until he was ready. He silently opened the door to his classroom, thinking that he was fortunate to have plenty of set up time before his students arrived. He found four Gryffindors sitting at one of the tables near the window and, whatever their topic of discussion was, it had unsettled them. He recognized Mr. Longbottom, Rebecca, and Annika. When he cleared his throat, Rebecca nearly jumped out of her seat as everyone turned toward to him.

"Hello children, what happened?" Zach asked, shutting the door behind him. "Why are you so upset?"

"Parvati and Lavender have been released from the hospital wing," Mr. Longbottom hesitantly replied. "They arrived at the Great Hall after Professor McGonagall left, and..."

"Ron and his little fan club treated the wannabe murderers to something of a hero's welcome, sir," Rebecca continued for the older Gryffindor.

"I see," Zach said softly, understanding. Minerva wasn't going to like this, not at all.

"It was terrible," Annika recalled. "You should tell him, Neville."

He pulled up a chair as Mr. Longbottom launched into an explanation of what had happened in the great hall.

"You should have heard them, Professor, the way they were demeaning me, and anyone else who supports Ginny," Mr. Longbottom described, slowly losing his composure. "They had the nerve to blame everything on Ginny, as if she was the one who attacked them! They made it sound like they are the victims, and that Ginny and Professor Snape are brainwashing the school. They weren't even remotely guilty about causing Ginny's storm. The only thing they were upset about, was the fact that they got caught. And, that's not even the worst of it!"

Zach felt a tiny tremor run through the table, as one of the hanging lamps nearby moved.

"Take a deep breath, Mr. Longbottom then, please continue," Zach instructed.

The boy took a deep breath and went on.

"What they said made me so angry that I curdled the milk in a pitcher in front of them and then knocked it over. It would have exploded if my friends hadn't stopped me in time..." Neville trailed off.

Neville gave the other Gryffindors a meaningful look, reminding Zach of the support some of the better Ravenclaws had given him after he had found out about his own talent.

"Ron's groupies are under the delusion that they're the real Gryffindors, and we're the traitors," Annika said. "They see the newly blossoming Seer population, and any other people they can't manipulate as a threat. I'm positive that they're willing to do anything to get rid of us."

"Are you sure?" Zach asked, his worst fears being realized sooner than he expected. "Just because a person thinks something, doesn't mean that they're prepared to carry it out."

"They meant it," Neville insisted, fear and anger filling his voice. "They said it and they meant it. Parvati said 'People like Ginny should be put down like the animals they are!' The others agreed with her! I could feel it! If given the chance I have no doubt that those two will try to attack Ginny again. For all I know, I'm next!"

A muggle glass paperweight on his desk exploded, startling everyone.

"I'm sorry, Professor Montgomery, I didn't mean to do that," Neville apologized, as Zach got up and fixed the broken object.

"Don't worry, Mr. Longbottom, there's no permanent damage done," he assured the boy, returning to his seat.

"Neville's right, we're all at risk," Rebecca asserted. "I've escaped their notice so far, but I don't know how long that'll keep. Annika, Macdonald, what do you think?"

"Since the beginning they have been harassing me for speaking out against them, but I don't think I'm their main target," Macdonald replied.

"We Seers are," Annika said, shaking her head. "Everywhere I go in Gryffindor, I hear mental whispers and silent conspiracies. They hate and fear us, especially the Gryffindor Seers."

"Is any Gryffindor with The Sight safe?" Rebecca moaned. "Who can protect us from our own house?"

The news that things were worse than they had surmised disturbed Zach. Reaching out and listening to his sense of the world around him only confirmed the Gryffindors' suspicions, including Neville's belief that he would be next, being the Gryffindor closest to Ginny that they could still reach. If he let the boy leave this room now, something terrible would happen before the day was out. He couldn't let that happen. These kids depended on him. The way things were disintegrating, the longer they remained near the other Gryffindors, the more danger they were likely to be in. The Seer protection pact was going to be too little, too late to do them enough good. Drastic measures must be taken if he were going to fulfill his promise to safeguard them.

"So much for waiting for approval..." Zach thought.

"I will!" Zach declared aloud, his determination building as he spoke. "I won't let them hurt you. You are my Seers, therefore under my protection. Even if you aren't a Seer, I am a Professor of Hogwarts. It's my duty to help you. They won't lay a finger on you, if I have anything to say about it! I'll pull you out of Gryffindor if I have to, to keep you safe. I know that you love your house and you want to fight for it, but it's not worth your lives! Children, what are your next classes?"

The Gryffindors stared at him, too stunned to do anything but breathe. From their expressions he knew that his words were the last thing that they expected to hear. One glance at their thoughts told him that they all knew where that path could lead, Harborage. Neville snapped out of it first, trying to sort through a flood of conflicting emotions as he spoke.

"Annika and I have double Potions," Neville supplied, weakly.

"Arithmancy," Macdonald said.

"I've got Transfiguration," Rebecca added, meekly.

Minerva would be watching her students like a hawk, so the third year should be safe. Alicia has a nose for trouble, and typically stops problems before they start, so the normal witch shouldn't have a problem. Severus will probably know the kids' thoughts before they do, which means Annika shouldn't be in danger, but sending Neville to work with volatile magical elements in his current state, with his potential attackers standing over his shoulder the whole time, sounded like a recipe for disaster. He wondered if an upcoming Potions accident was what he felt, but something told him that wasn't it at all. It would be irresponsible to let the boy go. He would just have to keep Mr. Longbottom here for now.

He returned to his desk, quickly writing several notes. The first note was for the house-elves, ordering several rooms on the two floors beneath his classroom, to be renovated and prepared to his specifications, including a common room. The second one was for Severus, excusing Neville from class. The third note was for Minerva, telling her that Neville wouldn't be available for classes today, due to an emergency, and to come to his office as soon as the school day was concluded, to discuss it with him. Then, using his wand to open the door, he charmed the notes to go find their respective recipients.

"It's done," Zach said, standing as the door shut again. "Class will be starting in a few minutes. Miss Macdonald, go to your next class. Remember, if your housemates threaten you in any way, go straight to Professor McGonagall or myself, and we'll deal with it together. Miss Knight, Miss Morden, go to your remaining classes and report back here at before dinner. If for some reason I'm not here, wait for me. Hopefully, I'll have something for you by then. Mr. Longbottom, I'm excusing you from your classes for the remainder of the day. Instead, you'll be staying here, at least until I can consult with your Head of House on the situation. Any questions?"

"Are you considering invoking Harborage?" Rebecca bravely asked before anyone could stop her.

"I don't know," Zach answered truthfully. "Let's worry about crossing that bridge when we come to it. Before you go, Miss Morden, I've got a question. Why is your hair blue?"

"I figured out what the Weasley twins did to my hair, then readapted the charm, making it permanent," Rebecca replied. "Now I can make my hair any color I want. What do you think?"

"You did a fine job," Zach complimented. "Tell me, have you started experimenting with making your own charms?"

"Yeah, how did you know?" Rebecca wondered.

"You remind me of someone," Zach responded, feeling the oddest sense of déjà vu. "You should all get going, if you're planning to get to your classes on time."

"Annika, please get tonight's homework assignments for me?" Neville requested.

"I will," Annika promised.

The ladies left, leaving him alone with Neville. He felt the boy probe his defenses, trying to gauge his state of mind.

"Thank you... for listening to me," Neville said. "People don't tend to take me seriously."

"And, why is that?" he asked.

"I guess it-it's because I'm not really good at anything," the Gryffindor stammered.

"Perhaps, then now is the time for that to change," Zach suggested.

*~*~*

Minerva headed up to Zachary's office, wondering what this was all about. What sort of emergency would prompt him to pull Mr. Longbottom out of class? She knew that, whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good. As she passed the Divination classroom she caught a glimpse through the partially opened doorway of Mr. Longbottom reading a large tome. She stopped, observing the young Gryffindor. The teen looked tense about something, but was clearly trying to put it out of his mind by reading. She could just make out the title 'Basic Magical Physics: Exploring the Nature of Matter and Energy.' She considered interrupting him, but decided against it. Zachary took this measure; it was time he explained himself. She moved on, walking up the last flight of stairs at a brisk pace. Just as Minerva reached the door, the Divination teacher opened it, inviting her in.

Taking a moment to observe her surroundings as she entered, Minerva saw that the walls of the large room were mostly covered in shelves and bookcases. The shelves were filled with an odd assortment of knick-knacks and small muggle/wizarding artifacts. Old-fashioned oil lamps hung from the high ceiling. Zachary's desk and armchair sat facing away from the windows. Two smaller armchairs were arranged in front of it, and a large midnight blue sofa sat off to the side, against a semi-empty wall. A large fireplace was directly across from the sofa. She took a seat in an armchair in front of his desk, while he took his seat.

"What is going on here, Zach?" Minerva asked, calmly. "You took Mr. Longbottom out of classes because of some unspecified emergency. I just saw him in your classroom. He doesn't appear to be in much distress."

"Did you speak with him?" Zachary asked.

"No, I thought it better to hear you out first," Minerva replied.

"Parvati and Lavender were released from the hospital wing early," Zachary started to explain. "They arrived at the Great Hall some time after you left. The Gryffindors, specifically Ron's group, gave the two a hero's welcome. They said some... pretty terrible things that caused Mr. Longbottom to lose his temper. Luckily, his friends managed to stop him before he did any real damage. I'm sorry if this will be difficult to hear, but you need to know if you're going to do anything about it."

Minerva listened as Zachary recounted everything the young Gryffindors told him, including what the Seers had sensed during the incident. She was mortified, as much by Ron's followers' words, as by how little remorse they'd shown. Part of her didn't want to accept that he was referring to her Gryffindors, that her children were capable of such unthinkable malice. Wading through the endless seas of wonderment and torment, she was slowly discovering that, when motivated, people were capable of almost anything - from the most beautiful surprises to the most loathsome acts.

Damn Poppy for not informing her! She needed to have a word with that woman. Minerva had thought that she still had time, when, in truth, she'd just run out of it. Because of her oversight, Mr. Longbottom, and Gryffindors like him, would very likely pay the price. Listening to Zachary's assessment of the danger they were in, she had to agree with him. The remaining real Gryffindors, including the Gryffindor Seers, who were the struggling minority of her house, would be in danger as long as they remained in the line of fire. A question that had been plaguing her surfaced once more, begging to be asked.

"Given the rapidity with which things are disintegrating in Gryffindor, it's surprising that no one has invoked Harborage," Minerva said. "Ronald Weasley is destroying the Gryffindor name. The children know it; they have to by now, even if I haven't been able to accept it. I hate to say this, but the damage is reaching the point where it will be irreparable... Why aren't they leaving my house in droves? What in Merlin's name are they staying for?"

"They're staying because of you," Zachary replied.

"Me?" she asked, shocked.

"They still love what that house once stood for, and they see you as the embodiment of those ideals," he replied. "They know that you haven't given up on them, that you are doing everything in your power to help them. They still believe in you, Minerva! For each of them, using Harborage means calling for a vote of no confidence in you. For them, retreating is therefore betraying you and the values you instilled in them. At heart, they will always be Gryffindor. You know better than anyone how Gryffindors feel about betrayal and fleeing from an enemy, even if for all the right reasons."

"If they can't invoke Harborage than I will!" Minerva exclaimed. "I won't let them do this to themselves. I appreciate their loyalty, but not at the expense of their lives!"

She got up to leave.

"Wait, Minerva. I know you're willing to do anything for your kids, but there is another alternative," Zachary swiftly proposed. "If you agree to co-sponsoring it, we'll have a much easier time setting everything into motion."

"We?" Minerva asked. "What are you planning to do?"

"Severus has agreed to help me work out the details before this weekend's staff meeting," Zachary answered. "Please, return to your seat, and I'll explain."

Minerva sat back down, awaiting further explanation.

"Thank you. Since I started discovering the of people and talents I will be working with, along with the unfortunate reality of the problems my Seers are facing, I've realized that their current accommodations won't be enough," the Divination Professor began. "Telepaths, for instance, can't walk into a crowded place like the Great Hall without being subjected to the passing thoughts and desires of every person there. If they're powerful enough, it won't matter where they are; without shielding the background noise will follow them wherever they go. As you can imagine, the constant strain can be quite debilitating."

"I remember..." Minerva said. "You had to be isolated for six months before you learned to adjust, but what does this have to with that?"

"It looks like the majority of the students they're going after have The Sight," Zachary continued. "And, normal Harborage was never meant to handle this many at once. Think about it, it would be chaos if a mass transfer were to take place. I've come up with a new option, one capable of handling the overload. I call it Departmental Harborage. As we speak, the house-elves are renovating the lower levels of this tower, creating an environment similar to the other living areas partitioned off for the students. Once the wards are in place, it will be the only stronghold in the school truly hospitable to sensitives. In Departmental Harborage, your students won't have to give up the Gryffindor name, but, instead of constantly being in the line of fire, they will have a place to go where they will be accepted. With this stopgap in place, we'll be able to deal with the students who require full Harborage on a case-by-case basis. As for the non-Seers, they can come to stay as well if a Seer vouches for them, and/or they receive my personal approval."

"Are you thinking of making this... Departmental Harborage mandatory or voluntary?" Minerva asked.

"It'll be primarily voluntary, unless intervention is called for," Zachary replied. "What do you think?"

"The overall idea is sound... but there could be serious problems further down the road, if they become too isolated," Minerva sighed. "We may very well be sacrificing the future to save the present."

"Or, perhaps, we're altering the rules of the game in order protect both the children's present, and their future," he countered. "Besides, we both know that we'll never get anywhere if we don't do something. My way may relieve internal tensions - your way will certainly cause a mass panic. Please, choose wisely."

"You do have a point... I agree to co-sponsor this Departmental Harborage of yours, Zachary, but if we're doing this, the environment you create must be conducive to all houses," Minerva responded. "I would like to assist you with working out a proper atmosphere."

"You know, that's exactly what Severus said," Zachary remarked, smiling. "I would be happy to hear any input you might have, but I get final say on what goes."

"Agreed," Minerva said. "How do you feel we should proceed with Mr. Longbottom and the others?"

"We should immediately place Miss Knight, and Mr. Longbottom, under Departmental Harborage," Zachary recommended. "Miss Morden and Miss Macdonald can be placed later, if things continues to devolve. I know that the areas being renovated won't be ready until Sunday night, but it's too dangerous for Mr. Longbottom and Miss Knight remain with the other Gryffindors, more so for Mr. Longbottom than anyone."

"Why?" Minerva asked.

"I haven't told Mr. Longbottom yet, because I don't want to frighten him when he has so little control, but his power to disrupt matter isn't limited to objects," Zachary revealed. "He is a living offensive weapon, and a lethal one at that. If motivated to, with the power he holds, Mr. Longbottom could do immeasurable damage to a fully trained wizard. His gift is still growing, but I have no idea how powerful he'll become before it's done developing. Don't ask me how, but I know that if he goes out there now, unaided, something horrible will happen, and I wouldn't bet on his attackers surviving the ordeal. We can't let that happen!"

"Are you certain?" Minerva asked.

"Totally," Zachary answered. "We can arrange for someone trustworthy to escort them as needed. While the students are at dinner the house-elves could store their things in a set of guest rooms, and I'll set up something so they can spend the next several nights in my classroom."

"Why your classroom?" she inquired, confused. "Why not let them stay in the guest rooms?"

"For two reasons," he stated. "Their enemies are nothing if not resourceful and organized. They'll figure out where the two Seers are going at night and could attack them while they're vulnerable. On the other hand, if they stay in my classroom, not only are they protected from the background noise endlessly harrowing their senses, but the other Seers who visit there at night can keep an eye on them for me. Ron's group wouldn't dare go after them when faced with such an unpredictable variable."

"You make it sound like Ron and his followers are some sort of ruthless organization or a cult. No matter how they've acted, they're still children, Zachary!" Minerva insisted.

"Are they? You'd never know it from the way they behave..." the Divination Professor pointed out. "The remaining children are terrified of them, though I doubt they'll ever admit it. Listen to Mr. Longbottom's description of the way they acted in the open, and tell me again that that's childlike behavior!" Zachary snorted in disgust. "The next thing you'll tell me is that they were only joking."

"But that doesn't change the simple fact that they are children," Minerva maintained.

"What do you propose we do? Put them over our knee and spank them? Or maybe take Argus up on his suggestion at last, and hang the miscreants by their thumbs in the Dungeons?" Zachary asked, agitated. "I'm sure Argus would be delighted to give it a try. Like it or not, this is what they're growing up to be, and your denial won't change that."

He saw her disturbed expression and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Minerva, I shouldn't take this out on you, it's just..." Zachary whispered, wearily.

"I know, Zachary," Minerva replied, understanding completely. "I know..."

*~*~*

Poppy tidied up the hospital wing, while trying to work out how a soulless bastard like Snape, could manage to worm his way into becoming the most sought after staff member in the school, save Albus. It was incomprehensible what lengths that Slytherin slime must have gone to in order to gain power, and for some unfathomable reason, Albus has thus far let him get away with it. Somehow, Snape has even managed to corrupt Minerva and Filius, making the two formerly respectable Heads of House, little more than puppets, willing to do anything to satisfy his sadistic whims. Poppy lost all respect for them, when she found out that they were voluntarily protecting that bastard, and his abomination of an apprentice. This Gray nonsense they were pushing on the school, was little more than a new form of Darkness which the Ministry has yet to put a stop to. Poppy looked up just in time to see Minerva enter the hospital wing. Here comes one of Severus' lackeys now... She had been preparing for this confrontation all morning. The time had finally come to give this traitor to the Light a piece of her mind!

"You lied to me. You assured me that you weren't letting Miss Brown and Miss Patil out until this afternoon!" Minerva accused sharply, turning her full anger on the witch. "You better have a good explanation, Poppy, or I'll-"

"Or you'll do what?" she challenged, sternly. "You'll whine to your demented Keeper and beg him to sic his ex-Gryffindor pit bull on me? I'm tired of answering to you. You Dark collaborators have finally gone too far! Miss Patil and Brown were in my domain as long as they were here - not yours. I thought they needed a few hours of real freedom before you began micromanaging them to death!"

"How dare you treat me with such disrespect!" Minerva snapped. "I know we haven't always been on the best of terms, but that's no excuse for behaving so atrociously. You should be ashamed of yourself for talking about your colleges with such disregard! I don't know what poison Ronald Weasley and those other students have been feeding you, but Severus and Virginia are not monsters, and I am no one's lackey."

"If you think that then you should take a good, long look in the mirror, you have the word traitor written all over you," Poppy shot back coldly.

"If anyone needs a reality check around here, it's you," Minerva countered. "You make me sound like some soulless, controlling monster. In Merlin's name, what is wrong with you?"

"I know what inhumane punishment your Keeper has planned for them," the medi-witch went on angrily, refusing to listen to the Professor's pathetic excuses after hearing the truth from those poor children. How could she listen to even a single word coming out Minerva's mouth? If anyone needed putting a stop to, it was Minerva. "How could you sentence your own so harshly just for defending themselves?"

"Defending themselves?" the traitorous Professor repeated, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Were you listening to a word that was said? Those two tried to murder poor Virginia in cold blood! They are lucky that a year's worth of detention is all they're getting, considering the circumstances."

"What Gryffindor House needs is an advocate and a helping hand, not more threats or cruel punishments for not selling out the way you have," Poppy declared. "I've decided to fill that role, and, while I can't stop you, I can give them the support those children desperately require. The support you're obviously not giving them!"

Minerva clenched and unclenched her fists, apparently fighting the urge to strike her. Poppy's hand strayed to her wand, prepared to hex the witch if need be. Minerva shooting the mediwitch a deathly glare took a deep breath, still struck speechless. Then the Deputy Headmistress stormed out of the hospital wing, her robes billowing dramatically behind her. Poppy watched her leave, a bit surprised that the traitorous bitch had put up so little fight. Chalking one up for the good guys, she happily continued her work.

*~*~*

Albus sat in his office, bored for the first time in what was most definitely ages. After he had gotten his daily mountain of paperwork out of the way, there was just... nothing to do. Not too long ago he could never get a moment's peace, now everything was too silent, too controlled for his tastes. There was too much time left over for him to think; to mull over all the ways things have permanently spun out of his control. It was Severus' job to mold the future now, not his... he fervently hoped that the boy was up to the task.

Once again he thought about Mr. Potter, and his derailed plans for the young Gryffindor. When Albus had first recruited the boy, he'd hoped that the Philosopher's stone disaster would be the first and last time he would need to bring the young wizard into this. But after the stone was so unfortunately destroyed, he knew that Mr. Potter would never be free until they erased all traces of the Dark Lord. That's when his plan to use Harry Potter as the Light's ultimate weapon had begun, when he took it upon himself to... do what needed to be done. Alone, the boy's impetuous nature would've only gone so far. What more humane way to handle the problem had there been, other than the option he took? It was certainly better than the alternative, or, at least, Albus had always thought so. After his little debacles with both Virginia Weasley and Sybil Trelawney, he wasn't so sure. Those incidents had sown the seeds of doubt within him. A doubt that seemed to grow with each damnable second he was left to his own devices.

Should he reverse the steps he had taken to ensure things with Mr. Potter? After nearly six years, could he? Was it still in his power even, after the countless modifications and safeguards he'd added to prevent that from happening? Only he knew the combination to remove it safely. Should he risk it? Was the boy worth it? The others would never understand, young Mr. Potter least of all. They would probably string him up for it, when they discovered the truth... No, that would never happen, not on its own anyway. He'd done such a good job of hiding it that even Virginia and Zachary had missed his hidden insurance, otherwise they'd have beaten down his door. Was he doing the young man, or himself, a favor by acting? Or, would this attempt to act turn nasty as well? It would never work, Albus thought, shaking his head dejectedly. If he did anything now to upset the boy's neural pathways, every telepathic Seer near Mr. Potter would know. Perhaps it was better to just let things play out. After all, Mr. Potter was getting along fine without him or his assistance, so was everyone else for that matter-

Minerva suddenly barged into his office, harshly pulling him out of his contemplative state as she slammed the door behind her. One look at her irate features told him volumes about her distress, while she began pacing back and forth in front of him, wringing her hands in pent up frustration. This... display was not at all like the Deputy Headmistress.

"I think you've been hanging around Severus too long, you're picking up his bad habits," Albus commented lightheartedly, trying to lessen the suddenly oppressive tension in the room.

"I want that bitch fired!" Minerva snarled in a very uncharacteristic fashion. Whatever the problem was, he wasn't going to be able to fix it with amusing platitudes. "I want her packed up and shipped out of Hogwarts by the end of the day!"

Definitely spending too much time with him... Albus mentally maintained. She's up to channeling the Potions Master, as the muggles would say.

"Whom do you want fired?" he asked, gently. How many years has it been since he's seen her this upset? More than he could count. He needed to talk her down, and quickly, or she was going to do something very rash.

"Poppy," she spat in a low voice. "She's sabotaging all my efforts to help my students, and now they'll pay the price for her utter lunacy. I can't work like this, Albus! I just can't... and she has the nerve to say that I'm neglecting them, when I am working till my fingers bleed to keep the situation from deteriorating further. I won't take this from the likes of her! She's undermining the public good, and as Deputy Headmistress, I demand that she be removed from her post immediately, and a substitute be sent over from the Ministry of Magic, until a proper replacement can be found!"

"I now understand to whom you're referring, but I'm not much closer to why," Albus said carefully. "Please, take a seat, my dear, and explain this to me from the beginning."

"No, I don't need a seat! I don't need to calm down! I need that intolerable woman gone!" Minerva argued, as her pacing increased. The younger woman groaned in frustration. "People used to listen to me, Albus. They trusted my judgement, I trusted my judgement, now look at me, just look at me! Half of my Gryffindors are systematically destroying the Gryffindor name, and everything I do to stop to it is too little, too late. Since Poppy released Patil and Brown from the hospital wing early, when she promised me she would wait until the afternoon, the remaining good Gryffindors are running in fear for their lives! And why does she do it? Because she believes the destructive Gryffindors' lies. That woman has no idea what she's just done!"

"Isn't it more probable that you are mistaken?" Albus asked, seeking some way to refuse her request without causing her further distress. "Perhaps Poppy had just forgotten to inform you that she was releasing them early."

"She told me this herself," Minerva shot down his justification, shaking her head. "I have never been so insulted in all my life. How dare she presume that she knows better. She showed blatant disregard for my authority, and for the Head of Slytherin. Poppy actually intents to defend Ron's group every step of the way, without any regard for what we are trying to accomplish."

"Maybe it would be better if I had a word with her first, and found out why she acted that way," Albus cautiously suggested.

Abruptly, Minerva stopped pacing and stared at him intensely. Albus got the distinct impression that he was in better stead while the witch had been pacing.

"I know where you're going with this, and I don't want to hear platitudes, I don't want go through your usual bait and switch, I want an honest answer, and I want it now!" Minerva declared. "Are you going to fire that interfering bitch or not?"

"No, I won't let her go because you two simply had an altercation," Albus asserted, hating the direct approach, but seeing no easier way out of it. "I understand if her actions have upset things a bit-"

"A bit?" Minerva echoed. "Open your eyes, Albus. House Gryffindor is disintegrating and there is nothing I can do to stop it! I'm losing the House I swore to protect - I won't lose the children as well-"

"You're overreacting," Albus insisted. "I know that the peace has been harder to maintain since Virginia left, but that doesn't mean that Ron is leading the Gryffindors to their own destruction. I promise I will have a word with Poppy, and perhaps, in time you two will be able to work out your differences."

Watching Minerva's expression become unreadable, she froze in a moment of indecision. Albus steeled himself, prepared for anything. Anything, but the response she settled on. The Deputy Headmistress turned and walked out without saying a word, leaving him utterly confounded.

*~*~*

Searching for his apprentice, Severus headed back into the Dungeons. He had already looked for her in the library, but all he had found was a very annoyed Irma Pince, complaining that she didn't have the time to watch Virginia skim through transfiguration tomes and giving him a surprisingly long list of books Virginia had read today alone. Irma didn't let him leave until he promised to assign a house elf to keep track of her reading from now on. He reached his apprentice's chamber and knocked. There was no answer, but he could strongly feel Virginia and Ix Chel's presence. They were in there. After a minute, Severus gave up knocking and entered. Virginia was lying in bed, sound asleep, while Ix Chel sat coiled on the girl's stomach, watching the door.

"There you two are," he hissed in Parsel. "I went to pick you up in the library, but you weren't there. Did something happen I should be made aware of?"

"Virginia was tired after her meeting with Draco, so she remained here to rest instead of returning to her studies," Ix Chel replied. "I'm glad that she is pursuing knowledge once more. With each new book she absorbs, my library grows. It is a beautiful sign."

"Your library grows." Severus repeated, trying to understand. "You once told me that you carry your predecessors' and their wizards' memories, does this mean that-"

"That what I remember, Virginia remembers?" Ix Chel finished for him. "She will soon... As she learns to work with our bond she will gain greater and greater access to my memories. One day, in what may be the near future, my bonded will remember the lives that came before with all the clarity of her own. Just as one day, in the further future, my children will carry my bonded's memories intermingled with my own. It is the way of our life cycle."

"Why haven't you told her of this?" Severus asked, sure, for some reason, that Ix Chel never fully disclosed the process to her. "Why didn't you tell Virginia the truth right from the start?"

"If I had gone into further detail, would she have been so eager?" Ix Chel replied. "As it was, we barely had enough time to bond. I couldn't let the opportunity slip by. I saw one who was receptive to me, so I made the offer. It was still her life, her choice. In a way, my bonded already knows the truth, she has yet to have realized its importance, that's all."

"So, she will be able to use all the Gray talents you've been teaching us by remembering them?" he inquired.

"Yes," Ix Chel said.

"Then why is her Gray training so important, if she is eventually going to remember the skills from your former lives anyway?" Severus asked.

"She needs to comprehend the scope of the universe she's stepping into, and be prepared to face the hidden worlds from both without and within herself, or there's a chance it will overwhelm her," Ix Chel explained. "Without proper preparation, she would become an extreme of corrupted intent. Together, with you at her side, guiding her away from false paths, and armed with prior experience of her own, my young one will be protected from that possibility. Everything I have done has been for my bonded and her protected. I could do nothing less. If you were in my position, wouldn't you manipulate everything within your power, to safeguard this young treasure?"

Severus thought about it, realizing that the type of machinations she was referring to was exactly what he was doing as well. When faced with the choice, he would do no different. A snake with a proper Slytherin attitude, the founder of his family would have loved her.

"I wouldn't change a thing," he affirmed.

"Than we are of like mind... good," Ix Chel hissed softly.

It wasn't a surprise that Virginia was becoming so disconnected, if this is what she was going through. With each passing day part of her was being pulled further into the past. It was a sobering realization that he was, ultimately, the one thing that grounded her. Thousands of years worth of experience... It was hard to imagine the scope of it, yet the Gray used this shared memory on a regular basis... The world of the past had been a strange, incomparable place, nothing like what he'd imagined. Under these absurd circumstances that made sense. With great effort, he put it out of his mind, burying this new knowledge so deeply that his apprentice would have to know what she was looking for in order to find it. He would need to work out the implications of this new wrinkle later, right now he had a student to awaken.

"Virginia... wake up," Severus said, switching to English as he shook her gently. "Come, it's time for your next session."

"Rachel...?" Virginia whispered sleepily in a gruff voice.

"No, it's Severus," he corrected. "Move, it's time for your Potions session."

"Mum...I miss..." Virginia whispered, disorientated. All of a sudden, she opened her eyes, sitting up. "Sorry I overslept master Snape-"

"It's alright," he cut in. "And, it's Severus."

"Yes, ma-Severus," she said, shaking off the effects of some dream.

"You called out a name in your sleep. Does Rachel mean anything to you?" he asked.

"No," Virginia replied too quickly. "It's probably nothing."

He didn't believe her, but chose not to press the issue. She took a look at the time.

"I guess I missed second lunch," Virginia commented, transfiguring an apple out of thin air without a wand. Before she could take a bite he snatched it out of her hand.

"Hey, it's my apple," Virginia whined, trying in vain to take it back. "I'm hungry. Go get your own!"

"We still don't know how complete that little trick of yours is," Severus reasoned. "For all we know it's poisonous, so stop acting like a two year old."

"Are you poisonous, apple?" Virginia asked the object.

It told them that there was nothing wrong with it, but he refused to take the newly created object's word for it, and pocketed the bloody thing.

"If you're hungry, all you have to do is say so," Severus chided lightly, feeling like he was talking to a small child. "We'll take a detour to the kitchens on the way back."

"Yes, Severus," his apprentice all but pouted.

Not falling for her transparent act, he directed her to get ready. Virginia quickly placed Ix Chel on her shoulders, put her shoes on, then grabbed her backpack and cauldron on the way out. They reached his classroom without incident. In silence Virginia set up at a table in the first row. He could sense the girl's fear and obvious tension, as she worked on a simple Drowsiness Draught. He sat at his desk, knowing that hovering over Virginia's shoulder would only make things worse. In the middle of the preparation she groaned, quickly backing away from her cauldron a moment before the whole thing caught fire. Severus was on his feet in an instant, quenching the flame and clearing away the molten mess left behind.

"Damn it, I know the potion by heart, more than by heart, why can't I do it?" Virginia whispered. "There was a time I could've done it in my sleep, no pun intended. Now the first years would laugh at my efforts."

"No one would laugh at you," Severus disagreed. "Trust me, I've seen far worse."

"You're right, they'd be too busy being afraid of me," Virginia blurted out. She returned to her seat, depressed. "I apologize for speaking out of turn, but things were so much easier when no one knew my name. At least, back then I could do things. These days, it's like I've been struck muggle."

"Muggle?" he asked, having trouble seeing anything remotely muggle about her. "You mean the other teachers' restrictions?"

She didn't respond.

"I can't do anything, if you don't tell me about it," Severus reminded her.

"Professor Montgomery and Professor Flitwick say I shouldn't use charms in public, because I could hurt someone," his apprentice began. "The Chimaera thing added to the whole 'Ginny Seer' mythos. I can't get anywhere near Herbology. Everyone's afraid of what I'm going to predict next. Professor Vector acted strange to say the least, during Arithmancy, Professor McGonagall doesn't think I should use transfiguration in public, and my basic Potions skills are worse than Neville's. Oh, and Professor Lupin didn't say I couldn't use DADA in front of others, but our class was interrupted, so who knows? What can I do in public, Severus, slay a Death Eater in front of my classmates? I'm sure they'll make a great audience..." She broke off with a sharp intake of air, raising her hand to her mouth, horrified by her own words. "I did it again, didn't I?"

"Get the journal Montgomery gave you and write it down," he sighed. Just when you think things couldn't get any worse, the universe sets out to prove you wrong. "I see your point, the Professors restrictions do add up. I'm giving you permission to use charms and transfiguration in public, but be certain that you can do the spells safely, prior to casting them."

"Thank you," she replied, her mood lightening a bit at his words as she followed his order.

As Severus continued observing her, he realized just how much they were already overburdening her. He'd brought her out of isolation early because of the pressing social and political issues. He had hoped that the reduced schedule would keep her from cracking. Only, now that they were discovering these little breakthroughs of hers, each of her professors wanted more and more of her time, of her, in the process weighing down his unstable apprentice. When this began he thought he was getting a normal apprentice, who happened to have something that could help them against Voldemort. Instead what he got was a traumatized joined girl, who happened to be the key to the end of everything, or maybe the beginning, depending on whether or not she could hold it together.

Severus suddenly found himself missing the days when all he had to worry about was keeping young Mr. Potter from getting himself killed. That had been so much simpler, but he realized not nearly as much fun. Even with all the pain and confusion, for the first time in his life part of him felt alive, and that part of him had no intention of ending the roller coaster ride anytime soon. What was it about her that incited these musings and little epiphanies? Whether she knew it or not, Virginia Weasley would be a formidable catalyst in whatever arena she chose. That was when it occurred to Severus, that is precisely what Taleen had rearranged time and space to bring about, an independent, living catalyst with a support structure capable of bringing The Guardian to the moment. He hoped it was enough.

"What are you thinking?" Virginia asked, breaking into his contemplation.

"Can't you tell?" he sneered, somewhat irritated.

"Yeah, but I prefer to ask," Virginia answered.

Severus mentally shook his head. At least, she was learning to pretend that she couldn't hear his every thought.

"I want you to keep in mind that some of the tasks we've set before you, aren't meant to be solved properly, because they're above your level," Severus pointed out to her. "No one expects you to get everything, just to try. Relax, one failure doesn't mean that you're incapable, it just means that you need to work at it."

"Then I guess we should try again," Virginia said.

"Are you sure you're up to it?" Severus asked.

"I'm sure," Virginia replied, looking a damn sight better than when she had first arrived.

She transfigured herself another caldron out of air and set up. The second potion he had her attempt was a more difficult growth potion, hoping that it would be easier for her to work with. This time Virginia fell into an easy rhythm, working with a single-minded sense of purpose. Looking closer, he knew that something was still off, and that she knew it too. Severus meticulously inspected the final product. It seemed perfect, but he could sense a magical imbalance hidden deeply within its very nature. He noticed the small frown on Virginia's face as she shook her head.

"It's not right," Virginia stated. "My technique was in sync this time, but I know I've messed it up somehow. Should we test it and find out what I really did?"

Against his better judgement, he agreed, bringing out a little sapling to test it on. Not taking any chances, they moved the tables aside and placed the plant in the center of the room. She administered a single drop to the tiny plant, quickly backing away as it grew at a phenomenal rate. Within seconds, a giant tree sat in the center of his classroom, threatening to break through the ceiling. Severus put a stop to it before it destroyed the place. He turned around, startled by the sound of Ix Chel and Virginia's incessant giggling.

"I definitely shouldn't have taken muggle studies..." Virginia remarked, between bouts of tittering.

"Just what about this do you find so amusing?" Severus snarled, shooting the two an icy glare that would've had her former housemates quaking in fear. Seeing his expression, they sobered at once.

"Nothing," they chorused in unison.

He could swear that she was getting more eccentric by the minute. Either that or the stresses of the week were finally getting to him.

"Gryffindors..." Severus thought, annoyed.

Virginia smiled. As punishment for reminding him of just how annoying real Gryffindors were, he made her put the tables back by herself, before trying to brew the growth potion properly one last time. He sat back and watched as Virginia fell back into her rhythm, working harder this time to balance the magical elements. More than half way through, he heard her curse under her breath. She was completely oblivious to his presence as he got to his feet again, standing over her shoulder to observe. The potion bubbled slightly, still dark red, coming along perfectly to the untrained eye, but he could feel the growing imbalance she was struggling to correct.

"No..." Virginia whispered tensely, carefully sprinkling in an ingredient. Abruptly, Virginia let out an inaudible defeated groan as the potion stopped bubbling altogether. Severus could sense the structure of the magic itself, intermingled within the potion, breaking down. It changed from dark red, to blue, then to aqua, before, at last, becoming a foul-smelling, murky gray fluid, filled with remnants of left over ingredients. In all of his years working in the field, he'd never seen a failure quite like this one. When magical elements conflict they explode, become useless, have unanticipated results, not... cancel each other out.

Virginia dejectedly turned off the flames heating the cauldron, then sat back down, and buried her head in her hands on the table, summarily bursting into tears. Severus watched her cry for a long moment, unsure of how to react. He prided himself on being able to make the most stubborn, dunderheaded student come apart at the seams, but this, this was completely outside his experience. He understood exactly what she was going through, knowing full well that her problem has nothing to do with a lack of skill or competence. He thought that this would be the one class where she would be able to regain her footing quickly, but now he wasn't sure she could at all. He settled for putting a hand on her shoulder. She jumped at his touch, noticing him for the first time since she had begun working again. Severus watched as Virginia turned around, seeing uncharacteristic sympathy and understanding in his dark eyes.

Without warning she stood and hugged him tightly, whispering something he didn't quite catch into his robes. Momentarily stunned, he wasn't sure whether he should attempt to shrug her off or respond in kind. Either way, he was well beyond what would be considered appropriate for the usual master/apprentice relationship. He awkwardly held the young woman protectively to him, allowing her all the time she needed to pull herself back together. Once again, Severus felt that sense of security radiating from her, which as far as he knew, happened only in his presence. She let him probe a little further, letting him experience her deepening trust and faith in him for himself. In that moment, he knew just how vulnerable she was to him, just how easy it would be for her caring and devotion to grow into something more, something it was never meant to become. That concept terrified him more than he'd ever admit. He pulled away, holding her at arm's length as he studied her frustrated, worried features. He fought to say something to fill this strange void as a million conflicting thoughts and questions played havoc with him.

"What happened?" he questioned calmly.

"I-I've tried to do it, to make it work, but I just can't," Virginia attempted to explain. "I understand the potion's structure completely, but this-" She waved a hand at the potions equipment. "-is too imprecise to work with. I need something else."

"What else is there?" he asked, having no idea where to even begin repairing such a magical breach.

"Wait, I think I might know. Severus, you're a genius!" Virginia exclaimed, suddenly ecstatic. Bewildered by her sudden shift, he released her as she started pacing around in no particular pattern. "If I know its structure completely, right down to the subtleties of its magic, then I should be able to recreate it, but I can't because my past method of synthesis is all wrong for this level. There's no way I can reproduce it perfectly, part for part, because normal Potions was never meant to work that way, nor should it on its own. The nature of normal potions is for the wizard, or witch in this case, to work the magical elements, molding them into something unique, and at the same time, something specifically similar. As we all know, no two potions are exactly alike, they can be close, but never quite the same, not even when coming from the same witch. There never was, and never will be, the 'perfect' potion. How silly of me! The answer's right in front of me. Why didn't I see it?"

"What answer?" Severus probed, confused by her ramblings.

"I've gotten too inflexible to do it properly the old way," Virginia explained. "It's like a bloody cascade failure. For every problem I fix, another one is bound to appear, and so on, and so forth, because I'm not what I used to be - I don't connect all that well on the early levels anymore. I can't recapture it..." Virginia stopped, meeting his gaze. "I need to try something new. I need to create it in its totality."

His apprentice held out her hand, devoting her absolute concentration to whatever she was doing. He watched as she transfigured a vial filled with what looked like growth potion, out of the air, right into the palm of her hand. Severus couldn't believe his eyes, as he watched the young witch inspect the vial. Satisfied that she'd finally gotten the results she wanted, Virginia handed it to him. As he rigorously inspected it for quality, his mind continued attempting to process the reality of what he was holding. There was no mistake, there was growth potion in the vial. Against all reason, it looked like she had done a beautiful job. To be sure he decided to test this... experiment, taking out a second seedling. This time he didn't bother to move anything aside, opting instead to place the plant on the table. He uncorked the vial, tentatively sniffing its contents. It was as if it were freshly brewed. Amazing. He let one drop fall, hitting the little plant. The plant absorbed it, grew only as far as it should, and stopped. Perfect... everything about it fell perfectly within normal parameters. Amazing... utterly amazing...

"Are you alright, Severus?" Virginia asked tentatively.

"I'm fine," he assured her, regaining his composure. "Do you have any idea how significant your little epiphany is?"

"It goes a long way to winning that Transfiguration/Potions argument we had at the picnic," Virginia supplied.

"That's one way of looking at it," Severus replied, examining the remaining potion in the vial. Before he could continue, they looked up in unison, sensing Minerva pacing back and forth outside the classroom door, being all but driven to madness with distress.

"I don't think we should keep her waiting," Virginia suggested, her eyes growing unfocused. "She needs your guidance now."

"Agreed," Severus concurred. "That concludes this Potions session. Clean up, and gather your things."

She nodded, her cauldron vanishing at the gesture. She noticed his surprise as she created a fresh one and put the remaining ingredients away.

"I made it air," his apprentice answered his unspoken question. "That cauldron wasn't salvageable anyway."

Shaking his head, he went to open the door. Minerva started, hurriedly turning to face him. Judging by her countenance, something serious must have happened. In all the years he'd known her, he had never seen the Deputy Headmistress this visibly distraught.

"Come in," Severus offered, moving out of her way.

Minerva entered his classroom, reflexively reining in her emotional turmoil when she spotted Virginia.

"I apologize for the interruption, but there is an urgent matter I need to discuss with you," Minerva told him.

"It's not a problem," Severus replied. "We were just about finished for the day."

"I guess I should be going," Virginia interjected, edging towards the door. "If you need me, master, I'll be in the library."

"You shouldn't go anywhere without a proper escort," Minerva protested. "Miss Brown and Miss Patil have been released from the hospital wing. I think it would be best for everyone if you weren't alone."

Severus raised an eyebrow at her bothersome news. Those Gryffindor fools were definitely causing trouble, trouble she no doubt has gotten wind of. He decided not to try to read Minerva until after he had heard the problem from her.

"Hermione and my father are in the library right now," Virginia informed them, her eyes losing focus for a split second. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind spending time with me."

"I'll escort her there," Severus told Minerva. "Will the matter keep until I return?"

Minerva solemnly nodded. He quickly escorted his apprentice to the library, then stopped by the kitchens long enough to have some food sent to the library for Virginia. All the while, mentally preparing himself for what promised to be an interesting meeting with the Deputy Headmistress.

*~*~*

Minerva continued pacing in Severus' office, as she anxiously awaited his return. It was all she could do to stop herself from taking a course of action which she would no doubt later regret. The situation seemed to be going from bad to worse, and with each person she tried to reach, the outlook only became bleaker. Minerva only hoped that Severus could assist her in navigating through this nightmare. A short time later the Potions master returned. He automatically placed locking and silencing charms on the room before taking his seat. Instead of his usual calm and calculating countenance he regarded her with the strangest mixture of recognition and concern.

"What has happened?" Severus asked quietly.

Severus didn't interrupt her train of thought with useless questions, but allowed her to tell him all that had happened to make her so upset. During the course of her explanation, the Potions master sent a little note to the elves, and lifted the locking charms just long enough to accept a tea delivery. Concluding her rant Minerva felt part of the frustration leave her, as she finally reached the point where she was capable of taking a seat.

"I just don't know what I'm going to do about her, Severus. If Albus won't fire her..." Minerva concluded, sighing heavily.

She gratefully accepted the cup of Lady Gray tea he handed her, allowing the light scent to soothe her overtaxed nerves.

"Dumbledore will never have her removed, not as long as he has any choice in the matter, so don't waste your breath trying to get through to him," Severus replied. "She takes care of his various black projects, and such. As a result, he turns a blind eye to some of her more... questionable activities concerning the students."

Minerva realized what he was implying.

"Surely, you don't think-" she started.

"What I think doesn't matter, it's what I can prove that does," Severus cut in. "Do you remember a Slytherin of mine from a few years back, a Miss Liandra Nin?"

"Yes... she was pretty fair in Transfiguration, if I recall correctly," Minerva said slowly. "She had quite a passion for medicine, despite Poppy's insistence that she would never amount to anything... Did she continue her studies after school?"

"Shortly after Miss Nin graduated, the Order of Salus took her in," Severus informed her. "From what I've heard, she recently obtained her doctorate, and had been awaiting assignment. Unfortunately, there was some sort of accident, and now the doors that were finally opening for her have slammed shut in her face. I've been tracking her down for a little while now. I'm planning to bring her here to evaluate my Slytherins. Considering Pomfrey's blatantly divided loyalties, you and Filius may wish to do the same."

"I have always thought that Poppy had severely underestimated Miss Nin," Minerva appraised. "What if her results come up empty?"

"Then we can be reassured that Pomfrey is doing an adequate job," Severus sneered. "In any case, it would be a good idea to put her on staff, so that we can have trustworthy help available."

"And if she does discover something?" Minerva wondered.

"Then we have them right where we want them," Severus said. "Be advised, if you want to get rid of Pomfrey, you will have to be prepared to go after Dumbledore as well. No matter what they say in their defense, they're both actionable. However, the actions we decide to take must be in the best interests of the Light, and the war. Are you truly prepared to officially remove Albus Dumbledore as Headmaster of this school, and as head of the Light? Or, is it better to keep him as a figurehead, while we pull the true strings from the behind the scenes?"

"You're talking about blackmail," Minerva exclaimed, scandalized.

"I prefer to think of it as an incentive, unless you want the Dark Lord to know that the Light is in disarray?" Severus countered. "We can't afford any slipups. If you think about it, we're already doing it. This option is insurance, nothing more. We have time to consider this, but when she arrives, you must be prepared to make the difficult choices, as must I."

"There is an ugly irony in all of this," Minerva whispered. "Albus made the decisions that no else could, and in his place our first choice is whether to destroy him."

"He took away our other options, but there is still hope he can be redeemed," Severus said. "My apprentice made a prediction I think you should know about. She said 'Maybe the impossible will happen, and Dumbledore will see the error of his ways.' Just because it hasn't yet occurred, doesn't mean that it isn't going to."

"Do you honestly believe that, Severus?" Minerva questioned him.

He gave his answer serious thought, then replied with utter certainty.

"At this point, I have come to believe that anything is possible," Severus answered.

"You play Albus' role well," Minerva remarked.

"And, you play the role of the frustrated Potion's master well," Severus quipped, smirking.

Minerva chuckled. She watched the Potions master remove an apple from a pocket in his robes, and place it on the desk.

"My apprentice transfigured this from air molecules," he explained, as she stared curiously at the apple. "Both Virginia and the apple insisted that there was nothing wrong with it, but I refused to take the newly created object's word for it. I thought you would like to take a look at it, and perhaps test it to see if its structure is complete..."

He trailed off as she picked it up and took a bite, enjoying the taste of the seemingly fresh-picked apple.

"It checks out," Minerva said, swallowing.

"Well, that was very scientific," Severus sneered. "What if the bloody thing is poisonous?"

"The probability of that is quite remote," Minerva explained, continuing to enjoy the fruit. "To create a life form you need to have an understanding of how the overall structure goes together properly, otherwise it wouldn't be viable, and she is far beyond that level. In comparison to that, this-" She held up the apple. "would be elementary. Creating a fruit here and there won't harm her."

"Well you're the expert. And, speaking of things one normally shouldn't be able to do, my session with Virginia was... enlightening, to put it mildly," Severus smoothly changed subjects.

Minerva continued to enjoy her apple, waiting to hear about yet another impossible thing, a normal occurrence these days. She wondered vaguely, if these shocks would become easier to take after awhile.

*~*~*

The partial essence of the indomitable Dark Lord watched through the eyes of his unwilling pawn, Ron. He stopped in the center of the Quidditch pitch, tightly clutching the brat's broom. His simpering playthings, Seamus and Dean, followed closely behind, carrying the rest of the Quidditch equipment. He knew that Potter would be along soon enough, ready to confront his former best friend on the field the child loved so. At first, Voldemort had hated being so close to his arch-nemesis, yet unable to finish him off. But now, in the guise of Potter's former friend, he finally had the perfect way to torment the little Gryffindor bastard, driving the boy directly into the arms of Darkness, and his pathetic cohorts with him. It was a revenge far sweeter than he could have ever hoped for. Manipulating the masses in such a satisfyingly personal fashion really took him back.

Ron caught sight of Harry heading towards them, carrying his Firebolt. To everyone else, his friend seemed fine, but he knew better. Harry was hurting, and from the looks of it, he was pushing Hermione away to protect her, again. It was painful to watch his friends and family being used by that soulless monster, and even worse to know that he was the instrument of their destruction. Ron bravely fought his never-ending clashes with the Dark Wizard, but even on the best of days, all he could do was force You-Know-Who to hesitate. But he always ended up paying terribly for it.

Ron scoffed. Some great wizard I'm shaping up to be... I'm never even gonna make it out of Hogwarts alive.

"So glad you could make it, Harry... for once," Voldemort-Ron sneered. "You haven't been to the last couple of practices. I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to manage to slink back out of the Dungeons."

"I've been busy," Potter replied. "Now, are we going to stand around all day trading insults, or are we going to practice? Unless you want to take me off the team, just days before the Slytherin/Gryffindor match."

"I'm giving you one last chance to stay on my team... I have a little challenge for you, lets see if hanging in the Dungeons has rotted your skills on a broom," Voldemort-Ron proposed.

"What do you have in mind?" his target asked, carefully.

"Just some Bludger practice to get you into the sprit of things," Voldemort-Ron replied. "Me, Seamus, and Dean will try to hit you with a set of Bludgers for ten minutes, and if we fail to hit you in that time, I won't drop you from the team."

"That's crazy!" Ron mentally exclaimed. "Don't do it, Harry! He's tricking you into hurting yourself. It's not worth it!"

"Silence, child," Voldemort commanded his pawn.

Ron retreated from You-Know-Who's grasp. Once more, resigned to watch from the sidelines.

"What are we waiting for?" Potter accepted the challenge determinedly, taking to the air. "Let's get this over with."

Seamus gave Ron a bat, then he took to the air, taking his place at the opposing side of the pitch. Dean released the Bludgers, and the real game began. Voldemort-Ron tried to knock Potter off his broom several times but failed. He stopped just long enough to call upon his Gryffindor minions, before continuing to persue his prey. Seamus and Dean entered the fray, making things more difficult for his victim. No matter how many times they sent the Bludgers Potter's way, The-Boy-Who-Lived figured out a way to evade them. Either Potter was the luckiest prat alive, or he was better on that broom than the Dark Lord had first surmised.

After eight minutes Voldemort-Ron grew infuriated with the boy's insufferable luck and decided to turn up the heat. Potter was going to lose, one way or another. When he was sure he wasn't being watched, he stopped, pulled his wand, and charmed the Bludgers to hone in on Potter alone. He allowed himself a small sadistic laugh, as Gryffindor's former golden boy flew erratically around the pitch, pathetically trying to shake the Bludgers. Without warning, Potter dived towards the Forbidden Forest in a desperate bid to shake the enchanted projectiles, vanishing into the treetops with the Bludgers still in close pursuit. Seamus and Dean came to a halt beside him.

"Shouldn't we go after him?" Seamus asked.

"And be caught breaking the rules again?" Voldemort-Ron disagreed, shaking his head. "We'll wait, and if he doesn't come out... I guess we'll just have to inform a Professor."

Ron knew that his friend wouldn't have done something that dangerous without some sort of plan. All he could do was wait, and pray that Harry knew what he was doing.

________

TBC