The Awakening of a Magus

the-dreamer

Story Summary:
In the summer after the Triwizard Tournament, Harry suddenly awakens to new powers and a new look. However, the powers of a Magus aren't so easy to control, and they don't make life easy. Voldemort is much more powerful than ever. Some new characters come into the picture, some old characters will not survive, and other old characters will learn a new outlook. No slash, O/C but no Mary-Sue, light R/Hr ship, possible other light ships, lite Harry/Tonks

The Awakening of a Magus 09 - 10

Chapter Summary:
In the summer after the Triwizard Tournament, Harry suddenly awakens to new powers and a new look. However, the powers of a Magus aren't so easy to control, and they don't make life easy. Voldemort is much more powerful than ever. Some new characters come into the picture, some old characters will not survive, and other old characters will learn a new outlook. No slash, O/C but no Mary-Sue, light R/Hr ship, possible other light ships. - This file: Chapter 09: ‘The circle begins and so do the rumors’ and Chapter 10: ‘Snape and the ties that bind’
Posted:
06/12/2003
Hits:
4,169
Author's Note:
Author Notes, Some Answers to Reviewer Questions, Credits and Local Canon (spells and characters of the 'Harry Magus' universe added to the 'Harry Potter' universe) can be found on website helena.whitaker.name . (warning ... local spoilers on website.)

The Awakening of a Magus
Chapter 9 - Fri, Jul 21 - Day 1
The Circle Begins and So Do the Rumors

Harry hadn't been in this room since the Triwizard Tournament. This room was normally used for private faculty dinner meetings, or when special guests were being entertained, so students rarely saw it. He was the first one here, and he didn't feel comfortable sitting down by himself. Being here brought back memories of the alienation he felt when he became the fourth champion of the Triwizard Tournament. And he remembered Cedric Diggory ... which in turn led to remembering Cedric's death. "Come on, Harry!" he said to himself aloud. "Dwelling on the past won't get you through this ... this waking dream you're in." He paced near the door, hoping someone else would show up soon.

He heard Dumbledore and McGonagall approaching. She was saying, "Yes, they'll have the meal ready for us as soon as Sylvia and Erasmus arrive. You said they were on their way? Oh, Harry, come sit down before you wear a path in the carpet over there." McGonagall smiled at Harry's nervousness.

As they sat at one end of the conference table, Dumbledore observed, "I see you decided to switch to your student robes, and keep your glasses."

"Well," Harry said, "I've worn the glasses for over ten years. It feels strange to be without them, so I just changed the lenses to plain glass. And the robes make the other changes ... less noticeable. At least I think they do. Maybe I'll be able to explain most of it away as a normal growth spurt. I mean, last year there were several students who grew three inches over the summer. That's how much I had to lengthen the robe. The two inches today, and I guess I had already grown about an inch before that." Just then, Sylvia and Erasmus came through the door, stopping suddenly when they saw Harry and heard what he had just said.

"Merlin's Beard, Harry!" Erasmus croaked. "Albus, am I imagining things or did Harry ..." He was at a loss for words.

"No, you aren't imagining things," Dumbledore stated, as he waved the newcomers over to the table to sit with them. "When we arrived at the house to pick up Harry's things, his magic decided to speed up his transformation. It most likely is so drastic in Harry's case because he is the first Magus who wasn't a fully-grown adult. Come on, Harry. Change back to your Muggle clothes so they can get the complete effect." Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling as he prodded his embarrassed student. "You need to get comfortable with the fact that you've changed rather suddenly from a ... forgive me ... fairly scrawny 15 year old to the image of a 17 year old lifelong athlete. Come on!" Of course, Dumbledore didn't say a word to Harry on how to change his clothes by magic. He wanted to see how well Harry's instincts worked on smaller spells that were extensions of things he already knew.

Harry tried to look angry, but didn't do a very good job. Dumbledore was teasing him, and he needed to enjoy the situation as much as possible. The tough parts would come soon enough. "Oh, alright. Since you say so, my Lord Mentor," he said with exaggerated respect. Harry stood, began to turn around, and as he did, the robe, and school outfit under it, changed to the resized Muggle clothes he had arrived in. By the time he had made one complete turn, he was smiling. "Is that what you wanted, sir?"

Erasmus looked Harry up and down, walking around to see him from all sides. Sylvia just stood there, raised her eyebrows, and gave him a long, slow, wolf-whistle, which set Harry to blushing furiously. He quickly switched back to his robe and sat down, laying his head down on his arms, giggling hysterically for a few moments. "I'm sorry, Harry," Sylvia was laughing. "I couldn't resist. But I'll have you know, I wasn't kidding." Then she turned to Dumbledore. "Well, Uncle Albus, you know I'm always starving after a tantrum, and those Ministry idiots just sent me over the edge, not to mention our illustrious Minister," her voice dripping sarcasm at the end.

"Ah yes. Well, before we deal with proving the Code Purple to Cornelius, we need to plan for tonight's rituals. I wasn't just making excuses for you to come by." Dumbledore clapped his hands, and place settings and platters of food appeared in front of them. Everyone was suddenly focusing on food and drink, and for about ten minutes, the only sounds were the sounds of people enjoying a good meal.


Since Rita Skeeter had dropped out of sight the previous month, supposedly on vacation, an interim columnist had been hired by the Daily Prophet. Tammy Tattler was determined to prove she should keep the job permanently, and had already made deals with a couple of clerks at the Ministry for news tips. This one looked like a winner. She waited in ambush until she saw her prey leaving his office. "Minister Fudge! What about this rumor that a Magus has been discovered after all these centuries?" She held a small tube in front of him that contained a recording spell.

Fudge looked stunned, then angry. "What rubbish are you talking about?" he blustered. "I don't believe in any Magus!" He tried to hurry past the pushy reporter.

Tammy just shifted to block him again. "No use trying to deny it. I have two ... count 'em ... two informants that tell me that an Auror/Obliviator team claims to have discovered a Magus, and that the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, is the Mentor."

Fudge decided denying it would be useless, so, "I have refused to accept that report without absolute proof," he said pompously. "I am considering suspending both of them pending an investigation into their unsupported allegations. That is all I have to say on the matter!" He dodged around the reporter and apparated home.

"Hmm. So, he admits that someone claims to be a Magus. Hehehehehehe!" Tammy giggled maniacally, as she headed for her office to see how well she could embellish this piece of information before the deadline for the morning edition.


"Oh, by the way, Harry," McGonagall said, reaching into a deep pocket in her robe. "Here is something you should review to give you some foundation for tonight's rituals." The book she handed him was titled 'Advanced Rituals and Spellcasting - Not for the Nervous Novice', and was about twice as long as Dumbledore's book had been.

Dumbledore glanced at the title and nodded, "Good choice, Minerva. Harry, since you've finished eating, why don't you work your way through that while we go over the rituals for tonight. Feel free to add any comments that come to mind." Both Erasmus and Sylvia glanced between the professors and the huge text and Harry, who calmly opened the book, paging through it quickly.

Ignoring, or in ignorance of, the confused expressions on the faces of the two Ministry employees, Dumbledore began outlining their plans. "I wasn't able to perform the preliminaries for the Memorare since Harry's shielding is fully in place. We will be forming a Quadralis for three purposes. First, the Quadralis will help me make the Memorare link. It is less necessary at the moment, since Harry has already read my book on Magi, but there is still some information to exchange, and it's a good starting point."

"When did Harry see your book, Albus?" Sylvia asked. "I thought it was kept in the restricted section these days."

"Correct, but Minerva had retrieved it when we arrived." He glanced at Harry, who had slowed down a bit, but was still already well over a hundred pages into the text. Dumbledore lowered his voice a bit. "As you can see, his ability to read and comprehend has improved with the rest of him. And he can follow our conversation at the same time. It was his suggestion that the two of you be the other members of the Quadralis tonight, a quite accurate assessment I must admit. In any case, the second working of the Quadralis will be to assist me in the forming of the Mentor Bond with Harry. The third working will be Harry performing the Sodalis ritual with us as the beginning of his inner circle. I have been making an assumption, here, however. You both must be willing to join the inner circle of a Magus ... completely willing and trusting."

"Isn't that an awful lot to do all in one night? I mean, the Quadralis can be a draining ritual in itself, and the rest, the Sodalis ..." Sylvia looked doubtful, and Erasmus nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry, Sylvi," Harry commented absently in a soft voice. "I can replenish your energy between workings once Albus has even the Memorare link set up. Through him, the rest of the Quadralis can keep their energy levels up." Harry frowned at something on the page in front of him, then nodded and turned to the next page.

"Sheesh! He's spooky when he does that!" Erasmus commented softly, then saw Harry smile gently. "I guess we're beginning to see Harry Magus peeking through."

Erasmus thought for a moment, then formally, seriously, he addressed Harry. "My Lord Magus?"

Harry looked up from the text, his eyes glowing with power and a hint of his new maturity. "Yes, 'Ras?"

"If you will have me, I would be part of your circle and assist you in your work as far as I am able." Erasmus stretched out his hand, palm up. Harry reached out his hand, palm down, a few inches above his new friend's hand, and that hand began to glow with a soft purple haze. Harry's bright green gaze met Erasmus' soft gray eyes, and the glow engulfed both their hands.

"It is my honor and pleasure to welcome you to my circle, Erasmus Trelawney. May the rites we perform tonight bind us in friendship, and I pledge to give you all the protection I am able as we go about the work before us." Then they clasped their glowing hands together and Erasmus pulled Harry into a big-brother type hug, laughing.

Harry glanced hopefully at Sylvia and McGonagall. Both nodded. "Thank you, Sylvi, Min," he whispered. Then both women in turn repeated the pledging ritual with Harry Magus as Erasmus had just done.

Harry was returning to his reading as the others settled back down to discuss the rituals in more detail, when he suddenly looked toward the door, and said, "Albus, he's very disturbed, frightened, and I think he's in danger ..."

Severus Snape came striding into the room. "There you are, Albus, I have something very important I must discuss with you ..." his voice trailing off as he realized that Dumbledore and McGonagall were not alone, and that one of the people at the table, looking at him with concern was a strangely changed Harry Potter.


Chapter 10 - Fri, Jul 21 - Day 1
Snape and the Ties That Bind

Dumbledore stood, and spoke gently to Snape. "Come join us, Severus. I assure you that everyone here can be trusted with your report. As it is obviously urgent, I will ask you to begin, then I will explain the presence of the others here. I believe you've met my niece and her partner?"

"Yes, yes ..." muttered Snape as he came forward slowly, staring at Harry, his mind making connections between what he saw here and what he had come to report. He sat down beside Dumbledore, which happened to allow him a good view of everyone else. "Potter?" he whispered, noticing his Potions student seemed older, seemed to fit in easily with the adults at the table. "I've just left Voldemort's camp. Lucius arrived a short while ago to tell of a report of a Magus awakening. Your names," he looked at Sylvia and Erasmus, "were prominent in the report, as was yours," looking at Dumbledore, "as the proposed Mentor. No one seems to know who the alleged Magus actually is." He glanced quickly at Harry, who had gone back to his studying, then back at Dumbledore.

"Bloody Hell!" Sylvia muttered under her breath. "Malfoy must have spies in Clerical. So much for keeping the existence of the Magus a secret. At least I don't think his identity is out yet ... I hope. We all need more time!" Sylvia said, exasperated.

"The other matter I have to report is that I don't believe I can continue as I have been." Snape began pacing nervously along one end of the table, not a common behavior. "Most of the Death Eaters don't trust me, and Voldemort is likely only allowing me to remain because of what he hopes to find out from me. The only new information I can provide you is that the Death Mark has been augmented to have additional properties. Lucius took advantage of this to report in. A Death Eater can use the Mark to signal Voldemort, who can then summon the individual. His own Mark acts as a beacon for a follower to apparate to him. I suspect he can use our Marks in other ways, such as locating us. I even suspect that the reason he has grown in power so quickly in the past weeks is that he somehow uses the Mark to tap into the power of his followers." Snape stopped, speaking directly to Dumbledore. "He may even know I am here reporting to you."

Snape suddenly grabbed at his arm, where the Death Mark burned. He seemed to hear a cruel, evil laugh in his mind, then he went pale as pain even beyond the Cruciatus Curse flooded through him, and he felt his strength, both physical and magical begin to drain away. As he collapsed, he realized that Harry had caught him, lifting him as though he were a feather, and was carrying him to a couch on the other side of the room.

"Accio book," Harry muttered as soon as Snape was settled on the couch. Paging quickly through chapters on warding and suspension spells, he found what he was looking for and faced Snape, beginning to glow with a purple haze.

"Harry, it's dangerous to push too hard, too fast," Dumbledore cautioned.

Harry retorted. "Severus will die in moments if I don't do something! I just hope the Death Mark spell doesn't do more than locate, or Voldemort will know who the Magus is."

Snape's eyes, though glazed with pain and weakness, watched avidly as he saw that Harry fairly reeked of power, as he realized that his life depended on a boy he thoroughly disliked, and who had reason to wish him ill. Their eyes met. "You don't have to like me, Severus, but for now, you do have to trust me. It's your only chance." Snape nodded weakly. Harry decided there wasn't time for elegance. He focused his will on Snape, 'seeing' the Death Mark draining his life away. A purple band formed around Snape's arm, covering the Mark, and the draining effect stopped. He then repeated what he had done with Matilda, defusing the Crucio variation that Voldemort had developed for use with the Death Mark to discipline the Death Eaters. Lastly, he knelt beside the couch, reached out to take Snape's hand, and his purple aura lightly spread through Snape's entire body, restoring some of the life-force Voldemort had stolen from him.

"That should stabilize things for now, and interfere with the contact with Voldemort, but it isn't a permanent solution." Harry stood up, wavered a bit, then regained his balance. "No, Severus," Harry said, as Snape attempted to sit up. "Stay down. You're not as recovered as you think."

"So you are the Magus, Potter. I shouldn't be surprised, considering you've always sought celebrity status all the time I've known you, always crossed the line." Snape weakly snarled with a bit of his old temper back.

Sylvia was about to tear into Snape in outrage, but stopped at Harry's smile and slight head-shake. He somehow knew this was Snape's way of coping with the situation, and finally understanding that, he didn't mind the jabs the way he would have in the past.

"Albus," Harry turned to his Mentor-to-be, "we need to perform those rituals now. Severus needs more help than I can safely give him. I need the grounding effect of the Mentor Bond. Without it, we'd have the old saying, 'The operation was a success but the patient died.' I'd like to take him up to the workroom, ward him, and stabilize him a bit more. As soon as you can join me up there, we should start. Please, sir?" A bit of the old Harry slipped through with that plea.

As Dumbledore agreed, Harry went to lift Snape off the couch, then apparated up to the seventh year working lab that McGonagall had already prepared. McGonagall stared at the spot Harry had just occupied. "He apparated within Hogwarts," she observed weakly.

She looked at Dumbledore, who seemed to be looking about him at something the others couldn't see. Then he commented, "And without disturbing the defensive spells in the least. Amazing! Well, shall we go upstairs?"


In an unknown location, a cruel, evil laugh echoed around the room. Voldemort, the Dark Lord, looked toward his follower, Lucius Malfoy. "It is as we suspected. Severus has been spying for Albus Dumbledore. It's a pity I couldn't get more than an occasional glimpse of what he was seeing, but he did go directly to Hogwarts and I saw both Dumbledore and McGonagall, as well as another couple I didn't recognize, and ... Harry Potter! It appears the boy is hiding out at Hogwarts now, though I am displeased that Quigley and Matilda were unable to take the boy out of my way. Through the Mark, I know that Quigley is dead (such a waste of energy) and that Matilda has been captured and kept unconscious. In any case, Snape is, at this very moment, performing his last service to me ... as he dies. They will know his death is a warning to all of them."

Malfoy was thoughtful. "My Lord, if I may suggest ...", and continued as Voldemort nodded. "Potter is there, obviously, because they fear you. It is likely they will be giving him advanced training in a futile attempt to give him more protection. Would it benefit you if I arranged for my son Draco to be given whatever advanced training they are giving Potter? Not so much for the training, but that he may be able to learn who the Magus is, and what progress is being made. My son is anxious to serve you, and this could be a way to determine if he is worthy of you."

"The idea has merit," Voldemort mused. "And you have done me a service today, with your information. So be it. Make the arrangements, and we can see which of our people can meet him in the Forbidden Forest to receive his reports. If he does well, I will consider allowing him to wear the Mark. However, if he fails to report anything useful in the next few weeks, I may find myself doubting the further usefulness of any of the Malfoy clan." The Dark Lord caused a slight stab of pain to burn in the Mark on Malfoy's arm. Malfoy in turn, bowed to his master and apparated back to his home.


Harry had transported his bed and desk chair up to the workroom. After settling Snape on the bed, shushing him when he grumbled, and checking the warding already in place, he sat on the chair beside the bed, gave Snape a bit more energy, and erected a shield around the bed. As Snape raised an eyebrow at the last, Harry said, "I didn't want any spillover from the Quadralis to bother you." Harry sighed. "Look, Professor, don't feel you owe me anything. I'd have done this for anyone." He suddenly grinned and whispered, "Even Gilderoy Lockhart!"

Snape choked back his laugh, and he tried to appear stern, but his eyes gave him away. Blast the boy! Snape thought with rare amusement.

Harry deliberately pulled back from the familiarity that seemed so right when he was acting as Magus, back to Harry Potter, student, at least partly. He would never be that Harry Potter again. "Professor Dumbledore planned to ask you to help in my training, even though we 'don't get along' as he put it. As I said before, you don't have to like me, but you'll need to trust me, and I'll have to trust you. Strangely enough, I do, Professor Snape. So, if you'd think about it, we'd like your help as far as you're willing to give it. If it's only some magical advice, that would be fine. If ..." Harry chose his words carefully, without pressure, "if you are willing to make any further commitment to the ... team ... well, I certainly wouldn't object." Harry stood up and headed for the door to let the others in before Snape could say anything.

Dumbledore went over to check on Snape, speaking in a low voice the others didn't hear. McGonagall directed the others to take their places. "Albus will take the north position and the earth element, I the south and air. We hadn't decided yet which of you would take east or west, fire or water," she said, looking at Sylvia and Erasmus, who in turn looked at Harry. McGonagall asked, "Harry, since you were the one who felt they belonged here, do you have any suggestions?"

He closed his eyes, and opened his mind, feeling the energy patterns of the others in the room. After a few moments, he said softly, "Sylvi is fire, in the west; 'Ras is water, in the east. The order of invocation needs to be north, south, east, west for the best balance. Alternating wizard and witch, ending with Sylvi so the set begins and ends with the blood-kin." He opened his eyes. "Does that sound reasonable?"

They all agreed and proceeded to their positions. Harry would stand in the center of the formation. Dumbledore finished talking with Snape and took his position. The four began to call up their powers, showing their auras about them. The primary auras of Dumbledore and McGonagall were red; those of Sylvia and Erasmus were blue. Dumbledore thought, Another good balance, and symmetrical. This should go well. Hmm. And red and blue together make purple, another good sign. He took a deep breath, released it, saw the others were ready, and began.

"I am Albus, I stand in the North. My element is earth, foundation, strength, timelessness. I stand ready. Quadralis."

"I am Minerva, I stand in the South. My element is air, unseen, changing, powerful, freedom and flight. I stand ready. Quadralis."

"I am Erasmus, I stand in the East. My element is water, calming, cooling, flexible yet relentless. I stand ready. Quadralis."

"I am Sylvia, I stand in the West. My element is fire, warming or burning, energy transforming or consuming. I stand ready. Quadralis."

The next part should have been Dumbledore's, but he looked at Harry, who nodded and took up the ritual. "We have within this circle a balance: a balance of witch and wizard; a balance of auras, red and blue; a balance of older and younger; and a joined purpose. Let the melding begin. Quadralis."

The auras of the four began to separate into tendrils of energy, spinning about them. Then the tendrils reached out to the other members of the circle, to the left, to the right, and across. As the tendrils reached across, they skimmed around Harry's purple aura, which had become visible as he spoke. The red and blue tendrils retained their separate colors, but wove together until all five were surrounded by the red-blue mesh, with a purple globe of energy in the center. The Quadralis was formed. Now its work began.

Dumbledore walked toward Harry in the center, his hands raised at chest level, palms out. Harry met him halfway, hands raised the same. As their hands met, they both whispered, "Memorare!" Their eyes closed, their heads tipped back slightly, their fingers folded, locking their hands together. After a few moments, they relaxed and dropped their hands. Dumbledore said softly, "Immediate assimilation! Normally that would take at least a minute or two. My, you have endured a great deal today, haven't you. It would have been impossible to imagine what it was like for you. James and Lily would have been so proud of you, not for what you are becoming but how you are handling it. And now, the next step. I am ready when you are, my dear Magus." Dumbledore smiled, ready now to bond with the enormously powerful young man before him.

The Magus began the bonding ritual. "Albus Dumbledore, I stand before you, a newly-awakened Magus, seeking your guidance, seeking to control what grows within me. I seek a Mentor to stand with me, and I ask you to accept this burden, taking my trust and giving it back. Will you accept?"

The Mentor-to-be paused a moment before answering. "Harry Potter, Seventh Magus. Power is a wonderful and dangerous thing. Power that sets itself above and apart from others will eventually become corrupted. Such a one lives now. I would not see anyone be drawn down that path, but you in particular? My Lord Magus, I consent to be your Mentor, with all my heart." And though not quite usual for such a ritual, instead of joining hands, Dumbledore opened his arms, and Harry stepped into them, hugging him fiercely, yet carefully, remembering how strong he had become.

The auras about them spun and crackled, eventually engulfing Harry and Dumbledore in bright purple, and sending purple tendrils throughout the rest of the Quadralis circle, so that they wove tightly with the red and blue tendrils already in place. Seeing how the power was joined, Harry turned to look at the other three. "A pledge ties us. This is your last chance to change your minds." All three smiled and shook their heads. "Then I'll make this short and sweet." Harry's eyes glowed and he raised his arms to the sides. "Sodalis!" And with this shortened invocation, his mind linked with theirs, a structure was placed in their minds to protect whatever information either the Magus or they chose to place there. And a mindspeech channel was set in place so that, not only could they contact the Magus, but they could mindspeak each other, even at long-range.

There was a sense of euphoria and closeness among the five of them, something that Snape watched with sadness and envy. Finally, Dumbledore whispered, "Finite Incantatem!" and the tendrils of red, blue, and purple faded, leaving them all a bit breathless.

Harry glanced over to the bed where Snape lay, watching them, and with a thought, dispersed the extra shielding he had set up to block any spillover from the ritual. "Severus, it's time you were freed of that Mark once and for all." Harry Magus walked toward the bed, followed by his inner circle. As he sat in the chair by the bed, he sent a thought, /* Albus, this is what I plan to do. */ He sent a burst of thought to his Mentor detailing exactly what he intended. He felt a sense of agreement, then looked at the others. "He might feel better if you weren't surrounding him," Harry smiled at the others, who were encircling the bed.

"Actually, it makes me feel more secure, in case you begin to foul things up, Potter!" Snape tried to behave in his usual manner, but he was shaken at the power he had felt, even through the shielding. He had trouble understanding why this young man should care so much what happened to him. And he knew it mattered to Harry, in spite of the uncomfortable history between them. Without knowing that he echoed Erasmus's earlier thoughts, he realized that Harry could be trusted with the power of the Magi, as young as he was. That when it was important, Harry wasn't really a rule-breaker, he just did what was necessary, and met the cost later. He began to whisper, "My Lord Magus," but Harry cut him off.

"Give yourself time after you're well. You don't want to do this for the wrong reasons." Harry whispered to him as he reached his hands out toward Snape. In a more normal voice, he said, "Severus, I will need you to relax as much as you can. I will be ... linking into your power center, then ... well, cleansing you from that point outward. When I actually reach the Dark Mark, I expect it will be very painful. I'll block as much as I can, as fast as I can, but I can't be sure how much you'll have to suffer."

"Considering the alternative, I suppose that should be acceptable," Snape said wryly.

Harry smiled, then locked his eyes with Snape's, placing his left hand over Snape's heart, the fingers of his right hand on Snape's temple. Their breathing synchronized, their hearts beat as one. Deep within him, Snape felt the remnants of his magic grow warm, radiating strongly as never before. He felt a healing energy soothing the tissues that had been wracked with pain. Then as the energy reached toward the Dark Mark, still wrapped in a purple band of power, he felt as though his soul were a battleground. He placed his trust in the Magus, and thought to him, /* Tell me what to do, Potter. */

From deep within his mind, he heard the answer. /* I've got it, Sev. Just stay 'behind' me. Voldemort has already been cut off from your Mark by the band. He should believe you've already died. Ah, brace yourself, here it comes. */

And a wave of pain blazed through Snape, cut off almost before he acknowledged it. A few breaths later, Harry was withdrawing from his mind and body, and he realized he was free for the first time since he had met the Dark Lord.

Snape gave a rare smile to Harry, who stood up, as if to speak to the others, tilted, then quietly fainted into Dumbledore's arms.


(continued)