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After she ‘left him alone for an hour’ and he got kidnapped, Melinda didn’t leave Harry’s side. Over the summer she insisted that Dad give her potion baths to develop immunities to every toxin under the sun. When so many procedures right after the other made her sick, Harry gave her a hug then insisted she take a week off.
Cedric’s parents, understandably took him out of school for a while. He only came back to take his exams. It took Harry two days to work up the courage to talk to him. In a nice display of house loyalty all the other Slytherins fended off Cedric’s attempts to get Harry alone until Harry was ready to talk to him.
“I remember everything that happened. I kind of want to date you both, I don’t know if that would be fair or not.”
“Date Cho.” Harry said. Harry almost said ‘if you break up with her give me a call’ but thought that might sound rather pathetic and just said good bye instead.
<0>
That summer, The Order of the Phoenix was officially reinstated. ‘A fancy title for anyone loyal to Dumbledore over the Ministry’ as Dad called it. With Riddle getting closer and closer to rebirth and Harry closer to being of age Dumbledore decided to get his troops back together. That summer the Malfoy’s were called to attend their first meeting with the rest of the Order. Harry suspected it was both an initiation and a way to convince the other members that the formally dark wizard and witch were now on their side. Dad, as one of the most important Order members and the one to bring the Malfoy’s into the fold was escorting them from the manor to the meeting place. Draco and Harry were 15 (or almost) and joining their parents for the meeting.
Dad side apparated Harry to the front door of Malfoy Manor. Mrs. Malfoy opened the door herself, already wearing a formal traveling cloak. “Severus, Harrison, please come in.”
“Ready to be a good guy, Draco?” Harry couldn’t help but taunt.
“Potter,” Draco drawled back. He’d taken to using the name as an insult.
They arrived at Sirius’ house and found the Weasleys.
“Ron!” Harry smiled.
“Potter,” Ron grumbled.
“Harry!” Ginny pushed her grumpy brother out of the way.
“Harry!” The twins chorused, possibly making fun of their sister.
“Ack!” Melinda complained as the three red heads hugged them. She stuck her tongue out at them from where she was around Harry’s shoulders.
Ginny picked up on this and laughed. “Sorry, Melinda.”
Hermione came to greet them next. “How on Earth are you carrying Melinda like that? She must be heavy.” Hermione always noticed the details.
“When she’s asleep she gets really heavy but as long as she’s awake our familiar magic keeps it from bothering me.”
“Yeah, I can’t sleep on your shoulders anymore.”
“I only let her sleep on my lap now,” Harry communicated her part of the conversation without directly translating.
Some shouting came from upstairs. Too far away for Harry to make out and it ended quickly. Sirius descended a second later. “Hi, Harry.” He looked happier and healthier than the last time Harry’d seen him.
“Hello, Sirius.” Harry accepted his hug.
“Melinda, isn’t it? Taking care of him?” Sirius greeted Melinda. She nodded.
<0>
The Order meeting turned out to be mostly hanging out with friends and getting the Malfoys introduced to the group. If the adults had any serious war planning they didn’t do it within the students’ hearing. Most of the adults, including Dad disappeared for a few hours before dinner, and might be doing something then. Harry barely noticed their absence with the rambunctious Weasley twins leading everyone in games and exciting talk of their experiments.
“We’re spending the night, how about you?” Ginny asked in a break between her brothers.
“I’m leaving this evening,” Hermione answered.
“The next two days, we’re supposed to be in France,” Draco answered. Not seemingly pleased about being stuck in this old house.
“I don’t know. I didn’t pack anything.” Dad hadn’t told Harry anything.
A short while later, Mrs. Weasely came to collect them.
“Dinner’s served,” Sirius levitated a few pots and pans over. “Kreachure prepared some of it but don’t worry, I told him not to spit in it.” He chuckled at his own joke. Harry didn’t know who Kreachure was but nobody said anything. Although Dad looked more sour faced than usual.
They talked about the backlash after the Tournament, Fudge, and how else Riddle might try to resurrect himself. Over the meal.
After dinner, Harry managed to catch Dad alone. “Are we staying?” Harry asked.
“Yes, our rooms have been prepared.” Dad answered.
“You couldn’t have told me that?”
“It wasn’t decided until this afternoon.”
Harry played another round of exploding snap with everyone before Hermione had to leave and Mrs. Weasely fussed over Ron and Ginny getting to bed. Harry was feeling a little tired himself and could guess he wouldn’t sleep much tonight. He joined Dad in heading to the guest rooms prepared for them. The bedroom he was given had the same gloomy atmosphere as the rest of the house but was far cleaner.
“Anything for the Prince heirs?” A rough and creaky voice made Harry startle and turn around. An old, raggedy house elf stood by the hallway door.
“That will be all, thank you Kreachure.” Dad answered. The elf didn’t seem impressed with the thanks. He snorted through his long, crooked nose before disaparating. Harry couldn’t think of anything to say about this. He supposed it wasn’t odd the Black house hold had an elf. But he did wonder if Kreachure had lived here alone while Sirius was in jail and where the elf had been all day.
<0>
Grimmauld Place was creepy. Harry had always been an insomniac and the strange new house didn’t help. When he couldn’t sleep he got up for a walk. Everything was quiet until he heard voices coming from the sitting room. He got closer and recognized it was Dad and Sirius talking.
“I didn’t know you knew Regulus so well.” He heard Sirius say.
“We were two king snakes in the adder’s lair, we told each other things we wouldn’t tell anyone else.” Harry leaned a bit closer to the voices. Dad using analogies indicated he was either in a very good mood or a very bad one. “He told me all about your hatred of him, how it drove him straight into the Dark Lord’s arms.”
“Don’t judge me, Snape! You don’t know what it was like growing up here.”
“Don’t I? Where do you think your mother turned her ire every time you disobeyed? She couldn’t control you so she set out to destroy Regulus. You think he was weak for not standing up to her? Well, he got it far worse than you ever did, thanks to you. Then he finally escapes to Hogwarts only to have you turn your back on him there too!”
“I was just a kid I didn’t think about it.”
“No, you didn’t think. You tore him up inside. Even in Slytherin it was obvious that he still looked up to you but when you denounced your family you denounced him as well.”
“He didn’t need me he had all his Death Eater friends.”
“You mean, you didn’t need him. He joined Slytherin because his mother demanded it and then the Slytherins were only people to give him a scrap of affection. He took the dark mark at 14, what choice do you think he had? And, after all that, he still fought Riddle.”
“I didn’t know about that until recently,” Sirius sounded regretful. “I’ve spent years thinking him evil when I should have been proud of him.”
“You should have been a hell of a lot more than that to him. You were so desperate to escape, you abandoned the one person you should have protected.”
“I messed up, alright!” The sound of footsteps indicated that Sirius was pacing. “You’re right I should have talked to him before the sorting, tried to get him into Ravenclaw or something. Just another ghost to haunt me. But you don’t get to sit there all superior and judging, Snivilous! I couldn’t stay! I wanted to help Regulus but I couldn’t, my mother…”
“Threw things and shouted?” Severus interrupted. “Left her empty bottles on the floor, kept the half-empty ones on a high shelf in a half-assed attempt to keep them away from you?” Sirius had gone deadly silent, Dad’s voice was ice, and Harry held his breath. “Said you were such a disgrace she couldn’t imagine how you were her child. Berated your father or chased him out of the house when he tried to step in. Let you go hungry under the pretense of toughening you up.”
After a long pause Sirius said, “Regulus didn’t tell you all that.”
Dad’s weighted silence spoke volumes. When he did speak he changed the topic slightly. “Lily was the one who kept me away from Riddle. If you had been that to Regulus he might still be alive.”
“Snape,” Sirius said after along, thoughtful pause. “I know I’ve said it before, but this time I mean it. I’m sorry.”
Harry finally let out a long breath. The dreary atmosphere of the Spinner’s End house suddenly made a lot more sense. Dad had been abused. And considering the fact that there were a few pictures of Eleane Snape in old photo albums and absolutely none of Tobias Snape, it must have been his dad, Harry’s grandfather.
Harry heard his dad approaching but chose not to run, just sat down on the hallway floor instead. For some reason it felt important for him to know that he knew. “Eavesdropping is an unseemly habit.” Harry just stared at his knees. With a sigh Dad offered him a hand. “Up. And wipe your eyes.” Harry rubbed his sleeve across his face and was surprised to find that he’d teared up.
<0>
Severus stayed behind in Grimwald place with the Malfoys and allowed Harry to sleep over at the Weasley’s. 15 was a difficult age for anyone, never mind a boy under as much stress as Harry. Draco was allowed to wander off and explore the library and attic. Draco may be a spoiled brat and naïve to the ways of the world but nobody seriously thought him evil.
His parents meanwhile had to answer questions, memorize passwords and contingency plans, and set up their mental blocks. Narccissa was a strong enough legimans to keep Riddle out but Lucius needed help.
Kreacher silently appeared and set tea around the table. Unprompted because Narcissa and Severus were in attendance. He justifiably blamed Sirius for Regulus’ death but refused to leave the house or Sirius’ service despite Sirius offering, demanding, and begging for Kreacher to leave. Snape didn’t know if this was out of desire to personally punish Sirius as long as possible or some remaining loyalty. He wouldn’t be surprised if Kreacher didn’t know either. It was difficult to hate family, no matter how much they deserved it, Severus would know.
Kreature loved Regulus. And Regulus, as Severus had learned from legitimancy, thought of the elf as almost a brother or parent. With an abusive mother, neglectful father, and rebellious brother, Kreature was the only friend and caretaker Regulus had for most of his life.
Sirius didn’t pay attention and unthinkingly sipped the drink Kreacher set stealthily by his elbow. Unsurprisingly, he immediately spat it out. He stood up, clearly ready to go find the house elf.
“Sirius,” Lupin chided and he obediently sat back down. The werewolf calling the animagous to heal. Serverous hid a smirk in his tea.
Far less crucial than the Malfoy’s membership the Diggorys were also joining. Amos and his wife weren’t particularly bright, in Severus’ opinion, but could recognize that the Ministry was doing piss all about Riddle and the attack on their son. Cedric had more of a brain than both of his parents and the upright nature of a good Hufflepuff. Severus wanted to be angry with him for upsetting Harry but Cedric was so obviously remorseful and equally distressed about the whole mess that he really couldn’t justify it.
<0>
A few days after Harry’s birthday, Dad sat him down for a serious discussion. “Once school starts again, you’ll be attending special lessons. You’re old enough to learn a specific form of magic,” Dad began. Harry watched him eagerly. “It won’t be easy or fun. I know patience and practice isn’t your strong suit but you’ll have to make an exception.” Harry was a little insulted by that but realistically he could admit that impatience was one of his faults. “You also have the intuition and self-awareness for it. But it’s impossible to anticipate one’s skill without trying.”
“Why are you stalling to tell me what it is?” Harry could read his dad.
“Occlumancy and ligilimancy.” Dad finally answered “In layman’s terms, mind reading. Occlumancy is the defense against it. That’s where you’ll start. Melinda as well, because her mind is connected to yours she’ll need the basics.”
“This is how Riddle can see my dreams?”
“Occlumancy will protect your thoughts, beyond that we can’t know. There’s no precedent for your case.”
Harry nodded in acknowledgement, he was used to that. “Who’ll be teaching us?”
“I will, the Head Master as well if the need arises.” Harry was pleased to hear that he would have private tutoring with his dad but Dad didn’t look so happy. “Having another wizard invade your memories is painful, but you must learn.”
“Good thing you can teach me, then, you already know most of my secrets.”
<0>
Occlumancy was difficult and even more frustrating than a patronous. Fainting and having his dad in his head were close on the pain scale but at least with the charm he got to see some silver fog for his efforts. Occlumancy was just a load of nothing. That and Dad could be a right arse when he wanted to be. Yeah, it was important but Harry was getting really tired of all the shouting and disappointed looks.
“Don’t worry about counter attacking.”
“Shouldn’t I at least try to fight back?” Harry huffed.
Dad rolled his eyes at him. “Harry, if you’re able to invade my mind, you will be a stronger legilimance than Riddle.”
“Oh right,” Harry muttered. Admittedly that was pretty badass, still he wondered if he could get Dumbledore to tutor him next week without offending Dad.
Mrs. Malfoy was a strong enough occulmancer to keep secrets from Riddle. Mr. Malfy was not. Dad and Mrs. Malfoy put up some form of mental blocks for him, Harry didn’t really understand. Occulmancy was as far as he was probably ever going to get in that discipline.
<0>
Lupin was an excellent teacher, everyone agreed. He had the older students, including the fifth years practicing dueling basics, which contributed to his popularity.
<0>
A third of the way through the year, Fudge sent Umbridge to investigate the school. The Diggorys, Changs, Karkaroff, and Krum, were making a fuss. Fudge continued to insist that Harry’s story was all lies but couldn’t write off so many people backing Harry’s claims. The Diggorys and The Changs were angry that their children had been attacked, Krum was still dating Hermione and supported her causes, and Karkaroff was a coward who would do anything from keeping his former lord from returning.
Fudge sent Umbridge to make sure Hogwarts was ‘secure’. So far all she seemed to be doing was stirring trouble. She picked on easy targets like Tilawni and Hagrid at first. After she got Tilawni fired for being a fraud and Dumbledore hired a centaur to replace her, she turned more aggressive.
Umbridge tailed Lupin everywhere, trying to out him as a werewolf. She started a war of wills against McGonagall and Vector, because both professors kicked her out of their classes. Flitwick did everything to make her life difficult. Severus didn’t wage outright war. He let her lurk in his classrooms, making underhanded comments about her intelligence, blood-purity, and undermining her in front of the students at every opportunity. The only one who liked her was Filtch, which Harry didn’t understand.
Worse still, Umbridge claimed one of the empty offices and set herself up as a disciplinarian for the students. Unsurprisingly, when she started going after the students Harry became her number one target.
“Detention!” She pounced on him without warning in the hallway between classes. Harry and several of the Slytherins he was walking with jumped. “Unauthorized use of familiar.” Harry glanced down at Melinda, who was wrapped around his torso and hissing mean things at the woman in pink.
“I bring Soot to class,” Millicant spoke up in Harry’s defense. Soot was her cat.
“We just practiced using owls in dueling, are we all getting detention, now?” Blaise snorted at the ridiculousness.
“Detention, all of you. Back talking to a ministry official.”
“We’ll speak how ever we like to those below us, you dirty-blooded pretender,” Pansy raised her voice. Harry couldn’t help but gape at this unexpected display of house loyalty. The rest of his classmates followed her example and the entire Slytherin 5th year class shared Harry’s detention that day.
“What’s gotten into Pansy?” Harry asked Draco later when they were in the common room. “Didn’t she used to hate me?”
“For one thing, Umbridge really is a pretender. Potter’s one of the sacred families and second year we established that your mother was a descendant of Slytherin. Parkinson may not like you, but she’s got more loyalty to you than Umbridge.” Draco said this without getting up from his reclined position on the couch.
“And the other thing?”
“What?” Draco still didn’t look up from the book he was reading upside-down. When he wasn’t at home or expected to act all proper he lounged about in the strangest positions.
“You said ‘for one thing’, what’s the other thing?”
“Nothing, misspoke.” Harry didn’t buy that for a second but could tell Draco wasn’t going to say anything else.
<0>
Harry had a vivid nightmare of Voldemort’s snake attacking Mr. Weasley. Despite the initial shock of seeing such a thing, he ended up being able to save Mr. Weasley’s life.
Dad still, predictably, threw a fit about how Harry needed to practice occulmacy more. Harry picked up a few extra lessons with Dumbledore. Hermione wanted to learn too and managed to rope Draco into it so they started practicing together.
<0>
Umbridge was starting to suspect he was getting special classes. Fortunately, the entire school hated her. The Weasley twins had all but declared WWIII on her stuck up arse. Even Dad was turning a blind eye to their troublemaking because it was all directed at Umbridge.
Much like previous years, Harry never went anywhere alone. There was always Draco, Hermione, Crab, and Goyle, or a group of students in his year nearby to vouch for his good behavior or volunteer to join him in detention. While many of the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs historically weren’t his biggest fans, because Ginny, the twins, and Cedric vouched for him; and their shared hatred of Umbrige they put all feuds temporarily aside.
<0>
Hermione broke up with Krum. “Maybe I was too hopeful for long distance to work. He’s sweet and genuine but we don’t have a lot to talk about.” Harry nodded along sympathetically. “What about you and Cedric?” He stopped nodding.
“I haven’t really talked to him.” At Hermione’s look he hastily said, “I’m over it.” Her pitying look turned unconvinced. “Melinda and Draco never bug me about this.” He was in a bit of a mood so he gave her a hard time.
“Melinda’s asexual, isn’t she?”
“Yeah and Draco’s still dating Greengrass.” Harry muttered then noticed Hermione was frowning. “She’s mostly indifferent to blood-status.”
“Good for her,” Hermione all but growled. Harry decided to leave that topic alone.
<0>
Umbridge eventually stopped caring whether Harry was in detention alone. She’d make him sit in a side room and write lines with a quill that carved the words into the back of his hand. He wasn’t the only one to get this treatment. Any student without intimidating family connections was given the obviously illegal quills.
Harry’s nature was to grit his teeth and bare it, not so for the spoiled Slytherins. In the continued spirit of inter-house loyalty, anyone and everyone with wizarding parents wrote complaints home. Especially when several eleven year olds got the treatment. Even Pansy could be moved by a crying Ravenclaw first year.
Draco led the Slytherin elites, and a few other house pure-bloods, in pitching the biggest bitch-fest known to man. And while it was for a good cause, the negative atmosphere had everyone in such a stoop that Harry ended up spending quite a bit of time hiding behind his bed curtains for some peace and quiet.
<0>
It was night but for a moment Harry couldn’t remember that. Everything around him felt so real. Sirius was bound on his knees before a high shelf of small crystal balls. It was dark all around. Except for where Sirius knelt and spoke to someone in the dark. For a second Harry felt overriding panic. But there was this strange ringing in his ears. Like Sirius’ voice was just a bit off, a faulty recording from the last time Harry heard him speak.
His last vision had been through the eyes of Nagini, he was too off the floor for that now. This didn’t make sense. “This isn’t real,” Harry shook his head to clear it.
“Of course, it is.” This was whispered so quietly Harry almost didn’t hear it. He squeezed his eyes shut and thought of Melinda and his mom. Thinking of someone or something close to you, who you loved was a good, incorruptible, focal point for occulmacy. Dumbledore had warned him not to think of Dad, Draco or Hermione, just in case Riddle picked up on who he was thinking of. But Riddle already knew about Melinda and Mom and Harry loved them just as much.
When he could remember every detail of the photo of Lily he always carried in his pocket, Harry looked at his surroundings again. The room was out of focus, clearly Tom’s memory, not his and Voldemort stood glaring at Harry with red eyes.
“Get out of my head, Tom!” Harry shouted in his face.
“My name is Voldemort.” His non-existent nose scrunched up in a way that was almost funny.
“Your name is Thomas Riddle Jr! You’re a psychopathic egomaniac with delusions of grander,” Hermione’s diagnosis. “Now get the fuck out of my mind!” He pictured a door slamming closed, separating Harry’s bedroom from whatever room Tom had created. Mom’s photo became a portrait guarding the entrance and Melinda wrapped around the cracks like the snake sconces in Slytherin dungeon.
For a blissful second everything was still. Then the barrier shook with Tom’s furious shouts. Mom’s portrait frowned but didn’t look weakened or ready to give in. Harry covered his ears and fought to stay asleep through the racket.
<0>
It was that time of the lunar cycle again and Dad filled in for Lupin’s class. Umbridge bustled into the classroom with a malicious smirk.
“Mr. Lupin is gone again, is he?” she predictably trilled this.
“Mz. Umbridge, your presence is excellently timed. Today’s lesson is on the Patronus charm.” Dad addressed her.
“Which is not necessary for the O.W.L.S.”
“No, but necessary for ministry work as long as the ministry employs the dementors. I’d like to prepare students for productive careers not just passing their tests.” Loyal ministry official Umbridge couldn’t argue with that. “As I was saying, your arrival is fortunate, the students will benefit from multiple examples.”
“Oh I wouldn’t want to intrude,” she simpered. Since when?
“All Ministry employees, especially those as important as Mz. Umbridge are capable of defending themselves from dementors. Expecto Patronum,” Severus cast his spell and sent a silver bat flying about the room. Several of the students oohed and ahhed. Harry could tell he was up to something but him speaking up wouldn’t help. “A partronus can have several forms including an incorporeal fog, Mz, Umbridge if you might demonstrate.”
Umbridge pursed her lips but under the calculating eyes of the Slytherins and the eager eyes of the Hufflepuffs, she couldn’t admit any weakness. Snape had given her an out to cast only an incorporeal one, that wasn’t hard.
She pronounced the spell carefully and executed the wand movement carefully. Barely a whisp, you had to squint to see it, appeared then flickered out.
“Most people have several memories that will serve the purpose. Choosing the happiest will create a stronger patronus,” Dad commented pointedly. Umbridge pursed her lips and waved her wand again. Harry was expecting her spell to stutter out and for Dad to make a few pointed comments about how only strong witches and wizards could cast the spell. He certainly couldn’t have predicted what happened next.
She circled her wand and something white appeared at the tip, but not silver and it clung there. More of this clinging off-white appeared, too much. More maggots appeared from her wand in exponential numbers. Umbridge screamed and dropped her wand but the maggots were already covering her hand. What looked funny for half a second changed tone instantly when the insects burrowed into her flesh. They continued to spring from her own magic, moving up her arm eating her alive even as she screamed and tried to shake them off.
“Get back!” Dad shouted over her shrieks and the rising terrified screams of students. Harry took his advice and stumbled away. He pulled Draco, who was frozen, with him. An unholy sound of rustling, small, hard bodies rubbing against each other and biting into flesh. “Don’t look!” This advice Harry couldn’t heed. He watched raptly horrified as the woman was devoured alive.
Severus made no move to save her, only casting spells to defend the students in case the magical plague spread.
In just under twenty seconds Umbridge was reduced to an unrecognizable puddle of slimy flesh and writhing maggots.
Crab and Abbot vomited, many other students including Millicant and Blaise were retching. Goyle was white as a sheet, Pansy and several hufflepuffs were curled into balls in their chairs, faces hidden and ears covered.
“Nobody move,” Dad ordered briskly but not unkindly. He went to the classroom fireplace and tossed in a pinch of floo powder. “Headmaster Dumbledore.” A few seconds later Dumbledore stepped out of the flames. He opened his mouth to offer a greeting then shut it when he felt the atmosphere of the room. Severus didn’t have to say anything. The unholy pile of maggots and robes was explanation enough.
“Oh dear. Everyone, single file. You’ll be flooing back to your dormitories. Severus, if you could see to those ill.” Dad nodded and went to check on the students who were still gagging.
“What the hell just happened?” Draco hissed angrily, but quietly. Nobody felt up to answering.
Dumbledore opened a floo to the Hufflepuff common room and allowed the yellow and black students to quickly retreat. Pansy fought for a place at the head of the line when it was the Slytherins turn. Harry went last, he made sure everyone went ahead of him then glanced to his dad. Dad shook his head, indicating he’d explain later.
<0>
Severus repeated his account to the third auror of the afternoon then was finally allowed to leave. The horrific phenomena of back-firing patronuses was known to exist but the officials were reluctant to accept it in this case. Even with the testimonies of two dozen traumatized students.
“But Umbridge wasn’t a dark witch.” Severus snorted at this. As if dark magic and evil were synonymous or co-dependant. With this irrefutable evidence of Umbridge’s character Fudge would be quickly covering his backside.
It was a shame Harry had to see that but he was a strong boy and would compartmentalize and get on with his life. Draco was the more mentally frail of the two and more likely to have nightmares. As for Parkinson and the rest of the Slytherins, let them remember this graphic demonstration of how cruelty could turn on it’s host.
Unsurprisingly, Dumbledore was waiting for Severus.
“You knew what would happen?”
“I suspected, Riddle warned his followers to never attempt a patronus. Not in so many words.”
“My boy, we both know you wouldn’t leave such a thing to chance.”
“I may have looked into her memories, just for evidence on how she was torturing students.”
“Only to find that you had an easy way to kill her.”
“I didn’t make her attempt a light spell with a malicious memory. She had two happy memories that could suffice, one from her early girlhood and the one that killed her.”
“You just goaded her into using the one you knew would be fatal.”
“She was evil and needed to die. Not just deserved to die, needed to die.” Severus growled then reigned in his temper and shrugged. “I’ve done worse to better people.”
Dumbledore didn’t bother to bring up what Lily might have thought of this. She would have put Umbrige in the insanity ward of Saint Mungos to wither away as a babbling invalid. Lily was a truly kind soul but when pushed to her breaking point her furry frightened even Severus. Severus’s swift execution was far more merciful than anything Lily might have bestowed upon the evil woman who dared torture eleven year olds.
“It concerns me that you consider that an excuse.”
“She touched my son. All for the greater good,” he spat out the phrase that Albus despised yet still used to justify sacrifices made in war.
Albus sent him a dangerous look over his half-moon glasses, that made Severus shiver despite knowing it was coming. “I’ll be thankful I never had a child if this is what it reduces men to.”
“The whole world is thankful for that.” Albus Dumbledore, especially the younger version Severus knew only from spied memories, was a terrifying force of nature. The world may have fallen if he’d ever been fueled by parental fury.
<0>
Had to give Riddle credit, bastard didn’t miss a trick. Umbridge’s death opened certain positions in the Ministry. Her assistants and loyals were quick to distance themselves from her memory considering how she died. Fudge had to reshuffle his hires and Narcissa Malfoy volunteered for one of the open positions.
She barely held the job three weeks before sending Severus an emergency message. With Lucius oblivated out of certain critical information, she was their only real agent behind enemy lines. She’d just received orders that Riddle and Crouch were planning a raid of Ministry property. Where she didn’t know and couldn’t get Lucius to tell her.
Severus brought the information to Dumbledore immediately. Which took a little bit considering it was the middle of the night.
Could he risk revealing the Malfoys? They needed some other excuse to be there. Not risking his own chess pieces for once. They still needed to get there, Severus just needed to find an excuse. Spry or not, Dumbledore was over a hundred and it would take him a minute to get ready so Severus abandoned his chambers. He ran down several flights of stairs while formulating a plan.
With any luck Riddle would still be trying to lure Harry in. Severus hated to do this but if there was a chance of preventing Riddle from rising again, stopping more of his followers, then it was worth it.
He shouted the password from down the hall so the door would be open by the time he reached it. Finals were approaching so there was one group of two upperclassmen in the common room. They were too tired and busy to spare him more than a curious glance. Harry startled awake and grabbed his wand, good lad. “Dad? Sir?” He sleepily corrected himself and collected his glasses next.
Severus cast a quick silencing charm. “Harry, is Riddle still attempting to invade your dreams?”
“Yeah, but I’ve kept him out.” Harry answered in a voice that said ‘this again?’ without the words. Severus knew this was a bad idea, Harry was only fifteen. Severus was preparing to be a double agent and inventing curses at that age but he’d always hoped, in vain, that Harry wouldn’t have to grow up so fast. His slight hesitation had both Harry and Melinda staring at him.
“I think he’s hoping to lure you someplace. If we determine where we’ll be able to counterattack.”
“You want me to let him in?”
“It’s possible to lay false thoughts. It’s an advanced technique but at this range,”
“If we don’t try it?” Harry interrupted.
“Dumbledore will come up with some other excuse to scour Ministry grounds.”
“How do we know he’s there in the first place?” Harry was a perceptive boy.
“Narcissa managed to contact me. They’re letting Riddles forces somewhere on Ministry territory tonight.” Realization shone in Harry’s eyes. They couldn’t let Riddle move unopposed but also had to protect their double agent.
“What if I accidentally let him in for real?”
“I’ll prevent him from getting to your thoughts but then he’ll know someone’s protecting you and probably recognize me.”
Harry considered for a second and glanced to Melinda who motioned for him to pick her up. “We’ll try.” He hoisted his increasingly large familiar into his arms.
Dozens of occulmacy lessons had given Severus a good idea of the layout of Harry’s mind. He hastily instructed in son through erecting a false, flimsy barrier outside his real shields. Populate the space between the two with unimportant memories from the last few days to make it seem real. Riddle was arrogant enough to not question why he could suddenly break into Harry’s mind. Concerning, only if Riddle went for deeper memories and the multitasking had weakened Harry’s real wall.
Severus spelled Harry and Melinda back to sleep then waited. It would take maybe another hour for Dumbledore to collect the Order Members, Riddle would have to attack before then or he was pulling Harry out. Come on, Riddle, act like the idiot psychopath you are and take the bait.
While he watched Harry and Melinda twitched. He strengthened his hold on the memory threads making up Harry’s inner wall. If they snapped he’d dive into Harry and Melinda’s combined minds and force Riddle out, with the mother of all headaches if he could manage it. He didn’t have to wait long before Harry’s eyes snapped open. He sat bolt upright, launching Melinda from where she lay on his chest.
“Dad,”
“Ssh,” Severus said to calm him and took a few seconds to carefully extract all of his magic from his son’s head.
“Somewhere at the Ministry headquarters. I didn’t recognize where. B3 on the lift.”
“Protect magic.” Melinda said. Or something like that.
“Heavily warded but in the dream we got through without a problem. He wants us to go to some dark room with a big tank of black liquid in the floor. That’s all we saw.”
“Last dream shelves.”
“Oh right, a previous dream had a bunch of shelves with white globes.”
<0>
Dad left for his mission. Even if Harry could relax enough to go to sleep he’d have to rebuild his mental defenses before doing so. He looked to Melinda whom he knew to be pondering the same thing he was.
“We might be in the way.”
“Or we could help. I know I’ll remember more once I’m there.” Harry hissed back.
“By ourselves? Draco will be furious.”
“Can’t blow his parents’ cover. And it’s not like we can get Hermione.”
“We could, it’s just a riddle to get in. She’d tell us we’re being dumb, though.”
“But she’d come. She won’t be able to sit around and do nothing either.”
“I’d feel better if she came with us.”
“We’ll be putting her in danger.”
“She’ll talk your ear off if we don’t bring her.”
<0>
Severus had only been in the Department of Mysteries once when he was studying for his mastery. He certainly hadn’t been in these rooms. Dumbledore got them all past the Ministry protections that Riddle’s people hadn’t already disabled without any visible effort. They followed Harry’s directions then had to split up when they found nothing. Severus trusted neither Moody nor Sirius to watch his back so he and Minerva crept down the left hallway.
Hopefully the Malfoys would wear masks he recognized because if Severus saw Riddle or Crouch he was attacking with deadly force, damn the consequences. He felt reasonably confident Minerva would do the same, or at least not try to stop him. She’d given him a look when she saw what he slipped into his robe pockets but accepted when he handed her what she would need to quickly transfiguration her own handgun.
Severus covered the door so she could slip into the next room. “They’ve been here.” He followed her inside and saw what she meant. Apparently, The Ministry kept large aquarium of human brains on the premises. Brains that had fought back against the Death Eaters trying to collect them. As indicated by one brain in pieces, another lying on the floor, and a great deal of water no longer in the tank. By silent agreement, they edged around the potentially hostile grey-matter to the far exit.
They found nothing else of particular interest until sounds of fighting reverberated down the stone halls. Minerva wasn’t so old that she couldn’t run and they sprinted towards the noise. The commotion and hurling of spells originated in a high ceilinged room that looked more like a natural cave than part of the building. Several figures in black hooded robes fought with Black, Moody, and someone it took Severus a second to recognize as Cedric Diggory. He was supposed to be at Hogwarts, he’d only be here if Harry had told him.
“Idiot!” He directed this ire at both Harry and himself for not foreseeing this and knocking the boy unconscious when he had the chance. “Where’s Harry?” A few spells earned him footing near enough Diggory to ask.
“I lost sight of him.” Of course he had. “Hermione’s injured.” Bloody fantastic. Minerva was on her way over, she’d see to Granger. Severus sent a particularly nasty hex towards the nearest Death Eater and ran out the way he came.
“Point me.” ‘to my moronic son’ he finished in his head. His locating spells led him back to the main floor. Rather than take the elevator he flew up several flights of stairs.
More sounds of fighting reached his ears from the Ministry Lobby. Worse, as he approached, the dark mark on his arm burned in a way he never wanted to feel again. He spotted Dumbledore first. The old man sent golden statues after an opponent on the far side of the room, whom Severus couldn’t see clearly and didn’t need to in order to recognize. Riddle managed to get himself a body.
Albus would win this fight unaided, Severus running into the middle of the duel would do more harm than good. He stayed out of the way by the door, looking for signs of Harry. Hoping not to see any. Hopefully, Harry knew enough to at least stay the hell down.
<0>
Hermione insisted on bringing Cedric, the Weasleys and Nevil and Luna tagged along. At least Harry couldn’t be accused of going alone. They were all talented young witches and wizards but ended up in over their head trying to navigate the baffling and dangerous Department of Mysteries while perused by Death Eaters.
Harry’s scar burned increasingly throughout the whole ordeal. The pain may have contributed to his poor decision to chase Mr. Malfoy upstairs. He counted himself lucky Dumbledore was here.
In the momentary quiet between two great duelists battle, Harry leaned out from behind the support pillar slightly.
<0>
Nothing else mattered when Severus saw his son crumple. Not Harry. He sprinted to the writhing boy’s side. He’d fended Riddle off before at long range but could he fight a full possession? Riddle wouldn’t have to old it long, just long enough to kill Harry or walk him out of the Ministry. Had the occulmancy earlier tonight worn Harry out? Melinda, coiled around her wizard, didn’t twitch as Harry did. Rather she stayed eerily still as if comatose, petrified, or dead.
“Harry,” Severus pulled him closer and tried to catch his eyes. It turned out not to be necessary as Harry expelled Riddle the next second.
Riddle rematerialized in front of them. To Severus’ surprise his first instinct wasn’t to stay and fight. He wouldn’t bet Harry’s life on him being a quicker draw than Riddle. He wanted only to flee as fast as possible. He’d never tried this with a passenger but knew it would work. Harry clutched to him, he turned them into dark shapeless matter and flew across the room. He landed when Dumbledore, safety, stood between them and Riddle. Riddle didn’t try to stop their flight, perhaps distracted by his mental defeat or the fact that Severus just used the flight Riddle had taught him to defy him.
He let Dumbledore deal with Riddle’s retreat and the Ministry officials that finally arrived.
“Are you hurt?” He checked Harry over.
“No. Melinda?”
“Sore.”
“Good, then I can kill you.”
“Where’s everyone else? Hermione got hit with this cruse that…”
“Now you’re worried about them? You didn’t think of that before…”
“Severus, Harry!” Dumbledore called for them.
“This isn’t over.” Harry was in so much trouble.
“Believe me, I know.”
<0>
Unsurprisingly, Dad remained pissed over Harry’s heroics. However, Draco took it pretty well. He knew his being involved would put his mother in danger and he was worried enough for her as it was.
With Voldemort appearing on his front stoop and using his Department of Mysteries to get a new body, Fudge meekly resigned his position as Minister. Harry didn’t exactly understand what Riddle did, something about stealing a brain and a cadaver. It wasn’t important.
Dumbledore showed them the prophecy. They were all wondering what it was, Harry’d wanted to hear it since Dad told him it existed. Dad was right, it didn’t make a ton of sense. It also sounded self-fulfilling. That if Riddle had just ignored it then he wouldn’t have died the first time.
The atmosphere at school was different for the last several weeks of class. The professors all were somber, almost everyone scared, and the Ministry in confusion after losing Umbridge and Fudge in quick succession. The best part of the remainder of the year was Fred and George holding a firework extravaganza during final tests for their self-proclaimed graduation. The fireworks they set off overhead of students taking tests rained down sparks that landed on the parchment and answered questions with “You’ll never need to know this.”
On the last day of school, Harry packed up his remaining things in the common room when Pansy and her group of friends cornered him. Harry expected a threat but instead she said, “Potter, you’ll owl us if there are any changes over the summer.”
“Changes? Like what?”
She didn’t answer, just raised her nose in the air and led her posse away. Draco had already left the dungeons so Harry had to go upstairs and seek him out in the Great Hall to ask if he had any idea what just happened. He was sitting with Hermione when Harry found him. When he related what Parkinson had said, Hermione actually spoke first.
“Harry, that prophecy sounded like you could be his replacement.”
“What?”
“She’s right,” Draco nodded. “Some people think you won’t just beat the Dark Lord, you’ll become a new, stronger one. Riddle didn’t want anyone to know that of course, but my parent’s have been spreading the rumor around.” He said this like it was no big deal despite Harry’s horrified expression. “You might get some of the Death Eaters loyal to you instead of Riddle.”
“You’re in Slytherin, you’re a parslemouth. It would make sense to them,” Hermione agreed.
“I don’t want that,” Harry muttered at their enthusiasm.
“Has Dumbledore, proved he’s Tom Riddle, yet?” Hermione asked Draco. “Wouldn’t him having a muggle father upset a lot of his followers?”
“If he’s smart he would have destroyed all the proof years ago.”
“Do wizards have DNA testing?” She asked Harry this time. “They must, if he tried to use his father’s bones to come back to life.”
“There are lineage tests,” Draco guessed what she was getting at. “Good luck getting a sample from him, though.”