Author's Notes:
I know, I know. I’m sorry that I took forever and a day to get this chapter up. Blah blah excuse blah blah. However, I had a crisis. My laptop and Internet broke in the same day. Just recently they both got fixed. I hope the people who read my story are still alive, and I have a special thing for those who haven’t left me.
I have already decided the ending to this wonderful piece of artwork. And I still have many chapters to go. I need one lucky person to design a banner for me. Something with Snape and Harry on it (obviously) and the name of the story, Into The Labyrinth.
But I know that we are not all gifted with drawing powers, and I would like to give the rest of us a fighting chance. Anyone can write, that is what I think anyway. Therefore, I am holding a contest. I want Harry to have a special spell that he can use throughout the remainder of the story. Tell me the name of the spell and what it does, what the spell looks like (what color it is when fired) and who invented it. It could be a made up wizard or yourself (who I’ll make a famous wizard). The winner will be acknowledge in the story and I’ll write a short history on the made-up character. The sooner I get a winning spell the faster I can continue with the story.
----AND NOW!! THE MOMENT YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!----
Previously on Into the Labyrinth….
Snape and Harry had finally found the exit from the maze. Which, ironically, threw them into the Headmasters office, which was now home to a rare pink toad. The toad had taken the place of the old headmaster, Dumbledore, by Ministry decree. Snape, seeing this as a very bad thing for Harry, took him to stay with his godfather, Sirius Black. Snape is now on his way back to Hogwarts, to face the giant pink toad.
Severus Snape walked slowly back to the opened doors of Hogwarts. He had just left Harry at Sirius’s and was now slowly making his way back the Headmasters office. The corridor to Umbridge’s room seen like the longest he had to take. He was purposely walking slowly, he had to quickly think of an excuse for why Harry wasn’t with him. Surely he couldn’t the ‘He just got away’ excuse. No, he had to think of something better, Something that not even Umbridge would expect. But how could Harry have escaped? He was, in all reality, supposed to be interrogating him. And with all the new school rules passed, he could have strapped Harry to a chair and violently forced him to talk. It would be nearly impossible for him to get away in these conditions. No…I need more time to think…
Snape quickly turned on his heels and walked out of the corridor. He started back to his office, thinking about all the excuses he could come up with.
"So Harry, what else did you discover about Snivillus?" Sirius smirked at Harry. The last 10 minutes of their conversation had been filled with Harry’s experiences in the Labyrinth, particularly the part where Snape drank virituserum.
"OH! Snape’s hair is always greasy because, ‘he stands over a fuming cauldron all day.’ and it’s genetic." Harry said using air quotes. Sirius laughed loudly at this.
"I knew that he was naturally greasy." Sirius took a drink of his coffee and focused his eyes on Harry.
"Sirius…When me and Snape came back came into Dumbledore’s office, Umbridge was there." Harry looked confused. He didn’t even have anytime to talk to Hermione or Ron to see what was going on.
"Yes I know. The Ministry made Umbridge the headmaster of Hogwarts a few days ago. Fudge is losing his mind. He suddenly thinks that Dumbledore is after his position. Umbridge was undoubtedly feeding him that thought. They tried to send Dumbledore to Azcaban the day Umbridge became headmistress."
" Why did Fudge start thinking that?" Harry picked up the coin Snape had left him started to run it through his fingers.
"That’s why." Sirius pointed to the fake galleon. "Umbridge was slipping truth-telling serum into students drinks as she interviewed them. One student apparently didn’t know she was doing that and drank the serum. They spilled everything to her. Everything about Dumbledore’s Army and what you were teaching them." Sirius pointed a slender finger at Harry and bore into his eyes. "Your father would be proud, Harry. However, Dumbledore took the fall for you. He told the Minister that he was starting an army of his own, and that he appointed you to teach his new army."
Harry sat in silence. Dumbledore had taken the fall for him, and he was being hunted by the Ministry. "They didn’t take him to Azcaban, right?" Harry placed the fake galleon back on the table.
"No, he escaped the day Umbridge was appointed. Not even Azcaban could hold Dumbledore anyway." Sirius looked thoughtful. "What exactly were you teaching your army Harry?" Sirius smiled.
"I had taught them how to cast a Patronus charm. And the disarming charm…I wanted to teach them more but I didn’t have enough time." Harry looked disappointed, this was all his fault.
"That’s very advanced magic, Harry, I’m impressed. I still have trouble producing a Patronus charm. I remember in your third year, when Remus was your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, he told me you first produced the charm during one of your practice sessions. I was very surprised. You could have given your father a run for his money, you know." There was a twinkle in Sirius’s eye.
"Thanks Sirius." Harry picked up the coin again. "Sirius, what does your Patronus look like?"
Snape quickly walked back to the Headmasters office. He had the perfect alibi, but first he had to make a stop at Filch’s office.
To be continued...