“Ye did well tae come here, lad.” Professor Myrrindin murmured, as Harry alighted onto the long, honey-hued gallery. “Very well indeed.”

“You know why I’m here?” the teenager asked, slightly surprised.

The wizard turned, his auburn hair gleaming amber in the sunlight, a smile softening the harsh planes of his face. “I do, lad.”

A hesitant smile tugged at Harry’s lips as the embers of hope flamed “There’s a way, isn’t there?”

“Aye. Just get him tae follow ye to the edge of the forest; run aways in, then compel him to take ye tae his old master.”

“Compel?” Harry asked, his green eyes widening, “You mean the Imperius?”

“Life or death, boy. Once ye are in, transfigure nightshade berries intae rats and send ‘em afore ye. Yon serpent will gae intae a feeding frenzy, might even bite Pettigrew if ye are in luck.” Myrrindin added with a wink “Poisoned rats, see?”

“They’ll kill it?”

“Aye. A transfigured berry may look like a mouse and move like a mouse and even smell like a mouse but it isn’t a mouse. One ‘finite’ from ye, and she’ll have a belly full of poison.”

“Wicked!”

Myriddin frowned “Well, it’s them or ye, lad.”

Harry grinned “No, I mean it’s like, well cool.”

“A cold head is required if ye are going into battle, boy. Sacrifices must be made.”

“Cool as in ‘brilliant’, not as in cold.” Harry laughed, feeling light headed with relief.

“I’m joshing with ye, lad.” Smirked the ghostly figure, his blue eyes twinkling.

oOoOo

“Where are we going, Harry?” Hermione asked, her brown eyes quizzical as they descended into the bowels of the castle “I know you said you’d tell me what this was about when you got there but I would like to know where we’re going.”

A beetle who, despite the frosty chill, was roosting on the frame of a portrait, took to the wing, lazily flying after the children.

“We’ll be there soon, right." Harry replied shortly. "It’s a secret passageway.”

“Is all this cloak and dagger business really necessary?”

“Totally.”

On seeing Harry and Hermione approach, Herpo flipped open the portrait hole. Harry grinned at the herpomancer: although less chatty, he was certainly much more friendly of late.

As Harry helped Hermione up onto the staircase, Herpo’s familiar struck, pushing her snout outside the canvas and deftly catching the beetle.

*“No intrudersss, sssspeaker.”*

*“None, indeed, my pretty ssssnakelet. We guard our nessst well.”

oOoOo

“So, basically, I’ve got to save someone’s life and, if I tell you who and why, a. I’ll be breaking a  promise and b. it’ll be twice as dangerous because the people against us are world class Legilimens.”

“You still haven’t told me what spell you need to learn.” Hermione said pointedly, eyeing her nervous friend, who was rubbing his glasses against his robes; a ‘tell’ which always showed when he was uncertain.

“Imperius.” Harry muttered.

“The Imperius Curse, Harry! But that’s…”

“Illegal, yeah.” Harry replied, looking up with blazing green eyes. “But this is life and death, Hermione!”

“You’ll get life if we’re caught!”

“It’d be worth it. I’m not just letting him die!” Harry cried.

Hermione sighed, dragging a hand through her bushy brown hair. “Why are you such a magnet for trouble, Harry?”

“You’ll help?”

“Yes, of course, but you’d better have a good explanation, when all this is over.”

Harry nodded. “Thanks.”

Hermione sighed, trying to look resigned, but Harry could see academic interest lighting the brown depths of his friend’s eyes.

oOoOo

Now Harry had a clear and achievable goal in front of him, much of the anxiety which had weighed the teenager down had dissipated, evaporating away like the sweat on his brow as he duelled with Hermione. Easily the brightest student in Hogwarts, Hermione was on a pretty even footing with Harry, despite his training in mind magic, thus her strength in resisting the curse increased almost at the same rate as his power in casting it. However, instead of being frustrated, Harry found himself relishing the challenge, optimistic that, when the time came to use the spell in earnest, he would not be found wanting.

Therefore, with his days filled with classes and evenings spent practicing the imperius in Myrridin’s Corridor and visiting Ron in the infirmary, Harry’s week flew past swiftly and even enjoyably and, at breakfast on Saturday, Harry received an owl from Professor Snape, telling him his detention was at two o’clock.

Harry grinned in delight; earlier on in the week, Professor McGonagall had announced that, this Yule, a ball would be held between eight and Midnight. As Harry and, therefore, Snape, had to be with Voldemort at Midnight on 25th December, the Ball provided a perfect opportunity to casually and oh so innocently ask where the Potions Master would be at that time.

This, of course, raised an interesting question; how was Harry going to ask his Professor whether he was going to the Yule ball without, horror of horrors, sounding like he was about to ask Snape to the ball. Even if he discounted their history, the fact that he was a guy and Harry’s teacher to boot, that conversation would be in a whole, gut-wrenching world of embarrassment merely because Snape was Snape.

As Harry sat, fiddling with his yorkshire pudding at lunch, a shining head of long black hair wafted past him, trailing the scent of jasmine flowers. Warm, liquid brown eyes met his and there was a flash of white as the pretty Seeker smiled at him, from the midst of her entourage, before drifting away to the Ravenclaw table.

Flushing Harry stared into his mashed potatoes; if only Cho wasn’t always surrounded by her friends…

Harry dropped his fork, grinning ear to ear; he could ask Snape’s advice. Okay, it’d still be embarrassing, asking his bachelor teacher for dating tips, but any pretext was better than none.

OoOoO

Sitting down to their ‘half time’ sandwiches, Harry poured himself a butterbeer and said “Sir, I was wondering whether you’d give me some advice.”

“I’ve been giving you advice all afternoon, Harry” the Potions Master responded, carefully selecting a ham and chutney sandwich.

Harry pulled a face “And, although you have the countenance for gurning" Professor Snape added "if you continue to make faces at me, I’ll stick it that way,” Snape smirked, “which will scarcely improve your chances of getting a date for the Yule ball.”

“It was about that I wanted to ask your advice” Harry said with a grin. When Snape raised an eyebrow he continued “I want to ask a girl to the ball but she’s always surrounded by people.”

“Could you not ask her for a private word?”

“They giggle all the time!”

“Thus wounding your manly ego.” Snape rolled his dark eyes “Owl her, Harry.”

Harry’s green eyes stretched comically wide “Of course! You’re a genius!”

“If I may, however,” the Professor added, “I would advise you to consider that you will be spending four hours in the company of your date, four excruciatingly long hours if, in fact, she turns out to be a complete Veela. I take it that you have not spent a substantial amount of time in her company?”

“No, not really” Harry admitted. “but she’s well nice.”

“It is best to discover the accuracy of that statement during a Hogsmeade visit.” The Potions Master sighed. “The Yule ball is the highlight of a young lady’s social calendar; if your behaviour fails to reach her expectations, and, believe me, some girls will expect to be treated like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella combined, your beautiful date may well turn out to be the Wicked Witch of the West.”

“You know a lot about muggle films, Sir.”

“My best friend was a muggle-born, Harry. It was not unusual for her parents to take us to the cinema during the holidays.”

Harry nodded, smiling over this little snippet of information.

“You would do far better to ask a girl you know and like, as friends, and invite this other girl on a date during a Hogsmeade weekend. She may, indeed, be modest, accommodating, intelligent, interesting and understanding. However, she may not.”

“Did you go to the Yule Ball with your best friend then, Sir?” Harry asked cheekily.

“Indeed.” The professor replied, giving his wayward charge a long look “We had a lovely time.”

“Bet my dad was jealous.” Harry teased.

“I believe Lily might have bound him to one of the ornamental fountains.” Snape replied, examining his finger-nails “Black was definitely stuck to the other; he howled like a chained mutt.”

Harry laughed, in spite of himself, “You going to be there this year, Sir?”

“In the early evening.” The Potions Master said, taking a sip of butterbeer “However, a word of warning; stay out of the rose bushes.”

oOoOo

To: Cho Chang
From: Harry Potter

Dear Cho,

I was wondering whether you’d like to come to the Yule Ball with me. I’ve always wanted a chance to chat and stuff but we hardly ever see each other off the field, what with being in different houses and everything, and on the field it’s kind of hard talking, seeing as we’re racing each other for the snitch.

Harry Potter.

OoOoO

To: Harry Potter
From: Cho Chang

Hi Harry,

I’m really sorry; I’d have loved to have gone with you but I’ve already accepted Cedric’s invitation. Sorry.

Love Cho x.

oOoOo

“Hey, Harry what’s wrong?” Ginny asked, wandering over and sitting beside the raven haired boy. Harry sighed and, scrunching up the letter, threw it into the fire.

“Nothing much. Just feeling gloomy, nights drawing in and stuff.” Harry replied, trying to shield some part of his crumbling pride.

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Ginny nodded, crossing her arms and leaning back in the chair “At least you’ve got the Yule Ball to look forward to.”

“Got a date, Gin?” Harry asked absently, studying the flames.

“No” the redhead replied, blushing “Are you asking?”

Harry looked up, surprised, and Ginny sighed “Guess not.”

Ebony eyebrows lowered as thoughts raced through Harry’s mind; take a friend, Snape had said, someone you know. Ginny was definitely easy company.

“Sure, why not?” Harry grinned.

An uncertain smile tugged at the girl’s lips as her brown eyes searched Harry’s face questioningly “You mean it?”

“Course, as friends though.”

Ginny nodded, her smile looking slightly forced “Sure. Ron’d probably go ape if I went with you on a date.”

oOoOo

Before Harry had really registered the days passing, the halls had been decked, spruce trees decorated and, suddenly, it was Christmas eve. Although during the day, Harry found it easy to forget his fears, filling his hours with snowball fights, trips to Hagrid's hut, roast potato eating competitions with Ron and, if all else failed, study, those worries came flooding back as soon as Harry drew the curtains around his bed. Tonight, Christmas eve, the thoughts fled, leaving a strange, empty feeling in their wake; knowing, in the depths of his soul, that this might be his last night on earth was a strange feeling. Stranger still was knowing what would happen if his plans failed.

Periodically, Harry, despairing of sleep, hauled himself out of bed and checked his adapted dress-robes. Harry had carefully tailored the beautiful, bottle-green robes be almost identical to his special school robes, with shield charms, waterproofing and evasion charms. Every time Harry passed his wand over the fabric, the spells glowed golden, silver and copper; every inch was protected yet, still, he found himself checking, compulsively, every fifteen minutes.

And, of course, part of those checks involved feeling inside the robe’s pockets, withdrawing the two tiny, metal boxes and checking the belladonna berries inside one, the dung-bomb within the other.

Halfway through the night, the teenager wondered if he was going mad.

OoOoO

As Harry, showered and with his hair brushed, if not into order, then into smooth, if choppy waves, zipped up the sleeves of his dress robes, Ron glared at him from his bed.

“Tarting yourself up, huh?”

Harry sighed “Look, Ron, I know that you’re pissed about Hermione…”

“I just don’t want you messing around with my sister.” Ron interrupted grumpily.

“I won’t, we’re going as friends.” Harry replied, rolling his green eyes “I scarcely think Ginny would be happy if I rolled in dog turds before meeting her.”

“Yeah, well, alright for some.” Ron grumbled, looking morosely at the frayed sleeves of his dress robes.

“Oh, for Heavens…”  pointing his wand at Ron, Harry transfigured the maroon velvet into navy blue linen.

“Hey!”

“Quit whining, Ron!” Seamus snapped, “You’re doing me head in.”

Still bickering, the boys trooped down stairs, Harry lagging slightly behind. However, he had no sooner alighted on the common-room carpet when he saw a flash of long red hair.

“Ginny!”

“Hey.” The girl turned, the white, crepe skirt of her dress robes swirling around her legs. Harry noticed that the green of her sash and bead necklace were almost identical to the hue of his robes.

“Snap!”

Ginny laughed “Well, mum did get the robes for you, Harry. When she heard we were going together, she owled me her serpentine necklace and this sash. Well, after I reassured her like three times that you and Hermione weren’t dating.”

“Argh! Evil! Snake lover!” Harry joked, making the sign of the cross.

“Idiot!” Ginny giggled.

“Where’s Hermione?”

“Right here, Harry.” Hermione’s voice laughed.

Harry’s head swivelled to his right and he did a double take “Whoa! I didn’t recognise you!”

Hermione smiled, showing off perfectly proportioned teeth. She was dressed in pretty robes of blue filmy material and her hair was tied in smooth knot. “Thanks, I think.”

“What happened…” Harry’s voice trailed off and he blushed, embarrassed.

“My teeth? Well, earlier this year I tripped whilst carrying a few too many books and one of my front teeth cracked” Hermione said, pulling a face “Madam Pomfrey took pity on me, I guess.”

Harry saw Ron dragging Lavender through the portrait hole and sighed, the adrenaline draining with his good mood. “Well, let’s go then.”

As Harry ducked out of the portrait hole, a thought came to him. “Gin, I’m not just at the Ball for, y’know, the Ball; I’ve got a job to do, a very important one. So, if I disappear for a bit, it’s not because I’m not enjoying it or anything, it’s just that I have to be somewhere else” he said, gazing at her with earnest green eyes.

When Ginny’s chocolate brown eyes rose to meet his, they were equally serious “I understand. I’ve sort of thought you might be involved with something, you’ve been rather distracted of late.”

Harry flushed “I didn’t realise I was so obvious.”

“Well, whatever it is, take care, okay?”

“Okay.” Harry nodded, gratefully, “And thanks. Not many girls would be that understanding.”

Ginny grinned, her brown eyes sparkling “You’re Harry Potter; if you can’t stand the heat, get off the cauldron.”

Laughing, Harry led Ginny into the Great Hall.

oOoOo

By nine O’clock, Harry was wondering whether he’d been wise to bring a date to the ball at all.

It wasn’t that Ginny was bad company, anything but. She was a great, if rather energetic dancer and, when they paused for breath, Harry found himself becoming so engrossed enjoyed her conversation, her jokes, her silly mimicking that he forgot about Cho completely. Indeed, the first part of the evening, when Snape stayed where Harry could see him, was wonderful.

However, after the meal, Snape went walkabout and, as Harry’s nerves went with him, they were stretched past endurance. The irritating git had only chosen to go zap students out of the Rosebushes and, apart from the occasional zip of burning flora and anguished or indignant yelps, Harry constantly feared that he’d been given the slip. Especially as the silence following each zap always lasted a second or five too long. Unable to stand this tension any longer, the teenager stood up.

“Want to go for a walk, Ginny?” Harry asked desperately.

“Sure” the redhead replied, bouncing out of the seat in which she had collapsed, exhausted, but a minute before.

As they walked thought the pretty, rose-bush lined shrubberies, Harry straining almost every sense he possessed, Ginny looked up at him with a soft smile “I’ve had a lovely time, you know. If you need to go, you can.”

Harry’s green eyes widened slightly “Thanks, Gin. I’ve had a great time too, I really have.”

“Maybe next year, then?”

“It’s a date.” Harry confirmed, kissing her cheek. “Bye.”

“Bye.” Ginny replied, waving as she ran back into the Great Hall.

Swallowing, Harry reached into his pocket, pulling the dung bomb from it’s casing.”

“Oh look, famous Harry Potter cannot keep a girl interested for more than half a night” a baritone voice sneered silkily “It appears that fame isn’t everything…”

Turning on his heel, Harry lobbed the dungbomb at Snape’s clean, shiny hair.

“Potter! You little bastard!”  

“Catch me if you can!” Harry cried, sprinting away.

“Come back here this minute!” Snape shrieked.

Hurdling the rose bushes, Harry ran, pell mell, across the grounds, his feet gliding over the icy grass. Through the bare, trunks of deciduous trees, over spongy moss and crisp, yellow bracken the teenager ran, looking back every now and again to make sure Snape was following. Eventually, however, an icy stream blocked his path.

Panting, Professor Snape skidded to a halt “Why the blue blazes…”

“Imperio!” the Potions Master’s face fell into the slack, blankness of those under the curse. Harry had seen it a hundred, maybe a thousand times with Hermione but this time, when it was for real, sent a shiver down his spine.

“Take me to the Dark Lord. You will take me to the Dark Lord, known as Tom Riddle, now.”

“No I bloody won’t” Snape spat, his dark eyes flaming into life. “Oh very clever, Harry, how long have you known?”

“Practically since you made the vow.” Harry replied, his hands starting to shake “Please, Sir, you can’t… you can’t just give in!”

“I had every intention of breaking the vow when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me to make it, Harry.” Something strange shifted in Snape’s dark eyes. “I never had any intention of handing you to him and I never will, do you understand?”

“We can still fight, though: Wormtail is pants as a wizard and he owes me a life debt…”

“I wouldn’t bet your life on that debt being repaid...”

“And I’ve got some belladonna berries, we transfigure them into mice and Nagini will have a belly full of poison.”

“What of the Dark Lord?”

Harry crossed his arms in an attempt to stop trembling “ he’s only a baby-monster thing, isn’t he?”

“You cannot be sure of that” Professor Snape snapped “He may well have decided to resurrect. My loyalty is still somewhat under suspicion.”

Tears stung at Harry’s eyes, “Let’s just give it a chance, okay?”

“No” the Potions Master replied coldly. “We will return to the castle, where I will place you under the personal care of the House Elves. Now, are you going to come willingly?”

“And leave you to die?!” Harry spat “No! I won’t! I’m not losing anyone else to Vol…”

Professor Snape raised his wand “Do not say his name.”

Breathing hard through his teeth, Harry suddenly screamed “Voldemort! Voldemort! VOLDEMORT!”

Pale as a ghost, Professor Snape clapped his hand over the boy’s mouth “Quiet you foolish child!” he gasped “Do you want to bring him down on us?”

However, it was too late; with a resounding crack, a tall, thin, dark robed figure spun to a halt in front of them.