When he returned to Hogwarts, Harry had lunch in the Great Hall. He told his friends about the outcome of the trial, but they kept quiet in front of the rest of the students. It seemed important to Harry that he should not stand out as Snape’s saviour and he wanted at any prize to avoid the attention. It was better therefore that the news of Snape’s acquittal were announced through official channels. As a consequence, Professor McGonagall, who was pale and apprehensive of her headmaster’s and colleague’s fate, was left to agonise unnecessarily long, but at last, when lunch was almost over, an owl arrived and she could announce to the students in a slightly shrill voice that their headmaster would come back to Hogwarts. Applauses and whistles broke out. Since the inquiry, only a small minority at Hogwarts still doubted Professor Snape.

“Tonight is the last evening that our NEWT students spend at the castle,” proceeded Professor McGonagall. ”And tomorrow is the official start of the summer holidays. I suppose you’re planning House parties... I’m not unaware of the fact that Gyffindor does...” Cheers and whistles were heard. “I will arrange for a splendid dinner this evening to celebrate our headmaster and in order to see the NEWT students off with due honours!” Professor McGonagall promised happily and new applauses followed.

***

During the afternoon, everyone except the NEWT students were busy being given their summer assignments. Harry watched Snape from a window of the Gryffindor common room as Snape returned from the Ministry, coming by foot from the gate. He looked more burdened than relieved and walked with heavy steps. An owl dived at him when he was halfway up the path. It was not a murderous one this time, but its message could not be pleasant as Harry observed Snape stare at it for a long time before he continued his way, as if a bit dazed.

Harry sneaked out from the Gryffindor house and kneeled behind the balustrade to peak down into the Entrance Hall, feeling like a first year. Professor McGonagall seemed to have kept a lookout for Snape, too. She appeared in the hall as soon as the headmaster entered and greeted him with open arms.

“Congratulations Severus! I’m so relieved, so happy for your sake!” she burst out. ”I was full of apprehension this morning, and I must own that I was afraid you wouldn’t come back so soon... When you asked me to take care of your things last night, I... The whole situation appeared desperate. It seemed so unfair, after all you’ve struggled to achieve this year and... and you did speak to me in a fateful sort of way... You cannot have been sure yourself... By Merlin, how did you manage to convince the Wizengamot with so little proof?”

Snape looked at her cautiously, with a streak of suspicion and frowned.

“The details haven’t reached you...?” he asked slowly.

“You’ll tell me everything tonight. I’ve promised the students a magnificent farewell feast. I’d better go and prepare the kitchen,” said Professor McGonagall.

“Minerva, I have some... personal business to attend to. I’d like to leave you in charge of things for yet a few hours if you please,” said Snape.

Professor McGonagall looked surprised, but acquiesced.

“You must be exhausted. Naturally, you were prepared for the worst... I understand. What do you want me to do with the trunks you entrusted me with?”

“Just... keep them for the moment being, will you? I must figure out how to... I need to be alone. Don’t let anyone into my office. Have you seen Draco Malfoy?” Snape spoke curtly.

“Mr Malfoy, no.” Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows. “I believe he was in the Great Hall at lunch, but not since then, no, I haven’t seen him. I don’t think he has gone out... That boy is so pale, he seldom enjoys the grounds, but shuts himself up. He’s not been well at all these last few months. Do you want to send for him?”

“No, I’ll go and look for him later,” said Snape absentmindedly and started to move toward his office.

Harry went back to his dormitory where he was packing his things as they would leave for the Burrow the next day. He did not fully pay attention to the jokes that flew in the air between Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas and Ron, however, and he looked thoughtful. When Ron wanted to send a message by owl to his mother, Harry decided to accompany him to the owlery and without really knowing why, he took his invisibility cloak that lay folded on his bed and stuffed it in a pocket. The tissue was so thin it almost took no place at all. It struck him that he had not used the mantle since the battle one year ago.

Like so often when they arrived at the owl tower, Ron had not actually composed his letter yet and had to sit down for a while. Harry inhaled the slightly queasy odour of feathers and droppings and bent down to peak through the small window out over the Forbidden Forest. The majestic trees bore the mature deep green foliage of summer. Behind the inviting facade, there were more difficult terrains, Harry knew. In the southern part, the forest became dense and bushy in places and to the North, a gigantic swamp area stretched out westwards in a crescent that reached all the way to the blue mountains.

As Harry peered out through the window that was no more than a deep slit in the thick wall, he caught sight of Malfoy. The blond head with slack hair was not to be mistaken. He and Miss Cork walked on either side of Mr Sachs, Malfoy’s Auror, towards the path leading into the northern part of the Forbidden Forest. Harry frowned. What were they doing taking a walk into the forest? Draco Malfoy had never been excessively fond of the wild to Harry’s knowledge.

He turned to call for Ron to show him the scene, but the group of people disappeared from the narrow field of vision before his friend got there. Ron agreed that it seemed strange that Malfoy volunteered into the forest, and Harry felt agitated.

“I’m going to tell Snape,” he said to Ron, “He was looking for Malfoy earlier.”

Ron just muttered something.

“See you in the Gryffindor common room later.”

Ron nodded.

Harry hastened down the endless stairs of the owlery. His heart started to race in anticipation of an awkward meeting, but he did not hesitate as he set off for the headmaster’s office. He wanted to speak to Snape anyway - this might be an excuse as good as any to approach him. He must mention the vouching and emphasise that Snape was not indebted to him. He was afraid that Snape’s aversion toward himself might grow even stronger if he did not explain properly. Suddenly it felt like his life depended on it.

What, exactly, he was going to say was not obvious to Harry, but it was imperative that he should speak to Snape. He felt no qualms of conscience therefore when he started to enumerate different ancient Nordic names from the magical history of Iceland that he had learnt Snape was fond of, until the Gargoyle gave way and opened up. He climbed the spiral stairs two steps at a time and was out of breath when he reached the door at the top. He waited a while to calm down and after a slight hesitation he knocked. There was no answer so Harry repeated his knocking twice before carefully creaking the door open. Finally resolving to step inside, he stopped dumbfounded on the threshold, staring at the scene.

Snape’s office was bare and empty to the point of being unrecognisable. All personal items had been stuffed away. The gigantic desk was shining without as much as a quill upon it. The bookshelves gaped empty like holes in the walls, except a few exceptions that had been left untouched. Those were Dumbledore’s books, Harry gathered. Dumbledore’s Pensieve library also seemed intact, but otherwise the office looked impersonal and deserted. Snape had moved out.

“Good afternoon, Harry!” It was the portrait of Dumbledore which addressed Harry who had still not recovered from the shock of finding the office deserted and was still looking around for clues as to where Snape could be or where he was going.

“Hello, Professor Dumbledore!” Harry said absentmindedly as he kneeled down beside a thoroughly bottled up, gigantic trunk on the floor in search of an address label. “I’m looking for Professor Snape, have you seen him?”

“He was here only fifteen minutes ago.”

”Is he leaving Hogwarts? Do you know where he’s going?” Harry circumvented the trunk.

“No, I’m sorry, I don’t, my boy. I’m glad you came, however, because I’m worried about Severus. He packed all his things yesterday. I knew he had his trial today, but he wouldn’t confide in me, nor share his plans. To be truthful, he was very unsympathetic and acidulous with me.”

“Well, you haven’t talked to him during the whole year, have you?” said Harry. ”What did you expect, Professor Dumbledore? You simply decided to sleep through it all… Just because Voldemort was dead, it didn’t mean that everything resolved into… into happiness or something like that. Things have not been easy this year, you know…” Harry said reproachfully. ”And then you open your eyes in the nick of time and expect him to...”

“Oh, you do hurry to his defence, Harry... Very unlike how you used to talk about Professor Snape in my time...”

“Hmm... well I was mistaken, wasn’t I? Mislead even, perhaps. But where’s he going? And why? He was acquitted! He’s free to stay at Hogwarts. Did he say anything to you, Professor? Didn’t he make any attempt to unpack his things when he came back?”

“Strangely, no. All he’s done this past hour is to pace back and fro like a panther in a cage, muttering to himself about Lucius Malfoy and Jonathan Frankiss. He completely ignored my calls for attention. I was truly afraid Severus’d go down at the trial and be sent to Azkaban. Yesterday evening, I tried to argue that he should let you testify, tried my most cunning ways of persuading... but he didn’t listen. He’s so stubborn, Severus is, and frankly obsessed with concealing everything that has to do with Lily Evans. And I’m not sure that he has ever truly reconciled with his self-perceived image of darkness…”

Harry glanced sharply at Dumbledore.

“You must find him, Harry,” continued the old Professor. ”I’m afraid he might do something rash and ill-considered. He struck me as unbalanced when he came back. I wonder what could have happened at the trial...?”

“I vouched for him,” said Harry and headed for the door.

“Oh, I see. You did, did you...?” Dumbledore who had risen from his chair was nearly leaning out of the portrait and peering at Harry with his intense, blue, penetrating gaze. “Why, that explains things! It must have been hard on him. Very disturbing to a dichotomous mind like his, indeed. Well done, my dear boy! You never stop amazing me, Harry. I thought it’d take longer than that for you to start trusting him. I’m not even sure myself that he’s to be trusted entirely... I chose to do so anyhow, of course, but… He has lived on the edge for so long, moved in and out of the shadows of evilness with too much ease - as a spy, naturally, but still, that kind of life-style - whether of your own choice or forced upon you - leaves its imprints, unavoidably. But maybe, if someone will succeed in talking to him, it would be you, Harry. You should look for him in the dungeons. He has got some of his things left in the Potions class room.”

Harry had his hand on the door handle. He looked back at Professor Dumbledore as if seeing him properly for the first time during their conversation.

“I’d love to speak to you, Professor Dumbledore, but it’ll have to wait because I really need to go find Professor Snape,” he said. 

“That’s fine, Harry. Off you go. Don’t worry. It’s all as it ought to be. I’ll see you on another occasion.”

“Goodbye.” Harry had difficulties tearing his eyes off Dumbledore.

“Go, Harry.”

Harry took a deep breath, turned and dived down the stairs.

***

Harry approached the Potions dungeon with caution, listening for signs of activity. The door stood ajar, but silence reigned in the room. He heard voices from another corridor, leading to the Slytherin House.

“No, Professor, I haven’t seen Malfoy lately, but Pansy Parkinson saw him leave with Miss Cork and his Auror half an hour ago. Looked like they were going out,” someone said.

“Thank you, Miss Harding,” Snape’s voice answered. The seventh year Slytherin disappeared up the stairs to the Entrance Hall whereas Snape approached where Harry stood, pressed against the wall. He had put on his invisibility cloak as soon as he stepped down into the dungeons.

The draught from Snape’s flapping coat as he passed made Harry’s mantle sway. Harry kept still as he observed Snape slowly push the door to the dungeons wide open and scan the room suspiciously, but there seemed to be no one inside.

Luckily, Snape did not close the door and Harry positioned himself at the doorpost in order to supervise his teacher’s doings. Snape went over to the cupboards at the farther end of the room, behind the teacher’s desk and started to retrieve various objects. Harry watched him and argued with himself whether he should step inside and make his presence known. During his deliberation, his eyes were caught by a pupil’s chair that was oddly positioned along the opposite wall. He stared intently at it - there had been a movement, had there not? Now that he came to think of it, there had often stood a chair in that position when he used to work in the evenings with Potion-making, but he was quite sure there was no chair at the same place during lessons. He continued to stare at it.

Something happened to the chair, but so slowly it was hard to notice. It swelled, assumed more round shapes, darkened in its colours and there was something protruding out of the flat piece of wood that constituted the back of the chair. Harry stared fascinated - a nose, a pair of lips appeared. Harry glanced at Snape who had his back turned on the chair. Snape checked the door from time to time, but had no idea of what was happening along the other wall. Harry had his wand prepared to intervene if the wizard coming out of the chair transformation would attack Snape - for it was a man who slowly, very slowly, emerged out of the object. It must be extremely uncomfortable to transfigure in such a way, Harry thought, and why was he so slow?

There was almost no trace of the shape of a chair by now. The transforming wizard had lengthened and almost the entire face had emerged from the wood. Harry’s breath caught. He might have made a noice because Snape frowned and glanced towards the door again. The transfiguring wizard’s eyes were closed. It was a young face with a square chin. Harry had been reminded of the dead face of Machivato on the floor at the club Trocadero and for a dizzy moment he imagined with horror it would be him who emerged out of the transformation. It was not. It was Mr Burgess.

When Mr Burgess was free to move, he approached Snape slowly from behind until something made Snape sense his presence and swirl around with his wand drawn.

“Oh, Mr Burgess, it’s you,” he said dismissively and lowered his wand. “You should let your presence known and not sneak upon people like that.”

“I didn’t want to disturb you, Professor, although I wanted a word with you,” said Burgess oilily. 

Snape looked at him impassively. 

“It’s Mr Malfoy, Professor, Draco Malfoy, I saw him leave the castle together with Miss Cork. I had the impression that Malfoy’s Auror, Mr Sachs, made them go into the Forbidden Forest. He had his wand drawn and… I think we should go after them, see that nothing’s wrong.”

Harry frowned to himself and tried to remember the scene he had observed from the owl tower. It seemed to him it had been the other way around. Mr Sachs had walked in the middle and Malfoy and Miss Cork had been right behind him. He was just about to tear his invisibility cloak away and contradict Mr Burgess when Snape answered.

“Don’t trouble yourself, Mr Burgess. If you’re the one who will take me to Lucius Malfoy and the Shifting’s camp, don’t worry. You don’t have to lure me away, I’ll come willingly. Lucius sent me a word earlier and told me to be prepared together with Draco. You don’t coordinate your orders in the group very well, do you?”

Mr Burgess’ countenance darkened.

“Oh, I believe Mr Malfoy senior has not quite grasped, yet, who’s in command of our gang,” Mr Burgess suddenly said bitingly and exempt of his usual ingratiation. ”He’s of the opinion that recruiting you is a personal business and he seems to have no doubts that you wish to join us, whereas I, although I’ve worked with you for a whole year, must say that I haven’t made you out yet. I’m not so sure…” Mr Burgess was full of suspicion, with a streak of resentment.

“Of course Lucius is right. He knows me since my first year at Hogwarts,” Snape interrupted impatiently. ”It was never a question of if I’m to join you, only when and under what conditions. Let’s go then and discuss the matter together with Lucius and your leader – I suppose he or she will be there tonight?”

“You’ll meet him, don’t worry,” said Burgess. ”I agree with you, Professor, let’s go.” He gestured at the door. “After you, but turn to the left when you come out, we’re taking a secret passage out of the castle not to awaken Mrs Steadfast’s Aurors’ attention.”

Harry let them walk past him, then followed them through a myriad of tunnels that ended up at a small cellar door. This would be an exit that Mrs Steadfast knew not of, Harry thought. They came out on the northern side of the castle and crossed the lawn with quick steps and before Harry had time to figure out if he should stay to go and find an Auror or not, they entered the Forbidden Forest.

I can’t let them get ahead, otherwise I won’t know where they’re going. I’ll always be able to send a Patronus later to give the alert, Harry thought and followed them at a safe distance. Mr Burgess still walked behind Snape giving him directions where to turn. They moved at the very outskirts of the northern part of the forest, but were heading west, walking alongside the swamp on their right side. They were able to walk fast as the ground was firm on their side of the swamp and after an hour’s walk they arrived at a clearing where Draco Malfoy and Miss Cork waited for them.

Mr Sachs lay on the ground, hands and feet tied up with ropes. He looked as if he had been stunned and not yet recovered.

“Well done, Melanie,” said Mr Burgess. He spoke in his usual smarmy way. “And you too, Draco. You didn’t need any persuading, did you? I was sure you’d join us when the time came. The question is, do you do it for your father or do you do it for your new friends?” Mr Burgess’ smile did not conceal the undercurrent challenge in the question.

“I do it for you and Miss Cork,” Malfoy answered readily. “I’m sick and tired of both my parents. Still, I guess Father has done the right thing since he finally decided to join you for real.”

“Tomorrow, we’ll see if he still thinks he has made the right choice,” Mr Burgess said lightly. “Lucius seems to mostly abide by his old buddies. But we have another guest. Our headmaster, no less.”

All of a sudden the three young people pointed their wands at Snape.

“Will you be so nice as to give us your wand, Professor Snape? Just as a precaution until we have sorted a few things out,” said Mr Burgess.

“I’ve already told you that I’m coming willingly. I don’t intend to fight you,” said Snape with slight irritation. “You don’t disarm your allies. Show me some respect and let me keep it.”

“You’ll fight us, or surrender your wand,” Mr Burgess spoke pleasantly, but his wand made a threatening jerk. Malfoy stared with hatred at Snape.

“I don’t believe you’re on our side,” he said.

“We were good friends once, Draco,” said Snape. “The actions of Voldemort separated us, although we served him both. There’s no reason now we shouldn’t go back to what...”

“I’ll never trust you again,” spat Draco.

“Your father does. That’s why I’m here. He won’t approve of...”

“I don’t care what he approves of or not. I’m my own man now. I choose my own friends. And you’re not one of them!”

Snape stared into the three determined faces before him and hesitated. Harry was again close to throwing off his mantle and stepping in, when he saw Snape give his wand to Burgess. Harry whined inside. How could Snape be so stupid? Now the former spy was reduced to using persuasion and hoodwinking only if he wanted to escape.

As they continued to walk, Harry had the impression they were making a tremendous roundabout, although he had no idea of their final destination. He had first thought that they would exit the forest and get out of the NAZ to transport to some other place. He had even prepared himself for the eventuality by refreshing in his mind the tracing spell that you could cast on a person not to lose them if they were to Apparate away from you. But it did not seem that they were going to leave the forest. They had had several chances to reach its borders and disappear.

Had Mrs Steadfast been right all along? Did the Death Eaters have a camp in the forest? Confused thoughts rumbled in Harry’s head while he followed doggedly the five figures ahead of him. Several hours passed and the sun sank lower. At Hogwarts it would soon be time for dinner, at which point, at the latest, Snape and Harry and the others would be missed. Mrs Steadfast would be alerted. But would they know where to look for them? They would have nothing to go on, would they?

Harry considered staying behind to send a Patronus back to Hogwarts, but he was afraid it would betray him, or that he would lose Snape and the three traitors, so he kept his track. They deviated slightly to the South now. They had reached the farther end of the forest and passed around the edge of the swamp. Harry was hot and hungry. So was Malfoy, because Harry heard his increasing complaints. They made a short pause, but continued and when Malfoy started moaning again he was Langlocked unceremoniously by Mr Burgess.

It was getting sombre underneath the tall trees, but when they reached a clearing Harry saw that the sun was still up. At Hogwarts this time of the year, as they were near the summer solstice, the sun would not set until near midnight.

The path they were following started to slope upwards and it grew uneven and stony. Mr Sachs fell on his knees several times. He still had his hands tied up behind his back which made it difficult for him to keep his balance and he was clearly exhausted. Mr Burgess urged the company on, walking at the head of the group. Snape grabbed Mr Sachs by the arm to stabilise him. Melanie Cork and Draco Malfoy followed behind them.

It was harder for Harry to walk undetected, because the gravel rattled and stones that he did not see properly and stumbled over were set in motion. Several times Miss Cork turned her head and watched behind her. Finally Mr Burgess stopped as it was now almost completely dark.

“We’ll rest for a couple of hours and set off again as soon as the sun rises,” he said.

“We should have gone on broomsticks or something,” muttered Malfoy.

“It’s difficult to guard prisoners on broomsticks, Draco,” Mr Burgess said condescendingly. “I’m afraid this was the only alternative. Now, protections. There are trolls and giants around, Graphorns and vampire bats, as well as underground gnomes that only walk out at night. They’re bigger and blood thirstier than ordinary garden gnomes, those are. Just to mention some of the beautiful creatures that live in the mountains. Malfoy, Melanie over here, let me cast the shield spells over you. Professor Snape and Mr Sachs will protect each other, your backs to that stone, faces toward me, if you please.”

Snape and Mr Sachs were jointly treated as prisoners. Snape did not protest, but sat down on the ground. He seemed to deem futile to persuade Draco Malfoy and Mr Burgess of his loyalties and went along with their arbitrary manners only in hope to soon join Lucius Malfoy and the Shiftings’ leader. Harry, in turn, was at a loss of figuring out Snape’s intentions and deemed futile to try to make himself known to Snape for the moment being. Harry skirted around Mr Burgess and climbed as silently as possible the hillside so that he reached the back of the big stone block where the prisoners were seated. He lifted his wand and pronounced protecting incantations silently so that they covered Snape, Mr Sachs and himself.

Harry had been sweating and now when he stayed still he started to shiver from cold. He gave himself a warming charm and curled up. He was only a few feet away from Snape, but he did not dare try to speak to him as he did not know how Snape would react. He had better stay hidden and have some rest.

It felt as if he had only slumbered a moment, but three or four hours must have passed for when Harry woke up the beams of the rising sun licked the stone blocks and made them shine and glitter on one side, casting long black shadows on the other side. Snape and Mr Sachs had the sun full in their faces and were awake. Harry stretched and lifted the protections off them. Snape might have sensed something, because he frowned and looked around.

Malfoy who had been on guard woke up his companions. They distributed some bread that Miss Cork had in her bag and set off again, almost without exchanging a word. Harry’s stomach rumbled over the lack of food and he stayed behind to conjure up a mug of water that he gulped down. They were at the foot of the biggest among several mountains. If Harry was not mistaken, this was where Hagrid had hidden last year together with his giant brother. There should be a cave somewhere. That must be where the Shiftings were hiding.

He let the others get the start of him and considered once again sending a Patronus off, but the surroundings were too bare. If someone turned around they would spot it straight away and he would have betrayed himself. Dissatisfied, he set off after them. It was slow work mounting the difficult path. After a few hours of only staring at his own moving feet, when Harry looked up he was dazed by the splendid view that met him.

They were at the opposite end of the Forbidden Forest from Hogwarts. Except for the grey and yellow colours of the swamp right beneath him, a sea of greenery spread out when he lifted his gaze and, far away against the bright light, the castle piled up, impressive and imperturbable. He wondered what Ron, Hermione and Ginny were doing and what kind of research Mrs Steadfast had put in place.

They had set off early, but when they finally reached the cave near the top of the mountain, even the late morning hours had passed and it was nearer noon. They had mounted several hundred meters. The cave and the ledge in front of the entrance were facing north east and were cast in shadow. Harry slowed down as he approached.

He watched Lucius Malfoy try to clasp his son in his arms, but Draco wriggled out of his embrace and threw himself down on the ground desperate for some rest. Lucius turned to Snape and greeted him cordially. Snape looked impassive as usual, but made efforts to return Lucius’ amiability. Harry sneaked up to the edge of the platform and crouched to rest his legs. Mr Sachs lay on the ground right in front of him.

Snape’s eyes were moving around, taking in the cave and the thirty or so persons standing around them. He greeted three or four other Death Eaters who watched him suspiciously. Yaxley was there, Harry noticed, but he did not recognise so many of the others and the majority were young people who greeted Mr Burgess - they were probably members of the Shiftings.

Inside the cave, he perceived a human shape on the ground. It was hard to make out the features from where he sat, but he imagined he saw some grey hair. Could it be Healer Frankiss? Snape had discovered the prisoner as well and moved casually towards him. He exchanged a few words with Lucius Malfoy in a low voice as he looked down with an indifferent expression and prodded the still body with his foot almost distractedly. The prisoner gave away a low groan.

Miss Cork stood whispering in Mr Burgess’ ear. A malicious grin spread on his face.

“Friends!” the young teacher called upon attention. “As you can see I have brought you another Malfoy - Draco, Lucius’ son. I also brought my dear colleague, Melanie Cork, Potions teacher at Hogwarts and last but not least the person we have debated so much this winter - Severus Snape. We thought we would have to fetch him on his way to Hell, but it didn’t turn out necessary and he has followed us quite willingly, pretending to want to join us.”

“Why would he want to do that, when he was acquitted at the trial?” an aggressive young man called out.

“He might be of even greater use to us as Headmaster at Hogwarts and part of the institutions. That’s how Voldemort worked and how he used Severus’ skills. As a teacher and playing the role of Headmaster, he might recruit young people for us,” intervened Lucius Malfoy. The Shiftings stared suspiciously at Snape. Some of them were bound to be former pupils of Hogwarts, probably from Snape’s own house, many of them. “He’s in Kingsley’s confidence, he’ll be able to spy for us at the Ministry, tell us what’s going on and when the right moment comes, he might help overthrow Kingsley. He might do what he did to Dumbledore,” reinforced Lucius.

Harry felt himself clench his jaws.

“The credibility of Professor Snape will be assessed later. We must wait for M. He’s coming today after his long absence. You’ll have the honour to meet our leader later, Professor Snape, and you’ll stand another trial today – our trial. You were acquitted by the Ministry yesterday. The question is: can you at the same time be found trustworthy by us?”

The group had gone silent. A young woman with pink hair approached Mr Burgess with a troubled look on her face.

“M is dead, Bellamy. Potter killed him in Paris. H is our leader now. Is she coming? You’ve alerted her, haven’t you? M is gone - he’d have been in touch with me if he wasn’t.”

Mr Burgess grinned maliciously again.

“I’m not so sure about that. I’ve heard from him, you see. He will resurrect today, believe me.”

A murmur spread among the young Shiftings who looked at Burgess dubiously.

“A great Dark wizard like M insured himself against death in precisely the same way as Voldemort did,” persisted Burgess. ”And we’ll find a way to revive our Dark Lord, won’t we? He was gone once before and he returned. He’ll do it again, with the help of his son!”

Cheers and acclamations were heard. Harry shuddered under his invisibility cloak at the mad speech and watched Burgess closely. Did he really believe in what he was saying?

“But first, I want to introduce you to yet another guest.”

Suddenly Burgess and Miss Cork turned around and fired two stunning spells in Harry’s direction. He had just the time to draw up a protection shield and leap to his feet. He was uncovered. Harry fired a strong Protego spell that sent the five closest wizards backward. Harry got hold of Mr Sachs in front of him and helped him to his feet at the same time as he defended himself against the attacks of Mr Burgess and Miss Cork and several of the other wizards who had recovered from the surprise.

“You have no chance to escape us, Potter. Surrender yourself!” Burgess roared. But Harry backed off with Mr Sachs behind a rock a bit down the path and freed the Auror of his ropes.

“Harry Potter?” Mr Sachs asked hoarsely.

“Under my invisibility cloak. I don’t know if we’re going to make it. I can try to fend them off if you’ll run for help. Are you fit to do it? Or do you think we should wait for a better opportunity?” panted Harry.

“Never wait for a better opportunity, take those that present themselves – that’s what Mrs Steadfast says to us.” Mr Sachs looked more alert than before.

“On three then,” said Harry and counted. He stuck out his arm and fired the strongest Expelliarmus he could master blindly. From the shouts that followed he deduced that he must have hit several persons with the spell. He jumped out behind the stone. His cloak flapped on his back and he was fully visible. He made a repelling incantation with his left hand at the same time as he was firing stunning spells. Mr Burgess was no longer at the head of the group. He shouted things from behind and sounded angry.

Harry heard Mr Sachs slip and slide on the loose pebbles as he set off down the hill. Harry needed to give the Auror as great a lead as possible.

“You cannot hold this for long, Potter! Surrender!” Lucius Malfoy shouted from behind. Harry continued fighting and pushed the group of wizards along the narrow path back towards the cave.

Harry was so good at incorporating incantations in his spells that it allowed him to spread repelling and protective shields over the whole area covering the path between him and his attackers and it allowed him to fight them all at the same time. Suddenly someone fired an Avada Kedavra at him, though. He jumped out of the way, swiftly drew his mantle around him and climbed up behind a rock.

“Are you mad? We need him alive!” shouted Mr Burgess. “Come here Draco, bring Mr Frankiss over. Do you hear me Potter? If you don’t surrender, I’ll execute Mr Frankiss on the spot before your eyes.”

Harry hesitated and grimaced. He leaned out behind his rock and saw Burgess standing on the ledge with Healer Frankiss kneeling in front of him. Harry had no choice. He stepped forward slowly, taking off his cloak. Harry walked all the way up to Mr Burgess and gave him his wand reluctantly. He was still panting heavily from the fierce battle. Several of the Shiftings looked shaken and stared wondrous at him. Harry followed his wand with the eyes as it was confided to Miss Cork and saw her put it in the pocket of her cloak.

“Will someone set off after that Auror?”

A young man started to sprint down the slope, chasing Mr Sachs.

“Give me your invisibility cloak, Mr Potter,” said Mr Burgess in a light tone. Harry hesitated, but when Burgess pointed his wand towards Healer Frankiss again, he handed it to the young DA teacher. Close up, Healer Frankiss looked weak and ill.

“So this is the tool you used to fool Voldemort?” Burgess said coldly.

“Among other things,” replied Harry.

“You couldn’t have killed him without it. I’ve read Rita Skeeter’s book on the Battle in detail. I so regret I wasn’t there. Voldemort had ordered me away to France at the time. What a battlefield it must have been, what a carnage! It makes my mouth water.” Mr Burgess looked excited.

Harry pulled a face of distaste.

“Don’t be contemptuous, Potter!” Mr Burgess hissed at him. “Because you’ll soon no longer be in possession of you cloak, not ever again.” There was a fire with an iron stand from which a kettle hung down. Without ceremony Burgess threw the cloak at the fire. Harry winced, but was quite confident his cloak would resist the flames. It was a powerful magical object that he had inherited from his father - one of the three Deathly Hallows if you were to believe the old tale.

He was right, the cloak merely glowed peacefully in the middle of the flames. Mr Burgess grunted discontented and summoned it with his wand again. He looked defiantly at Harry.

“Get out of the way,” he said to a couple of wizards and witches who stood between him and the brim of the ledge.  So, with a grand gesture, he launched the cloak in the air and uttered the curse for Fiendfyre, the Dark Arts fire that could annihilate anything.

The roaring flame in the shape of a dragon rose and in a few unfathomable seconds Harry’s cloak was gone. He gasped and staggered. Mr Burgess laughed a high-pitched laugh that seared through his body. Suddenly Harry was at Mr Burgess’ throat, driven by fury.

“It was my father’s, it was the only thing I had from him,” Harry hissed at Burgess who was caught off his guard and stumbled backwards. Harry grabbed Burgess’ hand and steered the wizard’s wand away from himself, wrestling to tear it away from his fingers. They were near the edge of the platform and when Harry looked down, the sight of a precipice, several hundred meters deep met him. A sucking, giddy feeling assailed him. He gasped, recoiled and someone from behind got a clear shot at him and stunned him to the ground.