~Harry’s POV~

Harry arrived in a dark, dusty classroom. He stuck the Portkey in his pocket and headed to the Tower before realizing that he didn’t know the password. Luckily, he ran into Ginny on the way.

“Harry! Where have you been?” asked Ginny.

“I can’t tell you right now, but what’s the password?” said Harry.

“Oh, okay. The password is Weasleys Wizard Wheezes,” said Ginny. Harry thanked her and headed for the Tower. Once inside, he spotted Ron and Hermione seated on a couch near the fire. Harry sat down across from them and said, “Hi.” Hermione looked up and screamed in shock. Ron just said there, shocked into silence.

“Oh sorry. Where have you been Harry?” asked Hermione. Harry decided to tell a half-truth.

“The same place I was during the summer.” Well, technically it was the truth. He had been in Snape’s house. Just not the real house.

“What were you doing there?” asked Hermione. Ooh, dangerous question.

“Umm…nothing,” said Harry.

“Harry, you don’t just disappear for three weeks to do nothing,” said Hermione.

“I did schoolwork,” said Harry truthfully. Before Hermione could ask him another question, Ginny came up to them with a sheet of parchment. She waved the parchment in Harry’s face.

“Professor McGonagall just gave me this to put on the notice board. Guess what it says!” she said excitedly.

“What?” asked Harry, grateful for the distraction.

“There’s a Hogsmeade trip on Saturday!”

“Really?” asked Ron.

“Yep!” said Ginny happily as she stuck the parchment on the notice board with a sticking charm.

“I wonder why the first one’s so early this year?” asked Hermione.

“Who care?” asked Ron. “I need to refill my Chocolate Frog supply.” Harry didn’t know whether he’d go or not; he had just gotten back to the Tower.

The following Saturday found Harry walking down to the Entrance Hall with Ron and Hermione, getting ready to walk down to Hogsmeade.

“I’ll see you later,” said Harry as he separated himself from his friends. He wanted to get some candy to refill his supply.

Once in Honeydukes, he was immediately attracted by a display that proclaimed, Exotic Sweets from the Muggle World. Harry found all kinds of strange Muggle sweets in the display. He grinned evilly as he saw Warheads.

Severus had given him Skittles from Dumbleodre and had proclaimed them too sour to be eaten. A few charms and he was sure to be able to trick Severus into eating them. They were much more sour than Skittles. He grabbed a few packs and some other sweets and paid for them, then wandered around Hogsmeade on his own.

He was nearing the Shrieking Shack where a few third-years were staring with a mixture of terror and excitement on their faces, when he spotted his father walking through a cluster of trees, staring intently at the ground. Had he lost something? Or more likely, was he searching for some potion ingredient?

Harry was about to call out to him when a dark shadow moving in the trees behind Severus caught his attention. Harry hid behind a tree and peeked around it. Severus was still watching the ground, completely ignorant of the cloaked figure standing not twenty meters away.

It was a Death Eater, but which one? The Death Eater shifted slightly and Harry saw the tips of white-blonde hair spilling out from under the Death Eater’s mask. Harry’s eyes widened and he felt slightly sick. Lucius Malfoy.

Lucius raised his wand and Harry knew exactly what he was planning on doing. Harry wasn’t about to let him kill his father. Harry heard the softly uttered words, the beginnings of green light begin to burst from the wand. Harry didn’t stop to think, just tore through the trees and shoved his father, who had turned slightly, to the ground. He turned back to Lucius and saw with horror that the green light was headed towards him.

Time seemed to slow down as a sound like a train roared and the green light came ever closer to him. He was unable to move, his feet frozen to the ground in sheer terror. Harry stared at Death, not blinking. The green light enveloped his body and Harry Potter knew no more.

~Snape’s POV~

Snape was intently searching the ground in a cluster of trees for the bright pink and purple flowers of the Passiflora plant when he heard leaves crunching behind him. He turned his head just in time to see someone run into him and knock him to the ground. He sat up and saw with horror that Harry was standing in front of him and a jet of green light was heading towards them.

He reached out to grab Harry’s legs and pull him down just as the green light encircled Harry and he fell to the ground. He looked over to where the curse had come from and saw a horrified-looking Lucius Malfoy. Snape glared fiercely at him and pulled out his wand. Lucius smirked slightly and Disapparated with a loud crack.

Snape growled under his breath and turned his attention to his motionless son. That Avada Kedavra had been meant for him, not Harry. Avada Kedavra, he thought with horror. Avada Kedavra. Merlin, no, he thought as he knelt beside Harry and frantically felt for Harry’s pulse.

Snape gasped as he realized that Harry was still alive. In reality, he should be dead. But he wasn’t, thought Snape. He had to get Harry back to Hogwarts. There could be more Death Eaters lurking in the shadows. As he picked up Harry, he heard leaves crunching behind him. He shifted Harry slightly and pulled out his wand again to protect them if necessary.

It turned out he didn’t need to. The green light had attracted students. In fact, they were Gryffindor students. Of course, they would come and investigate.

“Miss Grange, Mr. Weasley, I need you two to go and inform he Headmaster that a Death Eater had just Disapparated from Hogsmeade and that there may be more.” They all looked shocked for a moment, then Ron and Hermione ran off towards Hogwarts.

“The rest of you, go back to Hogsmeade or Hogwarts,” hissed Snape. The others took off back to the village. Snape walked back to Hogwarts, worry for Harry looming over him like a storm cloud about to burst into rain. Would Harry beat the odds again? Or would this be the last time he cheated Death?

Snape began to walk faster. He didn’t care about maintaining his aura of evilness. It didn’t matter now that he had been seen with Harry in his arms. Several students he passed stopped and stared at him and Harry. It did not bother him, though. They could think what they liked.

The important thing was the boy in his arms and his tenuous hold on life. Harry could not die, he just couldn’t. Snape blinked back tears at the thought of Harry dying. He had to keep at least some form of composure in front of the students.

He pushed the doors of the hospital wing open and yelled for Madam Pomfrey as he set Harry on a bed. She came out of her office and said, “What Severus?” He pointed numbly at the still form of his son.

“What happened to him?” asked Madam Pomfrey as she began to look him over. Snape could barely bring himself to say the words aloud.

“Avada Kedavra,” he said as softly as possible. Madam Pomfrey’s eyes widened and she set about taking care of him. There were no external marks to show that Harry had been hit with Avada Kedavra, at least until Madam Pomfrey removed his Muggle sweatshirt and they could see the true extent of the curse’s damage.

Madam Pomfrey gasped and Snape found he had to grip the edge of the bed behind him for support. Harry’s arms were covered in bluish-black bruises and had almost gray appearance where the bruises were not marring his skin. He gingerly touched one of the bruises and Harry weakly tried to pull his arm away.

Madam Pomfrey whispered a spell to remove Harry’s shirt and they were both shocked at the sight of a large bruise shaped like a storm cloud in the center of Harry’s chest. All the others appeared to be surrounding it, like some grotesque painting. The bruises got smaller and lighter the farther they were away and Snape noticed very pale bruises marring Harry’s face.

“Merlin, Harry,” whispered Snape as he stared at his son’s battered body. He was going to kill Lucius. That is, if the Dark Lord didn’t get to him first. He was interrupted from his murderous thoughts by the doors to the hospital wing banging open and Ron and Hermione running in.

“What happened to Harry?” demanded Hermione.

“That is none of your concern. Now get out of here,” said Snape icily.

“It is too. He’s our friend,” protested Hermione.

“Hermione, come on. We can visit Harry when he’s not here,” said Ron in a loud whisper that Snape was sure he was supposed to hear. Ron grabbed Hermoine’s arm and pulled her out of the room. The doors shut behind them and Snape turned back to his son. Madam Pomfrey was now busily using her wand to spread a blue cream on the bruises.

When she finished, she spelled a pajama shirt onto Harry and said, “He could wake anywhere between a couple of hours and a couple of days. He should get as much rest as possible; those bruises will hurt a lot.” She then went back to her office. Snape pulled a chair over and sat down to watch Harry sleep.

Several hours later, his eyelids began to droop and he fought to keep his eyes open, but exhaustion prevailed and he fell asleep with his head on Harry’s bed. He was awoken some time later by whispers and the sound in the otherwise silent wing. He kept his head down and his eyes closed, feigning sleep.

“Come on Hermione. They’re both asleep. We won’t get caught.”

“Ron, he could wake up at any minute.”

“I doubt that. We’re perfectly safe.” The footsteps neared and Hermione gasped.

“Ron, is there something different about Harry?”

“Bloody hell, what happened to him?”

There were several moments of silence and then Hermione whispered, “Merlin, Harry looks like him.”

“I knew it! This is what he’s been hiding all along!” said Ron. Snape knew it was time to “wake up.”

He raised his head and said, “So now you know our secret. Now go back to bed before I take points off a certain two Gryffindors for being out after hours.” Ron and Hermione quickly exited the hospital wing, leaving Snape along in the hospital wing with his son. He lit his wand and passed it over Harry’s face.

The curse must have obliterated the Glamour Charm. He would have to get Dumbledore to re-apply it before Harry could have visitors. But now, he needed some rest in a proper bed.

Before leaving, he briefly rested his hand on Harry’s head, wishing that Harry didn’t have to go through so much pain. He then returned to his quarters for the rest of the night.

The next morning, he was back in the hospital wing with several potions he thought might help Harry’s bruises heal faster. When he applied them to Harry’s body, the boy didn’t do so much as twitch. The only sign of life in him was the slow rise and fall of his chest.

Several hours later, Harry moaned softly and Snape was out of his chair and standing over Harry in an instant. Harry opened his eyes slowly and stared up at Snape.

The first words out his mouth were, “I’m not dead.”

“Yes, you are most definitely alive, but we have no idea how much that Avada Kedavra affected you.” Snape felt relief wash over his body. Harry was finally awake.

“Well, it hurts like hell. How’s that?” said Harry.

“I’ll have Madam Pomfrey give you a pain reducer,” said Snape and turned to go to the Medi-witch’s office.

“No, stay here, please. I haven’t gotten to talk to you all week, except for class and you know how that is,” protested Harry.

“All right.” Snape pulled his chair closer to Harry’s bed and sat in it.

“So what do you want to talk about?”

“I don’t know. I just want--” He bit his lip and closed his eyes, presumably in pain.

“Harry, you are being ridiculous. I will speak to you once you are no longer in pain.” With that said, he fetched a vial of Pain Reliever from Madam Pomfrey and gave it to Harry, who drank it without complaint.

Harry opened his eyes once more and said, “It feels like some potion’s melting me from the inside out.”

“It’s probably the curse,” said Snape.

“But this is different from last time. I only had a cut from it before, now I don’t have any marks,” said Harry.

“You do have marks from this time. I believe they go with your scar quite nicely,” said Snape almost jokingly as he rolled up the sleeve of one of Harry’s arms. Harry’s eyes widened as he reached out to gingerly touch the marks on his arm.

“So that’s what hurts so much,” said Harry quietly. “They will go away, won’t they?”

“I presume so,” said Snape, though he had no idea if they would or not. Just them Madam Pomfrey came over and shooed him out of the way so she could examine Harry. She made sounds of disapproval while waving her wand over his body, then retrieved several potions from her office.

She watched as Harry drank them and said, “You may leave tonight if you have healed satisfactorily Mr. Potter.” She headed back to her office, leaving Harry and Snape alone.

“I need to get Dumbledore to re-apply the Glamour. Will you be all right by yourself?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” said Harry. Snape left the hospital wing and headed for Dumbledore’s office.

~Harry’s POV~

Harry gingerly sat up in bed, feeling better after taking the potions. Soon after, though, he became curiously tired. What all had been in those potions? He wondered as his eyes slipped closed.

~Snape’s POV~

Snape led Dumbledore into the hospital wing and found Harry asleep. Just as well. He didn’t want Harry knowing that Ron and Hermione had glimpsed him with Glamour partially off. Hopefully the Gryffindors hadn’t managed what their secret was, or at least would hold off guessing until Harry was ready to tell everyone.

Dumbledore raised his wand and whispered, “Cacher apparence vrai.” White light enveloped Harry’s body, slowly disappearing and transforming him into the boy he’d looked like for fifteen years. Dumbledore excused himself and left Snape standing beside his son’s bed. He sat down in the chair he had vacated earlier to watch over Harry.

Around mid-afternoon, Harry woke up and was immediately given another round of potions by Madam Pomfrey. Soon after, she declared him fit to leave and sent him off with a bottle of lotion for the bruises.

~Harry’s POV~

Harry left the hospital wing with a bottle of lotion for the bruises which he had found were not only on his arms, but covering a large portion of his upper body. He was glad to be free of the overly-motherly Med-Witch, though his body still ached from the Avada Kedavra curse.

He entered the Common Room to find Ron and Hermione sitting on a couch. Hermione had a strange look on her face, which was quickly covered up with a large smile.

“We didn’t expect you back so soon!” she said.

“Madam Pomfrey said I could leave,” said Harry as he crossed the room to where they were seated.

“Professor Snape was acting really strange,” remarked Ron.

“Yeah. He spent all night in the hospital wing with you,” said Hermione.

“What’s up with you two?” asked Ron. Uh-oh, they were stepping into dangerous territory.

“A lot of things happened this summer. I just can’t tell you two right now,” said Harry, hoping they would accept that.

“But Harry,” said Hermione. “We snuck into the hospital wing last night and you looked different. Almost like a different person.”

“Hermione, I’m still the same person, but you have to understand that I can’t tell you everything right now,” said Harry.

“But--”

“Hermione, just drop it,” said Harry. He turned away from them and went up to the dormitory. He lay down on his bed and fell asleep instantly.

* “Not only have you returned late to me, you also bring me the displeasing news that you failed to kill Snape!” roared Voldemort.

“I’m sorry, My Lord, but the Potter brat, he ran in front of the curse--”

“What!” yelled Voldemort.

“Please forgive me, My Lord,” pleaded Lucius, his head pressed nearly to the floor.

“Crucio,” hissed Voldemort. As Lucius lay on the ground twitching and screaming, Voldemort stood up and walked around his circle of followers.

“How many times have I told you all that Harry Potter is mine? Only I shall receive the pleasure of killing him. Finite Incantatem. You should have diverted the spell, then captured the boy and brought him to me. Next time I expect you to follow my orders. Understood?” He kicked Lucius viciously.

“Yes, My Lord,” choked out Lucius.

“Very good. Now return to your place.” Lucius crawled backwards until he reached the circle, then stood up shakily, his long blonde hair a mess.

“I have changed my mind about my plans. I want them both alive. The blood traitor and the Mudblood. Understood?” A low murmur of assent was heard.

“Good. I do not wish to see any more screw-ups,” said Voldemort. *

Harry woke up to an intense pain in his chest and his scar. Was he connected to Lucius now too? Merlin, he hoped not. Having a connection with one evil Dark Wizard was quite enough for Harry.

Harry sat up and saw that the room was beginning to grow dark and there was no one else there with him. He got out of bed and changed into pajamas, then drank one of his sleeping potions and went back to sleep.

The next morning he was awoken by Ron yelling his name through the curtains that surrounded his bed.

“I’m up,” he said as he pushed the curtains aside. He got dressed and followed Ron downstairs to meet Hermione in the Common Room.

They went down to breakfast, then to their first class of the day. In the afternoon, Harry had Potions class. He was worried about how his father would act. Ron and Hermione were already suspicious enough. However, he needn’t have worried. Snape left him alone the entire time, except to assign a “detention” for him now paying enough attention in class.

Once they were well away from the dungeons, Hermione burst out indignantly, “Is he trying to torture you on purpose? You were paying attention and he knows it! He doesn’t need to be mean to you just because we---never mind. It’s just not fair!” Hmm…what had she been going to say.

“Relax, Hermione. Maybe he wants to check and see if I’m caught up,” said Harry. He knew this was a downright stupid thing to say, as he’d spent the last few weeks with Snape, but Hermione seemed to buy it.

“Maybe…” she said thoughtfully. Before his “detention,” Harry remembered the Warheads he had gotten> he charmed the package to look like innocent Muggle sweets before heading down to Snape’s office. When Harry arrive, Snape quickly shut the door and warded his office.

“Sit down Harry,” said Snape.

They both sat down and Harry said, “I brought you something.” He handed Snape the Warheads, which were now called, Sugarheads.

“What are they?” asked Snape.

“I don’t know. Some Muggle candy. They’re supposed to be really sweet,” said Harry. Snape looked suspiciously at him and Harry did his best to look innocent. Snape ripped open one of the packs and put a round yellow candy in his mouth. He instantly grimaced and spit the candy out.

“What was that?” Harry grinned at him.

“Didn’t you like it?” he asked innocently. “I think they’re really good.” He pulled out one that he had soaked earlier in water and popped it in his mouth. Snape looked suspiciously at him, then thrust one of the packs Harry’s way.

“Eat this one,” said Snape.

“No, I’d rather not,” said Harry.

“No, really. I insist,” said Snape.

------Mistress Wolf’s part------

“No, that’s okay,” said Harry. “I’m--”

But he stopped mid-sentence and shut his eyes in pain. He reached up and clutched his head, his scar burning in pain. His breath started to come in ragged gasps; his chest felt constricted as if someone was squeezing his lungs too tight, preventing him from breathing. Dimly, beyond the pain of his head, he could see the face of Voldemort, red eyes blazing with hatred.

“Potter,” he hissed.

Harry struggled for air and then screamed, yelling as loud as he could, “GET OUT OF MY HEAD!” Pain, absolute agony that made a few minutes ago feel like a tickling charm, exploded through his head. He gasped, felt strong arms engulf him, and then darkness overtook his mind.

------end Mistress Wolf’s part------

He woke up in a soft bed that felt good to his head, which was still throbbing with pain. Voldemort was gone now, he was sure of that. He rubbed his head slightly and sat up. He was in his room in Snape’s quarters.

~Snape’s POV~

“No, really. I insist,” said Snape, positive now that Harry had done something to the candy.

“No, that’s okay,” said Harry. “I’m--” He stopped talking and clutched his scar with both hands. Oh shit, Voldemort had gotten in his head.

“Fight him, Harry,” said Snape urgently. Harry began screaming loudly. Horrible, gut-wrenching screams of agony. Snape reached forward and wrapped his arms around Harry to keep him from falling out of his chair. Harry gasped and went limp in his arms. He picked up Harry the rest of the way and went over to a wall that was covered in shelves with potion ingredients.

He moved a jar of leeches to the left, revealing a concealed door. He opened the door and walked into the living room of his quarters with Harry. He carefully tucked him in and headed to his potions lab to get something for the headache Harry was sure to have after being possessed by the Dark Lord.

As he looked through the shelves in the back of the room, his fingers brushed a vial of bright pink potion. He picked up the potion and studied it, remembering…..

~ He had been stirring the Sleeping Potion he was making for Harry when he looked up and saw Harry staring at the back wall of his lab. As he watched Harry shuddered slightly, then fell to the ground, shaking slightly. ~

Harry had been terrified when he’d woken up. Damn Lucius, he thought angrily. Torturing a sixteen-year-old boy because he thought it was fun? He vowed to make Lucius pay. One way or another, he would get revenge on the man that had tormented his son so much.

For now though, he Vanished the contents of the vial, wishing he could do the same to the weeks of hell Harry had been put through. He found the potion he was seeking and returned to Harry’s room to find him sitting up in bed and rubbing his head.

He handed Harry the potion, who drank it gratefully. Harry closed his eyes and leaned against the pillows. He knew how Harry felt right now. Being possessed was notoriously draining, but Harry could not fall asleep here. His friends would be even more suspicious if he didn’t come back all night.

“Harry, you can’t sty here,” said Snape.

“But I’m tired,” protested Harry.

“It’ll look suspicious if you don’t return to the Tower,” said Snape.

“All right. I’m up,” grumbled Harry, rubbing his hands over his eyes and sitting up again.

“I will have to speak to the Headmaster about this latest possession by the Dark Lord. I believe it may be prudent for us to resume Occlumency lessons as soon as possible,” said Snape.

“Sure,” said Harry as he climbed out of bed.

*******

“Are you sure you’ll be all right walking up on your own?” asked Snape.

“I’ll be fine. I have my mirror,” said Harry as he walked out of Snape’s office. He was walking along the fourth floor when a certain blonde Slytherin walked up to him, Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

“Well if it isn’t baby Potter himself,” drawled Malfoy. “Haven’t managed to get yourself killed yet, have you? What a disappointment. Father said you wouldn’t last a month back at school.” Harry caught the hidden meaning in those words.

“Too bad for you, I’m still alive. Hmm…I wonder what you’d do if you knew how much a of a sadistic bastard your father really is,” mocked Harry.

“How dare you insult my father,” said Malfoy and reached into his robes.

“Fighting in the corridors? I do believe I shall have to take points for this,” drawled a familiar voice. He half-turned to see his father staring at them.

“Five points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy. Go back to your Common Room. As for you, Mr. Potter, I believe a chat with your Head of House is in order,” said Snape.

What? He hadn’t even done anything wrong. Snape grabbed Harry’s shoulder and began pulling him along.

“I said back to your Common Room!” barked Snape. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle fled downstairs. Harry was led a ways down the corridor, then Snape halted suddenly.

“I’ve just remembered I have a meeting with the Headmaster. Give this to Professor McGonagall, Mr. Potter. I shall know if you have not complied,” said Snape, pressing some parchment into his hands and hurrying off down the corridor.

Harry saw that he had been given an envelope bearing Professor McGonagall’s name, but attached to the back was a folded sheet of parchment. He delivered the envelope to Professor McGonagall, who read it, then quickly burned it.

“Allow me to escort you back to the Tower,” said McGonagall.

Once they were out of her office, she said, “I shall personally see you back to your Common Room to ensure that you do not provoke any more fights, Mr. Potter.” Hmm…that note must have told McGonagall to escort him back. Once in the safety of the Tower, Harry went straight to be after taking his potion.

*******

Over the next couple of days, his bruises faded completely, all except the strange-cloud-shaped one, which had faded to a light-gray patch on his chest. It probably wouldn’t go away, Snape told him after their first Occlumency lesson.

He had been marked again, by yet another Dark Curse. Marks like those never faded. At least the cloud wasn’t a connection to Lucius like his scar was to Voldemort. He would never be able to stand that.

*******

Several weeks later, he noticed that he was being watched. He suspected it was his father’s doing, though Snape would never admit it. It was probably because of Malfoy. Harry had had several more encounters with the ferret, and had even been threatened during the last one. Malfoy’s words rang in his ears as he walked down for another “detention” with Ron and Hermione.

“I’m going to get you Potter. One of these days, someone’s going to slip up, and you’ll be right where I want you. Father will be so please with me for bringing you back to him.”

Luckily for Malfoy, Lupin had stepped in that time before Harry had had a chance to do anything too damaging to the Slytherin. That was the reason for this “detention.” Harry thought Snape rather enjoyed coming up with excuses to give Harry detention, though it certainly hadn’t allayed Ron and Hermione’s suspicions. They were acting even stranger around him and he suspected they were beginning to guess about Snape being his father. He was having trouble concocting lies to quell their suspicions. Hmm…maybe Snape would have a few ideas for him.

He knocked on the door and heard, “Come in, Mr. Potter,” come from within. He slipped inside and waved off Ron and Hermione. They would be back for him in a couple of hours. In the meantime, he had work to do.

Harry entered Snape’s office to find Dumbledore seated across from Snape.

When they saw Harry, Dumbledore said, “I believe it is time to re-new the Glamour Charm.”

“Okay,” said Harry. Dumbledore stood and pulled out his wand.

“Cacher apparence vrai,” said Dumbledore. Harry felt the usual strange sensation of the transformation, but this time he was not tired.

“I will leave you two to your lesson now,” said Dumbledore. He left the two of them alone in the office and they began their lesson.

******

Harry fell into his chair with a sigh.

“I’m never going to get it right,” he grumbled.

“Yes, you will. Maybe you just need another image. What are you using?” said Snape.

“Quidditch,” said Harry.

“That may be your problem. There’s too many things to catch your attention. Why don’t you try focusing on one aspect?” suggested Snape.

“Okay,” agreed Harry. Chasing the Snitch. That should be focused enough. He stood back up and pulled out his wand.

“Let’s try again,” said Harry. Snape stood up also.

“Leglimens,” he said quietly. Memories flooded his mind and he did his best to ignore them. He had to focus on catching the Snitch. Wind rushing through his hair as he flew towards the Snitch….The presence left his mind and he discovered that he was still standing.

Snape smiled and said, “Well done. You’ll need to practice more. I don’t want to be able to get in at all.” He raised his wand again and said, “Leglimens.” Harry quickly cleared everything from his thoughts except Quidditch.

The feel of the vibrating wood beneath his hands. The wings of the Snitch beating the air. The feel of the cold Snitch between his fingers….Harry opened his eyes and to his delight, found himself on his feet once more.

“See? And you thought you would never get it.”

“I’ve got it now,” said Harry with a smile on his face as he sat back down and put his wand away.

Snape sat down too and said, “I believe we can cut the lessons down to once a week.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Harry just as he heard knocking on the door.

“It’s Ron and Hermione,” said Snape. “You can go back to your Common Room now.”

“Bye Severus,” said Harry before he opened the door. Ron and Hermione were indeed waiting there. A few floors up from the dungeons, Harry began to feel tired. At first he believed it to be the Glamour beginning to interact with his magic, but once his scar began burning, he knew what the source was.

“No, he gasped as his knees hit the stone floor. His friends were immediately by his side.

“Get Snape,” he said as the pain in his head increased. He looked up into Hermione’s concerned eyes and his whole world turned red.