Whatever It Takes by SanctuaryAngel
Summary: Taking place directly after the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry is trying to deal with his trauma from the course of the events of the war and struggles to confront it, along with trying to manage his grief. Snape survived but disappeared in shame and remorse after the battle. Harry finds him, and they both discover that they have more in common now more than ever - Both are struggling with their sense of self and purpose. But stray Death Eaters from the battle are re-grouping for a final stand to take out the great Harry Potter, and their traitor, and Harry and Snape must put aside their differences to end the fight once and for all, whilst dealing with Snapes' illness along the way. Explores darker themes of grief, self-blame, PTSD, depression, and suicidal ideation.
Categories: Misc > No category on the site fits Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Arthur, Draco, Fred George, Ginny, Hermione, Luna, McGonagall, Molly, Narcissa, Neville, Ron
Snape Flavour: Snape Comforts, Snape is Depressed, Snape is Desperate, Snape is Stern
Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, General, Hurt/Comfort, Tragedy
Media Type: None
Tags: Abuse Recovery, Depression Recovery, Injured!Snape
Takes Place: 8 - Post Hogwarts (young adult Harry)
Warnings: Character Death, Eating Disorder, Panic attack, Self-harm, Suicide Themes, Torture, Violence
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 65 Completed: Yes Word count: 443363 Read: 26352 Published: 01 Feb 2023 Updated: 02 Sep 2023
CH 27: Raise the Banner by SanctuaryAngel
Author's Notes:
This was a super fun one to write! Enjoy drill seargent Severus ^_^
Harry Potter should have known that sleep was going to evade him again that night.

They had only returned to Grimmauld Place several hours ago from the Misty Dell and the clock chimed just past three o'clock in the morning. Since then, Harry lay in bed wide awake attempting to process what he had just seen at a place that held so much horror in a fight long forgotten. It was crushing to know that such a place existed and concealed so much unnecessary violence and bloodshed that ravished innocent people so long ago. It took Harry far longer to remind himself that there was a great war even years before he was born and that his parents were a part of fighting that war with the newly established Order of the Phoenix. It was hard to imagine that such a time even existed, far beyond his own.

But it wasn't so much as what Harry had seen in the Forest of Dean that night that sent goosebumps throughout his skin. It was more the things that Snape had spoken of that made him feel saddened and uneasy. He couldn't begin to imagine what had taken place there, and the things the man would have witnessed during his years as a newly appointed Death Eater. Harry had forgotten that he was not much older than he was when he took the Mark, and that of which also reminded him of Draco Malfoy's dilemma in his sixth year, too. Both teenagers were easily swayed by the Dark Arts, who paid a devastating price. But both were given impossible choices because the alternative was death. He mused and wondered what kind of people they would have become if they were not influenced around them by those who practiced dark magic and worshiped such an evil tyrant.

Harry was ultimately grateful for Ron and Hermione, even despite their occasional moral conflicts, however, both hearts were in the right place. That was enough to keep Harry grounded. Even when Voldemort's soul was embedded in Harry, it was his friends that kept his heart and his own soul aligned to the right side. Without them, he could have easily traveled the same road as Snape and Draco. As Snape was currently doing, he could only hope that Draco was going to atone for his mistakes without the influence of his father. Snape spent most of his life making up for those mistakes and the endless grief he faced, even still. Harry wondered if Draco was also capable of the same. He, at least, had the support of his mother.

Snape had no one.

Feeling frustrated, Harry rose from his bed and dragged his blanket off from the mattress, as he made his way downstairs to the sitting room. With his wand, he restarted the fireplace, dragged the single sofa chair closer to the fire, and sat down. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he wrapped the blanket around him like a cocoon, feeling the comforting warmth of the fire upon him as he tried to get into a comfortable position. And yet still, he could not sleep. He spent what seemed like an hour just staring into the fire feeling the hollow sadness build up within him, as his eyes prickled with the tears that were brewing. His heart was heavy and yet it felt like it was ripping into different directions, slowly being torn at the seams. Harry couldn't cope with the constant loss in his life. He deeply wished Sirius, or Remus, were here to help him keep a steady mind. Or even Dumbledore, for that matter.

It was a horrid thought to think he would soon be eighteen, and yet, his life just seemed like a constant struggle against the looming darkness. As if he was still unable to take a breath of fresh air. There just seem to be no resolution for him or end in sight and it seemed that his life was a constant uphill battle. He felt like a hollow shell, being dragged across the sand by string by some unknown assailant. Day by day was all he could plan for, but even that was not guaranteed for him. Neither he nor Snape could focus on rebuilding their lives, as they were still living in their old ones. There was no peace for them yet.

The light, as pinprick as it was in that endless tunnel, seemed too far out of reach right now.

As Harry felt a tear finally run down his cheek, he heard a shuffle in the room behind him as Snape entered the room and stopped in his tracks as noticed the Gryffindor by the fire. Snape looked disheveled, still adorned in his dress pants, white dress shirt, and his black traveling cloak wrapped around him much the same as Harry did with his blanket. It was an odd sight to behold, but it seemed as if the Professor had the same idea. Sleep was definitely not on either of their agendas that night.

Snape raised his eyebrow, "Hmpf." He hesitated at first, then turned to leave.

Hastily wiping away the tear down his face, Harry shook his head, "- Uh, I don't mind. You're welcome to stay," Harry watched as the man paused in thought at the request, then eventually sat down at the opposite single sofa by the fire, pulling up the edge of his cloak to his chin in an effort to get warm. The light of the fireplace cast a welcoming glow within the room, which felt far more cozy than his own room. And from what Harry gathered, the man most likely thought the same.

"Look at us – Two moping night owls. And here I thought I had a ghastly,/i> sleep schedule, " Snape mused, as he shifted in his seat, looking up at Harry's exhausted face.

"Only just two really messed up people who never seem to sleep."

Snape snorted lightly, "I cannot argue with that. No wonder your homework was always incomplete and poorly written."

Harry shrugged, "Well, you couldn't expect me to give you the 'You-Know-Who is trying to kill me so I couldn't finish it' excuse."

"Still not a viable excuse. Ten points from Gryffindor for cheek."

"…Ten? Seriously?" Harry pretended to be shocked, but he knew full well that man no longer had that power. But he was sure Snape knew that too.

"Make it twenty. Don't test me, Potter, " Snape's expression was deadpan, despite it being rather hilarious in the context of things, but he could see the triumphant gleam in the man's eyes.

Now it was Harry's turn to smirk. Typical Snape. Well, at least they were both able to diffuse a bad situation with a bit of humor. It was probably far too soon to be joking about Voldemort after the Battle of Hogwarts, but at least neither one of them had to face him again. He was quite certain Snape had a far more colorful choice of words within his vocabulary to express how he felt about that, but he dared not share it.

After a short, comfortable pause, Snape cleared his throat, "About last night, I – " He paused to draw in a deep breath, darting his eyes away from Harry, " – I apologise for taking you to that…place. Neither one of you should have bear witness to that, but I feared if you three went on your own, and Death Eaters were present, they would have ambushed you. Anyone who used to enter unknowingly were unable to leave."

"I know," Harry hung his head, and looked at the fireplace, "And I'm sorry for dragging you with us when you didn't want to be there. It wasn't easy for you."

"Nothing ever is easy."

There was a time when neither of them would back down in pure anger, nor be as stubborn as the other. But to think they were now at a point when they were both allowing themselves to be somewhat apologetic with each other. That was monumental in its own right. Harry was usually quite understanding anyway, but Snape…Since when did he willingly apologise like this? And not out of anguish or despair. Guilt, perhaps. But his apology here was because he felt he needed to, and that felt like such a big thing for Harry. Seven years made quite the difference.

Snape and Harry met their gaze briefly, and within that fleeting moment, there was a comfortable, mutual understanding. Despite that neither of them was adept at listening to the other, there was a measure of trust present that never used to be there before. Harry felt like Snape was treating him more like an adult now than ever, even if sometimes his snarkiness was still present. And he seemed to listen to him more now, instead of shooting down everything he said. In fact, Snape was still willing to educate Harry even though he didn't have to. It was as if he actually wanted to pass on his knowledge. After so many years of withholding such precious information now was the time when he was finally able to share what he could without consequence. Perhaps his near-death helped him to realise that he didn't have to play an agent anymore. He didn't have to hide elements of himself, to pretend to be someone everyone should rightfully hate. He was already a bitter, spiteful man. Deep-rooted in his traumatic upbringing, which caused him to become vindictive, cruel, and mean. Not that he ever made himself likable, even though that was half the point. But perhaps he couldn't allow himself to get too attached to people, as that would have made his job far more morally problematic.

But as their strange connection seemed to strengthen over the past three weeks, they were able to understand each other more than they ever could before. Harry was thankful for that. It was disheartening to think he may never have gotten to know him like this if he was not rescued from death that night. Snape would have died, leaving Harry only with his memories, and the negative memories he shared with him.

Harry tilted his head at the Professor, still staring at the flickering flames of the fireplace, "I notice you…don't mention Dumbledore much."

Snape looked slightly uncomfortable, as he pursed his lips sourly, "Perhaps because I ended the man's life? I spent my reign as Headmaster talking to a portrait. That shouldn't require further explanation."

"I should have listened to him when he constantly told me to trust you. He died thinking I didn't believe him," Harry sighed, as he slumped his shoulders, "He kind of left us both in the dark, didn't he?"

Snape nodded, "Indeed, he did. We had many a debate, especially regarding your well-being. I practically had to beg him to give me more information, until he finally told me about the soul fragment embedded within you. That revelation was a shock to me. I spent years trying to keep you alive, only for Albus to present to me the idea of…allowing you to die." His voice slowly trailed off.

"At least he didn't present you with a storybook, a Golden Snitch, and a Deluminator to be sent on a wild goose chase for nine months, seeking out objects we had no clue about."

Snape's wary eyes widened, "He did what?"

Harry sighed, "I suppose he didn't tell you that either? I guess he tried his best to be vague, in the hope we figure it out eventually. Especially as Vol…You-Know-Who, could peer into my mind. We were both at risk of him discovering that."

In bewilderment, Snape ran a slender hand across his face, resting it just under his chin, "Dastardly fool. We were both placed in impossible scenarios, Potter."

"Yeah," Harry nodded, "Yeah, we were."

"…Despite his twisted sense of morals, he – " Snape hesitated in thought, as he sighed, "- really did care a great deal about you. You were like a grandson to him."

"…I know. He just had an odd way of showing it."

After a short pause, Snape's gaze softened, "I don't blame you for wanting to kill me when I ended Albus' life, you know. I wished you knew the real reason. I had to let you – everyone – believe that I was truly with the Dark Lord. It pained me to do so, but that was my ultimatum. It had to be done. It was the only way, " Snape lowered his head, "You may have been a thorn in my side, Potter, but I never wanted you dead."

"I know that now, " Harry reassured. Snape looked appreciative of that, even though it was far too late for such an admittance.

"I made things difficult for you. The vitriol towards you, was…unwarranted. However, you must understand it was also difficult for me, regarding your…father, " Snape made no effort to hide the look of disgust on his face with that last word, "You are allowed to hate me for it. For all that I've done."

"I told you, I don't hate you."

Snape's eyes widened, as he recoiled, "You should, Potter. You have every right to," He was almost pleading. Is that what he expected? Or wanted? Because he feels as if that's what he deserves?

But once again, he found Harry averting his gaze again, which Snape had noticed was happening a little too frequently. Eventually, the man arched his eyebrow when he caught Harry looking at the fireplace once again.

"Potter…look at me," Those words again.

Harry's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't tell him about the transference spell just yet. Deep down he knew he was giving off all the wrong signals, but he couldn't help it. He shifted a little too uncomfortably in his seat until he briefly looked at Snape but did not hold that gaze for long.

Snape raised his chin slightly, "...Something you wish to tell me?"

Harry clenched his jaw, "No, sir. Nothing. Just…stressed. About everything. Ginny, the Death Eaters…" And Snape. Dammit. He couldn't possibly tell him that, either. Snape knew that Harry wanted to try and help him find a solution to his illness, but he didn't know how deeply worried he was about it. Snape narrowed his eyes at the boy. He definitely knew something was up, but Harry did the amateur thing and looked away. He knew he could easily burst into his mind and if that involved direct eye contact, well…he was desperate. No sanctuary was going to help him here.

Even though he was purposely avoiding his line of sight, he could practically sense Snape staring at him. Almost willing for him to look at him once more. Eventually, he heard a heavy sigh from the man, hearing a shuffle as he rose from his seat. After a short pause, Snape spoke quietly, "Potter, I must request that you summon your DA for a practical session later. If we are to tackle the Quarry, I want you all well-prepared. Now…get some rest." Snape didn't say another word as he made his way toward the exit door but stopped at the doorway, lingering for a few more moments, until the man finally made his way to his own room.

Removing his glasses and setting them aside on the armrest, he buried his head in his hands, as he curled up further within the chair like a domesticated cat. Within half an hour, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep as he dreamt of flying with Ginny on the Quidditch pitch both chasing after an elusive Golden Snitch. Just the two of them. But once Harry finally awoke in the light of the morning, an incredible idea sparked within his mind.

He filed out of the sitting room and made his way to the empty kitchen where he found Kreacher sweeping the floors. It was barely shy of eleven in the morning, but he helped himself to the pot of coffee on the table.

"Master Harry Potter, " Kreacher grumbled as Harry entered the room.

"Morning, Kreacher. Have you seen Ron and Hermione?" Harry sat down at the table and retrieved a chocolate chip muffin from the table.

The aged house-elf looked up at Harry and nodded, "They were here earlier, then left. I heard them mumble something about a potion…"

Ah. They must have headed to Hogwarts. Harry considered sneaking out to join them, but he wasn't in the mood to be suffering Snape's wrath if he did. Now he understood how Sirius must have felt, trapped in this house. Well, at least Harry was no longer Undesirable Number One. But still high up on the enemy's target list.

"Thanks, " Harry thanked the old elf, before taking a sip of his coffee and digging into his muffin.

Eventually, he retrieved the master DA coin and stared at it in deep thought. Ushering the incantation, he set the time and location and sent its message. Rallying up the troops for a training session was going to be an interesting affair, no doubt about that. Severus Snape was a skilled dueller. Perhaps he wanted the students to fine-tune their skills on the field. Participating in the Battle of Hogwarts far from qualified them to be skilled fighters. Snape certainly knew that. Harry himself knew that his skills were sloppy and sometimes sporadic, and left much to be desired. He really did want to learn more and be better and considering the number of spells in the Professor's magical repertoire, he couldn't think of anyone else worth learning from. The thought of that, actually made Harry rather excited.

Harry initially suggested that they would utilise the sitting room of Grimmauld Place, as they were lacking in adequate training space. But he was surprised to find that Snape was more inclined to utilise Hogwarts and take advantage of the lack of students and some of the faculty at the time. With the Aurors sent away, the risk of Snape being discovered by them was minimal. Not wanting to argue with the idea, Harry told Snape about the Room of Requirement, which would be ideal for further cloaking them. With that plan, Harry changed the location of the master coin. But that left another worry.

What if Snape decided to venture back down into the dungeons to his lab? They couldn't afford to have him find out about the curse transference spell yet until they were ready to tell him.

Bollocks.

Once Harry retreated to his room, he focused on sending a Patronus message to Hermione who was currently at Hogwarts with Ron to warn them about the change in location. Casting his stag Patronus, he sent his message to Hermione: 'Location change. DA meeting at Hogwarts soon. Snape's idea. Hide the potions!' Once he was satisfied with that, he watched the stag's ethereal smoky form disappear through the wall and disintegrate, feeling relieved with this new mode of communication.

As midday approached, the pair – As Harry urged Snape to use the Cloak – departed Grimmauld Place, and apparated just outside of the warded barrier of Hogwarts. Together, they entered the grounds and made their trek through the familiar corridors all the way up to the seventh floor. Harry felt slightly uneasy being here, as it became a little too triggering for him. All he could envision were scared students bolting to safety, screaming in terror, on that fateful dark day.

They stopped at the blank wall at the seventh-floor corridor, as Snape removed the Cloak.

He gave Harry a quizzical look, "Potter, I would have thought six years of gallivanting through these corridors, you would have an inkling of where to go. There is no room here."

Harry smirked, "Wait for it."

The pair stood staring at the wall when suddenly, the familiar black double doors of the magical room began to appear before their eyes. Harry glanced back at Snape, who looked rather impressed. Once the doors were fully materialised, Harry pushed through them revealing the familiar room they once held DA lessons in. Feeling a sense of familiarity and sentimentality, Harry felt glad to be here once more. Snape walked through the door after Harry, with his black cloak billowing behind him in all its glory. It was rather amusing to see his Professor observe these new surroundings and watched as he approached the bookcases along the wall, which contained many textbooks on defensive spells and theories. The man ran his slender hand against each binding of the book, giving each a subtle nod of approval as he scanned the title of each one. He had never heard of this room before, and when Harry mentioned it earlier, he thought he was lying. There was a twisted sense of victory in proving the man wrong.

"Hmm. So, this was where you and your fellow rule-breakers carried out those defense lessons?" Snape gave a subtle tight-lipped smile, as he turned back to Harry, "Intriguing. How ever did you happen upon it?"

"Dobby told us about it, " Harry grinned, "When we needed a place in our fifth year…Well, let's just say, the room called back."

"Impressive. I surely could have used a room like this in my youth. How does it operate?"

"It changes to what you need at the time. We needed a practice space, so this is what it gave us, " Harry threw his arms up as he explained, "…This was also where the students disappeared to when you were Headmaster. The Room looked after them." Almost on cue, several wooden stools popped up in the center of the room awaiting its inhabitants.

Snape raised his eyebrows, "Ah. That explains their unusual absence." The man frowned as the furniture began appearing, almost mesmerized.

Whilst Snape was observing every inch of the room, the door to the Room opened, and familiar faces began to spill inside immediately penetrating the comfortable silence that fell upon the pair. Luna was the first to arrive, happily making her way through the doors with an excited spring in her step. Following closely by Ron and Hermione who walked in holding hands. At this point Hermione had given Harry a brief nod, letting him know that she received and understood his Patronus message earlier. Eventually, the Patil twins made their way through the door followed by Dean who was engaged in conversation with Katie and Seamus, likely about his recent stay at St. Mungos. Neville and Hannah arrived shortly after, chatting away among themselves, with George trailing behind him looking heartbreakingly dismal. Last to arrive were Angelina Johnson and Susan Bones – both whom Harry believed had abandoned their coins in the first meeting that Harry organised not too long ago. He knew that George had been in recent contact with Angelina, so it was possible he had relayed the message to them. There were a few others who were not present, most noticeably Cho and Dennis Creevey, who had since forfeited their coin. And of course, Ginny and Lee.

Soon enough, Dumbledore's Army was – almost fully - reunited once again.

Once everyone was present, a few of them began to notice Severus Snape in the room with them, causing a few more uncomfortable glances. Harry knew this was still a challenge for them and he could understand how difficult it would be to face this man again, least of all having him instruct the group again. But this was a time to set aside all differences and unite for a common goal once more. Harry's fellow classmates began to slowly assemble before the Professor, as each took a seat. A stern look from Snape was enough to cause the students to fall silent, as he stood confidently with his hands neatly behind his back. His presence always carried a sense of intimidation and authority, and frankly, Harry was relieved he himself didn't have to instruct this class today.

Snape raised his chin and looked in the direction of Dean, "Welcome back Mr. Thomas."

Dean nodded in acknowledgment, "Thanks, Professor."

Standing idly in front of the group, Snape pursed his lips eyeing each teenager carefully, "You might be wondering why you were summoned here at Hogwarts, rather than Grimmauld Place. That is for two reasons. One, I must request your assistance to embark on a rescue mission to retrieve Miss Ginny Weasley and Mr. Lee Jordon, among others. And two, I want to see if your skills in precision are up to par," Snape drew in a deep breath, "Important matters first, I will start off by discussing our primary dilemma -"

Before Snape could continue, he was cut off by the whirling sound of magic forming, as suddenly, an obnoxiously large blackboard seemed to materialise directly beside him. There were a few chuckles among the group when they realised the Room must have sensed an upcoming grueling lesson. Snape was rather amused, as he simply tilted his head at the new object.

Finally turning back to the group, he bluntly continued, "…As I was saying…another enemy dwelling was discovered last night. Heavily warded and within a dangerously unstable area. Due to a positive indication of a tracking spell, we have reason to believe that two of your peers are held captive there. With careful planning, we should be able to retrieve them without further mishaps. The unfortunate incident that took place at Godric's Hollow a few days ago, will come as a careful warning to you all."

"Can't the Ministry organise a team? Why us?" Hannah Abbott questioned.

Snape turned to the Hufflepuff, "Because due to said incident, Death Eaters have been using Polyjuice potion to pose as Aurors. If you had listened, I had already mentioned this at the previous meeting. Minister Shacklebolt is doing his best to eradicate the imposters. Not to mention the Aurors that are available, are dwindling in numbers both due to loss of life, or suffering the effects of long-term control of the Imperius Curse by You-Know-Who."

"So where do you think they are, Professor?" Padma asked.

Snape looked at the Ravenclaw and began to pace the front of the room, "They are located at an old quarry, in the Forest of Dean. The wards have already been scouted, so I should be able to bring them down quickly, so no time is wasted."

"I know the one. The Tintern Quarry? That has been de-commissioned for years, " Seamus spoke, as he crossed his arms over his chest, "Ever since the First War, last I heard."

Dean nodded, "Yeah, that's right. Since the Battle at Hogwarts, some of the Aurors moved the Dementors there and locked them down with a magical shield. I know because I helped them do it."

"What?" Ron shot a confused looked at Dean, "The Aurors?" He looked at Snape, "What's the bet that some of those Aurors were not Aurors at all?"

"So, the Death Eaters took hold of the Quarry once most of the Dementors were captured?" Neville looked confused, "I know the Ministry tried to round them up, but…Does that mean the Ministry still think they have control of it?"

"Of course, " Hermione interjected, "Once the Aurors relocated the Dementors, the remaining Death Eaters took control using Polyjuice to disguise themselves as Ministry staff. They didn't start using Polyjuice potion to finish the job until after the Battle of Hogwarts. The Ministry still think they still have control of the site," She glanced back at Snape, "…Right, sir?"

Snape gave a curt nod, "Seems highly likely. The Quarry, since de-commissioned, appears to be a secure enough location for such creatures. The Ministry must have presumed they still had control over them. I believe they have since been eliminated from Azkaban, furthermore, they are still under Death Eater control as soon as they were relocated," Snape paused briefly in thought, as the group watched him closely, "That causes a…different dilemma for the retrieval. A distraction will be needed because we now have more than one enemy to worry about. Regrettably."

"But Death Eaters can't conjure a Patronus to manipulate them? So how – " Katie spoke.

"That is untrue, Miss Bell, because I can conjure one, " Snape answered coolly, as he ignored the curious murmurs within the room, "Most cannot because a Patronus is made from pure, good, magic. However, the Dementors answer to those Death Eaters, so they do not require such magical forms of manipulation. They have no need for a Patronus. They ally together."

"I have an idea, and I think it'll work in our favor. I thought about it this morning, " Harry finally spoke, after careful consideration, "A good portion of us are skilled flyers, right? We quite literally have an entire Gryffindor Quidditch team here. Being a Quarry, it will be difficult to get down there on foot. Therefore, we can attack and distract them from above, while the other half can cover the ground."

Seamus nodded with a smirk as he looked over at George, "Hey, George, do you have any more of those fancy fireworks?"

George managed to perk up a little and muster up a small grin, "Yeah. I do, actually."

Snape gave a light snort, "No wonder Professor McGonagall asked her students to blow up a bridge," He turned back to Harry, after he paused in deep thought, "Yes, Potter. That plan has…potential. Whilst the flyers are being aerodynamic, the rest of us can pursue the Quarry on foot, repelling Dementors and attacking the Death Eaters stationed there. I do not know how many enemies we are dealing with, but we must give them the illusion that our numbers are far greater than we are. That will deter them off-guard," He turned to Dean, "Mr. Thomas, since you've been there, I require an adequate visual of the Quarry."

Snape motioned to the blackboard, as Dean hastily stood up and began to scribble away what he could of the area as far as his knowledge of the location could reach. The group spent the following hour discussing ports of entry and allocating tasks to certain people to allow for a smooth retrieval process. It was quite an in-depth discussion, and one Harry was thankful that Snape was able to lead. It was quite engaging once every single person in the room became involved in the planning, and with each idea, they began to feel more confident. Snape himself seemed to be oddly pleased with this. After their Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons with Snape in their sixth year, he knew that the man was driven to teach them useful information that will help them succeed. Admittedly, he actually enjoyed it when Snape taught that subject, even despite their usual thick tension, because it was exactly the things Harry wanted to learn. The man taught practically, and that's how Harry was able to learn best. But as Harry was observing Snape discussing strategies and dueling, he noticed the man looked at ease now. He was in his element. After all, he always wanted to teach this type of subject, but now, Defence Against the Dark Arts just developed a whole new meaning. Armed with Snape's own personal knowledge, and not what the curriculum wanted him to teach, he was free to give them whatever education that would deem far more appropriate and valuable. And as much as some of the students still weren't completely accepting of Snape, Harry could tell that they seemed to enjoy this meeting, too. Snape was thorough and yet committed to their safety. That much was obvious.

Harry couldn't help but smile.

Once they concluded the plan, Snape began to run through alternative solutions in case things went awry, which resulted in several heated discussions. But eventually, they rested upon a collective understanding without any unnecessary conflict. He enforced that they remain in pairs, and he didn't want to catch them 'running off by themselves', as he witnessed during the incident at Godric's Hollow. Drumming that thought into their head, his words were met with nods of understanding amongst his peers. Harry was glad, for once, that Seamus managed to keep his demeaning thoughts to himself this time. He would have quickly realised that they would all be royally screwed if they didn't have Snape willing to guide them in the right direction.

If Harry, Ron, and Hermione attempted to go to the Quarry unaided, then they would have surely got themselves into a complicated mess. Snape was right to recall them and discuss a proper plan, with calvary.

Then Snape jumped back into teacher mode once more and ran through basic healing spells as tools that they should absolutely know and encouraged them to take initiative when on the field. Once he was done, he shifted the blackboard all the way to the back of the room with a casual flick of his wand, as he turned back to the group awaiting the next instructions.

Standing tall with his arms neatly behind his back, he raised his chin, "Everybody stand up. NOW. Line up in the center of the room and withdraw your wands, " Snape began to bark out orders, within his commanding baritone voice, as one by one, the room's occupants shuffled around to stand in a line as instructed. Once he was satisfied, he continued, "Before I separate you all into pairs, I want to be certain you know how to send colored signals. Raise your hand if you do." One by one the students slowly began to raise their hands, as Snape eyed each person individually. He gave a single nod, "Good. Hands down. Now I want to make this absolutely clear. Once we retrieve the missing, I will send up a single white spark. That means the mission to free the prisoners is complete. Meet back at Headquarters at Grimmauld Place immediately following. If I send up two white sparks, that means we are in trouble and outnumbered. Flee immediately back to Headquarters, no arguments. Following so far?"

There were collective nods and responses of "Yes, sir" from the students before him.

Snape continued, "If you are in danger and need immediate assistance, send up a red spark. Anyone who is close enough is required to aid them, if not myself. If you or one of you are injured, send up a green spark and I will do my best to get to you. Have I made myself clear?"

There were further responses of nods and "Yes, sir", which seemed well received.

A short pause came between them as Snape pursed his lips. He drew in a sharp breath, "Remember, our primary goal is to rescue the prisoners. We shall not linger there more than necessary. Now – Get into pairs and line up at each end of the room, quickly. Potter, with me."

There was a mad shuffle of feet, as everyone within the room began to assemble in pairs, each stationing themselves on either side of the room facing each other. Once they were ready, Snape raised his wand and conjured four large bludger-sized multicolored balls for each pair and bewitched them so that were hovering in the center above them close to the ceiling. Allocating Harry as his unfortunate partner, Snape instructed him to stand at the opposite end with their own set of targets. The other students turned to Snape at the front of the room, awaiting instructions.

Snape raised his voice, as he addressed the class, "Let's start with some simple target practice. Those on Potter's end of the room will send a set of sparks to their opponent. Those on my end of the room must deflect it to the moving targets above using a simple shield charm to redirect the attack. I don't want to see any mindless arm-waving or yelling. I want to see precision and concentration, with non-verbal spells only. Do not use hexes or curses for this session. Allow me to demonstrate," With a cunning smirk, Snape turned to Harry, dropping into a battle stance with his wand at the ready. "Now Potter, fire four sparks simultaneously in my direction."

With a slight hesitation, Harry drew in a breath as he raised his wand and steadied his stance. In short bursts, Harry fired off four red sparks in Snape's direction which spun in the air to seek their target. In four very swift arm motions, Snape blocked each spark and redirected it to the moving balls above. On impact, all four separate targets exploded in the same red sparks like fireworks, and within seconds, the balls re-materialised once more and began to move again.

Snape turned back to the class, "Proceed!" His voice bellowed, as immediately the students began. Those on Harry's side of the room sent what looked like a wave of multi-colored sparks at their opponents, and all that could be heard was the simultaneous sounds of the balls exploding, and sparks hitting at multiple points in the room. Those on the offense sent bombardments of harmless sparks to their partner, as those on the defense either dodged the attack or successfully cast their shield spell. Some spells hit the opponent as they delayed their shield charm. Whilst some spells got blasted to the back of the room, accidentally shattering one of the glass panes on the back wall.

Seamus sent a barrage of green sparks at Dean, which ended up exploding at his feet before he could put up a shield charm. "Mr. Finnigan, your aim is dreadful. Try again!" Snape bellowed at Seamus, who tried again, this time allowing Dean to make a successful block, though unfortunately missing the targets above.

Hermione was sending an – almost comical – barrage of red sparks at Ron, who spent most of the time cursing out loud, and earning a scolding from Snape. Ron was able to successfully place a shield charm from Hermione's attacks, but he re-directed the sparks within multiple areas of the room, almost hitting Dean beside him. "Sorry, mate!" Ron yelled, "Hermione, ease up, will you." Hermione grinned, victoriously.

Neville, paired with Luna, was quite an unusual sight. Neville was tasked with the sparks, which he managed to accomplish rather well, but Luna was transfixed on the pair beside her and wasn't quite paying attention. She was hit several times, earning frequent apologies from Neville. "Pay attention, Miss Lovegood! Keep your eyes on your opponent," Snape remarked.

George was firing sparks at Angelina, who was able to deflect the attacks and hit two of the balls above. "Mr. Weasley adjust your stance. Steady. Good, Miss Johnson, but aim your shield a little higher."

Hannah was on the offense and Susan's deflected aim was all over the place. She managed to hit one ball above, but the other sparks were redirected to Neville and Padma, who had to jump out of the way, barely having time to react. Snape cursed under his breath, "Concentrate, Miss Bones. Your movements are far too sporadic."

Parvati was going quite well, deflecting her sister Padma's flurry of sparks, and was the first one to hit all four targets. "Well done, Miss Patil." Snape was definitely pleased on that one.

Once Snape had seen enough, he had the pairs swap roles, and he observed their movements once again. This time around made equal progress. Hermione's shield charm was flawless, but her aim was slightly off. Seamus was able to redirect most of his attacks at the targets, much to Snape's relief. Neville, although slightly nervous with Snape keeping a close eye, he managed to hit a few targets, which Snape definitely wasn't expecting. Padma's movements were precise and fluid, along with Hannah equally. George was struggling to concentrate a little but was able to hit a few of the targets above. They did seem to improve over time and Snape decided to increase the difficulty and removed a target, leaving the remaining balls to pick up speed above them.

While the others were occupied, Snape instructed Harry to practice his shield charm. Harry braced himself, as the Professor fired a barrage of harmless green sparks in his direction, leaving Harry to physically dodge one, and redirect the others to the targets above. One target exploded, and the other spark flew right to the ceiling. "Try again, Potter. Adjust your footing." Attempting another round, Harry was able to repel two more and hit one target above, but he wasn't quick enough, and one spark hit his shoulder. He swore under his breath as it gave him a small electric shock. "Too slow. Try again." Snape fired again, and this time, Harry was able to deflect all three sparks and hit two targets this time. "Close. Try again." Snape fired again, this time sending green sparks at different height intervals, further challenging Harry. Clenching his jaw, Harry was able to successfully redirect the sparks, finally hitting all targets separately. Snape looked pleased.

After a short while, Snape raised his wand and eliminated all the targets overhead. On that cue, the students lowered their wands and turned to him, as silence befell the room. With his hands clasped behind him, he glanced at each student individually, acknowledging each and every one of them. "It is important to use your opponent to an advantage. Redirecting their attacks either back at them or at another target can give you the upper hand as you catch them off-guard. The skills you displayed today will…suffice. But I suggest you ensure that your attacks be precise and clean. Shield charms are, nevertheless, simple. They will save your life when used efficiently. Now, as discussed earlier. Meet at the designated location at midnight. Do not be late! "Snape paused, as his words were met with nods of understanding, "…Class dismissed."

One by one, the others silently departed the Room of Requirement leaving Harry, Snape, Hermione, and Ron behind.

Exasperated, Hermione turned to Snape, "Do you think we should we let Professor McGonagall know?"

"Once she discovers I'm leading her lions into battle, then she would without a doubt, forbid,/i> it," Snape answered passively.

"I sure hope we can pull this off, " Ron exclaimed, looking rather anxious.

"Considering you were able to handle yourselves well at the Battle of Hogwarts, you have the willpower to do what needs to be done. As long as you all have listened to my advice, then there is a chance we can all escape unscathed tonight, " Snape responded, as he placed his hands in his lower robe pockets, "Careful planning can save lives."

Once their meeting concluded, the four of them departed Hogwarts back to Grimmauld Place and further discussed their plans for the mission that night. Kreacher had prepared a large dinner of roast turkey, potato bake, and an assortment of grilled vegetables, and for the first time, Severus Snape finally joined the three Gryffindors at the table. Snape was usually hesitant in doing such a thing, but Harry had requested he dine with them, at least in his way of letting the man know that his presence was welcome.

After Snape gave his time to teach them all today and plan with them, it was the least Harry could do to extend his gratitude.

If this plan was successful, Ginny could be back with them tonight.
The End.