“It is disheartening the amount of my time that has been wasted nursing you back to health, Potter.”

-Professor Severus Snape

Harry lay in his bed, rather perturbed by the fact that the stain he had observed before refused to stay in one place. It shifted across the ceiling, shrinking and growing, and giving him a migraine. Occasionally it would stop, but not often.

Actually, everything was moving. Walls, chairs, his desk, possibly him, but he wasn’t certain. Each time he opened his eyes a fresh wave of exhaustion and nausea would roll over him, causing him to clutch his head and mutter.

He was starving. Remus had tried to feed him before, but Harry could not keep anything down. Then Remus had left.

Harry moaned as the watermark grew to astronomical proportions. He closed his eyes and managed to roll onto his side, curling into a fetal position.

It felt vaguely like his body had been ripped apart, drawn, quartered, beaten, flayed, and then drowned for good measure. His hands shook uncontrollably, and standing for longer than a few minutes was far beyond him., but, aside from his headache, his mind was working well.

He was not sure how long it had been since Moony had apparated in and taken him to the ministry. The place where he had finally found Bellatrix, and where he had killed her.

At least I think I did. Why the hell did she use that damned Cheering Charm?

As he lay there, trying to keep his thoughts coherent long enough to pursue a theory, the newest wards vibrated, and he reacted without the need for thought.

With gradually returning reflexes, Harry threw himself from the bed. He leapt up, stumbled, miraculously managed to get to his feet, pulled his wand out and managed to raise a fragile shield charm.

Two men appeared in front of him.

Remus Lupin.

Severus Snape.

Snape lifted his own wand and Harry strengthened the charm. It held for a few seconds before it, and the weakened boy controlling it, collapsed.

“Dammit, but I’m tired Sirius.” He said quietly. Remus helped him into a chair, and Snape removed a jar from his cloak. “I really hope that you don’t work for Voldemort, because there is nothing I could do to stop you at the moment.”

“Yes, as I noticed,” Snape drawled, “We will discuss your lamentable security measures after I save your life. Drink this. Quickly, if it isn’t too difficult for you. Some potions as I doubt you remember, have a time limit before they are as useless as you.”

At least he’s back to normal.

Harry drank all of it, and shuddered. It was nearly as hideous as the polyjuice of his second year. Not quite, but nearly. It certainly felt like it was rearranging his intestines.

The exhaustion seemed to double, and double again and again as it exponentially increased to a point beyond bearing. Then it vanished.

His vision was bordering on legal blindness when it returned to its previous state. The headache was about to kill him before it too disappeared, leaving a memory of pain but nothing more.

“What was that? What exactly happened at the Ministry? Why was I so weak? Is the Ministry pressing charges? And is Bellatrix really dead? Answer the last one first.” Harry asked; his voice sounded like he was getting over a cold.

“Yes, by all accounts, based on the witnesses reports and the funeral her husband held, she is dead.” Snape said it with a faint grin in his eyes. “The potion was something of my own creation that I had to create for this circumstance. It is a mixture of several potions that you will learn to create before I leave, though I doubt you will be able to do it successfully. As to what happened at the Ministry, I only know what the Death Eaters know.

“They tricked you into a false sense of calm while getting Bellatrix close to you. You and she dueled. You won. The Death Eaters had used the new spell that I had mentioned to you earlier. It was successful. They killed twenty-two witches, wizards and squibs. It has been announced to the public that the Dark Lord has returned. The wizarding world is in a panic. It managed to reached Skeeter that you had so foolishly used an Unforgivable in view of several high ranking officials. It reached the papers this morning. I have brought a copy with me. All rumor has taken this to be your declaration of allegiance to the Dark Lord.” Snape sneered, “Congratulations, even your fool of a father never managed to antagonize the entire world with a single action.”

Harry looked down, coughing hard, and then he managed to coldly respond. “Do not say that about my father again. I just killed one of your enemies. I have likely lost everyone that I ever considered loyal with the possible exception of you two, and I feel like I’ve been dragged through hell behind a team of race horses. Spare me the sarcasm, sir.” Harry paused then asked, “Were you planning on finishing with my questions or not?”

“Harry,” Remus said from his side. “I think you should read the article first.”

He took it from Snape and began to read.

HARRY POTTER: DARK LORD sympathizer?

Harry Potter has returned to the deranged and dangerous boy of his fourth year, writes Rita Skeeter, special correspondent. Only a few days ago, the Boy-Who-Lived, who has been hailed recently as a repeat savior for informing us of the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, used the Unforgivable Killing Curse in a duel with a Death Eater.

The woman he so ruthlessly attacked is now dead and Harry Potter has vanished. The two days immediately following the attack were filled with praise towards the boy. He was named a hero, and over sixteen commemorative copies of different papers, magazines and organizational pamphlets were created. In light of this new information though, this reporter feels that the wizarding community must stop to look at what the boy really is.

Before the arrival of Harry Potter at the Ministry, there was a large blast of what is being named an “Avada Kedarva Blast,” something like a muggle bomb. More than two dozen people were killed in the initial attack, fourteen more in the second attack and over a hundred were wounded. Curiously, Harry Potter appeared after the blast. Ministry officials have announced that the curse would require an ‘uncanny amount of power and emotion.’

Potter is one of very few wizards in the world capable of the spell. The Ministry, when asked if they were investigating the event, responded, “Naturally we are investigating. The suspects are on a very short list.”

Harry Potter’s name was on the list.

The Wizarding world must now ask in the strange boy with the scar deserves the faith that many have placed in him. See also pg 4B (The Minister Speaks Out)

Harry flipped to the editorials and found them in agreement with Skeeter. He folded the paper, sighed, and, let out a string of curses he had been hording over the past few weeks.

“I suppose that you can assume what this information has had on the Order.” Snape said coldly. “Though it has not been announced, they have removed all support from you. In a few days it will likely be official. The Dark Lord is…” he tried to search for an appropriate word.

Harry filled in for him, “Gleeful?”

“Or as close as he has ever been. I believe you were impatient about hearing the answers to your previous questions. I do not know why you responded the way you did. However, it cannot be denied that your life is interesting for anyone who researches magical theory.

“As to the Ministry’s response, at the moment they seem to be too scared of what happened that you did not do, little though those events are, to stop and officially attack you. Don’t worry though, Potter, in a few days you’ll be on the front page as the Boy-Who-Went-to-Azkaban.”

Remus turned abruptly, and shouted, “Shut Up, Severus!”

Harry blinked, and realized what Remus’ reaction meant. “So,” he interrupted, “The odds aren’t in my favor are they?”

“How did you-”

“Remus, you would only be upset with Professor Snape saying that if it was a likely possibility. Therefore, I can assume that the Ministry is planning on making an effort at sending me to prison, but like I told the Minister, the Dementors will be leaving soon, so it wouldn’t be very hard to break out.”

“Harry this isn’t something to joke about, if you go to Azkaban while the Dementors are still there, Voldemort could very easily have you killed or Kissed, and either way, it destroys our hope. You cannot go to Azkaban. It would be bad.”

Despite Harry’s inclination to respond with a snide comment about the obviousness of the statement, he kept quiet. Severus filled in the silence on his behalf.

“Thank you for informing him of that Lupin,” Snape said sarcastically, “but I think that even Potter is able to realize that. More importantly, Potter, how did you know about the Dark Lord’s plans for the Dementors?”

Harry stopped dead in his tracks to stare at his professor. Despite the guarded face, there was obvious panic in the older man’s eyes. “Why? I considered it the next logical step, not to mention the fact that I was there when Dumbledore informed Fudge of it after the Tri-wizard tournament in my fourth year. Now, my question to you, what have you not told me? You said that you would keep me informed, and yet, at the moment you seem to be hiding something. Should I go find the bottle of Veritaserum you so generously provided me with, or are you going to answer willingly?”

The staring match that ensued rivaled the one’s that Harry had seen between Snape and Sirius back at Number Twelve. It took more than a minute before Snape hissed, “A Potter even now.”

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean sir?”

Snape smirked in answer, and said, “I believe you wanted to know about the Dementors, or has your limited memory failed you yet again?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry could see Remus shaking his head. Ignoring the last real Marauder, he gestured for the Professor to continue. “The Dark Lord, is planning to remove the Dementors from Azkaban in slightly less than a week. I had not informed you because first, it has not happened yet, and second, I was attempting to fulfill a favor to Lupin. If you want to know more on that account I would have to recommend speaking to him not me.”

Harry turned to Remus, who was awkwardly petting Cleo. “Remus.” He said sternly.

With a heavy and forlorn sigh, he began, “Harry, I taught you your Patronus, and I know what you hear when you’re around them. Thanks to the Occulemency training you took last year with Severus, he knows as well. Harry, you have some of the worst possible memories to have drudged up and paraded in front of you. When I asked you in your fourth year what the Boggart would have changed into, you said a Dementor, not Voldemort, not death, but fear. Like I told you then, you are afraid of fear, and the last thing you need on your plate is something else for you to stress over.

“It was my decision that you were not told, so if you are upset, it isn’t Severus’ fault; it’s mine.”

Shaking his head, Harry muttered, “Bloody Marauders.”

Severus rose and announced, “I will return in a few moments, do not eat or drink anything as it might react to the potion.”

For a few minutes it was quiet, and then Remus said, “Harry, you and I need to talk.”

“If you are planning on scolding me for using Avada Kedarva, then you can leave now because I am not in any mood to hear it.”

“No, I’m not going to scold you. I wanted to say congratulations. You proved that you can use the Unforgivables, but your reaction here proved that you won’t unless you have to-”

“Or if I’m feeling vengeful.”

“I file that as being necessary. If you’d let her go, it would have taken much longer to bring you back. Regret is harder to cure than guilt. I can’t blame you for what you did. I would have done the same, at least close. I’m a fan specialized severing charms. Used properly you can open individual arteries. I haven’t been able to do what you have, Harry. Ever since Sirius, ever since…”

“Ever since Bellatrix killed him in front of us and neither was able to save him?” He said quietly, emotionlessly.

“Yes. Harry, how are you fighting? How can you even keep living?”

“Because I don’t have a choice. You do though. No one, least of all me, would begrudge you if you wanted to go find the them.” He laughed humorlessly, “I’m supposed to be convincing you the other way aren’t I?”

“Traditionally you would. But, you probably couldn’t manage ‘traditionally’ if you tried. Harry,” he stopped and walked to the window. “I want to just take your advice and find myself a nice cliff, but I have a promise with the Marauders to uphold.”

“What promise?”

He began to tell a story in a dead voice, betraying no emotion, good or bad. “They found out about me partway through our fourth year. Wormtail would never have noticed without the other two. They realized when the moon lined up with an Astronomy class. They formed their guess based on it, and the next month was…unpleasant. When I came back in the morning, I took my shower, and saw a razor sitting there. I was about to do it when they walked in.” Tears welled in his eyes, but his voice did not change.

“Those two should have been on rugby teams. Tackled me across the room. More than fifteen feet. They didn’t even have wands, and did it anyway, knowing full well that I was stronger, faster, and was still partially in a wolven mindset. Later they claimed that they’d forgotten, but I never believed them.”

Harry agreed with him, he had seen how passionately dedicated Sirius had been to Remus, had been told about his father’s unswerving loyalty, and felt both would probably have tackled a dragon to help their friend.

“It took both of them to subdue me,” He continued, “and after getting my whole story, and rather angrily explaining that they didn’t give a damn that I was a lycanthrope, made me promise that I would never try it again.

“They earned the right to ask it of me, and I can never go back on it.” Harry could only stare at the back of the man’s head. Remus was standing at the window, and dried off his face with a quick spell. He shook his head to readjust his attitude, and then said in his normal voice, “Sorry about that. Harry, what I really wanted to say is that I’m proud of you, that Sirius was, and that if James were here he would be too. You always seem to find a way to do what needs to be done, but you never let it take control of who you are. I know that Sirius hit you hard, and I know that you are blocking the emotions for now. You’ll face them eventually, but you recognize that now is not the time.”

“I know, I have to be ready at any cost. You do know that the Order is investigating your loyalties, right?”

Remus smirked sitting back down, “You aren’t the only one that Severus has deemed worthy of his information. Ah, and speaking of him, here he is. Now why did you have to rush off so quickly.”

“There was a disturbance at my home that I needed to check. It was nothing of consequence.”

Harry was about to continue the discussion as an owl flew through the window. It was hard to decide who responded worst.

Remus jumped six inches and yelped, throwing Cleo out of his lap.

Severus leapt backwards, drew his wand and was about to Apparate away.

Harry just blinked.

The bird flew to Harry, dropped a letter in his lap and was gone ten seconds later. After drawing his wand, he looked at the letter more closely, only to recognize handwriting he had rarely seen.

Neville Longbottom’s to be exact. With a complete disregard for the risk or possibility of deception, Harry opened the letter and read.

Dear Harry,

I’m just writing to say thank you. I wish I could have taken you place, but I will certainly settle for what happened. My Mum and Dad seemed to understand when I told them. Some American Witch is trying to work on a cure for them, well, everyone, but we aren’t sure about it.

I’ll see you at Hogwarts, and if it matters to you, none of my family will believe a word that Skeeter is publishing, and we have convinced all of our friends. You aren’t completely alone yet.

Again, thank you.

Neville Longbottom

“And what have you discovered Potter that has left you giddy as a school-girl?” Snape asked condescendingly.

It was odd for him after having spent so long listening to the Wizarding world declare his insanity and distrust of him, to suddenly know that not everyone hated him. Harry smiled slightly, “Nothing Professor. I just helped to settle a bit of that revenge you and I had talked about before.”

“Indeed.”

“Oh, before you two leave: first, thank you-”

“I believe I already mentioned that I would be staying long enough to teach you the potion.”

“Oh, yeah. Then that will just make the second part easier. I realized yesterday, well I think it was yesterday, that I have an Apparition license, but no idea how to Apparate. Since I am not in the mood to be splinched-”

“Very Well, Potter. Without any other option, and since against my instincts I can accept that it is a tactically sound idea, I will teach you to Apparate. Lupin, you need to return to the Order at once. Potter, get your wand, your cauldron, and a sheet of parchment. We will begin with the potion, and try not to blow anything up.”