Harry was asleep before his head even hit the pillow. There was just too much information. And no chance to start thinking about any of it, really.

He woke several hours later, feeling strangely refreshed. And strangely numb.

There was nothing really to do for him, he certainly couldn't help with the odd calculations Snape tried to make. But he didn't want to sit on the bed and feel sorry for himself, either.

He walked through the corridor which looked even worse in the daylight. The further he walked, the thicker the clouds of dust got. It was almost like mist. Somehow, birds had been able to get in previously, but didn't any more. Harry tried to find comfort in the hopeful thought that maybe Hedwig would find them here.

But who would she send a message to? The Weasleys? Certainly not. It wasn't safe enough to contact them, to stay with them. Everyone would be in danger and he would not... could not be responsible for one more death.

Dumbledore had left a mission for Hermione, Ron and him. But Harry's death was calculated, so maybe theirs was, too? There weren't many things Harry put past the old wizard. The more he thought about it, the more he came to the conclusion that this journey would be a lonely one.

"Am I mistaken or are you actually thinking about something? Tell me, does it hurt?"

Harry frowned. Snape was obviously not a morning person.

Harry slightly cocked his head and stared at the scattered blueprints all over the floor. They were all numbered.

"How is your hand?" he asked in the most neutral voice he could come up with.

"Fine," Snape growled.

"Right. Sorry for asking" Harry sighed.

"Could you just... go elsewhere and do something useful?"

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Like what?"

"No matter. Just stay out of my sight."

Great, Harry thought. Nothing has changed. He was trapped with a man who absolutely detested him, despite his efforts to comply and try to behave better. Harry sighed. A thought came to his mind. It was a sad thought. Adult.

"Professor?" Snaped groaned impatiently. "You see... you hate me, right. And I don't much like you either. But we still want the same thing. Bring Vol-"

"- Don't!"

"You-Know-Who down. Maybe the fact that we hate each other could come in handy or something. You won't feel so bad if I die in your presence and... and vice versa. And I don't think I can take Ron and Hermione to hunt down horcruxes anyway. Dumbledore wanted that and I don't want to..." he trailed off, knowing that he didn't make much sense.

There it was again. This unfathomable expression in the man's eyes.

"Get to the point."

"Once we get out of here... let me FINISH. Once we get out of here I will not return to Hogwarts. And you and I could maybe hunt down the remaining Horcruxes together because you wouldn't try and protect me from doing what I have to do now that you know that I have to die. And you wouldn't care if I died anyway."

Harry knew that the man had been upset the previous night when he learnt about the Dursleys, however, he put that down to the fact that he had lost all remaining faith in Dumbledore at the same time.

"You understand, you wouldn't have to keep me safe because you don't have to save your own skin any more. Maybe you could train me in combat and... stuff."

Harry shuddered at the thought. If it would be remotely like 'Remedial Potions' his last year would be very, very unpleasant. The man studied him for an eternity before he finally answered.

"Potter. How many times. You are not in the position to fight the Dark Lord. It would take you time... an eternity to ever be an equal. No matter what this blasted prophecy said. You are no match. The second you face him is the second you will die. And he will not."

This angered Harry. "I have faced him before. I bet him. I got away."

"Barely. And the reason why you did is because of your mother's protective charm. That charm will break the minute you become of age which will be... the day after tomorrow. After that, you are just an ordinary wizard."

"But..."

"No but. I do not believe that the prophecy will even apply to you after you become of age. It does now. But he took your blood and cannot be touched. I wonder why on earth Dumbledore thought that a weak, underweight and mediocre boy should be able to beat one of the greatest wizards of all times."

Harry tried his hardest not to hang his head or look defeated. It didn't work.

"I wonder that, too." he said quietly.

Then he had an idea. His mother had sacrificed herself for him, for Harry. If he sacrificed himself for the wizarding world, he would die, but everone else would be protected from Voldemort's curses. He just had to destroy the horcruxes and the sacrifice himself. Just. And that had to be after his birthday.

"You know, Potter. I would have thought that your ambition to be a famous hero wouldn't go so far as to sacrifice your own life. You are taking this further than the Dark Lord himself. What a noble way to remain celebrated." The sneer on Snape's face was uglier than ever. It angered Harry beyong words when people thought that he had chose his fate.

"WHAT?" he shouted, his voice higher than usual. "Do you think I WANT this? Do you honestly believe that it's nice to have this creepy mind-connection to a lunatic mass murderer? Do you think I decided when I was fifteen months old that I'd rather get rid of my mum and dad and become the Chosen One? You are SCREWED UP! I am not proud of any this." Suddenly tired of fighting, he added; "I'd much, much rather be normal. Just Harry."

The word 'normal' sounded so sincere and desirable, as if being normal was just the greatest thing on earth, that Snape was taken off guard.

"Is that how you justify getting my parents killed? By telling yourself over and over again that I like it?"

At this, Snape erupted. "I have never justified my decisions. EVER!" The violence of Snape's outbreak made Harry retreat a few steps. He suddenly remembered that he was completely at the man's mercy and that he shouldn't really agitate him so. He felt his swollen chin nervously.

Snape grimaced before he continued. "Merlin, look at yourself. Leave. Your presence sickens me."

This wasn't a hateful remark, this was a stated fact.

"Sorry," muttered Harry, wanting to go.

"Don't APOLOGISE! Don't stand there looking like a kicked dog!"

Harry feared that the man in front of him who was now grabbing fistfuls of his own hair, looking deranged was completely losing it. If he decided to fall apart in front of him right now, Harry would find a way out and back to... Hogwarts or anywhere right now.

"You are driving me INSANE, Potter!"

"I-I'm sorry" stuttered Harry again, now desperately wanting to bring as much distance as possible between him and Snape.

"I say it again. Do NOT apologise. You have nothing to apologise for."

"But you said..."

Snape turned away now. "Forget what I said. All of it."

Harry opened his mouth to say something less unpleasant, but he was being interrupted again.

"Yes, Potter. This is my feeble attempt at an apology."

The man was still not looking at him. Harry found that unusual. There was something different about him in here. He seemed to be unhinged. More dangerous. Less disciplined.

"What's wrong with you?" Harry blurted.

"You understand absolutely nothing, do you, Potter? Not. A. Thing. I have been trying to avoid this place for decades. Only to be imprisoned here myself. I have been trying to avoid you for seventeen years. Only to be here with you. Everyone talks about you, writes about you. Wants to kill you, save you, capture you, free you. Everywhere I go, you are either there or being discussed. Whenever there is trouble, it's always you behind it."

"I'm-"

"Oh Merlin, shut up, boy. You are my nightmare. A freaky combination out of something I cared for. The only thing I ever cared for and something I hate. Then, you survive a direct attack by the Dark Lord. A few years later your walk in here. With that black hair standing up and those glasses and those eyes. I try to protect you. You work against it. Over and over and over again. Calming draught is addictive, you know..." He threw his arms up in resignation and continued. "In your third year, Lupin had the bodacious idea to confront me with a boggart. Would you believe... It took your shape. Dead. In your first year I ventured to the mirror of Erised. You were there already. But I am quite sure that if I had caught a glance, you would have been in it. Without that scar. Without any scars. And your parents alive. Now. You have to let me work because I will seriously lose my mind if we stay in here any longer."

Snape had gotten so absorbed in his speech that he was shaking and even twitchier than usual.

Not knowing what to say or do, he turned around, made some tea he had found, realised that he was not fond of UHT milk and went back to 'his' room. There he sat, contemplating. Brooding. After a while, he heard curses and swearwords penetrate the wall. He couldn't help but smirk a little.

Then he rose, made more tea and brought it to the corridor.

Some of the blueprints were now stuck to the walls. Snape was pacing madly, his flair flying around.

Harry saw a few pieces of paper. The writing, small and accurate at the beginning of each sheet, became jagged and unreadable towards the ends.

"This is impossible! According to my calculations, the points that have to be drilled are outside the building. The blueprints must be incomplete."

Harry thought that Snape would probably find a way to blame him for that, just like the Dursleys always did. But he also remembered seeing the blueprints carefully numbered and complete.

"I don't think they are" he heard himself say before thinking about it.

Apologetically, he held out the tea. Snape accepted.

"Can I help?" Harry asked sheepishly.

"You can not. You would be Dumbledore's age before you even understood the foundations of..." Snape stopped himself.

Harry thought that he saw a flicker of fear in his face. He turned around, thinking that someone was behind him. What had caused this sudden change of conduct? Maybe Snape really was going mad? Then he felt it himself. His scar went from prickling to overwhelming pain. He clutched his head, unable to resist even for a second and went to the ground.

"Lucius," he heard Voldemort's high voice command. "You have failed to follow my orders. I allow no such disobedience."

"My Lord, I cannot find him. The Order might have captured him. Please. I beg your forgiveness."

Voldemort shook his head quietly, acting as if he felt sorry for the blond man in front of him. Then, Voldemort pointed his wand at his left arm. The robed Death Eaters gasped, cringed and clutched their arms. Harry was sure that he could hear Draco's high-pitched scream somewhere among the crowd.

"That should suffice."

The pain disappeared as fast as it had come. Harry scrambled to his feet, nearly fainting from standing up too fast and ran over to Snape who was lying on the ground, holding his arm.

"Professor" Harry shook him, maybe a little too hard. Panic started to overwhelm him. The black eyes opened.

"Potter," Snape croaked. "Your cloak. He's coming."