Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Author's Chapter Notes:
Hello everyone, I hope you're well :) I've taken a bit longer to write this chapter because of what I told you in the previous one. I'm doing an internship in a lab and it leaves me quite exhausted and with almost no time at the end of the day. And if we add to that being an adult: shopping, cleaning, walking the dogs, spending time with my partner or friends... I have almost no time for myself. Besides, a few weeks ago it would have been my mother's birthday and that also made me very sad and unmotivated to do anything. But well, now that it's over I feel a bit better.
Anyway, I hope you like the chapter :)
The Resurrection Stone
"Here, sweetheart."

Molly placed a steaming cup of tea in his hands.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

She smiled sweetly at him and nodded, accepting his thanks. She then leaned over to hand her drink to Ginny, who was next to him

They were in the living room of the Burrow, sitting on the sofas. The last of the relatives had left a few minutes ago, finally letting the silence and the quiet fall over the house. The sun was also leaving, painting the sky with warm colors in its departure. Harry watched it, admiring the reddish-orange light show. He held the mug in his hands and took a sip, feeling the warmth move from his fingertips to his chest.

Once Mrs. Weasley had handed everyone else their drinks, she set the tray down on the coffee table and sat down next to her husband on the sofa opposite Harry. The boy exchanged a glance with Ron and Hermione, deciding that the time had come. But before he could say anything, Mr. Weasley cleared his throat, demanding the attention of everyone present.

"Kids, I know you're all exhausted. It's been a long, hard day... But I wanted to say that you've been very, very brave. And that both your mother and I are extremely proud of you." He said, his voice a little shaky. "We are lucky to have such amazing children. And you are handling all of this with a maturity that many adults would want for themselves."

Mrs. Weasley nodded, backing up each of those words.

"Yes, and that includes also both of you, Harry and Hermione." She added, with a sad little smile.

Harry swallowed, emotional, and returned the gesture. Then, he turned his gaze to the window once more, his green eyes scanning the sky. The beauty of that image, along with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's words, comforted his exhausted heart, giving him strength for what he had to do next.

"And I know you know..." Molly continued, regaining Harry's attention. "But if you need to talk to us, or anything, we're here. Don't forget that alright?"

The teenagers nodded, but said nothing, showing the weariness on their faces. Arthur noticed this and decided to change the subject.

"Right, having said that, I think we need to talk a bit about the logistics of tonight. As you know, Fleur has left with her parents so her bed in Bill's room is free. If Charlie doesn't mind," He added, looking at his son, who shook his head, "he can sleep there tonight. So, your room, Ron, is free for the three of you."

"Thank you, Dad." Said the boy, who hadn't even thought about it. Knowing where he was going to sleep hadn't been one of his priorities that day.

"Why, 'thank you'? This is your house. Besides, it's already too late to go back to Hogwarts. Although I don't know why you'd go back to school for the summer..." Arthur muttered to himself. "But, well, we'll discuss this another time."

Ron thanked him with a nod, he didn't feel like talking about his future in that moment.

"Alright." Mr. Weasley continued. "Then we'll just need to conjure up a couple of beds for Harry and Hermione."

"I'll take care of that, sweetheart." Molly told him, seeing the exhaustion on her husband's face. "By the way, I don't think anyone's hungry, right?"

They all shook their heads.

"If you change your minds, there's plenty of food left over. It's in the fridge."

"Thanks, Mum." Bill said, though his stomach had been closed since the funeral.

No one said anything else, and silence fell over the room, prompting another glance between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The boy finished his tea, which had already begun to cool, and nodded in the direction of his friends, indicating that the time had come. Ron paled slightly but his face showed determination. Beside him, Hermione visibly took a deep breath, preparing herself.

"Er... I know, as Dad said, we're all exhausted. But Harry, Hermione and I have something to tell you guys... Something very important." Ron took a second to calm his nerves. Then he took a deep breath and, knowing that if he waited too long, he would start to have second thoughts, he said: "I know it might sound crazy, but there is a way to talk to Fred again. And we could do it right now if you want."

Harry mentally braced himself, waiting for the reactions of the others. He looked around, focusing on each of the Weasleys. He started with Ginny, who was sitting next to him. The girl had turned to look directly at him, with a hundred questions in her eyes, but also a glint of hope in them. Harry nodded, but made no further explanation, turning his attention to George. The boy also had that glint in his eye, though it was mixed with distrust, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. On the other side of the room, Percy was watching Ron as if he had lost his mind, while Bill and Charlie shared a look of alarm, the wariness evident on their faces.

As for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Molly had put a hand to her mouth, letting out a cry of surprise at Ron's words; while Arthur, after putting an arm around her, had given his son a stern look.

"I don't think this is the best time to joke." He said very seriously.

"I'm not joking." Ron's voice sounded weak, so the boy cleared his throat, trying to show confidence. "I'm telling the truth. Explain it to them, Harry."

Everyone's gazes focused on him, and the boy lowered his own, uncomfortable, and wondering if it might have been a very bad idea.

"What Ron said is true." He explained, looking at the Weasleys one by one and reminding himself why he was doing that. "There's an artefact Dumbledore gave me. The Resurrection Stone, it's called. Legend has it that it was one of the objects Death gave to three brothers, but..."

Mrs. Weasley breathed in.

"The fable of the three brothers."

"What?" Arthur had turned to look at her, confusion on his face. "What are you talking about?"

"The tales of Beedle the Bard." She replied in a whisper. "We used to read them to the children when they were little. Before bedtime." The possibility of talking to Fred again filled every corner of her mind and she looked at Harry desperately, waiting avidly for him to continue talking.

"Wait a second, are you telling me that an object out of a children's story is going to allow me to talk to my son?" The pain had exhausted Arthur's patience.

"Dad, just hear what we have to say, okay? I know it's hard to believe but listen to us for two minutes. And that goes for everyone." He added, looking at the others. "Please."

Arthur looked his son in the eyes for a few moments. Finally, he sighed.

"Alright." He said, motioning Ron with one hand to continue.

The boy took a deep breath.

"Thanks, Dad. Like I said before, I know it sounds crazy. But the Stone is real. Dumbledore himself had it in his possession. And it works, in its own way. But it's also dangerous. So, you have to be careful when using it and..." He shook his head, realizing he wasn't explaining himself properly. "Harry? Help me?"

Everyone's attention turned to him again, and Harry could feel the weight of those stares and the expectations they carried with them.

"Er, yes... Dumbledore had the Stone for a while and gave it to me in his will. But I couldn't use it until a few weeks ago. Until I wasn't ready. He made sure of it. As Ron said, it's dangerous. And Dumbledore knew that from experience."

Mr. Weasley frowned.

"Wait a minute... During the battle, when you were talking to You-Know-Who..." He said closing his eyes as he remembered. "You mentioned that Dumbledore was already dying when Snape killed him. That they planned it together. So, was it because of this? Was it because of the Stone?"

Harry nodded.

"He too had lost many loved ones and thought the Stone could bring them back. He tried to use it without seeing that it was protected by a curse, and it poisoned him." The gazes of the other Weasleys were still on him, and Harry could almost see the pieces of the puzzle coming together in their minds. "Snape managed to contain it in his arm, but it was spreading as time went on. He wasn't going to survive much longer when he killed him."

At the mention of Snape, the Professor's face popped into his mind. He wondered if the man would be proud of him. For surviving the funeral and being able to tell the Weasleys about the Stone.

Meanwhile, Arthur had brought a hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. It was a lot to take in. The others also seemed a little dizzy by the amount of new information.

"What Harry says makes a lot of sense." Said Bill suddenly, who was slowly letting go of his initial skepticism. "Dumbledore's arm turned black. As if the flesh was rotting, even though he was still alive." He shook his head. "Something like that happens because of a very powerful curse. But if this one still protects the Stone... Won't it be too dangerous to try to use it?"

"Bill." Percy interjected. "You're not buying this story, are you?"

Ron gave him a dirty look and was ready to defend himself when Bill replied.

"Why not? Clearly grief can change people, but do you really think Harry, Ron and Hermione have changed enough to agree to lie to us about something so important?" Bill shook his head. "There are many branches of magic still unexplored, and many ancient artefacts lost. Is it so far-fetched to think that Albus Dumbledore, one of the greatest wizards who ever lived, found one that allows you to talk to the dead?"

Percy didn't know what to answer to that, so he swallowed hard and averted his gaze.

"So, you think it's possible?" Muttered Molly, who had been silent, hanging on his every word. "Is it possible to talk to my boy again?"

"I think we should let them explain." Bill said. "Starting with my question: how can we use the Stone if it's surrounded by such a powerful curse?"

"The curse no longer exists." Harry replied. "Dumbledore managed to remove it, so in that sense it can be used without risk..."

"The problem is another one." Ron interjected, lending his best friend a hand. It wasn't fair for him to have to face the questions alone. "I don't know if you all remember the story of the three brothers, but basically, the middle one uses the Stone to bring back his beloved. But she no longer belongs to the world of the living, and he ends up committing suicide when he realizes this." He looked his family in the eye, very serious. "That's where the real danger lies. We have to be able to talk to Fred and say goodbye. We have to be strong enough not to keep him trapped in this world. If we don't, it will only hurt us more and we could end up like the second brother..."

After those words, silence fell over the room. The skepticism had disappeared from Percy and Arthur's faces, giving way to a worried expression. But it was Molly who spoke first.

"Merlin... That's a lot to take it." She focused her attention on Harry and the boy watched her. Excitement, hope, longing, and fear filled her features. "Sweetie, you said you've used the Stone before?"

He nodded, choosing his words carefully.

"That's right. Only once. The night that... The night of the Battle. Before I gave myself to Voldemort. I spoke to Sirius and Remus, and my parents as well."

Mr. Weasley swallowed, taking Molly's hand, the hope on his wife's face had now appeared on his own, no matter how much he had fought against it.

"So how does it work? I mean, what can we expect? I think before we decide whether we want to do it or not, we should know as much as possible."

"Decide?" George's voice startled everyone. "What's there to decide? I want to talk to Fred - I want to see my brother!"

It had been weeks since George had shown that level of excitement and Harry shared a quick glance with Ron, somewhat alarmed.

"George, darling." His mother said. "Don't you think I desperately want to talk to him too? But I have to think of all of you as well. I don't want to risk losing any more children." Her voice broke. "What if some of us aren't able to say goodbye to him? What if you or Ginny or somebody else, ends up as the secondbrother? Have you stopped to think about it?"

The boy averted his gaze, trying to control his emotions.

"I get what you mean, okay? It's just... Merlin, it's hard..."

"I know, sweetheart. I know."

Mrs. Weasley got up to hug him and George hugged her back, burying his face in her neck as she stroked his hair, comforting him.

Harry saw George's shoulders shaking, indicating that the boy was silently crying. He averted his gaze, giving him some privacy in the middle of the crowded living room. His eyes fell on Ginny, still sitting next to him. He had avoided looking at her because he knew that if he did, if he thought about losing her to the Stone, even for an instant, then he would change his mind. He knew the girl was strong and he trusted her, but the thought of endangering her sent shivers down his spine. He felt a warmth against his little finger and looked down in that direction. Ginny had brought a hand close to his. The expression on her face was questioning and Harry nodded, letting her intertwine her fingers with his.

"Are you alright?" he said, unable to contain himself, seeing a reddish mark on her bottom lip. Harry knew she must have been nibbling on it nervously.

Ginny blinked, emotions filling her eyes. Harry could see a mixture of worry and fear, but also anticipation in them.

"Sort of." She said. "This is... I don't know how to describe it. Important. Special. And it scares me. But I'm also aware that it's a gift. Something most people don't get."

Harry nodded slowly. Admiring as always her way of looking at the world and putting into words his own thoughts. He looked into her brown eyes and time seemed to stand still. The fear and sadness disappeared for an instant.

"Harry?"

Mrs. Weasley had stopped hugging George, but she was still next to him, sitting on the same sofa with an arm around his shoulders.

"Can you explain to us how the Stone works? Arthur's right, it's important to be prepared before making a decision."

The boy nodded, still holding Ginny's hand in his.

"Yes, of course. I've only used it once, so I'm no expert... But from the moment the person appears you can tell they're not really alive. It's something different, lighter. Different from a ghost or a Patronus." Everyone's eyes were on him, and Harry swallowed. Ginny gave him a squeeze and the boy breathed, taking strength from the gesture. "It's like a reflection of the person they used to be and, in the case of my parents, Sirius and Remus, no one else could see them. I don't know if Fred will be like that, something tells me he won't. I was surrounded by Death Eaters. People who didn't know or love them. And, obviously, I didn't want to share them with those people. But if you decide to talk to Fred... He's part of all of us. So, I think we'll be able to see him at the same time."

The Weasleys nodded at his words, realizing as the minutes passed that it was true what Harry was saying, that they could talk to Fred again. There was something else the boy wanted to make clear, so he hurried to do so.

"And as we've said a couple of times already, it's very important to keep in mind that this is temporary. That he's not here to stay. He's here to say goodbye. It will be very hard, but you have to be strong."

Silence returned once more to the room, as the Weasleys looked at each other. Finally, Molly, still sitting next to George said:

"Guys... this is a decision you each have to make on your own. You're all adults now. Or almost." She added in Ginny's direction. "And even though you're so young, you've also experienced so much... You've survived a war. You've fought. Lost loved ones. So your father and I can't tell you what to do. You have to think about whether you will be able to deal with this or not. I just ask you to be responsible and honest with yourselves."

Mr. Weasley, from the other sofa, looked at each of his children. He gave them a few seconds before asking:

"So, have you decided?"

They all nodded slowly and Arthur took a deep breath.

"Okay. All in favor of talking to Fred, raise your hand."

Some raised their arms immediately, like Ron, George and Molly. Others, like Percy and Charlie, took a little longer, hesitating for a second. But in the end, each one of the Weasleys had their hand in the air and Harry felt something in his chest clench tightly, aware that there was no turning back.

"All right. Before we start... do you have any other questions?"

To Harry's surprise, Percy nodded:

"Yes... I wanted to ask you... How long? How long do you think we can have with him?"

"It's not an exact science, but... I'd say half an hour. Longer seems risky to me."

There were a few expressions of protest, but Mr. Weasley silenced them with a gesture.

"Boys, boys. I know it's not long enough. But how long would it be? A day? A month? A year? No." Arthur replied, shaking his head. "We all want a life with Fred. Even more. Ten thousand more years with your brother. Eternity. But we know that's not possible. He's gone. And this thirty minutes that Harry is offering us is a gift. A chance to say goodbye. So, instead of protesting, think about what you wanted to say to him but couldn't. Okay?"

The others nodded and silence returned to the living room. Harry looked at Ron and noticed the frightened look on his friend's face. It had been one thing to plan that. It was one of the hundreds of plans they had hatched over the last seven years. But explaining it to his family, and seeing that it was so close, was scary. Ron's heart had begun to pound. He wasn't ready for it. He didn't want to see Fred again, knowing that this would be the last time. He wanted to keep the possibility tucked away in a drawer and open it at the right time. What if in two, three, twenty years, he needed to talk to his brother again, but he'd already burned that option? What if he was never going to be ready to say goodbye? What if...?

Feeling his panic, Hermione's hand rested on his shoulder.

"Ron. You're going to be fine. We'll all be together, okay? We'll get through this together."

"But what if I'm not ready?" he muttered, anguish in his voice.

"None of us are. But it has to be done. For Fred, for your family and for you. This could be the first step to healing."

Ron looked into her eyes for several seconds, calming his trembling heart.

"I understand what you mean. But it's all happening so fast. And we'll have so little time with him. What do I tell him? I've been thinking for weeks about what I would say to him if I could talk to him again and now I'm forgetting everything. It's like my head has suddenly emptied."

Hermione smiled warmly at him.

"It's okay. Give me a second." She pulled her wand out of her pocket and conjured a notebook and pen. "Think about Fred, take a deep breath and write down the first thing that comes to mind. It will help you unblock your mind. Keep writing without focusing too hard. Don't force it and it will come to you on its own."

Ron took the objects in his hands gratefully. Then he leaned back against the couch with the notebook on his legs and did as Hermione had told him. He imagined Fred's face, his laughing eyes He would see them again in a few minutes, and his heart skipped a beat, filled with sad joy. He took the pen in his right hand and began to write.

Hermione, who had been watching him, decided not to distract him, and turned in the direction of the others.

"Anyone else want one? To write down what you want to say to him?"

"What a good idea, Hermione." Molly told her, grateful to be able to focus her attention on something specific, instead of letting her nerves and anticipation get the better of her.

Soon, all the Weasleys had their own notebook. They wrote in silence for a few minutes, the rustle of quills breaking the nervous silence. Harry watched them, worried and with adrenaline coursing through his veins. He looked out of the window once more, trying to calm himself. The sun was gone for good, and a blanket of stars brought some light to the darkness of the night. He looked for the moon, too, but it must have been hidden behind some cloud, for he couldn't find it. That made him think of Remus, and his heart shrank. He wished he could talk to his old teacher, ask him what he thought of the whole situation with the Stone. His thoughts inevitably led him to Tonks as well, and Harry forced himself to stop. Down that road he would end up thinking about every single person they had lost, and he couldn't afford to fall into that spiral. But an idea had popped into his mind, and he decided to keep it for the future. His brain had reminded him that it wasn't just the Weasleys who were grieving. Andromeda Tonks had lost a lot of people too. Her daughter, her husband, and her son-in-law. And she had become Teddy Lupin's last remaining relative. Harry pushed aside the guilt at the thought of his godson and tried to bring himself back to the present.

The Weasleys had finished writing and were looking at him expectantly, the sheets of paper in their hands.

"Harry?" Ron asked him. "What do we do now?"

Nervousness, fear, and excitement filled the Weasley's faces, and Harry knew there was no turning back now. He got up from the couch and pulled the Stone out of his pocket. The Relic seemed an insignificant thing between his fingers, but Harry knew the power it contained and how dangerous it was.

"Now." He said. "If you're ready... We can begin."

He looked at the Weasleys one by one and saw that they were. Or at least as much as they would ever be. He shared one last look with Ginny and Ron, then closed his eyes. He thought of Fred and twirled that little black stone between his fingers three times. The gasps of surprise and the cries that echoed through the room told him, without opening his eyes, what had happened.

His eyelids trembled before they opened and when they finally did, Harry could see a red-haired figure in the middle of the living room.

Fred Weasley stood in front of him, with a smile on his face.
Chapter End Notes:
And that's it for this chapter. I know you've been waiting months for the talk with Fred, I'm sorry! It'll be in the next one, I promise! It's just that I wanted to post something instead of making you wait a few more weeks for the next part. I hope it's worth the wait :)
By the way, it's getting close to my birthday and also Christmas, with all that it brings... So I don't know when I'll have the time/desire to write again cause I might be quite sad and busy in the following weeks. But I'll try to update as soon as possible. Don't worry, I'm still thinking about this story almost every day. Anyway, have a nice holiday season. See you soon! :)

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