That afternoon, the Grimmauld Place sitting room became almost identical to a study period in the Hogwarts library. Hermione had transfigured the small coffee table into a larger one enabling extra space for the current inhabitants to work. It was such an odd thing to see, as Harry envisioned Severus Snape to prowl around the makeshift classroom with his bat-like robes, hurling rude remarks, docking house points for no real reason, and making sure the students were doing exactly as they were told. Harry half-expected Seamus to blow his cauldron up, or Neville to melt his. Instead, the former Potions Professor sat comfortably in his self-designated sofa chair by the fire, with several books piled up beside him. Draco sat opposite to him, reading quietly, however looking incredibly bored. The remaining Gryffindors sat around the larger table – Hermione herself was scribbling away upon her parchment, taking notes ahead of everyone else. It quite literally, felt like a Hogwarts study period as even the clouded enchanted ceiling reminded Harry of the Great Hall.

Occasionally, Kreacher would appear and fill the table with an array of snacks and the pleasant smell of hot chocolate wafting under their noses while they worked.

It was mainly quiet, except for the occasional flips of the pages, the crackling of the fire, a gentle hoot from Godric preening his wings, and a groan of boredom from Ron who was most definitely not in the mood for such a task.

"Not riveting enough for you, Mr. Weasley?" Severus broke the silence in a mockingly sarcastic tone, without tearing his attention away from the book that was opened across his lap.

Draco snorted at the remark.

"Not, particularly, no, " Ron responded in all honesty, flipping another page rather miserably, and staring blankly at whatever text was in front of him. Harry could have sworn he saw his eyes droop close.

"While Ronald is pondering his life choices, I found a possible location – " Ginny interrupted, amusingly, while her brother scowled in her direction, " – It's called the Three Counties System, which is made up of smaller caves, located in North Yorkshire. It's apparently the longest cave system in the UK. It has…ugh, fifty-three entrances – "

"Fifty-three?! Bugger that!" Ron exclaimed.

Ginny glared sharply at her brother, looking rather annoyed, "…Are you going to let me finish?"

"Not unless you plan on reciting all fifty-three."

"Ron, let her finish, for heaven's sake, " Hermione nudged Ron in the side with her elbow.

"Mr. Weasley, " Severus spoke in a warned tone, finally glancing over his book to glare at Ron.

Ron seemed to roll his eyes, at the sudden commotion, "Alright, alright. Fine. Go on, dear sis."

"The systems seem to stretch over three different counties. According to what I have here, these caves contain a number of subterranean streams, " Ginny continued, as she cleared her throat, "It's mainly limestone, though. Does that make a difference?"

"No evidence of mining, in regard to the ochre pigment which was found?" Severus questioned.

Ginny shook her head, "No, nothing of the sort, sir. More for recreational cavers."

"…I suppose I'll record that in the 'possibly' column, " Hermione shrugged, as she scratched away with her black and fawn quill, "Though, I highly doubt they'll go for an obvious location. Surely they wouldn't attempt to occupy such a large system."

"It is still worth noting, " Severus added.

"Here - I found one in Wales, " Draco interjected, as he ran his index finger over the page he had marked, "Though don't ask me to pronounce the damn thing in Welsh, but it translates to Cave of the Black Spring. It seems to be the deepest in the UK, with a depth of two hundred seventy-four meters…blimey."

"Limestone is an organic sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate, which commonly forms in clear, warm, and shallow marine waters. Therefore, it does not seem to fit the description of what we saw in the memories, so reassuringly, we can eliminate those from our list of potential locations, " Severus reaffirmed, with a heaved sigh

"So, we need to look for a dry cave, essentially?" Harry questioned, "So, something more inland, as opposed to something close to the sea?"

"In layman's terms, yes."

"What about the Kingsdale Master Cave – " Ron squinted at the text before him, and shook his head immediately, " – Nope, forget that one. It's entirely flooded."

Harry couldn't help but crack a grin, "Yeah, well, I don't think the Death Eaters are going down there with flippers and a snorkel, Ron."

"…What the hell is a snorkel?" Draco curled his lip in confusion, "Is that one of the giant oaf's weird creatures, or something?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other in amusement and gave a slight chuckle, with Severus merely smirking behind his book he then raised closer to his head to attempt to conceal.

Ron eventually slammed his book shut and leaned back with his arms crossed over his chest yawning loudly, "Well, I'm glad you lot are having fun. Is anyone else bothered by the prospect of scouring through actual caves? Because I'd rather spend months camping aimlessly for months again."

"Stop being so bloody lazy, Weasley, " Draco suddenly snapped, as he shot Ron an irritatingly foul look, "Seriously. Neither of us are excited about combing through dozens of dusty old tomes looking for caves going by the memories of a madman…Well, except for Severus and Granger, of course. They're in their element."

Ron shot upright within his chair, "Did you just call me lazy?!"

"As a matter of fact, I did. I thought being stuck in your family home like a crammed tin of sardines would cure your claustrophobia, and you're worried about a damn cave -"

" - MALFOY, I SWEAR ON MERLIN'S RIGHT FOOT IF YOU DON'T – "

"Malfoy, will you shut it?!" Ginny picked up an apple and cinnamon muffin from the table and hurled it at Draco, who threw himself to the floor as the unfortunate item of food sailed past where his head had been. The muffin hit the window close to where Godric was perched, as the great horned owl snapped its beak in annoyance. Hermione clasped a hand over her mouth, failing to stifle the gasp that escaped her.

"ENOUGH!" Severus suddenly bellowed loudly with his deep reverberating voice, snapping the room back into a finite silence. Draco sneered silently, while Ron's face reddened with a wave of rising anger. The older Slytherin's venomous gaze darted from the two of them until it was certain they would not engage again. Within the man's booming tone, Harry saw trickles of blood cascading down from his nose, dripping down across his robes. Suddenly, the older Slytherin quickly fumbled within his robes, retrieving a cloth where he immediately clasped it to his nose. The cloth itself was quickly soaking with blood. The room was silent, as everyone watched helplessly, except for Hermione who transfigured up some fresh cloths with pieces of her unused parchment. Hermione handed them to Severus and watched as he desperately swapped them over. For what seemed like many minutes passed, Severus was able to stop the bleeding, and thus, began to mop up the remnants of blood from his face. Finally, he managed to compose himself and resumed as if nothing had happened, "…While you lot are busy bickering at each other, I may have encountered something that might give us the answers we need. Keep up the ridiculous verbal horseplay, and I'll start assigning detention."

"Detention? You wouldn't – " Ron responded, in disbelief.

" – Dare, Mr. Weasley? Don't test my patience – It is currently paper-thin."

"Knock it off, guys, " Harry warned. He had also had enough, "Severus…Are you okay?"

Severus only shot Harry an exhausted glare of annoyance, hoping the wordless response was enough. Eventually, he turned back to the others to continue as he turned to address the room again, jumping back into his usual stern lecture-mode once more, "Now – With whatever book you are currently reading, turn to the contents and find which ever information you have on Clearwell Caves. As you do that, I will recite the passage I have. Listen closely, as I will not repeat myself - " Severus turned back to his book, as he began to read aloud, "'The Clearwell Caves have been created by centuries of miners searching for iron ore. Some workings are thought to date back to the Neolithic era when ochre was collected for pigments. The honeycomb passages and caverns are evident of extensive excavation, and some areas of the mine are still being dug for the same material today. The Clearwell Caves are said to have the longest history of ochre mining in Britain.' …Sound plausible?"

Harry scrunched up his face, "Err, where exactly are these caves?"

Severus looked back at Harry and sighed, looking rather sour, "Take an educated guess. Where have we explored already?"

"…The Forest of Dean?" Hermione responded with a shocked look upon her face, "Surely that has to be it? Why else would those memories have shown us the Misty Dell and the Tintern Quarry? Both were located there."

Severus nodded once, "Yes, precisely."

"There?! You can't be serious!" Ron exclaimed, "They were under us the whole time?!"

The older Slytherin's gaze darted to Ron, "It seems highly likely. Perhaps those locations were interconnected by said cave system, weaving them together to maximize their concealment. Like a trap door, if you will. An emergency exit. Rather ingenious if I say so myself."

Harry was still wide-eyed, throwing his hands up in disbelief at the revelation, "But we've been to those places. We didn't see any cave opening or anything."

Severus pursed his lips, "That is because we were not looking for such a thing. Had that been our goal, we would have found something of the sort. It was likely concealed by enchantments against, even us. However, we do know the Quarry itself was decommissioned, thus, likely still an accessible entranceway to the mines, and this particular cave system."

The room fell silent, as they began to ponder what this truly meant. Harry simply couldn't believe it – In the two instances they returned there, they had no idea that they were treading along a cave system where their friends were held captive. He wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. Their enemies were hiding out under their noses the entire time they had stumbled upon those cursed grounds, and neither of them had any inkling of a clue. But if this was indeed true, and they may have found their target location, it was going to take some extensive planning to make this work. After all, the cave system was concealed by an ancient, dense forest. Reaching wherever they were hiding would not be an easy feat, as most of these caves extend for miles.

Hermione gently cleared her throat to dissipate the uncomfortable silence, peering down the book within her hands, "I found more information. 'Clearwell Caves are a collection of six mines – Clearwell, Old Ham, Lambsquay, Old Bow, Oak Pit, and New Dun, covering two hundred and fifty acres. The nearby scowels at the Secret Forest and Puzzlewood contain shallow surface mines, which later became entrances to deeper mines. It is also said to have reported sightings of haunted activity, and strange sounds being heard throughout the caverns.' …Muggle or magic?"

"A haunted cave system? Oh, for Merlin's sake, " Draco curled his lip in distaste, "Makes me wonder what else might be lurking down there."

Harry swallowed thickly, looking around the room for some kind of hopeful reprieve, "How do we plan to infiltrate somewhere we can't see? We need a map or something – "

"For now, we shall procure more details about this system, and figure it out from there. If, by chance that this is a cave frequented by Muggles, we might be lucky enough to find a generic map, " Severus suggested, "Otherwise, see what other entrances you are able to discover. We have two likely options thus far; four if we include Puzzlewood and Secret Forest."

"Do you think it might be a good idea to head back to the Quarry?"

"It is a wise idea to backtrack, " Severus began to look slightly worried, as the creases between his brow contracted further, "For now, gather as much information as you can. This will require extensive planning, without question."

Everyone else in the room nodded collectively.

"We'll start researching the likely entrances. They would have warded them as a precaution to prevent direct Apparition inside, therefore it'll be logical to assume that they'll choose more secluded entries, " Hermione suggested, as she grabbed a new roll of parchment in front of her and began to scribble away.

Severus nodded, "I remain in agreement with that, Miss Granger…" But as the man moved to speak again, his voice suddenly cracked, and he was overcome by a coughing fit as his voice scratched painfully against his throat. Severus placed a shaky palm over his chest as he leaned forward knocking his book accidentally to the floor in a mad scramble. Draco rose up beside him doing his best to reassure him but looking just as panicked, with Hermione suddenly standing up in shock, unsure of how else to help. Severus, in his desperate state, hastily grabbed a spare piece of cloth and placed it over his mouth. As Harry rose up to see what he could do, the horrible-sounding coughs and mild gurgles slowly began to cease, and Severus leaned back to his chair in struggled, heaved, uneven breaths, wiping remnants of blood from the corner of his mouth, and looking several shades whiter. Meanwhile, Harry took the goblet of water from the table and handed it to him, and watched as he took a few shaky sips, feeling just as useless as Draco likely did. The room continued to fall silent, except all but the sounds of Severus' sickly wheezes, as Hermione and Ginny just stared in horror and equal hopelessness as everyone else did within that room.

Severus growled under his breath in frustration with himself, until he finally pushed himself up from his chair and carefully made his way out of the room, responding in a hoarse, scratchy whisper, "…Carry on, the rest of you."

Draco picked himself up, and without another word, he followed his Godfather out of the room and disappeared with him. Hermione and Ginny exchanged worried glances, looking back over to Harry for confirmation.

"Malfoy is with him – " Harry ran his hand through his hair, " – Severus has been…He's been getting a lot worse. This is one of his better days, believe it or not."

"…Now I feel like the insensitive git, " Ron said, regrettably, as he leaned forward onto the table looking sullen.

"The trial is in four days, right?" Hermione asked, lowering her voice.

Harry nodded, as his brow crinkled in deep concern as worry was evident in his voice, "…Yeah."

"Well, he'll be glad to get it over and done with, " Ginny gently closed her book, and leaned over the hard-cover tome with her arms crossed in front of her, "It's going to be a difficult one, but…He has allies now. We'll get him through it, even if it takes the lot of us to do it."

"It'll be a tough few weeks in general for him. That, and the last stage of the ritual…That scares me the most, " Harry's face fell once he realised his own admittance to it. It didn't feel so real before, but it took a whole other meaning once those words escaped him.

"The incantation is unpredictable, " Hermione said, quietly, "Especially knowing that this entire judgment period is still, well…ongoing. You just need to keep him somewhat optimistic. It's almost over."

"Not when he is expecting to die, " Harry responded sadly, looking down to stare at his battle-evident hands which he noticed were starting to get a little dry and cracked, "He thinks this is going to end him. He's preparing for his death, so…nonchalantly. He keeps telling me not to worry, but I can see that it worries him the most. You guys haven't seen what I have…with him. He is not the same man who taught us begrudgingly for six years. Well, he is, but…He's different."

"He's still trying to be strong for you, that's why, " Ginny added, reaching over to place a single hand over Harry's, "From what we've seen already, that much is obvious. Even if he doesn't want to admit that himself."

"I don't need him to be strong for me…" Harry bit his lip, as he spoke quietly as if to help mask the brokenness within his own voice, "It's not even for me. It's for him, more than anything."

Hermione couldn't help but smile sadly, "We get it, Harry, really. It'll work out."

"I just… " Harry didn't even want to continue that train of thought. He knew he looked worried, but with each passing day and Severus' ill health, he was etched with fresh doubt that was making him feel so much worse about the entire thing. He was at the end of his own tether, and the rest was out of his hands. All he could do now for the dying ex-Professor was to support him in any way that he possibly could. Now Harry realised what Severus had meant by not leaving when he should have – an unexpected bond had developed between them, and now Harry was afraid to lose yet another person in his life. Maybe the loss wouldn't have to be so painful if they never reconnected in the first place. Harry was grateful for this second chance, but it still hurt. Just like losing Sirius after their promise of being together as one big happy family – all diminished before his eyes. And now something similar was going to happen, and Harry couldn't bear the thought of history repeating.

Despite Harry's deterred focus, the group spent the next few hours combing through the remainder of the books they had in their disposal, whilst Hermione was busy jotting copious amounts of information on parchment. There wasn't a whole lot of crucial information within their books, which meant Hermione and Harry would have to find more Muggle means. But considering they had spent most of the afternoon stuck combing through their books and discussing the plan, the evening was growing darker and the others decided to make a move home. Hermione and Ron left, holding hands, while Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry and kissed his cheek, soon following the others home.

Harry decided to take a quick detour upstairs to check on the older Slytherin, but as he ducked his head inside of the door to his bedroom, he found Severus sleeping with a persistent crackling of his breathing, and his Godson curled up asleep on the chair beside him. Satisfied that the man had company, Harry dragged his weary feet back up to his bedroom. He kicked off his shoes, slipped into his pajamas, and fell asleep the moment his head reached the pillow.

The following day, Harry and the others decided to re-scout the Misty Dell and the Tintern Quarry for any sign of a hidden entranceway into the depths of the earth. For the Quarry, of course, it was obvious that there was an entrance being an old, decommissioned mine after all. But whether that entrance was actually accessible, was another issue entirely. If it had not been touched for years, it would be obvious that it was not the correct location for their secret hideaway route. The Misty Dell was an intriguing option – Although they had combed through that place thoroughly before, there just did not appear to have obvious secret passageways worth noting. Not even within the old, cottage ruins. And if so, Severus would have been familiar with it in some sense, so Harry would be more than surprised if they happened to have missed something so obvious. Regardless, they had two locations that they were to see that day, and they wanted to make haste. They had so much to do, yet so little time. The remaining two locations that Hermione had discovered – the Secret Forest and Puzzlewood entrances – were next on their list.

The more days that had passed without rescuing the captives, the more anxious they all seemed to be. The only one that held themselves together was Draco and Luna. Everyone else was silently freaking out.

Luna decided to join them that day, and Harry made the decision to split them all into two groups. After a mild debate, Harry decided to send Ron, Hermione, and Luna to the Misty Dell, as two of them at least had some familiarity with it. Harry and Draco opted to go to the Quarry, and much to his disapproval, Ginny volunteered to tag along with them. Harry had insisted Ginny stay behind, or check out the Misty Dell with the others, but she was insistent she stay with Harry despite her own personal experience being held captive in the one place they were determined to re-visit that day. Despite Harry's uneasiness with the idea, he eventually gave up and accepted that she could make her own decision. She, like himself, was determined to put an end to this one way or another.

They parted ways that afternoon for their quick scouting trip, as Harry, Ginny, and Draco Apparated to the familiar forest edge where Harry and his group prepared to infiltrate last time. That rescue seemed like a lifetime ago, and so much had happened since then. Harry had mixed feelings being here – it was a dangerous mission led by Severus Snape with the DA and the Order in tow, but aside from the one unfortunate death of a captive, they were able to rescue the rest of them safely. However, there were too many near misses with many of them, Harry and Severus included, once they realised the grounds were guarded by hordes of Dementors. It was far too close for either of them, but they managed to hold onto their survival for a little while longer.

As the odd trio arrived at their destination, they all held their wands defensively by their side, unknowing to what problems they'd likely run into. The three of them could see the man-made stone crater of the Quarry from their position, whose overgrown trees took over most of the decommissioned outskirts of the mine itself. It was eerily quiet, and not another soul in sight. Harry was hoping above all else, that it was a good sign and the Death Eaters had since abandoned it completely as a base. Either way, they were sure to make this a quick journey. After all, they needed to weigh up all of their options and the best way to pursue an enemy who has been hiding underground, picking them all off, one by one.

Draco broke the silence, eyeing the abandoned base with curiosity, "So, this is the infamous Quarry everyone keeps mentioning."

"Be careful – they had Dementors here last time, " Harry warned, keeping his eyes focused ahead.

"Dementors? But I can't cast a bloody Patronus!" Draco said, snapping his gaze to Harry.

"Shh! Keep it down, " Harry responded harshly, "…Well, that'll teach you not to run off without one of us. Alright? Stay close this time. Come on, let's go. "

Draco huffed under his breath, as the three of them began their stony descent down the giant pathways, scouring every inch they could find for anything else worth noting during their travels. Harry had wished Severus were with them, as he'd known exactly what to do. Knowing that he took charge of the mission the last time, was a welcome relief to Harry as for once, someone else could have made the tough decisions beside himself. But upon the man's absence, Harry had to think more logically and cautious now. Everyone else was looking to him for instructions, and unfortunately, he didn't always have the answers. Like everyone else, he was just going along on a whim, hoping that luck could stay on their side. The same thing he had been doing for the past seven years. But Harry could practically envision Severus barking orders at them, and now Harry felt he needed to get into the man's calculative mindset to figure out what the hell they were going to do.

As they trailed down the pathway in silence, Harry felt some measure of relief, knowing that there was no evidence of Dementors occupying this space as they did before. Perhaps the Aurors couldn't previously round them all up, so they may have been relocated elsewhere. Some of the Dementors were still under Death Eater command, so it was reassuring at least to know that their numbers were finally dwindling. But it left Harry wondering where they were being contained. But at that moment, they could worry about that another time.

During their trek downwards, Harry noticed Ginny remaining unusually quiet. He walked up beside her, leaving Draco trailing behind, as Harry gently prodded her arm, "…Hey, Ginny, you okay?"

Ginny suddenly looked at Harry, and he noticed a sliver of anxiety in the way her hazel eyes darted around, and her wand arm twitching unnaturally by her side. She simply nodded, but Harry didn't believe that for a single second.

"You should have stayed back like I suggested, " Harry said, with concern, "You didn't have to come with me."

"I know, but I didn't want to leave you with – " Ginny indicated her head to the side, where Draco was busy keeping his eyes peeled away from them.

"That's the least of your problems, " Harry reached over and squeezed her hand, "I just didn't want you coming back here."

"I'm a big girl. I'll handle it, " Ginny bit her lip, and returned to caressing Harry's hand lovingly within hers. But even she did not look convinced by her own words.

Harry sighed, "I know you can handle it, Ginny, but you don't need to. I almost lost you once, and I don't want you feeling uneasy being here."

Ginny gave Harry a small smile, "I'll be okay. Really. We're only going to be quick here."

Draco clicked his tongue with annoyance, "Are you lovebirds done? Or am I the only one actually working here?"

"None of your business, Malfoy, " Harry rolled his eyes, "We are keeping our eyes peeled. "

"Yeah, on each other. Seriously, " Draco huffed under his breath as he decided to brush past them to walk ahead instead, keeping his wand raised in front of him in case of any surprises.

Harry and Ginny exchanged looks of frustration with the Slytherin, as they pressed on ahead after him. Eventually, they reached the bottom of the Quarry, as Harry envisioned those magical web-like cages to be stationed as they did before, where Ginny and little Elias were huddled together before they were eventually freed. It was indeed strange revisiting this place again, but at least it did not feel so hostile. There were still large amounts of overgrowth due to the minimal human activity around, so collectively, the trio used a combination of spells to clear the path as best as they could.

"I doubt they used this place again, " Ginny broke the silence, with her voice slightly scratchy, "…It's the same as I last remember."

Harry turned to Ginny, "Did you notice any of the Death Eaters disappearing around here?"

"As in, through the tunnels?" She shook her head, "No, I didn't see anything of the sort. They all stayed here in view."

"Maybe they didn't even know about the deeper cave system until recently, " Draco interjected, "I mean, not all the Death Eaters know about the bases. Only a rare few may have known."

Harry shrugged, "Makes sense, I suppose. Given all the overgrowth, there would have been no way for them to tread through here again without an opening." Ginny suddenly stopped moving to catch her breath, but Harry could see that she was trying desperately to hold herself together. He walked back over to her and wrapped his arms around her to realise she was shaking. Immediately, she buried her head in the base of his neck, giving a tearful sigh and a small sniffle. Harry rubbed small circles on her back soothingly, "…We'll go soon, okay?"

"I'm sorry. I thought I'd be okay here, but it turns out, I was wrong, " Ginny wrapped her arms tightly around him, "You're right, I'm an idiot, and I should have stayed behind."

"You're not an idiot. I just want you safe – " Harry breathed the words out, but he too, only remembered the night she was taken in front of his eyes. He didn't even want to let go of the embrace for fear of it happening again.

Ginny gently pulled away from him, and they stared into each other's eyes for a few moments, reassuring their protection within each other's company. She reached out to place a warm hand over Harry's chest, feeling every beat of his heart under her touch. The tender gesture made his heart skip several beats, but such a simple act made all the difference. They were both alive, and that meant more to him than anything. He clasped her hand in his and allowed it to rest upon his chest for a few more minutes.

"Oi, you two – " Draco suddenly called out, " – I think I found something."

Harry and Ginny wandered towards Draco hand-in-hand until they reached one of the rock edges which towered over them. There was a large gap in the wall, framed by wood, which appeared to have been a man-made hole. Like the rest of the Quarry, there was overgrowth obscuring the entrance along with fallen rocks half-barricading the entrance. Once the pair arrived at Draco's side, they watched as the Slytherin began to dissipate the overgrowth and began to carefully move the rocks away one by one with a Levitation Charm until the tunnel entrance from free from debris.

Casting the Lumos Charm, Harry extended his wand to illuminate the darkened gap ahead, scanning as far as his eyes could see. Seeing anything, however, was useless.

"Well, that looks inviting, " Ginny wiggled her nose from the dirt that was disturbed, and let go of Harry's hand, "Do you think someone purposely covered it?"

Draco immediately shook his head, "Initially, I thought the same thing. But the overgrowth embedded itself around the rocks that blocked it - That appears natural. The rocks didn't look deliberately placed. Unless those Death Eaters aren't as dumb as I thought."

Harry bit his lip, "Well, this can't be it, then. But if we can find a map, and see where this goes, we could use this to our advantage."

Draco nodded in agreement, "Yeah. Corner them like rats."

"Good, now we can leave."

Ginny nodded eagerly, "I'm more than happy to do that."

Upon their collective agreement, the three of them turned and Apparated away, reappearing back in the vicinity of headquarters. Almost an hour later, the others had returned and for the remainder of the afternoon, they all discussed their findings and ideas. Hermione once again began to scribble away each of the findings, and Harry was more than impressed by what she had written. During the time they were away, Hermione was able to procure several small maps for each of them to have. Luna spent some time re-drawing the map on her own piece of parchment, who collaborated with Hermione most impressively to create a visual board of sorts. There were markings already indicated for each of the entrances, and they were able to attach notes to describe the status of each one. It reminded Harry of one of the Muggle crime shows Dudley used to watch. With each new piece of the puzzle, Harry became more intrigued by what they had discovered.

Severus had arrived downstairs briefly to listen to the relay of new information, as he stared at the new board with interest curtesy of Hermione and Luna's handiwork. There were no plans of attack just yet, but merely convening together to swap information was already a step in the right direction. Harry could see Severus studying the board, watching as the man's eyebrows furrowed in deep thought, occasionally running an index finger over several spots of the map. He may already have an idea in mind, but for now, they needed to see the other possible locations before solidifying a plan with the rest of the DA and the Order of the Phoenix.

Harry knew already that they would need to call in a meeting to discuss such a plan. That was a lot of members combined, and Harry wasn't even sure if everyone would fit inside Grimmauld Place. But they really needed the numbers this time. He suggested they use Hogwarts for the next meeting, and the rest of the room collectively agreed. They needed the extra space.

As the afternoon finally turned to night, Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Ginny made their way back home leaving Harry and the two Slytherins behind once more. Harry trudged up to his bedroom on the fourth floor and decided to spend time on his own for a short while. He decided to drag himself into the shower and remained under the hot running water for longer than necessary, but he was in desperate need of something to soothe his muscles. In the mirror he noticed the deep purple bruise on the side of his face turn a shade lighter, but it still looked rather gnarly along with his split, slightly swollen lip. He retrieved the bruise salve given to him by Severus, as he began to liberally apply it again to every discolored spot he could find. It was still tender and very sore to the touch, but once Harry was done, he slipped into a clean set of nightwear and made his way back to his room feeling the most refreshed he has ever been in weeks.

When he finally reached his bed, he noticed a small pile of envelopes scattered across his bedside table, and upon closer inspection, noticed a few holes punctured at its edge from Godric's beak. He retrieved the three and observed the surfaces on each of them – they were addressed in the same way the other letters for Severus had been. Like the previous one, there were no noticeable seals on them.

Without hesitating any further, he tore one open:

Mr. Snape,

Blimey, what an honor!

I don't know what compelled me to read the Quibbler this time around, but I'm glad I did. While the world is rebuilding from such losses, the least I could do was sent you a letter. You don't know me. We've never met, personally. But my son, Caspian, was a Third Year Gryffindor this year, and he's keen on returning to Hogwarts soon.

Before I found out what you did, my son told me you saved his hide at the start of the year. I didn't believe him at first, as I thought the stress of the year got to him, with the Death Eaters taking over the school and all. I didn't even want him to go, but the students were forced to by the new regime. I admit, I cried when he left. I didn't know if I'd ever get to see him again – My wife and I were scared senseless. But he told me the kids were getting tortured – I couldn't believe my ears! Then he told us you had released him when one of those wretched new teachers locked him up. You healed him and disappeared. Of course, after Albus Dumbledore died, no one was going to believe you'd do such a thing for these kids. Hell admittedly, I didn't.

My only son…you saved his life.

Once I read about what you did, it all made sense. Caspian was right all along. I suppose I didn't want to believe it. But goodness gracious, you protected my son! You protected Harry Potter – The Boy Who Lived! You helped bring down You Know Who! And now you are continuing to save lives, so I've heard. Word gets around quickly, you know.

I only hope your name is honored for years to come.

From Edmond, Alwyn, and Caspian Halliwell

It was only until Harry re-shuffled the letter back within its envelope, did he realise he was tearing up. He seemed to vaguely remember the name of the student but couldn't quite remember his face. It didn't matter, though. Upon reading the letter, Harry soon realised that he didn't know exactly what Severus had done, through what the students were calling 'the Dark Year'. Anecdotes from students such as Caspian were sharing their experiences, and it most certainly put things into perspective. Severus was unable to do much at all due to his strict position, but it made sense for him to do what he could with the limited power he had in regard to his allyship and status as a triple agent. Harry could only wonder what Severus would have done without those restraints – He would not have hesitated to kill the Carrows, but that would have surely earned himself an immediate death sentence from Voldemort himself.

What he was able to do, under those circumstances, was minimal. But if he could save a single life at a time, then that was worth more than anything. Even if he had forged a hatred amongst his colleagues, and ultimately, the student body. No one would have even believed he do such a thing, so Severus took that risk which seemed to have worked in his favor.

Harry looked over to the clock on the side of his bedside table – It was close to midnight. Deciding to leave the other letters sealed, he gathered the envelopes and made his way downstairs to finally hand them to Severus. Harry felt a little strange doing this, and he knew he'd be questioned severely for it, but he didn't care. Severus finally deserved to know.

Passing Severus' room, he realised the ex-Professor was not inside, so he made his way further down the stairs to enter the sitting room, wincing with each creaking sound the wooden floor was making. He found Severus Snape at the table studying Hermione's map, with books opened up beside him illuminated by the multiple candles stationed around him, with the light casting shadows upon his gaunt face. His hunched form was tensed, eyes deep in thought, as he ran his fingers down each page of the book he was reading, while he scratched away on a piece of parchment with the other using his own black quill. The man's traveling cloak was thrown over his shoulders like a blanket, whilst an empty mug of tea had been pushed aside beside Severus' ebony wand.

Upon Harry's footsteps, Severus looked up towards the door regarding him with a quick glance, before turning back to his array of books and curled-up parchment. Harry proceeded to enter the room, lingering beside the ex-Professor, curious as to what he was writing. After a few more minutes of rushed scratching, Severus placed the quill back on its stand, allowing the fresh ink to dry.

"…Anything interesting I should know?" Harry broke the silence, as he stood idly by the table.

"Nothing thus far. I've been examining the information you lot gathered earlier – " Severus heaved a tired sigh, " – I'm attempting to form some plans of attack; however, more information is needed in order to figure out the nearest chamber where the captives are being withheld. We are running far too blindly."

"Yeah, we'll check out the other two places in the next few days, so we can further narrow it down, " Harry responded, as he watched the man clutch his traveling cloak tightly around him, watching him occasionally shiver, "…You don't have to do this, you know."

"Well, I am unable to be of damn use out there, so this is all I can manage, " Severus' eyes flashed towards him with unnerving desperation, and Harry could sense how much he was bothered by this.

"It's fine – "

Severus suddenly slammed his hand down on the table, causing the candles to shake upon their stand, "- No! It is far from fine. I should not be cooped up here! I should be out there. Dealing with this." Severus hissed, as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Every time you venture out there, I fear that less and less of you return each time. They want to pick you off, one by one. Cut down your numbers. Leave you powerless. Vulnerable."

"We can deal with this."

"That is not the point."

"Then what is?" Harry questioned, noticing Severus' demeanor change slightly. The man didn't have a furious anger, however. More of unsettling frustration, which he did not seem to ease, "We can – "

" - Harry! Listen to me…please!" Severus winced at the harsh tone of his own voice, "Really, listen. This is not a game. After facing the Dark Lo – HIM – for years, you would realise the seriousness of this? That poison they unleashed could have decimated the lot of you in an instant. And what is to say they won't use that as their last resort when they find you attempting to corner them in their own underground safe house? They will flush you out like vermin!"

"Well, what else are we to do? How else do we do it? We don't exactly have other options, " Harry responded, firmly, "I really don't want to be doing this, either, but there is no other way."

"I don't want you going in there –" Severus stopped himself, not willing to continue with that train of thought.

Harry looked away. He knew how torn up Severus was about all of this, but what else were they to do? They both knew it was now impossible for Severus to further participate in the ill-trodden state he was in, and without magic…It was far too risky, but he simply couldn't be there, as much as Harry and his friends could really use his expertise in the field. His power and resourcefulness would help bring the others back safely, but without even his magic, he was just as useless now. Harry felt really bad for him in this terrible situation. It was almost identical to the same predicament Sirius had faced – and that got him killed in the end.

Harry soon lowered his head, wondering if he should leave him to cool off, "Do you want me to leave you alone for a bit? You can tell me to get lost, and I won't get offended."

Severus' eyes shot back up to Harry as if he asked a question in a foreign language. Instead, he outstretched his arm to the empty space beside him, speaking almost at a whisper, "…Sit down."

Harry did what he was told and made his way to the larger sofa where Severus was seated. Once he sat down beside him, he watched as Severus leaned forward on the makeshift study table Hermione had transfigured earlier, resting his arms splayed across the varnished wood. Harry simply sat with his hands in his lap, waiting for the man to continue. The heaviness was so evident on Severus' face, and each time Harry noticed that on him, the weight of whatever he was withholding seemed to further crush him. The man looked twenty years older than he was – each line on his face sunk deeper within his sallow, sickly face, losing whatever ounce of color he had left. His skin almost had a greyish tinge, as his dark eyes sunk deeper into the hollow crevices of his sockets.

Eventually, Severus tilted his head slightly in Harry's direction, not daring to look back into the familiar green eyes of the Gryffindor, "Once we gather the information we need, and summon everyone for this meeting, I will help you orchestrate this mission, with every minuscule detail taken into consideration for this to be even remotely successful. This can go horribly wrong in multiple ways, Harry…I will not sugar-coat this. This is beyond dangerous."

"I can use the Cloak…Sneak in there, and see what we are dealing with, " Harry responded gently.

"No!" Severus seemed to wince at the very suggestion and looked far more stressed than he has ever seen on the man, "That should be left with me. That task is something I should be doing. Not a group of teenagers walking into a suicidal death trap! You've just survived a war, for Merlin's sake!"

Harry's heart began to thump strongly within his chest, "Then you're going to have to learn to trust me completely, this time. I will make sure that we stick with whatever plan we come up with. I will lead them in the way you want me to…The way you would."

Severus clasped his hands so tightly together, that Harry could see the whites of his knuckles. The Slytherin struggled for breath, noticing that he looked far too anxious. It was understandable, though. Harry wasn't about to embark on a mere camping trip as he did before. This felt different…This was unlike their infiltration in the Ministry, or Gringotts's. This didn't even feel remotely close to their capture at Malfoy Manor. But knowing even Severus was disturbed by this, made Harry even more nervous about it. He never realised it earlier, but it was Severus' confidence in their attack at the Quarry which further fuelled confidence within himself. But knowing that Severus was far from feeling that self-assured again, was certainly worrying. He knew at this point he tried desperately to compose himself and stay strong for Harry and everyone else, but how do you hide the possibility that more people might perish? When there was such an incredibly high chance that this could end in disaster, was frightening.

"This is not about trust in you – " Severus finally snapped his gaze back at Harry, with almost a pleading expression that he had never seen before, " – It is them; I do not trust. This is about preserving your life. Every opportunity they have to put your life in further peril worries me. I know what they are capable of. What you saw in Amycus' memories…I was forced to witness such atrocities in my days as a new Death Eater all those years ago, and it still haunts me. "

"But I can't just stay back and do nothing!"

"I know – and that's what kills me. We both know that you would run in there, even disregarding your own life to save another. Admittedly, I would do the same. The point is, regardless of what I tell you…I cannot stop you - " Severus then looked away, redirecting his attention on the candles still burning softly on the table, " - So we plan this as thoroughly as we can, in the hope that you – everyone - returns unscathed. Because I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you now."

Harry really didn't know how to respond to that, feeling every ounce of his skin flush with sickening anxiousness, and instead of sinking back deeper into his chair. Godric hooted quietly in the corner as the majestic bird preened its feathers, as a few balls of fluff gently floated down to the ground. Harry shuffled in his seat instead, and reaching out, he placed a hand softly on Severus' shoulder, feeling the touch causing the man to tense. But eventually, he relaxed himself as he heard to man breathing deeply as if the contact itself sparked further fear. It was incredibly difficult for the Slytherin, too. Not being able to actively participate, and instead of sending teenagers into treacherous enemy territory, when he knew that one of him, equaled four of them. Harry wished to fight by his side again. At the very least. Harry couldn't bear to think what was running through the man's mind at that point, but he could barely fathom his own shattered, dismal thoughts.

Everything just felt so heavy, and nothing seemed to get any easier. For either of them.

Squeezing the man's shoulder gently, Harry eventually retracted his hand and moved to stand up. As he rounded the table to retreat for the night, he heard a shuffle from Severus behind him.

"Wait – " Severus called quietly, who had just risen from his seat.

Harry stopped to turn and face the ill-stricken Slytherin when he noticed the man brandishing an envelope in his hands - it was the letter Harry had left by his bedside.

Severus held up the letter for Harry to see, and eyeing the Gryffindor with a light frown across his face, "…Care to explain this?"

Harry drew in a deep breath, and eventually shook his head, "It doesn't need explaining."

"Harry – " Severus looked pained, but Harry wasn't quite sure why, "I didn't do what I did for recognition, or…fame. I did it because it was my duty. To you. To Albus…To Lily."

"Which is why I wanted people to know. I wasn't about to allow the rest of the wizarding community to continue hating you, without knowing the truth about what you did – " Harry passed over the remaining letters he had received earlier, " – Some were sent to me. You're still in hiding, as far as they know."

Severus retrieved the letters gingerly, simply staring blankly at his name emblazoned on one side, "Harry…I did not want anyone to know."

"That you saved more than just my life?" Harry gave an exasperated sigh, "You shouldn't hide that. It's not about recognition…What you did through all these years, was brave. I see it, my friends see it – Why can't you? Only I know your personal memories…no one else. And I'm going to keep it that way."

"This is – "

" – No. Now you need to listen to me. Please, I don't want to argue about this with you, okay?" Harry explained, as calmly as he could, "…You have this ridiculous notion that you did absolutely nothing. That what you did, wasn't worth a dime. You endured that pain for years, and no one knew. Now, you can rest – and allow me and the others to finish this."

Severus' face fell and his shoulders slumped over, as he remained staring at Harry in a defeated manner. He said nothing as he leaned back to perch himself gingerly and with great effort upon the armrest of the sofa, staring idly at the envelopes within his trembling hands.

Harry sighed, "Just read those letters. Really read them. They should tell you all you need to know. I'm not saying all of this to humiliate, or spite you, or anything. Just the opposite."

Severus closed his eyes briefly, "Harry, I did my duty. Nothing more."

Harry couldn't help but let out a sarcastic snort, "Nothing more? You're joking. "

The Slytherin threw a hand up in frustration, "What do you expect me to say? I'm not some dashing knight in shining armor or some…hero. Those are childish notions. I'm neither of those things, Harry. Far from it."

"I never said you were, and that doesn't matter to me, " Harry drew in a deep breath, "Is it so bad to just accept the good you did? I don't care if we were at each other's throats before. I just…don't see that of you, now."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but your platitudes are not needed."

"Well, if you'd stop fighting me on it, then I'll stop mentioning it. I'm allowed to be genuinely honest, " Harry responded defiantly, "I'm not going to lie to make you feel better. Besides, I know you'd likely tell me the same bitter truths…I get it."

Severus's mouth twitched into a small, hauntingly sad smile, "It's difficult to find any good within yourself when all you know are your own faults. Too much time spent in solitude contemplating what-ifs, or what I could have done differently…It's challenging to see it any other way. Especially after losing the only light you ever had, everything else seems bleak and damaged beyond repair. That is the bitter truth."

Harry didn't expect that to tug at his heartstrings as strongly as it did, as he felt his eyes grow teary, "…Like you, I blame myself a lot for everything that has happened and wishing I could have done better. Or made better choices. So many people got hurt and died because of me."

"It was also their choice to fight, and not just in your name, but upon a moral justice to conquer against the darker regime, " Severus reassured, softly, "But I suppose neither of us will ever truly be content when we cannot help but be consumed by guilt…Such a wretched thing to live with."

"Maybe once this is all over…We can find peace again, " Harry tried to smile, but a single tear fell down his cheek instead, as he quickly brushed it away. He wasn't expecting this to hit him so hard. Grief and guilt – Both were equally as suffocating, and in knowing this, he further understood why Severus was often bitter and disturbed through all of these years. It made sense.

"Perhaps I'll hold you to that, " Severus tilted his head over the side sightly, eyeing the Gryffindor with a look of deep sadness, but no real hope could be found within his dark onyx eyes which seemed to gloss over so suddenly. Harry watched as Godric flew over to perch himself beside Severus, nudging his grey beak at the man's shoulder tenderly, causing Harry to smile, "…It seems I have a new feathered friend." He watched as Severus reached out to scratch the creatures' feathered chest, earning a light hoot from the owl in response.

"I'll leave you both to it then, " Harry wiped his face again with the back of his sleeve, and it was only then did he realise how many tears had fallen, "…Goodnight, Severus."

"Goodnight…Harry."

Harry turned to offer the man a small smile before he finally departed back to his room to rest his weary head.

There was no denying how broken they both were.

After the war, it still never got any easier.