Chapter Ten

"The Melodramatic End."

Snape was loathe to leave the stunned Death Eaters for as long a time it would take to bring Potter back to Hogwarts, for providence was so often against him that he just knew they'd manage a miraculous escape and return to the Dark Lord in his absence. He did the best he could under the circumstance, awkwardly shifting Potter to the lower levels of the house – to the living room, if he guessed correctly, as he put the boy down onto an overstuffed armchair – before going back up to… deal… with his former associates.

He had never had much practical experience with the killing curse. It had always seemed much more expedient to employ a few elegant, simple potions: dab a few drops to skin and watch the life wither, or open a slack jaw and pour the liquid down. As such, it was with a slightly disoriented feeling that he cast three successive Avada Kedavra's and, feeling vaguely nauseated afterwards, stumbled back down to Potter.

The boy looked at him with wide green eyes that were for once not shuttered or hiding. The difference was stark to Snape, who had gotten used to their scheming glance. "They're dead," Potter stated simply. Snape just as simply nodded.

Grimacing distastefully, he took the boy back up into his arms. He disliked the contact as much as he could feel Potter did judging by his sudden stiffness, but knew it couldn't be helped; it required ill-gotten experience to be able to function after a prolonged bout with the Cruciatus Curse and despite whatever animosity Snape had ever held for Potter, he would not wish such experience on any child.

Focusing on a point far from Potter's face, which stared up at him blankly, Snape Apparated them both with a resounding crack.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Potter was safely put to bed in the Hospital Wing before Snape managed to stumble his way down to the dungeons. He was energized from adrenaline and thankful for it. He'd need all the alertness he could get to handle brewing the pain relieving potions he was almost positive Potter would need, and possibly Granger as well if St. Mungo's were woefully under stocked.

It was as the potion was gently simmering that Dumbledore's voice called him from the doorway. Snape didn't turn in greeting; he never had. Dumbledore was perhaps the only person Snape would ever trust to present an unguarded back to.

"Miss Granger is safe," Dumbledore said with a relieved sigh. "Her condition is not severe; the Healers say that she is simply unused to pain on the magnitude of the Cruciatus and that she has suffered no long-term damage."

Rather than say anything in response to belie his relief, Snape nodded sharply just the once. "Potter as well seems fine. Poppy is keeping him upstairs. He sleeps."

Dumbledore had come around to face Snape; Snape kept his gaze firmly fixed to the deft motion of his hand stirring the potion. "Severus," Dumbledore said. "I fear I have not been wholly honest with you concerning Harry these past few weeks."

Snape's inner voice began to crow. 'A-ha! Now we discover just what's wrong with the little miscreant! All his scheming, all his plots…' Outwardly, he calmly asked, "In what way, Albus?" He chanced a glance upwards and was shocked by the lightly regretful look on the Headmaster's face.

"I believe Harry has endeavored to convince you that he is something that he is, in fact, not while in your care. If you think back on it, I'm sure you can recognize moments where it seemed as if he were… a bit… different from normal."

Snape's eyes narrowed. "Yes," he gritted out. "There were quite a few of those moments."

Dumbledore looked pained. "Ah. I see. Well, allow me to clear up some misconceptions for you. I would hate for your dealings during the school year to be influenced by events over holidays." He took a long pause. "When you first retrieved Harry from his relatives, you witnessed the state of his house, correct?"

Snape tersely nodded. His hand continued stirring steadily; he said, "Potter lost control of his magic. The results were… dramatic."

"Er." Dumbledore winced. "I don't suppose you'll like what I'm about to say, Severus, but please hear me out." The old wizard actually looked genuinely regretful. "The explosions were not of Harry's doing."

Snape gaped. "But-" he said. "I saw him! He said he did it!"

"No, dear boy," Dumbledore said gently. "He implied it. There is a difference."

"I felt his magic gathering – I felt the pressure-"

"That would have been his mode of protection. It seems that over the past two or so years, Harry's cousin has become involved in illicit activities that have involved Muggle gangs and explosives. The day I sent you to retrieve Harry was the day that young Dursley's cache of incendiaries was discovered. The resulting arguments were fiery enough, and I feared to let Harry stay there any longer; alas, I sent you there too late, and in his petulance, young Dursley set off the majority of explosives within his possession. It was only due to Harry's magical intervention that damage was limited to the roof, when by all rights the entire house should have been in flames."

Snape scowled. "That can't be right. He threatened to do the same thing to Hogwarts as he did to his relatives' house. You must be mistaken."

"I know what Harry said." Dumbledore frowned. "I heard it, as you may recall, and was puzzled as to his motivations. When it became clear that he was manipulating you, and by extension me, to be allowed to returned to Order Headquarters, I believed that it was in his best interests to give him what he wanted." He looked faintly guilty. "That was why I corroborated his story, I am sorry to say."

Snape glowered angrily, but his heart was less than into it. "So you lied to me." 'And not for the first time,' the ever-present voice in his head muttered.

"Yes."

Dumbledore seldom attempted to justify himself. Snape had never been gladder, for otherwise he'd have been tempted to strike the older man.

"And Potter's other odd behaviour?"

"I believe," Dumbledore said carefully, "that if you give that question deep enough thought, you will come to your own conclusions." He sighed. "I am sorry for having misled you previously, Severus; that was not my intent."

Snape pinned the older man with a tired glare, then let out a sigh of his own. "I must concentrate right now," he hinted. No matter that the potion was almost finished. He didn't look up to Dumbledore again as the older man quietly exited.

Instead he stared down into the mire of his potion and lost himself in thoughts. Thinking back on it, it was possible to see that nothing Potter had done had actually been malicious… more designed to cause suspicion and worry than anything else. His OWLs, for instance; if the nitwit truly had managed an 'O' in Potions, it wasn't unreasonable to assume he'd done just as well at everything else – making the tutoring sessions Snape had forced on the both of them somewhat redundant. Snape winced.

No wonder Potter had seemed to be laughing at him throughout the sessions. No wonder he didn't take them seriously. He knew everything already.

Then there was the letter that Snape now knew to be false, designed no doubt with the knowledge that Snape would read it. Did Potter know what kind of reaction he'd garner? Snape curled his upper lip. Unquestionably yes. But why?

And going back to the subject of the house, even if Potter hadn't been responsible for its destruction, the Muggle's reaction to him had been telling. There had been real fear there; nervousness and stifled terror. Potter surely must have done something… Except, Snape's inner voice whispered, it may not have been Potter his uncle had been afraid of. He remembered suddenly Mad-Eye Moody's obvious glee in saying he had threatened the Muggles… and one in particular had been frightened. Snape's face tightened.

So. He had been thoroughly manipulated into thinking that Potter was either hopelessly incompetent, insane, or a future Dark Lord preparing to take the current one's place. The only question was – why? And try as he might, Snape could not divine an answer.

Glancing down he saw that the potion had turned pale green; it was finished. And so was the last of Snape's patience.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Harry woke, Remus sat by his side. He dimly remembered having passed out in Snape's arms – how humiliating – while being carried to Hogwarts from Hogsmeade. Bleary eyed, he nonetheless managed a grin for Remus' worried face and weakly squeezed the hand holding his own. He felt floppy and exhausted, with the world fading in and out of clarity around him. Someone had taken his glasses away and he squinted at Remus tiredly.

"Hermione?" he asked immediately.

Remus chuckled. "She's fine, Harry. St. Mungo's is taking care of her nicely and she'll suffer no harmful effects from the curse. Professor Dumbledore questioned her concerning the whereabouts of her parents, and learned that they are safe as well at a Muggle professional conference. They've been contacted and Apparated, and are with her now." He cocked his head thoughtfully. "It was rather strange. They had to dig out a shard of glass from Hermione's hands."

Harry flushed. "About that-"

"No need to explain," Remus cut him off. "I well remember Sirius and James' mirrors. I was surprised at the way you chose to use them… or perhaps mirror traveling was an unexpected event?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "I hadn't a clue how I managed to get to Hermione like that."

"It has to do with the nature of the spells on the mirror," Remus explained. "They create a connection between the mirrors and those who possess them; in this case, the connection was strengthened as the shards came from one whole mirror and also by the drawing of both your and Hermione's blood. When you said her name – you did say her name, right? – the connection was physically activated and instead of just allowing you to communicate, you were pulled through the shard's surface. It's a tricky bit of magic you've pulled off, Harry." For a moment, it seemed as if Remus were beaming fondly down at him. Then, abruptly, he frowned. "Never, ever do it again."

Harry meekly nodded. "I swear." He paused in thought. "So you found my mirror shard, then?"

Remus nodded. "I followed the scent of your blood after Albus and Severus had left to find you. Sirius' room?"

"I…" Harry flushed. "Sometimes I stay there."

Remus smiled gently. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. He'd want you to remember him." He paused. "Harry. I know that you saved Hermione's life, but what you did was wrong. You should have found one of us. We're more able to deal with what happened. We have the experience and the responsibility. I know," he took a deep breath, "that you're still dealing with what happened to Sirius, but that doesn't mean you're allowed to be so reckless. You… you have to be better than that. You have to…" He dragged a pale hand through graying hair, his eyes closing tiredly. "You have to not throw your life away so carelessly. You could have gotten hurt, Harry. And I wouldn't have been able to save you…"

"I know," Harry whispered miserably. "I didn't mean to rush into it again. I know I have a 'saving people thing'. But… Hermione was screaming. I couldn't… I just couldn't…" Large green eyes pleaded wordlessly with Remus for acceptance.

The werewolf sighed tiredly. "In the future, please try. If Albus and Severus hadn't been able to get there in time, or if that Third Death Eater had been a little smarter, or if Voldemort had decided to show up…"

"I know," Harry said. "I promise. I won't be so thoughtless again." Unspoken, he amended, 'Well, so long as my friends aren't being threatened.' And he knew how to fix that. Tentatively, he broached his idea with Remus. "I've been thinking… once school starts, I should stop hanging around Ron and Hermione quite so much. Don't you agree? I mean, being my friends has made them targets for Voldemort and all the Death Eaters… So they'd be safer if I just stayed away, right?"

Remus looked troubled. "That may be true," he agreed. "But I doubt either would let you get away with it. There's a reason why they're your friends, Harry. They love you."

"And I love them," Harry responded stoutly. "That's why I want to do this."

"It won't be as easy as you think," Remus cautioned. "It'll hurt you and it'll hurt them. Think it over before you do anything, all right?"

Harry frowned, and was about to reply, when a silky-smooth voice interrupted them both.

"Lupin," Snape said. "Poppy had something to say to you." Snape had stood unnoticed at the entry way of the Hospital Wing. He was imposing in his weariness, tall and black like an overbearing bat. Remus stood with a nod to Snape and a final pat to Harry's hand.

"I'll be back soon," he promised, and walked away; leaving Snape and Harry alone to face one another.

As soon as Remus was out of ear-shot – a fair distance, given his lupine abilities – Snape rounded on Harry with dark fury glittering in his eyes. "You," he said. "You have caused me no end of grief. I admit it has taken me some time to cotton on, but now that I have, I want to know why you have been engaging me in pointless mind games all summer. Tell me, Mr. Potter. For once in your pathetic excuse for an existence, tell the truth."

On Harry's hand his scar burned, a tangible reminder of what had happened the last time he'd been accused of lies. Pain spurred him to honesty, and he hissed, "Because I hate you." His eyes were cat-bright and filled with venom. "I hate you so much I can't breathe. It's your fault that Sirius is dead."

"Oh?" Snape's eyes narrowed; his fingers clenched. He was used to being hated. "I suppose the Dark Lord had nothing to do with it - Bellatrix Lestrange had nothing to do with it - YOUR OWN IDIOCY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!"

"No," Harry snarled. "No, it's my fault too. It's their fault too. But you... you're supposed to be on our side. And all you ever wanted from Sirius was his death. I won't forgive you for that. I won't."

"You assume," Snape replied silkily, "that I wish your forgiveness." His eyes were as smooth and depthless as the frozen lake in midwinter. "And I don't."

All energy drained visibly from Harry and he slumped back to his pillow in exhaustion. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah, whatever." His closed eyes looked especially vulnerable without the shield of glasses to cover them. His skin was paler than the sheets he rested on. "Just go."

Snape scowled. He withdrew from his robe's inner pocket two vials of dully shining green potion. He set both on the bed-side table. "Potter." He waited until Harry's eyes opened and focused, however blankly, on him. "Take one of these now. Take the other when you wake. They will help with the pain." He whirled and stalked to the door, missing the suddenly shocked and oddly vulnerable cast Harry's face had taken on.

Harry reached to the first vial as soon as Snape was out of view. He held it in his slightly trembling hand before unstoppering it and downing the contents; his eyes squinched tight in a gesture of distaste and his throat worked desperately to resist gagging. In seconds, though, he felt better; and in seconds more, he was fast asleep. His last thought before succumbing to dreams was, 'I don't understand you at all, Professor…'

He had no idea the sentiment was thoroughly reciprocated.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lupin stopped him as he was exiting the Hospital Wing. The werewolf looked strained, but his eyes smiled lightly at him. "I wanted to thank you for saving Harry tonight," he said. "I know you put yourself at risk."

Snape snorted. "This is not the first, nor, I suspect the last, time I will have to put myself in danger to salvage the boy."

Lupin looked pensive. "I think that's what everyone who cares for him must go through."

"I, care?" Snape scoffed. "I couldn't care less if the twit were the Dark Lord himself. It is enough that Albus cares."

"You can't fool me," Lupin actually smiled. "Your latest bout of gallantry has given you away." He paused then, and looked pensive. Snape followed his gaze to see Potter on his bed, pale and limp with black hair haloed about his head like spilled ink. "Do you think… that he will survive what's coming?

Snape huffed impatiently and moved to bypass Lupin and enter the hall. He had no time to waste speaking of empty-headed Gryffindor brats, especially not to equally empty-headed Gryffindor beasts. Something of Lupin's tone beseeched him, however, and he paused in the doorway. He thought back to how he'd been so skillfully manipulated, so easily played… his weaknesses exposed and exploited; his misconceptions catered to and enhanced… misdirection upon misdirection. Potter had almost been Slytherin in his machinations, had it not been for the sole fact that none of his maneuverings had garnered him anything useful; they had all been used for pointless, useless revenge. This had cost Potter whatever respect he may have been able to gain. Still… it showed genuine potential, potential Snape had no doubt would soon be fulfilled.

The thought made him shiver. He did not know whether from fear or anticipation. Did he think Potter would survive what was surely to come?

He swept past Lupin, a slender black silhouette disappearing down the shadowed halls.

He had no doubt.

---

Ahhh! It's finished! It's done! And the sequel is already plotted, it just needs to be paced and fleshed out! But, I'm sorry everyone, I won't be writing the sequel until sometime in June; the other half of this writing duo has been pressuring me to write a story I've been teasing her with for the longest time. (That's right Snake-Fodder! You're getting your story soon, ya yerk!) Before I'd finished "Roundabout...", I'd planned to have a different type of ending; since I've planned out a sequel, that ending has been incorporated into the sequel. I hope that this chapter provides a definitive enough end for you all and that it clears up any lingering misconceptions that Harry is actually 'Dark Lord'-ish or anything like that. He's just employing his rather unique brand of revenge on Snape to get back at him for having played off of Sirius' weaknesses during the previous year. I'm sorry this chapter was lacking in the humour and heavy on the melodrama, but come the sequel, you shall be (hopefully) laughing again!

Thanks to everyone for reading and enjoying my work!

opalish - Thanks! I'm glad for your vote of confidence. Unfortunately, action and humour don't tend to be my strong points... I'm working on it though! I hope you'll read the sequel when it comes out in a few weeks!

Howl - Hm... a muse name, eh? And I'd suppose you'd be loathe to go back to 'Serendipity'... Let me ponder this deep theological question for a while! Heh. I'm really glad you liked the last chapter! 'Twas wonderful to receive your splendiferous review and I'm glad you agree with all the characterizations. And now you have to read the sequel, if only to see what I've decided your muse name must be!

Coriel - Thank you! Your review saved my metaphorical butt, since I was forgetting about the mirror shards altogether in the midst of the battle and the cleaning up part. You are solely responsible for the talk between Remus and Harry concerning mirror shards! Thanks once again!

Purple Raveness - Thanks so much! I hope you like the sequel as well.

dmweasley - Heh, yup! And now you have to wait for the sequel! (...assuming you still have interest in the story...)

Mebear - :grin: Thanks! Doesn't it sound like something Snape would say?

Em - Wow - there's going to be a 2nd and 3rd part to PotC! Yay! I can't wait! Are they getting all the same actors to come back, or what? Eeee, I am so watching all of 'em! Okay, my fangirlism is out of the way now. So, you have many questions... that will be answered in the sequel (I'm trying to give everyone incentive to read it. I know. I'm bad.) And, hm... you're right, Snape should be a good cook! Huh. Now I want Snape food!Oh, and as per your 'fic request (with the stuck-as-animagi Harry or Snape)... it's in the works. Seriously. Keep your eyes peeled for the next two weeks or so. As always, thank you so much for the enthusiastic review and the hug. I hope to see you again in the sequel::many hugs:

Strega - I know! Remus was almost acting like Sirius, wasn't he? Except that he didn't go rushing off into danger where he wouldn't have done any good... so... good job Remus! I hope this latest and last chapter doesn't disappoint, and that it meshes well with the rest of the 'fic. I hope to see you whilst writing the sequel, where loose ends you've probably not even noticed will be worked out and expanded upon! It's always wonderful to have a Ravenclaw searching through my stories for sub-text, plot, motivations, etc... and I know it encourages me to be a better, more complex author! Thank you again! (p.s. - I'll be explaining the fight scene better in the sequel, so it'll be understood just why Harry's magic didn't go wild on him and save him. So you'd better read! ...or, you could e-mail me and I'll just explain in private, where I won't be giving spoilers on the rest of the story...)

Clodia - Well... yes, Dumbledore was implying a triple homicide; but I attempted to make it clear that he was only doing it to help save Snape (with the whole, "He saw your face, Severus," comment). Anyhow, I'm so glad you liked the action! There'll be plenty more where that came from in the sequel, as well as lots of Snape-Harry sniping.Thank you so much for being an awesome reviewer all throughout the story. It means a lot to me.

the yerk (aka, 'memoria') - Heh. Poor un-dead Fred. She can never escape you! NEVER! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! ...ahem. see you tomorrow, right?

AwesomePossum - Alas, the brilliance must now come to an end. At least it seems that though I've dragged both Sherlock and Watson down the murky path of obsession, they've managed to find their way back to (relative) normality! You, AwesomePossum, have been a splendiferous reviewer who has never failed to make me smile. Thank you so much! I'm truly grateful, and I hope to see you in the sequel as well!

Mademoiselle nom de plume - Actually, it doesn't surprise me that you can't tell which House I favor. I've discussed it with Strega before, and it's come up... I am, surprisingly enough, a Hufflepuff with Ravenclaw leanings and Slytherin slynesss. Perhaps the only trait I truly share with Gryffindor is the inability to look before leaping! And, ah! I'm so glad I've got at least one person who'll be reading the sequel when it comes! How wonderful! I can't wait to see you there!

wickedwizard - Hee, awesome review! Thanks for your words of support, and I hope this update is quick enough for you! Hope to see you in the sequel as well!

Virginia Riddle-Malfoy - Oh, er, I'm sorry, but I don't read Animorphs... To me and my friend, 'yerk' is 'jerk' with an accent (it's a massive in-joke involving soap and midnight math marathons and a woman who can't stop saying 'Corinne, Corinne, Corinne'). I hope you've enjoyed the story, though! And thank you for reviewing!