Summary: Post HBP: With only one Horcrux left, Harry races after it, only to be caught in the chase. Voldemort now holds the Chosen One in his final times and is able to finish what he started seventeen years ago. But why is he suddenly jealous of Harry's sudden hatred towards Snape? Truth fills his greed. R/R

Warnings: SPOILERS FOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. You've been warned.

Rating: PG…ish. Or, as ff calls it, T. Same difference. :shrug:

Thanks: To Dare-kun for beta-ing. XD

N/A: Yay! My first HP fanfic after reading HBP! x33 I actually have said quite a lot after reading this book…and I was quite depressed, really. But I have my assumptions…and I have them all written down in my livejournal and xanga…so I'll give the links to that after the story. :smilesmile:

THERE! Severus is now spelled right. But I like Serveus better...:frown:

But enjoy the story. x3

Loss

Sprinting like his life depending on it, Harry rushed towards the Hog's Head, shoes attempting to brace him at his speed. Once he hit the entrance of the pub, he forced the doors open, enflamed forests burning through the bar. There, sitting at the counter, was a hunched over figure, buried away inside of his raven cloak. Glaring through his askew glasses, the boy who lived stomped towards the bar, heading towards the hidden person.

"Mundungus!" Not turning in his seat, Mundungus Fletcher sat poised at the pub front, feeble mind trying to draw out an escape route. All of his hopes were shattered as Harry pulled him from his stool, forcing him to balance his weight on his weary legs. Trembling, the older wizard looked straight towards the Chosen One, wincing at the pure fury etched into the child's face.

"Harry, let me say that I didn't sell 'hem willingly-!" Cowering behind his arms that he'd raised to his face, Mundungus closed his eyes, waiting for the blow to come. Instead, after waiting several moments, the thief blinked his eyes open, catching Harry's expression. The child had stepped back, face in complete mortal distress. The wand that had been drawn was limp in his hand, handing on the tips of his fingers. With great difficulty, words forced their way past his lips, filled with utter confusion.

"Y-you…sold it?"

Mundungus swallowed. Harry tired to blink out his apparent shock and horror, but both features remained clearly across his face, wide and open to the watching customers in the Hog's Head…and the hidden figure deep within the shadow of the shop, who was silent and waiting.

"…you see, 'arry, this man-"

"You sold the locket?" Mundungus fell short, eyeing the savior in front of him. Harry was quaking now, still periled in his astonishment, unable to move his body otherwise. Nodding, Mundungus watched Harry turn around and head towards the door of the pub. Before he reached the exit, soft words filled with disappointment and anguish drifted from the boy's mouth, barely able to be made out by the cowering thief.

"Do you remember who you sold it to?" Even though he knew Harry couldn't see him, Mundungus nodded vigorously, mouth handing wide open.

"Yes, it was Severus Snape-"

Whirling around, Harry blankly looked at him. Words began to falter out of his mouth, worried...but at the same time, enraged.

"You sold – the locket from Sirius's house – Snape-? He has-?"

Before anything else could happen, the figure that was invisible within the darkness of the shop leapt from his chair, rushing towards the boy who lived. Harry had started to turn his head when a curse hit him in the side, causing him to tumble awkwardly onto one of the chairs at the bar. As his mind danced with spinning circles, he was picked up roughly around the waist and hoisted over a shoulder. As he was carried out of the Hog's Head, the eyes of everyone trailed after him, including the stunned thief Mundungus who stood frozen in disbelief. The stranger rushed out the door and was only outside for a second before the he Disapparated, flushed through the wind and being sucked out of existence, bones and ribs bending to match the shape of their container-

Then it ended. Harry was thrown to the ground, face crashing against the cold tile. Wincing, the child tried to stand up but a foot planted itself in the square of his back, pushing enough weight to keep him down. Scrambling to get up, Harry tried to push off the foot when he heard an amused chuckle chill the air. Then slowly, as if tumbling out of a venture through the Floo network, Harry realized how hot it was in the room….and how perfect the temperature would be for something not human; something part snake-

"I see Albus filled you in with all of the lovely details of my past life before he expired." Not looking up, Harry kept his hard green orbs on the floor, refusing to believe he'd lost. A pair of footsteps crept closer and the weight on his back was released for an instant before a pair of cold, scaly hands reached for his own, sending a searing pain across his forehead. Being pulled up roughly into those arms kept his head blasting, scar burning furiously like a spitting fire. Harry tried to ignore as those thin arms wrapped around him, enclosing him inside of the monster's grasp. He struggled blindly for freedom, attempts complete failure. Head still ablaze, the soft, whispered words spoken by his parents' murderer tickled at Harry's ears, sending a cold shiver down his sweaty and trembling form.

"…but I have you once again within my waiting arms. And this time…" Being pulled back but still locked within the caging arms, Harry stared straight into the pallid face of Voldemort who had a twisted grin plastered across his face. Crimson slits laughed at the entrapped boy in front of him, enjoying the agony splattered across his face. The Dark Lord let go of the boy who lived, letting the still mysterious figure from before recapture his prey. Harry let his leaking emeralds shatter onto the floor, keeping his head lowered while trying to calm the pain and memories searing through his mind. Amused, Voldemort stepped closer, keeping his bloody slits on the only one who was ever supposed to be able to kill him.

"…you won't be able to get away."

Drawing a deep breath from the depths of his lungs, Harry looked up, trying his best to ignore the continuous pain enflaming his scar. Letting his own hard emeralds meet Voldemort's scarlet stare, the boy who lived swallowed, fighting against his uncalmed nerve.

"Neither will you, Voldemort." The grip on Harry tightened. Voldemort made his way over to the two, keeping his great hues locked with the boy in front of him. Leaning his hand forward to grasp the child's face, Voldemort held Harry's head still, glaring into the depths of the boy's jaded fires. A touch of Voldemort's mind touched Harry's, digging through the most excruciating of memories. With the pain from his scar already pounding, the pain tripled, tearing away at his mind, and those awful nights-

"Oh? You've already gone through three more of my Horcruxes?" Harry's breath stopped short. Blinding out the previous visions, the boy who lived stared at the monster in front of him, mind on the edge of hope. A cold smile broke across the Dark Lord's face, ensnaring the already broken skin. Digging deeper into the child's mind, Voldemort tore through each old memory, repeating Harry's horrors of the past. Images ripped through his head, and Harry tried to remember his past Occlumency lessons he'd taken two years ago; the lessons he'd taken from Snape-

"Not a happy memory there. Two best friends, dead from trying to aid you." The split image of Ron and Hermione crashed into his head, making Harry feel weak and useless, "…it's a pity their own destruction for the riddance of my part lives will go to waste."

"You see, Harry…" Letting a half smile stretch his face abnormally, the Dark Lord seemed nothing like a human, skin oddly covering his skull like simple plastic wrap, "I've been onto your plan to get rid of all of my Horcruxes for quite a while. It was quite nice of Dumbledore to give you all information of my plans for immortality. Unfortunately, he won't be able to witness their final accomplishment."

"You remember your venture with Albus to that cave? Not too far from my old orphanage?" Voldemort caressed Harry's cheek lightly with his long thumb, feeling the child's smooth skin and the slight tremble that quaked his body.

"You remember when you gave blood for you exit?"

The room sat in silence. Slowly, letting the reality of his own stupidity sink in, Harry fell limp in the grasp of the unknown cloaked figure and the Dark Lord's hand, mind unable to fight any longer. Taking his opportunity, Voldemort pounded into Harry's mind, through his very thoughts, reliving the worst of his memories in both of their heads. A hidden veil swallowed the last remaining Black, taking care of his trouble forever; a prophecy better forgotten replayed, reminding the Chosen One how much he has to live for; the limp form of Albus Dumbledore, lying dead at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower…and then Snape's face, dementedly stretching his face in the wrong way as he screamed at Harry, revealing that it was HIM who was the Half-Blood Prince, him Harry had been giving so much trust for his strange and curious spells, as if he could be his new Sirius, his new family-

The memories shattered. Head hung forward, Harry's glassed over jade orbs stared at the tile, littering its surface with cold tears. Shocked, Voldemort dropped the hand from the boy's face, letting his crimson eyes tear curiously at the fallen hero. Having been suddenly released from both the Dark Lord's and the stranger's holdings, Harry kneeled on the floor, face lowered in defeat. Voldemort frowned, waving the doors open from behind him and allowing the entrance of another. With his cloak flowing behind him like a black river, Snape entered the room, seeming unfazed as the door behind him snapped shut. He ignored the cruel glare sent to him by his Master, and didn't fight the comment sent to him through his mind.

/ You stole what was mine. /

"Look who's arrived, Harry."

The child stole a glance. Eyes widening in shock, Harry jumped to his feet, attempting to race forward and tear apart his real parents' murderer. The man from behind him grabbed him though, holding the boy who lived in place. But Harry still grabbed, trying to reach at his Headmaster's killer, and at the man who could smile at Sirius's death, even laugh-

"I HATE YOU!"

A moment drew silently across the room. Still livid and pulsing, Harry reached out as far as he could, imagining his fingertips digging into Snape's skin. 'Maybe then he could laugh,' Harry thought, not caring as both Legilimens master tore through his thoughts, sharing his broodings as if they were their own, 'Maybe he's monster enough to laugh at his own pain; to not care about his own death-!'

Snape's stare thinned, turning into a glare as he gazed at Harry. Harry kept his glare, returning it just as hard. Voldemort snarled, not liking the fact that Potter's fury wasn't turned towards him; that for once, it wasn't HIM who was hated-

"I doubt that Severus is that type of man, Harry. Considering his continued loyalty for Albus." Attention caught, both Snape and Harry turned towards the Dark Lord. Voldemort gladly caught Harry's bewildered stare, fighting back a grin as words tumbled from the boy who lived's lips.

"Snape? Loyal to Professor-? No! He killed him! He betrayed-!" Stepping forward, Snape broke Harry's blabber. Voldemort looked away from the confused Chosen One for a moment, giving his deceitful Death Eater a cool glare. The old Potion's master kept eye contact with him, attempting to search the snake's thoughts. After being unsuccessful, Snape resolved by speaking.

"What do you mean, my Lord?" With an amused, hateful chuckle, Voldemort dug into Snape's mind. The Death Eater let him, tampering with only a few selected memories. The Dark Lord grasped at those, digging them out of Snape's head and to the surface of his mind. The boy who lived stood motionless, gazing at the silent makings in front of him from his stance. After reliving the fake memory of his follower, Voldemort smiled at Snape.

"Do you expect me to believe that hadn't been tampered with, Severus? It doesn't matter if you hide it; I've known for quite a while of the Unbreakable Vow you and Dumbledore had. I know how you were forced to follow his every command…even the wish of his own death."

"You liar!" Harry screamed, struggling against his hold, "Dumbledore would never tell Snape to kill him! He'd never…"

"…tell him to do something that awful."

"Harry, you apparently don't know Albus too well." Smirk now full across his face, Voldemort beamed at Serveus, bloody eyes laughing with accomplishment.

"Now Severus, the original memory…unless you want me to do something drastic." Snape faltered. Sighing with defeat, Snape gave in to the Dark Lord's wishes, releasing his real last encounter with the Hogwarts Headmaster. Connecting his and Harry's minds, Voldemort dragged the boy's vision to see what he saw…then he unfolded the remembrance.

"Severus."

Past a thick clog of light, the three of them watched a previous moment revive. Dumbledore looked up as Snape stepped closer, catching the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's charcoal stare. Then silently, as Snape made his way ever closer, a silent plea was thought by the Headmaster which was only audible by him, Snape, and their current viewers.

/ Severus, you must kill me. /

Snape pushed Draco out of the way to get a closer look at the Headmaster. Leaning against the wall and still sliding down its surface, the elderly man looked pitiful and meaningless.

"Severus…please…" Pleading words escaped the wounded wizard. Snape glared, hating the old man for putting him up to such work. Albus felt his abhorrence and touched his mind further, begging once more.

/ You must kill me. /

Raising his wand, Severus let the killing curse escape his lips, hating as the older man was blown out of the tower, and hating the pounded heat of disgust for himself for ever letting Dumbledore control him like that.

Pulling out of the memory, Voldemort looked for Harry's reaction, enjoying the look or horror smeared on his face like raspberry jam (1). His struggling had stopped, and the Death Eater that had once held him had disappeared into the void. Standing motionless, Harry gawked at his old professor, lost forests tearing. He shook his head harshly, trying to make his brains rattle enough to make him forget what he just saw.

"That can't be true! He wouldn't – Dumbledore – he wouldn't-!" Snape pitied the hero as he continued to shake himself, soon harder and more dangerously. Voldemort nodded in approval, motioning his once Death Eater off. The betrayer of the Dark Lord fled the scene, ignoring the Chosen One's strangled screams as he bordered insanity. Harry half noticed Snape's departure and began to chase after him, only to be stopped by Voldemort himself who took great pleasure in keeping Harry from catching his only chance for survival. But Snape couldn't ignore the pained scream that echoed through the room, reminding him of himself back in the hands' of two torturers who'd always laugh at his humiliation; at his fear-

"DUMBLEDORE WOULDN'T HAVE! SNAPE! SAY IT'S NOT TRUE! SAY-!" The door slammed itself shut as soon as Snape's final step out of the room was taken. A lock slid in place and another scream filled the air, coated in anguish and defeat. Snape simply walked away, trying to ignore his own fears of suddenly waking up to what he really was; how he would find why he wasn't able to go back in that room and fulfill Dumbledore's wish to save the boy, and how he let himself first tell the Dark Lord of the new prophecy…of the prophecy that could finally bring an end to the one he'd always hated but never had the strength or courage to confront-

…to wake up, knowing he was a coward.

And know he couldn't do a damn thing.

(1): Hah. This is a reference to a certain song by Dir en Grey, if any of their fans are reading this. From the song Berry. I'd like to quote it, but it might…scare some of y'all. :sweat drop: Oh well. :quotes anyway: (This is in the intro that's in English, spoken by a little girl. o.o;;)

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I'll be good!"

"…I'm going to kill you. I'm going to blow your head off like raspberry jam—!"

-Dir en Grey, Berry

Okay. Now you see what I mean? OO;

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N/A: (Note: Looking for another beta or two. Just tell in your review if you're interested.)

Yay! But anyway, for the site with my thoughts and rant… (I have it on LJ and xanga…but I'll just give the LJ link.)

Link... (remove spaces before and after livejournal) ...: www. livejournal .com/users/voidless/4505.html

Now, please review! I'd enjoy them, and they're the only way I'd considered updating this fic. Also, you can tell me what else to update to. Jaa! x33

Basil: This child is hopeless. Please review, though. I'm getting her to work on some of her other stuff...but mainly original fiction. But she had a ball writing this, so I doubt too much pain will be put in for another chapter or two. :smirk:

xP Review. :waves offt: