Title: The Art of Necromancy

Author: Artemis Luna Diana

E-Mail: [email protected]

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Harry/Severus

Time: begins right after GoF

Summary: Harry returns to Hogwarts to spend the summer.  Out of sheer boredom, he scours the library for books to read and stumbles across a book that will change his life…

Disclaimer: I own not a thing

WARNING!!!!  THIS IS A SLASH STORY!!!!  IF YOU DON'T LIKE SLASH OR THIS PARTICULAR PAIRING… LEAVE NOW!!!!

Prologue: Back to the Beginning

The ride back to Number Four Privet Drive was spent in silence.  This was as expected.  If his uncle ever asked him if he had a good school year, Harry Potter felt that he might keel over dead in surprise.  They pulled up in the drive and without further ado, Uncle Vernon locked Harry's trunk up in the cupboard closet beneath the stairs.  Harry carried Hedwig up to his room and opened the cage door.  Hedwig gave a consoling hoot.

"Shut that bloody owl up!" came the voice from downstairs.

Harry rolled his eyes.  He wasn't stupid; this behavior was expected.  Harry pulled out his Potions textbook from underneath his shirt and stored it under the loose floorboard.  This was the only time he was ever grateful for the fact that the Dursley's never gave him proper clothes to wear.  How else would he hid his books?

He threw himself down on the bed with a sigh.  "I hate my life," he said aloud.  The doorbell rang, and Harry rolled over onto his side.   "Great, they have company.  No food for us, Hedwig."  He closed his eyes and was soon dozing.

He snapped awake when someone knocked on the door.  Before he could say anything, it opened.  Now, this was unusual behavior from his relatives.  If they wanted his attention, they yelled for him, or they pounded on the door, and most certainly they never opened it.  He blinked in surprise when he saw who it was.

"Professor McGonagall?" he asked not believing his eyes.

"Come along, Mr. Potter," she said with a frown.

"Come along?" he repeated dumbly.

"Yes.  You are returning to Hogwarts.  All of this will be explained once you get there.  Move along."

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied, responding to the impatience in her tone.

He jumped off of his bed and gestured for Hedwig to return to her cage.  The owl did so with a hoot of annoyance.  Harry then pulled up the floorboard and removed his Potions textbook.  McGonagall noticed this and frowned again.  "Why in Merlin's name do you have your Potions textbook hidden in the floorboard?" she asked.

"All of my other school things are locked up in the cupboard closet downstairs.  This is all I managed to hide from them," he replied embarrassed.

Harry was quite sure he'd never seen his Transfiguration Professor more outraged than in that moment.  "Why are your school things locked away?" she demanded.  "No, don't answer that," she said stopping him before he could reply.  She turned around and marched down the stairs.

Harry grabbed Hedwig and the textbook and followed after her.  He reached the bottom step in time to hear McGonagall begin one of her famous lectures.  Her sharp tongue leaving blisters on the terrified Dursleys.  "Which closet?" she demanded when she spotted Harry. 

Harry pointed and McGonagall raised her wand.  "Alohomora!"  She turned to Harry.  "Get your things," she snapped, then immediately sent him an apologetic glance.  "I'm sorry, Harry.  I didn't mean to be so sharp."

Harry shook his head and retrieved his trunk.  McGonagall pulled an owl feather from one of the pockets of her robes.  "Portkey," she said when Harry glanced at it.  "Do you have everything?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Then let's go."

Harry reached out, albeit reluctantly, and touched the portkey. 

***

McGonagall had him wait outside the Headmaster's office while she spoke to him.  Harry guessed she didn't realize how her voice would carry.

"They locked up his school things!  He had to hide his textbook in floor, for Merlin's sake!  I told you when you left him there it was a bad idea!"

Harry rubbed his forehead.  He was getting a headache.  He had no idea why he had been brought back.  If they wanted him to stay, why did they put him on the train?  He looked up when the door opened. 

"Come in, Harry," Dumbledore beckoned.  Harry walked in and sat down.  "I'm sure that you're wondering why we brought you back."  Harry nodded cautiously.  "It's simple.  You will be staying here for the summer."  Harry's mouth dropped open in shock.

"What?"

"This is the safest place for you.  The protection your relatives provided is no longer enough, but… it is important that everyone thinks you are still there.  That's why we had you board the train and return to them."

"I'm staying here?" Harry still hadn't gotten past that.

"Yes," Dumbledore said; the twinkle in his eyes seemed to be working overtime.

"I'm staying here!"  Harry jumped up grinning.  "I'm staying here!"

***

"Now, Mr. Potter.  Just because this is summer does not mean that the rules have taken a holiday as well.  The Forbidden Forest is still just that, and we do not want you wandering the halls at all hours of the day and night.  You will be staying in these rooms," At this point, McGonagall stopped at a portrait of a young woman in a light blue dress.  "Safe Haven."  The portrait opened, and McGonagall led him in.  "You have a bedroom, a sitting area, and a bathroom.  You may practice on the Quidditch Pitch, go to the library, thought the Restricted Section is still restricted, and Professor Snape is allowing you to use the Potions classroom to study your Potions in.  You may eat in your rooms or join the staff that remains during the summer in the Staff Lounge when they eat.  Breakfast is at 9:00AM, lunch at 1:00PM, and supper at 7:00PM.  Do you have any questions?"

"What teachers stay during the summer?" Harry asked.

"Professor Snape, Professor Flitwick, Professor Trelawney, Professor Vector, Hagrid, and myself; though at the moment, neither Professor Snape nor Hagrid is here."

"Oh.  Thank you, Professor."

"Your welcome."  She turned.  "Oh.  Change the password, Mr. Potter."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Harry stood there a moment.  "I'm really back at Hogwarts," he said aloud and then began to laugh.  He stood there awhile grinning like an idiot before snapping out of it and setting to work.  "Okay!  First things first: password."

Harry walked out of his rooms and spoke to the portrait, whose name he found out was Bella, about changing the password.  Finally, he decided on 'home,' and Bella said she liked his choice.

Next, he unpacked his things.  When he was about halfway done, there was a loud 'pop' from the sitting area.  He walked out of the bedroom and found Dobby waiting for him.  After a brief conversation, Dobby disappeared and then reappeared with supper.  Harry ate quickly while Dobby continued to chatter, and when he was through, Dobby disappeared taking the dishes with him.  Harry finished unpacking and climbed into bed.  When his head touched the pillow, he was out like a light.

***

TBC…