Chapter Nine: Lacrimoso
Snape was disappointed that he missed slipping Minerva that potion. He thought himself well compensated, but still, the woman deserved some punishment for her stunt, and not the same kind he intended to deliver to his wife in the near future. Now that was a rather interesting thought.
His students couldn't figure out why he seemed to be in good mood. (Well, good for him anyhow.) He only took a few dozen points for Gryffindor before lunch. Normally there would have been at least a fifty-point drop on a good day all do to the potions master.
The first point loss happened during third year Gryffindor/Hufflepuff potions, his first class. Severus was greatly amused when he heard a group of the third years talking about how tired one Ms. Penwrath looked. They kept looking at him and snickering. It didn't help that he'd been three minutes late to class. He chuckled when one girl gave a gasp and started whispering rather loudly to her friend that she had a suspicion Hermione had also been late. His sudden and unheard of laughter caused the group to scatter for their seats so fast they knocked over a cauldron. Hence the first point loss for his wife's house of the day. He couldn't let that kind of thing slip by no matter how charitable he was feeling.
He did however let Lavender Brown get away with saying she looked well 'shagged'. Mostly because she did look like she'd been rather thoroughly satisfied, at least in Severus' opinion. Not that he was proud of giving his wife that certain just-had-incredible-sex glow. Oh no, he'd never take pride in that. His mental voices were laughing at him. Again.
At lunch, Snape took the opportunity to study his wife. She was sitting at the Gryffindor table and laughing with her friends. He noted that she did look slightly weary, he couldn't guess why. Potter was still keeping up the act of not trusting her entirely, but Weasley appeared to have forgiven her for keeping secrets. The female redhead and her cohort still blushed whenever they saw either of the couple. Snape had made sure to make them as nervous as possible in potions that morning. Their housemates' lingering anger at them didn't help their nerves any. They had lost a considerable amount of house-points effectively ruining Gryffindor's chances for the House Cup. Creevy's subsequent bumbling had earned Slytherin an even larger point lead; he had lost over a dozen points for Gryffindor in one class. Between the third years and Creevy, Snape's good mood disappeared entirely. So much for early morning exercise bettering one's day.
Snape shook his head. The two fifth years were more than idiotic. To go into a professor's private chambers acting like they were looking for a lost dog, and making just as much noise, was stupid at best. They might as well have stood outside the door and screamed for the girl. If the fate of the wizarding world rested on the shoulders of that sort Snape had half a mind to simply give up right now.
He turned his attention to his own house table. His children seemed to be taking all of this in stride. The only noticeable change they made was to stop harassing Hermione. They still plagued Weasley and Potter but she was now off limits. Severus smiled. He hadn't even needed to tell them to leave her alone. Except for Malfoy. Draco was quiet today other than his one overheard remark. His loss of house points had caused him to be temporarily unpopular and he was wisely keeping a low profile. The few still visible bruises weren't helping him either. Snape still suspected that there was more to the altercation in the hallway then he had been told, at least from Draco's point of view.
While to the Golden Trio Draco Malfoy's behavior last night had been entirely in character, it was in fact rather out. Draco was prideful, arrogant, ambitious, cruel at times, and certainly he possessed a knack for infuriating people, but he was never crude. The incident on the stairs could only be described as such. Behavior of that sort would not have surprised Severus if it came from the likes of Black or Ronald Weasley, but Draco was far to refined for such a thing. If he truly wanted to bed Hermione he would have gone about it in a dignified manner. He would have sent her flowers and gifts, perhaps even poetry. Or at least tried a subtle blackmail. The Malfoys were experts at the art of seduction/coercion. They did not go about attacking their intended targets. Draco was planning something, something far more dangerous than an amoral liaison.
Snape put that train of thought away for the moment. Hermione was making her way towards him.
"Professor Snape, I was wondering if you were going to start my lessons tonight or if I was free to do a bit of studying. I haven't had time to do much in ages." She said, paying no attention whatsoever to his colleagues sudden interest in their private conversation.
Severus let a very tiny smile grace his lips. One unnoticeable to the legions of Hogwarts, only those exceptionally close to him could have picked up on it. By the answering expression on Hermione's face she was now included in that tiny group. "Yes child, you may study tonight on your own. As a matter of fact," He turned towards his left. "Minerva, may I take over Potter's detention tonight? I know I gave him to you but I believe I have something for him after all."
"Why of course, Severus. I wouldn't mind at all. That way I can get a head start on laying out the OWLS time schedules." The elderly matron smirked back. "That is if I can get some one else to take Mr. Weasley off my hands." She smiled with genuine gratitude as the werewolf kindly volunteered to do just that.
Snape turned back to his wife. "Will you tell Potter?" She nodded. "Good. Have him in my office by seven this evening. Tell him to eat first." Hermione gave a curt affirmative and turned to go.
Prof. Lupin stopped her as she passed his seat. "So what does it feel like to be Lady Penwrath?" The professor was just back from his monthly 'break' and looked about ready to collapse. Even with the Wolfsbane potion the transformations took their toll. After the standard three nights of changing the man was weak and underweight.
Hermione sighed and gave a weak smile. "About what it would feel like for Princess Leia to be called Lady Vader."
Lupin blinked and then broke out in hysterical laughter. Even Snape gave a snort. Minerva looked confused as Dumbledore used his napkin to blot his eyes and the rest of the table seemed to giggle.
Albus was the first to comment. "The analogy is rather fitting. Although I have trouble seeing Marius Penwrath in that helmet."
Hermione chuckled. "No, but the whole 'Never underestimate the power of the dark side' and melodramatic entrances is fitting." Albus started laughing again as Minerva looked even more confused.
"It is a muggle story Minerva my dear. I will have to send you a pensive of it. If I could get muggle movie projectors to work here I would show the films to the staff and older students. The parallels with our current Voldemort situation are rather striking." Albus patted his deputy's arm.
"Sir, unless Harry's father wasn't James Potter but Mr. Malfoy I think the comparison breaks down." Snape choked on his juice and Lupin jumped in where Hermione left off.
"I think it would work better if Severus here was his father. He's got the black down to an art. That of course would make Harry be Luke. Minerva would be Obi Wan. Albus is Yoda of course..."
Hermione grinned. "You're Han Solo and Snuffles is Lando. Ron is R2D2 if I'm Leia." She paused for a moment, "But Prof. Snape could also make a convenient Boba Fett."
Snape decided to way in on the foolishness, especially after the Boba Fett comment. Vader was bad enough. "Then Percy Weasley would be C3PO."
Albus added in, "Hagrid would have to be Chewbacca, or Wicket the Ewok." The majority of the head table laughed, except for a slightly put out McGonagall. Hermione just simply grimaced and left her professors alone. She was now convinced the lot of them were deranged and the rest of the students were staring outright. The students had never seen the Head Table burst our laughing like that, especially Prof. Snape laughing with them.
Severus spent the rest of his day trying to force knowledge in to the rocks his students like to pretend were their brains. He was starting to think he might as well start training monkeys. He was likely to get better results with less of a chance of back talk. He was behind in his head of house duties on top of it all and he wanted to make sure things were going along well on the front. He had about an hour before Potter's detention. He had eaten an early supper in his chambers over a stack of dismal third year essays and was now feeling the need for a large glass of bourbon – unfortunately alcohol and his Slytherins were never a good mix.. He made for the Slytherin Common Room despite his desire for solitude, his mood growing darker by the second.
He found the common room in order and rather empty. Most of his children were out in the library or at dinner. Everything appeared to be running smoothly despite his recent inattention. As he was exiting he nearly knocked over Draco, the blond grabbing his arm to stop him from leaving.
"Sir, I wanted to talk to you. Do you have a few moments?" The boy tried to imitate his father's fearless countenance and menacing air. Severus was reminded of the lessons he once gave Lucius in their childhood. Like father, like son. Neither one was born with a presence that made people cower, they needed to learn it. Severus counted himself lucky that he was born intimidating people.
"I believe I can spare you a few minutes, Mr. Malfoy." Snape swept off for his office not bothering to check if Draco was following him. He knew the boy would.
Once they were inside and the door closed, Draco glanced around nervously before taking a seat in the uncomfortable chair. Severus didn't offer him the other one.
"Sir, I wanted to explain about last night."
Snape raised an eyebrow. "What more can be said. You accosted my property."
Draco cringed. "I did not mean any disrespect, Sir. I was trying to make sure Potter would talk to her again. As you know I heard your conversation earlier that day. She can't very well keep an eye on the Gryffindork if she can't get near him. Potter's always been selflessly noble. I knew that if I threatened Grang...your wife he would jump in to protect her. I never thought she'd take me seriously. I am sorry for insulting you, Sir."
Snape noted that the boy didn't seem to care that he'd scarred Hermione and disgusted her. Oh no, he was only concerned about the possible insult to his Head of house. Severus sighed; he was beginning to fear that Draco was a lost cause. Snape didn't realize he'd set the tone for the conversation by referring to his wife as his property, (which was a normal thing in circle the Malfoy's frequented). He had hoped to keep Draco away from the Dark Mark, but if this was any indication that might not be an option.
"Did your father tell you to do this?" Snape asked in a deceptively mild tone.
Draco shifted uncomfortably. "He told me to assist your wife in keeping track of Potter. He suggested that I do something to make him stand up for her. If he was busy siding with her against a common enemy he would be less likely to look closely at her motives. Father did not give me any specific instructions. He told me to be creative." Draco finished looking at the ground.
"The next time you plan on 'helping' me or my wife think harder about how you're doing it. And ask us. I'm sure that if you and Hermione had PLANNED that little altercation better Potter would have been totally put at ease, which he is not, and you would not have needed a healing potion." Draco sunk down in the chair. "Furthermore, you need to be more careful with this kind of endeavor. Three against one is not a good idea, Mr. Malfoy. If McGonagall had not happened upon you I hate to think of what your current condition might be. Hermione was really quite furious with you. I had meant to talk to you more about this. I knew there had to be another reason for your actions other than simple lust. You are not that foolish or bumbling," Severus glared darkly. "I hope."
Draco looked back up, "No Sir. I would never really try to seduce your wife."
"What you attempted was closer to rape than seduction. It should come as no surprise she took your actions to be a prelude to such an act. Seduction is an art form, Mr. Malfoy. Grabbing a woman's arm and insulting her choice of sexual partner is not even close to elementary seduction. You verbally and physically accosted Hermione." The cold tone of Snape's voice chilled the air in the room.
"Yes, Sir. I won't make that mistake again. I'll talk to you before I try to help next time." Draco sounded repentant and he looked contrite. Snape narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"See that you do, Mr. Malfoy, see that you do." Snape waved him out of his office. As the door opened Hermione and Harry were just walking towards it.
Hermione saw Draco and stiffened.
Draco stopped and looked her in the eye. "I wish to offer my sincerest apologies, cousin. I meant no offense last night."
Hermione glared at him. "That is all well and good, COUISIN, but you did cause offense." She brushed past him and moved off towards the deeper dungeons and her new quarters.
"Granger!" She ignored Draco's call.
"Hermione!" She kept walking.
"Penwrath!" She didn't even miss a step. Snape and Harry were watching with amusement.
"m'Lady!" She stopped and turned.
"Yes Draco?" Snape smirked. She made him use her title but didn't even bother calling him by his last name.
"Uhm, I really am sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did. Family gatherings will be awkward if you keep this up." Draco actually did look sorry, somewhat. Which meant his customary sneer was missing and he wasn't quite making eye contact.
Hermione waved his second apology off. "I will behave myself, Draco. See that you do the same." Draco shivered. Her words were an eerie mirror of Snape's. "If it happens again I'll make sure there is not a professor around to pull your head out of the trick-stair-step for a second time."
Draco's head jerked up and an angry expression fixed itself on his face. "No one threatens a Malfoy, Penwrath. Relative or friend it doesn't matter. We don't let threats pass." Malfoy sneered.
Hermione equaled his expression. "Good because I don't take threats either, nor do I give them. I am simply educating you on what would happen if your behavior were to persist. I imagine you found it hard enough to breathe the first time. Hate to imagine you making a habit of getting in over your head."
Snape had to hand it to the girl. She could hold her own in battle of veiled, or in her case rather unveiled, threats. Potter for his part was quite simply amazed by his friend's attitude. He almost pitied Malfoy, getting your leg stuck in one of the trick steps was bad enough. You lost all feeling in the appendage and it took more than one person to pull you out. He couldn't imagine what it must have felt like to have one's head there instead of a leg. But he would always treasure the image of Malfoy falling headfirst into the step and Hermione beating the tar out of him at the same time. Last night had been truly amazing for the Boy-who-lived. During the fight between Draco and Hermione the girl had shoved the Slytherin down the stairs. He had fallen into the same trick-step Harry had been a victim of fourth year with his egg. Most unfortunately for the blond boy, he landed with his head INSIDE the step. Hermione had ignored his plight and set to kicking him. After all it's not every night your female best friend kicks the crap out of your archenemy.
Draco tried to stare Hermione down. After a while he gave up. Pulling himself together, he gave a small bow and turned on his heal headed back to the common room. Hermione gave a small grin to her husband and friend and left them alone. She was satisfied that Malfoy was handled, for now.
"What did you want me to do, Professor?" Potter asked while watching his friend disappear into the shadows.
Snape ushered the Boy-Who-Lived into the office and made sure his silencing spells were working. "I recently obtained some rather interesting manuscripts. In Parseltounge."
Potter sat down quickly. "You can write in it?"
Snape closed his eyes. "Yes, Mr. Potter. You can write in Parseltounge. Unfortunately only a Parselmouth can read it. If you had been worthy enough to be in Slytherin you would know this." Snape tried to keep the condescension out of his voice. He needed the annoying brat's help after all.
"I chose Gryffindor, Sir." Potter infused scorn into his voice. Snape looked up.
"You chose your house?" Nobody chooses his or her house. At least that was what Snape had thought, but Potter sounded sincere.
"Sort of. The hat was placed on my head and I kept asking not to be in Slytherin because I saw Malfoy go there and I didn't get on well with him. The hat heard, said I could do well in your house but if I was sure I didn't want to and bang. Gryffindor." Harry grinned.
"Potter. Oh never mind. This just proves you're brainless. Giving up on Slytherin..."
"Do you want my help or not?" Potter sat up straight and glared right back at the older wizard. "It seems to me you are at the disadvantage here. You can't find out what those papers say unless you find a Parselmouth. Other than Voldemort I'm the only known one alive at the moment. What do I get out of this?"
Snape gave a low chuckle startling the boy. "What do you get, Mr. Potter? Perhaps you would have done well in my house. You get a nice cozy detention in my chambers with a cup of tea and Salazar Slytherin's own memories over an evening of disemboweling frogs or scrubbing rock floors with a toothbrush."
Potter leaned back and grinned wider. "You'll have to do better than that."
"What do you want? Not that you'll get it." Severus was getting anxious. He had not expected resistance.
"Oh nothing much. I want you to be nicer to Neville. And I want extra defense lessons. Lupin is great with Dark Creatures but he's a little lacking on curses. Actually the fake Mad-eye was the best I've had in that department. So you being of the same ilk…"
"Yes, I see the logic." Snape's tone was very bitter. He was not the same as Crouch. He never was and he never would be. "One Deatheater should be able to teach just as well as another, is that your idea? Was Crouch any good at teaching you counter-curses as well?"
Harry shrugged. "He never really got around to the counters. But at least I could fight off Imperious when Voldemort cast it on me in Fourth Year."
Snape thought about the possibilities for a moment. This could work in both their favors even if it did mean he was stuck with the brat for extended periods. "We have to make it look like I'm teaching you the Dark Arts anyway. Extra defense lessons would not be hard to make look like Dark training. After all I'll have to teach you the Dark Curses before I can teach you the counters. What few people realize is that to be truly a master of DADA you have to know the Dark Arts themselves. You can't be the best at fighting something you don't understand." Snape narrowed his eyes at Potter. " I'll teach you more curses if you translate, but I refuse to ease up on Longbottom, Potter, under any circumstances. If the boy can't handle my class he'll never survive the front lines."
The boy paused. "Deal. And call me Harry if we're going to be spending time together. You say my last name like it IS curse."
"To me it is."
"Well I'm not my father. I have no idea what he was even like. I'm Harry, just Harry. Please don't treat me like I'm more or less than I am."
"And what are you?" Severus was truly curious now. The boy was confusing him just like Hermione. Neither one seemed to fit in with the typical image of a Gryffindor.
Harry snorted. "I'm a sixteen year old who likes to fly and hates his family. I'm an average student and I hate my Divination class, but I keep taking it because it's an easy 'A' as long as I can keep coming up with fake death predictions for myself, the more gruesome the better. I am the seeker for my house quidditch team and I am happiest on my broom. I'm the bane of one Draco Malfoy's existence and I work hard to keep it that way." He smiled cheekily.
Harry suddenly grew quieter and looked away, "I'm a scared kid with traumatic nightmares and far too much responsibility. I'm a messed up orphan who spent ten years living in a broom closet because his family was scared of magic. I'm Harry. The Boy-Who-Wants-To-Hide-In-That-Cupboard. And don't think I want pity. I hate pity. I hate those that pity me more than I hate Voldemort. If you pity someone you should do something about the problem instead of simply sitting there looking depressed. So to answer your question, I'm me. Undeniable and unknowable. A Parselmouth Gryffindor with a knack for catching fast shiny things and that's about it."
Snape sat quiet for moment. He then stood and extended his hand. "I don't know whether Hermione is rubbing off on me or I've finally lost my mind. But...nice to meet you Harry."
Harry looked at the extended hand in surprise. "Uhm, nice to meet you professor. Now where's my tea?" The damn insolent brat gave a cheeky grin.
Snape shook his head and led Harry into his chambers from the hidden entrance in his office. "Don't try this without me or the wards will land you in the hospital wing. After your little friends Weasley and Creevy broke in here I raised my security." Snape glanced quickly back at the boy. "I take it she gave you your map back."
Harry paused for a second. "Uh, yeah. Ginny gave it back. Honestly Professor, I didn't know she took it. I've warded my trunk now. After all that's twice now she's broken into it."
Snape rolled his eyes. "Really Potter, you should have warded it from the beginning. I see your defense training is going to have to start at the very beginning. What you should have learned before Hogwarts. But from your earlier rant I take it you knew little when you started here."
"Try nothing. I didn't even know magic was real until my eleventh birthday. Didn't read the article in the Prophet?"
Snape shook his head no. He'd given up on the paper as a source of knowledge after the Triwizard debacle. He looked back at the boy and refused to ask anything else. He really wasn't all that interested in Harry's life story as long as the annoying idiot translated his documents correctly he could care less, or so he told himself. He ignored his little voice's snort. Both of them seemed to find that thought lacking in truth. He was not in denial. He wasn't. Damn.
Hermione had evidently grabbed a few books and left for the library while they were in his office. He retrieved the parchments Soren had given him and installed Harry on the sofa with a pot of extra strong black tea. He had the feeling the child would need it. Even if he could speak the language reading it would be difficult. After promising pain if a drop of the liquid was spilled on either the manuscripts or the sofa, Snape went to his desk and set to work on more lesson plans and marking. There seemed to be a never-ending stream of the accursed stuff.
It wasn't long before a soft hissing sound filled his chambers. Snape turned around and watched the Potter boy's eyes glaze over slightly as he read aloud from the parchment. Every time he stopped to take notes he scowled. Snape stood up and peered over his shoulder to see what the problem was. "Potter...Harry you can't take notes on Parseltounge IN Parseltounge. It defeats the purpose."
"I KNOW that." Harry was aggravated and upset. "I can't switch back and forth that easy. See, I don't even realize I'm talking in Parseltounge until somebody tells me I'm hissing. It sounds like English to me except for the S's being drawn out. I look at the parchment and I see English but I can't understand it until I hear it. When I read it out loud, at least I'm guessing this, it comes out in Parseltounge." He looked up for conformation and then went on. "So when I go to write notes, it LOOKS like English. But when I stop long enough to go back to thinking non-snake I can't read it. It's gibberish. I can't seem to think enough like a snake to understand the language and still retain enough grounding in human thought patterns to put down notes in English."
Snape could literally feel the frustration wafting off the boy. "Perhaps we don't need notes. I have no idea what is even on this sheets. What I have in English is mostly Potions recipes and a few transfiguration theories. For all I know these were the man's private journal writings or love letters." Snape refilled the teapot.
Harry snorted. "No they're more interesting than that. From what I can tell so far it IS a kind of journal, but closer to an autobiography. He dedicated it to his heirs. He mentions it holding the key to their reclaiming power. He outlines the steps he took to help found Hogwarts and he's hinting that the key to reclaiming their 'rightful place' lies in the foundations of ...I haven't figured that part out yet."
Harry sipped his tea and smiled. "Willow bark. Thank you, I was getting a head ache."
Snape smirked. "I switched it while you were talking. I figured the medicinal properties would out way the usefulness of the earlier pot's caffeine.
Harry didn't comment but drained his cup. "This is really fascinating, Professor. Not to say it's not hard. Some concepts don't switch easily between snake and human." Harry looked at the large stack of papers and at his rather dismal attempt at notes.
"Don't worry about a direct translation now. Just finish reading what's left as soon as possible. I'll make up an excuse to get you down here again. I don't think you can finish tonight. It's only an hour away from curfew. If these contain an attack plan we should figure out a strategy to combat it just in case."
Harry nodded and went back to work relieved that he didn't need to directly translate, at least not yet.
Severus started when Hermione entered the room carrying an enormous amount of books. He moved to help her and almost dropped a large tome on his foot. "How in Merlin's name did you carry all these down here from the library? Next time charm them!" The girl certainly didn't look strong enough to lift all of that with so much ease.
Hermione shrugged and glanced at Harry. "How's the translating going?"
Severus glanced at Potter. The boy was hissing rapidly and his eyes where flying all over the page. He seemed to almost be in a trance and his face showed he was stressed. "I don't honestly know. He can't seem to directly translate so I told him to read it first and then tell me what it's about. It could be dangerous." He looked back at the stack of books. "What are all these for?"
"A little light research. I want to be prepared for anything at the Malfoys'. Like I told you before the wedding, Soren gave me a basic understanding of Wizarding culture and customs but I have so much left to learn." Hermione sat down in a chair pulling one of the larger dustier tomes into her lap.
"Light research? No wonder you know all the answers in class if you call this light." Hermione simply waved him off. She was too caught up in her reading to respond. Severus looked back at Potter and thought about sending him off to bed. But the boy seemed to be onto something. He got the feeling that an interruption would not be welcomed.
Sometime later his suspicion was confirmed. "Oh my God."
Hermione and Severus stopped what they were doing and rushed to Harry's side.
"What is it?" Hermione looked into turbulent green eyes.
"Are these the only copy? Tell me this is the only copy. And tell me you didn't get them from Voldemort." Harry's voice was pleading as he ignored Hermione and stared at his potions master.
"I got them from Hermione's great-uncle and I believe they are the only copy. I tried to replicate them earlier so we could work with a copy, less chance of harming the original. But it resisted all spell duplication and every time I tried to duplicate it by hand the text swam."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief and jumped to his feet. "We have to see Dumbledore NOW!"
"Why?" Hermione was already half way out the door when she asked. Harry just shook his head and gathered the papers. Snape followed as the boy practically ran to the gargoyle. Both students looked at their professor expectantly when they got there.
"Peppermint twist." The gargoyle leapt aside. It was past midnight but the stairs carried them to the top without question. Albus was sitting serenely behind his desk, but his head was bowed and he looked all of his many years, so worn with fatigue he was.
"Severus, Hermione, Harry, what can I do for you at this hour?" The old wizard pushed his glasses up and smiled. He half-heartedly offered lemon drops then looked at the papers clutched in Harry's hands. "Ah, Severus, are those the Chronicles you where telling me about?"
Snape nodded but Harry was the first to speak.
"Headmaster, we are in trouble." Everyone looked at Harry. "These documents contain a description and explanation of Salazar Slytherin's part in the laying of the foundation wards for Hogwarts." Harry paused and Dumbledore motioned for him to continue.
"Not only did Slytherin build the Chamber of Secrets but he incorporated, I don't know how to explain them, I guess you could call them back-doors, into the wards. These gaps in the security system insured that he could come and go from school grounds undetected by the other Founders."
Albus looked grave. "If such a loop hole exists and Voldemort finds it even this school will no longer be safe."
"That's not all Headmaster." Harry looked pained. "Slytherin built in another little safe-guard. He undermined the wards cast by the other Founders at the time of the construction. The entirety of the foundation wards are reliant upon the presence of a single spell cast by Slytherin. But unlike the other foundation wards this spell can be terminated. All it takes is the counter-spell. And it's printed in here." Harry tapped the pages.
Hermione gasped. "But all the wards that have been put on the school since its founding have been placed on top of the existing foundation wards. Without the original Four Founders' spells the whole protection web will collapse."
Harry nodded. "That's why I ran up here. If all it takes is one simple spell to undo the Founders work, all the other wards on the school will fall at the same time. There are nearly three millennia of wards on this place. According to these," he tapped the parchments, "each headmaster or mistress was supposed to add to the strength of the protection wards during their tenure here. And every five years the entire faculty is to pool their strength and cast addition shielding. But it is all reliant on the original wards. Even if we start right now there is no way we can get adequate wards surround Hogwarts within our lifetimes that don't depend on the established preexisting ward web." Harry glanced at Dumbledore.
Albus looked at Snape. "Is there any chance that Voldemort has seen these?"
Snape looked at Hermione.
"No, Uncle Soren would not have showed them to him without gaining something. They were his life's work, his only passion outside the family, from the way he acted when we collected them from the Hall. And if Voldemort had seen them he would have taken them. There is no way he'd leave that kind of information laying in a desk drawer at Ravenshire."
Severus added to his wife's assessment. "I believe Hermione is correct. The Dark Lord has not seen these papers. But he knows that Soren had the Chronicles since the parchment he gave me to work on was an original potions recipe from the same source as these manuscripts. It shouldn't be long until he decides to go after the rest and when he finds I have them he will demand I hand them over."
Dumbledore nodded gravelly. "We will deal with that when it happens, Severus. For now let us assume that these are the only copies. We must come up with a way to protect them."
Harry looked up. "Don't protect them, Sir. Burn them. These are too dangerous to leave lying around. Remember the Philosopher's Stone. There isn't a safe place anywhere for this kind of information."
"We can't burn them, Harry." Dumbledore's tone was oddly condescending. "They are Slytherins chronicles."
Harry simply looked at Hermione. She drew her wand at the same time he drew his.
"Incendio." They spoke in perfect synchronization. The parchments were instantly enveloped in blue and green flames. Blue from Hermione, green from Harry. Albus gasped and Severus simply stared. They had just destroyed three thousand-year-old documents. The work of Salazar Slytherin himself. It was sacrilege.
"I'm sorry, Headmaster. But something's are not meant to be known. I suggest you Obliviate my memory of what these contain. If I was to be slipped Veritaserum or tortured?" Harry cringed.
"But if we erase your memory of what these said we'll lose the knowledge forever." Albus looked ill at the thought.
Hermione looked frightened but spoke up. "I think that's the idea, Headmaster."
Severus looked at his companions and made a decision. The children were right. Given a few hours he could have any information he desired from Potter. And there were many Deatheaters with more resent interrogation practice than him. He drew his wand. "Obliviate." Harry staggered and fell into his chair.
"SEVERUS!" The headmaster jumped from his chair and rushed to his student's side.
"Albus you know we had to do it. Let's just hope that the Dark Lord does not ever learn that Potter once knew that spell. He has broken through an Oblivate before."
Harry blinked. "And if we have to for some reason you can break through it yourself. Although I don't know why we'd want to. What did I forget anyway? Wait, don't answer that. My heads still spinning from the first Obliviate."
Severus glanced at the boy. "The only way to do that is with extreme torture." Albus checked Potter's vitals and seemed satisfied with Snape's work. No memories were touched but those surrounding the contents of the parchments.
Harry glanced up. "I know." He pointed to his scar. "I've lived through it before." The room was quiet. Severus had almost forgotten that the boy saw and felt what Voldemort did via the scar.
Albus sat back down and sighed. "I'll get to work setting up independent wards right away. I can't believe that I didn't think about how much of a liability it is to have all the wards depending on the original Founders' work."
Snape turned to his mentor. "None of your predecessors did either, Albus." He noticed the circles under the other wizard's eyes. "Go to bed old friend. You can not accomplish anything at one in the morning. Rest before we lose you."
Albus nodded and stood. "Harry, Hermione, what you did tonight was..." The headmaster shook his head. "I'm not sure if it was brave or simply stupid."
Harry chuckled. "Given I don't remember the details I probably should just keep my mouth shut. But I will say this; in my time here I've learned that the line between bravery and stupidity is invisible and very tiny. In fact I would say there isn't even a real line just a gray area in-between. When the war is over and twenty years have gone by we'll find out if this was in the gray or firmly in either category."
The old man smiled slightly. "Harry, I do believe you're growing up." He turned to the other two. "Severus. please make me an energy potion tomorrow. I think I'm going to need one this week."
Severus reached into his robes and pulled out a vial. "I always carry one on me just in case. Don't take it till you've eaten breakfast or you'll risk an ulcer."
"To late for that. my boy. I've had more than a few of those starting at Harry's age." The headmaster pocketed the vial and looked at Harry. "I am sorry for all of this. Harry. Believe me or not I have some idea of what this must be like for you. I started fighting Grindelwald when I was still in my third year. He was nearly as evil as Voldemort, and about as brutal. I understand the pressure you're under. I am sorry to put you constantly in the front."
Harry gave a wry grin. "It's okay, Headmaster. I seem to find my own way out front more often than you place me there. Besides it's not like we have much of a choice in this. I didn't pick my enemy, he picked me."
The room was silent. The weight of the evening's events hung in the air. Hermione had gone to get help less than a week ago. In that time so many lives had changed. So many new dangers arouse and the treat of the Dark Lord now pressed in even greater.
The somber group dispersed without comment. Dumbledore wearily headed to his bed and sank into the oblivion of a drug-induced slumber. Harry forewent sleep to wander the castle and forget what he had forgotten. Severus and Hermione held one another and tried not to lose themselves in the darkness of war. Even if neither was ready to admit they needed the other.
One small blond boy was lying awake staring at his canopy and wondering if he'd live to see his next birthday if he made the choice he wanted to.
One redhead was also awake and studying her bed curtains. She was starting to think that she'd rather have been born a squib.
One werewolf was finally sleeping without the terror of the moon. His graying hair fanned out around his face and his bed clothes twisted around him as he chased phantoms.
Another redhead was having a dream about a bushy haired girl and the Chudley Cannons winning the World Cup. Then the bushy brown hair turned to sleek black and he found himself in the arms of different dream lover. He smiled in his sleep and welcomed the change.
Outside Hogwarts the stars twinkled in the night sky. A young centaur gazed upwards and watched destiny unravel over his head. Darkness was coming. Darkness would make a strike against the light. But the stars did not yield the outcome, they only told the tale of the battle to come.
As night wore on the occupants of town, forest, and castle slept in the welcoming arms of ignorance. Destiny had started and nothing would stop it.