Situational Ethics

Situational Ethics

By Zega

Chapter 28:

"The Nightmare"

Harry slipped out of his room and hurried across the hall to the single bedroom where Remus and Sirius slept. He knocked twice on the door and when he didn't get a response, he began banging anxiously. Finally, he heard sheets ruffling behind the door. But Harry couldn't wait. "Alohomora!"

The door opened and Harry just missed Sirius nude body by a fraction of a second. "Harry?!" Sirius tried to smile while frantically pulls the sheets around his body.

"I need to see Dumbledore," said Harry as he tried to look off in the corner.

"Whatever for?" asked Remus as he looked over from Sirius' shoulder.

"It's Voldemort. I had another dream... I think Se - Snape's in trouble."

Remus and Sirius exchanged concerned looks before Remus nodded. "Give us a second."

Harry stepped out and listened to Sirius as he whispered, "I don't see why he cares about that git."

"Hush, love. Severus is a valuable ally."

Harry shuttered and his anxiety peaked. Couldn't they move faster? What if something was happening to Snape at that very second? Harry shook his head while looking into his room to see if Eras was still asleep. "C'mon... move faster...," Harry looked at his watch and back at the door. Minutes later, Remus poked his head through the door. "Sirius is going to stay here with Eras. I'll go with you to Hogwarts."

As they hurried downstairs Harry summed up what he saw in his nightmare. "He should be alright though, right?"

"I don't know," Remus responded as he watched Harry floo himself to Dumbledore's office.

The room was dimly lit and the pictures were now barking at him; telling him off for interrupting his sleep and giving them a scare. Harry looked around the room, ignoring the boisterous paintings and doing his best to find the Headmaster. He knocked on random walls, pulled out random books from their shelves, and finally found a door. He managed a soft knock, and then went to pounding on the door. "Professor Dumbledore!"

Snape could be in danger. There was no time for patience.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir!"

Eventually, the wizard came out of his hole, looking much older than ever. His long night cap hung over his face. "Harry? What...?"

"Is Severus alright?"

"Severus?" Dumbledore looked around the room like he was waiting for this nightmare to end. "He's not here."

"Where is he? Is he alright? I had a nightmare that Voldemort attacked him. Tell me he's alright!"

Dumbledore looked sleepily over at Remus who was staring just as sleepily back. "Harry, please, slow down." Harry took a deep breath and Dumbledore asked, "Did you have another nightmare? Did your scar burn?"

"Yes! Voldemort's angry. Angry at Severus. He used the Cruciatus curse on him," Harry stilled, "Please, is he here?"

It was quite clear that Dumbledore wished he could have sent Harry to Snape so the boy would pipe down and skedaddle. Unfortunately, no such thing would happen tonight. Dumbledore looked over his shoulders and sighed. "He's not here. He was called."

"Where can I find him?"

"Relax. He'll be back before classes tomorrow. You need to go back to the house and rest up. You still have training in the morning."

"No. You can't make me. I need to know if Severus' okay."

Dumbledore eye twitched at Remus. Did he have to bring Harry here? "Harry, there's nothing we can do but wait."

"I'll wait here all night if I have to."

"No, Harry. You must return to the house, get some sleep, and train tomorrow."

"Isn't that why I'm training? To save others? To help everyone?!"

"You are no help to Severus right now."

"You don't know that."

"Please, Harry. I've had enough." With his hand placed on Harry's back, Dumbledore scooted Harry towards the fireplace. "Now, I trust you will return to your room and sleep."

"But S-"

"-Severus will be fine."

The old wizard was half asleep! Was he even aware of what he was saying?!

Dumbledore grabbed a candle from his shelves and placed it in Harry's hands before he shouted, "Pumpernickel!"

Harry was gone, Portkey-ed back to the mansion. "Leave quickly, Remus. I need to temporarily disable the floo system lest Harry tries to return."

Remus passed a smirk at Dumbledore before he too vanished.

Dumbledore then went to the adjoin room, not to sleep, but to care for the battered up wizard. "I thought for sure he was going to find you," said Dumbledore as he slowly lowered himself onto the chair beside the bed.

Snape weakly moan.

"I guess this changes a few things, Severus. I will reschedule and you will go in the middle of October instead. Can you manage?"

Snape nodded weakly. The pain he felt swelling up in his head was gradually leaving. He was tired, wanted to rest his aching body and dead mind, but the old wizard kept talking. By the way Snape turned his head away and frowned, he was doing what he could to ignore the irritating man. Dumbledore was only making Snape's headache worse.

And then, Dumbledore's tone shifted.

"Severus, I've turned a blind eye for too long now. I need to address something."

HARRYPOTTERHARRYPOTTERHARRYPOTTER

Waiting for daybreak was pure hell. Harry fumbled with his sheets, tossed and turned on his bed, ended up staring at the ceiling, damning himself for caring so much for a total bastard and finally ended up pacing in his room. Hedwig would occasionally glare at him, cursing at him in her own way for disturbing her peace.

When the sun appeared over the dark forest and turned everything a gloomy blue, Harry opened his door and looked around, anticipating a message in some form. Hell, even a Howler would do the trick.

What he got instead was Remus about two hours later. He sat Harry down and after Remus told him that Snape was in Dumbledore's room the entire time, listening, Harry felt like not only letting Remus have it, but paying Dumbledore an unexpected and nasty visit.

Harry ended up fuming the rest of the day. He ignored his breakfast, deliberately failed to put any effort into learning non verbal spells, and didn't even bother showing up for lunch. He had to suck up when Kingsley came, because the Auror would not put up with Harry's inattentiveness.

After his lesson, Harry had a good look at the letter he had written. He had considered sending it to Snape, but he knew Caitlin wasn't coming any time soon and Harry didn't trust anyone else to deliver it. To add to Harry's dismay, Snape had hardly acknowledged Harry's existence. Did the bastard even care if Harry was alright? Harry crumbled it up and threw it across the room. He then plopped down on the bed and cursed himself for allowing his mood to be wavered so easily by one person. How easy it would be if he didn't feel so strongly for Snape.

There was a soft noise in the room and Harry looked up at the crib. If there was one person that could calm him down now, it would he Eras.

A week passed without any more news on Snape's wellbeing and Harry was about ready to rip his hairs from their roots. Why wouldn't anyone tell him anything? Was it so hard for them to at least tell him what had happened to Snape? Keeping information from him was only distracting him more. "Do you have news about Severus?" Harry asked Remus when the man had returned late one night.

"You should be in bed," was all that the werewolf said before he retired to his room.

Another few days of lessons passed and one would think that being unsuccessful with gathering information would make someone quit, but not Harry. He could be as obstinate as Snape.

When Harry finished a round of failed transfigurations with Dumbledore, he asked again if Snape was doing well. All he got was a small nod. Harry turned an ear to Dumbledore, hoping that the old wizard would take a hint and elaborate. "Well, anything else, sir?" Harry pushed.

"I cannot really say, Harry." Dumbledore headed for the door before Harry could nudge any more information out of him. "Good night, Harry. Practise hard."

Harry growled and clenched his fists.

SEVERUSSNAPESEVERUSSNAPESEVERUSSNAPE

On a pleasant Friday morning Harry was seated by the large windows, presenting the appearance of someone admiring the scenery when in fact he was just lost in his mind. Dobby had just told him that Dumbledore canceled his morning lesson and Harry was not to attend his afternoon lesson until two in the afternoon. I wonder why, thought Harry. Not that it bothered him. He really didn't feel like having Defense Against the Dark Arts anyways.

Harry planned on spending the day resting and reading a good book, but time went faster than he could have predicted and the small hand was just minutes away from the two before Harry could say pumpkin juice.

Setting his book aside, Harry left his room and took his sweet time getting to the practising room.

Upon entering, Harry took a step back and stared at the Order members assembled around the room and the many familiar, but random objects thrown about the floor. Harry raised his eyebrow questionably. "Ah, Harry," Dumbledore walked to Harry and placed his hand on his shoulder to guide him further into the room and towards the congregated Order members. "Professor?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Just in time," Dumbledore's voice was quite serious. "Today is a very important day and it is crucial that you pay close attention."

Harry nodded so that Dumbledore would go on.

Dumbledore raised a finger as if preparing to explain something and then he lowered it and ran his hand through his beard as he suddenly became pensive. "Harry, today you are going to put what you have learned into action and this will help us understand how far along you are with your training. Here we have thrown familiar, inanimate objects for your disposal. I trust you will know what to do with them when the time comes."

At this point, Harry was looking at Dumbledore incredulously.

"I hope you have been practising, Harry. You will have a face off with an opponent of my choosing and you will fight as you would an adversary. Today, though you may feel very close and trust this person, you are not to underestimate him or assume he will go easy on you because you are Harry."

Harry looked around the room at the faces of the many Order members minus one. He exhaled in relief.

Dumbledore turned to Moody. "Today's challenger, if you please, Alastor.

Moody clapped his hands and Harry felt wind brushed his exposed skin just behind him. Harry felt his stomach plunge. If everyone else was in front of him... that left...

"Afternoon, Mr. Potter."

A/N: Hello there. I know itfs a short chapter, but Ifm trying my best to get something out. Thank you for sticking with this story and I apologize for making you wait so long. I will try to get the next chapter out much soon.