The Friday Boy

CHAPTER 51

Harry sat cross-legged on the padded trunk at the end of Snape’s bed staring at the man’s pale face that stuck out from beneath the luscious silk sheets and thick burgundy blanket. Snape was breathing still, his chest rising and falling if not shallower than normal. His face was a ghostly white however and the man was like ice to touch, so much so that the wizard’s exhale was visible as mist in the warm room. Harry didn’t know what to do, and with no floo connection was helplessly alone. With some difficulty Harry had hauled Snape upstairs on the rug from the front of the fire. The house elf had been little help, unable, as he was to leave the house due to his status. Harry had bundled Snape into bed after some effort, before piling the blankets on top of him to try and keep the man warm. There was frustratingly little else Harry could do and so he and the house elf had sat at the end of Snape’s bed watching the man’s chest rise and fall, and the soft misty exhale of the man’s breath.

Harry was just beginning to doze off himself however when he heard Snape cough, it was a deep lung wrenching cough and Harry’s eyes snapped open instantly. Snape’s eyes had opened, and where the onyx brooding stare had once been, was now a shallow blue haze, as the man convulsed with another wretched cough. Scrambling to his feet Harry darted over to Snape’s bedside, unable to do anything but hold the man’s hand as Snape wretched again. It was then that Harry saw it, where the misty ice cold breath had been, a black serpent like cloud was leeching from Snape’s mouth as the man continued to choke. The dark snakish mist fought in the air above Snape’s head, as the man continued to exhale it with each heave. Free of Snape’s body the dark cloud of breath writhed in the air above Snape’s head as the man fell limp back on the bed. Harry could do little else but watch as the cloud continued to linger over Snape’s head. Shaking, Harry grabbed for his wand and with a deep breath plunged the tip of his wand into the dark cloud instinctively reciting the killing curse as he did so. There was a piercing scream. It rocked the house and brought Harry to his knees. Dropping his wand Harry clutched at his ears in a lousy attempt at blocking out the sound. The scream shattered glass, and Harry ducked his head and closed his eyes as he felt a rush of icy air sweep around him.

Harry wasn’t sure what was happening, all he could hear was the piercing scream pounding in his ears and the unfamiliar rush of air swirling around him. The sensation was like apparition, but longer and far more sickening. Then as suddenly as it all began it ended, and Harry felt the slight jerk as his knees hit solid ground again. The wind stopped, and so had the scream and despite feeling somewhat relived it was over; Harry’s relief was soon overshadowed by dread as he dared to open his eyes.

Harry knew he wasn’t in Snape’s safe house any longer that much was clear. The place was strangely familiar, as Harry stood up and glanced around. It was dark, and the slight bite on the breeze told of a different season entirely to the one Harry had just been in. As he stood still to get his bearings Harry began to recognize the smells, the surroundings and most of all the distant but no less familiar song on the breeze.

Hogwart’s.

Harry was in the dark forest on the edge of Hogwart’s grounds, and judging from the song echoing on the breeze it was the leaving feast at the end of a school year. Glancing at his muggle wristwatch Harry cursed when he saw that the dial’s had frozen, the date display cracked and unreadable. It had been mid December when he’d been at Snape’s house, how on earth had he lost nearly five months of his life? Disorientated, and beginning to panic Harry was somewhat surprised when he heard the crunch of leaves and sticks. Instinctively Harry ducked behind a thorny and particularly nasty little bush, just allowing himself enough space to look out into the darkness of the forest.

Harry saw the flickering of a lantern first, swinging back and forth as it’s carrier walked between the trees. Then from the shadows, emerged two figures draped in what looked like overly large robes.

“I hope you know where you’re going, if we’re late he’ll….”

“What? Refuses us? Come on Lucius, you’ve been molded for this since birth.” Harry could hardly believe his eyes, as he watched the pair of wizards emerge from the darkness.

Harry knew them.

Or rather, he knew the wizards the pair would become.

“So come on Sev, what’s he promised you?” Shocked Harry tentatively followed the pair, as they walked straight past him still swinging the lantern. Harry didn’t want to believe what he was seeing as he caught the beautiful, young face of Severus Snape in the glow lantern light as he turned to glance back at his blonde haired companion.

“He had my father killed.” Harry shivered at the conviction in the young Snape’s voice. The young wizards voice was far from what it had become in his elder years, but it had all the makings of the familiar velvet growl the potion professor was so known for.

“That’s a bit strong, your dad….” Young Lucius Malfoy was cut off as Snape spun around, a silver blade flicking out from his hand to come to rest at Lucius’ neck.

“I have no father Malfoy, and you’d best not be mentioning it again. To anyone.” Harry froze as he watched Lucius nod obediently before Snape stepped back from his threatening pose and put the knife away. “Now come on, we’re nearly there.” Harry stepped up his pace to keep up with the two young wizards, but nearly fell flat on his face as the thick forest undergrowth widened out into a clearing. Harry scrambled to hide himself behind a tree as he stared wide-eyed at the familiar gathering.

There was no mistaking Death Eaters, whatever the time period and Harry could feel himself beginning to worry as he watched the young Severus and Lucius step unprotected and boldly into the gathering. Harry fumbled around in his jumper and pulled out his wand as he watched the masked death eaters, form a circle around the two young wizards. Desperate to get closer to hear what was going on Harry crawled on his hands and knees around the side of the gathering until he was close enough to see a very young, very embodied and very regal looking Tom Riddle in the center of the circle, lit by lanterns held by the followers. Tom Riddle looked just as he had done in the vision Harry had seen in Dumbledore’s pensieve, but perhaps a little older and far more confident surrounded by his followers.

“Welcome, my faithful to this occasion. Not only do we celebrate the induction of two of our brightest young wizards yet, we also celebrate the new blood these two will bring to our cause.” Harry shook his head in disbelief; surely this wasn’t what it appeared to be. “Severus Snape, you may kneel before me.” Harry’s heart leapt into his throat as he watched the young Snape do as he was instructed, kneeling obediently at the dark lords feet and pressing a kiss to the hem of his robe as a show of submission. Riddle seemed pleased with the display, and patting Snape like a pet dog on the head. “I believe you will become my most loyal follower yet Severus, such defiance, such talent, such devotion to your cause,” Harry was breathing heavily, his fist tight around his wand as he watched Riddle trail a thin finger down Snape’s face, over his neck and down his arm to wrap his fingers around the boy’s wrist. Harry could hardly believe Snape had done this willingly, as he watched Tom pull Snape’s arm up and onto a flat stone alter set just to the side. Harry’s anger began to take over his fear as he watched Riddle tear Snape’s sleeve apart, exposing the unmarked, pale young flesh of Snape’s upper arm. “, so willing as you are to sacrifice your father, so that you may take his place beside me.” Harry was gripping his wand so tight, his nails had torn into the skin leaving sticky trails of blood running down his wrist as he watched Tom raise his wand over Snape’s forearm in preparation. “but you’re still very young Severus Snape and have a lot to learn. Your first lesson my little alchemist of pain, is to never trust a Slytherin…” Everything happened so quickly, and Harry caught the flash of fabric as one of the death eaters closest to Voldemort removed their mask, revealing a figure Harry had seen in the few pictures Snape kept in his rooms.

Xavier Snape, or as more commonly referred to as Severus father and all round nasty bastard.

The expression on the young Severus Snape’s face as he stared into that of his fathers, tore Harry’s heart out. The boy had trusted the word of Tom Riddle, just like so many others before him.

“No, you lied! He’s supposed to be dead! Nooooo!” Snape’s scream of betrayal sent the night birds from their roosts in the forest and Harry just caught Snape fighting to free himself from Riddle’s deathly grip as the death eaters closed in on him to hold him down. Snape’s screams of agony were what drew Harry into action. Without thought Harry strode through the circle, the killing curse falling from his lips as if the boy had been practicing it his entire life. Bodies fell around him, but Harry didn’t flinch even when he stepped up face to face with a shocked Tom Riddle and thrust his wand squarely into the young dark wizards chest. Harry felt Riddle’s chest cavity cave as the wand sliced through flesh like butter, before Harry whispered the unforgivable he’d been destined to utter since birth. Harry stared into the young face of Tom Riddle, blocking out everything else as he watched the boy crumble to the floor. As Tom Riddle slid off the end of Harry’s wand to collapse in a lifeless heap at the boy’s feet, a tiny part of Harry that had worried about this moment for a lifetime seemed almost disappointed at how anti climatic the end actually was. Harry had expected blood, gory fighting, and verbal sparing but in the end two words had been the only conversation and the only blood was his own, dripping down his wrists from where his own nails had clung so hard to his wand he’d torn his palm open. Harry stared into the lifeless eyes of Tom Riddle at his feet, the greatest wizard the world would probably ever see, seemed so very ordinary in death. With a deep breath Harry turned around, the young Severus Snape was huddled afraid, and in pain behind the alter he’d nearly given his life upon. Harry swallowed as he stared into the fearful onyx eyes staring up at him. Carefully Harry lowered himself down and gently reached out a hand, to cup Snape’s youthful cheek. Snape didn’t flinch away under the contact and Harry smiled a little as he leaned in closer to the young wizard.

“I love you Severus Snape, never forget that…” As Harry closed his eyes and leaned in to brush his lips against the soft trembling one’s of Snape’s the boy was gone in a rush of wind. Opening his eyes Harry glanced around the dark clearing, everything that had been it before gone leaving him alone, with the wind that was gradually picking up speed around him. Getting to his feet Harry went to take cover in the trees but doubled over with a scream of agony, his stomach erupting into pain at the movement. Dropping his wand to the floor uncaringly Harry screamed again, as he clutched at his stomach. Screaming in pain, Harry collapsed onto his side, his screams barely audible above the roar of wind whipping around him. Closing his eyes, and retreating into his pain Harry wished for death as the world spun and he disappeared once again…

TBC>>>>>>

A/N *does a little hampster dance* Oh yeah, I officially declare this the biggest twist I\'ve done, and god I love it. All the signs were there, and surprisingly enough you all picked them up but I bet ya still didn\'t see it coming... *shakes herself out of gloat mode* Anyway two more chapters to go, and I\'m going to milk them for the suspence gold mines that they are. *blows kisses to all her reviewers* God I love you guys sooo much, it makes writing so much more pleasing when you know your readers are gaining as much pleasure from the story as you do writing it.

Alright, apologies for not updating. I got lost in my hard drive, my archive of unpublished works is bigger than I expected and somewhat more controverstial than I previously bargined for....*shrugs shoulders* Oh well, Live journal should be filling up quite nicely I believe.

Cheers & a big thanks to T-Chan, so happy to see your name again and sure friend me, on LJ.

RIFFRAFF