Almost there. Part One

Almost There.

As he hurried through the grounds of Malfoy Manor, Professor Severus Snape had only two things on his mind. One was to get back to Hogwarts and let everyone know what had happened that night and the other was to get Harry Potter back to Hogwarts with him alive and in one piece.

Harry had managed to sneak into the last Death-Eater meeting with the Professor by hiding under his invisibility cloak. Once there he had found Nagini and quickly severed her head from the rest of her body, as they had found out that Voldemort didn't feel anything when the Horcrux were destroyed. After despatching Nagini, Harry had followed the late comers to the meeting and before anyone had realised what was happening, he had drawn Griffindor's sword and instead of using his wand he had used the sword to channel his magic. As he cast the killing curse he had lunged forward and stabbed Voldemort through the heart. Still holding the handle as it was embedded in the Dark Lord's body, Harry had started to chant a spell that was in Parseltongue to destroy any other remains of body and soul causing the sword to glow faintly and the light to spread til it was surrounding Harry. Professor Snape watched as the light engulfed Harry and then seemed to permeate his body causing him to glow too. As the last words were hissed, Harry pulled the sword out of the body and watch as it collapsed in on itself and then disappeared into a swirl of ash. Around them the remaining Death-Eaters stood first in shock and then fell to the floor in agony as the Dark Mark that connected them to the Dark Lord was severed but not removed.

Harry glanced up at Professor Snape and with a little wry smile said "Well, Merry Christmas Professor. I hope you like your present, no more bowing to the snake-faced egomaniac. Sorry its not gift wrapped" and then collapsed. At that moment it was as if time had been suspended and then as Harry hit the floor it was unstopped and all hell broke loose as the Death-Eaters realised that the Dark Lord was dead and that Harry Potter had killed him with the help of one of their own.

"Get them" screamed Lucius Malfoy. "Pick yourselves up and get them"
Snape rushed forward whilst casting a shield spell for himself and Potter and then half carrying, half dragging the young man he started for the edge of the Anti-Apparition barrier. Looking back, he saw that the Death-Eaters had at last seemed to get themselves together but that some of them were rushing of in the opposite direction, no doubt trying to escape before the Ministry Aurors and the Order arrived. Several others thought were organising themselves to try and get revenge. With this in mind, Snape realised he would have to change his plan and try to get Potter to wake up or they would both be dead before the night was over.

"Come on Potter, I need you to wake up" he said as he dragged the young man into a large clump of bushes and laying him down, leaned over him and started to feed him potions to help him regain his magic and strength. "Come on Potter, it's a pretty crap christmas present if your not going to be around to share it with" he muttered. "Do you mean it" came a quiet whisper. "Well yes, if your not there, I will have to put up with the full force of Albus' twinkling and I'm afraid thats not a good thing as I will end up hexing the old codger." Harry pushed himself up into a sitting position and smirked at the Professor. "I like you too sir but don't worry. I can keep a secret." "Good now are you feeling strong enough to stand as we need to get out of here?" "Sure, just give me a hand up and point me in the right direction."

Standing up carefully and checking around to see if there was anyone near, they set of again for the edge of the grounds, constantly searching for any of the Death-Eaters. "We're nearly there Potter," said Snape. "It's just past that next group of tree's". "Wait" whispered Harry, "There's someone over there. We need to go a different way" "There isn't another way. We have to go through those tree's, we cant apparate from here, no-one can do..................." "What, did you think of something" asked Harry. "Yes. You can apparate us from here as you don't need your wand and that way it cant be traced"

Harry grabbed onto Severus' arm and within seconds they were gone. When they reappeared it took them a moment to get their bearings.. "Where did you bring us?" asked Severus. "It's the cave that Sirius hid in during my fourth year. It was the safest place I knew nearest to Hogwarts." "Good thinking" and with that Severus cast Lumos to see what state the cave was in and started to make a fire. "ermm Sir" "What now Potter" "Do you think I could have another potion cos I don't " "You don't what Potter." When he didn't get a reply Severus turned and saw Harry crumpled up on the floor. "Shit. It must have drained him fetching us here." Quickly transfiguring a large rock into a mattress near to the small fire he had made, he levitated Harry onto it and sorted through what potions he had in his robes to see what he could give to the magic worlds Saviour. 'Isn't this great,' he thought to himself, 'I'm finally free of that idiot and I end up spending the night playing nursemaid to a Potter. "Come on Potter, I need you to take some potions," he said as he tipped the vial and massaged Harry's throat, " Damn it Harry, I need you to wake and swallow all of these or they are not going to work properly" "Huh, Yes Sir." muttered Harry as he tried to push himself up. "Thats it. Now drink them all and you will start to feel better." Sir, will you talk to me and stop me from going to sleep, I don't want to sleep til I'm at Hogwarts. "What do you want me to talk about, we know everything about each other already after all of our training together." "I don't know, anything, tell me what stock you have in your potions cupboard, that should keep me awake" 'More like put you to sleep' thought Severus. "Very well" he conceded. "We have Asphodel and Arrowroot, Angel Dust and Tears, Apple blossoms and Aconite, to name a few of the A's. Are you sure you want me to do this?" asked Severus. "Yes, it will give me something to think about instead of trying to go to sleep, now keep going" replied Harry. " As you wish, Harry, I have Belladonna and Bezoars'" this went on for a while with Harry asking questions about the properties of some of the ingredients but Severus noticed that Harry was starting to shake and it looked like shock was setting in. "Harry, you need to stay focused on me, your going into shock so I think it would be best if we tried to get to Hogwarts now, can you stand?" "Don't know, don't think so, I'm so tired," "I know Harry and I promise as soon as we get to Hogwarts you can go to bed" "Liar, they will have me telling them what happened and sticking me in the hospital wing." "I promise you Harry, I will take you to my own rooms and you can rest there and I will tell them what happened, no-one can get through my wards apart from Fawkes and I doubt he will try to do anything"

With that Severus pulled Harry up and then picked him up into his arms, "Now hold on to me and I will get us home, just hang in there Harry." "I like that you call me Harry" came a quiet voice, "Well it is your name and as you said, we are friends of sorts so it only seems right to call you Harry" explained Severus. "Now quiet, I need to concentrate on where we need to be." "Yes Severus" answered Harry. 'Well that sounds strange' thought Severus. Then holding Harry tight to him, he apparated away to the gates of Hogwarts. As he walked up the long path to the doors he quietly murmured to Harry to hang on, don't sleep yet, almost there.