Lose Yourself Along the Way

Lose Yourself Along the Way

Disclaimer and Warnings: I do NOT own Harry Potter! All characters recognized belong to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., Bloomsbury, and Scholastic, respectively. Copyright infringement is not intended and I make no money from posting this story.

Summary: It was the final task and Hogwarts was awaiting their Champions. The joy soon crumbled as one boy, Cedric Diggory, returned dead with the words THE DARK LORD HAS ARISEN had been crudely etched into the skin of his chest. People in mourning and frightened waited for the other, their Chosen One – the Boy-Who-Lived, to return; he never did.

Months which turned to years passed but the battle between the Light and the Dark never ceased...


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Lose Yourself Along the Way

Chapter One – The Lost and Found

People change in the maze. Oh, find the cup if you can. But be very wary; you could just lose yourselves along the way.

-Dumbledore

in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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Summer 1997

12 Grimmauld Place, an ancestral home that belonged to the Black family, for one years time has served as the Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society of those who opposed the Dark Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

For the last few months the house had been filled with loud voices that belonged to those of members and red haired children. However, with the increase of raids and with the new term about to began the house had quieted greatly.

Save for Kreacher, a aged and loyal house-elf to the House of Black, the place was empty.

As the golden hands of the grand-clock met one another at their northern point a melody of chimes began to play. Seconds ticked by, the music stopped and the hands once again moved apart as midnight passed.

The house settled back into silence and waited.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Without warning the house seemed to jump in surprised when green flames bellowed from the face of the hearth, signaling the arrival of someone from the Order.

A tall and thin male stepped out from the fireplace not noticing or ignoring the soot that covered his dark clothing and shoulder length black hair, he limped towards one of the couches in the room.

"Kreacher!" He called out, his voice rough and firm yet not firm enough to keep the away the urgency. The house-elf popped into the room with a sneer on his wrinkled face. "Did the half-blood call for Kreacher?"

Ignoring the comment the man pulled out his wand and summoned a black bag to his side then began shooting orders at the house-elf. "Quickly bring me rags and water!" He never once turned to the creature who began to follow orders slowly its bloodshot eyes watching as the half-blood laid a figure down onto the couch.

"Go and summon your Master!"

The house-elf left mumbling loudly about blood and pride, how it no longer existed.

Half of an hour passed before the fireplace flared again, and quickly the dark clothes man removed the cloak from his shoulders to cover most of his burdens body, as people emerged from the fireplace.

"Severus!" An older man with blue eyes and sky blue robes called upon seeing the man. "What is going on, my boy?"

"Headmaster." Severus Snape acknowledged him and slowly stood blocking the rest of the body from view. Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Arthur Weasley stood in front of the fireplace looking a little worse for wear from the earlier raid.

"Where were you, Snape!" Sirius screamed rushing towards the potions Potions Professor, "One minutes you were there and the next you disappeared you damned coward!"

Severus sneered down at the man before he jerked away, pulling his collar out of his grip. "I had," he began lowly. "more important things to take care of, mutt."

Sirius went to grab him again but Lupin reached and stopped him.

"Let him explain himself, Padfoot!"

Dark eyes glared towards Remus but before Severus could tell him off the Headmaster cut in. "Who is that?" He asked, nodding towards the person hidden behind the Professor. He found no response and searched for some answer in those black eyes but still came up nothing. "Severus?"

The Slytherin Head of House looked from one face to another, dreading the reaction he would receive. Finally he spoke,"It's Potter."

It took a moment for that simple sentence to register in the minds of those present.

"H-Harry?" Sirius broke from the weak grasp of his last living friend and went to step around Severus who reminded in his spot, not moving to one side or the other to give him room. Grey eyes heatedly met black. "Move!"

"No."

The last Black turned to the Headmaster seeking assistance. "Is that really Harry?" The man asked instead.

A nod was his answer and slowly Severus stepped aside but kept close to the boys side. He would not be able to keep secrets much longer and he would protect this child.

The room melted back into silence as Sirius knelt in front of his godson, a shaking hand came up brush at the dark fringe covering his forehead. "It's so long now." He laughed humorlessly, turning to look at his best friend, ignoring the sigh of relief that came from the red haired man upon seeing the lightning blot scar. Sirius turned back to Harry, "He's alive." he buried his face into the wild dark hair and let himself go, even Severus turned away at the sound of the heartbreaking sobs.

"T-thank you Sniv-Snape."

"I did not bring him home for you, Black." Severus growled, "I did not bring him home for anyone but himself!"

Sirius just nodded, "I know." His hands went to the black cloak that was still draped over the teens small figure. "He's sweating."

That was the moment two things happened making everyone in the room on edge.

The Potions Master darted forward to knock away the ex-convicts hand yelling loudly, "Do not touch him Black!"

At that same moment Kreacher suddenly popped in with the items he had been ordered to get, and when he caught eye of those who were now in the room he began to go on about blood traitors, werewolves and the like.

Wands along with wild and heated looks were out, the Headmaster stepped forward to calm the other men. "Wands down." He ordered and slowly wands were lowered but not placed out of sight. "Severus, would you please explain to all of us what is going on?"

"Have Black step away."

"I'm not-"

"Padfoot," Remus interrupted, "Just get away from them and we'll find up what's going on." Slowly Sirius went to his friends side, the hatred and confusion still burning in his eyes.

For a moment Severus did not move or say a thing, he just stood there staring at each of them almost examining them for some reason. After awhile he let out a slow sigh before turning to the boy on the couch, he reached forward with his potion stained hands for the cloak and began to pull it away.

Skin that had once been a healthy tan as now pale but not sickly so, just as if he had not seen the sun for the two plus years he had been missing from them. Even curled in the way he was he looked taller, but did not not to be as tall as the youngest Weasley son.

But it was none of this that captured their attention.

"H-he's..." Arthur stuttered, running a shaking hand through his red hair. "Dear Merlin..."

The pale skin of his abdomen was small and round, something that would have been missed if not even in his state of sleep Harry had a protective and comforting hand on his stomach.

"He's pregnant?" Remus asked though he needed no answer. The initial scent had been covered by the blood that was still imbedded in his nostrils from the raid earlier that day. There was no mistaking it now. "Is it...no, no it can't be."

"Let me first get him settled in a room and then we will speak."

Still in shock no one interjected and could only watch as the Potions Professor picked up his burden and left the room. Dumbledore requested tea from the house-elf who had not left the room at any point but had stopped his ranting long ago. The three made their way into another room where they would not be disturbed if someone was to floo in unexpectedly.

After making sure Harry was safe inside his room with charms that would alert him if he woke up Severus returned, easily finding where the others had relocated due to the loud noises that the last Black Heir was making. When he entered the room, a office that connected to the Black family library, he noticed that the Headmaster was sitting in an arm chair nursing a cup of hot tea, his blue eyes were distant; deep in thought. Lupin was in another chair that sat off to the corner near a old and dusty desk, stirring a sugar spoon around in his tea mechanically.

Sirius Black was no where in sight but by the sounds that came from the open door off to the side, he could confidently guess that the ex-convict was destroying the library.

"Call in the mutt and I will explain to the best of my abilities." He began calmly, sitting down in a available arm chair across from Dumbledore. "Where is the Weasley?"

"I sent him home to inform Kingsely and the a few of the other member of the situation."

Severus movements froze, his stained fingertips brushing against the porcelain tea cup he had been reaching for. "You did what?"

Dumbledore sighed, and those in the room could see the tiredness he carried in every winkle. "I informed him that it would not be in Harry's best interest to tell them everything, Severus. He will just tell them that the boy has been found."

Severus nodded silently picking up the cup and saucer, "That is fine, Headmaster." He took a light sip of the dark and unsweetened tea, taking that moment to gather his thoughts. If this was any other time he would have enjoyed watching Black, who had reentered the room moments ago, and Lupin fidget in their seats. "After this I think it would be find if Pomfrey was summoned."

"I think you're right, my boy. I will see that she will be here." Ever the patient man Dumbledore was.

"At the last meeting we discussed the raid that took place today." He began softly looking into the black liquid that sat inside of his cup. "Needless to say, Headmaster," His eyes went to Dumbledore. "you were correct on your assumption."

The man nodded and he continued.

"I did not know that Potter was at that particular location at the time, however when I saw the sister Carrow fighting against an Auror I knew that he was there. You see, she was assigned to watching over Potter-"

"You knew!" Sirius stood abruptly, throwing back the chair he occupied his wand was once again drawn and pointed to the spy. "You knew where he was this whole time and you said nothing! You filthy git!"

Dumbledore, fearful that Sirius would hex Severus or worse quickly interfered and wandlessly bound Sirius to his chair. "Listen or do not listen at all." There was no venom or anything dark in his voice, just an exhausted and weary old man who wanted to put the pieces of a two year old puzzle together.

After the Headmaster sat back into his chair, Severus continued. "It is true, I knew but I had been sworn by the Dark Lord not to say a word." With that much said the man opened his mouth to show his tongue expecting the gasps of surprise that came from the other three men. Even in the office that held little light the mark on his tongue could be seen – an arrow that pointed into his mouth and down his throat.

"Lingua Silens."

Severus closed his mouth and cleared his throat before continuing, "I cannot tell you or even write everything that I know without suffering ill effects." Even now with what little he was saying the mark caused a sting like pain that ran down his throat. "Potter is," he stopped to cough the pain irritating his throat. "with child, eighteen weeks." He brought the tea to this mouth hoping it would calm the irritation, even though he knew it would not.

"Is it..." Lupin trailed off, not wanting to know the answer to his question but he knew it was needed.

At Severus' nod, hearts dropped into stomachs and Lupin turned green but managed to hold in the contents of his stomach.

Dumbledore had not moved but his features paled dramatically, much so that Severus thought the old man would keel over in a dead faint.

Sirius reaction was most frightening, the man did not burst into a fit of rage like one thought he would. Instead, he sat there with his hung low and chest rapidly moving up and down, his body shook so violently that they could hear his teeth chatter as if he was cold. Severus once again summoned his black bag to his side and pulled out a vial of minor Calming Draught.

It took both he and the werewolf to get it down the mans throat.

"If I could have helped him I would have, but before this time I had only seen him once more."

"When did you see him before?"

"The Dark Lord requested me to bring him blood replenishing potions." He poured tea into his cup from the kettle, taking pride at his steady his hands were at that moment. "I caught a glimpse of him." Momentarily he shut his eyes, remembering the face of the auburn haired and frightened Mediwitch who took the potions from him – he recalled seeing her tortured body later that day.

Dumbledore leaned forward to offer him sugar even though he knew Severus did not take anything in his tea, yet the Potions Master accepted for distraction and taking pity in the man.

"Blood replenishing?"

"I have reason to believe that this was not his first pregnancy." He could not hold back the wince he had when pain traveled through his body.

"Merlin." Sirius sobbed though he was much calmer, even Dumbledore took down the restraints, he could not hold back to images of his godson being...being hurt by that monster.

"As I was saying before after seeing Carrow I knew he was unprotected and unguarded. I found Potter inside of a room that had been poorly warded, he was uninjured but resistant to coming along with me thus the reason he is in such a deep sleep." Severus glanced at the time, "He should be waking momentarily."

"H-he didn't want to come home?"

Before this question could be answered a noise sounded throughout the house.

Harry Potter had awaken.


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