FicWad

Hindsight
by Loralee

Chapter 10

Severus was already on his way to the Entrance Hall to see off the students when he realized something was very wrong. The Mark on his arm began to tingle and he remembered what his alternate had said. That Harry could summon him through the mark. He entered the Hall looking frantically for Harry yet knowing that he wasn't in the castle.

"Lupin, some thing's wrong, my mark is tingling," he hissed at the other man who he found standing in the Hall.

"Professor, professor!" shouted several voices.

He turned to find Longbottom and Granger running toward him, "It's Harry, Malfoy kidnapped him," stated Granger as the came to a halt before him and Lupin.

"What do mean?" asked Lupin.

"Explain!" demanded Severus at the same time.

The girl took a gulp of air and said in a rush, "Malfoy stopped us in the hall and he had some sort of leather strap in his hands. He suddenly whipped it at Harry and it wrapped around his arm. Harry said ow! And Malfoy just grinned and said, 'the dark lord will rise' and they disappeared."

"It was a portkey," added the red faced Longbottom.

"I must go, I can find him," said Severus.

"Wait, Severus we should get Sirius and maybe the Aurors first," said Lupin placing a restraining hand on his arm.

"Blast that, Lupin, I must go now, tag me and get the mutt," he said as he shook off the hand and stormed out the door. He barely noticed the tracking charm hit him as he took off at a dead run for the gates and the apparition point just beyond.

At the apparition point he stopped, drew his wand and took a deep breath then concentrating on the call of the mark he spun away to appear amidst chaos.

Severus found himself in a circle of standing stones where a dozen death eaters milled about in confusion. Severus spotted one man frothing at the mouth and convulsing definitively a sign that Harry's viper was loose. He heard Voldemort's demands to catch the boy and a vicious grin spread across his face. He stepped behind a nearby stone hoping no one had noticed him and silently cursed Nott in the back. Screams and shouting alerted him to Harry's whereabouts and he silently made his way towards the area. Someone was screaming in pain and there were shouts of 'kill the bloody snake' a shouted 'Avada Kedavra' and burst of green light and then silence except for the moans of a dying man. The tingling in Severus arm stopped abruptly and he sank to his knees in stunned grief.

He knelt behind the stone, hidden from sight, feeling the immense weight of failure.

Voldemort began screaming, "I needed the boy alive, you fools. You shall feel my wrath when I have my new body."

"Master, we can find another," said Lucius Malfoy from his knees, "we can snatch a boy from the platform this afternoon."

The man Voldemort was inhabiting turned and glared down at the Malfoy, "No we have a spare right here, Lucius, place your son upon the alter. He will have to do."

Severus peered around the stone, taking in the scene. Malfoy stared up at the Dark Lord, "My son?" he repeated in shock.

"Do you question me, Lucius, did you not pledge me everything, you may have another brat when I have taken my rightful place in the wizarding world."

Lucius gulped and rose, walking to his son he placed a hand on Draco's shoulder. He drew his wand. The boy's pale face stared up at his father.

"Run Draco," said Malfoy giving the boy a push then he turned toward Voldemort and shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" Draco stumbled away, Voldemort summoned a Death Eater to take Malfoy's curse and Macnair caught Lucius in the side with a disemboweling curse causing him to drop his wand and clutch at his entrails spilling out onto the stones. Crabbe had the struggling Draco and was dragging him to the alter.

Severus realized the cauldron near the alter must contain the potion to prepare the sacrifice for Voldemort and began to work nearer. He'd failed Harry, the least he could do was prevent Voldemort from using Draco and obtaining a new permanent body.

Once he was close enough he stepped from behind a stone and fired a blasting curse at the cauldron knocking it over, firing hexes at the nearest Death Eater he tried to work his way to the alter to release Draco. Then he was petrified from behind and dragged before the Dark Lord.

"Ah Severus, I did wonder if you would come. You betrayed me, what have you done with the artifacts you've collected, Severus? Return them to me and I will make your death painless," said Voldemort.

Severus smirked up at Voldemort and said, "They've been destroyed, you half blood bastard so just get on with it."

Voldemort snarled and backhanded Severus, "I'll make you suffer for days for this, Snape." Then he turned to the Alter and called, "Avery the potion."

Severus sagged in he captors hands as Avery brought forth a goblet and he realized they'd already decanted a part of the potion before he'd destroyed the cauldron. As the man on his right readjusted his grip Severus slid the knife from the sheath in his boot. He may have failed but he wouldn't wait around to be tortured.

Just then he caught sight of a small bloody face peering around one of the standing stones. His breath caught in his throat and he only just suppressed his shout of glee, Harry was alive. All eyes, save for Severus' were on the Dark Lord as he forced the potion down the struggling Draco's throat. Severus could only watch in horror as Harry crept from behind the stone to the nearby body and picked up the man's wand and stood up straight to cast.

As Harry began to shout words Severus didn't understand, he twisted to slice at the men holding him and half a dozen apparition pops sounded.

The black wraith that was Voldemort had boiled up out of the body it was inhabiting leaving the man to collapse, like a puppet with it's strings cut, and had began to settle into Draco Malfoy. Severus wanted to make his way to Harry but was intercepted by Garrison Goyle who glanced at Severus' dagger, grinned and pulled out his own. Before Goyle could attack him though, Goyle dropped his knife and clasped his arm, falling to his knees with a scream.

The wraith and Harry were both surrounded by a golden light. An unearthly screaming coming from the wraith. Severus stepped over Goyle and then stumbled as his strength left his extremities and pain gripped his chest. Severus scrabbled closer to Harry barely noticing the Death Eaters screaming around him. The light began to strobe and the black wraith burned at the edges, dissolving into the light.

Severus collapsed, his breathing labored and his vision turning black, his last thoughts were of Harry.

SSSSSSSSSSSSS

Severus woke to the sound of raised voices and medicinal smells. He held still cataloging his body, a habit deeply ingrained after years of waking in the infirmary. He felt very tired but was not in pain then he noticed a weight against one side and cracked open his eyes. Harry Potter was on top of the blanket sitting up against him. Voices rose and fell in the background and Harry stared in that direction. He turned his head slightly an noticed the privacy curtain was parted just enough for the boy to watch the argument going on in front of the doors.

His movement alerted Harry who turned to him.

"Thank you for coming to save me," said the boy quietly.

Severus said, "I didn't do a very good job of it though, did I?"

Harry leaned across him and gave him a hug, "I think it was brilliant, no one ever came before and you didn't die."

Severus sighed and asked, "What's going on," indicating the arguing group by the door.

"Oh, them, well Madam Pomfrey told them to stay over there until you woke up. The lady," he looked at Severus who said, "Madam Bones, head of the DMLE."

"Yeah, she wants to question both of us and arrest you for being a Death Eater, Dumbledore keeps telling her that you work for him but can't explain why you were there. He's not really helping. Sirius is insisting that he be present for any questions. The man with the hat?"

"Minister Fudge," said Severus.

"He doesn't seem to know what he wants. Either a picture with me giving me an award or maybe covering up that Voldemort almost came back by sending me out of the country," continued Harry with a sneer. "The others just stand around."

Severus refocused on the boy and said, "Voldemort?"

"Uh, he's gone," said Harry in a small voice.

"How did you do that Harry?" asked Severus.

"That's what I'd like to know as well, Mr Potter," said Amelia Bones.

Severus realized that the group of by the door was now around his bed. Save for Fudge who'd left with his bodyguards.

Harry stiffened and turned to the woman. "I used the judgment spell."

"I'm not familiar with that spell, Mr Potter, can you explain it to me?" asked Bones settling herself in the straight back chair near the bed. Sirius and Remus settled on the next bed and Dumbledore stood at the foot frowning.

Harry eyed the woman and asked "Am I in trouble?"

She smiled slightly and said, "No, Mr Potter you are not in any trouble but I need to know about everything that happened today."

"And how you learned such a dark spell, Harry," said Dumbledore in a disproving tone.

Sirius tried to jump up from the bed and Amelia frowned at Dumbledore and said, "Headmaster I must insist you allow me to do my job."

"Amelia, young Harry spent his summer with Sirius at his home against my recommendation. The Blacks are well know for their dark leanings. I'm just suggesting that Harry could have-" began Dumbledore.

"How dare you!" shouted Sirius still restrained by Lupin.

"That's enough!" said Bones sharply, "Albus I'll remind you that you are only here as a courtesy. I'll have you removed if you continue these interruptions."

"Young Harry is my student, Amelia," said Dumbledore sternly.

"Whose guardian is present and the incident happened off of school grounds after you allowed Mr Potter to be kidnapped from your school," countered Bones.

She turned again to Harry, "Now Mr Potter, may I call you Harry?"

Harry was scowling so fiercely at the Headmaster Severus wanted to laugh but restrained himself knowing one wrong word could send him to Azkaban.

Harry turned to the woman, "Yeah, I guess. It's not dark, you know, he's always thinking I'm a bad person. Sirius wouldn't even let me look at the dark arts books."

"Can you tell me a little about the spell, then and where you learned it?" asked Amelia leaning a bit toward Harry.

The boy shrugged and leaned back onto Severus. "It's an old spell that calls on magic to judge the actions of someone who has wronged you. It returns the wrong back to them."

Amelia blinked and said, "I don't think I've ever heard of such a spell. Where did you learn it."

Harry glanced at the frowning Dumbledore and said, "Here at Hogwarts."

Dumbledore's jaw dropped and he said, "Impossible, there isn't anything like that in the library and none of my teachers would teach a child such a spell."

Amelia frowned briefly at Dumbledore and turned back to Harry, "Will you tell my who taught it to you?"

"I sort of promised not to tell anyone," said Harry in a small voice.

Dumbledore opened his mouth but didn't say anything with Amelia held up a hand.

"This is very important, Harry. We really need to discuss the spell with the person who taught you so that we can figure out the limitations to the spell." said Amelia.

"Why?" asked Harry.

Amelia glanced at Dumbledore and said, "Professor Dumbledore believes that Voldemort may not be completely gone, only banished back to a spirit form. That he will try to come back again."

Harry shook his head and a said, "No he's gone for good."

Amelia smiled slightly, "I hope so too, but the Headmaster believes he may have found a way to anchor his soul to this plane."

"OH!" said Harry with a smile, "You're talking about his horde crutches, we got rid of those this summer."

"Horcruxes, Harry," came Lupin's voice from the other bed.

"Yeah, those," agreed Harry. "Once they were gone I just had to find away to get rid of the rest of him. You know the wraith part that was in Quirrell last year and then in that man at the stones."

Amelia's eyebrows had risen toward her hairline and Dumbledore had turned a strange gray color as his mouth opened and shut. Severus didn't dare look at the smirking faces of Lupin and Black or he'd laugh

"Why did you think it was up to you to get rid of him, Harry?" asked Amelia.

"Because of the prophecy, of course," said Harry in a matter of fact tone.

"What prophecy?" asked Amelia.

"The one that said I had to kill Voldemort or he'd kill me. The one Professor Dumbledore told my parents about that made them go into hiding in the first place," said Harry.

Amelia turned to stare at the headmaster who seemed to be having breathing problems.

"Madam Bones," said Sirius, "James told me they'd been told of a prophecy so Harry and I went to the Department of Mysteries this summer to check on it and heard it. I thought it was for the best that Harry be aware of just what he might be up against. Once we heard it we began to work toward solving it. Remus has been doing quite a bit of research on a way to banish what was left of Voldemort but he hadn't come up with anything."

"And the horcruxes?" asked Amelia.

"That was my doing, Madam Bones, I learn of them from a contact and began to seek them out intending to bring them to the Headmasters attention. Then I discovered that one had been removed from it's original hiding place by Regulus Black before his death and I approached Sirius to find it," said Severus

"More like tried to steal it," muttered Sirius.

Harry giggled pulling Amelia's attention back to him, "Yeah and while they were yelling at each other I sort of got rid of the nasty thing."

"How did you do that, Harry?" asked Amelia.

"Er, the ending spell. You know finite incantatem."

"Impossible," stated Dumbledore now back to original color.

"I don't lie," said Harry with a stubborn look.

"But there is more to it than that isn't there?" asked Amelia softly.

Harry shrugged, "Yeah but it's a secret."

"Will you tell me?" asked Amelia.

"Not with the Headmaster here," said Harry.

Amelia looked startled. "Why ever not?"

"Because I don't trust him. When I asked him to swear that he would tell my secrets before he tried to be tricky and only swore for that meeting. If I tell you in front of him then he can tell anyone," said Harry crossing his arms.

"Enough of this, Mr Potter, you will answer our questions right now or else," demanded Dumbledore.

"Or else what?" asked Sirius belligerently.

"Enough!" shouted Amelia. "We've gotten off track as it is," she said in quieter voice, "Harry we can discuss that secret later can you please tell me what happen today. I've been told you had a confrontation with Draco Malfoy."

"Yes, ma'am, he stopped me in the hall and whipped a cord around my arm. It was a portkey and took us to the standing stones. Two men grabbed me and held me while that man, the one with Voldemort in him, talked about what he was going to do. When they started to drag me to the alter thing, well Hiss bit one and I stomped on the other ones foot and ran. They were chasing me and Hiss bit another one but he shot a green spell at her, and I fell back and hit my head and couldn't breath for a minute or two. Then when I got up and peeked around a stone and saw they had the Professor and Draco." He hung his head. "I don't like Draco, but I didn't want Voldemort to hurt him. Is he alright?"

"He is at Saint Mungo's right now. What happened next?"

Oh, well one of the men had taken my wand so I took the one from the man on the ground. I think Hiss killed him but she was only trying to protect me. I think they killed her." Tears were beginning to fall from Harry's eyes and Severus placed an arm around the boy.

"Hiss is a snake?" asked Amelia.

"Yes, she's my friend," said Harry.

"I'm sure that Sirius and Remus can take you back to the standing stone to look for her when you feel up to it," said Amelia kindly.

Harry wiped the back of his hand across his nose and Remus offered him a handkerchief.

"I took the wand and said the spell. I had to try to get rid of Voldemort and save Draco and Professor Snape."

"You believe that Professor Snape was there to save you? Not to help Voldemort?" asked Amelia.

Severus tensed.

"Of course he was there to save me, he's my friend," stated Harry.

"He is a Death Eater, Harry. We already know that," said Amelia.

"No he isn't," argued Harry.

"Harry, I'm sorry, but Voldemort can call his followers through their Dark Marks. That's the only way he could have found you. We know that Severus Snape carries the Dark Mark," countered Amelia.

"I think he probably had a tracking charm on hiss, since she got lost last year and that's how he found me," said Harry and then he added, "because he doesn't have the Dark Mark."

"If you'll move away from him, Harry we can check," said Amelia with a sigh. Severus noticed she was fingering her wand.

Harry turned to him and said, "Go on, show her."

Severus simply nodded and pulled up the sleeve of his hospital robe exposing his new mark.

Amelia gasped and Dumbledore hit him with a revealing spell.

"How is that possible?" she asked.

"I may have an idea about that, actually," said Remus in a hesitant voice.

Every one turned their attention to him.

"Er, well Harry said that judgment spell turned the wrong doing back on to Voldemort. I believe it had an effect on the Death Eaters present? They all collapsed."

Amelia cast a look at Harry and said, "Yes."

"Yes, but the mark is still visible?" he continued.

"Yes, where are you going with this?"

Severus survived, he wasn't loyal to Voldemort but to Harry, perhaps this judgment spell it the cause of the changed mark?" said Remus. Severus blinked as this blatant lie remembering Harry removing the Mark but hoping not to have to expose Harry's involvement.

Amelia was beginning to nod when Dumbledore spoke, "I think that is an unlikely explanation. The Dark Mark is a soul bond, I do not believe it can be altered unless by some foul ritual."

"The connection would have been weakened by the destruction of the Horcruxes, Albus," said Remus.

"I think it's a valid idea and unless you can show me otherwise it's what I'll report to the Wizengamot," stated Amelia.

Severus breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'll still need your statement, Professor Snape but I think I'm done with Harry for now although I would like some more information later," said Amelia with a smile for the boy.

"I'm afraid that I must insist on young Mr Potter revealing the source of that spell," said Dumbledore. "I can not allow him to remain at Hogwarts with the ability to curse his fellow students with an unknown spell."

Harry yelled, "It's a judgment spell, it only works on bad people who have wronged the caster. If they haven't or they aren't really bad then it can kill the caster instead. You're as bad as the Dursleys thinking I'm some sort of evil git all the time. I'd never hurt anyone if I could help it. You're just a stupid, old man. Besides it isn't my secret to tell, I promised!"

"You're being completely unreasonable, Dumbledore," said Amelia.

"I don't have a problem sending Harry to a different school, he's obviously not safe here," snarled Sirius.

"I'll resign if you expel Potter, Headmaster," said Snape softly.

Dumbledore's surprised look faded and he said coldly, "You don't understand, any of you, the boy already has you under his thrall. He is dangerous, I'll prove it to you." Then he drew his wand and cast a wide area Petrificus Totalus freezing everyone in place and then pointing his wand at Harry he began a long incantation. He sat back with a smug expression which faded as nothing happened. Severus struggled to break free of the spell and could see Black and Lupin as well as Amelia Bones struggling too. Dumbledore repeated the spell still to no noticeable effect. He was mumbling to himself when Pomfrey, noticing spell work in her infirmary, lifted the spell. Severus grabbed Harry and rolled off the other side of the cot as Sirius launched out of his seat and tackled Dumbledore to the floor getting in several punches before Remus pulled him off and Amelia confiscated Dumbledore's wand.

Severus check Harry over and could find no obvious injury to the boy.

"Give me one good reason not to have you arrested Dumbledore," shouted Amelia as Pomfrey movved to heal Dumbledore's broken nose.

Dumbledore blinked at her and muttered, "I don't understand, I was sure he was one."

"Was one what," Amelia asked confused.

"That was one of the spells that can be used to identify a horcrux," said Remus softly. "He obviously thought that Harry was one."

"He's a nutter, is what he is, I want to press charges," demanded Sirius.

"I'm fine, Sirius," said Harry who had helped Severus back to bed. Though he scowled at the Headmaster.

"I want you all out, Severus and Harry need rest. What were you thinking Albus casting spells in my infirmary?" Pomfrey scowled at Dumbledore and cast another spell. She held up her wand and squinted at it. "You aren't senile or deranged, I find no sign of head trauma either. So you have no excuse. Get out all of you."

Amelia still holding Dumbledore's wand rose and said, "We'll discuss this at the Ministry, you will accompany me Albus Dumbledore. The shaken Headmaster rose and meekly followed the imposing woman.

Sirius and Remus said hasty goodbyes to Harry and Severus and followed also.

Pomfrey ran her wand over Harry and then Severus. "You get over into you're own bed and take a nap Mr Potter and you, Severus, can do the same."

Severus nodded wearily and closed his eyes. He could hear Harry arguing quietly with the matron that he really didn't need a nap, that he was fine. Severus knew it was a losing battle. He hoped when he woke next that Harry would share the rest of the story. Severus was very curious about the spell. He fell asleep with a smile as he realized that the Dark Lord was gone and that he had succeeded in making the changes his other self had wanted.

AN: Next chpt the rest of the story :)