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Measure of a Man	By : SailorSol Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 71274 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Disclaimer: I don�t own them, please don�t sue me.

MEASURE OF A MAN

Why do you ask him move to heaven and earth

To prove his love has worth?

Would he walk on water?

Would he run through fire?

Would he stand before you,

When it is down to the wire?

Would he gave his life up

To be all he can?

Is that, is that, is that how you measure a man?

Chapter 9: The Sword of Slytherin

Harry�s feet crunched into bones littering the floor. They were the same bones he had seen four years before, but a bit older and more brittle now. He reluctantly waited while his four companions joined him, and then he turned towards one of the tunnels leading away from their landing spot.

�This way,� he said. �I just hope nothing jumps out at us.�

�We�re ready,� Lucius said. He tried to step in front of Hermione, and there was a brief silent struggle while they each sought to be in a position to protect the other. Finally, Hermione moved to Lucius� side and stubbornly stayed beside him, despite his best efforts to the contrary.

When they reached the rockfall, Harry started moving rocks by levitating them. He heard an exasperated sigh behind him, and Hermione stepped up next to him.

�You never think, do you?� she asked. She drew her own wand and pointed it at the pile of rocks.

�Reducto.�

The pile of of boulders and smaller rocks shrank to a pile of cobblestone-sized rocks and pebbles. The five of them were able to walk past the pile easily.

�Sorry, Hermione,� Harry said. She smiled and shook her head.

�Now I know why I�m your friend,� she said. �You�d never get anything done without me.�

�I got things done without you,� Harry objected, glancing her way.

�Sure,� she said. �You didn�t figure out what the monster was, or how it was moving without me.�

�I figured out where the entrance was without you,� Harry said. �I figured out that Moaning Myrtle was the basilisk�s victim before. You didn�t help me with that.�

�You never would have met Moaning Myrtle without me,� Hermione said. She fell suddenly silent when Lucius put a hand on her shoulder. When she looked up at him, he pointed towards the closed entrance to the Chamber.

The key snake was moving around the perimeter, unlocking the door.

When the door was unlocked, it swung open, apparently without benefit of physical hands.

Harry waved back the others, and then stepped forward, into the Chamber.

He descended the ladder into the Chamber and cautiously began to walk up the paved avenue, guarded by rampant serpent heads. He heard the others climbing down the ladder behind him, and was assured that no one was going to be able to sneak up behind him.

Up ahead, near the body of the dead basilisk, something moved. Something human. There was the sound of metal against metal accompanying each movement.

Even more cautious now, Harry slowly advanced. He was very aware of the presence of his lovers and his remaining best friend behind him. He had to protect them if this was some trick of Voldemort�s again.

The person near the basilisk stepped out of a deep shadow. Light shone on unkempt red hair and dark stains on a white nightgown.

Harry hurried forward, caution forgotten.

�Ginny?� he called out.

The youngest member of the Weasley family whirled around and Harry had to stop abruptly to avoid being hit by the sword in her hands.

Ginny Weasley was carrying the Sword of Slytherin.

�Ginny!� Harry cried. �Why did you do that?�

�You know what you did!� Ginny screamed at him. Her once clear eyes glittered madly.

�I didn�t do anything to you!� Harry cried. �I wouldn�t hurt you!�

�Liar!� Ginny screamed. She ran at him and used her body weight to swing the flexible weapon again.

Harry ducked, just barely, and drew his wand. He didn�t want to hurt Ginny, but there was a good chance she was going to kill him.

�Miss Weasley,� Snape said, stepping forward. �What is it that you believe Harry has done to you?�

�He came into my dorm room!� Ginny screamed. �He immobilized me, he put up silencing spells, and he raped me!�

�I assure you, Miss Weasley,� Snape told her. �Harry was with me all night. Now, put down that sword, or you will be in detention until you are a grandmother!�

Out of habit, Ginny obeyed Snape�s order and dropped the sword. Harry dived for it and quickly got out of arm�s reach.

�Harry � didn�t?� Ginny asked Snape. He solemnly shook his head.

�Then � who?� she asked, some measure of reason returning to her face.

�That, Miss Weasley, we will find out,� Snape promised her. �Now, go over to Miss Granger and stay out of the way.�

�Well,� Draco said. �We don�t need to go get the Sword, do we?�

�There�s more than just the Sword in there, I�ll bet,� Harry said. �You don�t have to come, Draco. I can do this by myself.�

�Not on your life, Harry,� Lucius said, stepping forward. He nodded once to Snape, who nodded back before turning to the body of the basilisk. Lucius looked at Draco for a long moment, and then glanced in Hermione�s direction. Draco nodded slightly and walked over to where Hermione and Ginny were.

�Anyone want to play Exploding Snap?� he asked. Hermione glared at him as though he were out of his mind, and then she smiled as she realized that it was an attempt to make her more at ease.

Harry walked to the mouth of the statue, which had sat open ever since Harry had faced the memory of sixteen year-old Tom Riddle.

Harry cast a lumos spell, put his wand in his mouth, and then climbed into the statue�s mouth.

The chamber behind the statue was nothing like what Harry had expected. It was bare stone. There was a nest of shed basilisk skins in the center of it. On the far side, a wooden door stood ajar.

Harry started forward, and Lucius put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

�Slytherin was known for his traps, Harry,� he said. �It would have taken far more than a fifth-year student witch to disarm all of them. He wanted to make certain that no one � unworthy used his secrets.�

�His portrait sent me here,� Harry argued. �Wouldn�t he have told me about traps? Maybe he thought that the basilisk was enough.�

�Perhaps,� Lucius admitted. �There is an easy way to find out, though.�

He drew his wand and paused for a moment, thinking, before he made a sweeping gesture, encompassing the entire room.

�Revelare Incantatum!�

The entire room was immediately alive with color and light. Harry followed Lucius around while he examined several of the lights, nodding to himself and smiling.

�You were correct, Harry,� Lucius said. �There are no active traps here. Miss Weasley must have deactivated them when she came in here. Shall we see what Slytherin left for our edification?�

�Right,� Harry said. He followed Lucius through the door and into the room beyond.

***** *****

�You should have seen it, Headmaster,� Harry said. �It was a room the size of your office, and it was full of books and all kinds of magical things that I�ve never seen. Between that and what Mister Malfoy gave me, Hermione�s about to go crazy from all the books she�s never seen before.�

�I am certain that Miss Granger will survive,� Dumbledore said, smiling. �I am equally certain that she will be able to find any information that you might want. Just don�t tell her about the library at Malfoy Manor until she has done your research. You may not see her for a very long time.�

�I really think that we�re going to do it, Headmaster,� Harry said. �I really think we�re going to beat the bastard.�

�Of course we will, Harry,� Dumbledore said. �Now, were you planning to stay here for Christmas?�

�Of course,� Harry said. �I always do, and there�s no reason for Draco to go to Malfoy Manor.�

�Yes, yes,� Dumbledore said. �Lucius cannot go, of course. Well, I think we should get downstairs. Miss Granger�s sorting is before dinner, and I know that it has been the subject of a great deal of speculation.�

�And betting,� Harry said. �Draco thinks Ravenclaw. I think Slytherin.�

�Minerva is betting on Slytherin as well,� Dumbledore said, rising from his chair. �I, on the other hand, was expecting her to be in Ravenclaw from the start.�

TBC
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Measure of a Man