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In Servitude of the Dark: The Hand That Guides Me	By : xXxLuckyxXx Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Voldemort Views: 74965 -:- Recommendations : 4 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. I just play in her world.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Chapter 11 : Quidditch and Dementors – November 1, 1993

"Thank you everyone for attending this emergency staff meeting," Dumbledore said as Trelawny walked in, the last of the teachers. "I know you've all had little sleep and the day looks to be long." Then he turned to McGonagall. "To start, please give us a quick summary over what we know so everyone will be on the same page."

Minerva nodded. "At exactly 10:12 last night, the intruder alarms on the Gryffindor tower was triggered. The first sign of trouble was the Fat Lady's portrait had been torn to shreds. I then called for the prefects and together we made our way to inspect the tower, starting with the first years and went up. It was when I inspected the third years boy's room that I found Mr. Weasley's…Ronald Weasley's curtains had also been slashed. Based on Severus' exam, the boys had somnuli nebulus cast on them and a stupefy on Ronald. Upon interviewing him, the only thing Mr. Weasley could remember was seeing a shadowed man holding a knife over his bed. A search of the castle had been aborted upon discovering that Sirius Black escaped by portkey."

"Thank you, Minerva," Dumbledore said. "Now, I must file this incident with the school board and the ministry…" several groans of sympathy were offered. "No doubt they will insist the dementors take a more active presence in the school."

This was met with unanimous objections. Every teacher could see how the dementors were affecting the students and their classes. Students were falling asleep in classes because of their nightmares, Pomphrey's stores of calming draught were depleted, homework and test quality were slipping…Even some of the more emotional teachers were being affected.

Dumbledore held up a hand for quiet. "I quite agree with all you are saying, and I will of course do my best to hold them off," he said and turned to Flickwick. "How are the 7th years doing on their patronus charms?"

Flickwick shook his head. "We started learning the charm on the very first day, as a precaution, and only four out ten can produce the patronus mist. And only two of those four can produce the corporal patronus. We haven't tried them in front of a real dementor yet, but I can already say with certainty that they don't have the mental fortitude when tested."

"That is disheartening news," Dumbledore admitted. "Please extend the lessons to the sixth years as well…"

"But Albus, if the 7th years are having so much trouble…" Flickwick protested.

"You'll risk magical exhaustion…" Pomfrey objected as well.

"Please, I am well aware of the dangers," Dumbledore said. "But we do not have a choice. Now, I will keep you all updated on the ministry's decision."

Slowly, the teachers began trickling out, each grumbling about the Dementor's or Black.

"Minerva, Severus, Remus, please stay," Dumbledore ordered. "There is another matter which I'd like to address." The four waited until the privacy charms came back up, and Dumbledore turned to Minerva. "Were you able to have a talk with Harry?"

To everyone's surprise, Minerva looked slightly troubled. "I did, Albus," she said hesitantly, before shoring up her Gryffindor courage. "I'm afraid he doesn't think all that much of his father, James."

At this, Severus snorted, and was silenced by a look from Dumbledore.

"Please elaborate for us," Remus said.

Minerva looked at Remus almost in apology. "In Mr. Potter's own words, I believe he said, and I quote, 'So far, all I've learned about him was that he was a quidditch mad, mean hearted prankster, an attempted murderer, as spoiled as Snape had accused me of being, and a financial washout, who was so involved in a war that he had no interest in taking up his responsibilities as the Potter Heir,' end quote."

This time, Severus couldn't keep a bark of laughter in, earning him dark looks from the other three. He smiled unapologetically.

"This is not good," Dumbledore muttered.

"And why is that?" Severus protested. "Someone is finally seeing James for what he really is. It's just all the more sweeter that it's his son…"

"Shut up, Severus!" Remus shouted. "Were you the one feeding those lies…?"

"They were not lies," Severus countered coolly. "Everything Minerva quoted was correct. He was quidditch mad to the detriment of his grades. His pranks were fatally dangerous, and not at all innocent. He was so spoiled, I'm not surprised that he's a financial washout too."

"Have you told Harry about the prank in your 7th year?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, I didn't," Severus admitted. "No doubt, upon realizing he was the target of a homicidal maniac, the boy did the sensible thing and immediately looked up Sirius Black in the newspapers and gathered stories about his school years. But even if I did tell him, I only swore to keep the wolf's condition a secret, which I still object to. It is simply asking for trouble, housing a werewolf in a school full of children."

"How have you gotten so close to Harry, then? If not by slandering James' good name?" Remus asked. "From what I understood you hated him."

"Correction, I hated James' son," Severus answered. "But I care a lot for Lily's. I am finding that Harry is more of his mother's son than his father's, and the boy is practically starving for information about her. And because he appreciates it, I also enjoy sharing such stories with him."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "And you have also volunteered to take over Poppy's lessons for her?"

"Indeed," Severus said. "I figure it is the best way to get to know the boy. It is neutral ground for us, and he shows surprising promise in the Healing Arts." This he had said with pride that didn't go unnoticed by the rest.

"That is high praise from you, Severus," Minerva noted, with some amusement.

Severus' mask of cool disdain quickly came back up, but no one was fooled.

"Perhaps this is also a good way for you to bond with Harry," Dumbledore told Remus, nodding at his own idea. "Yes. I would like you to hold private lessons for Harry. Teach him the patronus charm and entertain him with stories of his father."

"Why are you so dead set on having James as his role model," Severus said darkly with a hint of suspicion.

"A child should not feel ashamed of his own father," was Dumbledore's answer, though not even Minerva was fooled by this.

Remus shook his head. "I would be honored to, but I'm sorry, I can't," he said. "To teach someone so young…I could irrevocably injure his magical core. And to bribe him with stories of his father seems all too…"

"Slytherin?" Severus finished with a smirk.

Remus nodded, though hesitant to agree on anything with Snape. "I cannot force Harry to come to me, if he's frightened of me. Are you sure you didn't let slip that incident or my condition?"

"Of course I'm sure," Severus replied, insulted. "I am able to be discrete despite overwhelming temptation."

"What makes you think young Harry is frightened of you?" Dumbledore asked.

Remus shrugged. "The way he looks at me, his scent."

"Actually," Minerva interjected. "When I suggested the idea of you two talking over tea, he had said he knew you were hiding something from him, and he's wary of that. Considering what the last two defense teachers have done to him, I can't blame him for being cautious."

Remus nodded in thanks and in relief. "If it is just unwarranted paranoia," he said, pausing at the snort of disgust from Snape. "…and it is unwarranted, then I will try and speak to him soon. Perhaps in a couple weeks to let this incident with Black settle down first."

"Oh yes," Severus said snidely. "Wouldn't want the boy to associate yourself with a homicidal madman, now wouldn't you? Oh wait, you already tried to murder one student, didn't you?"

"That is uncalled for," Remus objected.

"I could have died, and all you four got was…"

"Enough," Dumbledore quickly stood up. "Please save your bickering for your own private rooms. Now if that is all, I must contact the Ministry."

O o 0 O 0 o O o 0 O 0 o O o 0 O 0 o O

November 14, 1993

"See? You could be up there right now, catching the snitch and winning the match," Ron shouted, trying to be heard above the cheering students and the wind.

"Just drop it," Harry shouted back, thoroughly frustrated with Ron's nagging. "And you saying that isn't very encouraging, not with this weather!"

When Harry sat on the quidditch benches, for the first time, to watch the Gryffindors play against the Hufflepuffs, he was doubly glad that he wasn't flying up there. It was already cold enough here in the stands with warming and drying charms, and he couldn't imagine how much colder it was up there in the wind and icy rain. It had to be the coldest November in all the history of Hogwarts.

The incidence with Sirius Black only pushed the game a week back, to the middle of November, and somehow Malfoy managed to keep that sling on for another week. Even if his bones had been utterly crushed by the hippogriff, it would have already healed by now. Maybe he had teased another one of Hagrid's monsters? Harry decided to ask Hermione later.

Another change that the students noticed was that the dementors were allowed to patrol the halls strictly between curfew at 9pm and 5am, but they had to stay away from the four dormitories. Harry, now proficient in the patronus charm, disregarded the schedule and kept roaming the hallway anyway. Although Professor Snape had made him stay after class, shortly after the Black Attack, as it was becoming known.

Even now, Harry could still feel his ears ringing for the scolding he got.

"You wanted to see me, Sir?" Harry had asked after he packed away his potions supplies.

"Yes," Snape replied. "I wanted you to know that the Headmaster had called an emergency meeting yesterday. You were of particular interest in the discussion between Professors McGonagall, Lupin, the Headmaster and myself. By the way, ten points to Gryffindor for not being caught up in your father's foolishness. Your Head of House had the most interesting quote that ran along the lines of quidditch madness and financial washout."

Harry smiled. "It was pretty obvious, Sir, at least to me." Then he grew serious. "That couldn't be all that was said about me. What about Professor Lupin?"

"Only if you tell me what exactly happened that night," Snape returned. "I know you hadn't been asleep like the others."

Harry nodded. "Only as far as keeping my oath of secrecy."

"Deal," Snape agreed. "For some inconceivable reason, the Headmaster deemed it necessary for you to bond with the werewolf over stories of your father's heyday," he said with a twist of disgust in his upper lip. "So expect to be held after class. And he was assigned to teach you the patronus charm as well, since there is a greater chance that the dementors will be allowed inside the school wards after Black's little attack." Then Snape's eyes crinkled in concern. "Are the dementors bothering you?"

Harry shook his head. "I think I'm one of the only students that they don't bother," he said giving a secret little smile. "And no, I cannot speak of this either."

Snape gave a little huff of frustration. "So, tell me what really happened that night?" Snape asked instead.

"Everyone had crashed early because of all the sugar," Harry began to explain. "I was in bed too, but not asleep. I was ummm…in the middle of doing something…"

Snape coughed and actually turned a pale pink.

Harry blinked, wondering at the strange reaction from his teacher, until he reviewed what he had just said. He too blushed, only very brightly. "Not that!" he nearly shouted, having trouble meeting Snape's eyes. "Geez."

"It was a fair assumption," Snape replied, somehow managing to find his poise again. Harry envied him that. "So what were you doing then?"

"Something I can't tell you," Harry answered quickly and grinned at Snape's exasperated look. He didn't want to reveal his occlumancy skills until he completely finished. "But it doesn't have anything to do with the story. Anyway, when I opened my eyes, I saw a dark shadow standing over Ron's bed. I managed to sneak my wand out, cast a stupefy, which he dodged. It hit Ron instead. The alarms sounded soon after, the man got a hold of Ron's wand and something off his dresser. After that, the man disappeared right out of our dorm. Though I remember him saying 'portus' before he disappeared."

"Portus is a spell to turn a regular object into a portkey," Snape explained. "He was once an auror, so a spell like that isn't out of his capabilities." And then Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What I wanted to know was what on earth were you thinking trying to take down the most dangerous man in Britain!"

Harry cringed at the volume of his teacher's voice. "I didn't have a choice," Harry protested. "He held a knife over Ron! I thought he was going to kill him like those muggles years ago. He already ripped up Ron's bed."

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. "In all honesty, you were in an untenable situation, so I will allow this. But if I hear you engaging in anymore outlandish adventures, you will not like the consequences."

Seeing the sincere worry in his teacher's eyes, Harry nodded. "I'm sorry, sir, for making you worry. And thank you for covering for me with the other teachers."

"Just remember the next time you see Black, do recall that he had killed a fully trained wizard before. He won't care that you are just a child."

Harry winced, causing Snape's finely honed suspicion to rise.

"What is it," he asked with a dreaded tone.

"Ummm...Black actually didn't kill Pettigrew," Harry said quietly.

"What!" Snape shouted. "Of course he did! There were witnesses saying he had laughed as he did it!"

Harry shook his head. "I have a lot of secrets from you, sir, but I haven't lied to you yet."

"Was this something else your source told you?"

Harry nodded.

"And how do you know your source isn't Sirius Black himself?" Snape asked slowly.

Harry's eyes widened. "I'm sure because I met my source at the end of second year. Black was still in prison then."

That seemed to satisfy Snape. "True. Although it worries me that you have been in contact with a sentient being for so long." Then Snape's eyes ran down Harry's form critically. "Although you don't seem to be adversely affected by its presence. Indeed you appear healthier than any other student in school."

"Only good things have happened since I met my source," Harry confirmed.

"Very well, I'll let this go, for now," Snape said and scribbled out a note for Harry. "This is to excuse you for tardiness. Go straight to class," he added. "Who knows what is lurking in the corridors these days."

Harry's attention was brought back when the announcer, Lee Jordan, shouted that the Gryffindor Seeker had sighted the snitch and was going after it. This prompted the Hufflepuff Seeker, Cedric Diggery, to chase after him. Harry was so caught up in the excitement that he hadn't even noticed that three knots in his Misery amulet had unraveled.

It was only when he felt the magic flare from his amulet that he noticed the warning signs for what they were. Right before Harry's eyes, the knots were coming undone at an alarming rate, which meant there was a whole lot of dementors coming upon them soon. Even as Harry realized this, he felt the weather grow that much colder, though it was hard to tell from the normal weather.

Suddenly, it dawned on him that they were all trapped here like overturned turtles.

Harry jumped to his feet. "Dementors!" he shouted, and grabbed Ron and Hermione. "Quick! Dementors! We have to get everyone out of the stands." He started pulling them, but they wouldn't move. In fact, only the people immediately closest to Harry had even heard him.

"What are you going on about, mate," Ron shouted back, annoyed.

Giving up on this plan, Harry pointed his wand at his own throat and cast a sonorous. Then he took a deep breath and shouted, "Dementors! Players get out of the skies! Now!"

For a single heartbeat, everyone froze. But then the Gryffindor players recognized the voice of their former seeker and started angling their brooms down.

"Harry!" Hermione scolded. "You can't just yell dementors, like that. That's like yelling 'Fire!' in a crowded theater…"

Harry wasn't even listening to her as he pushed and shoved his way down the stands. He knew they'd follow him, if only to just make sure he wasn't doing anything stupid. It was just then that the first of the black cloaked creatures descended from the thick storm clouds above them. Suddenly, panicked cries and screams erupted from the stands.

"Students, do not panic," Dumbledore's voice rose above the cacophony. "And players, make your way out of the pitch with due haste. Your professors will cover you. Any 7th year capable of casting a patronus charm, please do so now."

By now, Harry had broken free from the mob and raced to the pitch to see if his help was needed. He'd prefer it if he could keep his patronus a secret, but not at the cost of his classmate's lives. 13 various silvery animals from 13 teachers were split between chasing off the dementors and protecting the students. But the dementor count far exceeded several dozen, maybe even in the hundreds. The sky was literally black with them.

And Harry was the only one aware that the quidditch players were still trapped in the middle of the field, all huddled in misery and memories. That settled it. Harry made sure no one was watching before taking out his unicorn wand. "Expecto patronum!" Harry shouted.

Harry's eyes were momentarily blinded by the light that exploded from his wand. Whether it was because of the adrenalin or by necessity, the king cobra didn't stop growing until it reached the size of a small dragon or a fully grown basilisk. Recovering from his own shock, Harry quickly gave it instructions. "Protect the players," he ordered, not realizing he had done it in parseltongue.

With a hiss, his king cobra shot into the pitch, like an arrow of light. The players were so consumed in their misery that they didn't even see the monstrous sized snake flying like bludger at them. But Harry remained in his hidden spot, watching proudly as his snake used its 8 meter length to circle the players in its protective coils. Already the players were recovering, at least enough to gape at the giant silver snake that had them surrounded.

Whenever a dementor got too close, the cobra struck, lightening fast, with its fangs leaving two points of silver light in the dementor's black cloak. Harry imagined his cobra injecting some form of patronus venom into the dementor, though that was probably wishful thinking. Whether it did or not, soon after that the dementor flew away and disappeared into the thunder clouds.

Slowly but steadily, the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff players, gradually made their way off the pitch, careful to keep within the circle of light that was the snake's coils.

Seeing as how his patronus had everything under control, Harry joined the mass of students. As more students got inside of Hogwart's protective walls, the easier it was for the patroni to chase the dementors away. Eventually, a slight tremor of Harry's unicorn wand told him that his patronus had also disappeared, its job completed.

The school automatically went in lockdown once all the students were herded inside and told to stay in their common rooms until further notice. The injured were all taken to the infirmary. The initial assessment was not good, and Harry found himself escorted out of the Gryffindor common room to help Snape and Pomphrey.

Harry had only finished mastering various diagnostic scans and healing spells for superficial cuts, scrapes, and bruises. But that was enough, since most of the damage had come from the rampaging mob than the dementors. Harry was put in charge of triaging the students, organizing them into groups. The most injured ones, who were unconscious or had internal injuries, Harry assigned them to Snape. The second group were ones with broken bones or suffered shock from the dementors. They went to Pomphrey.

The rest only had scrapes and bruises, which Harry could handle himself. Sometimes, Snape or Pomphrey would call on Harry to heal a bruise or cut, so they could save their own energy and time for those who needed it more. Or, if there was something he couldn't handle, he would send his patient to Pomphrey. It was a semi ordered chaos, but the three of them easily fell into an efficient rhythm.

Two hours in, Harry was sent to retrieve a long list of potions from Snape's private stores, he being the only one Snape trusted. Harry wasn't the only student who got recruited to help. Snape also put a couple skilled 7th year Slytherins to work in the corner brewing more healing potions, especially ones for numbing, calming, and blood replenishing.

When Harry finished with his group of patients, he went to join the 7th years. Under Snape's watchful eyes, Harry had relearned to brew numbing potions 1-3 and the blood replenisher, so he knew he could brew it to Snape's exacting conditions. "Do you need any help?" he offered, half expecting to be sneered and turned away. But, surprisingly the 7th year Slytherins made room for him, putting aside house rivalries and politics because they were all working towards the same goal, saving their fellow classmates.

Even the teachers were put to work. The lesser teachers were put in charge of watching over the common rooms. McGonagall transfigured items into bandages, slings, and other supplies. A transfigured item from her would last longer than any other teacher's, except Dumbledore's. Sprout and Hagrid were in charge of gathering potions ingredients for the 7th years. Flickwick used his charms to help Pomphrey, Snape, and Harry where he could. While charms didn't cross with medicine as much as potions did, there was still a good subset of charms that were used in healing. And Lupin transported students, who were stabilized but still too injured, to St. Mungoes for longer term care.

Finally, when the dinner bell rang, nearly five hours after the dementor attack, the infirmary finally resembled a place of healing instead of a warzone. The badly injured students, 34 in number, were all put into a magical healing sleep. Hogwarts, with Dumbledore's help, had expanded the room to fit in an additional 26 beds, which McGonagall had transfigured. 5 students had to be sent to St. Mungoes.

"It's a wonder there aren't more," Pomphrey said tiredly.

Snape merely nodded, and Harry shuddered at the thought. All three of them, Harry included, were collapsed bonelessly into the chairs.

"I'm guessing classes are cancelled then?" Harry asked hopefully, but then remembered he had class with his politic's teacher tomorrow. He groaned.

"Even if your professors had the energy," Snape answered. "None of you students will be capable of learning anything. I will contact Andromeda for you."

"Thanks…" suddenly, Harry's stomach growled loudly, and he ducked his head blushing.

"We worked right through lunch, and it is pass your dinner time," Pomphrey said and called an elf to bring three plates in for them. "I'd like to thank you for both of your help. Especially you, Mr. Potter. Good work."

Harry gave a tired smile while he ate.

"Indeed," Snape added, also tired, but you could hear the pride in his voice. "You performed with efficient calm and clarity in the midst of overwhelming circumstances. If you so choose, you will make an excellent medi-wizard."

It was then that Dumbledore strode in, and by his slightly drooping look, Harry guessed the Headmaster had been just as busy. Briefly, Harry felt a pang of sympathy towards the man. It wasn't that the Headmaster was evil. Harry was coming to understand no one was completely good or evil, but a mix of both, and he and Dumbledore just had a huge difference in opinion to magic and Voldemort. With this in mind, Harry pulled up enough energy to great the Headmaster properly.

"Hello, Headmaster," Harry said quietly, even though none of the patients would wake from the disturbance.

"Albus, please have a seat," Pomphrey invited, gesturing to a chair.

Snape nodded in greeting, but didn't say anything.

Dumbledore returned their welcome, but didn't immediately sit down, despite how obviously tired he was. Instead, he took a moment to gaze around the room and the injured students with a distinct look of sadness in his eyes. After he was satisfied, only then did he sit down.

"I had peaked in a couple hours ago, but it seemed I would have gotten in the way more than helped," he said and looked towards Harry with a warm smile. "But I did see how you practically took charge, triaging everyone."

Harry returned the smile. "If you had come in a minute sooner, you would have heard Professor Snape tell me how great I was."

"Cheeky brat," Snape muttered, somehow making it sound like an endearment instead of an insult. "How is it going out there?" Snape asked, cocking his chin out the door. "We have basically been barricaded in here since all this started."

Dumbledore leaned back on his chair, fingers slowly stroking his long beard. "It isn't nearly as chaotic as it was in here," he began. "But the teachers will be having their hands full tonight. Sinestra told me she'll keep watching your Slytherins, if you are still needed here. I, myself, have finished composing letters to the parents, one for muggle parents and another for wizarding parents. Several distraught parents had to be dealt with personally along with the press."

Both Severus and Pomphrey looked sympathetic. "Better you than me," Severus admitted. He hated dealing with distraught parents.

"What did you tell the press?" Harry asked, always wary about the media.

"Just the basics of what happened during the game," Dumbledore answered. "And a very pointed clarification that the attack came from the Ministry appointed dementors, and not the escaped convict." Then he turned briefly to Pomphrey. "When you have the time, I'd like a complete report of all the injuries. I will use this to appeal to the ministry to remove the dementors or at least limit their presence."

"You'll have it by the end of the day," she promised. "Anything you need to get those horrid creatures away from here."

Suddenly, Harry cracked a jaw popping yawn. "Excuse me."

Snape shot a look at Harry's empty plate and nodded. "Good, you've finished. Go to bed…"

"Actually, there was something I wanted to ask, you, my boy," Dumbledore interrupted. Seeing Severus wanting to object, he quickly added, "I promise this will only take a moment. I do know how hard, young Harry, has worked."

Harry froze in the middle of standing up. Suddenly, his heart started racing, fearing that Dumbledore somehow knew the king cobra was his, despite being conjured by an unknown wand. But it would look even more suspicious if Harry refused. "Um…yes, sir?" he asked, locking down all his fears and anxiousness behind his occlumancy shields.

"If I wasn't mistaken, it was your sonorous that first warned us of the dementors," Dumbledore began. "How did you know they were going to attack? I myself hadn't felt their presence until they were already upon us."

Harry shrugged, while mentally letting out a sigh of relief. "I think I'm just more sensitive to them," Harry answered, noticing the Snape's sharp look. Just a few days ago, he had told his teacher that he was one of the only students who weren't affected by the dementors. "On the train, I think I was the only one who nearly fainted too," he added convincingly.

Dumbledore nodded, but Harry couldn't tell whether the Headmaster believed him or not.

Once again, Snape came to his rescue. "I think if you have any more questions, they should be saved for later, when Mr. Potter isn't about to collapse from exhaustion," he said dryly. Without waiting for confirmation from Dumbledore, Snape shooed Harry out of the room.

Harry jumped on the excuse to escape.

A/N: Phew! That was a fun chapter to write. It was refreshing to write about everyone working together for a common goal rather than working against each other. As a medical student who has worked in less ideal medical situations, I know for a fact how medical disasters can bring both friends and enemies together. Here, I got to show another side of Dumbledore that's not just evil and manipulative. This is also Harry's first real interaction with the Slytherins, not very much but at least it's a start.

Next up...I'm not sure because it looks like I need to make some changes.
- 10
- 11
- 12
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In Servitude of the Dark: The Hand That Guides Me