Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Proof of Life	By : emilywaters Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 65994 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related. It all belongs to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Inc., Warner Bros., and any other entities involved. I make no money from writing fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
The Last of the Light Brigade

The following day, Harry spent in a daze. The conversation with Ginny, even though it was peaceful and nonconfrontational, left him shaken to the core. He did his best not to emote in front of Severus, and went about the normal routine as best he could. If Severus sensed that something was amiss, he gave no sign of it, but then again, the man's ability to guard his true feelings was absolutely astounding.

In the afternoon, Harry firecalled Hermione and Ron, intending to ask one of them to come over and watch Severus, so that he could come to visit Lily, but they were not home.

When evening came, Harry was seriously considering firecalling Draco, but a knock on the door brought Harry out of his deliberations.

Molly and Arthur were at his doorstep, smiling warmly at him. Harry stepped aside to let them in. He felt awkward as hell, expecting things to be strained, but his anxiety faded when Molly hugged him right away in the usual motherly way, and Arthur patted his shoulder.

�Come on, son, you need to get going,� Arthur said, still smiling. �You have a meeting to go to.�

�I do?� Harry asked, wondering if he looked as daft as he felt. He tried to recall if he had an engagement he had forgotten about, but nothing came to mind.

�You do,� Molly confirmed. �it's at the Burrow. Arthur and I will watch Severus. You go on. Everyone is waiting for you.�

�Everyone?� Harry repeated. �Who's that?�

�It's a surprise, apparently,� Arthur said. �Now, go on, Harry. Severus will be all right with us.�

�Oh, thanks,� Harry said. �He's asleep now, but I have meal replacement drinks in the cupboard and the fridge, if he gets hungry, and there's tea...�

�We can find our way around your kitchen,� Molly assured him, �now run along.�

�Right,� Harry said grinning. �Thanks, mum.�

~ * ~

The door to the New Burrow opened quietly. Walking in, Harry could hear the multiple excited conversations that were taking place simultaneously in the enormous living room.

�Well, if you think I'm going to be a part of anything that's called Dumbledore's Army, you've got another think coming!� Draco's scandalized voice rose above all others.

�Malfoy, just chill,� Ron said disdainfully. �Nobody's offering you a membership.�

�Oh, you people do have a membership policy and all? How quaint,� a familiar voice quipped, that sounded suspiciously like Blaise Zabini's.

�We also have a policy of hexing annoying prats,� Lee Jordan said unkindly.

�You want to duel? I would be happy to oblige you...�

�Enough, both of you!� Hermione said angrily. �If you want to duel, do that after the meeting, on your own time, and don't spill any blood on my father-in-law's furniture.�

Harry poked his head into the living room, and surveyed the crowd gathered there. He saw Ron and Hermione, George, Angelina, Ginny, and a few more members of Dumbledore's Army, including Lee Jordan, Neville and Hannah Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas and Cho Chang. Even Marietta Edgecombe was there, looking clearly uncomfortable and out of place, but keeping her mouth shut. However, that was not all. A few former Slytherin students were also present, including Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, Daphne Greengrass, and Draco Malfoy, who was sitting on one of the chairs, with his arms folded on his chest, carefully maintaining a half-bored, half-disdainful expression.

�What about McGonagall, Hagrid and Pomfrey?� Hannah asked, turning to Ron. �I thought you were going to invite them too?�

�Changed my mind,� Ron said. �McGonagall has done enough in the last two years to piss off Diggory. All he needs is an excuse to have the board of governors replace her. Best if she stays out of it. Same goes for Poppy and Hagrid, their contracts aren't as secure as...�

�So where's Astoria?� Pansy queried curiously, looking up at Draco. �I thought she was going to be here.�

�You thought wrong,� Draco snapped, and turned his head to the door to acknowledge Harry's arrival. �Well, if this isn't the hero of the day, finally deigning to make his entrance.�

�This is quite a surprise,� Harry said, coming in. �What's going on?�

�I thought it would be obvious,� Hermione said. �It's a gathering of Dumbledore's Army, plus some. We're going to brainstorm and plan.�

�Plan for what?� Harry asked blankly.

�For helping you, you dolt,� Ron said with a broad grin on his face.

�Helping me with what, exactly?� Harry asked carefully, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that a dozen former schoolmates were clearly gathered here on his behalf.

�With Snape, what else?� Hermione said matter-of-factly. �These are all the people who believe he is innocent, and want to help set things right.�

Harry cast a dubious glance at the former Slytherins. �Blaise? Pansy? You want to help Snape? Why?�

Pansy's eyes narrowed dangerously. �He was the head of our House!� she spat furiously, as if it explained everything.

�Yeah, well, he wasn't exactly on your side during the war,� Harry felt the need to point out.

�I told you we didn't belong here,� Blaise said tiredly, turning his head to Pansy. �They don't get it. To them, it's all about the war, and sides. Victory has gone to their heads, and they don't really think in human terms anymore.�

Harry was just about to say something scathing, when Ginny's voice cut through the simultaneous conversations taking place across the room.

�All right, shut up and sit down, everyone, before I start throwing hexes!�

Harry smirked, spotted an empty chair near the Longbottoms, made his way there, and sat down.

�First things first, does everyone know what's going on? Does anyone have any questions?� Hermione asked once everyone quieted down.

�Is it true that there's a slave bond?� Pansy asked hesitantly. �I saw something about it in the Prophet, but I'm not sure I trust the newspapers these days.�

�Oh, it's true,� Draco said bitterly and cast an accusing glance at Harry.

�That's disgusting,� Daphne said instantly. �So that's how Gryffindors treat their own allies?�

Harry felt his cheeks flame. �It was an accident! I'm not exactly fond of the arrangement, all right?�

�Oh, save it, Potter,� Blaise said. �I bet you're milking it for all it's worth, and enjoying every moment of it.�

�He isn't,� a quiet voice said from the corner of the room. Everyone's eyes turned to look at Marietta. �Potter has made some mistakes,� she continued reasonably, �but he hasn't intentionally hurt Severus. In fact, the progress Severus Snape has made in his recovery in the past week has been nothing short of astounding.�

Draco stared at her dubiously. �Really?� he asked in an incredibly brittle voice that threatened to break any moment. Even Harry himself was taken aback by her praise. Yes, Severus was doing well enough, all things considered, but Harry didn't think he could take any credit for that; if anything it was the man's tenacity and resilience that warranted any praise.

�Yes, really,� Marietta said. �Potter isn't taking advantage of the bond. I could also mention that he paid fifteen thousand Galleons for Severus' hospital bill, since certain people in power decided it would be fun to deny the former Death Eater free health care.�

�Really?� That seemed to be the only word left in Draco's vocabulary for the moment. Next to him, even Blaise seemed to be partially mollified by Marietta's explanation.

�Potter, that's... good of you,� Pansy said hesitantly.

Harry found himself blushing again. �It's nothing,� he dismissed quickly. �Let's ... just try to figure out what to do next, if you all want to help.�

�We've got to terminate the slave-bond as soon as possible,� Blaise said decisively. �Even if Potter is being good, that's just... not fair.�

�It's not that simple,� Draco said tiredly. �In this case, slavery is a multi-dimensional problem, that cannot be solved with a single intervention.�

�Huh?� George's voice sounded. �Dumb it down please, for those of us who haven't finished school, all right?�

Draco rolled his eyes. �Honestly, Weasley. What do you think would happen if Harry were to set Severus Snape free right now?�

George shrugged. �A trial, I suppose, but if we were all to vouch for him...�

�It wouldn't do any good,� Ginny said. �We need facts, and as you recall, we've lost the Pensieve with his memories...�

Harry cringed inwardly.

�Can't he provide another one?� George asked reasonably.

�Not yet,� Marietta interjected. �I don't want anyone poking in his head and pulling out memories at this point. It's too soon for that. Not to mention, insufficient. Given his skill at Occlumency, nobody is going to believe his Pensieve, or even a testimony given under Veritaserum.�

�Edgecombe is right,� Ron agreed. �Any memories drawn from him will be suspect. We need something solid, something incontrovertible. There's got to be proof of his innocence kicking around somewhere. Real proof. Dumbledore wouldn't leave him stranded like that.�

�Dumbledore again,� Blaise said disdainfully. �It's amazing how much faith you still have in him, the cold, calculating bastard that he was...�

�But he must have left something behind,� Hermione argued, even though she cringed noticeably at Blaise's assessment of Dumbledore. �Letters, a Pensieve of his own, something, anything!�

�I don't understand,� Cho Chang interrupted, �why can't we just paint another portrait of Dumbledore, and have him confirm that Snape was working for him, and that he asked Snape to kill him?�

Neville and Hermione groaned quietly, and Draco stared at Cho with an unpleasant sneer. �Great idea, Chang. Why don't you get a box of colored pencils and felt pens, and get started right away?�

�I am serious!� Cho protested. �We should commission portraits of Dumbledore, and all other headmasters...�

�You can't step into the same river twice,� Luna Lovegood said gently, and reached out to squeeze Cho's hand.

�Huh?� Cho stared back at her in confusion.

�Simply put, once a portrait has been destroyed, all the memories it once held are irretrievable,� Draco said tiredly. �You can paint your beloved Dumbledore all you want, but all it'll have is his personality. No specific memories.�

�Then we have to search for proof of Snape's innocence,� Ginny said bluntly. �We'll turn the school upside down, and pull it apart stone by stone if we have to.�

�That might take a while,� Pansy pointed out with a small frown.

�Then we'd better started right away, don't you think?� Ginny retorted.

�We'll need access to Hogwarts. McGonagall will have to help us after all,� Ron mused. �So much for keeping her out of this.�

�All right,� Hermione said decisively. �We'll start by searching Hogwarts for clues. Once Snape's innocence is established, we can start thinking about terminating the slave-bond.�

�Start thinking about it?� Blaise spat. �What's there to think about?�

�Enslavement spells are complex,� Draco said tersely. �A poorly devised counter-spell might end the victim's life.�

�Right, and besides, some aspects of the slave-bond can be modified even without finding the counter-spell,� Hermione said. �Once it is safe for Snape to be on his own, Harry could restore his freedom and social status by legal means. The emotional and magical effects of the bond will require a counter-spell though,� she explained.

�I'll be working on it then,� Draco said. �Nothing to worry about.

�You are so insufferably arrogant,� Ginny muttered under her breath.

�No, just exceptionally brilliant,� Draco said dryly.

Hermione snorted a little. �Look, I've done some preliminary research on the spell,� she told him. �I can make my notes available to you.�

Draco stared at her with contemptuous amusement. �I doubt you came up with anything useful, but I suppose it couldn't hurt to take a look.�

�One last thing,� Hermione continued, apparently deciding to ignore Draco for the moment. �So far, Harry has been watching Snape, and taking care of him; however Harry is returning to work in less than two weeks. Leaving Snape alone in the house is risky.�

�Risky?� Pansy repeated. �In what way?�

�In a him needing company way,� Marietta said tersely. �His health, both physical and mental, requires him to be supervised at this point.�

�What about that house-elf of yours, Potter?� Daphne asked with clear disdain. �I suppose you set him free, just like the mudbl...�

�Stop!� Ginny shouted. �You say that word, I'll eject you out of here so fast, you won't know what hit you.�

�I didn't set him free,� Harry said quietly. �Kreacher didn't want to leave. He stayed with me until he died of old age two years ago.�

�Oh, and I suppose now you figure you've found a replacement,� Daphne said venomously.

�Do you want to fight over Kreacher, or do you want to figure out what to do to help Severus?� Hermione asked reasonably.

�Well, what are you suggesting? That Potter hires a babysitter, or brings his slave to work with him?� Blaise asked, heavy on sarcasm.

�No,� Hermione said dryly, �but some of us might want to consider volunteering to spend some time with the Professor during the day.�

�As if Potter would let any of us into his house,� Blaise said with a quiet snort.

�Not with this kind of attitude, I won't,� Harry said unapologetically. �Last thing Snape needs right now is drama over some old House hostilities that should have been buried years ago.�

�Whatever,� Blaise said uncomfortably. �I can't do it anyway. I work days.�

�I don't,� Hannah said softly. �I don't need to be at the Leaky Cauldron until about four or five in the afternoon. Mornings are quite relaxed for me, all I do is place orders and do some bookkeeping. I can do that at Harry's place just as easily.�

�That's great,� Harry said happily. �Pansy, what about you?�

�Me?� Pansy asked, sounding surprised.

�I think he might find it comforting to have someone from his own House spend time with him,� Harry said. �Can you do it?�

She nodded. �I can do Fridays.�

�Excellent,� Harry said, his mind slightly reeling at the realization that he was having a civilized conversation with Parkinson. �Draco, what about you?�

�Yes, you can count me in,� Draco said neutrally.

�I can do Wednesdays,� George said. �And Fridays.�

�Thursdays,� Cho voiced quietly. �And some Mondays, but not the first or the last Monday of each month.�

�I can do Tuesdays,� Luna Lovegood piped. �Nothing ever happens on Tuesdays.�

�I can do Tuesdays, too,� Daphne Greengrass said quickly, casting an unfriendly glance at Luna.

�I'll draw up a schedule,� Hermione said. �Looks like some of you will be paired up with each other, which is probably a good thing. Just try not to kill each other while supervising the patient, all right?�

�I won't kill anyone,� Luna promised readily.

�I'll firecall you all, when we are ready to start searching the school,� Ron said. �All right, that's all. Good night, everyone.�

Marietta was the first to leave, with Luna following her. The Slytherins left shortly after that together. One by one, the members of Dumbledore's Army took off as well. Hannah and Neville lingered, and Hannah surveyed Harry with undisguised concern.

�Harry,� Hannah said softly, �I wasn't going to say anything, but you've lost weight. Are you all right?�

�What? I haven't,� Harry denied quickly.

�No, I think Hannah is right,� Ron said, staring at Harry apprizingly. �Harry, you do look a bit thinner.�

�I'm fine,� Harry assured them both.

�Not to be nosy, but have you been eating all right?� Hannah probed.

�Eh, sort of,� Harry said with a sheepish grin. �In the last week though, it's been a touchy subject.�

�How so?�

�Well, Severus can't really keep food down,� Harry explained. �So I've been feeding him meal replacement drinks and nutritional supplement potions. And then, I didn't want to eat normal food around him, if he couldn't, so...�

�You've decided to be in solidarity with his plight,� Hannah said, but without any admiration in her voice. �It hadn't occurred to you to call the licensed nutritionist and a herbologist for help?�

Harry swore under his breath. It hadn't, as a matter of fact. Over the last week, he had just been happy to get through the day an hour at a time.

�I have some recipes that are incredibly easy on the system,� Hannah said simply. �Neville has a whole collection of herbs that help digestion and restore wellness. I'll have my kitchen staff cook for you, and we will Floo the food to you every evening, all you'll have to do is reheat it. Think you can manage that on your own?�

Harry smiled gratefully. �That'd be wonderful,� he said simply. �Thanks.�

�Don't mention it,� Hannah said gently. �We're happy to help.�

Neville and Hannah took off after that, leaving only Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione behind.

�That could have gone better,� Hermione said with a rueful smile.

�What are you talking about?� Harry protested. �That was brilliant. Who knew that Slytherins and Dumbledore's Army members could actually have a common goal?�

�Certainly not me,� Hermione admitted.

�Or me,� Ron said with a grin.

�Well, you did pull it off,� Harry said peacefully. �Thanks, Hermione.�

�Actually it was Ginny's idea,� Hermione said, and was rewarded by a sharp poke in the elbow from Ginny. �Ow.�

Ginny looked up at Harry with a delighted smile.

�Told you I wouldn't give you a chance to miss me,� she said with a mischievous grin, and threw her arms around him. Harry hugged her back tightly.

�Thanks, Ginny,� he said sincerely. �I knew I wasn't alone in this, I knew there were people I could turn to for help, but this... this was fantastic.�

�You are very welcome,� Ginny said quietly. �By the way, Lily is upstairs. She's asleep, but you could come up and see her.�

�I'd like that,� Harry said. He followed Ginny upstairs and entered a small bedroom. Lily was sound asleep, her arm wrapped around a large stuffed dragon Harry had given to her last Christmas.

Harry knelt before the bed, and looked at her, careful not to disturb her. Nonetheless, Lily's enormous green eyes fluttered open and she smiled sleepily.

�Daddy,� she said, reaching out to him. �Missed you.�

�I missed you too, sweetie,� Harry said quietly, brushing the hair away from her face. �I'll come to see you tomorrow.�

�Promise?� she mumbled, burying her face in the pillow and sniffling quietly.

�Promise,� Harry said, running his fingers through the girl's hair, and planting a kiss on her forehead.

He stayed with her until she fell asleep again, and finally he and Ginny made their way back downstairs to where Hermione and Ron were waiting for them.

�Malfoy has a point though,� Ron said unexpectedly. �It's been a long time since the war. It's kind of weird to keep calling ourselves Dumbledore's Army after all these years.�

�Well, what should we call ourselves then?� Hermione asked defensively. �The last of the Light Brigade?�

Harry chuckled quietly, recognizing the Muggle reference. �No, I think Dumbledore's Army fits,� he said wryly. �Dumbledore got Snape into this mess, so it should be Dumbledore's Army to get him out of it.�

�Malfoy doesn't like it,� Ron said with feigned concern.

Ginny smirked unkindly and tapped her wand. �I can always give him something else to whine about.�

Harry laughed and gathered her up into a tight embrace. She hugged him back, and her lips brushed gently against his cheek.

�I love you, Harry,� she whispered in a quiet voice. �Don't be a stranger.�

�Never,� he said, holding on to her.

~ * ~

When Harry left the Burrow, he was surprised to find Marietta and Luna waiting for him outside. Marietta looked hesitant and uncertain, but Luna gave her a quick nudge and said, �Tell him!�

�Tell me what?� Harry asked instantly.

�There might be another way,� Marietta said reluctantly.

�Another way?�

�To prove Severus' innocence,� Marietta said. �His Patronus led you to the Sword of Gryffindor, right?�

�That's right,� Harry said excitedly, catching on right away. �So if he can generate the doe Patronus, and show everyone that it was his Patronus that led me to the Sword...�

�That would go a long way towards establishing his motives,� Marietta confirmed.

�That's a great idea,� Harry said approvingly. �So why the hesitation?�

Marietta smiled sadly. �Do you really think he'll be able to summon a happy memory at this point?�

Harry pondered the question in silence while Marietta and Luna watched him.

�Don't push too hard,� Marietta warned sternly. �I wouldn't ask him right now, if I were you. If you demand too much too soon, you'll be setting him up for a failure.�

�I think he can do it,� Harry whispered, more to himself than to her. The man didn't survive seven years of hell without being able to hold on to something bright, something like hope.

�Harry Potter, you aren't listening to me!� Marietta snapped in exasperation.

�I'm listening,� Harry objected. �Look, I promise I won't push too hard.�

They said their goodbyes, and Harry headed home, absolutely elated about the possibility that the proof of Severus' innocence was within their reach. Could it really be this simple? A single Patronus charm, to prove to everyone that it was his doe that had allowed them to retrieve the Sword of Gryffindor � and everything would be set right, at least where Severus Snape's legal status was concerned.

A small voice in the back of Harry's mind nudged him to heed Marietta's warning, and Harry took some time to consider her words. He had no intention of making demands, or pushing for anything � but he wasn't about to just let the idea rest on the back burner for months, either. What did they have to lose at this point? If Severus succeeded, it would be an empowering experience � producing a Patronus Charm was no small feat for anyone. And even if Severus couldn't do it right away, perhaps even the mere attempt would be helpful, as it would give him something tangible to strive for.

To Be Continued....

13

14

15

You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Proof of Life