Warning: This story contains spoilers. If you haven't finished reading HBP yet, turn back now! You've been warned.




When the moon is on the wave,
And the glow-worm in the grass,
And the meteor on the grave,
And the wisp on the morass;
When the falling stars are shooting,
And the answer’d owls are hooting,
And the silent leaves are still
In the shadow of the hill,
Shall my soul be upon thine,
With a power and with a sign.


Prologue: In the Garden

Harry Potter sat on a gnarled stump in the moonlit garden, scribbling a letter on a piece of parchment. For a moment he considered waiting until morning to leave, but decided that it would be even more difficult to do so. His eyes stung with hot tears at the thought of his friends discovering the letter, and hoped they would not be too upset.

As he silently crept into the kitchen and placed the letter on the table, he glanced towards the staircase, saying a silent goodbye. Then, he picked up his broom and backpack, threw his invisibility cloak over himself, and Disapparated into the dark night.

************************************************************************


Molly Weasley awoke at dawn. Something seemed unusual, but she could not decide what it was. Everyone else in the house was still asleep, and Ron’s snores cut through the surrounding walls like a badly-oiled chainsaw. She got out of bed, put on a pair of old fuzzy slippers, and tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen in her dressing-gown.

The sun was creeping up over the horizon, and Molly began to make breakfast. The ominous feeling had not left her, but she continued with her morning routine nonetheless. As she placed a plate of toast and eggs on the table (Arthur would be awake any minute and getting ready for work), she noticed a piece of parchment lying on the table, folded in half. Molly picked up the parchment, her eyes widening as she read the words, and sank into a chair, sobbing uncontrollably with a terrible pain in her heart.

Arthur Weasley came down the stairs, adjusting the sleeves of his robes. Immediately he noticed his wife, and rushed over to her. “Molly? Dear, what’s the matter?� he asked worriedly, gripping her shoulders as he noticed the letter in her hand. When Molly did not answer him, he carefully lifted the letter out of her hands, sat down, and read it:


By the time you read this letter, I will be far away. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since June, and now I have to leave. I can’t say where I’m going, because I want to do this alone. Please do not come looking for me.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me. I don’t think I could have made it through the past seven years without you. Ron, take care of yourself, you’re my best mate but you’ll have to keep going without me for now. Hermione, tell Ron how you feel, because although he probably knows already, he needs to hear it from you. I’ll miss you both, I wish things could have worked out differently. Ginny, all I can say is, I love you. I love you more than you could possibly imagine, which is why you have to be very careful, because everyone I care about is in danger, especially you. When this is all over, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

Fred, George, thanks for helping me keep my sense of humour, I think I’m going to need it. Bill and Charlie, I wish I could’ve gotten to know you better. If I make it through this alive, I’d like to think of you as my brothers in the same way I think of Ron, Fred and George.

To my friends who will probably read this later, Remus and Tonks, I know you will do everything in your power to find me no matter what I say, but please, this is something I have to do alone, something that no one else could ever understand. Dumbledore told me before he died what I would have to do, and I swore to him that I would do it.

I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, or if I’ll ever come back. I will not return until I have found both Snape and Voldemort. If I have to spend years tracking them down, so be it, because I will not stop searching until they are both dead.

-Harry Potter


Arthur dropped the letter on the table, closing his eyes and blinking back tears. “I can’t believe he’s done this. I just can’t believe it.�

“Oh, Arthur, he’s out there somewhere, all by himself, and he’s only seventeen! We have to find him, he’ll be killed if we don’t!�

“Molly, please calm down. We’ll find him soon enough, he can’t have gone very far yet. Go wake the children, while I send word to Remus and Mad-Eye.�



Mad-Eye Moody paced back and forth in the Weasleys’ kitchen, every other step a resonating ‘clunk’ in the near-silence. Remus, Tonks and Arthur watched him curiously, wondering what on earth could be going on inside his head. Finally, he stopped pacing and muttering, and looked up at them. “Well, we can’t tell the Ministry he’s missing.�

“Why not? The more people that are looking for him, the faster we’ll track him down,� Mr. Weasley replied.

Moody shook his head. “Nah, that won’t work. If the Ministry finds out, then the Death Eaters and Voldemort will find out soon enough, ‘cause it’ll be all over the papers. D’you think it’s a good idea for them to know Potter’s out there on his own, unprotected?�

“No, that’s the last thing we want,� Remus said, running a hand through his greying hair with a sigh as Tonks squeezed his other hand. Out of the four of them, Lupin had been the most concerned. He had been sick with worry even before the Weasleys had shown him Harry’s letter, and was still having trouble accepting that Harry had just packed up and disappeared.

“So, we’ll have to do this by ourselves?� Tonks asked, her voice unusually high-pitched. “He could be anywhere by now, and we can’t be everywhere at once, there’s too few of us.�

Moody’s brow furrowed in thought, and then he slammed his fist down on the table.“I’ve got an idea. It’s a long shot, but it could work. My old partner is still around, and I’m willing to bet she knows about what happened last month. Convincing her to do us a favour could be tricky, though; she works for no one but herself.�

“Is she any good? At tracking people, I mean,� Remus inquired.

“Good? Do you think she’d have been my partner if she wasn’t damn good at what she does? She can find anyone, anywhere. Mind you, if Potter doesn’t want to come back, she’d never force him. If she found him, she’d tell us, but she wouldn’t be likely to bring him back. Doesn’t believe in telling people what to do, see.�

“Well, it’s worth a try,� Mr. Weasley sighed. “Send her an owl, make sure she knows this is urgent.�

Mad-Eye chuckled. “Who needs owls?� He pointed his wand out the window, and shot some silvery light into the blue sky.


For many hours, they waited in the kitchen. Ron, Hermione and Ginny joined them after a while, looking fearful and upset. Ginny in particular was very pale, and clutched her mug of tea with shaking hands. “Don’t worry, you three,� Moody told them in an uncharacteristically kind voice. “If she can find him, he’ll be in good hands.�

Lupin and Tonks appeared in the room; they had just Disapparated to various places, alerting certain people who owned and operated places where Harry frequented. “Rosmerta, Aberforth and Tom agreed to keep an eye out,� Remus said. “Aberforth insisted on getting a reward if he catches Harry, so we had to agree to pay him a hundred Galleons.�

“Honestly! Can’t do anything just out of the goodness of his heart, can he?� Mrs. Weasley spat in disgust.

Then, as the sun was beginning to sink below the horizon, Tonks gasped and pointed out the window. Something silvery was streaking towards the Burrow, gliding above the grass with far more grace than befitted its size. The Patronus was four-legged, and as it got closer, they could see it was a large polar bear. It stopped in front of the window, watching the group of people now filing out onto the lawn. In a corner, Kreacher the house-elf, who was hanging clothes on the clothesline, narrowed his eyes at them, muttering to himself. Mad-Eye strode over to it, running a gnarled hand over the bear’s head. Then, the bear turned and flew off once more. “She’ll do it,� Moody said, and the others cheered.

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Author's Note: The poem fragment at the beginning of this chapter (and every chapter from this point on) is from Byron's "When the Moon is on the Wave".

Though thy slumber may be deep,
Yet thy spirit shall not sleep,
There are shades which will not vanish,
There are thoughts thou canst not banish;
By a power to thee unknown,
Thou canst never be alone;
Thou art wrapt as with a shroud,
Thou art gather’d in a cloud;
And for ever shalt thou dwell
In the spirit of this spell.



Harry walked slowly down the street, hiding beneath his Invisibility Cloak. His wand was at the ready; the area he had come across was dodgy-looking and derelict. All around him, the shabby buildings loomed overhead, and he looked up at the towering brick chimney on the hill, a dark silhouette against the starry sky. He had no idea where he was, only that it was very far from where he had started. Harry had left the Burrow three days previously, and so far had not made any progress. His first plan was to find Snape, and destroy him. Dumbledore had been his last hope, and Harry felt lost and confused without the headmaster’s guidance.
As he walked, he felt as though he was being watched. Every so often he would catch something moving out of the corner of his eye, but upon a second glance it would be gone. Suddenly, he stepped in a puddle, cursing under his breath at the muddy water seeping through his shoe. Then, without warning, something or someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him roughly into an alley.

Harry threw off his cloak, his wand at the ready. He heard a woman’s throaty chuckle, and saw a hand reach up and pull off another Invisibility Cloak. Underneath was a witch, her face hidden in shadow. “You can put the wand down, Potter,� she said, as he pointed his wand at her throat.

“Who are you?� he snarled, not lowering his arm.

“I didn’t expect a seventeen-year-old wizard to be skulking around these parts,� she responded, grinning slightly as she moved into the moonlight, shaking out her mane of wild, dark hair streaked with grey.

“Answer the question,� Harry demanded, and she rolled her eyes.

“Ursula Hardwick, freelance Auror. Moody warned me about you, Potter, he said you were a bit jumpy. Do you have any idea how many people are looking for you right now? Blimey, I’d get a fair reward if I took you straight back to Hogwarts."

“I’m not going back to Hogwarts, I have...more important things to do,� Harry replied acidly. “And what exactly is a ‘freelance Auror’, anyway?"

“Means I don’t report to the Ministry. Not anymore, at least, since the place has gone to the dogs. Anyway, what do you think you’re doing here?�

“That’s my business, isn’t it?�

“This is Spinner’s End, Potter. Where Severus Snape used to live. I know you aren’t just here for a holiday, so you can drop the attitude.�

“Well, what are you doing here?� Harry asked, trying to keep up the pretense that he knew where he was and why he was there, and Ursula laughed again.

“I’m after old Severus too. Some people are under the impression that he was under a spell or curse the night he killed Dumbledore, and I’m doing a bit of investigation.�

This time, Harry laughed. “He wasn’t under a spell, he’s just a worthless scumbag out to save his own skin, even if it means killing people in the process.�

Ursula surveyed him for a moment, her pale blue eyes calculating. “So you want to be an Auror, eh, Potter?�

“Yeah, who told you?�

“Mad-Eye did, last time I talked to him.� She folded her arms and looked at him. “If you’re dead set on being an Auror, there’s a lot you still have to learn. Things aren’t always what they seem, and you’ve got to look beneath the surface to get some decent answers. Whoever it is you’re after, you have to look at every facet of their being, find out what makes them tick, what scares them the most.�

“So you think the Order is right, then? That Snape was under a spell?� Harry asked skeptically. He didn’t think it possible that the greasy git was acting of anything other than his own free will.

“Possibly. Like I said, that’s what I’m here to find out.� She looked out of the alley, down the dark street. “Well, as long as you’re here, you might as well give me a hand. An extra set of eyes and ears is always useful.�

“Why should I help you? How do I know I can trust you?� Harry inquired.

Ursula smirked at him. “Well, Potter, first of all I’m after the same person you are. Everyone else can hardly believe what Severus did, they’re coming up with all sorts of loony explanations for his betrayal. I, however, think he’s capable of anything he puts his mind to, including murder. Still, I’m here to get to the bottom of things before jumping to conclusions.� She paused, and lowered his voice to a whisper. “I’m going to start with his house. Come on.� She threw her Invisibility Cloak on again, and Harry did the same. “Walk to the very end of the road and wait for my signal.�

Harry carefully exited the alley. The streets were deserted, and somewhere in the distance an owl hooted. He walked onwards, finally reaching the end of the street, and caught a glimpse of a silvery light emanating from the tip of Ursula's wand. She was standing in the shadows on one side of a neglected-looking house, her Invisibility Cloak in one gloved hand. "Follow me, we're going in," she whispered, and tapped the glass of the window with her wand. "Evanesco." The glass vanished, and Ursula quickly climbed through the open window frame, followed closely by Harry.

They had entered a shabby-looking kitchen, where an empty bottle of wine lay on its side on the table. Many of the cupboard doors were ajar, revealing nothing but empty, dusty shelves. Ursula stowed her cloak in the small bag thrown over her shoulder, and pulled out a small box and a battered old notebook. Seeing Harry's puzzled expression, she said, "Fingerprinting. An old Muggle police trick, of course. It's really quite useful, though most others would sneer at it. Most wizards don't even think about leaving their grubby little fingerprints on everything." She carefully sprinkled a bit of white powder on the overturned bottle, and tapped it around before blowing on it. She picked up the bottle, examining it closely before setting it upright. Harry noticed there were several spots where the powder remained, and Ursula nodded to herself.

“Two sets of prints on this one. Let me just check something...� She flipped through the pages of her tattered notebook. "Yeah, I thought so. See, Potter, I've got the fingerprints of dozens of people in here, from Death Eaters to other Aurors. The ones on this bottle belong to Snape and Pettigrew." Slowly, she crept out of the kitchen into the sitting room, and Harry followed behind wondering what Snape and Wormtail had been up to.

The sitting room was full of so many books, Harry thought Hermione would have had a heart attack out of sheer glee. Ursula leaned closer to the sofa, and picked up a long, blonde hair, mouthing soundlessly to herself. Harry scanned the room, then noticed a trio of wine glasses sitting on a side table. They were still dirty, with traces of dried-up wine in the bottom. He pointed to the glasses, and Ursula swooped over, producing her box of white powder. As she carefully dusted the glasses, Harry wondered if he should be helping in some way.

Harry’s green eyes carefully scanned a nearby armchair. He noticed a long black hair on the back of it, and tapped Ursula on the shoulder, pointing to it. She picked it up and stowed it in a plastic bag along with the blonde hair. “Blonde and black...hmm,� she muttered to herself, picking up one of the glasses with her leather-gloved hand and comparing it to the fingerprints in her notebook. Ursula narrowed her eyes, and picked up another of the glasses. “All three have Pettigrew’s prints on them.�

“What does that mean?� Harry asked, rather confused. He had never seen an Auror at work, much less one who used such unconventional methods. He would have expected her to perform some sort of spell, or to use a potion of some sort.

“I can’t be sure, but if his prints were on the bottle, too, maybe he brought wine to Severus and his guests. The question is, who were the guests?� She squinted at one of the wine glasses again, scribbling a quick note in the back of her book with a pencil. “I think I’ve got it. Come on.� Ursula pointed her wand at the glasses, and the white dust vanished. “Don’t want to leave any traces behind, he might know it was me,� she added, seeing Harry’s puzzled look. This statement merely served to confuse Harry further; did she and Snape know each other?

They exited through the window, and walked down towards the riverbank. “Can you Apparate?� Ursula asked, removing her cloak.

“Yeah, I just passed my test two weeks ago.�

“How far?�

Harry thought for a moment. “The furthest I’ve gone so far is from the Ministry headquarters to Diagon Alley.�

Ursula scratched her chin. “Not a bad start, I suppose. Could you make it to Hogsmeade from here?� she asked.

“Probably, why? You aren’t going to hand me over to McGonagall or the Order, are you?� Harry inquired suspiciously, knowing that his friends would probably try and stop him from leaving if they found him.

“What? I think you’ve got me all wrong, Potter. I work for no one, and right now you’re perfectly free to walk away from me, but if you’re hunting for Severus then we’ll probably run into each other again anyway.�

“You’re looking for him too? Why, though?�

“I have my reasons, just like you have yours. Unlike you, however, I’m not planning to kill him the second he turns up, because he’s much more useful alive.� She stuffed the cloak into her shoulder-bag and looked at Harry. “Meet me in front of the Hog’s Head, or don’t. It’s up to you, Potter. If you decide to follow me, wear the cloak if you must.� She nodded to him and Disapparated.

Harry stood there, thinking. If he followed Ursula, he risked appearing in a room full of Order members and informants. Still, he wanted to learn more. He shrugged to himself, knowing he had nothing to lose, and Disapparated wearing his Invisibility Cloak.

He appeared outside the Hog’s Head, and spotted Ursula standing in the shadows. Seeing that no one was around, he removed his cloak. “Hold still for a second,� Ursula whispered, then pointed her wand at Harry. Before he could stop her, she had turned him into an owl. He stared in horror at his taloned feet and feathers, and tried to shout at her, but all that came out was a great deal of angry hooting. Ursula picked him up, told him to keep quiet, and carried him into the pub along with his backpack and broom.

The hairy barman looked up from the filthy glass he was wiping. “What do you want?� he growled.

“A room for the night, the cheapest you’ve got. Make sure it’s private, Abe, I don’t want to be disturbed for anything.�

The barman nodded, rummaging in his pocket and producing a rusty key. “Number two, upstairs. That’ll be twenty Sickles.�

“Nice try. Make it ten, or I’ll tell the whole bar how long it’s been since you washed that rag,� Ursula said in an undertone.

He scowled at her and nodded. She counted out ten Sickles and placed them on the bar, then took the key from the old man’s hand. As she headed upstairs carrying the Harry-owl, she noticed a man taking a swig from a large glass. She clapped him on the back as she passed and muttered, “Ignorance is bliss, mate, remember that.�

As soon as Ursula closed the door behind her, she turned Harry back into a human.

“What the hell was that for?� he snarled.

"Temper, temper, mister Potter. Old Abe would’ve gone straight to Lupin if he’d seen you, there’s a big price on your head right now. Normally he wouldn’t bat an eye, but seeing as how Lupin and the others offered him a reward if he caught you, he’s been keeping a sharp lookout. Everyone’s desperate to find you. Can’t see why, myself. You’re of age, you can do whatever you bloody well like to without having a search party sent after you.�

Ursula opened her bag and dumped the contents onto the table. She motioned for him to sit down on one of the rickety chairs, and picked up her notebook. “So far, I’ve figured out who the fingerprints belong to, and I’m willing to bet they were all in the house at the same time. Severus Snape, Narcissa Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew and Bellatrix Lestrange were all in the sitting room together, drinking wine. The question is, why?�

“Well, they’re all Death Eaters, maybe they get together for meetings or something like the Order does.� Harry suggested with a shrug.

“Narcissa’s no Death Eater, and Severus is just a very good actor. Do you really think he’d waste his time with the rest if there wasn’t anything in it for him? He’s only interested in taking orders from others if it’ll benefit him somehow, he thinks only of himself. No, it wasn’t a Death Eater meeting. Besides, Narcissa and Bellatrix don’t get along very well. Narcissa’s just not evil enough.�

“Her son is, though,� Harry muttered bitterly.

“Ah, right, you go to school with Malfoy, don’t you? I heard that Severus was keeping an eye on him, protecting him while Lucius is in Azkaban.�

Harry nodded. “Yeah, he took some sort of vow to protect him, I overheard them talking last Christmas.�

Ursula froze. “The Unbreakable Vow?� she asked quickly, looking as though this news was a major breakthrough.

“Erm...I think so. Why? What does it matter?�

“Potter, it matters a great deal. The Unbreakable Vow cannot be broken, so whatever Severus vowed to do, he would have died instantly if he refused to go through with it. There has to be more to it than him simply protecting Draco Malfoy. What was Draco up to during the school year? Anything fishy at all?�

Harry gaped at her. After months of watching the Marauder’s Map, having Draco followed by house-elves, and trying to convince Ron and Hermione, someone was sitting in front of him asking quite seriously if Malfoy had been doing anything suspicious. Harry took a deep breath, then immediately launched into a long list of everything Malfoy had done, concluding with his failed attempt to kill Dumbledore.

“So when Malfoy was too cowardly to do it, Severus stepped in? How did Dumbledore become so weakened in the first place?�

“He was...injured,� Harry replied, not wanting to recall his experience in the cave.

Ursula’s eyes bored deeply into his. “I know this may sound a little, er, morbid, but how badly injured was Dumbledore? It may be important, to know whether it was just something like a broken leg, or a mortal wound.�

Harry felt a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. This was the last thing in the world he wanted to discuss, especially to a near-stranger. “He– he was dying,� Harry said quietly, and Ursula closed her eyes with a small sigh.

“I see. Don’t worry, Potter, I won’t bother you with any more questions tonight. Why don’t you get some sleep, you look as though you’ve been awake for days.� When Harry hesitated, she sighed again. “Trust me, I’m not going to attack you in your sleep or anything. I know it’s difficult trusting anyone these days, but you’re safer here with me than out there by yourself.�

Harry slowly moved across the room and sat down on the musty-smelling bed, his hand around the wand in his pocket. In spite of his paranoia, he fell asleep within minutes of his head hitting the lumpy pillow.


Hours later, he awoke to find someone prodding him in the arm. “Potter, time to wake up,� Ursula’s voice said quietly, and he opened his eyes.

“What time is it?� he asked, sitting up and adjusting his crooked glasses.

“Just after eight. Are you hungry?�

Harry shook his head, and she scoffed at him. “Yeah, right. When was the last time you had a decent meal, Potter? You look hungry enough to eat a herd of Hippogriffs. Stay here, I’ll be right back with some food,� she told him, and Disapparated.

Harry got out of bed, and sat down at the small table. Judging by the fact that the contents of Ursula’s bag were still scattered over the table, she had been awake all night. Among the items on the table were several battered-looking quills (one of them a peacock feather), a can of cat food, two glass vials of a clear liquid, a pair of dragon-leather gloves, a Sneakoscope, and a silver ring set with a small emerald. Harry picked up the ring and saw that it was engraved with two serpents.

Just then, Ursula reappeared carrying a large paper bag from which a delicious smell was wafting. Harry dropped the ring in surprise, but even more surprisingly, Ursula did not seem to care that he had just been going through her personal effects. “I picked up some pastries and things from Madam Puddifoot’s, she bakes them fresh every morning. If it wasn’t for her blueberry scones, I wouldn’t be caught dead in that place,� she added with a shudder. “The colour pink gives me a strong urge to vomit.� She tapped the paper bag with her wand, and it turned into a paper plate piled high with food.

Harry eagerly grabbed a glazed doughnut off the top of the pile, wolfing it down in seconds. He was hungrier than he had thought, and reached for a sticky cinnamon bun. He noticed that Ursula had picked up the ring, and looked at it lazily as she munched on a scone. “I got this in my seventh year as a present,� she said idly. “The day I found out I was accepted into Auror training.�

“So, you went to Hogwarts, then?�

“Yes, ages ago. I was in my third year when your mum and dad started school there.�

“Did you know them?� Harry asked eagerly.

Ursula shook her head. “I knew who they were, but I never met them. See, I wasn’t in their house, and they weren’t likely to spend their time talking to Slytherins.�

Harry stared. “You were in Slytherin? But– you’re an Auror!�

She nodded. “Yes, so far I’m the first Slytherin to become an Auror, and probably the last from what I’ve heard. My decision certainly wasn’t popular at the time, even my own parents weren’t all that supportive.�

“Were they...did you have a lot of Dark wizards in your family?� Harry inquired, then hoped he hadn’t offended her.

“No, they weren’t Dark wizards, but they did think Voldemort had the right idea, and they didn’t want their own daughter accusing their friends of Dark wizardry. They didn’t want me ‘mingling with Mudbloods’ as they put it. Total rubbish, of course; the best Aurors I know are either half-bloods or Muggle-born.�

“Did you know that Voldemort himself isn’t pure-blooded?� Harry mentioned, and Ursula nearly choked on a blueberry.

“You’re joking! I had no idea! Well, that certainly puts a new twist on things, doesn’t it?� she exclaimed, rubbing her throat with a grimace. “Who told you that, anyway?�

“He did, actually. He told me himself, back when I was in my second year.�

“Sweet merciful Merlin! I wonder if his Death Eaters know,� she said, scribbling something in the back of her notebook. “I’d love to see the look on old Bella’s face if she found that out. She’d have to be carted off to St. Mungo’s, I think,� she added with a laugh.

“I told her, but she didn’t believe me. I guess you must have gone to school with her as well?� he asked.

“Yes, she was in my year. Even back then she was a nutter, always going on about how much she liked him. Every second sentence would contain the words ‘the Dark Lord’, and she would curse people for the most trivial reasons. Once, she used the Jelly-legs curse on a first-year who accidentally bumped into her. Bloody psycho.� She waved her wand, and two cups of steaming coffee appeared on the table. “Here, have a drink. It’s going to be a long day, I’ll warn you now.�

“What are you planning on doing?� Harry asked, taking a small sip of the strong, bitter coffee.

“I’m going home to pick up a few things. You should go home as well, Potter.�

Harry raised an eyebrow. Surely she wasn’t talking about Privet Drive? “Er–" he began.

“Not back to the Muggles, boy, to the house of Black!� Ursula interrupted exasperatedly. “You might be able to find something interesting there, and if you do, you can find me at number seven, Wyvern Road, in London. Cheers,� she said, and Disapparated.

Harry mouthed soundlessly, memorizing the address while wondering what on earth he would find stashed away in Grimmauld Place. Ursula Hardwick seemed to know a great deal more than she let on, and Harry found himself determined to learn more.





A/N: Once again, the poem stanza at the top of the page is from "When the Moon is on the Wave" by Lord Byron. Each chapter will have one stanza from this poem.

Author's Note: A huge thanks to the moderator who accepted the last two chapters so quickly (*hands a bouquet of roses to Chelsea*). Also, thanks to my beta, Sarah, who read this whole story for me in such a short time. You rock! :)
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Though thou seest me not pass by,
Thou shalt feel me with thine eye
As a thing that, though unseen,
Must be near thee, and hath been;
And when in that secret dread
Thou hast turn’d around thy head,
Thous shalt marvel I am not
As thy shadow on the spot,
And the power which thou dost feel
Shall be what thou must conceal.


Mad-Eye Moody leaned on the edge of Arthur Weasley’s desk. “We’ll find Potter soon enough. If Hardwick’s on the case, she should find him any day now.�

“Ursula Hardwick? I’ve heard that name somewhere before,� Arthur mused, digging through the filing cabinet. “Ah, here we go.� He pulled out a heavy file made of blue cardboard, and opened it on his desk. “I must say, she’s had quite the career. Not very old, either. When were you two partners?�

“Just after she finished Auror training. Same age as Tonks, in her twenties. I thought she was daft, for a while. Uses really odd tactics. They work, but they’re still odd.�

Arthur nodded, reading a page in the file. “What’s she been up to in the past while? Says here she quit working for the Ministry.�

“You know, I haven’t a clue,� Moody replied, peering at the document. “None of the other Aurors took her all that seriously, as I remember. She was a Slytherin, so that didn’t sit well with them, and she used to get teased about her unusual methods. They called her “Dusty� Hardwick, since she used to dust for fingerprints, you know, like the Muggles do. Still, she did her job. One day, though, she just walked in, handed in her resignation, and walked out without another word.�

“Can we trust her to find Harry?� Arthur inquired.

In answer to his question, there was a loud ‘crack’ and a letter dropped out of midair onto the desk. Arthur hurriedly opened it, and saw that it contained only one line of writing.

Found Potter. Keeping an eye on him for now. -U.H.

“That’s it? Why didn’t she tell us where he is, or where she is?� Arthur asked, feeling slightly uneasy.

Moody frowned as his normal eye scanned the parchment. “Strange. Normally she’d tell us a bit more than that. Unless, of course, someone else is following them and she can’t reveal their whereabouts.�

“But you would think–"

�I know, it’s a bit fishy. I’ll get a few people to look into it, maybe Kingsley and Tonks are up for the job. We’ll have to make up some kind of reason for ‘em to leave the Ministry, though. Scrimgeour can’t know we’re looking for Potter.�

“Just say that you’re trying to find Hardwick based on suspicions of her being a Death Eater,� Arthur suggested, sighing at the fact that it was so easy to accuse people nowadays.

“That’ll work. She’d be right offended if someone accused her of that, though. Went to school with a bunch of future Death Eaters; Malfoy, the Lestranges, and Snape. She hated ‘em all except Snape, he used to be a friend of hers.�

“What happened? He’s never mentioned her at all.�

“They fought about something, and I don’t think they’ve spoken to each other since school. I tried askin’ him about her once, he went berserk and told me never to ask him again.�

***

There was a loud ‘crack’ and Severus Snape appeared in front of the last house on Spinner’s End. Something seemed odd to him; had there been a burglar? He slowly unlocked the door and entered, taking care not to make a sound. He had an ominous feeling that someone had been inside his house recently, an uninvited guest.

It was the first time he had returned to the house in months, and everything was exactly as he had left it. The wine glasses from Bellatrix and Narcissa’s visit were still sitting on the side table, encrusted with the remains of the wine. Worthless little rat, didn’t even bother to wash the dishes, he thought with a sneer, taking the glasses to the kitchen. He noticed the empty wine bottle on the table, and looked at it more closely. Severus distinctly remembered knocking it over during an argument with Wormtail, but the bottle stood upright with a few dusty smudges on it. He picked up the bottle, and his eyes widened. She was here, he thought, his mind racing as he saw his own powdered fingerprints on the bottle.

Within seconds, Severus had stormed out of the house and Disapparated, knowing that if his suspicions proved correct, he would not be the only one in danger.

***

At the Burrow, Remus and Tonks were close to tearing their hair out in exasperation as they stood in the kitchen talking to Kreacher and Dobby, both of whom had come with Harry to stay at the Burrow and help Mrs. Weasley with the cleaning. “Did he tell you where he was going, or not?� Remus asked Kreacher.

“Master tells Kreacher many things, but Kreacher cannot say. Master is a sneaking half-blood who doesn’t tell poor Kreacher where he is going.�

Tonks gritted her teeth in annoyance. “Well, did Harry say why he was going?� she asked Dobby, turning her attention to the friendly house-elf in the hopes that he might provide better answers.

“Please, miss, Harry Potter said only that he was going to find Professor Snape. But Dobby did not know Harry Potter was in trouble! Dobby could help, miss, he could!� Dobby pleaded, his huge round eyes wider than ever.

Tonks and Lupin glanced at each other. “Fine. Dobby, if you can, check every place where Harry likes to go. Kreacher, go to Harry’s house and see if he’s been there,� Remus instructed.

“Kreacher will not obey the half-breed scum! Kreacher does as he likes, and he does not like taking orders from those who are unworthy!� Kreacher screeched angrily.

Tonks had a sudden inspiration. “Wait, Kreacher, didn’t you know that Harry started cleaning out the house? He threw away everything you tried to hide, including your photos!� she lied, and the house-elf looked furious. “Plus, he tried tearing down the portrait of Mrs. Black. He said she was an ugly old bat.�

“He tried to take away the picture of my mistress?� Kreacher gasped in horror. “Filthy, stinking, sneaking Master! Kreacher must guard the family treasures!� With a loud ‘pop’, he disappeared, and Tonks smirked.

“Gullible little toerag, isn’t he?� she said, and Remus laughed.

***

Back at the Ministry, Kingsley Shacklebolt burst into Arthur Weasley’s office. “Thought I’d let you know, Aberforth saw Hardwick at the Hog’s Head yesterday. I went over there to question him, he said she came in with an owl, paid for a room, and stayed overnight. He didn’t see her come down the stairs to leave, so she must have Disapparated out of the room".

Mad-Eye was still sitting on the edge of Arthur’s desk. “She brought an owl? That’s funny, Hardwick’s never had an owl before. Doesn’t trust them, she’s so concerned about security when she sends messages.�

“Any news on Snape’s whereabouts?� Arthur asked Kingsley.

“Not so far. He’s good at hiding, I can tell you that. I’ve got lookouts all over the country for him, no one’s seen anything yet. All we know is that he’s not with the other Death Eaters, because they’re supposedly looking for him too.�

“How did you find that out?� Arthur inquired.

“They burnt down Malfoy Manor last night, because they thought Draco Malfoy might be hiding in there with Snape. Narcissa Malfoy has gone missing, too,� Kingsley informed him.

“Honestly, this is going to get worse before it gets better,� Arthur muttered.

***


Kreacher stormed through the halls of number twelve, Grimmauld Place, cursing and stomping his feet. He was rather annoyed, although not entirely surprised, to discover that Tonks had lied to him. There was a sudden noise, like someone Apparating, and he hobbled into the kitchen to investigate.

A tall hooded figure was standing there, their face hidden in shadow. Kreacher stared in disdain at the figure for a moment, contemplating what to do. Then, the house-elf was lifted off the ground and slammed against the wall. “Where is Potter?� a hoarse voice hissed, as the figure’s pale, thin hands gripped Kreacher.

“Master does not tell poor Kreacher where he goes, Kreacher knows nothing!� Kreacher cried, fear rising in his normally contemptuous voice.

“Why has he gone?� the hoarse voice asked, tightening his grip.

“Master said he was looking for Snape, he says he is going to kill him!� Kreacher sobbed.

The figure suddenly dropped him, and stepped back a few paces, lowering his hood. Severus Snape glared at Kreacher, his eyes fierce and bloodshot. “The half-breed said Master is missing, and Kreacher overheard the blood-traitor brats saying someone has been sent to find him,� the elf said, regaining his confidence at the sight of the familiar face. “Kreacher has heard things...heard you murdered the great lover of Mudbloods and half-breeds, Albus Dumbledore. Kreacher wonders how he did it?� he asked, his beady eyes boring into Snape with an unquestionable look of admiration.

Snape glared at him, his face contorted into an expression of loathing and disgust. “Who has been sent after Potter, you filthy little beast? Was it an Auror, or a member of the Order?�

“A woman. Kreacher heard the ugly one say she worked for no one. Kreacher remembers the horrid old man with the bulging eye speaking very highly of her.�

“Wait...it wasn’t Ursula Hardwick, was it?� Snape asked, and his voice contained a note of sudden panic.

“Kreacher thinks so. Kreacher saw her Patronus, out on the lawn of the blood-traitors’ house. A great, horrible bear. Kreacher was outside washing Master’s socks,� he finished with an expression of great disgust.

Snape sprang into action at once, putting up his hood and preparing to Disapparate. “Tell no one I’ve been here, or I’ll come back and finish you off,� he threatened, then vanished into thin air with a resounding ‘crack’.

Kreacher sneered to himself and disappeared as well, deciding that he had put up with quite a bit of abuse for one day and was in no way obliged to follow orders from traitors, Mudbloods and half-breeds.

Outside, the clouds in the sky had grown steadily darker, and in the distance thunder boomed. The gaps in the clouds revealed an eerily green sky, and the streets below darkened despite the fact that it was only two o’clock in the afternoon. A thick, icy mist swirled about, chilling all that it touched. No sooner had Kreacher left than Harry Potter appeared in the street, draped in his cloak and looking for answers.

Author's Note: Thanks again to my beta, Sarah! Also, thanks to the mods, for all their hard work in getting the site up and running smoothly, and for accepting the chapters of this story so fast.


And a magic voice and verse
Hath baptized thee with a curse;
And a spirit of the air
Hath begirt thee with a snare;
In the wind there is a voice
Shall forbid thee to rejoice;
And to thee shall Night dent
All the quiet of her sky;
And the day shall have a sun,
Which shall make thee wish it done.

Harry stood in his invisibility cloak in the middle of the street, staring up at number twelve, Grimmauld Place. He dreaded the thought of going inside, and wondered why Ursula had told him to go there in the first place. Slowly, he headed up the walk and stopped in front of the door. Of course, there was no doorknob, and he for a moment he thought he would not be able to enter. Then, as he reached for the silver knocker, the door swung open as if pulled by an invisible hand.

Carefully tiptoeing through the hall past Mrs. Black’s portrait, Harry went upstairs towards the drawing room. Once inside he scanned the bookshelves for a book he had seen once before; a history of the pure-blooded families of England. He had decided just then to do a little background check on Ursula Hardwick, since he was still wary of having a former Slytherin knowing what he was up to. Harry pulled ‘Nature’s Nobility’ from the shelf, and sat down to read.

He flipped through the pages, and found the Hardwick family tree. Scanning the page, he saw Ursula at the very bottom, then his eyes moved upwards to her parents and grandparents. He paused as he saw the name ‘Harold Hardwick’, and looked at his three children with a gasp. The eldest sibling, Rodney, had, of course, gone on to become Ursula’s grandfather, but that was not what Harry was shocked about. Rodney’s two sisters, Damara and Elena, had married men with the surnames of Prince and Potter, respectively, and their children and grandchildren were listed in shorthand beneath. Harry’s father, Ursula, and Snape had the same great-grandfather.

Harry slammed the book shut in disgust. The very idea was laughable; surely he could not really be related to the person he loathed so much, the one who had tormented and belittled him for years? Plus, Dumbledore had said that the Dursleys were Harry’s only living relatives; if the book was truthful, why had he not been sent to live with Ursula, or, heaven forbid, Snape? He crammed the book into his backpack, threw his invisibility cloak over his head, and stormed out of the house before Disapparating.

As he reappeared in the heart of London, close to St. Mungo’s, he realised he had no idea how to get to Wyvern Road. Luckily, there was a small bookshop on the corner near where he was standing, and he decided to go in and ask for directions. Slipping between a gap in the buildings to remove his cloak, Harry flattened his fringe over his scar and removed his glasses, for lack of a better disguise. He knew better than to enter St. Mungo’s or the Ministry, too many people recognized his face.

He entered the bookshop, and a small bell tinkled. “Good afternoon, young man,� a grandmotherly old woman greeted from behind the steamy romance novel she was reading. “May I help you find anything?�

“Er, yes, actually. I’m trying to find a street called Wyvern Road, do you have a map?�

The old woman put down her book. “Wyvern Road, did you say? Certainly, I’ll tell you how to get there from here, but it’s really not a good place for someone as young as yourself to be.�

“Er– why is that?�

“Funny things happen there, murders and such. Some people reckon the street’s haunted, but most people won’t set foot near it anyway. I’d recommend you steer clear of it as well, lad.�

Harry stared at her. “Well, um, I don’t believe in ghosts, and I’ve been there before. My auntie lives there, and she hasn’t seen anything weird yet,� he lied.

“If you say so. Very well, then, Wyvern Road is located as far north as you can go within the city, next to Bainbridge Drive. There’s a bus that goes there, number forty-two I think. Take care,� she said, as Harry thanked her and hurried out of the shop.

Take the bus? Yeah right, Harry thought, sneaking into an alley and untying the Firebolt strapped to his back. He held out his wand. “Point me,� he said, and the wand pointed him north. Mounting his broom, he cast a Disillusionment Charm over himself and took off towards Wyvern Road.

A short while later, Harry touched down near the outskirts of the city. He found Bainbridge Drive, and walked a short distance to the beginning of Wyvern Road. His first impression was that the woman in the bookshop did not know what she was talking about. Wyvern Road was bright and friendly-looking, and was most certainly not derelict. The houses were grand and well-kept, though most were as old as the Black mansion. Harry approached number seven, a large red-brick home with stately white marble columns on either side of the double doors. Several plastic flamingos were stuck randomly throughout the front garden, and the lawn was dotted with toadstools and weeds. Smirking to himself as he thought of his uncle’s carefully manicured lawn, he reached out and pressed the doorbell.

No sooner had his finger left the button than the doors flew open and Ursula pulled Harry inside. “So you found the place easily enough?� she asked, shutting the door behind them with a flick of her wand.

“Yeah. I asked a woman for directions, but she told me this street was run-down and haunted. Is it bewitched like Hogwarts?�

Ursula nodded. “Yes. Keeps most Muggles far away, that’s for sure. Still, I’ve taken precautions to make my house look very Muggle-like, just to avoid certain wizards finding it. Anyway, come in, come in, I’ve just made some tea.�

Harry followed her to the kitchen, and had the sudden impression that it was exactly the sort of kitchen he liked best; slightly cluttered, well-worn and well-loved, with the scent of something bubbling on the stove. It had none of the sterility and coldness of Aunt Petunia’s kitchen, but was reminiscent of the homey kitchen at the Burrow.

Ursula passed him a cup of tea, and leaned against the counter as she sipped from her own mug. “I didn’t expect you to show up, to be honest. What kept you so long, anyway? Find anything useful?�

Harry was suddenly reminded of why he had stormed out of his house in the first place. “Well, I found something when I was looking in the bookshelf,� he said, and pulled the heavy book of family trees from his backpack. “I wanted to– look up something about my dad, he was a pure-blood,� he added, hoping that the excuse was not too transparent. Ursula nodded, and peered at the title of the book. “Anyway, I found your family tree too,� Harry said, opening the book to the dog-eared page showing the Hardwick family. “You, me, and Snape are related.�

Ursula took the book out of his hands. “Is that so? Well, that’s hardly surprising. Nearly all the pure-blooded families are interrelated. Out of the three families, though, my family is the only one that stayed pure, as they liked to remind me. You wouldn’t believe what they said when they found out I was dating a Muggle-born boy in my fourth year.� She rolled her eyes. “I think that’s why I never got married, just to spite them and stop the bloodline for good.�

“I think you’re missing the point here,� Harry said, interrupting her musings. “I was told that my only living relatives were my aunt and cousin, and now I find out that I’m some sort of cousin of that murdering, lying traitor!�

Ursula suddenly slammed the book shut. “Potter, settle down. Being distantly related to someone doesn’t mean you have to like them; look at the Malfoys and the Weasleys. Like I said, all the pureblood families have connections to each other somehow, but it doesn’t matter! And as for me, if you’re wondering why no one ever told you we were distant cousins, it’s because I didn’t even know myself. I doubt any of us knew.� She sat down at the table, and waved her hand at the empty chair across from her. “Sit down.�

He sat, his anger slowly melting away. “Now, Potter, is there anything else you’d like to get off your chest?� Ursula asked him. “Part of being a good Auror is learning to question everything, to seek out as much knowledge as you can from those who are willing to share their wisdom with you.�

Harry watched her for a moment. Her statement had sounded remarkably like something Dumbledore would have said. Then, he thought of something he was curious about. “What do you know about Snape? And why do you always call him by his first name?�

“There’s very little that I don’t know about Severus. I call him by his first name because for many years, we were very close friends.� When Harry merely gaped at her, she rolled her eyes and continued. “When I was in my third year, Dumbledore became Headmaster, and a young boy named Severus Snape became a Slytherin. I was a fairly good student, especially when it came to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Naturally, with people like Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Black around, for a Slytherin to be interested in resisting Dark magic was pretty rare. Dumbledore noticed this peculiar trait. He suggested that I begin tutoring some of the younger students, in order to keep them from going bad.�

Harry looked at her skeptically; obviously she had failed. “Soon enough, I was having things thrown at me by a foul-mouthed eleven-year-old. That changed pretty quickly, however. One day, I caught Sirius Black stuffing Severus headfirst into a suit of armour, and I used one of my homegrown hexes on him. Black spent the rest of the day in the hospital wing with curly pink hair and a nose the size of a bowling ball.� She laughed, while Harry gave a feeble, halfhearted chuckle. “After that, Severus came to me and said, ‘Please teach me how to do that.’ I told him that he’d have to smarten up first, and surprisingly enough, he did. Listened to every word I said, worked very hard on his homework, and never swore at me again.�

“How much did you teach him?� Harry asked warily, wondering if Ursula was responsible for making Snape so powerful.

“Loads. He was always brilliant at using curses and hexes, but not as good at repelling them.� She noticed the expression on Harry’s face. “I can tell you don’t like him very much, Potter, you aren’t making any effort to conceal that.�

“Why should I? I hate him, it’s thanks to him that Voldemort killed my parents, not to mention the fact that he killed Dumbledore right in front of me!� Harry replied incredulously. “Naturally, I can’t just sit here and listen to you reminisce about your school days together.�

Ursula raised an eyebrow at him. “I am perfectly aware of what Severus has done. Don’t you dare think for one second that I don’t miss Dumbledore, Potter, because you would be wrong. You aren’t the only one in the world affected by his death, nor are you the only person he cared about,� she snapped. “I don’t have the time or patience to sit here and deal with your trivial teenage tantrums.�

Harry said nothing; he merely stared into his teacup, thinking how Ursula had gone from being friendly and helpful to very Snape-like in a matter of minutes. Ursula stood up, and walked out of the room. When she came back, she was carrying a shallow basin carved from what appeared to be obsidian, resting on a wrought silver stand. “Is that a–"

"Pensieve, yes.� Ursula replied, setting it down on the table and placing several silvery strands of thought into it. “A gift from my grandmother. I thought it would be easier to show you some things rather than tell you, since you have an unfortunate habit of interrupting me.�

“Sorry,� Harry replied, and moved over to see what she had put in the Pensieve.

“You won’t need any narration from me, I’m sure by now you’ll recognize everyone in these memories,� Ursula explained, pushing the basin towards him. “Pay close attention, and don’t get distracted.�

“Why would I get–"

"Remember, I went to school at the same time as your parents. If they show up at any point, resist the urge to follow them.�

Harry nodded, and leaned closer to the surface of the swirling thoughts. He felt the familiar sensation of being drawn into the memories, and landed in a seat at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall.

“Ooh, ickle firsties! I’m gonna make their lives a living hell!� a young Bellatrix Black sneered, watching the group of scared-looking first-years being Sorted. Harry craned his neck to watch, looking up just in time to see Sirius with the Sorting Hat on his head.

“Hey, Bella, isn’t that your cousin?� Narcissa asked from beside her sister. The hat suddenly shouted ‘GRYFFINDOR!’ and Bellatrix and her friends booed and hissed.

A few seats down, Harry noticed a third-year with wavy black hair and blue eyes. She kept throwing looks of deepest loathing at the Black sisters, which they returned. Harry moved down to where she was sitting just as Lucius Malfoy, a seventh-year with a “Head Boy� badge pinned to his robes, swooped down next to Ursula. “Watch yourself, Hardwick. Bella’s planning to hex you after the feast.�

“What? Why would you tell me–?� Ursula replied, whirling around, but Malfoy had already moved on, and was talking to a troll-like boy who looked eerily like Goyle.

The Sorting Hat had moved on to ‘P’, and Harry watched with a grin as his father was placed in Gryffindor. Soon the hat had reached ‘S’, and Harry’s stomach lurched as a scrawny boy with long, black hair approached the stool. McGonagall placed the hat on Snape’s head, and Harry noticed that the boy was muttering something to himself, his eyes tightly closed. The Sorting Hat was taking a rather long time, but finally it shouted ‘SLYTHERIN!’ and Snape scuttled over to the house table, sitting at the very end.

“Snape? What kind of name is that?� Harry heard Bellatrix sneer. Slowly, the memory began to fade into blackness, and when things became clear once more, Harry found himself standing in the Slytherin common room. Ursula was sitting by the fireplace, looking over an essay as Snape watched her nervously.

“It’s not bad, but you’ve got to work on your spelling. Have you been practicing the Disarming Spell?� Ursula asked.

“Expelliarmus!� Snape shouted, waving his wand and knocking a candelabra off the mantle.

Ursula coughed, and replaced the candelabra with a flick of her wand. “That’s...that’s a good start. You wouldn’t actually learn this one until second year, anyway, so maybe it’s too advanced...�

“No, I can do it, I did it yesterday and it worked!� Snape protested.

She smirked at him; Harry could tell instantly where Snape had picked up his mannerisms. “Fine, try again. Don’t wave your arm so much, point directly at the target. Watch me, I’ll show you.� Ursula turned around, scanning the room. With an evil grin, she said “Expelliarmus!� and Bellatrix shrieked as her wand went flying.

Bellatrix marched over to where they were sitting, an angry expression on her face. “Think you’re funny, do you, Hardwick?� she snarled, grabbing Ursula by the front of her robes.

“Well, yeah, I guess I do,� Ursula replied tartly. The memory began to fade, and next Harry found himself in Dumbledore’s office, perched on the edge of the desk. Dumbledore was standing over Snape and Ursula, who kneeled on the floor with their right hands interlocked. The headmaster looked uncertainly at them for a moment, as if he was hesitant to proceed. Something fiery came out of the tip of his wand, and wrapped itself around their hands. Harry suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, and was pulled backwards out of the Pensieve.

He looked up at the adult Ursula who was standing over him. “I think that’s about enough.�

“Why did Malfoy help you? You know, in the first memory I saw?� Harry asked, puzzled.

“Oh, that. Nothing important, really. I think he used to fancy me, although he was betrothed to Narcissa already. Seemed I’d make a better wife than that silly cow. However, he left Hogwarts at the end of that year, and I was glad to be rid of him.�

Harry’s mind raced. “He fancied you? I didn’t think Lucius Malfoy was capable of human emotion.�

“Oh, he wasn’t, really,� Ursula replied. “He was just looking for a bit of action on the side, and naturally I refused. Disgusting git...I’ve never been so glad to see someone locked in Azkaban.�

“What was that last one all about? The memory from Dumbledore’s office, he was doing some kind of magic.�

“Ah, yes, the Unbreakable Vow. Had I known then how difficult it would have made my life, I would’ve never agreed to it. You see, Dumbledore wanted me to keep an eye on Severus. I had my suspicions already, knowing that he often received owls from people I definitely didn’t trust, like Lucius Malfoy and Walden Macnair. Severus refused to take the vow at first, but after some persuasion, he agreed.�

“What was the vow you took?�

“We both agreed that from that point on, neither of us could tell a lie to the other without putting our lives at stake. The consequence for breaking the Unbreakable Vow is death, Potter.�

“So...if Snape lied to you, he would die?�

“And vice versa, yes. Because of that vow, I was able to discover that he became a Death Eater, and later I found out whose side he was truly on. Severus has been avoiding me for years, trying his hardest to escape me and the vow, because I could bring about his ruin.�

Harry let out a low whistle. Snape’s whole existence was an intricate web of lies and deceit, and if Ursula found him, everything would come crashing down. He felt a sort of vindictive pleasure at this thought, a feeling he had never experienced before. “We have to find him,� he told her, more determined than ever.

From thy false tears I did distil
An essence which hath strength to kill;
From they own heart I then did wring
The black blood in its blackest spring;
From thy own smiler I snatch’d the snake,
For there it coil’d as in a brake;
Frm thy own lip I drew the charm
Which gave all these their chiefest harm;
In proving every poison known,
I found the strongest was thine own.

Remus Lupin’s hand shook slightly as he poured two cups of tea, passing one to Nymphadora Tonks. “I find it a bit strange how Moody’s old friend hasn’t sent us any word except for that little note. Doesn’t she realise how important it is that Harry is safe?�

“I know. I was talking to Arthur and Mad-Eye earlier today, they wanted Kingsley and I to track her down. We’re supposed to tell the Ministry that we have reason to believe she’s a Death Eater, although personally I think that’s a load of rubbish,� Tonks told him, sipping her tea.

Remus shrugged. “It might be rubbish, but it’ll fool the Ministry. When are you leaving?�

“Trying to get rid of me?" Tonks asked with a grin.

Remus returned the grin sheepishly. “Of course not. I thought I might come along, actually.�

“Great.� She leaned over and kissed him on the nose. “We’re leaving tomorrow morning, after we get clearance to leave from Scrimgeour.�

Suddenly, there was a loud, frantic knocking on the door. Drawing his wand, Remus hurried over to open the door, and Tonks stood behind him. He turned the knob, and stared up into the gaunt, pale face of Severus Snape.

“You!� Remus gasped, his look of surprise quickly replaced with a look of loathing. “How dare you come back, after what you did!�

“Expelliarmus!� Snape said, almost lazily, and Remus and Tonks dropped their wands. “Now is not the time, Lupin. Where is Potter?�

“What do you care, you stinking traitor?� Tonks shouted, lunging at him. Remus pulled her back, worried that Snape might strike her.

“I know he is missing. I also know that Moody sent Ursula Hardwick to look for him,� Snape said.

“Get to the point, Snape!� Remus snapped.

“My point, Lupin, is that you made a serious error in informing Hardwick that Potter is out there alone. She is not who she seems, and–"

"She’s not who she seems? Look who’s talking, you lying scum!� Remus yelled, letting go of Tonks and launching himself at Snape. Snape moved aside quickly, and Remus fell to the floor.

“I am not here to fight with you. Ursula Hardwick is dangerous, she cannot be trusted. Potter is in serious danger, and we have to find them both before it’s too late,� Snape explained, offering a hand to Lupin to pull him to his feet.

Remus did not take Snape’s hand. “I don’t trust you. You’re up to something, you’re trying to lure us further away from Harry!�

Snape sighed and reached inside his pocket, withdrawing a scrap of parchment. “Potter’s life is in jeopardy, Lupin. Do you really want to let him be killed because you refuse to listen to anything I say?� He shoved the parchment into Lupin’s hand. “There. This is where she has taken him, and where I will be. If you choose not to act, I will do it alone.� He turned on his heels and stormed out the door, Disapparating into the dark night.




On Wyvern Road, Ursula was glancing nervously out the window at the misty, cold evening. Harry was in the sitting room, enjoying a rather excellent slice of chocolate cake. “What are you looking at?� he asked.

“The sky. There’s a storm coming, it’s horribly dark out there. It’s hard to believe it’s only four o’clock, it looks as if it should be midnight,� Ursula mumbled, still looking out the window.

Harry felt a sudden shiver. “It’s a bit cold in here,� he said, pulling his hand-knitted jumper from his backpack and putting it on.

“Sorry, I must have left the air conditioner running for too long,� Ursula replied somewhat absently.

“You have air conditioning? Why don’t you just use a Chilling Charm?�

“Too much work. Besides, I’ve been living mostly as a Muggle for years now, it helps to keep up the illusion by using Muggle technology.�

“Why are you living as a Muggle?� Harry inquired, pointing his wand at his mug of tea and reheating it a bit. After seven years as a wizard, he found he could not get used to the idea of using a microwave when a wand worked just as well.

“Did anyone ever tell you that you ask too many questions, Potter?� Ursula retorted, her voice slightly snappish.

“Sorry. Just wondering.� He glanced up at her, thinking that she had just contradicted herself; hadn’t she said the day before that a good Auror asked as many questions as possible?

Ursula paced back and forth several times, then went into the kitchen for a moment. When she returned, she looked out the window again. With a small frown, she went upstairs. Harry thought he heard her talking to herself, and was not the least bit surprised. Ursula was incredibly odd, however nice she happened to be.

As he stood up to get himself another slice of cake, there was a loud crack of thunder. It was nothing, however, to the blast that suddenly blew the front doors to bits, leaving a gaping, smoking hole. Harry had dropped to his knees to shield himself from the explosion, and rose to find Severus Snape striding through the doorway, looking positively murderous.

“You!� Harry shouted, drawing his wand and attempting to Stun him. Snape merely deflected the hex, and stepped forward.

“Enough foolishness, Potter. You must leave, now,� he said, his voice oddly strained.

“No! I’m not going anywhere, not until you’re dead!� Harry snarled, aiming another hex at him in an attempt to disarm him.

Ursula appeared behind him suddenly. “Severus. I knew you would come,� she greeted, her face alight with sudden glee.

Harry whirled around to face her. “What?� he asked, feeling his heart skip several beats in shock. Had they been working together all along?

Snape pointed his wand at Ursula. “Avada Ked–" A burst of red light hit him in the chest, stopping him in mid-speech as he crumpled to the floor. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, until Ursula turned on him with a malicious grin on her face. “Not so fast, Potter,� she sneered, and before he knew what had happened, she raised her wand and everything went black.


A/N: Thanks again to my beta, Sarah. :)

By thy cold breast and serpent smile,
By thy unfathom’d gulfs of guile,
By that most seeming virtuous eye,
By thy shut soul’s hypocrisy;
By the perfection of thine art
Which pass’d for human thine own heart;
By thy delight in others’ pain,
And by thy brotherhood of Cain,
I call upon thee! And compel
Thyself to be thy proper Hell!

Harry awoke to find himself tied to a chair, his wand missing. As he scanned the room, he noticed that he was in a cellar, and that Snape was tied up nearby. Harry twisted and pulled on the rope, but the more he struggled the tighter the rope became; it had an eerie green glow to it, and he suspected it was magical. Ursula was nowhere in sight, and he glared at Snape, who was still unconscious. Undoubtedly the two of them had been working together, and it was all an elaborate ruse.

Just as he spat on the ground at Snape’s feet in disgust, the professor’s eyes opened. “Potter! Where did she go?� he asked, his eyes blazing with fury and fear.

Harry frowned at him. “How the hell should I know? You can drop the act, I know you two planned this together!� he snarled.

Snape shook his head. “No, I had nothing to do with this!� he protested.

“Liar.�

“Potter, listen to me. I am not lying,� Snape insisted, as they heard footsteps coming towards the stairs.

“I don’t believe you. You killed him, he trusted you and you betrayed him. I hate you, I hope you die!� Harry shouted as the footsteps neared.

“Well, Potter, you might get your wish,� Ursula’s voice sneered, as she came down the stairs. “Unfortunately, you’ll be killed as well, so you may not be around to witness it.�

“What the hell are you doing?� Snape suddenly yelled. “Are you insane? What do you hope to accomplish by this?�

“My dear Severus, I plan to accomplish quite a bit. The Dark Lord has offered me a considerable reward for your corpse. Apparently he wasn’t too happy about you stepping between Malfoy and Dumbledore. As for you, Potter, he will deal with you personally.� She smirked at them, her blue eyes cold and hard.

“What are you going to do to us?� Snape asked, and Ursula narrowed her eyes at him.
“Damn you and your Unbreakable Vow! If I had known what it would cost me, I would have never agreed to it!� she growled. “The Dark Lord will soon arrive to destroy you, and there is no way you can escape!�

“So you’ve been on his side all along?� Harry gasped incredulously. “You’re a Death Eater?�

“No, Potter, why would I spend my time following around the Dark Lord like a pathetic servant? I’m not Bellatrix or Lucius, I serve no one! You might say I’m more of a bounty hunter for Voldemort, someone he can count on when his snivelling servants fail. I merely had something that he wanted, information, and the means of luring you away. Why do you think I sent you to Black’s house? I knew you’d try to get some background information on me, which was just what I wanted, because when you found out you I was a relative you were more likely to trust me. You’re too nosy for your own good, Potter.�

“But– you helped me! You could have turned me over to Voldemort anytime you wanted!�

“Yes, but you see, Potter, to catch the big fish, you need bait.� When Harry looked at her, puzzled, she laughed. “Don’t tell me Severus has never informed you of the third Unbreakable Vow to which he is bound?�

Harry glanced at Snape in confusion. “Severus has bound his life to three different people, Potter. The first was me, of course. The second, young Malfoy, who as I understand is eventually destined to become a sacrificial lamb. The third person who Severus has sworn to protect is, surprisingly, you.�

Harry stared at her, horrified. “You’re lying, he hates me, he never would have consented to–“

�No, Potter, she is telling the truth,� Snape said suddenly. “I took the vow in secret, the day before you defeated the Dark Lord. Your mother discovered that I had been the one to overhear the prophecy, that I was a spy. I was the one who warned her of his plan. Lily was furious, but then she asked me to take the Unbreakable Vow as a punishment for what I had done. I was to protect you for the remainder of my life, or face death.�

For a moment, no one spoke. Harry’s head was spinning; the thought that Snape had been protecting him for nearly his whole life was a shocking revelation. “But– if my mum asked you to protect me, why did you treat me so badly? And where were you before I started school at Hogwarts? You can’t have been following me around, I’d have noticed!�

“I did not realise, when I agreed to the vow, just how difficult it would be to protect you. I was resentful at having to play babysitter, angry that my life depended on the life of a young man with the consistent habit of nearly getting himself killed. I hated you for being such a burden on me, I hated being responsible for another person’s life when I was already risking my own. As for your childhood, I was there quite often, although you were never aware of it. My trust was placed in your aunt and uncle, but where their protection fell short, that was where I came in. I was not alone, of course; Dumbledore had many people guarding you. I suppose he did not feel entirely confident in my abilities, and of course I was teaching and could not be in two places at once.�

Harry tried desperately to make sense of this new information. “All I can remember is the time you stopped Quirrell from knocking me off my broom, but I thought that was just because you owed my dad a favour. Besides that, when have you ever bothered to help me?�

Snape sighed in exasperation. “Do you remember when you were six years old, and your aunt and uncle left you behind in a grocery store? I sent the taxi driver who gave you a ride home. When you were eight, a group of teenagers tried to attack you. I was there, making the dustbins shoot garbage at them while you ran away. Every stroke of good fortune you’ve had has been the result of someone keeping an eye on you. You are not exceptionally lucky, nor do you have powers that other wizards do not. You simply have a group of very good friends determined to keep you from harm.�

Ursula rolled her eyes as Harry stared at Snape. “How touching. I knew you would be too foolish to resist coming here, Severus. Did you think you’d actually stand a chance, coming here by yourself? Where are your friends, your precious Order of the Phoenix? Or have you lied to them so much that they refuse to help you?�

Snape said nothing, so Ursula continued. “I thought so. Hopefully now you see the consequences of your deceit. No one trusts you anymore, so no one will come to your rescue. All you’ve got is Potter, and he seems more than willing to leave you behind as fodder for the Dementors. That was my plan, after all, to make him believe that I was helping him. Of course, in the process I was turning him against you even more, so that when the time came, he wouldn’t lift a finger to help you.� She raised her wand, and cocked her head as if listening for a sound. “I think they’re here,� she said maliciously, and flicked her wand. The ropes binding Harry and Snape disappeared, and she laughed as she stood between them and the staircase. “There’s an anti-Disapparation jinx over the entire street, you won’t be able to escape. If you’re looking for your wands...I threw them outside.� She cackled, as both Harry and Snape pushed past her, racing upstairs.

Harry suddenly felt very cold, as if he had just walked into a freezer. His breath came out in puffs of fog, and his hands trembled as he reached the front doorway. Snape grabbed his arm, and pointed out onto the street. Harry looked, and gasped in horror. Hundreds of Dementors were circling the house, engulfing the other houses as they waited. Harry could hear Ursula still laughing insanely behind them, and noticed two wands lying in the middle of the street, surrounded by Dementors. There was no way they could reach the wands in time, and Harry felt a horrible jolt in his stomach, as he realised he was truly trapped. Voldemort would be showing up at any minute, and the Order did not know he was here...

“Potter?� Snape whispered. “We’ll have to make a run for it.�

“Are you crazy? There’s too many of them! Even if we get our wands, two people can’t fight off hundreds of Dementors!� Harry saw Ursula raise her wand, and moved out of the way as the resulting curse barely missed him, rebounding off the wall.

“Look, our other option is staying inside, wandless, and waiting for the Dark Lord to arrive. You heard what she said, the entire street has an anti-Disapparation jinx put on it. If we can leave Wyvern Road, we’ll be able to get out of here!�

When Harry looked at him skeptically, Snape cried out in exasperation, “Potter, listen to me! If you’ve never trusted me before, you’ve got to now, because neither of us can make it out of here on our own! You have to trust me, or we’ll both be dead!� There was a look of desperation and fear in his eyes; he was pleading with Harry, trying to make him understand. “Dumbledore trusted me, why can’t you? Please, Harry!�

Harry’s hand was on the ice-cold metal doorframe, gripping it tightly as he stared at Snape. “What did you just call me?� he asked, thinking he must have misheard. Not once in his life had he heard Snape call him by his first name, nor say ‘please’.

“Harry, we haven’t got time to discuss this. Come on, we must go, now!� Snape urged, ducking a hex which Ursula fired at his head.

“Okay. Let’s go,� Harry said, walking onto the front steps. The circling Dementors stopped in midair, aware of the two living people who had just stepped into their midst.

“On the count of three, run. Pick up your wand, and keep running. Don’t wait for me, I’ll try to hold them off. One,� Snape braced himself, looking up at the Dementors. “Two,� he said, his voice faltering slightly. “Three!�

Harry sprinted towards the street, fuelled by sheer terror. He could feel the happiness being drained from his body, he could hear the rattling breaths of the Dementors closing in on him, and he picked up his wand. “Expecto Patronum!� he shouted, pointing his wand straight up at the sky. The silvery stag erupted from his wand-tip, chasing away dozens of Dementors as Harry kept running. He was halfway down the street, and as he glanced over his shoulder he heard a shout and another Patronus soared into the air, though Harry could not see what it was. Distracted, he ran straight into nearly thirty Dementors, who formed a tight circle around him. “Expecto Patronum!� he yelled again, only succeeding in scaring off three or four Dementors. The circle around him grew tighter, and Harry found himself paralysed with fear.

“Expecto Patronum!� Snape’s voice shouted suddenly, and the circle was broken by a great silvery-white leopard, which chased after the cluster of Dementors eagerly, almost seeming to be enjoying itself. Snape broke through the mist, running towards Harry. “Go! Keep running, we’re almost at the end of the street!�

Harry ran, aiming his Patronus every so often at the Dementors who showed no sign of diminishing. The end of the street seemed so far away, and his path was blocked with dark shapes, creatures who were growing angrier and more determined by the second as they were chased away by the stag and the leopard. He could hear Snape running behind him, shouting, and willed himself to go further. Harry saw the streetlamp at the end of the road flickering dimly in the heavy mist, and tried to make his legs move faster. There was a stitch in his side that was causing him terrible pain, but he continued to run. Almost there, he thought, just a bit further...

Author's Note: This being the final chapter, I have a few things to say. First, thanks to George Gordon, Lord Byron for the poem that inspired this story. A huge thanks to Chelsea for her lightning-quick acceptance of each chapter, and of course my beta, Sarah, for her speed-reading. And last but not least, thanks to everyone who reviewed and read this story. :)

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And on thy head I pour the vial
Which doth devote thee to this trial;
Nor to slumber, nor to die,
Shall be in thy destiny;
Though thy death shall still seem near
To thy wish, but as a fear;
Lo! The spell now works around thee,
And the clankless chain hath bound thee;
O’er thy heart and brain together
Hath the word been pass’d– now wither!

Harry was still watching the streetlamp, seeing it come ever closer as he ran from the Dementors. He concentrated on the end of the street, knowing it was his only way out. Unfortunately he did not see the crack in the pavement, and he found himself sprawled on the concrete, his glasses shattered, with hundreds of Dementors swooping towards him. Harry closed his eyes, knowing that there was no way out, and prepared for the clammy grasp of the horrifying creatures.

At that moment, however, Snape suddenly came bursting through the crowd of Dementors, throwing himself upon Harry and shielding him. A brilliant burst of white light suddenly radiated from Snape’s body, passing over the Dementors in a wave that felled them as they were hit. Harry heard a woman screaming, and he swooned, dizzy and barely aware of his surroundings. His scar was white-hot with pain; Voldemort was nearby, and he was furious. The white light burned into his eyes and he squinted, briefly seeing an expression of horrifying pain upon Snape’s deathly white face. Then, the white light stopped abruptly, and Snape collapsed, pinning Harry’s arm to the ground. Harry could barely make out several silvery-white Patronuses chasing away the last few Dementors, and he looked up to see blurred figures running towards him, calling his name.

"Harry! Harry, come on, we’ll get you out of here!" a man said, leaning forwards to pull Harry off the ground.

"No..." Harry looked over at Snape’s limp form; he was not breathing, and his wand lay snapped in half near his hand. "Professor?" he asked, trying to shake him awake.

"Harry, leave him. He’s dead," Remus told him, trying to pull him away from the body.

"No...he can’t be, he’s just been knocked out!" Harry insisted, tugging on Snape’s sleeve desperately.

"Don’t, Harry. There’s nothing you can do," Remus explained quietly, helping him to his feet. "We have to leave, the Dementors are regrouping. Please."

Harry obliged half-heartedly, being dragged by Lupin as if he were a rag doll. He felt empty, as if his insides had been hollowed out and replaced with nothing but blackness. He saw Kingsley Shacklebolt pick up Snape’s body before walking to the end of the street and Disapparating, and the feeling inside him grew worse. Remus gripped him tightly, as if afraid he might vanish as well, and together they Apparated out of Wyvern Road.



Harry awoke in the hospital wing, which had become so familiar in the past while that he recognised it even without his glasses. He became aware that someone was gripping his hand, and looked over to see Ginny Weasley sitting next to him on the bed, tears sliding silently down her face. Ron and Hermione were on his other side, and Remus stood beside Tonks, whose hand was on Ginny’s shoulder. "Harry? Are you awake?" Remus asked, moving forward and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah," Harry replied quietly. He could not bear to have them all standing around him; how likely was it that they would die, too, trying to keep him safe? "What happened to Snape, and Ursula?" he asked suddenly, trying to prop himself up on his elbows but finding he did not have the energy nor the will to do so.

"Severus will be laid to rest tomorrow. Ursula Hardwick was overtaken by the Dementors after Voldemort realised she had failed to bring you to him. She suffered the Dementor’s Kiss," Remus told him with a grimace.

Madam Pomfrey bustled over, and pushed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry’s hand. "Eat this, dear, you need to keep your strength up."

Harry took a small nibble off the corner, but did not feel any better for doing so. The cold, hard feeling inside him had not gone away, and he looked down the hospital wing to see a body draped in black, lying at the end near the doors. "He died trying to save me," Harry said, his voice cracking. "I don’t know what he did, but it killed him."

"We saw it, Harry. We showed up just in time to see Snape using that spell. It was a very powerful bit of magic, the effort alone must have killed him. I feel terrible for shouting at him earlier, I didn’t believe him," Remus explained, burying his face in his hands. "We could have been there faster, if I had just listened instead of getting angry."

Tonks wrapped her arms around Lupin, comforting him. "It’s not your fault, none of us believed him at first. We shouldn’t have trusted Hardwick, she was on Voldemort’s side all along. Harry, what happened back there, why was she trying to kill you?"

Harry swallowed another bit of chocolate, but found it to be tasteless and of little comfort. He immediately launched into the story of Ursula’s plans and what she had told him, but when he tried to explain the reason behind Snape’s protection, he broke down and could not speak any more.

"He took an Unbreakable Vow with Lily? But why?" Remus asked.

"It was his punishment, she made him do it because he betrayed my parents to Voldemort by telling him about the prophecy. My mum knew Voldemort was hunting them down, and she made Snape take the vow because she knew she was going to die." The words made his throat feel as if someone had clasped a hand around it and was squeezing with all their might. Harry fell back onto his pillow as the others stared blankly into space, too shocked to speak. Outside, the storm raged worse than ever, and Harry closed his eyes. Of all the things he had called Snape, he deeply regretted calling him a coward more than anything else. Severus Snape was not a coward, nor had he ever been. He had risked everything, created a separate life out of hundreds of lies, but he had done it for the sake of someone other than himself, and Harry was forever grateful.

The next day, Harry waited for a long time for the others to leave the cemetery where Snape had been laid to rest. He stood in front of the grave, breathing in the freshly dug earth. A few paces away were the graves of Lily and James Potter, upon which Harry had laid flowers. Harry hoped that he would never have to return to the cemetery again; he could not bear to think of how many more people would stand between him and Voldemort and end up losing their lives. He stared at the tombstone of Severus Snape, which was carved from simple grey granite, and had only a few words upon it which Harry had chosen himself:

SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE
1960-1997
LIVED A LIE BUT DIED A HERO