Chapter 40: Snape’s Discovery
Harry sat pounding his asphodel roots, completely elated. Every few minutes, he glanced over to the empty space that Malfoy usually filled, just to remind himself that good things did happen. Not only that, but Professor Alchemina was still teaching Potions, and as Harry had seen Snape him in Dumbledore’s office during Malfoy’s expulsion only a few days before, he was no longer worried about him either. Harry allowed himself to enjoy the break from Snape and the absence of Malfoy “ it was like the Hogwarts he had always dreamed about.
If only I could get rid of Filch and his cat as well, he thought happily. It would be perfect.
“Did you read the Daily Prophet this morning?” Hermione asked him tiredly as she measured infusion of wormwood.
“No, why?” Harry replied.
“There was something in there about Malfoy “ apparently his mother found some way of getting the Ministry to release him.”
“What?” Harry spluttered, nearly hitting his own hand with the small mallet he was using to powder his asphodel roots.
“Oh “ don’t worry, Dumbledore still won’t be allowing him to return to Hogwarts… but the Ministry won’t be charging him. Mrs. Malfoy probably paid someone off.”
“So what’s going to happen to him now?” Harry asked, almost as though he cared.
“Don’t know “ they won’t snap his wand, because he’s already taken his O.W.L.’s “ I suppose he could go to Durmstrang, they’d probably be glad to take him “ but the Prophet said he won’t be needing to return to school anyway, as he’ll be seventeen next month.”
“He’ll probably start running around after his dad, helping Voldemort “ bet he’d love that.”
“Yeah, but his father is probably furious with him “ Malfoy’s gone and done something stupid to get himself expelled, and now he doesn’t have anyone to spy on you and Dumbledore.”
“Too bad…” said Harry happily.
The bell rang for the end of the day and Harry and Hermione started clearing away their ingredients.
“Alright,” said Professor Alchemina. “Hopefully, you’ve all finished preparing your ingredients. Next class, we will begin the potion itself.”
“Excuse me, Alex “ can I take Harry with me?” a voice said from the entrance to the classroom. Harry turned around to see Professor Lupin standing at the door.
“Of course, Remus “ class is over anyway,” she said, smiling sweetly.
Lupin stepped outside the classroom, and for Harry to follow him. Harry grabbed his book bag and turned to Hermione, telling her he’d see her later “ then left the room behind Lupin.
“Yes, Professor Lupin?” he asked.
“Dumbledore needs to speak with you, it’s very important,” Lupin said anxiously, and without another word he set off for the Headmaster’s office.
“Do you have any idea what this is about?” Harry asked.
“I think it has something to do with Snape,” Lupin answered quietly.
“What?” Harry asked, dropping his voice to a whisper. “But, I thought that Dumbledore doesn’t want us knowing anything about what Snape does.”
“Snape found out something very important, probably something to do with you. I think… I can’t be sure… that he wasn’t supposed to find out, and that’s got something to do with why he went missing.”
They continued walking to Dumbledore’s office in silence. Harry was very anxious; what could Snape have found out?
“Good afternoon, Harry, please have a seat,” Dumbledore said solemnly from behind his desk. Snape was sitting to the left of the headmaster, still looking quite battered. Harry sat down nervously.
“What is it you wanted to speak to me about, Professor?” Harry asked, attempting to sound unconcerned, as though Lupin had told him nothing of what he was to expect “ though, since Dumbledore was a Legilemens, he didn’t know why he was even trying.
“Professor Snape has found out information explaining the Ministry attack in September, and what information Voldemort is trying to get from the Unspeakables that were abducted,” Dumbledore responded slowly. Harry felt himself move to the edge of his seat. He waited for Dumbledore to finish, but he said nothing. He merely nodded towards Snape, as though gesturing for him to speak.
“The Dark Lord has managed to learn of the entire prophecy,” Snape said abruptly.
“Thank you, Severus “ that is all. If you could please leave me with Harry now…”
“Yes, sir,” Snape said, leaving the room quickly. Pushing aside the startling information he had just received, Harry tried to understand what had just happened. Why had Snape been there just for that, if he had to leave? Surely Dumbledore could have told him about the prophecy himself.
“After Professor Snape found out about the prophecy, Voldemort made him a secret-keeper of the information. I cannot explain anymore to you, for reasons that are only known to Professor Snape and me “ but that is why Snape had to be the one to tell you about the prophecy.”
Now that Harry’s confusion had been set to rest “ he realized the seriousness of the situation. The only upper hand he had over Voldemort was the fact that he, himself, had heard the entire prophecy. Now that Voldemort all of it, Harry was no longer at any kind of advantage.
“So “ how does that explain why he kidnapped the Unspeakables?” Harry asked tentatively.
“Because, somehow, he knows that the power you must use to vanquish him “ lies somewhere in the Department of Mysteries,” Dumbledore explained. Then he added, reassuringly, “That is all he knows about the power, Harry.”
Harry was a little angry that Dumbledore seemed to think this was good news in any way.
“Oh “ and I know so much more about what that power is,” Harry said sarcastically, folding his arms. “Because I know which room it’s in…”
Dumbledore frowned.
“Harry I told you already “ when the time comes…”
“…I’ll know what to do “ yeah. You did tell me already.”
“Now that Voldemort knows about the prophecy he’ll be more determined then before to get his hands on you. He’ll want to finish you off before you have the chance to destroy him.”
Harry sighed, and leaned his head back, and closed his eyes.
Great, he thought. This is all I need.
After a few minutes, he looked back at Dumbledore.
“So, what am I supposed to do?”
“I honestly cannot tell you, Harry. I’m sorry.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“That’s it?” Ron asked, enraged. “Honestly “ that man is getting less useful by the day…”
“RON!” Hermione said, appalled.
“Well, it’s true “ ”
Hermione glared at him and he stopped.
“Look!” Harry interrupted. “Dumbledore also said that I’ll come to understand what I need to do with time. So… so I just have to stay alive until then. If there’s one thing I’m good at it’s staying alive.”
“Sometimes at the expense of others…” Ron said bitterly.
Hermione stared at him. Harry just looked to the ground, guilty.
“I’m sorry mate,” Ron said. “I didn’t mean that “ really…”
“No. You’re right.”
“No “ I’m not. My dad made the decision to protect you, it’s not your fault.”
“Well, there’s clearly a part of you who believes that it is my fault…why else would you have said that?” Harry asked uncomfortably.
“Harry, it slipped…” Ron said pleadingly.
“Exactly.”
Harry stuck his fork into his steak and kidney pie, and left it there. Katie arrived after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence among the three.
“Harry, what’s wrong?” Katie asked, glancing over a tottering pile of books she was carrying.
“I’m fine,” he said, still not looking at Ron. “What are all those books for?”
“Oh “ well, N.E.W.T.’s are in a few months, so the teachers are piling on the homework. I’ve been in the library all afternoon.”
Harry had completely forgotten that Katie had N.E.W.T’s that year “ and for her it was very serious, since she planned on being a Healer after she left school.
“Right. I forgot about that. You’re probably going to be pretty busy…”
“Not too busy for you “ what’s wrong?” she asked again.
“Eat first, then we can go somewhere and we can talk,” he said quietly.
“Alright,” Katie said, sitting down and helping herself to dinner. She said hello to Ron and Hermione, and immediately sensed the discomfort at the table.
“Okay “ what’s happened?” she said, putting her fork down.
“Nothing,” said Harry.
“Ron said something he didn’t mean,” Hermione said, emphasizing the last three words as she looked pointedly at Harry.
“Really, Hermione “it’s all right…”
“What did Ron say?”
“I accidentally blamed Harry for Dad being killed “ but I was just in a bad mood,” he added, turning to face Harry. “I was reading his letter again this morning, I’m upset “ Hermione’s right, I didn’t mean it.”
“Honestly Ron, stop trying to make me feel better. You’re right “ no matter what anybody says, if it wasn’t for me, your dad would still be alive “ ”
“And if it wasn’t for you “ Ginny would have died two times over!”
“If it wasn’t for me, Ginny wouldn’t have even been in danger the second time, and she also wouldn’t have walked into an ambush of Death Eaters last summer, along with you, Hermione, Luna, and Neville!”
“Harry “ stop blaming yourself for every bad thing that happens to anyone!” said Hermione.
“Why shouldn’t I?”
“Because “ it’s not your fault!” said Ron
“I’m pretty sure it is!”
“Maybe you want to blame yourself,” said Katie. “You’re afraid that people will think it’s your fault and they’ll hate you for it, but if you take the blame yourself and play the tormented victim, then they’ll excuse you for whatever’s happened. You’re just scared of getting blamed by other people, so you do it before they get the chance. I thought you were braver than that, Harry.”
Harry opened his mouth, thinking of how to respond to Katie’s accusations - which he believed to be completely false and totally unfounded - but no words came, so he just stood up and stormed out of the hall.