Walk the Shadows

manhandling the professor into the entrance hall and toward the stairs. The professors heels dragged along the floor, as Harry hefted him, arms wrapped around Snape's chest from behind, and his own hands clasped together. Each step up wrenched something in Harry's shoulder that he'd pulled in the initial catch, up in the air, but Harry ignored the pain and kept going.

One foot, up one step, then a hard tug to bring the professor up, along with his other foot, then the first foot again. They made slow progress, but when Harry was almost half way up the first flight of stairs, his foot slipped on one of the tricky steps and he fell on his bottom. The two of them slid down half a dozen steps like they were on a toboggan.

Harry could have cried in frustration. He couldn't even tell if Snape was breathing or not. His face still seemed to have no color. He was going to die -- if he wasn't dead already -- and it was all Harry's fault! He'd been so stupid! So oblivious. So completely selfish.

Rage and shame warred inside him and as he struggled to his feet again. His limbs trembled and his chest heaved with hard won breaths. He would not let Snape die! He wouldn't! Growling low in his throat, he gritted his teeth and pulled hard once more with all this strength. The professor soared into the air and hovered there, as if held by a Leviosa. Harry gaped at him, then grabbed at the professor's cloak and, at a run, dragged him, now airborne, to the infirmary.

Coming out the door as Harry shoved his way in was Professor Lupin, who stared at Snape as if seeing a ghost. 'What the . . .?'

'Remus! Help me get him inside,' Harry pleaded.

But Remus didn't look at him or say anything, just turned back around and called, 'Poppy! Come quick!' and Harry remembered the spell Snape had put on him when they first went outside.

Madam Pomfrey supposedly knew about him, though, so she should be able to see him and hear him. 'Madam Pomfrey!' he yelled. 'It's Professor Snape, he's hurt!'

The Matron charged out of her office and over to them. 'Let him go, Mr. Potter,' she said, and used her wand to hover Snape over to one of the many empty beds and lower him into it. Her wand was already making passes over Snape's body, and she didn't look at Harry when she said, 'What happened?'

'He fell. We were flying, and I didn't realize he was following, and we went too high and he fell. I'm sorry! Is he dead? Will he be all right?'

At the same time, Remus said, 'I don't know. Wait, what did you say first? Is Harry here?'

'Not now, Remus,' Madam Pomfrey said. 'The professor is still alive, if barely. Go on, both of you. I'll take it from here.' With that, she pulled a curtain around Snape's bed and Harry couldn't see him anymore.

Harry staggered back against the wall. Snape was still alive. He hadn't killed him. Madam Pomfrey would help him; she had to. His heart felt like a hummingbird was trapped in his chest, fluttering madly, and he knew if he didn't sit down in the next few seconds, he was going to throw up, from pure relief. He slid down the wall, putting his head between his knees and waited for the nausea to pass.

In front of him, Remus was still looking around with a bemused expression. 'Harry? Do you have your cloak on? I can't see you.'

Harry had no idea how long the spell lasted, and no idea how he could let Remus know he was there, with it still in effect, so he just sat, and waited, and after a few minutes, Remus sat down too, except on a chair he Accio'd from across the ward.

'I don't know if you're still here, Harry,' Remus said quietly. 'But if you are, and you're afraid for me to see you, I wish you wouldn't be. I'm so glad you're okay. That you're safe. I've been trying to see you for days,' here he laughed harshly, an almost anguished sound to Harry's ears, 'but Dumbledore refused to tell me where you are.'

Remus stared at his hands. 'I'm so sorry, Harry. I failed you.'

Harry's head came up and, although he knew Remus couldn't hear him, said, 'No. You never did!'

'I should have been there for you after James and Lily died. I should have checked on you, and made sure you were being well cared for. They . . . the Ministry wouldn't have let me take you, not with my . . . condition,' another horrible, self-deprecating laugh, 'but I should have tried, just the same.'

'It wasn't your fault, Remus! None of it!'

'I wish . . . I want to be there for you now, Harry. I wish you knew how much I care about you. How proud I am of you, and how strong you are. I'm just sorry I have never been there for you, like your parents would have wanted. They would have been proud of you, too. I know they would. '

No, they wouldn't, Harry thought. Not when he'd almost killed a professor. Not when he had killed Sirius.

Remus lapsed into silence, and Harry was glad of it; he wasn't sure he could take any more gross mischaracterizations. They waited, and waited, and finally, Remus looked over at him in shock, stumbling off his chair. 'Harry!'

'Hi, Remus.' Harry tensed up when it looked like Remus might want to hug him, but the former professor stopped at the last minute.

'Are you . . . how are you, Harry?'

'Tired,' he admitted. 'You?'

Remus laughed softly and settled down beside him on the floor. He didn't touch Harry, though, and stayed almost a foot away, so that was good. Harry didn't think he could explain to Remus if he suddenly started shrieking in the middle of the infirmary. 'As well as can be expected, when I've been so worried for you. Where have you been?'

Harry gestured at the curtain, where Madam Pomfrey was still tending the professor. 'With Professor Snape.'

'What?! I know you were both captured together, Harry, but is that really the best place for you? I mean, he's--'