Walk the Shadows

use?'

'I didn't. Jus' gathered it all together and pushed it.' Potter waved one hand tiredly, eyes drifting closed. 'Wanted him to know all of what happened, to feel it all, hear everything. . . . Said my pain 'swhat makes me human, and I'd had enough pain. . . Figured I'd share.'

A sick feeling churned in Severus' gut. Albus had said that? How . . . callous. And after the weekend, and Lucius' taunts . . .

He should have been there. Albus had specifically asked for time to speak to Harry alone, and Severus couldn't put off their meeting any longer without raising the Headmaster's ire . . . but he should have insisted on being present, especially given the boy's 'chat' with Lupin last week. It was obvious Harry was too . . . fragile was not the right word, but . . . volatile, to handle the stress of dealing with anyone other than Severus right now. That fact was troubling on its own, but when mixed with Dark Magic, and what had he done?

'Harry,' he said sharply, bringing the boy out of his stupor. Green eyes blinked heavily, and he snapped his fingers near them, making them track the movement. 'Harry, did you use Legilimency? On Professor Dumbledore.'

'Nah,' the boy said, breathily. 'He did that.'

'Explain.' Feeling sick, Severus leaned forward, into the boy's face. 'The Headmaster used Legilimency on you?'

'Tried. I pushed the stone up.'

Which Albus may not have recognized as a defense, if he was not doing a deep search. He might have . . . 'Harry, listen to me! How did you show Dumbledore your . . . thoughts? Did you use his Legilimency?'

A tired nod, and, 'Mm-hm. Was still up. His magic, his, he wanted 'em, so he could have them, my memories, all of 'em.'

Oh, Merlin. 'All of them, Harry?'

Another nod.

Oh, Albus . . . Be careful what you wish for; you taught me that. All of this boy's memories, all his pain, all at once. No wonder the old man had been terrorized and almost catatonic with fear and shame when he had finally come around. Severus leaned back and closed his eyes as the boy's breaths deepened. He ran through a half dozen breathing exercises to bring himself back to full calm, and considered what he could do, with the -- perhaps irreparably -- scarred and scared Harry Potter.

---

In the Headmaster's private quarters, on the third level up from his office, was a bedroom bedecked in the colors of all the Houses, much like Albus' wardrobe. In a padded chair drawn up to a wide bed with bright curtains, Minerva McGonagall sat vigil on a man she had known for almost her entire life, as a student, as a colleague, and as a friend, and wondered what the hell had happened to him. And for that matter, what had happened to Harry?

Severus Snape, who she had the utmost faith in as both a friend to Albus and a protector to Harry Potter, had been utterly frantic earlier tonight . . . and Severus just did not do frantic. He also did not do well with repeated attempts to cajole answers from him, especially if he did not, apparently, have them to hand. He had never snapped at her quite as nastily as he had tonight, even in jest, and so she had let him leave her alone here, with her promise that she would watch over Albus for any changes, and alert him immediately.

She wished Poppy were here. Poppy would know what to do . . . or could keep her company at any rate, while she stared dumbly down at the drawn and pale face of a man she had come to respect and even love, over the course of her sixty-plus years. But the Medi-witch was still on holiday, due back only two days before the start of school.

Drawing her shawl more tightly around her shoulders -- more for comfort than to ward off any chill, as Albus' chambers were temperate, year round -- she leaned back in her chair and watched the Headmaster through half-lidded eyes. Something had happened, between him and Harry, this evening that she suspected was an outgrowth of Harry's experiences earlier in the summer. She had heard little about him since she and Nymphadora Tonks had burst into that manor in Topsham . . . but she would remember the smell -- the taste! -- of that place forever. It was burned into her cat form's senses, as was the memory of that poor boy, naked and bloody at the feet of his torturers before Severus had lunged at him with what had to be a portkey, and sent him away. She knew Severus was taking care of him, and wondered what could have happened between them that would cause this reaction from one of the strongest minds she knew.