Chapter 7

Severus stepped through the fireplace quietly. The sitting room of number 12 Grimmauld Place was already swarming with members of The Order. This would be the second meeting he had to attend for the evening, the first being quite nerve-wracking and physically painful. The deep split inside his lower lip still offered his tongue the bitter, metallic taste of blood. Voldemort had certainly not held back tonight.

Ron Weasley had his arm draped over Harry's shoulders. If Harry had grown a foot in height, Ron Weasley had grown two. His red hair had grown quite long since the beginning of their seventh year and he now wore it tied back into a short ponytail, reminiscent of his older brother. He'd put on a bit of weight since his younger years. Some in the form of a small paunch over his lower stomach, but some in the way of muscle. Harry had outgrown him in musculature at the same rate that Ronald had outgrown Harry in height. Hermione was still quite short, but had certainly began to blossom in the way young women do. Somewhere deep in Severus's mind he vaguely wondered if they realized how fortunate they were to have even had the chance to develop past adolescence, given the dangerous times they'd been born in. He doubted it. With the exception of Harry, young people tended to heartily believe in their own false immortality.

"Harry, we've been so worried. Have you been alright? I've kept very detailed class notes for you, of course." She hugged him tightly then kissed his forehead. A tear rolled down her wind-chapped face. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I've just missed you." She smiled at him sweetly and rubbed her thumb across his chin in a motherly gesture.

Severus felt as if he were a fly on the wall, watching something incredibly intimate unfolding before him; Something he did not deserve to witness, given how innocent and gentle it was- something Severus most definitely was not.

"Give him some space, 'Mione," Ron complained, although his own arm still held Harry tightly.

Hermione stepped back and let her fingertips fall slowly from his face. Harry grinned shyly. The way she ran her fingers over Harry's face reminded Severus of the night by the lake when Harry had reached up and touched him so tenderly. He raised a shaking hand to his jawline to recall the feel of the young man's hand there. He longed to feel it again. But he knew that was unlikely. Whatever friendship he and Harry had formed was likely a forgotten time now. That's all Severus was to anyone: he was there when no one else was. He was a final option, a last resort. A convenience. He knew this well, yet it hadn't quite bothered him before. Not until now.

Severus knew he couldn't have the friendly intimacy with Harry that Hermione and Ronald did. Severus wanted to be sickened by the sight of the three friends together; Crying and cooing over one another after being separated for only a few weeks. Severus could not judge them, however; It would make Severus a hypocrite. Severus had missed Harry dearly, and it'd been merely a week. Somehow this student had planted himself into Severus's life like a weed. Severus could pull him out of the ground, displace him, but he would still be there.

Harry had a way about him that made Severus feel remarkable, special. But Harry loved everyone around him, didn't he? He loved his abusive relatives, he loved the boisterous boys of Gryffindor house, he loved the mutt Sirius Black, and he loved manipulative Albus Dumbledore. Harry's affections were indiscriminate, anyone was free to them. So why did Severus desperately wish he could be Hermione in this moment? Able to freely express her feelings to him, touch his face, and embrace him. A heaviness settled deep in Severus's gut.

He tore his eyes from the moment between friends on the far side of the room, and scanned the rest of the area. The room was dimly lit, as always, but now fairy lights wrapped around an evergreen in the corner, up around the perimeter of the ceiling and over the fireplace behind him.

Arthur and Molly Weasley spoke in hushed tones huddled together with Kingsley Shacklebolt, meanwhile Albus did the same with Remus and Sirius nearby. The room was filled with hushed chatter, like a war room before battle, but the emotion wafting through was not inherently negative or foreboding.

Severus allowed his eyes to float back towards Harry.

Harry stood on the tips of his toes to embrace Ron, resting his head on his shoulder. As Harry released Ron from the hug, he opened his eyes, seeing Severus over Ron's silhouette. Harry gave Severus a small, sad smile then turned to Hermione once more.

"Ah! Severus! We were waiting for you." Remus lifted his hand to clap his shoulder. Severus winced in preparation for the contact, but Remus lowered his hand. "Severus, what's happened to you?"

Severus could feel every bruise and cut over his body throb in pain each time his heart beat.

"The dangers of being a spy." Severus could not tell them exactly why Voldemort had beaten him so severely. It was one of the worst he'd received at the hands of the Dark Lord, but telling the members of the Order the cause behind the abuse was likely just as dangerous as the beating itself had been.

"Cast a glamour over yourself before Harry gets a better look at you," Remus urged, his voice only slightly more than a whisper.

Severus trained his face to not let his unspoken questions appear there.

Harry would care that he was injured? Enough so that Remus was aware of how he would react?

"I did cast a glamour," Severus said in a hiss through gritted teeth. "It will only cover so much."

"My god, Severus." Remus shook his head sadly, clearly realizing just how badly Severus was injured.

"I'd like to get some rest, so if you don't mind?"

Remus called out to the rest of the room to join him in the kitchen. The conversations all fizzed out quickly and everyone filed into the kitchen after Remus, leaving only the three students. Harry chewed his lip as he stared into Severus's eyes. He nodded in acknowledgment to the young man and followed behind the rest of the The Order.

Severus closed the kitchen door and took his seat between Albus and Remus, and across from Sirius who seemed to be glaring at him a bit more intensely than was normal.

"Severus," Albus began, his voice sounding weak. "Tell us what you've learned about the attacks on the Dursleys."

Severus had practiced his answer and spoke readily, "The Dark Lord has been using his connection to see into Potter's mind. He can see his thoughts."

The other Order members around the table gasped. Severus continued. "He saw a few of the rare positive memories he had of the Dursleys, and was mistaken that he was quite fond of them. The Dark Lord allowed a few underlings to carry out the attacks. A morbid game to them. Toying with Potter."

"Was it a warning of more to come?" Kingsley asked as quietly as his booming voice would allow.

"No more than anything else he's done has been a warning."

"Are there any attacks being planned on Hogwarts, then? I just assumed that would be the next step." Molly asked nervously, placing a hand on her husband's arm.

"No. At this time the Dark Lord seems to be more focused on building an army."

With that, it was agreed that Harry would be returning to Hogwarts after the Christmas break.

"What about the matter of the Dark Lord seeing Harry's thoughts?" Remus asked.

"I doubt we've any choice but to ensure he learns Occlumency. Harry knows too much, I fear what Voldemort has already seen. Severus will teach him. Being a spy, he is quite talented in the art." Albus turned to Sirius. "Severus will need to be here every evening to teach Harry. We have to begin immediately."

"I'll not have it! I don't trust him. Harry's been with him far too long as it is. What if he's already done irreparable damage to him? This will just give him the chance to implant all types of shit in his mind!"

"Yes, how dare I implant knowledge in my students?" Severus smirked.

Sirius slammed his fists down, causing various plates and glasses to clink and rattle and startling the others sat around the table.

"Boys!" Albus rumbled. He looked between the two men, fury in his eyes. "This is not about your schoolboy animosity! This is about the cause! Sirius, Severus will be here every evening for the next two weeks to teach Harry. End of discussion."

Sirius narrowed his eyes and scowled at Severus.

Severus rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

Albus looked around to each person at the table in turn. "You must all keep me updated. I fear we haven't long until the end. Every detail is important."

The group around the table all agreed, then stood to leave. Everyone seemed to be in much lower spirits than they'd been before the meeting. Indeed, life around them was beginning to seem more bleak.

Albus stopped Severus before he could fully stand. "Start with Harry tonight. We cannot be too careful."

Severus bowed his head and followed the group from the kitchen. Albus, Kingsley, and the elder Weasleys floo'd away in turn.

"Mr Potter," Severus turned to Harry who was sat in the floor playing cards with Ron and Hermione. "The headmaster has requested that I begin to bring you up to speed on your classes."

"Oh." Harry seemed genuinely confused. "Okay, then."

"Do you have an hour to spare me this evening?"

The smallest of grins pulled at one corner of Harry's mouth. "Yes, sir."

Ronald looked at Severus through narrowed eyes but said nothing.

Harry pushed himself to his feet and smoothed out his red T-shirt.

"Come on then, 'Mione. We'll head back to The Burrow."

Harry's friends bid their goodbyes.

"Actually, Ms Granger, if I could have just a moment."

Her lips parted to speak but she snapped her mouth closed and nodded.

Sirius stood in the corner of the room, his arms crossed over his chest. "I have my eyes on you, Snape."

"Leave him alone, Sirius." Harry requested, sounding exasperated, and a bit tired. Harry's defense of the professor against his godfather provided more confirmation to Severus that a sincere shift had occurred in their relationship. It lent hope that perhaps Severus was more than a 'last choice in friendship.'

Sirius ignored Harry and continued addressing Severus. "You may use the kitchen. I'll be out here waiting." The scraggly, skinny man intended it as a warning.

Severus had far too much on his plate to care about the mutt's remarks.

He motioned for Hermione to follow him into the kitchen.

She snapped the door shut and stepped closer to him, pulling the sleeves of her white jumper down a bit to cover the palms of her hands. Severus could tell she was nervous but she fixed her facial expression to appear brave and determined.

"Ms Granger," Severus began, eager to get the evening over with so that he could finally find peace in his bed. "As loathe as I am to admit it, I find myself needing assistance." He searched her eyes. She tucked a long strand of curly hair behind her ear, and nodded firmly.

"Yes, sir. Anything you need."

"It is of utmost importance that you do not repeat any of this to anyone. Not to Mr Potter nor Mr Weasley. Do you understand?"

She looked hesitant but still answered with a very determined, "Yes, sir."

"I've been doing research and find myself lacking the adequate time to find resources. I need anything and everything you can find about prophecies. Specifically, anything to do with finding a way to deny a prophecy its fulfillment." Her eyes seemed to light up at the prospect of assisting him in his research. "Do you understand, Ms Granger?"

"Yes, sir!" She beamed up at him.

Her smile didn't have quite the same effect on him that Harry's always did. Severus wondered if perhaps he was becoming soft, or losing his touch. The young people around him now smiled at him rather than flinching whenever he looked at them. And he couldn't say that he entirely detested the change.

"Please send in Mr Potter."