There were a few seconds when no one spoke. Harry, Hermione, and Ginny didn’t know what to say to Ron, who had remained locked in position after delivering the finishing blow. Slowly, Ron looked around at them, to Coleman’s dead body, and to his wand. Then without warning Ron lurched, and threw his head into an open trash bin to vomit.
After he was finished retching Ron emerged and collapsed onto the nearest bit of wall looking sickly green and trembling. Hermione and Ginny ran forward in alarm, as did Harry.
“What happened?” Hermione asked with worry.
“What’s wrong?” asked Ginny.
Ron pressed his forehead with the heel of his hand. “I…I killed her,” he said in shock, his voice shaking. “I killed her.”
Ginny looked from the dead body to Ron. “But she killed Percy…didn’t she?” she asked apprehensively.
Ron nodded, saying, “And ever since then I wanted to get revenge. But…but I didn’t”” he struggled to get the next few words out. “I didn’t know I’d end up feeling like this…like I’m no better than them!” Ron exclaimed hysterically.
“You’ve never killed anybody before, Ron!” Hermione said to him rather harshly. “And it’s because you feel this way that you are better than them!”
Those words seemed to have struck a chord in Ron. He looked up at Hermione, whose expression was unreadable. His gaze turned to Ginny, who gripped her brother’s shoulder sympathetically. When Ron’s eyes turned to Harry, who just said, “There’s still fighting left to do.”
What Harry actually wanted to say would have been impossible. He was horrified, shocked, surprised, and glad that it was all over all at the same time. All Harry knew was that they couldn’t stay in that dank alley for the rest of the battle. Ron needed to get over this as quickly as possible or he would be picked off easily.
“I should have known,” a voice said from behind them. Harry turned around to look at who had just spoken when his body became rigid, and he was thrown against the wall above Ron in a spread eagle position. Two thumps on either side of him told him that the same thing happened to Hermione and Ginny.
“What the”?” Harry blurted out, looking around before he spotted who had entered the alley. “You!” he spat angrily as Severus Snape emerged from the shadows. Struggling with all his might, Harry tried to move but he found it impossible.
“Damn!” Ginny cursed, trying to free herself.
“Ron! Do something!” Hermione pleaded desperately as Snape drew closer.
Snape’s wand was out and he was pointing it at the three people he had stuck to the wall. He drew closer and closer, his robes billowing menacingly behind him. There was a triumphant smirk crossing his lips as his eyes locked onto Harry, who stared right back.
There he was…Dumbledore’s killer once more before him. Harry wanted nothing more than to free himself and curse every inch of Snape. But it was as though he was glued to the wall and his wand was several feet away. The only thing he was able to do was meet his gaze, show Snape that he wasn’t afraid.
And neither, it turned out, was Ron. Instead of wearing fear, or even shock, at their old teacher’s appearance he looked positively confused.
“Whose bloody side are you on, Severus?” Ron asked, standing himself slowly and frowning at Snape.
Severus? Harry thought, confused. Since when was Ron on first name terms with Snape? From the perplexed looks on their faces, it was obvious Ginny and Hermione were thinking the same thing.
“Oh, how I’ve been waiting for this day, Potter,” Snape breathed, his smirk growing and ignoring Ron. “No lessons, no obligations, no nothing…just you, me, and a wand.”
Harry braced himself for the worst.
“Scourgify!” Soap suds burst out of Harry’s mouth. He gagged and began to spit them out, coughing. Snape then lazily flicked his wand and all three of them fell to the ground, Harry still coughing and spitting. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do that, Potter. Just consider yourself lucky that I didn’t do anything worse.”
“What was that all about?” Ron roared at Snape angrily, his horror of taking a life behind him for the moment.
Snape didn’t answer and turned his wand on him. “Scourgify!” Soap spilled out of his mouth too, causing him to gag. “Don’t complain, it’s not like you didn’t need a good rinsing,” he said, looking down Coleman’s dead body. “But I must say that I would’ve been surprised if you didn’t get sick after killing someone.”
Ron spit once more and wiped his mouth angrily. “Don’t play games, Severus! What the bloody hell are you doing here?”
“Please,” Snape sneered, as the other three watched the exchange of words in wonder (Harry was so thrown off, that he didn’t retrieve his wand), “I only told you to call me by my first name to fool everybody else that we were on good terms. You can go back to using my surname.”
“Oh I don’t think so, Severus,” Ron said savagely. “It seems as if me calling you ‘Severus’ annoys you, Severus! And that just happens to be one of my favorite hobbies”and you didn’t answer my question.”
Snape’s lip curled at the insolence before him, but answered, “I’m here for Potter.”
“Excuse me,” said Harry, stopping himself from laughing at how ludicrous those words sounded. It was only then that Harry snatched up his wand from the ground and immediately pointed it at Snape. “And what makes you think that I’m willing to do what you say?”
What Harry did care about the exchange Snape just had with Ron? Ron could simply explain after Harry paid Snape back for killing Dumbledore. He had his eyes locked on Snape, who was looking back at him with a stony gaze.
“Pathetic,” Snape whispered with relish. “Even Weasley was able to close his mind, even if it was just once. And from what I understand all you would have had in Dumbledore was a crippled old man.”
Harry snapped. “Stu”!” Ron grabbed Harry’s outstretched hand and looked at Snape with a scowl.
“Stop playing around, Severus. What do you need Harry for?” he demanded
“For what else? To take him to the Dark Lord,” Snape answered.
“Like hell!” Ginny shouted, breaking her silence and stepping forward wand drawn once more.
“Ginny, no!” Ron told her, now stepping in front of her.
“First you were a Death Eater, then you killed somebody, and now you’re mates with Snape!” she rattled off at Ron. “What’s next? Do you have a family that we don’t know about?”
“He didn’t kill us, and take Harry by force, did he?” Ron reasoned, looking at the three of them. “Snape’s definitely not our friend but he wants Voldemort dead too. He didn’t turn me in to Voldemort, even though he saw right through my disguise; he’s been passing me information; and where do you think I got that Veritaserum from?”
“But weren’t you getting information from her?” Hermione asked uncertainly, pointing as shaky finger at Coleman’s dead body. “That’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“From the two of them,” he answered quickly.
“If it makes you feel better, Granger, I was the one that made Weasley pump Sylvia Coleman for intelligence,” Snape snapped. “And it proved useful, did it not?”
Ron grimaced and rubbed his nose. “Yes…and don’t make it sound like I actually did anything.”
“And what about Lectun Isle?” Harry said to Ron. “Snape didn’t seem so keen on helping there.”
Ron eyed Harry as is the answer was obvious. “For the same reason I didn’t: I couldn’t blow my cover. So I told Beth what I was doing for the Order, and she called for help. Severus even played along.”
“Snape could’ve killed Lupin!”
“But he didn’t, did he?”
Harry could hardly believe his ears. Ron was defending Snape?
Holding his hands up in defense, Ron said, “Look, we aren’t friends”barely even allies. The only reason I took his help was because I had no other choice. Not even the Order knew.”
“We’ve wasted enough time,” Snape piped up. “Potter, let’s go.”
“I didn’t say I was going with you,” Harry retorted stubbornly.
“And here I thought you were planning on confronting the Dark Lord,” he sneered. “And you think me the coward.”
“I’m not a coward and I am going to finish Voldemort”but I won’t face him wrapped up like a present.”
“Who said I was going to tie you up?” he said, raising his wand.
Harry immediately got his own ready to duel, but Snape simply pointed it down at Sylvia Coleman’s dead body, shouting, “Sectumsempra!” Long, deep gashes erupted all over her body squirting blood. Harry was close enough that he had to put his hands in front of his face to avoid being hit by a spray of blood.
“Are you mad?” Ron shouted, wiping some that got on his cheek. His eyes fell on the mutilated body, and Ron quickly looked away.
“Just wait, will you?” Snape said, exasperated. “Blood has been spilled all over this village, this may take some time.”
And so they waited. For what, Harry didn’t know. So far Snape hadn’t done any bodily harm to him or his friends, so Harry decided what decimating a dead body could possible accomplish. All of a sudden a scaly, black horse fell from the sky and landed right next to the dead body. Staggering back from surprise, it took Harry a second to recognize what it was. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione all let out gasps of surprise and shock.
“What on earth is that?” Ginny asked, intimidated as the beast began sniffing and licking at the blood on the body.
“Oh my god,” Hermione gasped, holding her hand over her mouth. “Is that a”” The horse bit the arm and began trying to rip it off the rest of the body. “Yes, definitely a thestral,” she finished as another flew down get its share.
“I definitely prefer them invisible,” said Ron, trying to look away.
“I didn’t count on Hagrid bringing these, but they’ll prove useful all the same,” said Snape, stopping the first one from tearing apart Coleman. “Get on, Potter.”
“I still didn’t say I was going with you,” Harry retorted, hardly believing the message wasn’t getting through Snape’s greasy head.
“Then I suppose you prefer going to the graveyard by yourself on foot with the chance of a few Death Eaters getting the jump on you,” Snape patronized. “Then you can simply be presented to the Dark Lord like a”what did you call it, Potter? ‘Wrapped up like a present’?”
Harry let those words hang in the air before saying, “Damn.” As much as he hated to admit it, Snape had a point. Walking towards the graveyard without any cover would be like painting a target on his back. Marching over to the scaly horse he climbed up on its back, finding it a bit easier the second time around.
“I can’t believe that you’re actually listening to him,” Ginny told him, grabbing the thestral’s mane in some vain attempt to stop him. “It could be some sort of trap.”
“Either way I have to face him,” Harry said, clasping his hand on top of hers. “You told me that last year, remember?”
Ginny chewed on her lip, then let go. “Just come back.”
“Try and stop me,” he responded, putting on what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
“Good luck,” Hermione said in her strongest voice possible. Ron didn’t say anything, but he nodded with a forced smile.
“D’you have any idea where Bellatrix is, Severus?” Ron suddenly asked Snape.
“Last I heard she was wreaking havoc to the south of here. Why? Planning on killing her too?” he asked in his most demeaning voice.
“Not like she wouldn’t deserve it,” he said, as he turned to leave the alley.
“Wait, Ron, we need to gather some help first,” Hermione insisted, catching up to him. Ginny gave Harry one last looking before following them.
“I’ll do what I can from the sidelines,” Snape told Harry.
“Just whose side are you on, anyway?” Harry finally asked him.
Snape paused before answering. “My side, Potter. If the Dark Lord wins then all we’ll have is an age of Darkness and genocide. Hardly the kind of world I think wizards should rule over.” He leaned towards the thestral’s head. “Over the hill to the north, at the Little Hangleton graveyard.”
The black horse then extended its wings, crouched, and leapt upwards into the sky. Harry put his arms around the neck just in time to keep himself from falling, and when the thestral reached the top of its climb he had a spectacular view of the town below. Buildings were still on fire, if not destroyed, sounds of battle issued from everywhere, and in the distance Harry spotted Grawp still fighting with one of the giants. He hardly believed so much was still going while he wasted time in that alley.
Flapping its great wings, the thestral turned north and flew over the hill the Riddle mansion stood upon. The scenery below him changed from the run down house to a dark patch of woods. The thestral began to circle over the area, and Harry took opportunity to try and peer through trees.
And sure enough he spotted an area littered with tombstones. Not only that, but Harry thought he could see at least a dozen figures moving to and fro.
Suddenly the black horse started its decent, but immediately seeing the folly in that, Harry grabbed the mane and pulled upwards as a signal to stay in the air. Thankfully the thestral obeyed his command, and Harry gulped. How was he supposed to land? Did Snape expect Harry to make some sort of gallant appearance before Voldemort? Land his steed with expert precision, dismount, and challenge the Darkest wizard of all time to a duel?
Gulping again, Harry made sure that his thestral stayed in the air. He felt like a coward, letting down his friends and all those that were depending on him. How long would it be before one of those Death Eaters noticed the beast he was riding on hovering above them?
Then a small green light appeared down on the ground, and it gradually became larger and brighter as it got closer. Harry easily maneuvered the thestral out of the way.
Harry exhaled loudly, and felt his hands grow numb wrapped around mane. His mind set now that he was spotted, Harry took a guess and pushed down on the thestral’s neck. It worked: they were going for a landing.
Harry Potter and the Secret Spell by Phoenix 86
Chapter Endnotes: next chapter in progresss