Return to the Tower

A/N: I am so relieved to finally have an update for you! I apologize for the long wait, and I'm hoping to get back to more regular updates now.

Big thanks to my intrepid beta, Vaughn, who prettied this up very quickly so that you all wouldn't have to wait. She is the absolute best!

I also want to thank all the folks who were kind enough to leave me a review last chapter. I love hearing whether folks are enjoying my fic, and hearing what they think of it. Thanks!

Special thanks to alert reader, Kirby, for finding a grammatical oddity clear back in chapter ten! Kirby, you rock! I was glad to get that fixed. Any reader who notices a grammar oopsie, or a typo, do please email me at Plaidpooka@yahoo.com. I love my alert readers!

I was shocked to find out that this fic won a Multifaceted award, and it was first in the Courage category! Wow! I never thought I would have a fic in the extreme category, let alone win something for it. I was completely flabbergasted. Thanks to whoever nominated it, and to the folks who voted for it!

Disclaimer: They are not mine; I only take them out to play.

***********************

No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness.

-Aristotle 384 BC-322 BC

Once again, Harry and Hermione were standing on the Astronomy Tower with the Dark Mark blazing eerily over their heads in the night sky. Looking around, Hermione realized that Harry had brought them to the scene a bit early. Only Malfoy and Dumbledore were visible on the tower, though Hermione knew that an invisible and immobile Harry leaned against the wall somewhere. As Albus explained to Draco that no one would be able to find the boy if he were already dead, Hermione grasped Harry's hand and pulled him past Draco. She pulled him further out onto the tower so that they would be at a better angle to see whatever spells Severus cast when he arrived.

From this vantage point, it was easy to see that Draco had none of the confidence that his disdainful manner of address suggested. Despite his big talk, he looked like nothing so much as a frightened little boy. With this new perspective, it was suddenly easy to see why Albus would take such time trying to change the boy's mind. Even if Albus had been in better health and armed with his wand, it was impossible to imagine the kind old wizard fighting a young man whose heart so obviously wasn't in agreement with his actions.

As for Albus, he looked just as sickly and weak as Hermione remembered. Though his body was weak, his eyes were still full of authority. After giving Dumbledore a quick look, Hermione's eyes strayed to the door. She knew that the other Death Eaters would come soon. As she waited, Albus' voice seemed to echo in her ears.

"No, Draco," said Dumbledore quietly. "It is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now."

If the man had been granted more time, Hermione had no doubt that he would have been able to talk Draco into some alternate course of action. But there was no time. Even now, Hermione heard the commotion caused by the other Death Eaters on the stairs.

In due course, they arrived. Keeping her eyes on Draco throughout this part of the memory, it was painfully clear that he did not want to kill anyone, not even Albus. Draco balked, despite the presence of the other Death Eaters who egged him on.

Then a new arrival was pushing past Draco. As Hermione's eyes took in the sight of the memory of Severus Snape, her breath caught in her throat and her knees weakened from the shock. Looking at her curiously, Harry put an arm around her waist to steady her. Ignoring the question in Harry's eyes, Hermione concentrated on getting both her physical and mental balance back. She wasn't sure she could even put into words exactly what had so affected her. Severus' mere presence had struck her like a blow. This was no madman. Though his expression was twisted by disgust and anger, Severus stood tall and confident. Intelligence shone from his eyes, and when he spoke, his voice had a strength that his present-day counterpart lacked.

It had never occurred to Hermione that the memory of this sane Severus would have such an effect on her. It was painfully clear to her exactly how much she had gotten used to the insane Severus of the present. All of his tics, his weaknesses, and his oddities had become familiar to her. It was only now, when she was face to face with the man that Severus had been, that Hermione realized exactly how much Severus had lost and how far he had fallen. Tears clouded her eyes and Hermione blinked them back furiously. She was here for a reason; she mustn't let her personal feelings interfere with what she had come to do.

Intent on doing her duty, Hermione focused her attention on Severus. As Severus raised his wand and cast, Hermione was shocked to see a faint tinge of crimson light emit from his wand before a jet of green light washed over it, obscuring it completely. It was the new angle that allowed her to see the phenomenon at all. The last time that she had viewed this memory, she had been standing more behind Snape, where the rest of the Death Eaters were gathered. From where Draco and the Death Eaters stood, Severus' body blocked them from seeing what had occurred.

The spell which dazzled Hermione's eyes with green light acted much like the Killing Curse. It speared from Severus' wand straight at Dumbledore's chest. However, with closer scrutiny, Hermione could see that there were discrepancies. The color was off. Yes, it was green, but the spell that had felled Cedric had been more emerald in color, while this spell had a jade cast to it. The color was not the only difference. From this angle, Hermione could see that the spell was not simply a single beam of light, as the Killing Curse should be. Instead, there were small offshoots of the main beam which twisted around of their own accord. As Dumbledore was thrown from the tower and seemed to hang for a moment in the air, one of these errant beams whipped back to hit Severus squarely in the chest. Though he never flinched, the expression in Severus' eyes was suddenly altered. Now, Hermione could see the seed of madness that would change Severus into the man he was today. Whatever that spell had been, it was the cause of his insanity.

As Severus seized Draco by the scruff of the neck and dragged him from the tower, the memory faded. Hermione found herself back in the sitting room, exchanging a wide-eyed look of surprise with Harry.

"That was no Killing Curse," Harry said firmly.

"No, it couldn't have been," Hermione agreed. "If that was the Killing Curse, then Severus would be dead. He was caught in the backlash." A faint hope lit Harry's features, and Hermione was afraid that she knew what he was thinking.

"If that wasn't the Killing Curse, maybe it was all just an act. Albus might be..."

"No, Harry," Hermione interrupted softly. "I don't know what that spell was, but whatever it was, it killed Dumbledore."

"How can you be so certain?" Harry snapped. "For all we know, it was only an elaborate ruse to make us all think Albus was dead!"

"Think, Harry!" Hermione cried. "Do you think that Poppy would have let him be buried without checking? I heard from Hagrid that Poppy checked, and so did Minerva. There was no heartbeat, no brain activity, and no magic level. Not to mention the fact that Severus had made an Unbreakable Vow to kill Dumbledore if Draco did not. One can't fool an Unbreakable Vow, Harry. If Severus didn't kill Dumbledore, then he would be dead himself by now."

Harry let his head fall into his hands in defeat. "You're right, Hermione. I know that you are. But I couldn't help hoping."

"I know," Hermione said softly, pulling Harry into a firm hug. "All of us wish the Headmaster was still alive, but it simply can't be so."

"There's still a mystery here, even if it doesn't lead us where I wish it would. That was definitely a Disarming Spell that Severus threw first. Why would he want to throw Albus from the tower? And if he did intend to kill Albus, why not just use the Killing Curse? Whatever that spell was that he used, it hurt him."

"Yes, I think it did," Hermione said, tilting her head in thought. "Remus said that it was the night on the tower that Severus went mad. He thought that it was the act of killing Dumbledore that caused it, but I think it was that spell. The moment it hit him, the expression in his eyes changed."

"I noticed that as well. Why would Severus use such a risky spell instead of the Killing Curse?"

"I don't know, Harry. The Killing Curse depends on hatred. We know that Severus was acting on Dumbledore's orders. Perhaps he couldn't use the Killing Curse because he didn't hate the Headmaster, so he had to risk some other sort of curse."

"Perhaps," Harry said doubtfully, "but it still smells fishy to me."

"I agree," Hermione said with a sigh, lifting a hand to brush absently through her hair. "Do you have any idea what that spell was?"

"Not a clue," Harry said with a sigh of his own. "It's nothing that I've ever seen before, and I've been studying some odd things lately. I can't help worrying that when it finally comes time for me to face Voldemort, there will be some strange spell that I will need. So I've been studying all sorts of rubbish. There's no hurry at the moment, is there? Until we find out what that last Horcrux is, I won't be paying Voldemort any social calls."

Abruptly changing the subject, Hermione asked the first question that popped into her mind. "Are you still studying the wards at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, indeed!" Harry said, his interest showing clearly on his face. "You wouldn't believe how fascinating they are. Some of them are over a century old, and I'm getting better at being able to distinguish some of the casters. Albus' are easy to tell, but did you know that Minerva and Filius have placed wards as well?"

"No, I didn't," Hermione said, happy to let Harry ramble on a bit, "though that doesn't surprise me. Minerva and Filius both have very strong magic."

For a while longer, the two friends talked about Harry's ward research, then Hermione turned the conversation back to the odd spell that Severus had used on the tower.

"Maybe Remus would recognize it," Harry mused. "He certainly knows quite a bit about hexes and dark magic."

"That's a great idea, Harry!" Hermione said with a smile. "Besides, he hasn't visited us lately. It would be good to get an update on things and see how Draco is faring."

"I'll Floo him and ask him to visit. Maybe he can find a time when Draco could come as well. With Draco to distract Severus, it wouldn't be hard to get Remus away to show him the memory with the Pensieve."

"True. Severus seems to like Remus. If Remus comes on his own, I doubt that Severus would let us get Remus to ourselves. But if Draco can come as well, he can have a nice chat with Severus while we sneak Remus up here."

With that settled, Harry put the Pensieve away and the two friends left the sitting room. Once in the hallway, they could hear the heated words of an argument echoing through the house. Following the sound, Harry and Hermione soon found themselves in the library. Ron had arrived home after his trip to Hogwarts to see Neville. Currently, Ron was sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands. There were plant roots and cuttings scattered over the coffee table. On the other side of the room, Severus was shouting at the Goblin tapestry.

"The Sorbus Acuparia is infested with scale!" Severus shouted to the tapestry as he shifted nervously from foot to foot. "There are spots all over it that are the same color as your ridiculous hair, you blind whore!"

"I'm sorry, Severus," Ron said with a tired patience, his voice somewhat muffled by the hands that still covered his face. "The red spots are quite small; I'm not surprised that my friend and I never noticed them."

"Well, that's a pretty excuse as one could wish," Severus hissed snidely, "but it does nothing about the fact that the Rowan you brought me is completely and utterly useless!" By the end of the sentence, Severus' voice had risen to a shriek.

"Severus, calm down, love," Hermione said softly. "Whatever the trouble is, we'll get it sorted."

Though he wouldn't look at her, Hermione could tell by the way he cocked his head at the sound of her voice that he was listening. Once again she was struck by the marked difference between this poor, mixed-up soul and the man he used to be. There he stood, one ear aimed in her direction and his eyes glued to the carpet. There was an angry scowl on his face, and he was very fidgety...his fingers twitched and he still shifted from foot to foot as he stood there, thinking about what Hermione had said to him. If she didn't get him calmed down soon, he'd likely go into a full fledged fit. Such outbursts had become blessedly rare as the three friends had learned to treat Severus carefully, but he looked to be winding up for one now.

"Severus," Hermione continued, taking care to keep her voice calm and neutral, "we knew that Ron's mate was not going to have everything you needed. If the Rowan is ruined, then we will simply have to add it to the shopping list. I'll make certain that you get a bunch that is suitable."

"It has to be cut from the tree with a silver knife," Severus said petulantly. His tone was harsh, but the fidgeting lessened. Though he still wouldn't look at her, Severus turned to face Hermione. "And it's best if it's been cut at the new moon. With the whores that run the shops, one can never be sure that things have been properly gathered."

"I'll get it at The Twig and Leaf, in Diagon Alley. They are always very careful that their stock has been harvested properly, and they specialize in trees and shrubs. That will do, won't it?"

"Oh, I suppose," Severus said shortly. Keeping his head tilted towards the floor, Severus raised only his eyes until he was peeking at Hermione from under his lashes. "And when exactly," he said snidely, "do you think you might get around to actually doing that shopping, little whore? So far, you keep blathering on about it, but you don't actually do it."

"Well," Hermione began patiently, "if Harry will go out in the morning to see how many of the animal ingredients he can get, then I can go shopping in the afternoon."

"Why can't you go out when the whore's son does?" Severus snapped. "I'm sick to death of having to wait on you lot!"

"If Harry goes out first, and gets as many of the ingredients on his list as he can, then I will know exactly what we still need. Then I can do all of the shopping at once. I don't mind going in your stead, Severus, but I'd rather not call too much attention to myself by making multiple shopping trips."

"Sensible," Severus said grudgingly. "I suppose that will have to do," he continued with a dramatic sigh. "But what about the Whore Who Lived? Will he go out in the morning, or is he going to be busy doing more mysterious work, alone with you behind closed doors?"

Chuckling at the slight growl that had punctuated that last jibe, Harry smiled as he said, "No, Severus, our work is done. I'll be happy to go out in the morning and do my part."

"See that you do," Severus snapped. His tone of voice changed abruptly as he stepped up to Hermione and looked her directly in the eye for the first time during the conversation. "I believe," he said archly, "that you have neglected my shower today, pretty little whore. Perhaps, if you aren't too busy with your whorish little boyfriend, we might remedy that now."

"Severus, don't talk rubbish," Hermione said, her tone a little more curt than it usually was when she spoke to Severus. "You know damn well that Harry is not my boyfriend. We were working."

"Indeed. Working," he repeated, mimicking her tone. "Is that what your generation is calling it now? How very interesting," he said dryly. "And what, exactly, were you so busy working on? What was so important that you had to sequester yourself away with that whorish imbecile?"

"Now, hold on, Severus!" Ron interrupted. "There's no reason to be calling Harry names."

This struck Harry as hysterically funny. He laughed for several moments before he could calm down enough to speak. "I'm sorry," he eventually sputtered. "It just seemed like such an odd thing to say to a man who calls everyone whores!"

That set Ron to chuckling, which proved to be too much amusement for Severus' taste. With a glower at all and sundry, he swept from the room, turning briefly at the door to demand that Hermione not keep him waiting.

Left staring at the door, seemingly surrounded by giggling boys, Hermione mused, "What was that all about?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Ron asked. "The man's right jealous, he is."

"Jealous?" Hermione said, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Whatever for?"

"Honestly, Hermione," Harry said. Though he'd gotten control of his laughter, he was still smiling broadly. "It's no secret that Severus fancies you. We were locked in a room together for two hours, and we wouldn't tell him why. Of course he's jealous."

"He's getting rather possessive as well," Ron added. "He's not been acting inappropriately, has he, Hermione?"

"No, he hasn't, Ron! Not that it is any of your concern," Hermione replied curtly.

"Take it easy, love. I'm not going to try to tell you what to do again...I promise. I was simply surprised by how strongly he reacted, so I wondered if there was anything going on that Harry and I didn't know about."

"Has he tried to kiss you again, Hermione?" Harry asked calmly.

"No," Hermione replied with an inadvertent sigh.

"You don't have to sound so bloody disappointed!" Ron teased.

"I can't help it. I am disappointed. I really liked kissing him, but I can't go encouraging him, can I? At least, not while he's like this. Seeing him in the Pensieve...it really made me realize exactly how ill he really is," she finished sadly.

"Well," Ron began softly, "maybe there's some reason to hope. Neville told me that all the things on that ingredient list had one thing in common...they all could be used in healing potions. He said that some of the plants had multiple uses, so he couldn't tell for certain, but they all could be used for healing."

"So maybe Severus is trying to heal himself," Harry mused. "It was backlash from some hex that caused his madness, Ron. We found that out when we reviewed what happened in the Pensieve."

"If it had a magical cause, maybe there is a magical cure," Hermione said, her eyes shining with hope. "But, Ron, you didn't tell Neville who you needed the ingredients for, did you?"

"Of course not! I'm not the imbecile, that's Harry!" Ron said with a chuckle. "I just told him that it was war business...very hush-hush. I told him that I was just the lackey, and I was curious about what it was all for."

"That was clever, Ron. I'll try that with Hagrid in the morning and see what he has to say about the animal list." Turning to Hermione, Harry said with a smile, "Now you had better go see to Severus' shower before he decides to hex me for trying to steal his woman!"

"I'm not his woman!" Hermione said, shaking her head in exasperation. Despite her protest, she dutifully left the library to join Severus in the lav. In her haste, she forgot to take a book with her. Shower time with Severus was going to be long and thoroughly distracting.