"SAVE HIM!" Harry screamed, dropping his sword and the cup carelessly the moment he landed back at Hogwarts. "SOMEONE SAVE HIM!"
"Move. Lad, move. Let go of him," some shoved Harry harshly to the side and he was momentarily too stunned to respond.
"SAVE SNAPE! DON'T TOUCH ME! SAVE HIM!" he screamed in Barty's face. "NOW!"
"What happened?" Dumbledore gasped as he came running to where Harry landed on the grounds with Snape's body. "Merlin. Call Poppy! Quick!"
"No time," Barty grunted. "Potter- white curse? Cut him open?"
"Yeah," Harry panted. "Save him. Save Snape."
"Stay back," Barty told him, pulling his wand as he ripped open Snape's robes.
Harry was jerked backwards by a familiar freckled arm that smelled like citrus and sweat. He ignored the inviting feeling of warmth and struggled to get back to Snape's side.
"Let go," he snarled. "Snape- I have to help save Snape."
"Let Moody do it," Fred whispered in his ear, his toned arms locked tightly around Harry. "Look."
Harry blinked and saw as Barty's wand let out a soft golden glow and he whispered something in a musical voice. His wand weaved back and forth over Snape's, now bare, profusely bleeding chest.
"Can you see?" Fred asked Harry.
The now gathered crowd seemed to hold their collective breaths as Barty's golden spell knitted together the wounds on Snape's chest.
"Hospital wing," he growled, levitating Snape in the air. "He's critical. Potter, with me. I need to know exactly what all he was hit with if I'm going to save him."
"Harry needs to stay with me, I need to know what happened tonight," Dumbledore said.
"And Moody needs Harry to save Snape!" Sirius yelled, his hand hovering protectively over Harry's shoulder. "Hospital wing Pup, now."
Harry scrambled to obey, following quickly behind Barty while Fred laced their hands together tightly and followed as well.
"Sectumsempra?" Barty asked as the four of them ran quickly to the Hogwarts entrance, Snape floating in front of them with his eyes closed and his chest still and a rush of bodies behind them screaming, talking, and sobbing.
"Yeah," Harry panted. He could feel his legs wanting to collapse, his mind wanting to shut down. But he couldn't leave Snape.
Save Snape.
"Let me help you," Sirius said before carefully, but confidently, throwing Harry's right arm over his shoulder and all but half-carrying him as they ascended the grand staircase within the castle.
Harry didn't even complain; he was sure if Sirius hadn't helped him that he would have collapsed before they made it to the Hospital Wing.
"Lock", he commanded his magic with what felt like the last tendrils of magic in his body after Fred slammed the hospital doors behind them.
"Black- blood replenisher, six vials. Weasley- a washcloth, warm basin of water, and sterile soap in the cabinet. NOW!" Barty barked.
Harry collapsed to the floor, his back against the locked doors, as soon as Sirius hastened to obey Barty's commands.
Hastened to save Snape's life.
Save Snape.
"Talk to me Potter, don't go in to shock now," Barty said. "If you faint I'll have to choose between you two, and Sev needs me if he's going to make it through the night."
'Sev?' Sirius mouthed to Fred where the other two conscious in the wing couldn't see.
"'M fine," Harry slurred. He wasn't fine. His head was spinning. His legs were shaking too hard to support him. His entire body ached with the strain of all he'd done that day. But he'd endured worse before.
And he'd endure a hundred times worse than the worst pain in his life in utter silence if it meant someone saved Snape.
Because he couldn't.
"Dueled him," Harry panted as Sirius and Fred gave Barty the requested items. "Snape tried to cut him. He bounced it back. Cut Snape's chest open. Pettigrew's dead. Killed him."
"Pettigrew?" Sirius' head whipped around and he stared hard at Harry. "Pettigrew's the one who took you?"
Harry shook his head and bit his tongue hard.
He wasn't saying a fucking word more about what happened until he could think straight.
He needed to find a way to get the story straight without ripping a single lie he'd laid out beforehand or exposing any of his spies.
Fuck. There's too many spies.
Why did he have so many spies?
"You killed him though? Peter?" Sirius asked intently. "Harry, did you kill him?"
Harry jerked his head in a short nod and Sirius positively beamed.
"Proud of you Pup," he said, turning back to assist Barty.
"Harry, stay awake, talk to me," Fred murmured, sitting beside Harry and pulling him in an embrace.
"Not yet," Harry said. "Can't talk yet."
"You don't have to talk about what happened, not right now," Fred said. "But just talk about anything. Stay awake. Tell me about the maze, what'd you do? How'd you win?"
Harry shook his head, memories of the maze already fuzzy within his mind.
"Talk or I'm going to have to leave Snape to find Poppy," Sirius snapped, his eyes and wand on Snape as the two men worked quickly. "Whatever you want- just talk Harry James Potter."
"The snake wouldn't come," Harry said, blurting the first thing that he thought of. His mind felt fuzzy, and his tongue heavy. But if he had to talk to keep Sirius and Barty working on Snape- he'd do it. "Wanted the fuckin' snake, didn't I? Recruiting is hard. Wouldn't come."
"You always want snakes," Fred said as he held Harry tightly. "Little Snake Lord."
"'Drink your blood'," Harry slurred. "Didn't even consider eating Dumbledore."
"What a git," Fred said, confused over the entire conversation and beginning to worry about Harry's state of mind. "And then what happened Darlin?"
"The sword cut the hedges," Harry said, suddenly remembering the random detail from the beginning of the third task. "Fwoop, cut right through them."
"He's delirious from physical and magical exhaustion," Barty yelled over his shoulder. "Just keep him awake and talking and I'll deal with him next."
"I saw your sword cut through the hedges," Fred assured him. "Laughed my arse off. The whole crowd did. Bagman said 'I wonder which champion that was?' And Ron yelled, 'like nobody knows!'"
"Bagman is a bad man," Harry said. "But he paid you so he lives. The world gets jokes and Bagman lives."
"He's past delirium," Sirius murmured to the man he believed to be Alastor Moody. "He's going to be catatonic any minute now."
"I need two more minutes," 'Moody' grit out. "Two Merlin damned minutes."
"Spider ate Cedric," Harry giggled breathlessly to Fred from their position on the floor. "Huuuge spider!"
"Diggory's fine," Fred told him. "His leg was mangled, and his arm looked like hell, but Madame Pomfrey had him in the medical tent when you came back. Fleur and Viktor are fine too. Just pissed you won."
"I wooon," Harry sang softly. "Three things to do: win, kill Timmy, kill Pettigrew. Did two. That's good, yeah? Over fifty cents?"
"Think it's sixty-six percent," Fred corrected him with a worried frown. He pulled Harry's head off his chest and checked his eyes, something his mum always did when one of his siblings were sick. Harry's pupils were barely bigger than the end of a quill, and the whites of his eyes were nearly entirely red.
"Sixty six," Harry repeated slowly. "Siiiiixtyyyy six."
"Done!" Barty conjured a mask to cover Snape's face and provide constant flow of oxygen to him and turned to Harry. "C'mere lad."
"Saved Snape?" Harry asked.
"You saved Snape," Sirius confirmed. "He's going to be fine. Scarred, angry, and bitter as usual, but he'll be fine."
"Oh good," Harry smiled widely.
Fred caught him tightly as Harry's entire body went limp in his arms, the locking spell on the door dissolving with Harry's prompt delivery in to unconsciousness.
"Brill," Sirius sighed as loud voices in the corridor could now be heard.
Apparently Harry's odd phrase was catching.
"Wake them now! We need to hear what happened from them!"
"Touch either of them and I'll cut off your wrinkled fingers old man."
"Susan! Do not speak to the Headmaster like that."
"Sorry Auntie. Touch Harry and I'll have a team of law enforcement arrest you for meddling in the medical care of a minor with a legal guardian."
"Better. Thank you."
"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?!"
"I know it is difficult to believe, but Severus' mark does not lie."
"I'll believe it when I hear it from one of them."
Snape, on the ground, his face so bloodless even his lips were white, "Flee, Harry, flee."
"Pup, are you awake?"
Save Snape.
"Wake up Harry, everyone's safe."
Harry blinked slowly as the bright, sunlit, hospital wing came slowly in to a blurry kind of view. He lifted one heavy hand up and rubbed his eyes before reaching around for his glasses, which Sirius carefully placed on his face.
"You up?"
"S'pose so," Harry mumbled, squinting warily around the hospital wing, which was blessedly empty aside from Sirius who was curled up in a thick red chair beside him. "Where's Snape?"
"There," Sirius pointed towards the bed beside his that Harry had assumed was empty. Harry made to move to his feet but Sirius put a steady hand on his shoulder.
"Hold on, he's fine," he said. "Stay there and look."
Sirius got up and moved to the adjacent bed and pulled the privacy curtains back. Harry sat up and studied Snape's relaxed face, his fluttering eyelashes, and the way his chest moved up and down in time with his deep and steady breaths.
"Good," Harry released a heavy sigh and laid back down. He kept his eyes on Snape though, waiting to make sure he woke up as well. "How long was I asleep?"
"Only nine hours," Sirius told him. "You got back at eleven last night, and it's barely eight now. You could do with some more sleep, but you were shouting in your sleep. Figured I'd wake you up."
"Ta," Harry muttered. He would be embarrassed by Sirius hearing him shout in his sleep, a private detail about his poor sleep habits that only Theo, Luna, and Fred knew previously, but Harry knew Sirius had a lot of intrusive thoughts in his sleep as well, so it was less embarrassing for him to hear it than it would be if it were someone else. "What'd I miss?"
"Chaos," Sirius chuckled quietly as he left Snape's curtains parted enough for Harry to see him and returned to his chair. "Utter chaos pup. You sure know how to brew it."
"Snape says it's a true talent," Harry said. "What happened?"
"Dumbledore was screaming that Voldemort's back, the Minister was screaming that Dumbledore's mad, Moody was pacing around growling a lot, and there's a permanent scorch mark on the hospital doors from where you locked them and Susan tried to burn her way inside."
Fuck.
Moody. Barty. Timmy. Dumbledore. Fudge.
He needed to think. He needed a plan. He needed...
"I need Theo, Susan, and Moody. And privacy, Sirius. I need them now and I need privacy for ten minutes," Harry said as quickly and seriously as he could.
"I'm on it," Sirius winked before transforming and bounding out the hospital doors as Grim.
Harry had to think. Had to think of a plan right then and there.
It had to keep his spies safe. It had to kill off Barty. It had to get people to start preparing for the war Harry was sure was going to break out soon, because Timmy was surprisingly dangerous.
Harry hadn't actually expected to be faced with that last night.
He hadn't expected to be stunned in the back.
He didn't even know you could tie a person up with ropes warded against magic.
And...
Harry looked over at Snape's sleeping face.
And Snape paid the price for it again.
"I'm sorry," Harry whispered.
Snape was going to finally get rid of him as soon as he woke up. And Harry didn't blame him.
He was just as arrogant as Snape accused him of being before.
Harry was mentally beating the hell out of himself when Susan came bursting through the hospital doors, startling Harry to his feet-
Where the hell is my knife?!
-closely followed by Theo, Moody, and Grim.
"Want me to leave?" Sirius asked, transforming back to his human self.
"Can you keep everyone out?" Harry asked.
"Oh I can do that," Sirius grinned sharply and held his wand up. "I'm more than just a pretty face Pup."
Susan waited until Sirius was outside and Harry warded the door against eavesdroppers before she ran up to him and hugged him with one arm and smacked him in the head with the other.
"You god damned fucking idiot!" she said. "What were you thinking?!"
"He clearly wasn't," Theo said. "You thought a one on one with Timmy was going to pan out for you? Stupid move Potter."
"You don't get your weapons back until you tell us everything," Susan hissed. "I am pissed as hell at you. Idiot."
"Alright I'm an idiot, shut up, we need to talk," Harry said quickly. "Timmy's back."
"Nobody's going to believe you," Susan said. "Not without proof."
"Well I'm hardly a fuckin' liar, am I?" Harry sneered. "Snape'll say it too."
"Dumbledore's been saying it all night and it doesn't mean a damn thing laddie," Barty said. "Everyone believes you were kidnapped by whoever put you in the tournament, but they don't believe it was the D- Timmy."
Theo turned and gave Barty a considering look.
"Who are you?" he asked calmly. "Because I'm sick of people pretending to be the wrong person to get close to Harry."
"I'll tell you later," Harry said. "Focus. What do we do now? We need a plan. And... and apparently I'm crap at making plans, yeah?"
"Yeah," Susan and Theo both said.
"Here's what you should do," Barty said, "I've been thinking about it since the moment you disappeared..."
When the Minister and Dumbledore arrived an hour later, Harry was surrounded by all of his friends and was ready with his story.
He glanced at Snape one last time and hoped that he would approve.
... he also hoped he woke up soon.
Sirius, Barty, and Madame Pomfrey all said he would. Barty gave him dreamless sleep last night and he was just sleeping it off. But Harry would breathe easier once he was awake and yelling.
"Harry! How are you?" the Minister cried, twirling his bowler hat in his hands as he stared down at Harry worriedly. "You gave us all quite a fright last night!"
"I know," Harry said as 'meekly' (Theo's stupid idea) as he could. "It was terrifying."
"Harry, can you tell us what happened?" Dumbledore said, his eyes untwinkling and grave. "From the moment you touched the cup, if you would."
"Harry's exhausted," Lupin said sharply. "He had complete physical and magical exhaustion less than twelve hours ago. He needs rest and quiet."
Harry was surprised when he looked up at Lupin. That was quite the defense of him. Lupin smiled down at him kindly and Harry felt a brief flash of guilt for getting him fired.
Then he shoved that down. Way, waaay, deep down. He couldn't keep feeling guilty for every decision he made. It was a quick way to second guess his instincts and hesitation could get you killed as easily as making the wrong choice would.
"I understand," Dumbledore said, "but we need to know."
"It's fine," Harry said. "I can tell them."
Harry took a deep breath and glanced quickly at Theo one last time. Theo's face didn't change, but Harry saw his eyes flick up to the ceiling and down to his boots just once.
Everyone was ready.
Show time.
"The cup was a portkey," Harry said. "I grabbed it-"
"So you did win?" Neville smirked. "Diggory was going on about getting to the cup first."
"He bloody well did not," Harry said. "He was fighting a spider when I got the cup."
"You got the cup first, it was a portkey, then what?" Dumbledore asked, his voice calm and even despite his obvious impatience.
"Then I was taken to a graveyard," Harry said. "And stunned in the fucking back."
Fred and Hermione both sucked in angry breaths.
"I wondered how someone would get a jump on you," Draco said thoughtfully. "Next time you steal my clothes I'm doing that."
"And I'll kill you," Harry smirked.
"The rest, if you would," Dumbledore said.
Harry wondered if he could get Dumbledore to break his composure in front of the Minister.
He was pretty sure he could.
"So I was stunned in the back, and when I woke up I was tied to something," Harry said. "And Peter Pettigrew was there."
"Pettigrew was the one who took you?" the Minister asked. "Harry I am so sorry-"
"No, Pettigrew was just following orders," Harry said. "I don't think he was smart enough to put me in the tournament, enchant the cup, and kidnap me, was he?"
"He wouldn't be," Sirius said. "Pettigrew was an idiot."
"Only got two NEWTS, yeah?" Harry asked.
"Exactly," Lupin laughed.
"Harry, if you would focus please," Dumbledore said.
Harry caught Fred's eye at the foot of his bed and had a rare moment where they seemed to read each other's mind.
"Of course sir," Harry said innocently. "So Pettigrew was mad, kept talking about bringing back his Master-"
"His master?" Fred interrupted with faux-shock. "Who?"
"Voldemort," Dumbledore nodded. "It was on Voldemort's orders that you were taken."
"He is not back!" Fudge said harshly. "You could be arrested for attempting to incite national panic if you do not cease with that nonsense Dumbledore."
"Harry will tell you," Dumbledore said calmly. "Go on Harry."
"Er... okaaay," Harry said slowly. "So Pettigrew wanted to kill me to try and bring Voldemort back to life. He said 'I have to follow orders', over and over. Then he summoned a bunch of blokes in black robes and masks, like the ones at the World Cup."
"Death Eaters?" Fudge yelped. "Merlin Harry. Are you sure?"
"I mean, I'm sure Pettigrew summoned a bunch of blokes in robes and masks," Harry shrugged. "But-"
"How?"
Harry blinked up at Dumbledore.
"How what?" he asked.
"How was Peter able to summon the Death Eaters?" Dumbledore asked him.
"Why does that matter?" Sirius asked.
"Because Peter should not be able to do so," Dumbledore said. "I believe only Voldemort has the power to summon his followers through their mark."
"It's weird you know that," Susan said with a suspicious glare. "Maybe we should check your arm."
Dumbledore smiled gently at her, though he didn't look amused in the slightest.
"Of course," he said, sliding his robe sleeves up and holding his bare forearms out. "This may be the first time I have ever been accused of being a follower of Voldemort."
"Pft," Blaise scoffed quietly, but not quietly enough for Dumbledore to not hear.
"Well I dunno about Dumbledore being a Death Eater," Harry said, "but Pettigrew just touched his left arm with his wand and then people started apparating to the graveyard."
Dumbledore looked disbelieving, but the Minister was hanging on Harry's every word.
"And then he untied me-"
"You didn't untie yourself?" Neville asked.
"Couldn't," Harry grimaced as he remembered the irritating ropes around him, "fuckin' enchantments."
"Ropes soaked in an enchantment against wandless magic," Lupin groaned. "I wouldn't believe Peter could brew the potion required for that."
Harry ignored him, but he saw Sirius step on his foot very harshly.
"So he untied me, and said he was going to kill me-"
"Why not keep you tied up?" Fred winked. "Would make it easier to kill you."
"Only two NEWTS, remember?" Harry smirked.
"HARRY!" Dumbledore yelled, drawing thirteen sets of eyes to him. "Please. Time is of the essence here."
"He's been through a traumatic event Albus," Sirius said coldly. "Refrain from yelling at my godson again or I'll have Poppy ask you to leave."
"Merlin, Albus," the Minister looked embarrassed and patted Harry's foot gently. "Go ahead Harry."
"Thank you," Harry gave him the shy smile that worked well for poor orphan Harry. "So he untied me, and told the Death Eaters he was going to kill me to bring Voldemort back to life. He had a potion and everything. He got in a good swipe-" Harry flashed him his newly scared arm quickly, he'd rather nobody stare at his other scars too long, "-and then we started dueling."
"You dueled Peter?" Dumbledore asked, skepticism clear in his voice.
"Pettigrew and the blokes in masks," Harry said. "And then Snape showed up."
"How many Death Eaters Pup?" Sirius asked.
"Ten," Harry guessed randomly. Ten on two sounded better than Harry and Snape losing to one guy. "So it was me and Snape and ten of them, and Pettigrew kept saying he was waiting for someone, someone who put my name in the Goblet and who made the plan."
"Who?" Theo asked.
"He said Barty Crouch," Harry said. "He kept saying 'DON'T KILL HIM! WAIT FOR BARTY! WAIT FOR CROUCH!"
"Mister Crouch?" Fudge gasped. "No!"
"No," Harry shook his head. "I think his son, he said 'he didn't escape Azkaban to fail our master now!' Unless," Harry pretended to hesitate, "unless Mister Crouch used to be in Azkaban?"
"Nope," Susan shook her head. "Just his son. But he died there Harry, he couldn't have done this."
"No, he's here somewhere," Harry said thoughtfully. "Pettigrew definitely said that. He said that Barty Crouch was waiting at Hogwarts and they were going to bring back their Master."
"Harry, lad, you must be confused," Fudge said kindly. "Barty Crouch Junior died in Azkaban, and Crouch Senior has been missing for weeks."
"I'd ask Moody," Theo said. "It's always the defense professors trying to kill Harry, isn't it?"
Dumbledore still looked skeptically down at Harry, as if disappointed in his story, as Harry thought he would be, but Sirius took the bait as Theo had said that someone would.
"He called him Sev," Sirius said to Fred. "Last night, remember? And Alastor Moody hates Snape."
"But Barty Crouch Junior was his best friend..." Lupin said. "C'mon Pads."
Harry hid his smile as Sirius and Lupin tore out of the Hospital Wing. He hadn't considered they'd be the first to put together the pieces, but he was happy they had.
Though he wasn't surprised that the two Gryffindors were the ones to go running after a possible Death Eater.
"You better go with them Albus," Fudge said nervously. "Alastor won't like being confronted."
Dumbledore sighed and shook his head down at Harry.
"When Severus wakes up, we will hear the truth," he said in a way that caused Susan, Theo, and Fred to all bristle before he too left.
"Does he think I'm lying?" Harry blinked up at the Minister. "Snape almost died protecting me, bit rude of Dumbledore to downplay his act of bravery."
"Albus thinks He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named somehow rose from the dead and attacked you last night," Fudge sighed.
"He sounds mad," Susan said innocently. "It's shocking he's still allowed to run a school."
"Well he is rather old," Hermione said. "He can't stay sharp forever."
The Minister was nodding along with the girls as they discussed the merits of replacing the Headmaster.
Harry stayed quiet and just ran his hand absently down Luna's soft arm. Luna hadn't said anything yet, she'd just curled up like a cat in Harry's side as soon as they arrived. At least Harry knew when she started talking, she wouldn't yell.
Unlike Snape.
Who was still snoring softly in the bed beside Harry's.
"Harry, lad, is there anything else you can tell me about last night?" Fudge asked, interrupting Harry's thoughts. "Anything at all to help us find Pettigrew."
Harry took a deep breath and prepared himself.
Snape wouldn't take the fall this time.
Harry had already accidentally confessed last night, and they needed the Ministry focused on Barty.
"He's dead," Harry said quietly. "I- I killed him. I'm sorry," Harry gulped dramatically loud and looked down in his lap. "I didn't mean to; but he cut Snape open and I was trying to get the cup and... and it just happened." Harry peeked up at the minister with his eyes as wide and frightened as he could make them. "I'm ready," he said, holding his wrists out.
"Ready for what?" Fudge asked bewildered.
"You have to arrest me now, yeah?" Harry said. "I understand. I'm ready."
If Susan was wrong, and Harry really was arrested right now, he was going to be so pissed.
Stunning the Minister and going on the run wouldn't exactly help him run for Minister later, would it?
"Arrest you?" Fudge asked. "Why would I arrest you? Harry, you killed a dangerous man who was trying to kill you! A dangerous convict who betrayed your parents! I'd be surprised if you didn't get an award for your actions!"
Harry perked up at that and gave Fudge a charming smile.
"Thank you," he said.
"Nothing of it lad, nothing of it," Fudge smiled down at him.
They spoke quietly for a few more moments before Sirius and Lupin came bursting back in the Hospital Wing, followed by Dumbledore who was levitating...
Oh.
The real Alastor Moody.
Harry kept forgetting about him.
"Merlin!" Fudge's eyes were wide as galleons as Dumbledore placed Moody's body on a bed. "What happened?!"
"Remus, fetch Poppy if you would," Dumbledore said. "The true Alastor Moody has been detained in his own trunk as since August."
"Oh no," Susan said in faux-surprise. "So who was teaching defense and casting imperio on us all?"
"Casting imperio on you?" Fudge asked sharply. "What do you mean?"
"Moody said Dumbledore gave him permission to cast the unforgivables in front of us and teach us to throw off the imperio," Blaise said smoothly. "It's been rather mad."
"Very mad," Draco added. "He just kept casting it on the kids who couldn't throw it off."
"Albus! What in Merlin's name?!" Fudge yelped. "What is going on in this school?! You and I are going to have a very long talk about how you run things around here!"
"If you wish," Dumbledore bent his head towards Fudge, but his eyes were cold when he looked at Harry.
"Potter."
Harry's eyes flew over and saw Snape was awake now and struggling to sit upright.
"Snape!" Harry felt a tightness in his chest he hadn't known was there suddenly loosen. "Fuck. Finally."
"Language," Snape said with a groan. "What is going on here?"
"Barty Crouch Junior," Sirius told him. "He was disguised as Moody."
"Indeed?" Snape said with a glance towards Harry. "That is troubling."
"Where is he now?" Fudge asked, pulling his wand out. "I'll call Amelia and have her team arrest him right now."
"Gone," Lupin said, re-entering the wing alongside Madame Pomfrey. "He had a portkey in his office and he disappeared after bragging about his actions this year."
"I have clearly missed quite a bit," Snape said, rising to his feet. "Harry, fill me in."
"Er..." Harry hadn't counted on Snape waking up in the middle of his story.
Read my mind, he thought intently towards Snape as he carefully lowered his occlumency shields. Read my fucking mind.
"Well I told them about Pettigrew kidnapping me and calling the Death Eaters and how we dueled all ten of them-"
"Eleven," Snape interrupted evenly, catching Harry's eyes with a searching look in his own. Harry felt his cool and calm presence in his mind and tried to pull up all of Barty's plan for him.
"If was ten masked Death Eaters, along with Pettigrew, that we dueled last night."
"You're corroborating Harry's story?" Dumbledore asked sharply as he was shoved away from the real Moody by Madame Pomfrey. "You told me last night that you believed Voldemort had Harry."
"A mistake made by a panicked guardian," Snape said calmly. "I also thought perhaps it could have been Black, the Tooth Fairy, and a myriad of other impossible situations. I apologize for causing panic, I felt my arm burn and jumped to erroneous conclusions."
"Of course, you were worried about Harry," Fudge said kindly. "Nobody blames you Severus."
"But what happened with Barty?" Fred asked. "Harry's a hero, Snape's a hero, Harry's probably grounded, that's old news."
"Barty admitted to escaping Azkaban, he said his father helped him." Lupin glanced at Fudge, who sighed and rubbed his face at that. "And then he said he killed his father and came up with the plan to kidnap Harry and kill him to bring back V-Voldemort."
"This is going to be a mess," Fudge groaned. "Black, Lupin, could you come back to the Ministry with me? I'll need your memories to get this all sorted."
Black frowned down at Harry.
"I'd rather stay," he said slowly. "Harry's been through hell, hasn't he?"
"Harry has Snape," Lupin said softly. "Let's go help the Minister Pads."
"We'll be back tomorrow night regardless," the Minister said. "I still have to present Harry his award for winning the tournament."
And at that- Harry truly did perk up.
In all the madness that followed his return to Hogwarts- he had forgotten about the champion ceremony.
"Poppy, if I keep Harry with me, may he be released?" Snape asked after the Minister left with Sirius and Lupin.
"I need to speak with you Severus," Dumbledore said, interrupting Madame Pomfrey's agreement. "There has been a grave misunderstanding-"
"Not now," Snape interrupted him this time. "My ward has been through a traumatic event, I am tired. We will be retiring to my quarters. I will be available after breakfast tomorrow to discuss last nights events with you."
Harry's friends immediately got to their feet when Harry did, until Snape scowled heavily at them all.
"As Harry will be available after breakfast to create mayhem with you all. Harry, come along."
Harry shrugged at his friends and quickly followed behind Snape's much quicker and longer strides.
If Snape wanted privacy to yell at him- he'd have it.
It was probably the least Harry could do.
"We have decided to outright create an enemy of Albus?" Snape asked immediately once they went in his sitting room.
"Barty's idea," Harry explained as Snape sunk down heavily on his sofa. "He said the Minister would never believe Timmy's back, he likes 'his peaceful campaign' too much, and that we should find a different way to achieve our goals. Plus, he said Dumbledore didn't care if I died last night, and I threatened to kill him before, so I figure the lines are drawn, yeah?"
"Ugh," Snape rubbed his face and Harry realized he still looked exhausted. He summoned a pain reliever and Snape's dark brown bottle of bourbon. Harry held them both up and raised a brow, "Which do you want?"
"Both," Snape said drily. "You are driving me to alcoholism Harry."
Harry shifted on his feet in front of Snape as he waited for the man to finish off both drinks he gave them.
"I apologize," he finally said when Snape looked ready. "I fucked up again, didn't I? And you got hurt... because I'm arrogant and stupid."
"Correct," Snape said calmly. "You once again kept a secret from me, put yourself in an incredible amount of danger, you likely would have died had I not arrived, and I was injured."
Harry resisted the urge to duck his head. If he was man enough to get himself in this position, he was man enough to keep his head up when Snape started yelling.
"What happened after I fell unconscious?" Snape asked.
"Er... I summoned the cup, killed Pettigrew, brought us back, Barty saved you, I had magical exhaustion, and-"
"Stop." Snape held his hand up and slowly raised his wand. "Harry, my apologies, I was under the impression you were merely in the hospital wing due to physical exhaustion and mental trauma. May I administer a diagnostic charm to ensure your magic is not still depleted?"
"Alright then," Harry shrugged. Snape casting diagnostics on him was old news honestly. He thought he'd done at least a dozen since Harry's first year. He waited patiently as Snape stood to tap his head with his wand and as he sat back down to read the results.
"Excellent," he said. "There is nothing amiss on your diagnostic and your Lithium levels are still consistent. Please, continue."
"So I had magical exhaustion and fell asleep. I woke up and Sirius said you were fine, which I didn't believe until I saw you, and then I sent him to get Barty and Theo and Susan. I figured I needed a plan and I'm bad at them, aren't I?"
"You are," Snape said, his eyes holding the tiniest twinkle of amusement. "And Barty's plan involved setting himself up as the Dark Lord who had you kidnapped last night?"
"Yeah, I think he was happy to get some credit," Harry smirked. "Plus it makes Dumbledore sound insane, yelling about Timmy being alive. Plus it still gets everyone 'vigilant for a darker future', and hopefully it'll make Timmy think Barty went on the run or was quietly killed or something."
Snape nodded along to each point, sipping his drink as he did.
"You killed Pettigrew?" he asked.
"Yeah, but listen Snape- don't be mad about that. Because he cut my fuckin' arm open and stunned me in the back. You know he had it coming," Harry said seriously.
"He did," Snape agreed. "I am not angry. Pettigrew is no loss, and a group of Death Eaters will hardly report you for the crime."
"Er... I already told Fudge I did it," Harry admitted, tightening his shoulders for the shouting he was sure was finally coming.
Sure enough, Snape's eyes flew to Harry's face and they were wide and incredulous.
"Why on Earth would you do such a thing?" he breathed. "Dear Lord Harry, are you trying to be imprisoned?!"
"No, but I accidentally admitted to it last night when I was delirious and I didn't know if anyone would find Pettigrew or turn in his body, and I didn't want you to take the fall again," Harry lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug. "So I told Fudge I did it."
"And he said?" Snape asked tightly.
"He said I might get an award for it," Harry smirked proudly. "Said I stopped a dangerous dark escaped convict, didn't I?"
"Typical," Snape scoffed. "Potter luck has no bounds, does it?"
Harry shrugged again and waited for Snape to go off. After a long minute or so he shifted impatiently, he really was still knackered.
"Sit down brat," Snape said. "We can talk while you sit."
"I'd rather stand," Harry said as evenly as he could. "But if you wanted to go ahead and yell now, that'd be brill. Just... get it over with, yeah?"
"Why am I yelling?" Snape asked him, his face impassive and calm.
"For... for all that stuff you just said," Harry felt off guard here. "Keeping a secret, getting you hurt, all of it."
"Do I truly yell at you every time you behave as you have been conditioned to behave?"
Harry had no idea what that was supposed to mean, so he said nothing. He just tilted his head curiously and kept a close eye on Snape.
"Harry, I want you to trust me. I want us to have no secrets, no schemes, no plots, no lies hidden between us. However, I recognize that you have kept your own counsel for your entire life, and therefor I will not be screaming at you," Snape told him. "What I will be doing instead is consistently reminding you that every choice you make has a consequence, and I believe you see now that you are not always the one who pays those consequences."
"I wanted to tell you," Harry said quickly, needing Snape to understand that. "I didn't want to lie to you, or keep it from you, but you wouldn't have let me go and I needed to try and stop Timmy."
"And instead, what happened?"
"You got hurt," Harry mumbled. "And Timmy got away."
"You were also injured and we were incredibly lucky to escape with our lives Harry," Snape said. "You are reckless to the point of suicidal. You told me that you have plans for you life, correct?"
Harry nodded, unsure where Snape was going with this.
"You understand that your own thoughtless actions could have led to your death, and those plans would then be unfulfilled, yes?"
"I didn't think I'd die," Harry admitted. "I didn't think Timmy was really that strong."
"That is because you, my child, are an idiot," Snape said, sounding only a little fond as he admonished him. "A brave, brilliant, reckless, idiot."
"That... that's an odd insult," Harry said, slowly sitting down beside Snape since it didn't sound like he was being yelled at today.
"You are an odd child," Snape said smoothly. "Insults and compliments alike require an equal amount of oddness."
Harry waited for a moment before blurting,
"Not mad?"
"Not mad," Snape said. "Though I am curious, when did you learn legilimency?"
"I- er- I didn't?" Harry said, his brain tired and confused. "Who said I did?"
"Did you not force yourself in my mind earlier with the message 'read my fucking mind?'" Snape asked.
Oh.
"I didn't know that was legilimency," Harry said truthfully. "I was just thinking really hard in your direction."
"Idiot," Snape sighed.
"I am an idiot," Harry admitted, he heard it often enough. "But, er, are you sure you still want to be my guardian? Because... I think Timmy might really want you dead now for it," Harry told him, giving him a fair warning.
"Timmy would have to kill me before I let Black take over your care," Snape said. "And even then I may attempt to become the first ever ghost guardian and simply haunt you for the remainder of your life."
"Brill." Harry laid his head back on the sofa and closed his eyes, relaxing in the peaceful environment of Snape's sitting room.
"Hey Snape," he mumbled.
"Yes?"
"I won."
"Fucking Potter luck," Snape sighed. "Sleep brat."
Harry chuckled lightly before drifting off back to sleep, comfortable in Snape's presence and secure in his current safety.
***
The next morning Harry smiled as he read the letter Sevvie brought him;
P,
Safe. Worked as planned. See you soon.
-B.
Barty was a genius.
All Harry's work to recruit him hadn't gone to waste. Barty was a genius, just as smart as Snape always described him as, and he was Harry's.
Not Timmy's. Harry's.
He didn't kill Timmy. But he killed Pettigrew. And he couldn't pull off Barty's death, yet, but Timmy would hopefully think he'd disappeared and went on the run.
He wouldn't find him at Harry's house anyway.
The Minister thought Barty was a dark, mad, wizard on the loose and ready to wreck havoc on the wixen world.
'The next Dark Lord', he'd called him.
Susan said her Aunt was preparing the DMLE and sending notices out to wixen and setting up more patrols in public places. Apparently Barty yelled some nonsense about targeting muggleborns and 'anyone impure' in an effort to get the ministry to begin protecting them.
Harry really wasn't sure how his side could lose the upcoming battles that everyone was sure would break out- his gang had the most brilliant people Harry had ever met in it.
Plus, as a bonus Harry hadn't expected, the entire Ministry thought Dumbledore was going insane, and Harry had his fingers crossed that the old man would be out of Hogwarts soon.
"All's well that ends well," Harry cooed to Sevvie. "Brill, yeah?"
Sevvie hooted in a way that was definitely an agreement.