Forth to do his bidding, but keeps it safe beside him under magical protection, then, I

think, it will be safe to tell Harry.”

“Tell him what?”

Dumbledore took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

“Tell him that on the night Lord Voldemort tried to kill him, when Lily cast her

Own life between them as a shield, the Killing Curse rebounded upon Lord Voldemort,

and a fragment of Voldemort’s soul was blasted apart from the whole, and latched itself

Onto the only living soul left in that collapsed building. Part of Lord Voldemort lives

Inside Harry, and it is that which gives him the power of speech with snakes, and a

connection with Lord Voldemort’s mind that he has never understood. And while that

Fragment of soul, unmissed by Voldemort, remains attached to and protected by Harry,

Lord Voldemort cannot die.”

Harry seemed to be watching the two men from one end of a long tunnel, they

Were so far away from him, their voices echoing strangely in his ears.

“So the boy…the boy must die?” asked Snape quite calmly.

“And Voldemort himself must do it, Severus. That is essential.”

Another long silence. Then Snape said, “I thought…all those years…that we were

protecting him for her. For Lily.”

“We have protected him because it has been essential to teach him, to raise him,

to let him try his strength,” said Dumbledore, his eyes still tight shut. “Meanwhile, the

Connection between them grows ever stronger, a parasitic growth. Sometimes I have

Thought he suspects it himself. If I know him, he will have arranged matters so that when

he does set out to meet his death, it will truly mean the end of Voldemort.”

Dumbledore opened his eyes. Snape looked horrified.

“You have kept him alive so that he can die at the right moment?”

“Don’t be shocked, Severus. How many men and women have you watched die?”

“Lately, only those whom I could not save,” said Snape. He stood up. “You have

used me.”

“Meaning?”

“I have spied for you and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you.

Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potter’s son safe. Now you tell me you have

been raising him like a pig for slaughter – ”

“But this is touching, Severus,” said Dumbledore seriously. “Have you grown to

care for the boy, after all?”

“For him?” shouted Snape. “Expecto Patronum!”

From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe. She landed on the office floor,

Bounded once across the office, and soared out of the window. Dumbledore watched her

Fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of

Tears.

“After all this time?”

“Always,” said Snape.

And the scene shifted. Now, Harry saw Snape talking to the portrait of

Dumbledore behind his desk.

“You will have to give Voldemort the correct date of Harry’s departure from his

aunt and uncle’s,” said Dumbledore. “Not to do so will raise suspicion, when Voldemort

Believes you so well informed. However, you must plant the idea of decoys; that, I think,

ought to ensure Harry’s safety. Try Confunding Mundungus Fletcher. And Severus, if

you are forced to take part in the chase, be sure to act your part convincingly…I am

counting upon you to remain in Lord Voldemort’s good books as long as possible, or

Hogwarts will be left to the mercy of the Carrows…”

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 460