Keep Breathing ♢ James Potter

36 | R.A.B?

The last place Harry expected him to be at the end of the year was staying hidden under the staircase of the Astronomy tower.

He shouldn't be surprised by now with how badly each of his Hogwarts years had ended. His DADA Professor with Voldemort attached to the back of his head trying to kill him over a stone? Expected. An escaped murderer on the loose who ended up being his father's best friend and his godfather? A normal Sunday. That very same man being killed and sent into the veil when Harry went to "save" him? Well, maybe that was a bit too soon.

But nothing could have prepared him to see Snape ending on the other end of the wand that sent Dumbledore's dead body falling from the tower.

Snape. The same man Harry refused to trust ever since his first year at Hogwarts. The same man who tried to imprison Sirius again during his 3rd year. The same man that bad-mouthed his father whenever given the chance. The same man who was always seen with convicted Death Eaters. The same man that Harry tried to prove time and time again was up to no good, had finally proved him right. And yet, Harry was shocked all the same.

Snape. The man Dumbledore swore he trusted with his life, was the same one who killed him.

He should have known, Harry told himself. He should have convinced Dumbledore harder; he should have made him listen. Snape cannot be trusted. But it was too late, Dumbledore was dead, and Snape was long gone before anyone could stop him.

-

"It was always Snape. And I did nothing."

The trio was back in the Astronomy tower as Harry recounted what he saw to his friends that night. In defeat, Harry places the locket into Hermione's hand.

He had already explained to them what happened before Professor Dumbledore was killed. How they journeyed to a far cave, one that a blood sacrifice can only open. How when they both ventured inside, Harry was forced to make Dumbledore drink the liquid until they were able to retrieve the Horcrux. How Dumbledore wept in pain and begged him to stop until the Basin was completely empty. How as soon as Harry touched the water the Inferi appeared, dragging Harry down into the depth of the water before Dumbledore was able to get them both out and back to Hogwarts.

"It's fake." He explained as he stared off into the horizon, not wanting to believe all of Dumbledore's work was all for not. "Open it."

Hermione opened the locket, to reveal its hidden letter and read it out loud.

-

To the Dark Lord,

I know I will be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more.

R.A.B

-

The trio sat in silence.

"R.A.B?" questioned Hermione, looking up at Harry.

"Don't know. But whoever they are, they have the real Horcrux. Which means, it was all a waste," said Harry, Dumbledore's death weighing heavy on him. "All of it."

Harry and Hermione leaned against the rail, as Ron sat on the steps. All three not knowing where this leaves them.

"Ron's okay with you, you know?" Hermione said, trying to lift the mood. "You and Ginny. If I were you when he's around. I'd keep the snogging to a minimum."

"I'm not coming back, Hermione." Harry sighed, avoiding looking at his best friend as he kept his eyes on the Horizon. "I need to finish whatever Dumbledore started...and I don't know where that will leave me. But I'll let you and Ron know where I am, when I can."

"I've always admired your courage, Harry." Hermione started before looking over at him. "But sometimes you can be really thick."

Everyone knew Harry truly embodied the stereotype of what it meant to be a Gryffindor: brave, courageous, determined. He was very much like his father that way. And just like his father, he was not used to sharing the burden of it all.

"You don't really think you're going to be able to find all those Horcruxes by yourself, do you?" Hermione raised her eyebrow. "You need us, Harry."

And as much as Harry would not want to admit it, he knew that Hermione was right. He could not do it alone. This war was much bigger than him, it was much bigger than all of them.

"I never realized how beautiful this place was."

He never really took the time to just look at it all. In the past six years, Hogwarts has become more of a home to him than anywhere else. He always thought that he had all the time in the world before he would have to leave. But in reality, it came much sooner than any of them could have expected. There was no stopping it.

The war was back.