In Essence Divided

[ The Spy Overheard ]

Summary: Harry's fifth year ends with a bang.

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The morning after getting Slughorn's memory, Harry felt horrible. It wasn't just the pain pulsing through his temples, but the knowledge that he'd revealed far too much of his interest in Voldemort - and Voldemort's interest in him - to Slughorn. The old man had said he would keep his secrets, but Harry was still mortified.

"I was drunk. I embarrassed myself," he confided to his friends at breakfast.

"It's not your fault, Harry. Slughorn should not have served any alcohol to you, even a small glass. It was very irresponsible of him," said Hermione sternly.

"You've got to look on the bright side," added Ron. "If you hadn't drunk with Slughorn, he might never have given you that memory."

Ron was most likely right. He'd managed to reach out to Slughorn because they both had a fondness for Tom Riddle (though the nature of their affection could not be more different), and it wasn't a topic they would have spoken about candidly without that pear brandy.

His drunkenness might have been a necessary evil, but it didn't make Harry feel any better about what he'd said last night. Helping Voldemort? He was clearly beyond redemption. What had possessed Harry to say that?

He was swearing off alcohol. Forever.

"I don't think I can stomach any breakfast. Maybe I'll just go to the hospital wing and get some headache remedy."

Madam Pomfrey was sympathetic to his plight, as she assumed Harry's scar was hurting again. With some pain relief, Harry was able to follow reasonably well in class. During Potions, Slughorn treated him as if nothing had happened the previous day, and Harry was more than happy to follow his lead.

Feeling both impatient and nervous about what the memory would reveal, Harry decided to head to the headmaster's office straight after dinner. He was about to knock when he heard Dumbledore's voice coming from inside.

"...reveal to Voldemort what Umbridge did to Harry?"

Dumbledore was talking about him! Harry crept up closer to the door to listen.

"I did not," Snape replied coldly. "But you already know that: we always agree beforehand on what I will report to the Dark Lord."

"And, yet, Voldemort must have found out, for what other reason did he have to kill Dolores Umbridge?"

"What are you implying?"

"I merely observe that, recently, Voldemort has shown a pronounced tendency towards torturing and killing those who have hurt Harry Potter. First, the Dursley family's brutal murder. Then, yourself, being tortured for your rather poor treatment of Harry. It would make sense for Umbridge to fit that pattern."

"I will repeat it one last time: the Dark Lord did not learn this from me. Though, if I had known the outcome, I might have told him. By killing Umbridge so publicly, the Dark Lord probably set back his own planned takeover of the Ministry by months."

"All at the cost of the life of one woman," said Dumbledore softly.

Snape scoffed, "The life of one Dark witch, whose actions would have earned her a lifetime in Azkaban! We both know you sacrificed many more and worthier lives than hers in the fight against the Dark Lord." He paused. "Where is this coming from, Dumbledore? Umbridge died months ago."

"I went through her belongings recently, to return them to her father. I found an invitation to Hogsmeade by Madam Puddifoot on the day of her death. Except Madam Puddifoot never wrote that letter."