Unforgivable Promises (Snarry story)

Chapter 19

The full moon came and went, bearing no word from Remus. Harry agonized over his promise to Snape not to use his bond to Voldemort to spy. By the evening after the full moon, the young man was not sure if his word to his professor or his fear of seeing Remus being tortured was keeping him from doing so. He had been sending Hedwig out, however, with a note addressed to Remus asking, simply, "Are you well?" The owl had returned yet again, and Harry was in the owlery as midnight approached, trying to coax Hedwig out for another flight. As he gazed out into the night sky, movement caught his eye. A figure stumbled out from beneath the still branches of the Whomping Willow, illuminated by the gibbous moon. From so far away, Harry could not make out details, but his heart leapt to his throat, and he was suddenly sure.

Another quickly written note was attached to Hedwig's leg. "Find a professor and give them that letter. Any professor!" With the bird in flight, Harry raced to the stairs.

Outside, Harry spotted the man in time to see him fall just outside the Willow's reach. The ground between them melted away as Harry rushed to his friend's side. Finally, he could see him clearly enough to know that Remus had returned. His cloak was filthy and torn, barely covering his panting form as the werewolf knelt.

"Remus!" Harry fell to his knees and pulled him into a hug. "Are you okay? I sent Hedwig to find a professor. Someone should be here in a few minutes. Can you stand?" The man nodded and, legs shaking, rose. Harry pulled out his wand.

"Lumos." The tip of Harry's wand lit up as the boy sighed in relief. Though bruised and battered, his friend would survive. Harry himself had suffered worse, and he did not have the healing qualities of a werewolf. "I'll send up a flare in a minute," Harry said. "So whoever comes out can find us."

"They'll be too late," Remus said without emotion. Harry paled. Was there something wrong with Remus he could not see?

"Expelliarmus!" Remus shouted, knocking Harry back. The unexpected attack left Harry's wand out of reach. "Accio wand," Remus said, much more softly this time. "You won't live long enough for them to be able to help you."

Harry's eyes grew wide, pale green in the moonlight, as realization struck. Polyjuice Potion, Harry thought as the man continued to speak.

"My task was to destroy your wand, but now that I have you here, I think I'll kill you once I've burnt this. Locomotor Mortis."

He had no hope of dodging the curse, lying on his back only a few feet away from his attacker. Harry's legs stiffened and his knees refused to bend. Harry made a show of struggling, earning a disdainful look from whoever it was who now looked like Remus. Secretly, however, Harry slid his hand up his sleeve to brush against Snape's gift. With a sneer, his captor pointed his own wand at Harry's, and the moment his attention turned from the immobilized boy, Harry had his second wand out.

Harry put all of his energy into the blasting curse that caught the man in the side, knowing he had but one shot to push his target back far enough. Both wands flew from his hands as he was tossed several feet into the air. He did not land immediately, however, as the Whomping Willow brought a mighty bough up, crashing into him. The snapping of bones and horrifying angle the body took on left no doubt in Harry's mind that his attacker would no longer threaten anyone. It was at that moment that some logical corner of Harry's mind stumbled on another explanation for the attacker's appearance. The Imperius Curse suddenly seemed the more likely explanation, and the thought that he may have just killed his friend, his father's last friend, struck him nearly as hard as the body struck the earth. It came down almost exactly where the man had been standing when Harry had blasted him.

Terrified to look but unable not to, Harry shut his eyes in relief when the features of the body before him began to shift and change. This was not Remus, simply a Death Eater under some kind of spell or potion. He opened his eyes again, and grief overtook him again. Shattered, with cold, empty eyes staring at him, Draco Malfoy lay dead. Harry went numb. I shouldn't care, Harry told himself. He was going to kill me. He wanted the Mark, Snape said so. He made his decision. The thoughts were no consolation. Even when Snape had told him that he had no hope for Draco, Harry still believed that someday the other boy, along with the seven others who had been Marked, and along with all the others who still attended Hogwarts, could be saved. Harry had decided to save them, though he could not remember when or with what words. Maybe there had been no words at all. But the promise was still in his heart, and tonight he had broken it.