Unforgivable Promises (Snarry story)

Chapter 5

Remus woke silently. Snape's sleeping potion had been timed to wear off shortly after the last Skele-Gro potion had finished its work. He had lost bones before but did not remember the joints being so painful coming in. Maybe he was getting old. His best friend's son was nearly a man, which made him, technically, almost old enough to be a grandfather. With that disturbing realization in mind, Remus dressed and headed out of his room. Some food and conversation were needed to quell that depressing line of thought.

Remus had just discovered that the house was empty when the front door opened. Harry's robes were torn and he had black smudges on his face and hands. He was leaning against the doorframe and holding Ginny in trembling arms. Remus grabbed the girl; his newly regrown arm faltered under the weight, but he managed to set her in a chair. "Harry, what-"

With Ginny in Remus' care, Harry closed the door behind him and fell to the floor. Now dealing with two unconscious teens, Remus examined Ginny and sensed lingering magic on her. Not knowing what spell she had been hit with, Remus went to examine Harry's battered form. A large bruise on his neck surely traveled down to his back, and the boy was clearly exhausted, but Remus could find no lingering spells on him ans was satisfied that this was not the worst condition Harry had ever been in.

"Harry! Harry! Wake up!" Remus put his hand on Harry's shoulder to shake him but thought better of it when he remembered the bruise forming on his back. Instead, he pulled him into a sitting position and propped him up against the wall. "Harry! What happened? Where is everyone else?"

When the door opened again, Remus was just able to dodge it. Expecting the worst, Remus crouched low and readied his wand, but quickly stowed it when he discovered Snape floating Ron, Neville and Hermione into the foyer. "What the hell is going on?"

As if he hadn't heard Remus, Snape set the three students' bodies down and aimed his wand at Ginny. "Ennervate." Ginny began to stir, and Remus let out a long breath. "Miss Weasley will be fine. These three are sleeping -a potion of my own making. I have an antidote upstairs." Snape moved further into the house and closed the door behind him, revealing Harry still propped against the wall. Snape stared at the boy for signs of life. "He is breathing."

"Yes, he'll be okay, I think," Remus said. "It looks like he was hit with a few curses, but he's just bruised. No magical effects on him. A healing potion should have him good as new."

"Then I will fetch one as well." Snape's typically hurried pace took him upstairs and out of Remus's sight before he could be questioned about what had happened.

Ginny finally sat up, blinking and holding her head. When she saw her brother, she let out a yelp and fell to her knees next to him.

"He's going to be fine, Ginny," Remus said. "I don't know what happened, but they're sleeping. Professor Snape used a potion on them. He's getting the antidote now. Everything's okay." Ginny finally leaned back and Remus put an arm around her. "What happened?" She opened her mouth to answer but looked past him down the hallway where Snape was walking towards them holding several small vials. Annoyed that he could not seem to get any answers but still relieved that everyone seemed safe and suffering no permanent damage, Remus let the question die. Ginny should look after her brother and friends first. Snape seemed calm, so the danger must have passed.

That was the wrong assumption to make; Remus discovered that almost immediately. The sound of Snape's potions shattering on the floor was nearly drowned out by the twin screams of Snape himself and Harry. Ginny, wide-eyed, jumped up and Remus rushed to check on Harry. Harry was clutching his scar, now, and his scream had subsided into a whimpering sob. Snape had fallen against the wall and slid down it, mirroring Harry's posture from the other side of the foyer. But instead of his head, Severus was holding his arm. Remus knew all too well what the Potions Master bore beneath his robes on that arm. With no idea what to do for either of them, Remus focused on Ginny, who seemed caught between staying with her brother, going to Harry's side, or seeing if her professor needed her aid. "Ginny. Can you find the labels on the bottles Snape dropped?"