Unforgivable Promises (Snarry story)

Chapter 16

"Yes, sir. It was the same spells every time and always in the same order." Harry was being grilled by Flitwick now. McGonagall had already hammered him with questions after Dumbledore had had his turn. He was exhausted, and as much as the memory of the half dozen Markings he had witnessed made his stomach churn, he pressed on. Hermione had become the unofficial scribe, taking down every question and answer in Dumbledore's office.

"I don't understand it, Albus." The diminutive professor shook his head. "There are several spells I don't recognize, but even so, I see no way for them to behave the way the Mark is purported to. I was always under the impression that the Marking was done with a single spell." He frowned and looked around the room a moment. Harry suspected there was something else he wanted to ask. Dumbledore must have sensed that as well.

"What is it, Filius?"

The man smiled nervously. "Well, Headmaster, I understand that I do not normally attend, ah, discussions such as this one. So I hope you will all forgive me if I am treading on a well-worn path. Severus, you have firsthand knowledge of the Marking. Is there anything beyond the spell-casting done? Perhaps another step that young Harry is not aware of?"

Snape shook his head. "No, Mr. Potter witnessed the entire procedure. Indeed, he knows more about it than I or anyone else does, now. Outside of the Dark Lord, of course." Harry shivered at the thought of sharing something else with Voldemort. "The Marking is far too painful for anyone undergoing it to remember details. And no one else is permitted to stand close enough to hear anything over the screams. I, too, assumed it to be a single complex spell."

Flitwick nodded in response but looked frustrated at the answer. "No potions are taken prior, then?"

"No. As I said, Potter has described the entire ceremony."

"Yes, of course, Severus. You did say that. If the description is complete, then my knowledge must be lacking."

"Well, then, I believe the next step would be to discover the effects of the spells Mr. Potter has named. Filius, I would be greatly relieved to know you are helping us with this, though I will not demand it of you."

The small man was wringing his hands together nervously. "No need to demand it, Albus. I will provide what aid I can."

Dumbledore smiled brightly. "Then we are sure to succeed."

"I suggest we all begin with our respective specialties, then," McGonagall said to her fellow faculty members. "The restricted section, no doubt, will hold any answers that are to be found in Hogwarts."

Hermione let out something between a squeal and a cough. All eyes turned to her. Harry wondered if they had all forgotten the girl was in the room. Even he had been feeling left out once Flitwick had finished his questions for him. "Sorry, Professors, I don't mean to interrupt."

"Nonsense, Miss Granger," Dumbledore replied. "Did you have something to add?"

"Yes, sir. Or, that is to say, I may. I've got something of a list of what Voldemort can do through the Mark, various properties it has displayed, and so on. Some of it's based on what we've witnessed happen to Professor Snape, but mostly I recorded what Harry's seen."

McGonagall beamed at her pupil proudly. "Well done, Miss Granger. If we can narrow down a list of effects, we can conduct a more direct search. You have this list with you?"

"No, professor, it's in some of my notebooks back in the tower. I can get it, though."

"We can set up a workspace of our own in the faculty lounge, then. It's near enough to the library. Yes, Miss Granger, I think you should fetch your books immediately."