Unforgivable Promises (Snarry story)

Chapter 24

Harry dodged an incoming blasting curse and responded with a jinx of his own before ducking into a doorway. He was still a bit surprised that his plan had worked. At the far end of the hallway, Hermione, Neville and Ginny were trying to sort out the locking spell he had put on the only door leading out of the corridor. Meanwhile, Professor Jones, Luna, and Ron were alternately deflecting Harry's spells and responding with their own. Severus stood in the middle of the group, focusing all his attention on taking the offensive against Harry.

Training had taken another turn over the past week. Harry was now pitted against the rest. Severus generally acted the part of Voldemort, Harry's target, while the rest guarded him. The arrangement served two purposes. Voldemort would certainly be protected by Death Eaters under orders to defend their Lord with their lives, and Harry's friends needed to learn to defend Harry while he was preoccupied with the Dark Lord and unable to defend himself.

Risking a quick look down the hall, Harry saw that the whole group had turned its attention to the door. It looked like they were all going to cast an opening charm at once. With Severus in their group, they had the advantage here in the dungeon, and Harry doubted he would have another opportunity to trap them if they succeeded. He tossed a Stinging Hex at the group, which Professor Jones easily deflected, watching anxiously for them to risk a group spell. His guess proved correct when they all raised their wands and Hermione nodded her head as a cue.

"Alohomora," all seven chanted at once.

"Stupefy," Harry said at the same time. Distracted by their own spell, the group had no time to react to Harry's. Sparks and light shot out from the protective shield they had erected over themselves, but Harry's spell won through. As one, they collapsed in a pile. Not a little shocked at his success, he trotted over to them and restored them, one by one, to consciousness.

"Well done, Mr. Potter," Professor Jones said as they sorted themselves out. Harry smiled at the compliment as Ron and Neville jostled him with slaps on his back. Harry turned his eyes to Severus and was greeted with a subtle stirring of the man's mouth. So small few would have noticed it, in Harry's mind, the Potions Master was beaming at him.

"The door's still locked," Hermione said, examining the handle closely. "I thought we'd cast the spell before Harry got us."

"We did," Severus replied. His wand played over the latch, and he turned to Harry. "What charm did you use on this?"

Harry grinned again and confessed to having tried out one of the spells Flitwick had secured the trapdoor at Honeydukes with.

"Our spell should have had enough power to open it, though Alohomora is not the normal counter-charm." Severus muttered a spell under his breath and twitched his wand at the door. The latch glowed briefly then faded, still locked. Raising an eyebrow at Harry that the young man could not quite decipher, he tried again, though this time he was clearly concentrating more intently on the handle. The latch lit up brighter and Severus remained focused on it until the door swung open silently. "I believe tonight's lessons are over," Severus said, glancing at Professor Jones, who nodded in agreement.

"Yes, well done, all of you. Harry may have gotten the best of us," she added good-naturedly, "but you all handled your tasks admirably."

Hopelessly lost from the chase, the students and Jones needed Severus to guide them back to the potions classroom. Jones wished them a good night, and Harry, self-consciously playing the role of, well, someone who was not yearning for a good night kiss from Severus, turned with his friends to leave. Pleasantly, he was stopped by Severus's request that he remain behind. When Neville favored him with a sympathetic look, he responded with what he hoped was a vague mix of worry and annoyance.