JUNE 30, 1997 – Hogwarts

Many proctors had come from the all over the Wizarding World to oversee the exams that Harry, Ron, and Hermione would be taking that day. It was the final day of sixth-year, and while the rest of their class was likely preparing for the leaving feast by partying in their common rooms, strolling on the school grounds, or preparing for the next year, while the Golden Trio would be sequestered in various unused classrooms throughout the school to take their NEWTs. Professor Vector was handling Advanced Arithmancy; Professor Babbling was watching over Ancient Runes; Hagrid was taking care of Care of Magical Creatures; Professor Flitwick was overseeing Charms; Remus was in charge of Defense Against the Dark Arts; Professor Sprout was managing Herbology; Bill, on loan from Gringotts, was supervising History of Magic; Dora had stepped in to take care of Magical Theory; Horace Slughorn was conducting Potions; and Sirius was going over Transfiguration.

Harry tried not to grin, and had managed to be moderately successful, in the weeks following Easter, whenever he saw the ruby ring glinting on Hermione's finger. He, Draco, Ginny, Neville, and Luna had commandeered an Extendable Ear from Fred and George (not telling them what it was for) and had cast a Disillusionment Charm upon it before attaching it via a Sticking Charm to Ron's shoulder. It was an annoying several minutes that followed, but the long-drug out conclusion was that Hermione, in quick succession, had burst into tears, thrown her arms around Ron (nearly dislodging the ear in the process), and happily accepted his marriage proposal. Even though it had only been eight months since the pair of them had become an official couple, Ron assured Hermione that he wouldn't mind a long engagement, which made Hermione cry even harder at the notion that he was supporting her dream to attend Oxford.

Harry did his best to use his time in between Easter and the final day of term to study for his NEWTs, knowing that he would have plenty of time, given that the essays for each class were due a week beforehand, and then they would have all the practical's in one day. For Charms class, they had to produce their Patronus Charms, and, quite soon, a black wolf, Jack Russell terrier, and an otter were running about the classroom, with the wolf howling, the terrier barking, and the otter squeaking.

"Blimey, Harry!" Ron said afterwards. "I didn't know your Patronus changed!"

Harry flushed. "Yeah, it changed right before my last birthday..."

"It may be because Harry is advancing in the Wizarding World, Ron, and he's differentiating himself from his dad. No offense, Harry," said Hermione quickly, looking over at him, not wanting to upset him for losing Prongs.

Harry shook his head at her; he wasn't quite ready to tell her the real reason behind it. "None taken," he assured her.

For Defense Against the Dark Arts, Remus had Harry transform into his Animagus, and Harry strutted about proudly in his black wolf form, much to Remus's amusement. Harry transformed back into his human form again flawlessly, and Remus congratulated him profusely. It was to Remus's shock, however, when two leopards appeared just beside Harry, with Ron's yawning and Hermione's ears twitching.

"They call themselves Ruaidhri and Morena," Harry explained proudly.

Once Remus had successfully recovered him his shock, and Ron and Hermione had turned back into their human forms, Remus applauded them both and assured them that they had both done very well. He then admonished them briefly for not allowing someone in to assist them both in their transformations, but Hermione was quick to wave him off, letting Remus know that Headmistress McGonagall had been supervising them at every turn. Remus, satisfied with this, decided it best to move on from this topic and drop it.

For Herbology, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been instructed to give a presentation based on a plant of their choice. It was long and terribly boring, but, thankfully, they had already handed in their essays on the subject. When it came time for History of Magic, Bill instructed them to study a law in their textbook and then give an oral report on why the law was still considered efficient in the Wizarding World, or if it should be done away with. In Potions, the Golden Trio had to brew a perfect Draught of Peace each, and Harry merely kept his fingers crossed that the entire ordeal was worth a passing mark. And, finally, in Transfiguration, Sirius had them give oral reports on what Animagi were considered beneficial to the Wizarding World.

Harry was exhausted by the time they finished up in Transfiguration; he had packed up his belongings from his dorm upstairs, his heart telling him that he truly wouldn't be back as a student the following year. The Marauder's Map, however, was still in his pocket, which he had utilized over the last several weeks to avoid Severus, purely because the man was avoiding him as well. Sighing, Harry took out the piece of parchment; Remus and Sirius had helped him with it the summer before, so now it had all the secret passageways upon it, as well as the Room of Requirement as well.

As Harry skimmed the various rooms, he was relieved to find that Severus was in his office; he appeared stationary, so Harry assumed that he was likely forming lesson plans for the following year, or, perhaps, grading final exams. Shaking his head, Harry's eyes continued traveling up the staircases and whatnot, but, for some reason, the Room of Requirement seemed to be buzzing. It was a perplexing thing, he realized and, with Ron and Hermione already gone back to the Burrow, Harry knew he would have to do some investigating on his own.

"Wouldn't be the first time," he mused to himself, before heading off in the direction of the Room of Requirement, knowing that Sirius wouldn't be ready to leave yet. Harry found the proper hallway and dashed towards the tapestry that hid the wall from view. He paced back and forth in front of it three times, as was tradition.

I need to know why the Room of Requirement was buzzing on the Marauder's Map.

I need to know why the Room of Requirement was buzzing on the Marauder's Map.

I need to know why the Room of Requirement was buzzing on the Marauder's Map.

Finally, the wall cooperated and they was a chink sound from behind the tapestry and, greatly daring, Harry swung it back and out of the way, the door having appeared before him. Harry blinked, but nevertheless pulled at the handle, and was let inside. There were numerous abandoned pieces of furniture, along with broken odds and ends, scattered in mountainous regions throughout the space, as far as Harry could see. As soon as Harry crossed the threshold completely and heard the door shut behind him, he heard the familiar sound of hissing from somewhere in the room, causing goosebumps to erupt along every inch of his body.

Following the sound was not something altogether unfamiliar to Harry, and he hurried through the space of some of the discarded items before hearing the hissing further towards the left. As he continued, the hissing grew louder and louder until he turned a final corner. Then, they seemed to erupt into an inferno, and Harry came across a rosewood box, elegantly carved, with the curved letters RR woven together upon its smoothed surface, and Harry immediately deduced that Dust Repellent Charms were at work.

Something told Harry not to lift the box at all, and so he cast a Levitation and Disillusionment Charm upon it, before he hurried out of the Room of Requirement. Taking the map out of his pocket again, he saw that Severus was still in his office, and he promptly hurried in that direction, from the seventh floor, and all the way to the dungeons. He somehow managed not to trip and fall in his haste to get there, and, upon arrival, he rapped at the door, mentally crossing his fingers that the man would not only let him in, but, at the very least, hear him out.

Severus himself came to the door shortly thereafter, and Harry felt a rush of relief that the man did not glower down at him. "Potter," he said softly, nodding at him. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

Harry swallowed; dammit, Potter; just get it over with! "May I come in, sir?" he asked, his tone a tentative one. "There is a matter of grave importance that I must discuss with you, and this castle has ears."

Severus gave a shallow nod in agreement at that, before stepping out of the way. "Very well, Potter. Come in."

Harry didn't need to be asked twice as he hurried inside of Severus's office, cancelling the Disillusionment Charm and lowering the box onto Severus's desk. "I was looking over the Marauder's Map earlier, sir," he began, and noticed Severus's lip curling slightly at that, "and saw something interesting."

"Which led you to this rather innocuous-looking box?" the man asked.

Harry sighed. "Remus and Sirius helped me spruce up the map a bit last summer, sir, by adding the hidden passageways of Hogwarts, as well as the Room of Requirement."

Severus blinked. "Room of Requirement?"

Harry bit the inside of his cheek. "It's where we held Dumbledore's Army."

Severus gave a nod at that. "Very well. Carry on."

"Well, when I took a look at the map today, the Room of Requirement was buzzing," Harry said persuasively, knowing just how mad he sounded once he started saying it aloud. "The map was literally buzzing, sir, and the letters informing the viewer where the room was... Well, to be honest, sir, they were flashing."

Severus blinked. "Buzzing? Flashing? Potter, what are you—?"

Harry bit down hard on his lower lip in a moment of anxiety. "It was made with help of magic from the castle, sir, so the castle knows when something is bringing her more harm than good, and, when possible, alerts someone to eradicate the source of evil within her walls."

Severus looked utterly shocked, before his gaze turned to regard the box Harry had brought in, and stared at the top. "RR?" he asked, and turned to look over at Harry.

"It was hissing at me as soon as I stepped inside the Room of Requirement," Harry informed the man, who looked even more shocked than before. "Hence the Levitation and Disillusionment Charms, sir. I didn't want to risk picking it up with my bare hands and potentially poisoning myself with dark magic."

"Very astute of you, Potter," Severus praised, before snapping his fingers, and a pair of black dragonhide gloves came flying from a cupboard, which banged open, and made themselves comfortable on Severus's hands. Approaching the box, Harry immediately moved to stand aside as he watched the man lift the lid of the box and stare inside. "This is the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw," the potions master breathed after a few moments of silence.

Harry blinked. "Lost diadem?" he asked.

Severus regarded Harry over his shoulder. "Yes. Rowena Ravenclaw had a daughter, Helena, also known as the Grey Lady, who is the ghost of Ravenclaw now."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I think Luna mentioned her..."

"Miss Lovegood certainly likes to befriend others," Severus mused. "Anyhow, Helena coveted the piece, but Rowena refused to let her have it. Helena took it and ran away, but felt devasted about it, and hid it in a hollow tree. Rowena asked the Bloody Baron, the ghost of Slytherin House, to fetch her daughter back to her. The Baron, who had been in love with Helena, readily agreed to do so, but when Helena refused to come back with him, the Baron killed her in a fit of rage, before taking his own life."

Harry lowered his eyes, shaking his head. "And they say that love conquers all..."

"Perhaps their love story, and many others, were meant to end in tragedy," Severus said quietly, a sadness creeping into his voice. "However, they do not all end in such a way." The man sighed and summoned a basilisk fang, before he drove it into the center of what appeared to be a sapphire, and the Horcrux hissed, dark brown smoke billowing out of it. "Well, you were correct in your assumption that it was evil, Potter," Severus mused. "It was indeed a Horcrux."

Harry looked up and wrapped his arms around himself—the Diary, the Ring, the Head Boy badge, Salazar Slytherin's Locket, Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, and now Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem. "That's six Horcruxes," he said. "Hermione has mentioned more than once that seven is the most powerful number in all of magic."

"Miss Granger would be correct," Severus responded with a nod.

Harry sighed. "Do you have any idea what the last one could be?"

"I do," Severus responded, and Harry looked up at him. "I believe the final Horcrux to be Riddle's pet, Nagini."

Harry's eyes widened at that. "Do you honestly think you can destroy her without arousing suspicion of any kind?" he breathed.

Severus nodded. "I do," he replied. "My plan is to take a rather large rat and impregnate it with basilisk venom. Rats being Nagini's favorite treat, she will willingly imbue the wretched little rodent," he replied gleefully. "But, I'll do you one better, Potter, because it is Pettigrew who feeds Riddle's precious little Nagini."

Harry, although still horrified, found himself growing aroused at the notion that Severus wished to eliminate the very man who had killed his parents. "You think Riddle will blame Pettigrew for her death?" he asked.

Severus smirked. "I am counting on it, Potter."

Harry sighed, his shoulders deflating slightly. "Well, I know you would like to avenge my mum, given how you felt about her," he mused, before he turned to leave. "It was an honor to be in your classes, sir. Goodbye, professor—"

"Harry," Severus said, and reached out, clasping a firm hand onto Harry's shoulder, and thus impeding him from walking away completely. "I told you as much at Christmas, and I will not hesitate to say it again—I was never, will never, be in love with your mother."

Harry shut his eyes. "But the way you speak of her..."

Severus continued patiently, "My love for her is the love you feel for Miss Granger or Miss Weasley—that of a sister. I will never be in love with a woman, Harry, for such a thing is utterly and completely impossible for me."

Harry's eyes snapped open at that, peering and looking over his shoulder at the man. "Sir, are you saying that you're—?"

"As much as I wish to answer that question, Harry, I refuse to do so until you are seventeen, and have your NEWTs," Severus said firmly. "Not a moment before."

Harry's shoulders slumped even further. "Severus..."

Severus shook his head. "Harry, please, be reasonable. I cannot..."

Harry shut his eyes, turning away from the man as he felt hot tears entering his eyes. "I know you don't wish to be sacked..."

"It is more than that, Harry, I assure you," Severus said quietly. "It has to do with you, Harry, and me not wishing to take advantage of your life, as so many others have done."

Harry trembled beneath Severus's hand. "Just... Please, tell me one thing."

"If it is in my power to tell you, Harry, I shall," the potions master replied.

Harry turned towards the man completely then, and asked, "Would you honestly say that I have cause to hope?" he asked. "Hope that you and I will actually have a discussion, when I turn seventeen and have my NEWTs, about this...about us?"

Severus gave Harry a small smile. "Yes, Harry. I swear to you that, once you are seventeen and you have your NEWTs scores, I will discuss all matters pertaining to us with you."

Harry did his best to temper down the flutter in his heart then, and, finally, put out his hand. "In a month, then, Severus."

Severus chuckled, and put out his hand. "Thirty-one days, more like, Harry."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm rounding down, because the day is nearly halfway over," he said cheekily, before running the pad of his thumb along Severus's knuckles as he let him go. He turned back to the door, before swiveling his head around one final time to smile at Severus. "I will see you in a month, Severus Snape. Don't..." His smile faltered for a moment. "Please, don't forget me," he said softly, before he hurried out of Severus's office, without looking back, before he headed upstairs to meet Sirius, and to leave Hogwarts for the last time as a student.

END OF PART TWO