The Four Swords of Hogwarts

Chapter 13: A World Turned Upside Down

"How could you have been so reckless?" Snape said to a younger Harry with a bandaged arm.

"I'm sorry, but we had to save Ginny and we couldn't find anyone that would help," Harry said.

"You almost died," Snape said firmly though his tone was full of concern rather than anger.

"I know," Harry said quietly, dropping his eyes.

Snape sighed and gently tugged Harry's uninjured arm to pull him against his chest in a hug. Harry wrapped his arms around the man and laid his head against the warm chest.

"I won't do it again, promise," Harry mumbled.

Snape's chest bounced lightly with his quiet chuckle. "Yes, you will, child, but it is alright."

"Potter, what do you want?"

Harry shook himself, pulling himself from the vision that had appeared randomly when he entered the Defense classroom. His lips twitched, wanting to smile at the vision, a part of him wishing it was real. He brought himself back to the current moment, seeing Snape's raised eyebrow and slightly annoyed expression. He'd decided to forgo lunch in favour of talking to Snape about everything Slughorn had told him and the curious letter he had received the previous night. Considering the man was one of Hogwarts' heroes, it felt like Snape was one of the only professors they could trust. He crossed the room so he was standing in front of Snape at his desk.

"Sir, I have something to show you," Harry said, deciding it would be easier to deal with the letter first. He held it out when Snape looked at him in question. He waited, chewing the inside of his cheek, as the man's eyes darted over the short note and narrowed before flicking back to him.

"What is this?" Snape asked shortly.

"I found it last night," Harry said. "When I got back to the dorm, it was on my pillow. I think it's from Voldemort."

"How is that possible?"

Harry just shrugged. Just because he thought it was from Voldemort, it didn't mean he was certain or that he knew the how or why.

Snape's eyes narrowed again as he looked at Harry and leaned forward. "You had better not be considering this."

Harry shifted uncomfortably. "I mean—"

Snape's sharp gaze turned into a hard glare. "Potter, think for once in your life and don't be an utter idiot."

Harry huffed and rolled his eyes. "I am thinking. I told you about it, didn't I, rather than just running off on my own?"

Snape just continued staring at him.

"Why shouldn't we think about it?" Harry asked and Snape's expression turned slightly dumbfounded, as though he couldn't comprehend Harry's idiocy.

"Has it not been your theory that it is Riddle responsible for everything?" Snape said pointedly. "Not to mention everything else he has been responsible for."

"What if we're wrong?" Harry responded quickly, gaining a questioning look from the professor. "What if everything we think we know is wrong?"

They stared at each other intently.

"What are you talking about?" Snape asked.

"You mean, besides everything already going on trying to tell us we're wrong?" Harry said and then sighed. "I talked to Slughorn last night and he told me—showed me a memory—about Tom Riddle in school."

Snape raised an eyebrow, silently asking why this was relevant.

"According to Slughorn, Tom had no interest in the Dark Arts, that he was actually happy," Harry said. "He said Tom changed after opening the Chamber of Secrets as though under a compulsion or Mind Magic."