39 Chapter - 39 : Revelations Part - 2
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While he'd been shocked and disappointed to see Snape alive after having killed him once, it didn't appear that he'd robbed Bellatrix of her kill after all. She's just taken longer to get to him, that's all.
"Unfortunately, Snape appears to have survived both his deaths," he commented.
"Unfortunate? Harry!"
The Boy-Who-Lived placed his finger gently over Hermione's mouth, stopping her rant. Gently, he instructed. "Hermione, we both saw him die, not once but twice. We didn't miss anything and we weren't mistaken. First his head exploded, which is not something even wizards survive, and then he burned to ashes right before our eyes. That's not something you can fake. He died both times."
"But... he's alive," the brainy girl muttered. "We saw him after. He..."
"And that's our problem," Harry instructed. "There are a number of ways that a wizard can survive having died, but they are all, every one of them, tremendously dark rituals. So..."
Finally her eyes widened. "Harry! Are you saying Snape..?"
"Is it really any surprise?" Harry gently teased.
They walked in silence for some time while Hermione worked to get her eyes to stop bugging out, and her wild thoughts under control. "But, if that's true..." she started.
"The most likely method he used was a horcrux, a soul anchor," Harry informed her, letting Luna quietly listen in to their discussion. "The Hogwarts library card catalog lists the books that show you how to make one. They are in the Restricted Section, but we know that's not any barrier to students, and certainly none to professors."
"But, if he's using it for good purposes..." Hermione began trying to justify such a thing. After all, Dumbledore trusted him.
"Hah!" Harry snorted. "The price for the creation of a horcrux is to commit murder. Not just cause death, but cold-blooded murder of an innocent. But to any dark wizard that isn't a price at all, that's free! They commit murder for fun and profit! It is their SPORT! To say they can not only have their games of death, but gain a form of immortality at the same time? There's no cost to them in that. No, it's a wonder every Death Eater hasn't had a horcrux!"
"We know Snape was a Death Eater in the last war," Luna agreed. "In fact, a very high ranking one in their organization, reporting directly to Voldemort - and he was responsible for passing on information targeting Harry's parents for death. He, more than anyone save for Voldemort himself, is responsible for Harry being an orphan."
Hermione went back to gaping again. Once her astonishment was more fully mastered, the girl sputtered. "But..! He's a TEACHER! He shouldn't be..!"
Finally frustrated, Harry rounded on her, stopping the groups progress. "Hermione, do you commit murder or rape?"
"No!" She cried, shocked and appalled at the question.
"But you do admit that those things happen in our world?" He shot back.
"Yes," she allowed, puzzled.
"So," he concluded, "If you would not do them, but they happen, then it is clear that not everyone out there thinks or feels or acts the way you do."
She thought about it a moment before nodding, having never come to that realization before.
Harry sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes and thank god she'd finally seen that one, key issue. "That something 'shouldn't be' doesn't mean it isn't! Okay. So, the question no longer becomes why would YOU do something like that, but why another person might. Right? And to that we have plenty of answers. Think of a million cheesy mystery novels and you'll get just as many motives. Who would put a murderer in place to teach at a school?"
"Someone who wants someone murdered would be one possibility," Luna supplied, feeling helpful. "And..." she drawled, "Since we already know that a person or persons has been working to isolate and destroy Harry..."
Hermione was back to shaking her head. "No! They'd first have to get it past Dumbledore! And I don't think..."
"You're not thinking, you're trusting," Luna corrected. "Just like with Ron."
Hermione stopped in her tracks.
"Leader of the Free World is a very nice sounding title, but has every United States President been fully deserving of our respect?" Harry asked gently.
"No," his best friend shook her head, not liking where this was going.
"What did Voldemort want?" Harry asked, changing the topic.
"To rule the wizarding world," the bushy haired one supplied cautiously.
"Who does?" he asked, very reasonably.
"Loads of people," she answered. "There's the Wizengamot..."
"Which is led by Dumbledore," he interrupted.
"But there is a magical legislature! It's..."
"Also headed by Albus Dumbledore," he coolly supplied.
"But there's the Minister of Magic! He..."
"Is famous for having worn out several post owls a year asking Dumbledore for advice on every subject, and over everything he does. Something he's done across his entire term of office, after Dumbledore turned down the job." Harry gave in to the urge to roll his eyes.
"And you missed one," Luna supplied rather helpfully. "It's the International Confederation of Wizards - also headed by Albus Dumbledore."
Hermione was staring at them, then frowned. "But having power doesn't make someone evil..."
"Neither does it make them pure and white. THINK Hermione!" Harry pled. "If you wanted to rule the wizarding world, what would you want that Dumbledore doesn't ALREADY HAVE?!"
The girl was left speechless.
"Hitler and Stalin had loads of power. Being in charge doesn't necessarily make anyone a nice person!" Harry insisted.
"But he defeated Grindelwald," Hermione objected in a small voice.
"Stalin helped defeat Hitler," Harry answered simply back. "That didn't stop him from murdering twenty million of his own countrymen in bloody purges." He sighed, but forged on, closing his eyes. "And I defeated Voldemort, but you don't see me holding virtually every office of authority in our world."
At that Hermione ventured a small smile. "No, I don't."
It was actually reassuring. He was just Harry.
Harry steeled himself, before continuing to walk out into the Forbidden Forest with the girls huddled with him underneath the invisibility cloak and holding a whispered conversation.
"Hermione, do you know why this forest was originally forbidden?"
"Yes, of course. Hogwarts: A History is always talking about the various dark creatures in there," the young lady answered.
Harry couldn't help but chuckle.
"What's wrong?" she pressed him, confused at his reaction.
"I'm not laughing at you, just the situation. I've read that book myself, and it is wrong on this issue. Only the latest printings carry that explanation. There was a copy printed in the 1940s, before Dumbledore became Headmaster, that had an entirely different version of that story."
Hermione stopped and faced him, sucking in her lips. "Can you let me read it?"
"Of course, but I can also summarize the details," he answered affably.
Hermione dragged him over to a stump and sat them down on it, looking up at him expectantly.
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