Snarry-a-Thon13: FIC: Harry Potter and the Quest for Severus Snape Title: Harry Potter and the Quest for Severus Snape Author:flaminia_x Rating: PG Word count: ~2,750 Content/Warning(s): None Prompt: #90: Right after the end of the Final Battle, everything goes awry. Snape's body has disappeared, it's raining frogs and Luna is starting to make sense. Oh, and there's a strange bat following Harry everywhere. Summary: I think the prompt sums it up. ;) A/N: This was amazing fun to write! I'm a big fan of humor so this prompt grabbed me from the get-go, and I'm hoping everyone enjoys themselves. Also, I, uh, borrowed somewhat from Castlevania and the Legend of Zelda, though I'd say this is more of a mash-up than a cross-over.
Harry Potter and the Quest for Severus Snape
"Come on, Hermione," Harry panted. "This way!"
"Where are we going?" Ron asked, winded. "Can't we just rest a while? We just won the bloody battle, after all!"
"It's not right," Harry said. "Not without Snape. He saved us all!"
"He's right, Ron," Hermione said. "Without Snape, we'd all be dead. Especially Harry."
"I know, I know," Ron said.
"To the Shrieking Shack, then," Harry said.
The trio stumbled into the dilapidated shack, struggling to adjust their eyes to the darkness.
"Oh, are you looking for Professor Snape, then?" A small beam of light fell from a cracked window onto Luna Lovegood, sitting serenely in the center of the room.
"Luna!" Hermione exclaimed.
"What are you doing here, Luna?" Harry asked, bewildered. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"No, I"m fine," Luna said. "Thank you, Harry. But our princess is in another castle!"
"What?" Ron spluttered.
"Hermione, did she just say – what I think she said?" Harry asked, confused.
"I'm – not sure, but I think so," Hermione said. Stepping forward, she waved her hand in front of the other girl's face.
"I'm perfectly awake, Hermione," Luna said, smiling. "But thank you for checking. You're quite considerate, you know, when you want to be."
"Oh – er, thanks, Luna," Hermione mumbled. Looking at Harry, she shrugged.
"Hey! Look out!" Luna cried suddenly, pointing.
Harry turned and only just ducked as a large black bat flew at his face. "What the – " he cried, swatting at the thing hastily with his hands.
The bat pulled up and circled lazily overhead before perching itself upside down on a beam above Harry's head. It squeaked once and settled its wings across its chest, all the while keeping a watchful eye on Harry.
"Um, what is going on, exactly, Luna?" Harry asked.
"You were looking for Professor Snape, were you not?" she asked primly.
"Yes," Ron said. "We don't know if he's dead or alive, but this is the last place he was, so … "
"Quite," Luna said. "But his body is not here. If you wish to find him, it will require patience and strategy, brawn and brains, for he is in another castle."
"But the only castle around here is Hogwarts …" Ron said.
Luna smiled at him and rocked in her chair.
"Okay … will you come with us, then, Luna?" Harry asked.
"I thought you'd never ask. Let's go!" she said.
The four of them took off toward Hogwarts, trying to avoid the war-weary people milling about the castle grounds, but there were simply too many of them.
"Oh, look, Harry, there's Lucius Malfoy," Hermione said, pointing.
Just then, the bat from the shack launched itself forward, squeaking mightily. As it neared the elder Malfoy, it batted its wings about the man's head, causing him to squeal in a most undignified fashion. Malfoy flapped his enchained hands to keep the bat away, but the creature merely flew quickly back to Harry's side.
Ron and Hermione glanced quizzically at one another, but Harry's eyes were locked questioningly on the bat.
Luna waved. "This way!" she said, pointing toward a hole in the castle wall.
"Where are we?" Ron asked. "I don't remember this room."
"No," Hermione mused. "I would have thought we'd be upstairs here, but instead, we must be in some sort of lower level. Close to the dungeons, perhaps."
"Look!" Luna exclaimed, pointing toward a dusty doorway.
"Stairs?" Harry asked. "Is Snape down there, Luna?"
The girl just shrugged and continued pointing.
"Harry, wait, I'm going with you," Ron said. Pulling out his wand, he whispered a quiet Lumos and walked toward the door. Together, he and Harry crept down the stairway, the bat circling close behind.
A second later, Hermione and Luna heard Ron give a blood-curdling shriek, and Harry shouted loudly. Running pell-mell down the stairs, the two of them caught up with the boys in the lower room.
"What? What is it?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"Spiders," Ron said, shuddering.
"Yeah, loads of them," Harry said with a set jaw. "But, uh, Mr. Bat here got every single one of them."
Indeed, the bat had settled onto a nearby ledge and was looking rather smug, if a bat could do so.
"Look!" Luna said, pointing down to the middle of the room.
"What is that?" Ron asked.
"It looks like Hagrid's flute, the one he always used to play back in the day," Hermione said. Pulling out her wand, she ran a few simple diagnostic spells. "It's safe," she continued.
"A magic whistle! That could be useful," Luna said pleasantly.
"Right," Harry said. "But for what? Is it going to help me find Snape?"
"Your princess is in another castle," Luna replied.
"Why on earth does she keep saying that?" Harry whispered sotto voce to Hermione.
"What does it even mean?" Ron asked, confused.
"I don't know," Hermione said in response to both questions.
"D'you think the battle … you know, scrambled her brains a bit?" Ron asked.
"Well, it is Luna, after all," Harry said. "She's probably fine. Besides, the only thing that matters is finding Snape, remember?"
The bat preened on its ledge.
"Maybe this whistle has something to do with it," Harry said, looking down at the thing dubiously. Putting it to his lips, he blew gently, but no sound came out.
"It's broken?" Hermione asked.
Ron shook his head. "It doesn't look broken. Maybe we just can't hear it."
"Hey! Look!" Luna shouted, pointing at the bat, who had leapt off the ledge and was flying quickly around the room.
"Yeah, Harry, that must be it," Ron said excitedly. "We can't hear it, but maybe the bat can."
"So … the bat is going to show us the way to Snape?" Harry asked.
"Stranger things have happened, Harry," Hermione said ruefully. "Follow that bat!"
The bat flew back up the stairs and out through the blown-out wall. Every few feet, Harry blew gingerly on the whistle, and the bat took off.
The four of them ran after the bat, but before they could get past the Whomping Willow again, they were interrupted by the last person any of them wanted to see.
"So!" Rita Skeeter said, sucking on her teeth and looking beadily at them. "Harry Potter, boy who lived and lived and lived, what have you to say for yourself now that He-Who-Must-aaaaah!"
Before she could even finish her question, the bat had doubled back and had dive bombed directly into her face, beating her about the head with its wings.
"Does that bat look bigger to you than it did before?" Ron whispered to Hermione with a grin.
"Yeah, a little," Hermione agreed. "I wonder …"
As Rita ran away shrieking, the bat circled around Harry before coming to perch on his shoulder.
"Er, thanks, little guy," Harry said, looking down at the bat curiously.
The bat smacked him on the back of his head with a wing.
"Oh, right," Harry said. "Sorry." Putting the whistle to his mouth again, he blew, and the bat took off like a bat out of … well, you know.
"I think he's heading toward the Black Lake," Ron shouted. "Come on, let's go!"
The four of them raced toward the lake, where the bat had paused to dangle upside down from a tree branch.
Harry hurriedly put the whistle to his mouth and blew. A huge gust of wind came up, and the four of them ducked down hastily, protecting their faces from flying debris.
"Hey! Look!" Luna shouted, pointing at the lake, which was now suddenly empty of water.
"Blimey …" Ron whispered. "Where'd the water go?"
Just then, a few droplets of rain and a small, wet frog fell onto Ron's head.
"Watch out!" Luna said, ducking, as the sky began raining frogs and one very confused grindylow.
The bat, seeing the small creature, opened its mouth and let loose a single fireball, evaporating the grindylow. It then belched contentedly and groomed its face with a single claw.
"Riiight …" Harry said, shaking his head.
"Come on, then, into the lake, before the rain fills it back up!" Hermione said. Grabbing Harry and Ron, she pushed them toward the now empty basin.
The four of them, followed by the bat, ran down into the muddy bottom of the Black Lake.
"Look!" Luna said, pointing.
"Oh, wow, that must be the castle of the Selkies!" Ron said excitedly.
"Your princess is in another castle …" Hermione mused. "Harry, I bet Luna was telling you that Snape is here!"
"Let's go, then," Harry said firmly.
Trudging through the thick muck and weeds, the four of them sloshed to the castle door, the bat conveniently fire-balling any residual grindylows.
"Well, now what?" Ron said, trying the door cautiously.
"The whistle again?" Harry asked. He blew through it softly, but to no avail.
"No, look there," Hermione said, pointing at an emblem of a bat etched into the stone next to the door.
Harry traced the emblem with his finger. The bat squeaked shrilly and launched itself at Harry, perching on his shoulder and repeatedly rubbing his head affectionately on Harry's face.
"Hey, there, little guy, what's all this?" Harry asked bemusedly. "I like you too, mate."
The bat hugged its clawed wings around Harry's neck and batted his beady eyes up at him adoringly, then flew off into the sky. A moment later, he dove toward the front door and, with a squawk, launched a big fireball directly at the castle.
The door disintegrated in mere moments.
"Well, that was helpful," Hermione said.
"Come on, then," Harry shouted, pulling them all inside.
"Look!" Luna said.
They peered into the darkness. Suddenly, Harry shouted. "He's here!"
Running over to the main hall, they saw the pale, still body of Severus Snape lying on a bier.
"Is he alive?" Ron asked.
"I dunno," Hermione said, walking around him. "He doesn't even appear to be injured, but … but that can't be right, can it?"
"Can we wake him up?" Ron asked. He gingerly wiggled the man's foot with one finger, but with no result.
"Listen!" Luna said, holding a hand up to her ear.
"Oh no …" Harry said. "The Selkies are coming back!"
The King of the Selkies strode angrily into the hall, mouth open and trident pointing ferociously at the gang of humans.
The bat swooped up in the air, inhaling.
"No, wait, listen," Hermione said frantically. "Selkies love music! Play the whistle, Harry!"
Frantically, Harry lifted the whistle to his mouth and began to blow. Astonishingly, the Selkie King immediately stopped his advances and began to dance, swaying sinuously to the silent tune.
After a minute or two, the Selkie stopped. "Hey! What a nice tune! Just like that, my depression is all gone. Something just came over me! I suddenly wanted to dance like crazy! I am Darunia! I'm the King of the Selkies! Was there something you wanted to ask me about?"
"Uh," Harry said warily. "Sure. This man is our … friend, Professor Snape. We came to rescue him. Can we have him back now?"
"If you can awaken him from his magical sleep, you may have him back, but if you cannot, he must stay here with us to heal," the King said.
"How do we wake him up?" Ron whispered.
"If me killing Voldemort, a giant whirlwind, raining frogs, a fireball-breathing bat, and this whistle haven't woken him up yet, I don't know what will," Harry said mournfully.
"Uh, Harry, I think I know how you're supposed to wake him up," Hermione said apologetically. "Luna kept calling him your princess. That must make you …"
"What, like Prince Charming, or something?" Harry said, wide-eyed.
"Yeah, kind of," Hermione said.
"So … you have to kiss Snape," Ron said blankly, shuddering.
The bat squeaked and smacked Ron across the back of the head with one wing.
Harry blushed. "Oh. Oh! Well then …"
Without looking at any of his companions, he strode immediately to Snape's bedside. Lowering himself to one knee, he whispered to himself, "Well, here goes nothing," and kissed him gently on the lips.
The bat squealed joyously and flew over to land on Harry's shoulder.
"I see you've figured it out," a gravelly voice spoke from the bier.
"Professor Snape!" Harry cried out.
"He's awake?" Ron asked.
"It worked?!" Hermione shouted.
"Look!" Luna said.
Harry looked besottedly down at Snape. "I … erm, I mean … that was … nice. I mean, more than nice. I mean … are you alright?"
"Thanks to you and your friends, here," Snape said, looking warmly at Harry. "And this little one." Reaching out one finger, he encouraged the bat to hop over.
"This is my familiar. You all didn't know how close you were when you called me the black bat of the dungeons," Snape chortled.
"But sir," Hermione interrupted. "What happened to you? What … what was all this?"
"I trust that you've defeated Voldemort at last?" Snape asked. Receiving confirming nods from everyone, he smiled and continued. "I was sorely injured at the Shack, as you know, but Luna here had the presence of mind to throw me into the Lake."
"What?!" Harry screeched, glaring daggers at the still-smiling young woman.
"Relax, dearest," Snape continued. "She did exactly what I had instructed her to do. The Selkies and I had formed quite a nice working relationship over the years, and their magic is such that time passes differently under the water than on dry land. The King brought me here and healed me. I imagine I've been here for at least a month, resting and hoping you would be able to follow Luna and my little friend here."
"Well, sort of," Hermione said. "We just rather figured Luna was being Luna, but a weirdly Muggle Luna, if that makes sense."
"She kept talking like a Nintendo," Harry blurted.
"I knew you and Hermione, at least, might get my references," Snape said with an apologetic glance at Ron. "But any Death Eater trying to get information from her would be at a total loss."
Ron nodded. "Makes sense."
"Luna, are you alright now?" Snape asked.
"Oh, perfectly, sir," Luna said. "I was worried for a while about Harry, though. Nargles, you see. I trust you've been vaccinated? After all, you two will be growing quite close now."
"Yes, Luna, thank you," Snape said with a laugh.
"We – we will?" Harry asked, half cautiously and half hopefully.
"Well, yes," Snape said. "We're bonded for life now. Hope that's alright."
"Wow," Ron and Hermione mouthed at each other.
"I – I think that might be alright," Harry said, blushing.
"My familiar would only appear to the one who bothered to look for me after the battle, and would only help the one to whom I was meant to be bonded. That's you, Harry," Snape explained, smiling. "I'm not at all surprised."
"I guess I'm not, either," Harry said, the corners of his mouth twitching upward in a smile.
"Well, not to interrupt," Hermione said, interrupting, "but the fireballs were a nice touch."
"Thank you, Hermione," Snape said graciously.
"But," Hermione continued, "we should probably think about getting out of here. The Lake seems to be returning …"
They looked down and indeed, the water was up to their knees.
Snape chuckled. "Harry, if you wish, you will learn many things from me in the future. But for now, what do you think about becoming a bat?"
"Is there any answer other than yes?" Harry answered with a smile.
"That's my Harry," Severus said, and with a wave of his wandless hand, transformed himself and Harry into bats. The two of them and Snape's familiar each took hold of one of the remaining three and flew them out of the lake.
Once standing on dry land, Ron and Hermione looked at one another with a smile. Harry and Severus were staring into each other's eyes, and slowly their hands found one another.
"Right," Ron said. "We're just going to go find the family. You two come find us when … when you're ready." Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Your quest is over, Harry Potter," Luna said. "I wish the two of you many happy years together."
"Thanks, Luna," Harry said. Turning to Snape, he said, "Well, it's just the two of us. What should we do now?"
"I think you are ready for a new quest," Severus said with a smirk. "Come with me, Harry …"