A Little Help from a Snake // Tomarry

Part 62*

Revised: January 1, 2022 (dear lord, that looks weird)

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Look, I know you want to kill me for that cliffhanger............ and that's all I got to say on that. Enjoy this chapter!

Something was wrong. Harry didn't need to be a Seer to know that. He took his seat at the Slytherin table and put some food on a plate, but his mind wasn't on that. He kept thinking of Luna's words — "It isn't spring yet" — and the anxiety that had flickered in her eyes when she said it.

He raised his eyes to the High Table. Most of the professors there didn't seem to notice anything was amiss, but Dumbledore had an usually somber expression. Nearby, Severus kept glancing sideways to the empty seat next to him. It took a moment longer than Harry would have like to admit to realize what was wrong.

Remus was missing.

Severus' eyes locked with Harry's with a questioning glint. Harry gave a minute shrug, feeling helpless. Frustration flickered across Severus' face before he turned to McGonagall.

Harry glanced over at the Ravenclaw table where Luna sat with her back to him. She had a plate full of food in front of her, but she had barely touched it.

"May I have your attention please?" Dumbledore had risen to his feet.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"I am afraid I bring bad news," he began. He paused as if bracing himself. "Professor Lupin is in league with Voldemort."

Harry stiffened, staring up at him in shock. All around, murmuring broke out.

"Except..." Dumbledore paused again. "It is not Voldemort the way we've come to know him as. Dark magic had enabled him to come back in younger version, specifically the one that had opened the Chamber of Secrets."

Here, Dumbledore cast a sympathetic glance over at the Gryffindor table. Ginny's face had grown white and she looked like she was about to be sick.

"He and Lupin are now being held in Azkaban awaiting for a trial. I expect the Daily Prophet will have more information soon." He sat down, ending the announcement.

More whispering broke out among the students. One or two voices sounded satisfied, saying they knew they shouldn't have trusted a werewolf. Harry, though, just sat there staring blankly down.

"Harry?" Draco was staring at him in concern.

"Not now."

To his relief, he didn't push it. "You need to eat something. You barely touched your plate last night."

Harry sighed, knowing he was right, and forced himself to take tiny mouthfuls of soup. But the looks being thrown his way became too much for him and he abruptly left the Hall.

Azure was snoozing on his bed when he entered the dorm. 'Harry,' she said, instantly alert. 'What's wrong?'

Harry sat down heavily. 'Dumbledore found out about Tom.'

'He what?' Azure raised her head until she was eye level. 'That's impossible! How?'

'I don't know.' Harry was starting to feel sick.

Azure started hissing curses under her breath, her tail lashing in agitation. Harry couldn't find the strength to comfort her; he just lay on his back staring up at the canopy.

He wished spring had never arrived.

The first thing Tom registered when he came to was that it was freezing and that his arms were suspended above him. He forced himself to open his eyes and look up. In the dim light from high above, he could just make out the heavy manacles around his wrists. He tugged at them without really trying to break free and the cold metal pressed against his skin.