Chapter 7

 

  Severus could have sworn he was actually nervous, something he'd never suffered through before.

  It had taken Harry several weeks to convince him to talk to Dumbledore about his unwanted initiation into Voldemort's Death Eaters. He had actually been scared as he had stood before the gargoyle, but this was a life or death situation he was now in. No, the only thing dangerous about the meeting with the headmaster had been the chance of expulsion. Now, though, he was standing among twenty other new Death Eaters to see if they would be joining the Inner Circle.

  He had graduated with honors from Hogwarts; his NEWTs score a respectable fourteen out of fifteen possible. Only two others had tied and none above. Lily Evans - soon to be Mrs. James Potter - and Harry had tied with him, and as long as it wasn't Potter or Black, he had been prepared to be nice, but didn't need it. Those two had scored a twelve and Lupin thirteen. The pathetic Pettigrew had gotten an eight, while Lucius scored a ten. Malfoy senior had then visited the dungeons of Slytherin and had pointed Severus out as an example. He had cringed as Tiberius Malfoy had upheld his learning standards to the whole of Slytherin. The other graduating seventh years had not been amused.

  The only thing that had helped it smooth over was that Severus had left immediately to study for his mastery in potions. A two year long intensive study with an exhaustive weeklong testing at the end, it had given Severus the reprieve he'd been hoping for. Voldemort had approved of the move, stating that he didn't min waiting that long if he gained a Potions master out of it.

  What everybody else hadn't known, but for a select few, was that Harry had accompanied him. The other man had refused the Aurors' offer to train with them, and instead had given the excuse that he was going to search for clues to just who we was. Not many knew he was from a different time - something that had surprised Severus when Harry had eventually told him - so it was easy for people to believe it. So, every once in a while, Harry would show up at the Potters or Abbotts house for a couple of days before supposedly continuing his search, but in reality returning to Severus.

 

  Three hours later, Severus barely gathered enough energy, both physically and mentally) to apperate home. Voldemort had conducted very thorough interviews of his 'newest' Death Eaters. Most of them hadn't passed muster enough to gain access to the Inner Circle. Those that did - Severus included - had then been treated to a special show. The rejected Death Eaters had been punished according to the wrong answers they had given the Dark Lord. The main 'entertainment' of the night had been a Muggle family Lucius had proudly offered to his lord. The Malfoy heir had faltered for the briefest of moments before turning a malicious yet questioning look to Voldemort.

  Severus had wanted to run at the first curse flung at the family. The skin-flaying spell had hit the eldest child, even as his parents had tried to protect the younger three. The boy, who was around nine, had screamed. After a minute, everything had exploded. Each of the Death Eaters had been expected to help in the torture. The new potions master had flung a couple of hexes that looked painful but wouldn't be noticed as such in the confusion.

  As suddenly as it had started it stopped. Voldemort stepped down from his seat and stepped on the parents, who had finally stopped gurgling in pain and anguish. A lone cry came from the youngest child, an infant of around four months. The Dark Lord, his dark and almost red eyes shining dementedly, turned to Severus as he levitated the child into his arms.

  "Severus," cam the sibilant voice that had convinced many to join his cause. "I believe you will need this thing as an ingredient in the potion I want you to make."

  His eyes widened for a second in horror before he made himself look surprised.

  "My lord," he breathed, "I would be honored to make the ^@^@$#%%&^& potion for you. When do you require it?"

  "The end of next month will suffice, Severus."

  Severus clutched the baby tight and had then wandered about the deserted moor Voldemort and the rest of the Death Eaters had then abandoned on a quest for more blood. Finally, he collected himself together with the thought that Harry would know what to do.

 

******

  "Angelina."

  Severus looked up from the potions book he was searching through. "Her name?"

  Harry nodded. He looked very natural holding the baby in his arms. His fingers brushed a dark cheek before much smaller fingers grabbed a hold of one of his.

  "Such a pretty, little girl," the green eyed man cooed at her. "We can find you a nice home real quick."

  Severus tried to hold back a smile at the other man's cooing. Most of the children he brought home were of this age, ever since he'd started bringing them home. Voldemort's potion request had led him on a quest of those families that had children of this age - all being from Muggle families and would eventually attended Hogwarts. They wouldn't be missed by the Ministry, as the only way to really track them was once they were five and their magic activated fully.

  Dumbledore had come up with the suggestion that Severus substitute dragon's blood when Voldemort wanted it. The effects of using the blood wouldn't show up immediately, and would be covered up with the order that Dumbledore headed counterattacked.

  Voldemort had earmarked Halloween as a good time to start eliminating his most powerful enemies - the heirs of the other founders. He would start with Hufflepuff's heirs first, because they were the most prolific. Plus, Gryffindor's heirs hid themselves better - at least in terms of their family tree, since most didn't even know they were of his blood.

  Severus wondered if the dark lord was deliberately doing it this way to replay the fight of Gryffindor/Slytherin with a new winner.

  In the meanwhile, he was targeting those future Muggle born students using the same spell the Ministry used for Hogwarts' acceptance letters by way of Lucius' information. The Malfoy heir had recently come into his own with his inheritance of the estate and a job within the Ministry, and had become quite a favorite with Voldemort. His reputation grew when he announced that his wife, Narcissa, had given birth to a boy, who would surely be an asset to Him when he was older.

  That was the point when Severus felt the most hate towards *any* one in his entire life - that a person could sell their own child to further themselves in their greed. It simply reminded him too much of his own father and the Christmas holiday of seventh year. It wasn't ambition to do that. Besides, the only person really allowed any ambition at all was the Dark Lord.

  But Lucius.... Even if Voldemort was defeated somehow, he'd have to keep an eye on Lucius.

  He looked up at Harry, who was feeding the infant in his arms. There was an indescribable look on his face, but Severus could discern that it was partly made up of love.

  Sometimes Severus felt jealous of that. Not because he didn't get any from Harry - far from it. It was the fact that he had to share Harry with both the children and the other friends that Harry had made. Still, it eased his mind every time Harry came home to sleep in their bed and his arms.

  There were some days when it seemed that they'd been together forever. From that day in Harry's rooms when Severus confessed more than two years ago....

 

###

  Harry grabbed Severus' arm as he tried to leave. The taller boy was ashamed that he had totally broken down in front of his one true peer and friend. And that wasn't all. He shouldn't be allowed even in his presence, let alone in an embrace. The shorter boy had wrapped both arms around his waist and buried his face in Severus' neck.

  "Oh, Sev," Harry breath, a warm burst of air brushing Severus' neck.

  The taller boy shivered at the feeling, still trying to figure out if this was a dream. What probably happened was that Harry had hexed him and this was his subconscious playing out what he hoped it had gone like. There was no way that Harry was willing to be this close.

  "I'll help you any way I can," Harry whispered as he partially lifted his head.

  Severus turned his head just enough to look at Harry directly in the eyes. His green eyes were shimmering with unshed tears of sympathy but never pity. Severus could tell by the determined look that those eyes were set in that Harry would do everything he could.

  Still focused on the green eyes locked with his own onyx ones, Severus closed the distance between their mouths.

  It was a silent communion of everything and nothing. For the first time in his life, Severus was whole and complete 0 all through this heavenly connection with Harry. He pressed just a little bit harder as Harry's lips parted, deepening the kiss until their souls were entwined in it as much as their bodies were. Arms moved to wrap tighter around each other as passion took hold of them.

  Two souls had just become one.

###

 

******

  Severus watched as Harry continued to wave as the Johnsons drove around the bend in the road. The infant girl that Harry had said was Angelina was comfortably ensconced in the backseat of their small car, the new parents overjoyed with the addition to their family. Harry sighed beside him, and Severus wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him closer.

  "She'll be okay," Severus said in a low voice.

  Harry shook his head. "I know she will be. It's just... I won't be seeing her again for a long time."

  Severus eyed Harry searchingly. His lover had been saying things like that a lot lately, and frankly, it was starting to scare him. He was hoping that it was only nerves as Halloween approached, but even he was beginning to feel that something was going to go wrong.

  The potion was to be delivered tonight. Voldemort was throwing a 'party' to celebrate his newfound immortality by attacking Hogwarts. The students and staff were the unknowing entertainment, as the Dark Lord was planning on capturing Dumbledore, and then make the headmaster watch as he drank the potion Severus had made.

  Unfortunately for Voldemort's party plans, Dumbledore's group, the Order of the Phoenix, had prepared the school for battle. Each of its members were going to be stationed around the grounds until the Death Eaters came within firing distance of the Entrance Doors. At that point, they would try to direct the fighting away from the school. Voldemort wouldn't think it amiss, since most of the Order members were just out of school and would be rooting for the /Gryffindors/ at the quidditch game the next day. Severus wasn't too happy with that, but knew it would work, since the Dark Lord would see it as an opportunity to get rid of his most powerful enemies in a clean sweep.

  Severus wasn't comfortable about the fact that Harry would be in the thick of it. His lover had been the first to volunteer according to Dumbledore the next time they had met. He would be watching over Dumbledore personally, along with James Potter. Harry and Severus had gotten into a huge argument over Harry's choice of partners. It had ended only with the compromise that they agreed to disagree, because no matter what Potter did, Severus wouldn't like him for the simple fact that he owed a life debt to Potter.

  They decided to have a small dinner now that their tiny guest had left. As they ate, the feeling of loss suddenly hit him, and Severus attributed it to Angelina no longer being in the house. The two of them washed up and straightened the house, using the domesticity of it all to forget about what was to come.

 

******

  James looked over at Harry, amazed at how calm he was. For himself he wasn't scared, but he was terrified for Lily. She was out at Hagrid's hut, watching one of the entrances into the Forbidden Forest. Sure, Hagrid was with her, but James knew that he would react a lot differently to any creature that came out of the forest than most people.

  Only James knew why Harry was actually doing this particular job. The other man had explained just what he had chosen to take this job: Severus Snape. James and Lily didn't trust the other man, but as long as he made Harry happy, they would support the relationship in any way they could. Harry had volunteered to 'guard' Dumbledore so that if Voldemort indeed drank the potion, Harry would attack the Dark Lord with a quick hex.

  Hopefully their plan - that they could get rid of the potion first - would work.

 

  It didn't.

  James watched from the sidelines as Voldemort gleefully went to drink the 'immortality' potion Snape had come up with. Next to him, he could feel Harry ready himself, even though they were both being held by two Death Eaters each. He knew that Snape was holding himself, and James had suddenly known that he'd done it so that he wouldn't be punished for Harry's escape.

  James didn't like this situation at all. There was something off about tonight and it was only growing more intense.

  A split second later and Harry was free, wand already releasing a spell at Voldemort. The strange clue light hit the Dark Lord and immobilized him even as the Death Eaters moved forward. Harry moved to the side, missing both spells from his captors. He twisted and hit each with his own spell before turning to free first Dumbledore and then James.

  He must not have used as strong a hex the second time, because the Death Eaters to James' right shot a curst back, and this time it hit.

  Harry started convulsing as a black light enveloped him. He started to scream before it was abruptly cut off, a flash of lightning rushing from his body through the darkened night towards the forest. As it did, it seemed as if the heavens wept, for it began to rain in heavy sheets.

  As the sound from Harry stopped, James' attention was pulled from him as Voldemort laughed. Across from him stood Dumbledore, power whipping his robes as it left his body in waves.

  "Well done," Voldemort praised the Death Eater. He turned to Dumbledore. "I wish you luck in trying to free him from this trap, Dumbledore. I'd like to see you reach him now that his soul lives in the land of the dead." He started laughing once more before turning his attention to the vial in his hand.

  James looked to Harry and saw that his body was stopping its convulsing. The green eyes were closed but he was breathing.

  "NO!!!"

  James turned to find Voldemort gripping an empty vial. At first he thought /he/ had drank it, but noticed the black hole that was rapidly growing at their feet in the grass, the rain spreading the mess as it diluted. Then a great burst of magic hit him and he knew no more.

  When he came to, James looked around frantically for Lily once he learned she was in the infirmary. She had been struck by lightning as the storm broke over Hogwarts, and was recovering for the wounds she had garnered in battle.

  Two days later, they held a service for Harry.

 

******

31.July.1980

 

  James stood in awe of the newborn he held in his hands. Great tufts of black hair stood on end, while blue eyes already turning the green of Lily's looked up at him. A cute, button nose was centered in the small face above a mouth that was yawning.

  "Hey, buddy," Sirius said, off to one side. "You shouldn't be tired - you didn't do any hard work."

  Lily gave a tired laugh from the bed. "Sirius, you should take your job as Godfather a little bit more seriously."

  Sirius laughed, and James knew that he was grinning at the joke of his name. Instead of looking, though, he continued memorizing every detail about his new son that he could.

  "So what is this little guy's name?" Sirius asked an hour later.

  James looked down at Lily, who was tucked neatly into the bed with their son in her arms. He was sitting as close to the bed as he could get without actually being on it, with Sirius, Remus, and Peter scattered around the room.

  "Harry," Lily suddenly announced.

  As soon as it was said, the candles briefly flickered and there was a quick feeling of repressed magic that flowed through the air. Then it was gone as quickly as it came.

  James and Sirius shared a look, one tainted by the image of Snape sobbing over another Harry that they had known. Lily and Remus shared one as well, the four of them missing the terrified and almost horrified look on Peter's face.

  James would never forget the haunting picture made by the Slytherin trying to wake Harry up as he had woken up from the magical wave Voldemort had unleashed in his haste to apperate off of Hogwarts' grounds. He had waited off to one side as Dumbledore had sent Snape to sleep with first a calming charm before a resting one. Together, the two of them had carried their precious burdens to the castle.

  Snape had stayed at the school ever since then, with the exceptions of his spying on Voldemort - a thing that James would never tell anyone no matter what. He had used the opportunity that the potions professor, Montrose, had never picked a successor and the current substitute had been taken in by Aurors after the battle as a way to stay there.

  For the first time in his life, James felt sorry for Snape, who's only outlet of the grief and pain he must still feel was terrorizing the students in his potions classes.

  "James?"

  He looked up to find all of his friends watching him with concerned and questioning looks. Shaking his head, "I was just thinking about Harry. I think he would have liked to have met this Harry," he answered.

  Remus smiled. "I think that's what happened just now - Harry giving his blessing."

  Lily also smiled. "I believe that is what it was."

 

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