I've already decided to start writing the prequel to A Question of Lineage. This story has been in my head for years and I've only ever written out disjointed sections of it. The mood never struck me to write the beginning until now. I've never decided on exactly how or when Harry and Severus get together, and I probably never will, so for the purpose of this story, it has already happened.
Enjoy!
"Severus, over here!" I whispered sharply to Snape, motioning him over with my hand. I was studying a bookshelf in library, something seemed different about this one. I was pushing and pulling at books on the shelves hoping something would happen.
"Goodfellow and Salt have cleared both upstairs levels. No people, corpses or otherwise," Severus updated me.
I turned my head to meet his dark eyes, "As we expected." Most death eaters had fled weeks ago, in the aftermath of Voldemort's defeat, before the ministry had regrouped and reorganized.
"There are a lot of magical artifacts, most of them cursed," he added.
I rolled my eyes, "More paperwork." I still had not warmed up to the idea of working for a ministry that, through ignorant refusal to see reality, had nearly caused the destruction of the wizarding world.
"Under Cornelius Fudge's authority, Harry" Severus reminded. Had I spoken out loud? "Kingsley's Administration seems adequate."
A glowing recomendation, considering the source, I laughed- to myself this time. We were clearing out the Winston residence, one of the last remaining homes of death eaters, known to the Ministry anyway.
Immediately after the Battle for Hogwarts, Severus and I had been approached by Kingsley and Dumbledore to lead a task force consisting mostly of Aurors and the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix. This task force was to find and capture the remaining death eaters and associates of Voldemort. As hesitant as I was to become a Ministry employee, Kingsley had convinced me that few others were capable of the job.
The real reason I agreed had nothing to do with any risidual feelings of wanting to save the world, and more to do with the that fact that I didn't know what else to do. My very existance had been dedicated to destroying Voldemort for so long, that once I accomplished the impossible task... I didn't know what to do, where to go or who I was.
Severus, I suspect, was here because I was. Our strange truce after Voldemort's defeat had somehow, defying all logic, laws of magic and principles of the universe, transformed into my first real relationship. Though a little bit unstable and at moments volatile, it was exactly what I needed.
Though Severus gave me everything I wanted, I still felt like there was a piece of the puzzle missing. Some vital peice of myself lost, or forgotten. I found it hard to sleep at night since the battle ended, sometimes the vastness of that missing peice was so large I felt it physically. Like a gaping chasm with the wind howling through it, tearing off the surface layer of soil with each gust. Dumbledore said it was where Voldemort's soul had been planted in mine. Severus said the feeling would fade. I couldn't help but feel that it was bigger than that.
I agreed to be a part of the task force so that I would be distracted from imagining the wind eroding my soul every moment of every day.
I had now touched every book on the shelf with no results. I looked at Severus pleadingly. He strode over, twisted the arm of the delicate mermaid stature on the middle shelf. The bookshelf spun 90 degress to reveal and narrow, unlit stairwell as I scowled at him.
He grinned smugly at me and gestured for me to go first. The first thing that struck me was the cold, damp air as we descended into darkness.
I've always thought that Harry would have a difficult time recovering from the war. Who is Harry Potter after he's done being 'The Boy Who Lived', and 'The Chosen One'? I think it would take some time for him the puzzle that out.
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