Chapter Three: Imbalance
The conclave was as hectic and crazy and one might expect. Two weeks prior, when they had told the Order members what had conspired the night of Voldemorts death, the two men had left out the reasons for Harry's sudden and drastic use of intention magic. After much arguing, Harry had finally won Severus over to the idea that everyone needed to know all possible information, and with this in mind he stood to address the assembled witches and wizards.
"Hello everyone. Our last meeting was rushed and, because of this, not everyone had all of the same information. I'd like to take a moment to bring everyone up to speed, and afterwards if anyone has anything else to add, I'd like to hear it." The witches and wizards around the long table fell silent as Harry spoke, and he grew nervous as all eyes turned to him, waiting. He took a deep breath. Hopefully this would go over better than he was beginning to think.
"Two years ago, I began to be interested in Severus Snape. And by interested, I mean to say I was attracted to him." He paused, knowing there would be an instant uproar. Some of those at the table already knew, but several teachers looked ill, and the Weasleys were all especially upset, save for Fred and George, who were hooting and cat calling. But of course, Fred and George had the surpassingly astonishing ability to take nearly everything in stride and turn it into a joke.
When there was once again quiet, Harry continued. "Severus, of course, refused me." He glanced at the other man, who was wearing a disinterested mask, not even looking at him. "But, well, I am known to be rather persistent, and I managed to convince him my interests were serious. Our relationship thereon was of course very private. But all of you should know that Voldemort and whatever was inside him captured Severus in an attempt to provoke me." He looked down, gathering his thoughts while the others worked through what he was saying. The entire thing was almost too ludicrous to believe.
"They succeeded." Harry continued. "Upon finding that Severus was gone, I lost control of myself and my magic. It was this which caused my use of intention-magic, and it was this that destroyed Voldemort, as well as whatever dwelled within him."
"So, are you telling us, mate," Fred began.
"That you vanquished the dark lord—" George continued.
"—by falling in love with Snape?" They both finished, before falling into a fit of loud laughter. The comedy of the situation drained the tension in the room, and Harry smiled at the twins, thanking them silently for their comedic relief, although he noticed that Snape did not looked amused.
"More or less, yeah. The Yhearn warned me that there would be a great upheaval of magic, massive destruction and imbalance. Now that everyone is up to speed on exactly what happened, I'd like to discuss what has actually been happening since I killed Voldemort and the Yhearn." Luna stood immediately, smiling brightly at Harry and indicating that he should take his seat. Relieved, Harry sat with a sigh as eyes turned towards Luna—though many of them were still darting between Harry and Severus, still trying to process the recent news.
"Thank you Harry. I've opened correspondence between other wizarding centrals around the world, and in the past week I have been able to determine that there is an imbalance in the world of magic, a kind of flux between what we would consider light and dark forces." She looked around, making sure that all eyes were finally upon her, before continuing.
"As far as I've been able to discover, in every wizarding part of the world I've been able to contact there has been a massive resurgence of evil forces and manifestations. America is plagued most strongly by beasts and demons, though the bloody gods of the Aztecs have found a resurgence of believers, and sacrifices are spreading as far as the east coast. China has seen devastation on the form of face stealers and soul eaters. Austrailia suffers from something terrible; creeping insanity widespread across the population. One week they are sane, and the next…" Luna sighed, looking back at the horrified faces in front of her. "In Africa, people are dying in mysterious and brutal ways. Suspicion is mounting between peoples and black magic is being worked by nearly everyone to combat their supposed enemies." The young woman pushed her glasses farther up her nose.
"I have made a full report, one copy for everyone, and it would be good if everyone were to read and think for a while on these things. England, as you may have heard, is still within the grips of remaining death eaters, fear and anger are rampant, and famine has begun appear in some areas. There are rumors of other things…worse things…but nothing has been confirmed. I believe we should all exchange information, and then spend another week or two collaborating on what to do—at least, what to do here in England." Everyone agreed quietly, overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation. Luna passed out her reports, then stepped down to allow someone else to speak.
Harry sat on Severus' couch three hours later, reading through the rather hefty report of both confirmed and unconfirmed stories. It seemed as though every place on Earth was afflicted with its own personal form of darkness, and while many types overlapped (demons, ghouls, beasts, gods), many were specific to the region. Harry had never considered that his own brand of magic was—well—very British. He hadn't realized that other people in other parts of the world practiced magic differently, or tied magic into a religious belief system.
Christians, for example, used a weak form of intention magic known as prayer. It wasn't as effective, since Christians tended to be muggles, and perhaps one out of a thousand of them were able to actually work magic, but the few times it did work kept the religion full of miracles, thus keeping the religion strong as a whole. And beliefs have their own power, after all, just as Dumbledore had told him. Beliefs could even create reality, for just one or even many people.
Lunas report was extensive. Since Hogwarts didn't have many classes which took a world view, she included a list and brief explanation of the religious beliefs of the people in all the different regions, as well as an explanation of their brand of magic and whether or not it was tied to the religious beliefs of the people. Wizarding Britain was so ancient that it was practically a different country from the actual Britain, so the wizards and muggles didn't mix on a religious standpoint. India, however, while ancient, mixed muggles and wizards together. While most of their country practiced Hinduism, the religion itself prospered wizards because magicians were a part of their belief system as a whole. Thus wizards did not need to hide, but there was very little organization of the wizard population, and while many of them became monks and followed the way of the Raja Yoga, or experimental path, and became gurus or holy men, others practiced their own paths without ever realizing their magic.
America was one of the most confusing. Since it held so many different types of people, all from different ethnic backgrounds, it was a polyglot of beliefs and practices. There were many magical practitioners outside of religion, like Britain, but there were many more that chose to tie their practice to deities.
Harry read everything, utterly absorbed as his mind expanded tenfold. Some people practiced magic with objects, but only some parts of Europe and America used wands. Many, many people used intention magic—knowingly or not—with varying degrees of success. Others used a focus—in the same way Harry used a wand—but spoke nonverbal spells.
The whole picture, however, was that every culture and region had a form of magic slightly different than the last, and every group of organized magic-users had their own special area of expertise. Harry looked up from his reading to see Severus flipping through the pages of Lunas report, scanning but not reading it the way Harry was.
"Did you know all this?" Harry asked, incredulous. No one had ever once mentioned to him anything like this, until Dumbledore had brought up that strange, one-sided conversation. And even then, Dumbledore hadn't been very specific.
"Mmm?" Snape seemed to have found something interesting, and he didn't look up at Harrys question.
"This, all these religions, and different types of magic, and people…" Severus finally looked up, and Harry saw that the other man was looking at him strangely.
"Potter, it takes seven years for you students to learn the most basics of British magic. Why in the world would we teach you other kinds while you're trying to learn the simplest things?" Harry spluttered.
"But—I didn't even know that other magic existed! Other beliefs! Surely someone might have told us."
"They do," Snape waved dismissively. "In muggle studies." Harry sank back on the couch, utterly perplexed at having missed knowing about something so huge. Hermione, who was the only one he knew to have taken muggle studies, must not have told him because she thought it was obvious. And in hindsight, it was obvious.
"And people are just—I dunno—content to only learn British magic and stay in Britain?" he asked, exasperated. Severus finally looked up and gave him his full attention, realizing that Harry had just learned something pivotal.
"Generally, the people who can afford it take several years to travel after they attend Hogwarts, and learn about other types of magic in a broad but not deep sense. Those who can't afford it either stay here and settle down, or get a job with the ministry or media which requires work abroad in order to get the same experience. People who really find it fascinating get jobs that allow them to both travel and study their environs." Harry still looked dumbfounded, but the explanation had mollified him a bit.
"I can't believe you weren't aware of any of this, Potter. This just proves how detrimental it is to spend so much time focusing on your broomstick." Harry rolled his eyes, sensing no real malice in the rebuff.
"Oh yes, my broomstick," he muttered. Severus snorted, and Harry smiled. He quite enjoyed making Severus laugh, even if it was only really a snort.
Harrys returned to reading the report, and his feelings soon turned from academic fascination into horror. For every aspect of all that was good in humanity—Love, hard word, dedication, strength, honor, duty—there seemed to be a manifestation for the opposite in every part of the Earth. Demons, of course, but also Bakhtak, Wendigos, Tezcatlipoca and what seemed to be hundreds of other manifestations of greif, hatred, jealousy, rage, sloth, and immorality.
And all of these things were currently ravaging the world. Insidious spirits and thoughts; slow insanity; the twisting of loved one against loved one; death; destruction; desolation. Some of the spirits listed merely infected their prey with total apathy, causing them to lie down and die a slow death of starvation. Others took over a person's body, like the Yhren had, and slowly ate away at their soul until there was nothing left. Whole wizarding towns had gone suddenly off the map; not just the people, but their homes and businesses as well. No one knew where they had gone, and there was no trace of magic in the area to suggest they'd done so willingly.
In Britain, which was a much smaller community compared to places like America or Africa, the Death Eaters still infested the ministry, causing their own form of mayhem, and all types of demons and spirits were stalking the folk of the wizarding and muggle worlds. But the worst thing wasn't all the information coming in about a missing husband, a dead granddaughter, or an insane shopkeep. The worst thing, as Luna pointed out, was the lack of information from any of the wizards north of Derby. There had been not a sound from the northern half of Britain, and anyone who went searching for word soon ended up missing, themselves.
"How are we supposed to fix this?" Harry asked in despair, looking up to see that Severus had taken out a different book, and was now reading that.
"As I recall, you're the savior of the wizarding world…I suppose you never considered that the wizarding world isn't located solely in Britain." Snape drawled, seeming unconcerned.
"How can you not care?" Harry yelled, standing and throwing the report on the ground. "This is horrible! People are dying and disappearing and having their souls stolen and all you can do is make some kind of snide joke?" Snape was standing now, too, and glaring at Harry just as he used to, when he had loathed the younger man.
"There is no joke, Potter. But if you think this will be one of your quick fixes, something you can wave your feelings at and resolve, you'd better think again." Snape was towering over him now, and Harry couldn't help shivering in anticipation, regardless of how angry he was. "You're right, this is larger and more complex a problem than either of us had thought to deal with. But if you think I'm taking it lightly because I feel like taunting you, you're more idiotic than I took you for. This war will be long, and it won't be about us fighting other humans casting spells, it will be the entirety of humanity up against the reflections of their darkest selves." Severus was glaring down at him, and Harry took a step back.
"If that's true, then how can you be so calm?" He demanded, glaring defiantly.
"I'm calm, Potter, exactly because this war will be long. You've never been in a long war, you do not know that sometimes it is tedious, or dull, or goes for long stretches without anything happening. It's no use getting yourself worked into a fever while there's nothing to actually face, nothing you can, at the moment, do." Harry stared for a long time before dropping his gaze. The other man seemed to need no other concessions, and sat down once again on the couch.
"Not to mention, the things we'll be facing won't often have a corporeal form or directive, which means that they aren't targeting you, or anyone, directly. It won't be a war as you think it will; no sides lining up prettily and marching to face each other." The older man raised his eyebrows at Harry, who blushed, as he had honestly imagined something like that.
"These things will come when a person is alone, or vulnerable. Not when there is an army at their back. That means we will at some point need to leave Hogwarts, in order to chase down the multitude of threats. I'm none too pleased to be leaving here, so at the moment I'd like to enjoy my home for a while longer." Harry smiled slowly and sat down, straddling Severus and forcing the other man to set the book aside.
"Can't argue with that," Harry said easily before leaning down for a kiss.
The next day another meeting was called, as everyone had been up late reading and did not need another week before forming thoughts and opinions. Lucious and Sirius were excellent strategists, and though they despised being forced to work together, they quickly and readily formed a plan of 'attack'.
"We will retake the ministry, first," Lucious said in a tone that brooked no argument. "We cannot help the rest of the world until our own home is in order, and our first prerogative must be to ensure a stable societal structure and government." Sirius grimaced, but nodded agreement.
"I suggest that, until the crisis has passed, we form a ruling council rather than elect a minister." He added, as though challenging Lucious to disagree.
"Excellent point. We will need at least some, if not all, of the original order members on the council, in order to coordinate war efforts and keep the others in check. It will help to have a ruling body which is fully informed of current events." Sirius nodded with evident dissatisfaction, obviously wishing the Lucious had quibbled at least a little bit.
"You, you, and you, I think you will do well sitting on the council. Now, as far as overtaking the ministry…" The conversation continued, but Harry tuned out, unable to keep his mind focused. His thoughts kept returning to northern England, wondering what could possibly cause such a large mystery. More than anything, he wanted to go there to see for himself, but he held back, uncertain. He brooded over this until he heard Severus speak for the first time, suddenly rejoining the conversation with intense focus at the other mans words.
"Potter and a small contingent, including myself, will be going north. You will need to find someone else for that position, Lucious." Harrys eyes snapped to Severus, unable to comprehend the situation. Had the other man just said they were going north? Why would he suggest that, knowing it was most likely the worst and most dangerous place they could go?
"Potter?"
"Harry?"
"Harry—no!"
Harry turned to the room to see eyes full of concern and confusion looking back at him.
"Well," he began, thinking it through and choosing his words carefully. "The greatest mystery and perhaps danger lies north. If the rest of you focus on what's going on here, we might be able to figure out what's going on up there. Who knows? Maybe whatever is out there holds the key, at least to our problems. But we won't know until we look."
"But you can't go!" Mrs. Weasly declared firmly, her fear for him showing on her face.
"I can, and I will. The prophecy named me the Chosen One to defeat Voldemort. Well, I've done that. I'm no longer special or unique; I don't need to be protected so that I can one day do that deed. I'm an adult and I volunteer for this. Besides, I set this in motion. Maybe I can right it somehow." Several of the men and women around the room nodded, several in understanding and others thoughtfully. Most, however, couldn't look past the boy they had all grown accustomed to protecting, to see the man beneath.
"Hermione and I are with Harry," Draco declared, which set off a new discussion as everyone declared their intention to go with him and began to argue over who would go. Harry stood from the table, causing a sudden silence as all eyes turned once more to him. Severus stood as well, eyes never actually looking at Harry.
"Draco and Hermione will be with us, making our party four. I will allow five others, bringing the total to nine, and I will let you decide who that will include. Don't take too long though, we leave two days from now, at dawn."
With that, he turned and left.
"A bit of a dramatic exit, wasn't it, Potter?" Snape taunted as they walked through the corridors.
"What happened to you calling me Harry?" the younger man muttered, before flashing Severus a grin. Several moments passed quietly as they walked, and when he spoke again it was with a great deal of seriousness. "I've felt…compelled to go north, ever since I read about the phenomenon." Severus nodded, but didn't speak, and soon Harry continued. "I felt torn between what I thought of as where I should be—here—and where I wanted to be. When you said we were going…why did you say that, anyway?"
"You're not the only one feeling compelled, Potter. And I am perishing sick of being in this castle. It's about time I left, anyway. What better place to go than to the most mysterious?"
Harry nodded, too lost in thought to notice that Severus had just admitted to wanting a holiday, being curious past the point of sense, and feeling compelled to do something reckless.
They were going north.
A/N: Sorry it's so short, I'm utterly exhausted. YES HELLO I AM BACK, I hope you can all forgive me for the nearly two years this story has been on hiatus. I am officially taking it off hiaitus, but you should all know that it could be up to three months between chapters. I'm sorry for that, but it's a time of great change for me even though I do see a settling down of the craziness on the horizon. In the past year I have moved twice, gotten myself an eventual-husband, changed jobs three times, and gone back to school. It has been madness. I am so, so sorry for leaving you waiting, and if you forgive me, please leave a review to let me know you forgive me! The good news is, I have gotten the rest of the plot outlined and know pretty much what will happen from here through the end, so it should be relatively easy to push out chapters as long as I can find the time. I will be updating Invictus and To Tame the Hearts of men back and forth, so if you still need your daily Snarry you'll probably find it between the two of them.
Much love,
Cozy