Ashes
(updated 11/11/2013)
WARNING: AU. SLASH. VIOLENCE. LANGUAGE. MPREG. Slight OOC. Non-linear flash backs. And in case I forgot to warn you before, there is past SS/HP, current SS/DM and future SS/?OC?.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the general plot and the identity of Christian Spane.
A/N: More revamps have been made in this chapter. There is an insert of a flashback in between the arriving of Sev and Christian at the former's quarters and Draco confronting Christian. The argument between Sev and Draco had been altered too. After this one, I will begin to post new chapters for this story. Thank you for your patience. On we go.
LEGEND:
"Dialogue/ speech" 'Thoughts'Notes/ flashback
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Ashes
By: C.M. Oliver
©2013
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Chapter 3: Ghosts
"We found traces of DNA matching that of Mr. Potter's onsite. The whole Manor was razed to the ground, but magical DNA was still obtained. I'm sorry Mr. Snape, but your ex-husband perished in the fire –"
"NO! No –not Harry –please, there must be some other way that he survived!"
"I'm sorry, sir, but we found evidence that this was an act of arson –"
"You mean –"
"Well –we also found a time-delayed letter at Gringotts containing his magical signature –only to be released at the event of his death –the contents were quite disturbing –"
"What –just what are you trying to say, Auror Finnegan? What is this about Harry's letter? You are absolutely making no sense to me!"
"Well –"
"WELL –SPEAK UP!"
"Well sir, the letter… the letter was a suicide note."
Silence.
"Sir, your ex-husband, Mr. Harry James Potter, set the Potter Manor on fire. He had committed suicide."
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"Severus, I'm back!" Draco Malfoy brushed off the soot marring his pristine velvet robes as he stepped out of the Floo in his husband's private quarters at Hogwarts. It was the second week of October and the dungeons were especially cold. The blonde young lord briefly surveyed the area, which appeared to be empty at that moment, with a sigh. He checked the clock on the mantelpiece. It seemed that dinner was just about wrapping up.
True enough, the door to Severus' quarters opened at that exact instance, permitting the tall, ebony-haired man entrance. Draco smiled upon seeing his husband –but that smile was short-lived when he saw that the man's attention was not on him, but on the handsome, blonde, silver-eyed young man behind him. The two were rather oblivious to Draco's presence and were currently laughing about something.
His husband was laughing? Severus Snape never laughed, at least not in his presence, Draco thought.
"…Minerva's face! You were sheer genius, Severus! I don't know how you do it!"
"Ah, but you flatter me, Christian. You on the other hand, were far more believable. You could have fooled me had you not decided to warn me beforehand of your intentions to cause mayhem amongst the rest of the staff. Quite Slytherin of you, if I may," came the deep baritone of his husband.
"Ah, that's quite the compliment coming from you, Professor Snape –"
"Brat –don't get used to it!"
The young man Severus had called 'Christian' and 'brat' subsequently, smiled demurely. Draco had had enough. He cleared his throat loudly. "Ahem."
Severus was first to hear him. The Potions Master turned around, and upon seeing his husband, his smile faded into a look of neutrality. The young man who was with him however, smiled even wider upon seeing Draco.
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Heavy panting. Sweat-soaked bodies collapsing. Raw silk sheets rustling. Soft glowing candles cutting right through the gripping darkness. Glossed eyes. A satiated smile. A half-hearted sigh.
"Christian, I –this should have never happened. I'm sorry –I don't know what came over me, but my husband Draco –he –"
A reassuring hand. A knowing smile.
"Of course, Severus. No one would know a thing. My lips are sealed."
"This –this wouldn't happen again. It shouldn't –I mean, we could –we could remain just friends –forget everything –"
Removing covers. Sliding off the bed. Picking up discarded clothin. Unfurling of robes. Fastening buttons. Zipping up pants. Smirking. Turning to leave.
"Somehow, I highly doubt that." A light chuckle, then a saucy wink. "But like they say, whatever you want, Severus/ Whatever you want."
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"I am back, dear husband," Draco said forcefully as he stomped all the way towards Severus, and upon approaching the man captured his lips in a fierce kiss. It lasted for a few seconds until Severus pushed Draco away lightly, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Draco, what are you doing? Can you not see that we have company?"
Draco raised a questioning eyebrow but did not relent. Instead, he wrapped a possessive arm around his husband, all the while eying the other blonde in the room pointedly. The mysterious man was still smiling, unfazed by the open hostility Draco was radiating. Severus however, took notice and decide to step in.
"Draco, this is Professor Christian Spane, Defense Master. Christian, my husband, Lord Draco Malfoy." Went the introductions. Christian, for his part, nodded politely, extending his left hand to Draco. "It's nice to finally meet you, Lord Malfoy. Severus has told me so much about you."
The young Lord eyed the proffered hand, warily. "Left denotes treachery and insincerity. Every learned man knows that. Just which rock did you come under from?" He asked haughtily. "And they allow you to teach here?"
"Draco! That's enough!" Severus' voice took on a dangerous tone as he pointedly glared at his husband. "That is highly uncalled for –" Christian however waved him off. The DADA Master's hand fell to his side as he smiled at Draco.
"Pardon me, Lord Malfoy. I keep forgetting my manners. It is quite alright, Severus. I am at fault." He turned to the onyx-eyed man. "Your husband evidently hates me. I was just trying to bait him." Christian faced a deeply-annoyed looking Draco once more. "I am clueless as to why you dislike me, my Lord, but my qualifications are of no concern to you. Last time I checked, you are neither a student, a parent nor a governor of this school." A smirk found its way to Christian's lips. "Left does denote sinister, that I am much aware of –as it does infidelity. May I just point out that it is your left hand that you now have wrapped around your husband? I wonder why he allows you –"
"I will not be spoken to like that!" Draco exclaimed, looking murderous. "Who do you think you are? Do you know who you're talking to?" He looked like he was itching to grab his wand and curse the Defense Professor, but a firm grasp of Severus' hand on his shoulder stopped him. Christian just looked on, amused."
"And here I thought that we blondes are the most pleasant lot." He shook his head almost comically. "And if you don't know who you are, better check yourself in to St. Mungo's. You have the temperament of a redhead, Mr. Malfoy. I'd be careful if I were you –"
"Are you threatening me, Spane?"
Christian looked scandalized. "Me? Threaten you? You must be confused, Lord Malfoy." The DADA Professor's silvery eyes darkened. "Clearly, you don't know me. I don't do threats."
Both Draco and Severus sensed the underlying meaning to Christian's words. Draco frowned, but kept quiet otherwise. Severus on the other hand sighed deeply. "I apologize for the misunderstanding, Christian. My husband must be tired –"
"Severus –" Draco began to protest, but the Potions Master cut him off with a glare. Christian was smiling again. He nodded at his colleague.
"Of course. I'm sorry that we must cut our discussion short. But I know when I am not wanted –sometimes a little to well." He winked. "See you some other time, Sev.
"GET OUT!" Draco found an opening. "You're not welcome here!"
"Draco! Stop being rude!" Severus snapped at his husband. "Christian is a colleague and a collaborator –"
"So that's what you call it now?" The young Malfoy spat out heatedly. Severus frowned and was about to tell his husband off again when Christian raised both of his arms in a gesture of mock-surrender. "Whoa –hey, Malfoy. I don't know what you're trying to point out here, but your husband and I are merely friends." Draco scoffed.
"Of course you are. I wasn't born yesterday, Spane. I can see right through your act, you know. I know your style." But instead of defending himself, however, Christian made a show of curtseying in front of his accuser, a patronizing smile gracing his lips. He then wordlessly turned around and headed for the exit.
"Of course, you would, Malfoy," Christian whispered to the portrait guardian of Severus' quarters –Morgan Le Fay. "Of course you do."
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"It's all my fault, Draco! I did this to him! I drove him to do this!"
"Of course, not! Are you blaming this on us, Severus? Are you having second thoughts about us now?"
"What –no! It –it is just that this –this was not supposed to happen! We spoke –he told me to leave. He was the one who told me to leave after I had explained myself. I thought –I thought he had understood. He seemed okay –but of course he was not! How could I have even missed it? But he even wished me luck –before he had signed the papers. I do not –I do not understand why he would do this!"
"Don't blame yourself love. We both know Potter had always been unstable –"
"But he was not suicidal! It is not like him! I –I knew him best! I –I do not know –"
"Hush, Severus, he's gone now. Beating yourself up over it will not undo anything. I know why he did this. He did this to hurt you –us. He did not want you to be happy without him. Please, just forget him. He's now but an ugly nightmare. You have me, like you always have. I'm here for you. Please, just forget Potter. He's dead.
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"You are impossible, Draco!" Severus exclaimed right after Christian had left the room." "Christian Spane is an esteemed Defense and Potions master in the US –and you just had to be petty and obnoxiously rude!"
"I hate him, okay?" Draco yelled back. "I don't care who in Circe's nine circles of Hell he is! I hate him! I don't like his face –I don't trust him!"
"You accuse him, you accuse me." Severus muttered darkly. "What has he done to you?"
"Don't try to put words in my mouth," scowled Draco. "And don't forget –your record isn't exactly squeaky clean.
"Well neither is yours," retorted Severus.
"I don't trust him, period."
"For crying out loud –you've just met the man, and in not ten seconds, you begin baiting him! Don't deny it, you started it. Are you even listening to yourself right now? I just cannot believe how petty you are getting over an innocent friendship between Christian and I, when you are almost always halfway around the globe, consorting with Merlin knows who!"
"Don't try to turn this against me, Severus! You may claim innocence, but I saw firsthand how that hooligan was looking at you! You may be blameless, but that prick most certainly is not!"
"And pray tell, with your immaculate powers of observation, how was he looking at me?"
Draco hesitated at first, but upon seeing the challenging look in his husband's eyes, he knew that he just had to say it. "Like Potter. He was looking at you like Harry Bloody Potter would," the blonde snarled. "Like a lost little puppy who was suddenly adopted –"
Severus glared at him. "I left Harry for you. I bloody left him to be with you. What more can you ask of me?" Draco met his husband's steely ebony gaze with his own determined silver orbs. "Forget him."
"Harry Potter is dead," Severus sighed resignedly, dark shadows lingering in his aged eyes. "He was reduced to ashes and will never come back."
"And yet, you cannot seem to let go of his ghost," Draco frowned. "I'm not naïve like your former boy toy, Severus. I know you regret choosing me." Severus pinched the bridge of his nose with a huff.
"We will not talk about this –not now, not again, not ever." The dark-eyed man began to head for his rooms. Draco looked on, trying hard not to appear stricken. "So, I was right then. You do regret it," he shouted after his retreating husband's back. The words halted Severus in his steps. For a while, it seemed like he was about to turn to face the younger man once more, but after a few seconds, he merely sighed.
"Beating up myself over it will not undo anything," Without further ado, he continued on to his rooms.
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In a darkened room, not far away from the dungeons, a bottle of scotch is being downed –pale, ghost-like fingers were wrapped around the long neck of the plain container in a vice-like grip.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…" A melancholic voice laughed bitterly. "Who said that ashes couldn't become your worst nightmare?" Another swig of amber liquid. "Who says only ghosts can haunt you?" A dark chuckle. "My biggest mistake was getting in your way… yours is letting me die."
A sound of breaking glass ensued.
"I don't do threats, I just give it all I've git." A misplaced smirk. "It's funny you don't like me, when I'm looking almost like your shadow. You give the age-old adage 'it takes one to know one' a fresh new twist."
A sound of a cushion easing, then footsteps, back and forth.
"I've waited long enough –no –I've waited for far too long. I'd make you wish that you'd never met me, I'd make you wish that you'd just left me alone. I'd make you wish that it was you who died instead of me… I'd make you regret everything you did to me and mine –both of you."
Silent tears fell, quickly turning into guttural, wracking sobs.
"You –You will pay –I will make you pay! It will all be worth it –"
The rest of his words were drowned in saline.
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Draco Malfoy slept soundly, albeit alone, that night. It will be one of the last of its kind; for not even the enchantments of Malfoy Manor could spare him from the horrors in store for him –horrors that he had set himself up for.
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-END OF CHAPTER 3-
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A/N: This chapter had been updated 11/11/2013. Chapter 4 will be up soon. In the mean time, feel free to send a review/ comment my way. I love them. Like seriously LOVE them. See you in the following social media platforms as well:
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