Chapter 4
Beta Read by optimisticrealist72
"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming." The lynx shimmered for a few moments before disappearing in a cloud of glitter. The scene around Harry froze. Smiles were fixed on people's faces. Bill held a piece of cake to Fleur's mouth. He couldn't move, all the air had escaped from his lungs.
Slowly sound began to bleed back into the surroundings, the people who knew him turned to look at him, their faces ashen. His body began to bow toward the floor; something was weighing him down from his elbows.
"… out of it… Harry… Snap out of it!" Time righted itself. Remus was dragging him away from the commotion. There were whip cracks in the air as people apparated away. Others surged forward, escaping the marquee. Flashes of light appeared in the night sky. "You've got to get out of here!" Harry was sure the werewolf's nails were drawing blood as he was pulled.
A rope of red hair swung into his vision. Ginny's head was moving wildly, searching as she sought him out. "She'll be with her family, looked after," Remus spoke quickly in his ear, passing him into Hermione's arms.
"I thought we'd have longer," Hermione shouted over the screams, her hand wildly gesturing Ron over to her. The red head stared after his family, toward his mum who was beckoning him over. Ron shook his head and sprinted over to them, his back pressed into Harry's face, shielding him.
Remus was speaking above his head to Hermione. "He'll be fine, just shock. You'll have to do it. Get far away from here."
"No, we can't…" Harry felt himself weakly murmur. He couldn't leave, couldn't disappear… not yet. Not without Severus. "He won't be able to find us," Harry whispered.
"We waited as long as we could." The anger Hermione felt earlier had gone, a concerned look on her face.
Harry fought against the urge to scream as he felt himself swirl out of existence.
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Severus lay staring at the ceiling. It was futile to think he would sleep at all that night. He hadn't the strength to argue with Minerva. Her argument had made perfect sense. He should have taken the night to get some needed rest; he should have taken a potion to lull him into a dreamless, restful sleep.
Severus had done neither. He had dressed for bed, laid on his side of it, and gazed upward for the past eight hours.
"I should have left when I had the opportunity. Now he is lost to me." He couldn't move, his fingers still clutching Harry's pillow.
Plans had circulated over and over in his head. Where to start looking… what his next step should be. If Harry was hiding from the Dark Lord, with an entire pack of werewolves searching for him, and a taboo spell placed on said Dark Lord's name, what chance did he have?
He is your mate. He habits are well known to you. Before we were mated you knew how he would act. Now you must think. Artemis had offered that advice as Severus had settled for the night before disappearing into their mind. Severus couldn't hold the beast any longer; the creature was exhausted from the previous night.
Severus had a suspicion where Harry would first go; it was where Severus had gone himself months ago to gather information in the chaos after Albus's death. But the Order would have grown wise since that misfortune and Severus would no longer be able to enter that establishment. Then there was the problem of the sword… Severus rubbed the fabric of Harry's pillow between his fingers. As the idea formed in his head, he sat up slowly in bed.
"You knew this would happen… and you left us a way to speak to you." Severus swung his legs out of bed. His nostrils flared as he caught smell of his body. A night in the forest and a night of staying awake in bed had left him feeling covered in a layer of grime.
This was the hardest test of wills Severus had ever encountered.
He wanted to leave the castle, follow Harry's trail until he knew his mate was safe again. Common sense told him to stay here, recover… have a shower, at least. He was helping no one by being unprepared. If Harry and his friends had fled being caught unaware…
Severus felt himself scowling just thinking about it. No, they needed supplies. Potions, medical… food? Had Harry even thought this out? He felt himself growing angry at the hypothetical scenario.
"Impatient Gryffindor!" he growled. "You knew what it was I asked of you. Three months, that was all I asked." Severus's magic exploded the wardrobe in response to his temper. "This is foolish," he muttered, angry at himself. He knew the circumstances, the Death Eaters had attacked. They were all condemned if Harry was captured.
He left the bedroom, turning the shower on with a flick of his hand.
"Just wait a little longer, Harry, I know what to do."
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The rushing traffic assaulted Harry's eyes as they apparated on the pavement.
"Where are we?" he questioned Hermione, pushing his friends to walk. "We need to move, we can't just stay here." The shock of their surroundings finally brought Harry back to himself, back into the leader role. His friends watched him return to himself, their relief evident.
"I think we're at Kings Cross," Ron commented, moving a little ahead of Hermione. They were attracting a few stares given their state of attire and Harry manoeuvred them into a nearby café.
It was empty, the woman behind the counter barely giving them a look over, her eyes focused on the TV. Harry gestured the table furthest away from the window. They sat waiting for a few moments as their racing hearts settled.
"We need someplace safe to go… that's our first priority. Once we have somewhere safe to go, then we decide on a plan of action." Harry directed this at Hermione, Ron was looking down at the chipped table looking pale.
"They'll be okay, Ron." Hermione placed her hand over one of his trembling ones. "They won't hurt them…" 'Yet' hovered unsaid.
They stayed in silence for a few minutes, all of them lost in thought. "I can't believe he moved so fast. I thought Voldemort would have waited." Harry rubbed his temples.
"I've been mentally preparing for this… but now it's here…" Ron slammed his mouth shut as the door opened and two men entered.
"It's okay, we're in Muggle London," Hermione reassured him.
"Muggle London…" Harry mused. "That's it, Hermione! I know where we can go, come on." Harry was out of his chair and halfway to the door when it opened once again and Harry's heart stopped dead in his chest.
"Harry Potter. I was hoping it'd be me to find you. I've been so interested to see what Artemis sees in you." Greyback smiled menacingly from the doorway. "Restrain the other two," he barked at the men behind them.
For a few seconds Harry forgot he was a wizard, that he had a wand that was capable of magic. His instant desire was to leap upon the beast of a man who was terrorising Remus and the others. The creature that had forced Artemis into this position.
Blue eyes watched his conflict emotions, reading him easily as Severus always said people would. His mouth smiled in a mocking grin. His eyes flickered over to Hermione, and his body sank into a crouch, ready to spring.
Harry upended the nearest table, pulling his friends down to safety. They didn't let him down, both of them turned ready to fight, wands firing every nasty hex they could think of. Harry erected a shield as one particular curse struck too close for comfort.
The two Death Eaters were more of a nuisance than a threat. Ron turned to him, his face quizzical. "Harry! Watch out!" Greyback recoiled as his hands struck the edge of Harry's shield. It was Hermione that knocked their assailants out, a well-placed rope jinx had them cracking their heads nastily against the floor.
Only Greyback was left, his icy eyes darting from Hermione to Harry. "You need to get Hermione outside, I'll follow behind, cover your backs," Harry muttered to Ron, keeping his wand square on the werewolf.
Greyback lunged at Hermione as they attempted to move, Harry only just managing to catch him with a Confringo spell. Once his friends were safely out the door, Harry followed, backing out slowly, his wand still pointed at Greyback's head. The werewolf sat up, smoke rising from his charred clothes, but he made no attempt to move.
Harry felt his wand arm lower as Greyback's eyes regarded him. "You are correct, I will not attack you."
"I was led to believe you sought my life."
"And I will if our pact is broken. Artemis kept his promise. I will not harm you as long as he is part of my pack. You are a bond mate, that is sacred, regardless of who you are." He smiled, his teeth sharp even when human. "I offer no such protection to your friends, I like to bite women." His gaze shifted past Harry to where Hermione was waiting. "Go, they will be awake shortly, I will say you escaped."
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Severus waited beside the bronze griffin. He couldn't bring himself to go up to Albus's office.
"Why are you plagued, Severus?"
"Despite my instructions, I still cannot come to terms with what I have done." Severus rested his hand on the beak.
Minerva stood closer to him, resting a hand on his folded arms. "If you believe that going up there will help your endeavour then you need to do this."
"Have you gone up there?"
Minerva looked away. "No," she answered finally. They looked at each other a long moment. "When will your companions be arriving?"
"I'm led to believe in the next few days."
"Then it is imperative you find a way to get the sword, Severus."
"I am aware, Minerva." Severus spun on his heel, striding up the stone stairwell. He did not have time for guilt, for feelings.
Severus entered the room slowly, half expecting Albus to be sitting behind his desk. It was exactly as Albus had left it, the annoying trinkets lining the shelves. Books left unopened on the desk. He moved closer into the room, his fingers trailing over the surface of the desk.
"This is your office now, Severus."
Severus ignored the voice, sitting in the chair he would usually sit in. He closed his eyes, slumping in it. "Just as you knew it would be. How did you know the Dark Lord would make me Headmaster?"
"Because he would want his followers in places of power, especially the person who killed Albus Dumbledore."
Severus straightened in his seat and turned the face Albus's portrait. "Harry's gone, The Dark Lord has taken control of the Ministry… was this not the way you wanted things?"
Albus looked uncomfortable. "I never wished to cause you pain."
"Save your excuses, I need to find the sword of Gryffindor. I believe Harry would have gone to Grimmauld place, everything is in place for me to join him… and to keep Hogwarts safe." Severus held a hand up as the old man went to interrupt.
"I knew Scrimgeour wouldn't give it to Harry, was everything else passed on?"
"How would I know? You've prevented me from seeing him!" Severus snarled. "The last I saw, the sword was in Bellatrix's hand." He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Severus, do you think me a fool? I knew the Ministry would hold on to such an artefact. They would not see its significance, how important it was that Harry had it." There was a creak at the portrait swung forwards.
"Even as an oil painting you are full of magic." The scorn fell from his face as he saw what was behind. "You made plans even this far into the future?" Severus shook his head at the tenacity of the former Headmaster.
"When dealing with someone as clever as Tom Riddle, I planned for every eventuality."
Severus held the sword aloft in his hand. "The other is a fake."
"You need to get this to Harry." Albus's eyes met his as the portrait swung back.
"I will bring it to him when I meet with him."
"I thought I made it clear that you were to stay here and look after the students."
Severus shrunk the sword and pocketed it. "I have ensured the safety of the Hogwarts students as I promised." Severus turned to face his former mentor. "My place is with Harry, that has not changed."
"Your bond has been destroyed."
"You are correct, but he can still draw on my magic. You didn't account for that variable, did you, Albus? You thought my magic would strengthen him, teach him new curses…you did not believe there was more to us than a simple infatuation. Regardless of Harry's feelings toward me, I will help him end this war."
"What if he refuses you, Severus?" Albus seemed genuine.
"Then that will be what happens. I will give him the sword and help him from behind enemy lines."
"I underestimated your feelings for the boy."
"He's seventeen, Albus, but he ceased being a child long before. I have to get this to Harry." Severus turned on his heel and left his new office behind.
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"Grimmauld place?" Hermione questioned when they reached the street.
"It's hidden. This is the best place to hide while we think about what to do next." Harry placed his hand on the handle, breathing a sigh of relief as it opened under his touch, and walked into the dark hallway. It was covered in a thin layer of dust, marred only by footprints.
"Someone is here," Ron whispered, moving to stand in front of Hermione.
"I think someone was, but they left again. Look, the footprints led back out the door." Harry crouched and placed a fingertip next to them. "They look like Severus's," he whispered to himself.
"Wasn't he the secret keeper for the Order?" Hermione walked further into the house.
"He must have come before they changed it to exclude him." He felt his palms grow sweaty. This was the closest they had come in proximity to each other. Maybe he left a message? Harry dared to think before berating himself for how stupid he sounded.
They entered the kitchen together and sat down at the kitchen table. "First thing's first. We'll need to do something about food." Ron's voice echoed in the large room.
"Honestly, Ron," Hermione scolded.
"No, he's right, Hermione. I don't know how long we're going to be here. We need to eat."
They fell into an uneasy silence as they thought about this.
"I don't know if anyone knows to look for us here. We have to assume that from now on it's just the three of us." Harry looked to both of his friends. "How do you think they found us so fast?" Harry spoke the fear aloud.
"In the house, we're safe. The Death Eaters can't find it unless Severus has told them it's here." Hermione stood to look the cupboards. "He hasn't betrayed us, Ron; otherwise they would be waiting to ambush us here." She didn't need to turn to see Ron's outraged face.
"I still don't see how they found us within minutes," Harry grumbled, putting his chin on his hand.
"There's no food left, just as I thought." Hermione sat back at the table.
"You have an invisibility cloak, Harry," Ron let the words linger.
Harry's hands fell to the table in shock. "I left it in my trunk…" he whispered.
"Actually, Harry," Hermione placed the bag she'd been wearing to the wedding on the table. "I packed it in my bag… sorry for going through your things." Her bag expanded and she pulled out his cloak as well as other items for the three of them.
"But you didn't think to bring any food?" Ron questioned, folding one of his jumpers.
"I guess eating didn't cross anyone's mind." Harry sorted his own clothes into a pile. "But a tent and healing supplies. She thought further ahead than we did." Harry nudged Ron.
Ron picked up a bottle, "Dittany," he read aloud.
"I know what you're thinking, Ron, to use the cloak to steal food."
"We haven't got any choice, Hermione. I know we're meant to be saving the world and all, but you can't forget basic things like eating."
"Actually, I was going to say that either I or Harry should go as we know how Muggle shops work. And don't expect me to do all the cooking. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean… Harry? Are you alright?"
Harry had his hand clasped to his forehead. His nails dug in to the skin around his scar, the kitchen beginning to fade from his vision. "It's him, he's angry."
"Is it about my family? Has he got them? Harry, tell me!" Ron was shaking his arm, his voice rising in tempo.
"Ron! Stop shaking Harry like that!" Hermione shrieked, adding to his headache.
"Guys, please…" he tried to explain weakly, feeling himself stumbling from his chair onto the floor on all fours.
"Harry, I need to know! We just left them all behind!" Hands were pulling him upright.
"You let Potter go!" Voldemort screamed in his head, phantom angry eyes swimming across the kitchen floor.
"Harry? Are you alright? Ron! Leave him alone!"
"Enough!" Harry pushed them both from him, teeth gritted painfully. "I need to go to my room; everything else can wait until morning." He stumbled from the room, relying on his memory of the house to get him to his room.
The last time he had been here, it had been after Sirius's death, and at that time Harry had shared a room with Ron, ignoring the fact that Sirius had given him his own room. Blindly feeling his way up the stairs, Harry remembered the day Sirius had given it to him, broken up with noises of Voldemort torturing his followers.
"I know it'll be a while before my name is cleared and all and I'm sorry you'll have to go back to the Dursley's until you're seventeen. But maybe, after you've come of age, you might consider… I mean, as one of your options…" Sirius had blushed, uncharacteristically shy.
Harry stumbled against the door frame, his mind struggling against the onslaught from Voldemort.
"Of course I'll move in with you." Harry had smiled at the man, hugging him around the neck.
"I thought this might be your room, here." Sirius pulled his hand, wrapping it around the door handle. Harry felt tingling, his palm growing warm. "There, now no one but you and I can get in."
Harry had stared at the door, overwhelmed by the feeling that he had somewhere to come back to.
"Get a move on, Potter, the Order is not here to chauffeur you around. Black, left behind while others fight your battles, I see?" Snape had interrupted the moment, undermining the importance of it.
Harry ignored the past, stumbling into his room, kicking the door shut behind him.
Voldemort was in an old house, the two Death Eaters from earlier already passed out and bloody on the floor. It was Greyback who the mad man focused on. The werewolf was facing his Lord proudly, despite defying a direct order.
"You were supposed to capture him! Not let him escape!" The curse caught Greyback on the shoulder, burning away skin. "What use are you creatures if you cannot even follow orders? Where is your loyalty, werewolf?"
Blue eyes grew angry but he didn't answer, instead choosing to growl at the wizard.
Harry scanned the assembled party, searching out some sign of Severus, that he was still alive since their last meeting. He felt guilty about how Severus had fallen from the sky, how he'd acted toward Ginny. He couldn't see anyone who looked like his mate and fear began to settle in his stomach. He opened his mouth to shout out, closing it as Greyback locked eyes with him.
Dumbledore had never been able to answer him regarding the question of whether or not Voldemort could sense him on these joined visions. Standing there witnessing Greyback's torture, Harry knew the werewolf sensed his presence. They held eyes for only a few seconds before Greyback turned to look at Voldemort defiantly.
"Next time I will capture him, I assure you, my Lord." His body flew through the air as the Cruciatus caught him, landing with a sickening thud on the tiled floor.
Despite how Harry loathed Greyback, the fear he caused Remus's pack, and his threat on his life, Harry still ran toward him, checking to see if he was still alive.
'Why?' he shouted uselessly in his mind.
'Keep bond mate safe'. He barely heard the answering whisper.
"Leave," Greyback hissed angrily out of the side of his mouth, and just like that Harry was back on the floor of his bedroom.
He laid face down on the floor, his breathing stirring the dust, stomach churning from all the after effects of the curses. It was silent, his friends respecting his need for space. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes. Lying there in pain, desperately alone, Harry wished Severus was with him. That he could see the man, if only for a moment.
After a few moments had passed he pushed himself up by his arms, his legs still limp on the floor. He was exhausted from the vision; his head felt cleaved in two. Pulling himself into bed, he felt his body dry heave, but managed to keep it down.
He looked up at the canopy of the unfamiliar bed. This was supposed to be his home, inherited from Sirius. It wasn't the common room, and it wasn't Severus' quarters. He felt himself shiver, pangs of homesickness coursing through his body. He closed his eyes.
"This is home for now," he whispered in an attempted to make himself feel better. He tried to slow his breathing, reassuring himself that Hermione and Ron were with him, that the house was safe for now.
Opening his eyes again, he turned to look at the wooden post nearest his head. It was a thick dark wood, mahogany maybe, filled with grooves that twisted round the pole. It reminded him of a gnarled branch. Following the post into where is disappeared into the fabric a small corner of an envelope caught his eye.
Wand out, he cautiously poked it, pulling it free from where it was hidden. Apollo was scrawled across it in familiar writing. Eliciting a small gasp of surprise, Harry ripped it open, catching the parchment as it fluttered to the bed.
It was blank. Turning it over, Harry wondered what cruel joke this was before he saw writing appear as though written by an invisible quill.
If you are here alone then I was unable to meet you at the required time. For that, I apologise. You are wondering, perhaps, how I got this note into your bedroom despite the charm your godfather placed upon the handle. We are still bound by magic, something I believe Albus intended even in death. It was because of this I was allowed to enter. I am still your mate in that fashion.
There was a blot on the paper as though the writer had hesitated.
You are by nature impatient and if you have found it in your heart to forgive me, you are more than likely feeling betrayed by my tardiness. It was never my intent to be late in returning to you. Rest assured I will be doing everything in my power to return to you, even if just to pass on the knowledge of what I have learnt. I pray you are safe. Artemis.
The paper curled on itself as it burned, disappearing into thin air. Severus had taken a risk coming here just to, in his own way, reassure Harry. He felt idiotic, his actions toward Ginny immature. He sighed and settled down into bed. Even now, Severus was thinking about him. A small, selfish part of him spoke up. There had always been a small part of him that had believed maybe Severus didn't deserve happiness, that he was better than the older man. Harry, who was the champion for the light, the noble self-sacrifice, paired to Severus the betrayer.
He slammed his fist into the headboard in disgust. He'd never listened to that small voice; it was arrogant, conceited, and the opposite of who he was. He loved Severus despite his past. He'd just never realized how much until now.
TBC
