Madame Pomfrey was startled when they turned up with the three unconscious forms.
"Good heavens, Severus, Harry, what on Earth happened? And who is this young man?"
"Kinomoto-san is suffering from exhaustion and severe magical drain. Severus and Harry are both probably just in shock," Kaho said.
"What happened to them though?" Pomfrey asked.
"Look at Harry's head, Severus's arm," Dumbledore said softly.
"Oh, Merlin. How?" she asked, seeing the untainted skin.
"He did it," Albus said, looking at the pale form of Touya, cradled in Yue's arms.
"Right, well, lets get the three of them to bed," she said, shaken.
Yue laid Touya down gently where Pomfrey directed, his long, pale fingers stroking through the dark hair again. He glared her and Kaho off when they came to undress him, removing the cards from Touya's pocket, he waved his hand and Touya was naked. Pomfrey handed him a set of pajamas, and Yue redressed him in them, and then retook his form as Yukito, sliding the deck into his own pocket until Touya was awake to look after them again, before switching back to Yue again, thereby making the cards unreachable until he chose to switch bodies again, or Touya woke up, whichever came first.
Eriol came over, looking down at the pale young man in the bed.
"He did an amazing thing today," he said.
"Yes, he did. You're still going to try to involve him in that war though, aren't you? Even after what he did today, you're not going to let him be."
"No, I promise you, I'm not going to push him. I won't even ask him again. If he wants to get involved, that's entirely up to him, if he doesn't, that's up to him too."
"Thank you," he said, watching suspiciously as madam Pomfrey came back again, brandishing her wand.
"What are you planning on doing with that?" he demanded, his amethyst eyes hardening.
"Just examining him, it won't hurt him. Really, I would have thought that him being such a powerful wizard, you would be familiar with basic medical spells."
"Ah, Poppy, you're rather laboring under a misapprehension. Kinomoto-san is not a wizard, per-se, he is a Sorcerer, although, what we saw today was an interesting hybridization. I gather you didn't just spend your time traveling Yue-san?"
"No, To-ya learned some stuff too, he figured out more ways to mix eastern and western magic, beyond what Clow imagined."
"Will this hurt him?" Poppy asked, somewhat impatiently, holding up her wand.
"No, but you may not get an entirely accurate reading either, his magic differs from yours. Yue-san, Cerberus-san, with your permission?"
"We'll be watching," Kero rumbled, not trusting Eriol.
"Of course."
Eriol summoned his own staff, running it over Touya from head to foot.
"My initial assessment is confirmed, he's exhausted and drained. He'll be awake in a day or two. What about Severus and Harry, Poppy?"
"They're fine, they're both on the verge of waking up now," she said, busting off again. They would probably both need a spot of pepper upper potion when they woke up.
Once they were sure everyone was settled and examined, Hermione and Ron drifted over from where they had waited by the door. They approached Yue first.
"Is he going to be all right?" she asked.
"He will be thank you."
"What he did, breaking Harry's link to Voldemort that was an amazing thing. It will make a lot of difference to Harry. We appreciate that."
Yue nodded, offering them a faint smile, but he quickly turned his attention back to Touya, leaning down to kiss his forehead. That left Ron and Hermione free to go over to where Dumbledore was standing, between the beds where Harry and Snape lay.
"Sir, people are going to wonder about Harry's scar vanishing, what is he supposed to say?" she asked.
"He can say he finally found a spell to remove it, or he found a way to cover it up, it's really up to him. I believe our new friends would appreciate it though, if their involvement got no mention," he said.
"We'll make sure he knows that. Is Professor Snape going to be ok?"
"I think he is going to be better than he has been in quite some time, Miss. Granger," Albus said with a smile.
"You lot, run along to breakfast, let my patients rest in peace," Pomfrey said, coming back with the potion she had gone for, chasing them out of the room.
"I'm not leaving him," Yue said firmly.
"Nor me," Kero growled, taking station at the foot of the bed.
Eriol paused in the doorway, watching.
"Nothing is going to hurt him here, for Merlin's sake. He doesn't need protection."
"We're his guardians, when he is not in a position to defend himself, it is our place to do so," Kero rumbled, pointedly lying down and dropping his head onto his paws.
"Don't you two want breakfast? You both need to recharge too you know," Eriol said, drifting back.
"We're not leaving him unattended," Yue snapped.
"Fine, then how about you come to breakfast, and you can bring a tray back for Kero when you've eaten."
Yue met Kero's eyes for a moment, and then nodded slowly, just this once, he would have to eat in this form, he wasn't changing back to Yukito again.
"Very well."
xxx
Harry woke slowly, almost reluctantly, expecting his head to hurt after the way it had felt when he passed out. When he found he could open his eyes, and there was no pain at all, he brought his hands up to his forehead, stunned to feel the skin smooth, like the scar had never existed.
"You too, Mr. Potter?" the voice of the potions master came from his left, and he looked over sharply, seeing the man sitting up in the next bed, staring at the pale, unblemished skin of his forearm, where the dark mark had branded him for so long.
"Yeah, feels weird, doesn't it?"
"Especially since I have no idea what happened, how it happened," Snape said dryly.
"What is the last thing you remember?" Harry asked curiously.
"Someone knocking on the door to my rooms, going to open it, then nothing, nothing at all until now. You?"
Harry frowned, realizing that the memory seemed to be out of reach, he knew that he should know what had happened, but he just, didn't.
"I kind of remember Dumbledore getting me out of bed, and it wasn't even really light yet. After that it's kind of, not there. I get a vague impression of my head hurting, a lot, and a really bright light, but that's about it."
"Hmm, if Dumbledore was involved, we have no chance of him telling us what went on until he's good and ready," Snape sneered.
Poppy Pomfrey bustled over, her wand at the ready, frowning at them.
"Hush up you two, people are sleeping over there," she ordered, scanning first Snape, then Harry with her wand.
"Good, you're both perfectly healthy. Drink this, and then you can go to your own rooms for the day. No lessons today, either of you, Severus, your classes are covered, Mr. Potter, I'm sure there is nothing you can't catch up with tomorrow," she said bossily, pouring both of them a dose of pepper upper potion.
Harry looked at Snape in alarm, his first lesson after lunch was supposed to be double potions. Surprisingly, Snape waved a hand at him.
"Forget it, I don't care who's running today's lessons, I want to see all potions made myself. All of today's lessons will be repeated in the next class anyway," he said, drinking down his potion with a grimace. Just because he made them, didn't mean he liked drinking them.
Harry drank his own potion down in silence, stunned by the change in Snape's attitude. He was still kind of grouchy, but it seemed that whatever had taken the dark mark away, had taken the truly nasty edge with it. Harry found the crush that had plagued him all year last year stirring up to new levels, and got up to dress, to hide his blushing, as if Severus Snape would want anything to do with Harry Potter.
Looking over to the other side of the room, where Poppy had said that other people were sleeping, Snape saw her vanish into the curtained off area, and curiously followed her, wondering which denizen of the school he was going to be spared of in potions for a few days. Slipping around the curtain, he was stunned to see the angelic messenger from the other night, seated at the side of the bed where a handsome man lay, holding his hand. The silvered head was lying on the man's chest, and the angel seemed fast asleep.
Poppy looked up from where she was doing a very basic, hands on check of the young man's pulse and breathing, and saw him there.
"You shouldn't be in here Severus. Go to your rooms and rest, if you've taken your potion," she whispered.
"Who are they?" he hissed.
Their voices woke Cerberus, who opened his eyes with a huge yawn and wriggled out from under the bed, where he'd been sleeping out of the way. He yawned again, allowing Snape to see lots of shiny, sharp teeth
"Please, Severus, just go now. You'll find out who they are when the young man wakes," Poppy said, waving him back toward the curtains.
Snape left reluctantly, and finding Harry was leaving too, they left the room together.
"Well, Professor Snape, I'll um see you in potions tomorrow," Harry said, darting away in the direction of the tower before he had a chance to reply.
Snape was sure he could see the boy blushing again, one would almost think…..no, what a ridiculous notion, as if, as the students would say.
xxx
Touya groaned, raising one hand to his aching head as he tried to persuade his eyes to open. He felt himself being lifted, so that his back was supported against someone's chest, and a familiar much loved voice, soft and close to his ear.
"Drink this koi, it might taste vile, but it will help," Yue said, bringing a glass to his lover's lips, tilting it gently.
Touya swallowed, almost choking on the first taste of the revolting liquid, but Yue persisted, making him drink it all. Touya felt like fire were rushing through his veins, and he coughed once, his eyes flashing open.
"What the hell was that?" he wheezed.
"Pepper upper potion. How are you feeling now, young man?" Poppy asked, handing him a glass of water.
Touya drank it gratefully, washing the taste out of his mouth, then settled back against Yue, who brought his wings around to partially enclose him.
"I feel a little wiped out, tired. What happened?"
"You collapsed after completing the spell; you barely managed to get the inner circles down. You've been unconscious for around 60 hours, its Friday evening now," Yue said from behind him, his voice trembling slightly.
"I will never leave you that way, koi," Touya swore, twisting his head to meet the amethyst eyes.
"I know," Yue said, leaning down to kiss him gently.
Madame Pomfrey cleared her throat to get their attention, and she was blushing faintly when they looked back at her.
"Professor Hiiragizawa is coming up to check you over now, and then if he says you're well enough, you can get up," she said.
"There's no need for Hiiragizawa to check me over, I'm fine now."
"Given you've been unconscious for two days, I would prefer someone else be the judge of that young man," she said firmly.
He rolled his eyes, but settled more comfortably against Yue to wait for Hiiragizawa to show up.
When Eriol showed up five minutes later, he summoned his staff, smiling at them.
"You caused quite a stir in the death eaters, from what we've managed to gather," he said to Touya.
"What do you mean?" Touya asked, eying him narrowly.
"Severus overheard some of the Slytherin students talking; it seems their fathers came from seeing Voldemort yesterday suffering from the effects of several very unpleasant curses. One boy mentioned that his aunt had not come back at all yet. It seems their master was somewhat enraged by losing the link he had to 'the boy who lived'. I don't know if he's even realized he's lost Severus yet," Eriol said, using his staff to check Touya out.
"There's no saying it won't make him more dangerous, all breaking the link achieves for your side is that he can no longer draw information from the boy's mind,"
"But that will mean we can step up his training, without fear of Voldemort finding out what we're doing."
"Assuming he gives you time to train him. He may decide to launch an all out offensive now that he has lost his advantage."
"He isn't that smart, Touya-san. He's too busy right now torturing his followers to even think about launching an attack, and if he persists, when he does decide to attack, his men won't be in any condition to fight."
Eriol finished his scan and shrank his staff down again.
"You're good to get up, but I would recommend that you avoid using your magic for another couple of days, let it finish replenishing."
"Good," Touya said, throwing back the covers.
Yue pulled Touya's clothes out of the cabinet beside the bed, and then closed the screens around the area to give him the privacy to dress without Eriol and Poppy watching. Then he changed into Yukito to retrieve the cards for him.
"Thanks for looking after them, koi," Touya said, kissing him softly.
"They're not exactly a problem to look after," Yukito smiled.
"Yes, speaking of problems to look after, where is Kero?"
"He and Spinniel went to get something to eat, I went at lunch time. We were unwilling to leave you alone."
Touya smiled as his lover brushed his hair out, pulling it into the leather band at the back of his neck, then helped him pull his robes on, he ensured his key wasn't snagged on anything, and once he was sure he was set, he pulled the screens aside.
Kero bounded in then, stopping in front of Touya.
"I thought I felt the cards return to your possession," he rumbled, nuzzling Touya's neck when the man crouched down to rub him hard between the shoulders.
"Yes, thank you for watching over me with your brother."
"Will you come and have something to eat, Touya-san?" Eriol asked, gesturing toward the door.
"I don't think so, we need to get back and sort out the shop. I don't think leaving those markings visible would be too wise," Touya said.
"As you wish, but Dumbledore did want to thank you himself, for what you did for Harry and Severus."
"Not tonight, Eriol, perhaps next week, when I am more myself again."
"Very well, Touya-san, I'll let Albus know. I'll just walk you to the doors, the corridors and stairways in this school are insane," Eriol conceded.
As he led them down the main staircase, Touya stepped over the trick step without needing to be warned, and frowned at the sight of a tall man with very pale blond hair, and a superior expression, waiting in the center of the entrance hall. His gaze flicked over them as they reached the floor, but he dismissed them as beneath his notice, shifting his cane from his right hand to his left as Draco and Severus came up from the dungeons.
"Severus, my friend, I was most disappointed not to see you the other evening, and the owl I sent you didn't seem to be able to deliver it's letter. Will you accompany me to dinner at the three broomsticks, so that we may catch up on what we've missed?"
Snape hesitated, they had no idea if Voldemort had realized yet that he was no longer wearing the dark mark, and this could be an opportunity to gather a little information on what was going on with Voldemort. He almost jumped out of his skin as Hiiragizawa and a tall stranger ghosted up behind him, one on either side.
"Do not do it, Severus Snape, they are aware. He feels he will gain favor and a reprieve from the punishment all his comrades are suffering, if he delivers you to his master," the stranger said softly, close to his ear. Snape looked at the man to see midnight blue eyes regarding the two Malfoy's as dismissively as the Malfoy's usually regarded the people around them. Looking closer, he realized it was the man who had been unconscious in the hospital wing, the one who had been guarded by those two odd winged creatures.
"Just who do you think they are?" Malfoy sneered at him.
Touya left his position at Snape's shoulder, circling the Malfoys in a very predatory manor.
"I am nothing more than the psychic who sees into your black, treacherous soul. You led him to the slaughter once before, by pretending to be his only friend, and now once more, you seek to use the pretence of friendship to repeat that betrayal," Touya hissed.
Off to the side, out of the way, Yukito shifted uncomfortably, knowing that both he and Kero were fighting the urge to change, they could both feel the evil radiating from this pale man.
"How dare you?" Malfoy snarled, swinging his cane, intending to hit Touya. Touya caught it, pulling it out of his hand and snapping it over his knee.
"I do not fear you, you pathetic little man, you are a bully, and bullies are not even worthy of my contempt. You're even so insecure in yourself that you bespell your own child to follow you, instead of giving him free will to chose his path. Leave, get off the grounds of this school, and do not dare return," Touya growled.
Draco had been in the act of drawing his wand, to curse this person insulting his father, when he heard that last accusation. He dropped his arm to his side, he wand hanging lose at his side.
"Is that true father, that you put a spell on me?" he demanded.
"Of course I did, you were such a disobedient, undisciplined whelp as a child. I couldn't trust you to obey me once you started here," Malfoy senior sneered at his son.
Snape gripped his godson's shoulder, pulling him away from his father and pushing him behind him, between himself and Hiiragizawa.
"Get out, before I forget I am on the side of the light, and practice my forbidden curses on you," Severus snarled.
"Letting him go would be a mistake," Eriol said softly.
"What?" the others demanded.
"Harsh as it is, we are at war here, and if we let him leave, with what he knows, then not one of us would be safe setting foot off the grounds until the war is over."
Panicking, Malfoy grabbed Touya, holding his wand to his throat, not realizing that was actually the most foolish thing he could have done. There was an enraged roar, and a muscular lion leapt at him from the side, his jaws closing on the pale throat as he tore the threat away from his master and bore him to the floor. When Cerberus stepped back, his muzzle bloody, Malfoy senior was clearly dead, his eyes stared sightlessly at the ceiling, his neck broken, his throat a bloody mess.
"Severus, get Draco out of here, and make sure no one leaves the great hall," Eriol ordered, pushing the shaking boy who was staring wide eyed at his father's body, into Snape's arms.
Snape obeyed, pulling Draco away from the scene, over to the doors of the hall, inside which, everyone was laughing and joking, enjoying their dinner.
"Draco?"
"What he did to me, he deserved to die, but to see it, like that…."
"I know Draco, I know. You know you would be safest if you mentioned nothing you have seen out here. There are students in the school who are already loyal to Voldemort, whether they are marked or not. We'll see about that spell, as soon as we can, Hiiragizawa might be able to do something about it, if it isn't already broken."
"I understand sir. What's going to happen to me now? Mother is gone; father is gone, what is going to happen to me?"
"Well, unless he had time to change his will, you come into my care until you reach 18. Even if he has changed it, I'll not let you go to someone like him, someone in Voldemort's service, unless….unless that is what you want."
"NO! I have NO desire to go on my knees to that monster."
"Well, it looks like the spell is starting to weaken. Go, join your house, keep your head down until I come and get you again."
Draco shifted uncomfortably, looking at the ground.
"I don't want to join my house; they're all loyal to HIM."
"All of them? I had no idea it was that bad. You wouldn't like the only other option I can think of right now, Draco,"
"What?"
"There is only one group of people I can be fairly sure has no loyalty to Voldemort what so ever," he shrugged.
"Potter and co. They'll never accept me, even for a minute."
"Come on," Snape said, pulling him into the hall, and casting a quick spell to lock the door behind him, so no one could get out without his knowledge.
Taking him over to the Gryffindor table, he stood behind Harry and Hermione.
"Mr. Potter, Miss. Granger, I will be leaving my godson with you, until I have cleared up a couple of issues. I would hope in this company, he will be treated with respect."
They turned to see who Ron was gawping at, and their jaws dropped when they saw Malfoy standing with the professor, his head bowed, his eyes fixed on the floor. Silently, Hermione and Harry shuffled apart, leaving room for Draco to sit between them at the now silent Gryffindor table where everyone was staring at the pale blond boy.
tbc