A/N: Sorry it's been so long on poor old Heart and Soul! She's back, and I hope to get her done over the summer though I can't be sure. This chapter's just a filler, really, before the real action kicks in, and sort of explains a bit about my AU Sev. Remember; reviews make me happy and bring on chapters early! Lots of love, your faithful author =]
"Severus Tobias Snape!" A voice shouted from across a great distance. The aforementioned Potions Master observed the room he stood in before glancing at the woman who had called him. He was in a large ballroom with…
"Narcissa?" Suddenly the stoic man felt weak. Could it really be? "Cissa?" He ran to the vision of the platinum haired woman, falling to his knees before her. "Cissa, what are you doing here?" he cried, feeling the love he had always held for the woman exploding at the sight he had wished for since the day she died.
"I have to warn you, Severus; Draco and his beloved have been captured by Lucius, and…" She collapsed next to him, holding a pale, slender hand across her eyes. "My poor boy… he has made wrong choices over the years but he does not deserve this pain, this anguish. Ginny made him happy, and now they are both in mortal peril. Oh, Severus, what do I do?" She leant into him, into their familiar embrace he had missed for so long.
"I do not know, Narcissa. I will go to Dumbledore as soon as I wake up from this… vision, I presume. I will also accompany them on their search. We will not stop until we find Draco, and Miss Weasley." He had said this with the intent to reassure but Cissa's head shot up, her face panicked.
"You must not accompany them, my love! You are too badly injured, and it would not be safe for you! I need you to be safe for them, so that you can be there for them at all times, and safe for me. I need you, Severus. I love you and miss you, and if you pass I will never be able to look down on earth and see you again, and you will not come to me, you would move onto the next plane…" She trailed off worriedly and kissed Severus softly on the lips, something she had never been allowed to do before, but wished to.
"Cissa…" he cried out softly, feeling her gentle lips remove themselves from his. Because of the bonding ceremony performed on Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy when they were infants, neither was allowed to be unfaithful or have any relationships with other people. This meant that Severus could declare his love for her all he liked, but he was forbidden to touch her in the way they both wanted. "I miss you so, Cissa. I cannot live without contact with you, without an owl, or a floo call, a meeting for tea, the accidental brushing of hands… I can't continue on with this existence." Tears fell from his eyes, and he ran his fingers through her white hair. "The only thing that keeps me here, or there, is Draco; he has your smile, your eyes." Narcissa sobbed and buried herself into Severus' heartbroken embrace. "Don't leave me again, Cissa. Not now that we can finally be together. Don't do this to me," he begged, tightening his hold. He wouldn't let her leave him. He just wouldn't.
"I have to, Severus. I have a duty to my sisters, and even if I could return to our world, the bond with Lucius would reignite and we would be torn apart. It would kill me all over again, Sev." She shook her head wearily. "I do not want to be apart from you but it is what we must do. I am so sorry, Severus. It seems it was in your fate to have those you love torn from you." She was right; Lily was first, then Narcissa. Cissa had helped Severus all those years ago in fifth year, to overcome his loss, and move on, with the love Cissa herself showed him. Then she too was wrenched out of his grasp, into the cruel arms of death.
"Could we not find a way to contact each other?" he pleaded, muffling his voice in the crook of her neck. "I cannot be with you, but I… Cissa, please…" suddenly she was out of his arms, drifting away. "No! Cissa! Where are you going?" He exclaimed, jumping up and trying to run towards her, but she just kept getting further and further away.
"They are calling me back, Severus! I cannot stop it!" Narcissa yelled, tears rolling down her face. "Severus, I love you!" It hurt the Potions Master to hear the words from someone leaving him, so he turned his back. "No, Severus, please, I love you!" her voice was fading, and she was getting further away, he could tell. Then he realised; it didn't matter that she was leaving him now; they were in each other's hearts, and Cissa would always look out for him. He whipped back to see her tiny, broken figure in the distance, weeping profusely as she tried running back to him and tripped more than once. He sprinted towards her, shouting.
"I love you, Narcissa, I love you!" she was gone. But he felt a warm glowing in his heart, and knew that she was there. "I really do love you, Narcissa," he whispered, turning once more. It was time to leave wherever he was, and return to the hospital bed in Hogwarts. It was time to say goodbye to Narcissa, but never forget her.
When Severus woke up, groaning, he realised that he was no longer aching all over, and that his breathing was back to normal instead of harsh and ragged. He sat up, testing all the joints and muscles for tenderness, and found some around his ribs. Other than that, he was fine. Better than the first time he got out of bed, anyway.
"Ah, Severus, I see that you have awoken. Perhaps you would like a drink?" Poppy Pomfrey bustled into the room and greeted him with a soft smile. Severus nodded, coming to the conclusion that after healing this much in such a short space of time, he was going to have naught more than a rasp for a voice. He was handed a glass of Pumpkin Juice, and patted on the hand. "I am sure that Mr Malfoy and Miss Weasley are on their way down to see you any minute. They were both so worried for you, dear." She hurried away, and Severus sighed; no, they were not. Once the mediwitch was out of sight, the Potions Master swung his legs over the side of the bed and Summoned another pair of his Dragon Hide boots, slipping them on cold feet. The robes and shoes he had worn to the Death Eater meeting were covered in blood and were torn beyond repair, so he had to Summon another teaching robe too. Throwing that over the bedclothes he had been wearing, he silently left the Hospital Wing, heading for Dumbledore's office.
"Dairy Milk," he smiled wryly; would the insanity of the old Headmaster never cease? Severus limped up the spiral staircase and through the door, where Albus sat talking to Fawkes. "Professor, if I may have a word." Severus muttered. With a wink, Fawkes burst into flames and disappeared.
"Severus, my dear boy, come, take a seat. Are you quite well? I visited you in the Wing, but you were not conscious. Did Poppy let you out? I am pleasantly surprised to see you up and about so soon." Albus smiled, gesturing at the plush chair before his desk. "Lemon drop?"
"No thank you, Albus," Severus sighed, taking the proffered seat. "I have come to you concerning Draco; he and Miss Ginny Weasley have been kidnapped by the Death Eaters and taken to Malfoy Manor. I do not know how the Voldemort's forces got into my chambers, but they took the pair. I should not be out of the wing but I feel fine, and these children are in grave danger. I fear for their lives; Draco is considered a traitor to the Dark Lord, and the fact that he is in a serious relationship with a so-called 'blood traitor'," he spat the vulgar slander in disgust, curling his lip. He knew Ginny was kind and good, regardless of the way her family chose to live. "The relationship makes matters worse. We must assemble forces immediately and get them back." Albus smiled again, leaning forwards.
"I cannot send out the Order too quickly, Severus. We must create a plan, however given all we know about the Manor, it will be fairly soon. You will get your godson back in due time, Severus. I understand you would like to adopt Draco?" Severus nodded vigorously. "Well then, as we wait for Fawkes to bring back the members of the Order, we can organise that. I am sure that being who I am, I can give the allowance that Cornelius would be… reluctant to give." Severus let out a rare grin; he had been worried about the Death Eater status he was labelled with, and how it would affect his chances.
"And what of the fact that Lucius is still alive? What if he contests my adoption? He is more socially powerful than I could ever hope to be, and if he chooses to will no doubt get his own way." The Potions Master voiced his most prominent fears, but Albus waved a hand.
"Pish, posh, let him try to bypass me. I have the Wizengamot on my side on this matter. Plus, you know that Draco, due to the fact that he turns seventeen in a week, will have his own say. It is a fact that will greatly affect the outcome of the proceedings. Now, the members of the Order are going to be arriving any minute. I shall give you a minute to collect yourself, and then you can tell them exactly what you know, before heading back to the infirmary, or Poppy will have your head." Albus disappeared to the upper levels of his office, leaving a thankful Severus behind; he did need some time to get together the cool, calm exterior he only took down in the select few occasions. Once he had, Albus joined him again, both standing by the fireplace, and soon the Order filled the room, sitting on conjured or transfigured chairs.
"What is it, Albus?" Remus Lupin called tiredly from the back of the room where he stood with Tonks.
"Severus has come to me with some very grave news about two of our own. Before he tells you this, though, you must know one thing. The boy he speaks of turned his back on his family and friends to join our side, leaving behind everything he knew. He is one of us, and should be accepted as though he was one of an Order member's child. Severus, if you will," Albus offered the floor to Severus, who stoically observed the rabble, before addressing them.
"Earlier this evening two Order children were kidnapped by Death Eaters," he declared, causing gasps and cries to echo throughout the cavernous room. "They were Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley." This made even more shock to ripple through the room.
"My baby girl!" screeched Molly. "Why is it always my baby girl?" she sobbed into Arthur's jacket. Severus spared her a moment, and threw a look to Arthur that spoke volumes of his condolences, and continued.
"They were taken because Voldemort is outraged at the fact that Draco refuses to join the Dark Lord's ranks, and turned to Albus for asylum. He took Ginny too because they are in a relationship." Ignoring the whispers, he ploughed on. "We have to rescue them tonight. Now here is the plan…"
They planned until the early hours of the morning, when the final decisions were made. The Order members were to go in and execute the plan with haste, bringing back the two pupils quickly and safely. Severus was to wait behind, much to his disgust. Just as the members were leaving, Poppy hurried into the room.
"Severus Tobias Snape!" She yelled, flicking her wand and trussing him up, levitating in the air. "You dare leave my wing without my permission again?" she was furious, and Severus almost felt scared. He was forcibly dragged back to the Hospital Wing and charmed to the bed, when he felt something heating up in his pocket. Pulling it out, he recognised a piece of white parchment, with a familiar smell; Narcissa. It read;
I will be with you always, in your heart. But if you write on this, I can write back. Thank you for saving my son, in more ways than the rescue. I love you, Severus Snape.