The Last Prince II: The Pact and a Prophecy
Summary: see Chapter 20
Disclaimer: see Chapter 1
Warnings: see Chapter 1; additional for this chapter: Fluff. A little OOC-ness courtesy of one Tristan Peverell. Severus is not included in this warning. He's just a softie in real life.
A/N: Apologies for the lateness of this chapter. If you were following me in social media you'd know that I was (and still am) busy with DCST duties… But here you go. Thanks again to everyone following this story and leaving some nice reviews.
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The Last Prince II: The Pact and a Prophecy
By: C.M. Oliver
© 2014
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Chapter 34: One and Only
(earlier that night)
Tristan felt that twisting sensation –like he was being warped alive. He closed his eyes, suddenly hating himself for even suggesting that he and Corvus be alone for even just a minute.
'Bloody apparition.'
When he felt that his stomach would no longer jump out of his throat, the young Lord dared to open his eyes. He was standing in front of a rather familiar set of golden gates. He spun around to see Corvus still pointing the ash wand at his person.
"I take it you want to be somewhere more comfortable," the man said, a hungry look in his eyes showing. Tristan decided to keep up with his act. He approached Corvus and linked his arm with the man's free one. Corvus was about as tall as Severus, which meant that Tristan was able to comfortably preen and look up to him from behind his lashes. The young Lord smiled demurely.
"Of course,"
Corvus looked unsure as first, but he eventually returned the smile, although his wand was still on the High Lord. "Very well, let's go inside. I trust you know that this is my ancestral home." Tristan nodded. "Of course." Corvus' smile widened. "I'm glad you're now seeing things my way, Lord Peverell." He waved his free hand and opened the gates with a flourish befitting a circus ringleader. "I admit that I am surprised at your abrupt change of heart regarding my interest in you."
Tristan shrugged. They began walking towards the impressive Manor. "I told you, I'd rather not die a virgin –other than that, I could care less."
Corvus raised an eyebrow. "I find that hard to believe. But still –the short time I have observed my estranged cousin, I must say that he does give off the vibe of being a prude –" a hearty chuckle followed this as Corvus laughed at his own joke, completely missing the sharp glare Tristan threw him.
'Prude? Hah! THAT is the last thing Severus Snape would ever be! He is a million times the man that you could ever be!'
They have now reached the main doors. Corvus opened it and motioned for Tristan to precede him, which the High Lord did without protest. Corvus looked at him disbelievingly, as if still unsure of what to make of the enigmatic nobleman. When they were already inside, Corvus locked the front doors before turning to his companion. Tristan had an amused look on his face. Corvus frowned and re-aimed his wand at the High Lord.
"You must think I'm naïve, don't you? I may be muggle-raised, but I know enough. You cannot harm me while inside the wards of this house –Ancient Family magic, and all." His eyed then travelled up and down the High Lord's body. "Tell me, my Lord. I did threaten to kill you. What makes you think that you will get out of this –situation –unharmed? After all, my orders are to kill you. What gives you the idea that I will let you walk away after I had had my wicked way with you?"
The young man lost the amused look in his eyes. "I was kind of hoping it wouldn't get to that –but—" Tristan painted on a hesitant look on his face. When Corvus slightly lowered his wand, the High Lord continued. "There is a Pact, between our Houses."
"A pact?" Corvus looked interested. "Something to do with why you are with my cousin, is that right?" Tristan looked genuinely pleased. Corvus may be downright annoying, but his mind was probably as sharp as Severus. The young Lord will not need much explanation to get into Corvus' defense. He nodded.
"The last of the Peverells must claim the last of the Princes. Well, I am the last of my line. And at first, I thought Severus was of his, but you –" Tristan gestured towards the older man. "You are the last to carry the name. I'd rather not be killed by my future bondmate, but –"
"Bond mate?" Corvus raised an impeccable eyebrow that must have been part of the Prince birthright. "You mean -? Wait, that Pact –"
"I have to fuck you or we both lose our magic and die," said Tristan, almost sounding nonchalant. "You see, I'd rather not. But if your magic doesn't matter –"
"You're not kidding me," Corvus rubbed his left temple with his free hand. "What happens if we consummate the bond and I kill you?"
"You'd die as well." Tristan managed a weak smile. "So, really, it doesn't matter to me if I die. I'd get what I want either way. You touch me, you die. You don't, you still die." Corvus growled.
"And the Grandmaster knew this! He knows everything and he –"
"He's your boss, right? You probably are just a pawn to him," said Tristan. "Like Fudge is, like Umbridge…"
"I will not be made a fool like those two obviously are!" Corvus exclaimed. Tristan looked sceptical but sighed. "You know Fudge and Umbridge before you met up with them?"
"No."
"Figures. No one would work with them otherwise… horrible people." He shook his head. "I take this Grandmaster fellow introduced you then?"
Corvus eyed him. "No. I haven't seen the Grandmaster personally. He communicates with us indirectly –which is as much as I would tell you about him. Now –" He tightened his grip on his wand again.
"I will deal with the issue of the Grandmaster later, but now –" he grabbed Tristan's arm and began leading him up the stairs. " You have me caught intrigued, not only with this pact, but I'd rather not lose my magic – and if anchoring it would involve me being buried to the hilt inside you my Lord, then by all means…" In the span of a minute, he was roughly pushing the High Lord into an unlocked room and onto the bed, a malicious grin spreading on his face. Tristan bit his lip as he watched Corvus lock the door behind him and began removing his outer cloak.
'Oh Merlin! What was I thinking? I can't do this! I meant for him to distrust the Grandmaster and open up to me –not, not THIS!'
But as Corvus neared him, the normally composed young noble felt the panic set in –panic that he had inadvertently forgotten in the light of wanting to be useful.
'Some spy I am…'
"So, dear Tristan, I may call you that, may I not?" Corvus leered as he approached the edge of the King-size bed. His robes and shirt were off. In the soft light, Tristan could see the fine hairs that were covering the man's bare torso. "We are going to get acquainted really intimately –this may be all business to you but," He reached for and caressed the now-white Tristan's face, languidly. "He then leaned in until he was pinning the High Lord's lower body with his. "I will certainly enjoy deflowering you… and I assure you, you will be begging for more once I am done with you –" Swiftly, Corvus' lips latched onto the frozen man beneath him. Corvus mouth was plundering, demanding an entrance to Tristan's slightly parted ones, unmindful of the unresponsiveness of his conquest. Soon, rough hands were tearing into the young man's clothes, laying him bare for this uncouth stranger instead of his skilfully sensual lover. Inside, Tristan's mind was screaming.
'Do something! Stall him! Make him talk some more!'
But he found that his body could not comply with his mental demands. So as soon as he felt Corvus' hands pull on the zipper of his pants to get to his most private part, he did the only thing that he could at that moment.
He screamed.
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By the time Severus had managed to clear, his eyes immediately zeroed in on his lover. Tristan's figure was on the large bed that dominated the room. The young Lord was bare from the waist up, and his pants were halfway down, exposing his silk-green boxers. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be shaking. Severus wasted no time in removing his own cloak and covering his beloved with it. He then gently touched Tristan's closed eyelids.
"NO!" Tristan screamed again at an unseen attacker. Severus bit his lip and lowered himself gently onto the bed next to the younger man. "Harry? It's is I, Severus. Open your eyes now, love. You're safe. You're with me. I'm here now."
Hearing the familiar timbre seemed to have calmed the young man down. His then brilliant aqua orbs popped open. "Sev? Sev –oh Merlin!" Tristan almost jumped up from his prone position to hug his lover. "Is it really you? But –" he looked around, as if looking for a wildebeest on the loose. Severus sighed and caressed Tristan's cheeks. He gently led the younger man's face to look at him. "Foolish brat, you got me so worried." He pulled him back into an even tighter hug. Tristan began to shake in Severus' arms.
"Oh – I'm sorry Sev. I'm never going to shop alone under a glamour again! I swear! I –I wanted to please you, then I get caught, then I get caught and I –I" an unmistakeable sob escaped his lips. "I can't even make myself useful! Oh Merlin –" Tristan buried himself further into Severus' shirt. "I –I froze! He –he began touching me and I –I froze! How can I be a spy? I'm so lousy –" Severus stiffened.
"WHO –who touched you?" he growled in a dangerously low voice. Tristan glanced up at him quizzically. "Your cousin –he –I made him believe that he was the –the one the Pact talked about –"
"WHAT –"
"No, Sev!" Tristan protested. "I wanted him to think that killing me would be a bad idea –so, please don't be mad!"
Severus sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I wasn't mad at you, Harry. I saw your state of undress when I came in and I assumed that bastard did something, but –" he gestured around them. "He isn't here. I was hoping you could tell me where he is so that I can pay him the proper respects for touching my future bonded mate.
Tristan followed Severus' gaze, until his eyes landed on a figure by the doorway. His mouth gaped.
"Malfoy? What's he doing here?"
"He helped me find you. He's sworn to secrecy." Severus said simply. "Now, back to more important things. Where on earth is that piece of slime?" Two dark-haired men exchanged looks when the unlikely man answered for them. Lucius Malfoy was not looking at either of them, nor were his eyes idle. He was glancing up at a spot in the ceiling right above the two other.
"You are both aware of Ancient magic, right?" The blonde began, "Old manors belonging to Noble families use a blanket protection charm to keep any of their blood away from harm while inside their abode."
"That was why Corvus was not wary of bringing me here," said Tristan. "I couldn't hurt him if I tried –"
"Just get to the point, Malfoy." Severus crossed his arms. "Harry could not have blasted Corvus into smithereens with his scream either."
"I'm getting there," said Lucius, still looking incredibly fascinated by the ceiling. "Blood magic works in that aspect. So in actuality, Lord Peverell would not have been able to defend himself from Port, unless, a greater form of magic is at work."
"Familial bonds are strongest since they are blood-based," said Severus. "What are you going on about, Malfoy?"
"Soul magic," Tristan unexpectedly answered for them this time. "If your Manor recognizes me as your soulmate, then that might've bypassed the familial bond. If somebody tried to harm me, then –but, I don't understand exactly how –" His eyes wandered over briefly to Lucius before moving up to the spot in the ceiling the blonde was inspecting. He let out a gasp. Severus followed him suit.
"Merlin! Is that –"
Up on the ceiling, plastered like a garish-looking moulding, was the petrified form of one Corvus Port –Prince.
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-END OF CHAPTER 34-
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TLP –Verse Notes:
THE FIVE FOUNDING HOUSES:
The Wizengamot originally had 5 Ruling Houses only: Peverell, Prince, Black, Slytherin and Gryffindor (in order of political clout). I deliberately did not include Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff just to be different from all the other stories out there. The Gryffindor Seat eventually went to the Peverells when Ambrosius Peverell married Lorin Gryffindor in 934 c.e. Lorin is the last of the inheriting line, following the death of her older brother Martin due to food poisoning three years prior. As she was female, the custom during that time was to just merge Houses with that of her husband. Ambrosius is Ignotus Peverell's great-great grandfather. The Slytherin-Gaunt House underwent the same transition when Julieta Slytherin married her cousin of many times removed, Marius Gaunt in 1016. Since the Gaunts were not a Noble House however, the name of the line was hyphenated. The Slytherin-Gaunt House' voting seat was acquired, in an unprecedented and unsurpassed move, eventually by the House of Black when no eligible heir stepped forward in the Wizarding Summit of 1930 c.e. There was a push to restore all ruling Houses that time and Septimus Black, Head of the House in that period, won the bidding for the Seat. (A bid is done by presenting pledges of support from voting-class citizens). He out-bid Caligula Prince by 1 vote, which coincidentally came from the House of Potter.
THE HOUSES OF PRINCE, RAVENCLAW AND CRESSWELL:
These three comprise the Most Ancient and Noble House of Prince. The House of Ravenclaw got incorporated into the Noble House of Prince in 1024 c.e. when Ramona, (elder sister of Rowena) married Horus Prince. Since there was no other heir other than the two sisters, Ramona, being the elder took the line with her. The incorporation of the House of Cresswell on the other hand came about after Lord Romulus Prince won a noble war against Titus Cresswell in 1753 c.e. The cause of this feud was a broken engagement between Althea Prince (elder sister of Morpheus, father of Euphrates) and Linus Cresswell. Romulus demanded retribution for the embarrassment the act had caused. Althea and Linus married eventually, but instead of her taking his name, he joined her House when the Princes acquired the House of Cresswell by Right of Conquest. (*Note that it was a broken engagement and not a broken proposition, unlike Nile and Euphrates'. Thus, the two involved were still able to marry.)
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A/N: Now, how in the world did Corvus end up there? Up Next: Chapter 35: Protection of a Prince – Corvus on the ceiling is explained. A little private moment between our boys occurs. And for how long a will the calm last? Is that a character death I see in the horizon? Gasp! -Don't miss it! –C.
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