Many thanks to Kristine Thorne for doing the beta on this chapter.

Reviewers notes below chapter:)

Chapter Summary: Harry comes to a decision whilst drinking a bottle of coke, but things are often not what they seem, especially when there's magic around.

Warning: Character death (1 count excluding nameless Death Eaters) and implied character death (1 count). Sequel (MPREG) WILL begin next week.

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Chapter Twenty Five - Betrayed

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Will pulled his Land Rover out of the drive and headed north along the familiar route to Fort William, beginning his strange journey, it was already dark. The road was straight and long from Fort William to Inverness, first to Spean Bridge, then on to Fort Augustus driving alongside Loch Lochy, then alongside Loch Ness. There was only a small section to drive, where there was land on each side before Will would reach Inverness.

Something in his head was telling Will he should go, something else was saying that he should stay away. Logic told him that the whole idea was crazy, but he was doing it anyway. It was such a direct route from Fort William to Inverness; Will couldn't understand why Richard and Alex had wanted to go to Stirling first, if they had always planned to go to Culloden anyway. His brain fought on with what he knew, if there was to be any killing, no matter what the reason, they wouldn't be advertising their intended location to anybody.

Will couldn't imagine them doing it though. The house had allowed them to be there, they had cooked and cleaned for three whole months, all the time portraying themselves as a peaceful and loving couple. Even when he observed them late at night from the darkness of the garden and they had no reason to maintain any deception. Yes, there were things that were strange, but being strange did not make someone a killer, he should know. Maybe they were about to get mixed up in something they didn't expect; it seemed to Will that it was more likely.

Will suddenly thought about his long ago friend and the stories he used to tell of the world that lay hidden to those who didn't know to look. The tales about witches and wizards who lived in places you could enter only if you knew how. The wizards who wanted to live in peace, remaining beyond the sight of the rest of the world and of the wizards who wanted to take it all, believing that power should rule all, resenting the non magical for dominating the world. Might such a world, lead and enable two men to kill hundreds of others in a righteous fashion? Will shook his head as much as he could whilst driving, he was really losing it, they were just stories after all.

Will pushed a little on the accelerator, testing the limits of his nerves and the ancient vehicle under his control. There was no light but that coming from his headlamps along the whole stretch of road, which had remained the same width for countless years, since horses were the norm. Only the odd spot of light could be seen coming from far off, the windows of scattered houses, nothing to effectively illuminate his way. If he got there in time then he would know for sure, once and for all. It was the evening of the 16th April, the anniversary of the battle, which had made Drumossie and Culloden famous. If what he had seen was coming to pass, then he needed to get moving or he would miss it all.

Lucius, the Death Eater, second only to the Dark Lord himself, still lay dead at Harry and Severus' feet, though he had been skilfully concealed beneath a covering of magically created grass, which made him look like a natural, though small rise in the ground. Harry looked around, scanning their immediate area for any more Death Eaters. They both held their swords again, in case of sudden attack, Harry having calmed considerably from his recent actions, he was only just beginning to realise the enormity of what he had done. A line had been crossed that night and there was no going back.

"I killed him," Harry said without pleasure in his voice, now very much his normal self once again. "Oh Sev, I did it."

"We have to keep moving now, if we want to avoid them, they might well know where we are, all of them." Severus suggested, he was also scanning for trouble, trying to keep Harry's mind on the job. There might be plenty of time for remorse later when it was all over, there certainly wasn't any time yet. "We must go now."

Harry had already come to a grim decision, "No," he said. "We'll stay, I think it is time, I am tired of running Sev."

Severus regarded Harry with a look of fear, now that he saw that the moment had come, he knew that Harry had planned it all along. Maybe he had hoped for more Death Eaters than Lucius, when he had set off to use his wand, in order to summon them to his signature.

"Don't you think we've had enough? Shouldn't we just face it now? I'm weary of this, I just want to go home," Harry said with sadness.

Severus refrained from reminding Harry that they didn't have a home, he couldn't do that to him now. Harry meant it, really meant it. Harry had stood calmly drinking a bottle of Muggle coke and he had come to his decision.

"If you're sure," Severus responded.

"We're ready, ready as we can be, the bond is strong, I am strong. I can't bear to continue without doing it. I need to do this now, Sev, before I lose my nerve."

Severus took a deep breath, the killing had shaken Harry more than he had realised, he should have known. He should have remembered how he himself had felt all those years ago after making his first kill. He also remembered how his brother had got him to kill again so soon after, a cruel trick to fire his anger, but necessary to make sure that he didn't disappoint the Dark Lord. On this occasion Severus had to make sure that the Dark Lord was very disappointed.

"If you're sure," Severus began, "I can send a signal spell that will get their attention, I will use my wand so that it will carry my unique signature, just like your spell tonight was distinctive enough to summon Lucius. Although they might now come anyway once they discover that Lucius isn't going to return, I'm sure they'll be far too curious after I have been gone for so long, to stay away. It's a signal meant to summon every able Death Eater in times of extreme need. Even if they accept that I am still loyal, we should get a good army to fight and probably the Dark Lord himself too. Even if the Dark Lord doesn't initially come, he certainly will, once he realises you are here too and his followers are dying in great numbers."

"Especially since you're supposed to be dead. We can summon the others now, it's time to summon the Order," Harry instructed remembering the help they were supposed to get.

"Yes, I'll do it," Severus offered.

Severus performed the necessaries to bring the rest of the Order to their aid and then they waited. Not a thing broke the silence on the muir but the whistling of the wind. They waited some more.

"How long was it supposed to take?" Harry asked.

"It was for emergencies, they were supposed to apparate to our exact location."

"Try it again," Harry insisted.

Severus complied and then they waited some more.

"They're not coming are they Sev?" Harry asked with sadness in his voice, "There's nobody left to send."

Severus didn't want to reply but he feared that Harry was right.

"It was always destined to be me, at least we have the Bichun Kin Bond," Harry added.

"I'll cast non-deadly, you strike to kill; we have to make sure we don't upset any prophecies don't we?" Severus suggested, resigning himself to what was now imminent and unavoidable, steeling himself for what he must now do.

Harry nodded, "Send the beacon."

Severus took out his normal wand and put away the sword, Harry put his sword away too.

"Appear unarmed, you will know when to draw your sword," Severus advised. "Things will get a little rough but trust in the Kin, whatever happens."

"Yes," Harry said looking into Severus' eyes.

"WHATEVER HAPPENS, now are you sure you're ready?"

"Yes, just do it. Bring them on," Harry said leaning in for a final kiss.

Severus waved his wand once and a yellow star sprang from it and leapt into the sky.

"Ooh pretty," Harry said watching the light arc upwards high above them both, and then fall to the ground. As it happened, a strange calm swept over Harry, everything that had ever been his life culminated in this point.

"They're coming now, I can hear them," Severus whispered with an edge to his voice that Harry couldn't make out. "One more minute."

Harry tried to listen out for the Dark Lord and his followers but he couldn't hear anything, he assumed that Severus must have more of a sense for it than he did. He stared out across the land, trying to catch sight of anything that might be approaching them.

Severus suddenly pushed Harry hard with both arms outstretched and impacted with his chest strongly enough to wind him and make him stagger back, he only just managed to stay standing.

Severus rushed forward. "You stupid, gullible, little fool. Harry Potter is 'ready' is he? Well he isn't ready for this!" Severus spat in his face with venom. He raised an arm, swung back and hit Harry with the back of his hand, using enough force to send him flying to the ground. Pressing the advantage, Severus fell to the ground beside him, straddled him with his legs and pinned Harry down.

Harry was on the ground and trapped before he could process what was happening, he didn't have a chance to go for his wand or strike back in any way. Harry could feel the panic rising in him, he couldn't move, one arm was pinned beneath Severus' leg and the other was held in a painful grip, he tried to struggle. Severus' face was one of pure hatred and power, it reminded him of his Uncle Dursley. This isn't real, he told himself over and over.

"They're coming for you. You had your chance to kill me and you didn't, did you. I even bloody asked you to! Silly little boy!" Severus said in a cold, icy voice.

Harry kept on struggling but he could hear them now, hundreds of Death Eaters marching and somewhere in amongst them presumably the Dark Lord himself. They must have apparated onto the muir a distance away and now they were coming for him.

"Once a Death Eater always a Death Eater," Severus sneered. "You know I possess the skill and ability to make you do or believe anything that I wish, a potion for every occasion, all in highly concentrated form. You've allowed me to prepare your meals, you would think that you of all people would have learnt to be more cautious."

Harry felt tears come to his eyes, he still couldn't move. This isn't real, it isn't, Harry repeated to himself in his head. Severus was hurting him but he had to remember the power of the Kin. But the Kin was supposed to mean that Sev wasn't able to hurt him, Harry thought as his heart began to crush. Was that only with the sword on his arm? Severus had told him to put it away. Severus was being worse than Snape had ever been.

"No!" Harry screamed at Severus, putting all the strength he had into trying to get free, he couldn't, Severus continued to hold him in a vice like grip. Harry kept on struggling, trying to break Severus' hold on him but it was no good, the older man had the physical advantage, there was no hope if Harry couldn't get to his wand.

"Greetings Severus," The Dark Lord said as he came to stand in front of them. If he was surprised to see that Severus was alive, he was hiding it very well. Harry could only think that maybe he wasn't that surprised at all. The Death Eaters formed an impenetrable wall around them.

"I've brought you a present," Severus said gripping Harry by the hair as he now struggled to hold him down. "He's a spirited little vixen."

Severus let go of Harry's arms and raised himself up; he pulled Harry to his feet by his hair. As soon as they were standing Severus grabbed Harry's sword arm and twisted it roughly round his back. A pain shot through his arm from where it had been broken before, broken in memorable and partially similar circumstances by his loving Uncle Dursley. Then he had been used for pleasure, now he was a present for the Dark Lord.

"Does little Harry Potter have a surprise up his sleeve or is he going to continue to struggle pathetically?" The Dark Lord asked in a sing-song voice.

Snape smirked with menace, "He has nothing, I merely had to jump on him before he could pull out his wand."

"Right, kill him," The Dark Lord barked.

"Don't you want to play with him a little first?" Severus asked, his breath hot in Harry's ear, "After I spent the better part of a year keeping him away, making sure he would be little trouble."

The Dark Lord considered this, "Yes that seems like a very good idea, it would be a shame to rush this pleasure after so long."

"That was what I was thinking, my Lord," Severus added.

"I have a better idea," The Dark Lord began. "Why don't you take your revenge, Severus? He is James Potter's son after all. You have him in your control; you have the audience, do to the son what he and his friends did to you. Take him."

Severus' hand slid from Harry's hair to wrap round his throat, pressing firmly so that his breathing was severely impaired. Harry's mind was racing; it was obviously a challenge for Severus to show his loyalty but all he had seen in Severus' Pensieve was his father and his friends pushing Severus around, hexing him a few times. That was supposed to be Snape's worst memory but Harry had been pulled out of the Pensieve before it had reached a conclusion and Severus had been very, very angry to find that he knew even part of it. It was obvious that there must have been more.

Severus had told Harry that it hadn't begun or ended there. 'Well, he was either going to get beaten up or…' Harry thought 'or…oh shit, surely they didn't mean to…' Cold dread settled in Harry's stomach as he realised what he was about to discover. He was about to find out precisely what had made Severus hate his father so much that he couldn't for the better part of seven years tolerate the son either.

Harry's head was spinning though and the panic in him made it difficult to concentrate. His breathing was difficult and every breath fought for, with panic and with partial strangulation, his head began to feel light and he thought that he might pass out.

"It would be my pleasure," Severus sneered in Harry's ear, "I bet he's nice and tight too." A slender hand reached down, Severus had released his hold on Harry's throat a little, only to touch Harry where he really didn't want to be touched in front of several hundred Death Eaters, it made the intention very clear. The hand remained on him and all Harry could do was fight for breath, his body moving against Severus' unwelcome touch with every cough and wheeze. After a minute or two Harry's head cleared and he could breath again, he wondered momentarily why there had been a pause in the proceedings.

Severus, suddenly and without warning, let go of Harry completely and pushed him forward, Harry nearly stumbled.

"Undress and get on your knees." Severus barked the order, "Do it slowly, I want to watch you, WE want to watch you. Do exactly as I say, or they will all get their turn too, and don't try to run, you ARE completely surrounded."

Harry bent over as if in pain, cradling his arm against his chest, trying to give himself time for a second's thought, willing his head to clear properly and the panic to subside long enough to do the right thing. His arm was free and he was expected to handle his clothing. If he waited any longer he would be brutally assaulted in front of hundreds of Death Eaters and then executed, either that or Severus would have to break cover and they would both be killed, if Severus had any cover to break that was.

Maybe all the other Death Eaters would take their turn anyway. Whether the Bichun Kin was real or not it seemed like a suitable enough time to draw his sword. He was dead anyway. But wait, Harry suddenly thought, Sev letting go of his hand was the signal wasn't it? Yes, it always had been, Sev had held him and then let him go, he should be in the air already. The Death Eaters were arranged closely around them, just like they ought to be if he were to kill a substantial number with the initial curse.

Harry reached into the inside pocket of his coat and felt the serpents on his sword itching to be round his wrist. He held the hilt and pulled the sword clear of his clothing. It was at full size and the serpents eagerly coiled themselves round his forearm and wrist. Maybe they would all just laugh at him now, he didn't care, his sword still had a sharp blade and he would take a couple of them with him at the very least. The serpents still glowed crimson. Harry pulled the sword into full view, displaying it in front of him as he and Sev had practised so many times.

The look on the Dark Lord's face was worth everything. No, they weren't going to laugh at him, far from it. With a surge of adrenalin, Harry realised for sure, the Bichun Kin Bond was real, everything was real, everything Severus had told Harry and had taught him, all of it was real and true. For the first time ever, Harry saw the Dark Lord's confidence waver.

Harry took some deep breaths to focus his anger, to take a moments thought about his situation.

It had been necessary, Harry knew now, to get all the Death Eaters packed around them to make them easier to kill, the Dark Lord in the middle, an impossible fighting arrangement for any other warrior but ideal for using Kin Swords. It had been necessary to rile Harry's anger to a peak; he always was more ruthless and awesome when Severus had got him angry, Severus was always insulting him when they fought, it wasn't something Harry could have been warned about or it wouldn't have worked. As a spy, his Sev was just TOO bloody good.

Well, Harry was very angry now, amongst other things and everything that he had felt immediately prior, was converting to pure rage as he took hold of the sword. Harry thought that it was just as well that he couldn't harm his Kin with his sword, and that there was a Kin Bond between them that meant that he couldn't live without Severus. Otherwise he might have felt like chastising him for his cruel trick.

The Dark Lord and his victim stared at each other, eyes locked, Harry with his eyes burning with the power of the swords, the Dark Lord with something approaching horror. Harry felt his fear turn to anger as the power flowed through him, he felt every feeling Severus had riled in him turn to power and anger. The word 'kill' formed in his mind but not this time as an instruction from Alexian. Every part of his being began to scream 'kill'. The power surged, Harry felt that if he didn't release some of it in a strong 'Bas Aithghearr' soon his head would burst. They had all hurt his Sev by what they were, Harry thought, his Sev, a Death Eater for only a moment, but forever tainted by their evil shadow. None of them would see the day again. The Dark Lord still met Harry's eyes in a stare, neither of them was moving.

Harry could feel his Kin, his Sev came to stand beside him, sword now also drawn and glowing crimson. Harry didn't have to turn to know that he was there, he could feel him, feel the power of their Bond, feel Severus' intent and his, as yet, small movements, Harry's Kin eager for the action. The Dark Lord looked deeply disturbed.

"This one is for Alexian," Harry called to the Dark Lord, slashing a killing curse all around him. Many Death Eaters fell but the Dark Lord merely stumbled back mouthing the name Alexian in awe. Harry cut into them again before leaping into the air to escape any retaliation. Sev was fighting too, Harry could feel him, but he couldn't pay too much attention to that, he just had to stay in tune with him enough to coordinate their moves, he didn't risk looking, he didn't need it.

The battle was all a blur of fighting and curses and jumping to keep out of the way of attack from the Death Eaters. Harry couldn't stop for a second, it seemed to last forever. He kept on going, adrenalin keeping fatigue at bay. Cutting and stabbing when he got close enough, casting devastating spells when he had the space to spread them wide. Wave upon wave of Death Eaters came for him and he mowed them all down.

Harry's only other sign that Sev was there was the dazed expression they often already possessed as he cut into them, revealing that they had been pre-stunned for his attention. On and on he fought till suddenly the air went quiet, he landed on the ground ready to strike again and only the Dark Lord stood before him, a little worse for wear, but alive.

Harry wasn't about to waste time with idle chitchat.

"For the children," Harry called in a terrible voice, which to Harry, hardly seemed his own. He then ploughed forward with his sword, cutting at the same time as channelling the killing curse as strongly as he could, an exultant 'Bas Aithghearr'. Harry pulled the sword upwards, so that the blade cut through the flesh like a knife through butter, splitting the Dark Lord in two. He followed through with a wave of banishing to cast any remnants of being to the spirit realms where they could not return. The Dark Lord fell and Harry aimed his blows at the ground where the corpse lay, slashing over and over.

Suddenly Harry felt a sharp pain in his cheek and looked up from his prey, to see a Death Eater brandishing a dagger before him. He crumpled to the ground. Harry was dazed, he lay with the world spinning, breathless, he felt nauseous and he could feel the trickle of blood flowing down his face. He must get up, he told himself, but he couldn't seem to move. Pain coursed through Harry's body in throbs. Harry found that he had lost Severus; he couldn't feel his presence any longer through the Kin Bond and the sword. He must get up, he tried to convince himself, he had to do it, but his resolve was rushing away from him, as he battled against a body that wouldn't cooperate.

The trees surrounding the clearing danced about and the stars in the sky swirled as the pain faded from his body, but Harry still remained unable to move. The ground lurched beneath him, so that he felt like a bobbing boat lost on a rough sea, though he knew that he lay still. Tears came to Harry's eyes, he had lost his Sev; he wasn't there, he couldn't feel him any more. Severus was dead, Harry thought, as he ceased to fight and closed his eyes against the remaining world, with no care for it any longer. He had lost his Sev, his Kin, after everything, in a moment; he was gone.

TBC very soon, next posting in a few days time, as soon as the beta is done. Nice fluffy ending, promise :)

Ch26 - Here At The End Of All Things (a Lotr quote). Summary: Harry, in the grip of a curse, thinks that Severus is dead but somebody is rescuing him from the battlefield.