Warnings: nothing major. Probably some foul language.

Summary: Harry and Severus discuss the past few weeks with Remus and Lily and their discoveries about the horcruxes. Everyone puts their heads together to save Severus, and end up heading off another Dumbledore sneak attack. Dumbledore gets a bit of comeuppance into the bargain, and in saving Severus, Harry ends up saving two lives.

Notes: This fic is completed, and I finally got the rest of the chapters edited and formatted last night. The entire fic should be up within an hour or so.

CHAPTER 25

Two hours later, Severus and Harry had caught Lily and her mate up on everything they knew. Lily had been in tears since the mention of Blackpool, and Remus was not far behind her, but they had had both listened without prejudice or judgment.

It relieved Severus down to his soul to know Harry's family trusted him, or was at least making the effort.

Harry sat beside his weeping mother and rubbed her shoulders. "Mum, I know all this about Blackpool is a bad job, but Sev and I … well, we're doing okay. At least, I think he is."

Severus gave him a cautious nod. "I simply have not had time to think of it. Once the madness recedes, however …."

Harry reached over and took his hand. "We'll be there to help you through it, okay?"

Severus rubbed his thumb over Harry's knuckles and sighed. "That is assuming we live through the war."

"We will," said Harry in his wild tones. "Do not give up hope."

Though Severus wasn't convinced, he found he could not doubt the strength in that voice. He nodded in spite of himself and gave Harry a hesitant smile.

"That's better." Harry caressed Severus' hand and kissed the backs of his fingers. "We're going to survive. We have plans, remember?"

Severus smiled a little more. Yes. Plans to bond as wizards and to start a family soon. The thought of having a family of his own, a family with his beloved mate and friends at his side, filled him with joy and hope for the future in spite of his terror.

"I hope you can find a way to destroy this horcrux without killing me, my Harry. Those dreams of ours are … I …." He sighed and lowered his head. His fear of Remus still lingered and would not let him reveal his deeper emotions in front of the man, but nevertheless, Harry seemed to understand.

"Yeah." Harry rubbed Severus' hand. "They sound good to me, too."

"I only hope we live to see them come to fruition," Severus whispered.

Harry returned to his mate's side, leaving his mother to Remus' care, and held Severus' shoulders. "I need you to have faith in me, Sev."

Severus sighed and leaned against Harry's stomach. "I do have faith in you. I am only afraid, Harry. I cannot seem to Occlude it away, either. The very thought of having that demon's soul in me …." He shuddered and gave Harry a pleading look.

Harry stroked Severus' hair. "I know. We'll get it out, I promise you. The second we know how to without hurting you, I'll get rid of it." His eyes filled with teal rage. "And then I will burn the bastard in the hottest fires of hell for daring to lay a finger on my mate."

Though Severus felt a fool for doing so, he could not resist the urge to bury his face in Harry's stomach and hug him hard. He had been so brave for so long, but this … it terrified him to the depths of his core. Harry brought out his wings again and draped them across Severus' back, and the feel of being cocooned within his mate's embrace gave Severus strength. He sighed and breathed Harry in, taking comfort in his warmth and masculine fragrance.

Remus spoke suddenly and startled Severus out of his hiding place.

"Harry—oh, sorry, Severus."

The man gave him a weak glare and sat up, the spell of Harry's embrace broken.

Remus shook his head and patted the chair between himself and Severus. "Harry, sit and tell me everything you know about this last horcrux. It … I know the situation seems grim right now, but maybe if we lay all the details out, we'll find a solution to kill it while sparing Severus. It can't hurt to try, anyway."

"All right." Harry sat beside Severus and leaned on the table. "Well, I first realised it existed when I read about it in the journal a couple weeks ago. Riddle found out that Malfoy knew his secret and decided he needed extra insurance."

"I remember you saying that," said Remus. "What did you read about it after that?"

Harry shrugged. "Not much. Just him going on about this person or that, saying that this one wasn't strong enough, that one wasn't important enough, and so on. We didn't find anything definitive until last night." He shuddered. "The last thing I read in the journal, he was writing through Quirrell. He had wanted me for his last horcrux, but the ritual failed when Mum 'killed' him."

Remus' eyes glowed amber. "Shame he didn't stay dead. I'll kill him this time."

Harry gave a wry laugh. "Well, no. I will, but you can definitely help."

Remus nodded. "Good enough. What happened next?"

"The next thing we learned about it was what Dumbledore told Sev."

Remus turned to Severus with deep sadness in his eyes. "I am sorry, Severus. No one deserves what Dumbledore did to you."

Severus acknowledged him with a nod. "None of us deserved his manipulations."

"True. Can you tell me the details of what Albus said? Don't leave anything out."

"I will try." Severus rubbed his temples, trying to recall that terrible conversation. "I was, perhaps, far too distraught to recall every detail without the aid of a pensieve—"

"I have one here if you need it," said Lily.

Severus nodded. "Might we use it? I am not positive I can speak about it, and I fear I will forget important details otherwise."

"All right." She rose and left.

Remus patted Harry's hand as soon as she'd gone. "Harry, are you okay with this?"

Harry sniffed. "Might have to hunt down that lying bastard and burn him when all's said and done, but yeah. I'll be all right. Sev needs me to be strong right now anyway."

Remus' eyes filled with sorrow. "I … if you find you're unable to stay strong without help, you can talk to me, you know? The offer is open for you as well, Severus, though I don't think you'll take it."

Severus shook his head. "I am barely able to speak of it to Harry. I do appreciate the offer, however."

Remus gave him a sad smile. "I wish I had known this side of you, Severus. I wish he hadn't taken so much away from us."

Lily set the pensieve on the table and ran her hand through Remus' hair. "So do we all. Are we ready for this?"

Harry slipped his hand into Severus'. "I'm here for you, love."

"I am for you as well."

Severus closed his eyes and called up his memories of that horrible discussion. Tears welled under his lashes and rolled down his cheeks as he pulled the memory away and placed it in the basin. Argent ripples flowed from his wand and filled the bowl. An image formed across the top of the liquid of Severus glaring at Dumbledore's portrait.

Harry wiped Severus' tears and kissed him softly. "Don't give up hope, okay? I haven't."

Severus laced his fingers with Harry's and took comfort from his warmth. "I am trying. Hope is … new to me."

Harry gave him a sad smile. "I know what you mean. But come on. Let's get this over with, yeah?"

"Yes. Stay with me?"

"Always."

Severus took a deep breath and touched his nose to the silvery fluid.

Harry could not believe the shite Dumbledore had done. Gods! He was a bastard of the first order.

He could understand how the man had needed his lover. Merlin, if anything should ever happen to Severus—well, and if Harry could survive his death for more than a few moments—he would be miserable without his mate. Broken and empty with half his soul beyond the veil.

That, he could sympathise with.

But if the worst had happened, and Harry had lost his mate without dying right along with him, he would like to think he wouldn't sacrifice a child's health and the lives of thousands just to get Severus back! Dear Merlin. And Grindelwald hadn't even been Dumbledore's fated mate. There was no biological imperative driving them to be together—only the same kind of love any human might have shared with another of their species.

Dumbledore had no excuse for what he had done.

It was sickening, listening to the bastard prattle on about why he had done this and that and why he was only a man in love, blah-blah-blah. If Harry hadn't been trying to find clues to save Severus' life, he would have just tuned the fucker out and tended to his desolate lover.

Merlin knew Severus needed his attention.

Listening to Dumbledore might have sickened and hurt Harry, but Severus? Gods. The spy had loved and served Albus exclusively for twenty years. To hear the extent of his betrayal over again must have ripped the very soul from the man. He had gone still as a stone, his eyes blank from fierce Occluding, but rivers of tears still poured down his face.

If Remus hadn't been present, Severus would have likely been sobbing.

While Dumbledore spoke of the ritual to bring Grindelwald back, a stricken Remus approached and hesitantly laid a hand on Severus' shoulder.

"If you need to … express your grief, I won't judge you for it, Severus. Merlin, I'm devastated myself."

Severus' stone-hard expression faltered, and his voice came out in a breathy, broken tone. "I fear if I allow myself to truly weep, Lupin, I shan't be able to stop."

"I … I know what you mean. I just wanted to let you know it was okay to cry, if you need to. I understand." Remus wiped tears of his own as he returned to his mate and left Harry alone with his love.

Harry said nothing, but simply brought Severus into his arms and wrapped his wings around his taller mate. Within the safe-haven of Harry's embrace, Severus' insecurities faded enough to let him release a low moan of pain and sink to his knees. Shaking and cold with grief, he buried his face in the younger man's shoulder and wept. Each gasping, quiet sob shattered Harry inside, but he refused to give into his anguish. Severus needed him to listen, as much as Harry hated it.

This time, Harry had to be the strong one for Severus.

With a sigh, he slipped his fingers through Severus' silky hair and forced himself to pay attention. It was a struggle, with his broken mate weeping in his arms and softly begging Harry to make the pain stop.

Fuck. He couldn't take it. Couldn't bear Severus' agony. Not like this.

A low, strange yowling sound of anguish escaped Harry's control, and his mother looked to him with a broken expression.

"I know. It hurts when he's miserable, huh?"

Harry nodded and clutched Severus tighter.

"I'm here, baby. I'll help you be strong for him."

She laid a hand on Harry's back and stroked Severus' hair. On his other side, Remus laid his head against Harry's and held his hand, and with his mum and adoptive da at his side, the young man's strength returned. At least, their touch allowed him enough respite to choke back his agony and listen to the portrait.

Just then, Dumbledore looked on the memory Severus as if he cared and said, "It was when he hit you with the fire whip. I smelled it the moment you returned—you remember that the wounds didn't heal?"

Severus gasped and leaned back. Their eyes met, and Harry nodded, his heart racing with excitement and fear and hope all at once.

Lily whispered, "What is it?"

"Later," Severus whispered back. "Let us finish the memory in case there is something else we have missed."

She nodded and returned her attention to the old man's raving, but Harry found it hard to concentrate. Those scars—they had vanished last night, along with the skull on Severus' mark.

If the horcrux scars were gone, if Harry could heal them, then maybe there was hope to heal the rest of it. Maybe, just maybe, they could both get through this alive.

Harry turned his attention back to the conversation as much as he could, though his mind refused to settle. Then a tingling, sandpaper-tongue licked up his neck, and he jolted and let out a yelp.

All eyes turned to Harry.

In a shaky voice, Severus asked, "What in Merlin's n-name was that about?"

"Something licked me," Harry muttered, rubbing his neck. "Felt like a Patronus."

The sensation came again, and Harry jumped. "Definitely a Patronus."

Severus nodded and pulled himself to his feet. "It must be one of our c-colleagues with a reply." He wiped his face and took a deep breath. "Come. I believe we have learned all we can from this memory, and I can bear no more of it regardless. If needs must, we can always return to view the final portion later."

"All right."

Severus tugged Harry back into the real world, and they all sat up, gasping and trying to adjust. A silvery shape prowled in the periphery of Harry's extended vision, and he turned to find McGonagall's tabby cat pacing and yowling at his feet, all her fur standing on end.

"Merlin, what's gone wrong now?" He rushed to his feet and tapped the tabby's head. "We're here, Professor. Harry, Mu—"

The cat didn't wait for him to finish. "Harry! You must answer me, boy. What has happened? I thought you and Severus were doing well, but the Headmaster's portraits are all weeping and screaming that Severus has betrayed and killed you and that everything he told us about Lily and Remus is a lie. Gods, please, please answer me, child. Are you all right?"

The cat vanished.

Severus slumped back into his chair, devastation and horror plain on his face. "He … told them … I killed you?"

"Oh, Severus," Remus breathed, just as appalled. "Gods, we'll … we'll set it right."

"Nothing can set this right, Lupin. Nothing."

Tears slipped down Severus' face, and the sight of his mate's suffering stoked a fire in Harry's chest. His stubby fingernails grew into talons and his canines came down so fast, they nicked his lower lip. He winced, but pushed the pain aside and jerked out his wand. Beside him, his mother was in much the same condition, minus the fangs.

Lily placed a hand on his arm. "Wait. I believe this one is my place."

Harry nodded. "Together, then. Since I'm your son, your Patronus will listen to me, right?"

She tugged out her wand and gave him a feral grin. "One way to find out, yeah? Expecto Patronum Nuntius!"

A silver wolf bounded from her wandtip and settled at Lily's feet.

"Um, hi there," said Harry cautiously. "Will you carry a message for me?"

The wolf cocked his head. He sniffed Harry and gave the young man a playful yip.

Harry interpreted that as a yes.

"Good. Then tell Minerva McGonagall this from me: 'Yes, yes, I'm all right. Severus hasn't and wouldn't hurt me, and Dumbledore is a fucking lying bastard. Excuse my language. You can give me detention for it when I'm not ready to murder the arsehole.

"'Back to the point, Severus hasn't laid a finger on me, at least not one that hurt. I wish you could see him, Professor. He's broken and scared and miserable, and the great bearded bastard doesn't care at all. Somehow Dumbledore has gotten it into his head that Severus has to die for the godsdamn 'greater good' and apparently he isn't satisfied with letting me work the situation out on my own. This is all a ploy to get the Order to murder Severus the moment he sets foot in public, even though he's completely innocent and we're working on a real solution, one that doesn't cost Severus his life.

"'And the portraits—the meddling prick's got them all under a geis. Break the geis—can you do that since Dumbledore set it? Well, if you can, you'll get the truth from them. But just in case you can't, know that Dumbledore forced them to lie about Mum for seventeen years, and he's forcing them to lie now. I'm fine, she's fine, Remus is fine—well, other than the fact that we're all bloody hacked off and sickened by his betrayal.

"'Oh, and one more thing. Tell the old man from me that we've got the … artefact situation handled, and if he ever so much as threatens another hair on Severus' head, I will use him for fucking kindling and make sure he feels it in the afterlife, too.' "

His tirade complete, Harry flopped into his chair, panting and shaking with the force of his fury.

Lily stroked his hair and turned to her Patronus. "Crescent, we're not done yet. Also tell Minerva from me: 'I'm alive, and don't listen to another word that shitehead or the portraits say until the geis is lifted. I have no idea what he was thinking, spreading those awful lies when he must have known we would contact you the second the barrier went down. Well, maybe he thought we would wait until morning or that I would want to keep it secret for Harry's sake, but Riddle already knows, and the others deserve the truth.

"'Anyway, everything that bastard has told you is hogwash. Severus has been absolutely wonderful to Harry. The love he feels for my boy—well I'll probably embarrass him if I go into too much detail, but know that he clearly adores my son, and I, for one, am happy to welcome him to the family.' "

Remus said in a shaking voice, "Crescent, add from me as well,'Severus is treating Harry like a treasure and even offered me his forgiveness and a clean slate, once he realised Dumbledore had me under compulsions as well. He has been a perfect gentleman and this entire situation is breaking him to bits.'" He straightened, and his eyes went amber. 'Let Dumbledore know this. If he does not stop threatening my … s-son-in-law, I'll get some practice in with my teeth and claws before Harry roasts him.'"

Severus jerked out of his despair with a cough. "Son-in-law?"

Remus gave him a wry laugh. "I take it you won't be calling me 'papa'?"

Severus fixed Remus with a death glare. "If you ever suggest it again, I will use you as a test subject for poisons."

Remus chuckled nervously and gave Lily a cautious glance. "Be careful, Severus. New bond and all. Things like that might upset her."

Lily cuffed his hair lightly. "Oh, hush. I knew he wasn't serious. Besides, I'm definitely not Severus' mother-in-law, so you won't be his father-in-law either. We'll just be family and leave it at that."

Remus' smile definitely had a bit of Marauder in it, and Harry was ready to bet his Firebolt that, come Christmas, they'd have a card from their 'in-laws' under the tree.

He opened his mouth to warn Remus off of it, but Severus chose that moment to set his head in his hands and sob, and so Harry forgot in his need to comfort his mate.

"I looked to Dumbledore as a father," Severus choked out in a broken voice. "And l-look where that got me. The first one beat me and this one … gods. I wish he had only beaten me." He whispered, "Even if I were young enough, I do not want another father. Ever."

The mischievous light faded from Remus' eyes. He slipped a hand over Severus' and left it there, offering what small comfort he could.

"Would you prefer a friend? Or perhaps, in time, a brother?"

Severus let slip a shaky sigh. "Yes. That … that I could bear."

Harry gave Remus a grateful smile and held Severus' shoulders. "Mum, go ahead and send that Patronus, and let's go into the living room to hash this out, yeah? I need to be close to Sev and I can't in these chairs."

Lily wiped her eyes and nodded. "Right." She turned to her Patronus and patted his head. "Then, Crescent, we're done with our message, but avoid Death Eaters and Muggles, okay? Don't be afraid to deliver your message in front of the entire Order if need be, though. In fact, if you can prance around in front of them all while you're delivering it, that would be brilliant. But it's most important to get this to Minerva as fast as possible, so just worry about that first, okay? Now, go on, and hurry."

The wolf vanished, and Harry prayed he would make it to McGonagall before anyone else heard the portraits' cries.

Severus lay across the loveseat, his head in Harry's lap as the younger man stroked his hair and played with the grey streak. His chest had caved in with the force of his grief, or so it felt, and he lay frozen, shaking and careless of the tears on his face, waiting for word from Minerva. He wasn't sure how many minutes had elapsed since the wolf had gone with his message, but it had to have been at least a century's worth.

Fuck. He would be grey all over before they heard anything.

If they heard anything. If Minerva decided to believe the portraits, she would not dare to reply. But Severus could not see how she could. Not with Lily's wolf and proof of Dumbledore's betrayal staring her in the face.

A silvery streak crossed his vision, and Severus bolted up, his heart hammering in his ears. Oh, thank Merlin, it was the tabby.

Harry pulled Severus into his lap and tapped the cat's head.

"I'm listening, Professor. We all are."

The cat's breath exploded in a sob. "Oh, Harry. Oh, thank Merlin, you're alive. I was so terrified, but also so confused. I had received your Patronus not ten minutes before arriving at the Headmaster's office, or I might have believed the portraits, gods forgive me. And Severus, don't worry, child. We shan't hurt you, and I will make sure Albus' interference stops today."

The cat leapt into Severus' lap and curled up as if to take a nap. With warmth and grief warring within him, he petted the argent beast and took some comfort from the touch. Without changing position, the cat looked around to Lily and Remus and gave a chirruping sound.

"Lily, oh child. I have missed you so long. It is so wonderful to hear your voice. And you, Remus! Merlin, I have such wonderful news for the Order." The cat's ears drooped. "And terrible news at once. Whatever shall we do now that Albus cannot be trusted?"

She sighed and shook her head. "I suppose we pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and go on. Perhaps this is what comes of giving one man too much power. Well, we shall know better in the future."

She licked Severus' hand and nuzzled his palm. "All is well, Severus. I shall make sure the Order knows that you are still loyal. Do not fear."

The argent beast vanished, leaving Severus feeling slightly bereft without her warmth. Harry gave him a knowing look and kissed Severus' hand.

"Maybe we should get a pet from Blackpool as well as a child, yeah?"

Severus frowned and hugged his waist, wishing his insides would stop bleeding already. "One thing at a time, love."

"Right."

Harry slid his arms under Severus' with intent to hold him, but his still-sharp nail caught the older man's injured wrist and sent a shock of pain through him. Severus flinched and drew his arm away.

"Oh, Sev!" Harry moved his hands back, and his talons vanished. "I'm so sorry, love. Are you all right?"

Severus nodded and flicked his wrist a little. "Only stung a bit. I will survive."

Harry caught his arm and gently turned it up to see the underside. "Let me check, love. Just to make sure I didn't break open any of those blisters."

"If you must." He sighed as if put-upon, but knew Harry would understand that he truly enjoyed his mate's solicitude.

"I must." Harry pulled back Severus' bandage and peered underneath, and a deep frown marred his features.

Remus leaned forwards and frowned as well. "Is he all right, Harry?"

"Yeah?" Harry shook his head. "He's not hurt, but … Sev, does Painted Lady look … greyer to you?"

Remus gave Lily a bemused look and mouthed, "Painted Lady?"

She shrugged.

Severus sat up with a scowl. "My snake tattoo is not female, Harry." He peeked under his bandage and blinked. She—it, damn it—did look grey. Besides the ink lines weakening, the snake's scales had taken on a ghastly colour as well. Severus' heart skipped.

Was it going to poison him again? Had Riddle found a way to link to his snake even with the connection between them broken?

He tore off the gauze and gripped Harry's hands, terror making his voice unsteady. "T-talk to her. I don't care if it hurts. I do not want to be poisoned or soul-drained again."

Harry went ashen. "Dear Merlin. All right. Hold your arm steady there."

He knelt in the floor at Severus' feet. Severus watched, terrified, as Harry fixed his eyes on the snake and begun to hiss.

"Painted Lady, can you hear me?" Harry waited, straining his ears, both fearing and hoping to hear a hiss in return.

"I h-hear you, Little Dragon." Her voice was weak and shaky.

"Painted Lady, are you sssick?"

"I … I think I am dying. My chessst is cold and hurting, and my body feels weak."

Harry frowned. "Your chessst is cold? Do you know if it is like when Sssev was ssso sssick a couple of days ago?"

"You mean my bearer? Yesss, I think it is the sssame."

Harry paled and gripped Severus' hand. "Oh, love. She says she's soul sick, like you were before … before Blackpool. Could he be draining her?"

Severus blinked. "Draining her? She's a tattoo, Harry! She shouldn't have anything to drain."

"She shouldn't be able to talk, either," said Remus, "and yet, here we are." He frowned and peered closer. "Harry, is it just me, or is half of Severus' mark gone?"

"Yeah, the skull was gone when I went to heal him earlier this morning. We don't know what happened to it."

Remus nodded. "Maybe you should ask her about that."

"She's … really sick, but I'll try." Harry switched to Parseltongue again. "Painted Lady, we are trying to find out what is wrong. Do you know what happened to the ssskull that was painted when you were?"

She hissed back, "I do not underssstand how, but a day ago, it was burned away and dessstroyed from within. The evil presence went with it, but now I feel as if I cannot sssussstain my own life."

Harry blinked. "Your life? Are you really alive?"

"I do not know. All I know is I am frightened and in pain. I must be alive in sssome way to feel pain and fear."

"That is … a very good point. I am sssorry. I will try to help you, if I can."

She gave a snakish sigh. "Thank you. Little Dragon, I like you. Will you be near my bearer often?"

Harry smiled. "Always. He is my mate."

"Oh, good. I would ssstay with you, if I am able, Little Dragon. It is lonely with no one to talk to."

"I will talk to you more often then. And my name is Harry, Painted Lady."

"You may give me a name if you wish. Other than what you have called me, I do not have one."

Harry nodded. "I'll think of one. Just hold on, yesss? We are trying to find a way to help." He switched to English and gave his family a bemused look. "I don't understand this. She says she's in pain and afraid, and she couldn't be if she didn't have life, could she?"

Lily shook her head. "I don't think so, baby."

"But how? Sev's right. She's a tattoo. None of this should be possible!"

Remus tapped his chin, his eyes narrowed to slits. "Harry, you said you removed this parasite within Severus two days ago, correct?"

He nodded.

"And the skull vanished at the same time, yes?"

Harry gasped. "Wait a moment. Those scars—we figured out they were gone last night too, Sev. So they have to all be related."

Remus bolted up. "Wait, the scars—the scars that wouldn't heal when Riddle hit him with the fire whip and cursed him with the horcrux—they're gone? And they vanished when you destroyed this parasite and the other half of Riddle's mark, Harry?"

Harry frowned. "Yeah. What are you getting at, Remus?"

Severus bolted to his feet. "Lupin! Do you mean—are you thinking what I am?"

Lily nodded and put her hand over her mouth. "Oh, Sev. Oh, Merlin!"

Harry sighed. Once again, everyone understood but himself. Next to the older adults, he felt abysmally slow sometimes.

He said in a small voice, "Um, would someone please explain to me what's going on? I feel like an idiot, but I just don't understand."

Lily blinked tears down her face and took Harry's hands. "Oh, love, don't you see? We think you must have already destroyed the horcrux! That when you killed that parasite, it was actually the horcrux killing Severus, and when you destroyed it, you set him free!"

Harry sank back into the couch, shock and hope coursing through him and stealing his breath. "It … it's gone? He's really safe?"

Lily nodded, her grin stretching ear to ear. "Well, I mean, we don't know for certain yet, but it sure sounds like it."

Harry sobbed and buried his face in Severus' belly. "You're okay! You're going to be okay. Gods, I love you."

Severus' fingers stroked through Harry's mop, and his voice was breathy and broken. "I love you as well, my brave, beautiful mate." He tipped up Harry's chin. "But we do not know beyond a doubt that it is gone, not yet."

Remus rubbed his chin. "Didn't Dumbledore mention something about being able to smell the horcruxes?"

Severus nodded. "But after what he has done this morning, we can no longer trust anything he says."

"No, not naturally," said a devilishly grinning Lily, "but there is a certain spell …."

Severus returned her grin. "I do believe I know what you mean. Let us begin."

Harry stood before the portrait frame, each of his family members flanking him with their wands raised and a spell on their lips. He pressed his palm to the canvas and took a deep breath.

"Albus Dumbledore, come here right now, you lying son of a bitch."

This time, the old man appeared reluctantly, knowing his welcome would be cold. Harry suppressed an urge to laugh. The bearded bastard had no idea what was about to hit him.

The adults cried at once, "Veritas Doloris!"

At the same time, Harry cried "Immobulus" and pressed his palm to the portrait's head.

Dumbledore jerked back twice and sighed. "Hello, all of you."

"Skip the pleasantries, you murderous old fool," snapped Lily. "This isn't a social call. We're here to ask you some questions, and you had better answer truthfully, or you're going to regret it."

Dumbledore stared blankly ahead. "What do you want?"

"First off, old man," said Remus in a voice barely above a snarl, "can you or can you not smell horcruxes?"

The fate shrugged. "I smelled the one in Severus. The others had a slightly different odour, but it was close enough that I knew what it was." He met Severus' eyes and pleaded. "Severus, please. Unless you di—"

Harry drew back his arm and punched the old man in his eye, the one Severus hadn't yet blacked. His fingers cracked against the hard stone, but damn, it felt good to give the bastard back some of the pain he had caused them.

Harry snarled, "I did warn you, you fucker. Be glad it wasn't a fire curse."

"The next time, it will be," said Lily in a cold, lethal tone. She healed Harry's hand and fixed blazing green eyes on the portrait. "Now that that's done, next question. Did you or did you not smell Severus' bonding mark with Harry?"

Dumbledore rubbed his eyes and groaned. "If you would cease hitting me—"

"Answer the fucking question, Albus." Remus' teeth came out, and perhaps because Dumbledore had no desire to meet a fully transformed werewolf—Harry dared not think the man cared enough to wish to spare them from the same fate—the portrait gave in.

"Yes, I smelled it. I smell it now. What does this have to do with an—"

"Last question," said Harry in a sharp tone, cutting across him. "And this is the one you had best be truthful with. Do you still smell Severus' horcrux?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Of course I do. He has to die, Harry. It's the on—oh. Oh dear gods." He doubled over and clutched his chest. "What in the world is this?"

"The Truth or Pain curse, Dumbledore," said a triumphant Lily. "Either you answer honestly, or you suffer increasing pain until you do. Keep lying to us, and it will soon rival the Cruciatus. So, try again. Do you still smell Severus' horcrux?"

Dumbledore panted and clutched his chest. "I wasn't l-lying. He still lives, so the horcrux must still ex-exist … oh gods."

"Sniff him and tell us the truth, you slimy piece of shite," Harry snarled, "or I set you ablaze in ten seconds, and it won't be bluebell fire this time!"

Dumbledore was pale and shaking, but he smelled Severus' outstretched arm and gasped. "But … I do not understand. How can it be?"

Harry grinned. "It's gone? You don't smell it any longer?"

"No." Dumbledore gasped and straightened. "Merlin, that is a cruel curse."

"Not half so cruel as you have been." Severus' voice was soft and full of pain.

"I … I was only trying to win the war, Severus. I was only trying to make all the pain and death and misery stop, even if I had to make sacrifices along the way."

"Sacrifices?" Lily's eyes blazed. "You didn't make sacrifices, old man. You sacrificed people. You let them die, set their towns ablaze, broke their hearts and souls into bits—and all for nothing. There was always a better way. Just like when you insisted that Severus had to die, and all along, Harry had the ability to save him." She scoffed. "You're blind, Albus. Blind and egotistical and foolish, and if not for my son, you would have cost us everything with your folly."

Dumbledore blinked down tears and looked to the man who had loved him like a father for twenty years. "S-Severus, I am sorry. I truly believed it was the only way."

"You were unwilling to search for other ways." Severus turned away, standing tall and brave despite the tears on his lashes. "I have one further question for you, Albus, and then, if I never see you again, it will be too soon."

He blinked, and his tears tracked down his cheeks. Harry longed to kiss them away, but sensed that for this moment, Severus needed to appear strong on his own two feet. He gave the man an encouraging smile and a nod and hoped it helped, at least a little.

Severus' voice came out smooth and without a break. "Did you ever truly care about me, Albus? About any of us?"

Dumbledore clutched his chest again, but Harry didn't think it was from the curse this time.

The old man murmured in a broken voice, "I loved you, Severus. I still love you."

When the curse did not hit the portrait again, Harry didn't know if that made everything a little better or much worse. If Dumbledore truly loved Severus, how could he have been so terribly cruel to him?

Harry shook his head. However much Dumbledore might have loved Severus, he loved his plots and plans and 'the greater good' more.

"Enough," said a disgusted Remus. "We have our answers. Send him back to whatever punishment Minerva has devised for him."

Lily nodded. "One more thing, Albus. Take the geis off the portraits. It's cruel to force them to parrot your lies."

"I cannot," said Dumbledore in a low, broken voice, "but Minerva can. I will tell her how when I next return to Hogwarts. Will you at least remove the curse?"

Lily laughed viciously. "Oh no. No, after the little stunt you pulled this morning, I believe we'll leave that one on you. Your lying days are over, old man."

Dumbledore sighed and bowed his head. "Very well. I am sorry to have hurt you all so very much. I did try."

"The problem with that answer, Albus," said Severus softly, "is that it is so very vague that it borders on untruth. You tried, yes, but what did you try to do?" He shook his head. "Do not answer that. I do not want to know." With a flick of his hand, the paralysing spell dissipated. "Go. I cannot bear to look at you any longer."

Dumbledore sighed and vanished, and Severus crumbled. Harry ran and caught him in his arms, kissing the tears from his mate's face.

"Oh gods, love. I'm so sorry. I know it hurts, but it's not all bad, right? The horcrux is gone! We're going to live, okay? We're going to live, and then we're going to kick his arse for all the bad things he did to us."

Severus sighed into Harry's hair and held him close. "No. We are going to live, and then we are going to move on with our lives. We are going to end this war, then we are going to bond and start a family. We will not let his darkness poison us any longer. We will be better men."

Harry smiled and slipped his hands into Severus'. "Yeah. Yeah, we will."

Severus held Harry in his lap and tried to sort out his emotions. Everything Dumbledore had done had hurt, but, with Severus' horcrux gone, at least he had the future with Harry to look forward to, and nothing but time stood between them and Riddle now. All the horcruxes were gone. They had only to find a way to kill the bastard with Harry's powers, and the war was as good as won. Then they could really begin to live.

And that, he supposed, was worth all the sacrifices he had made to get here.

"I am glad the bastard told me to seek you out for Sanctuary after all, Harry." He hugged his love tight. "Whatever his intentions were, so much good has come of it."

Harry smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad too. I have a family again."

"Yes. Always." Severus buried his face in Harry's hair and sighed. "It is worth it. You are worth it."

Harry slid his hand into Severus' and frowned as he passed the bandage around the man's arm. "Sev, what are we going to do about Painted Lady? She's a living creature now and I can't just let her die, but I don't know how to help her."

Lily patted his hand. "You're a Dragoon, love. You can make a new body for her and transfer her over."

"I can? Merlin!" Harry sat up and grinned. "We'd have the pet problem solved then, yeah, Sev?"

Severus hesitated. "What if she's tainted? We do not even understand how she has life in the first place."

"I don't think she is," said Remus, "or Dumbledore probably would have smelled it."

"Well, yes, but even so, how does she have life? Is it Riddle's soul within her, or her own?"

"Since she's dying without Riddle's horcrux present," said Remus, "she most likely drew from the soul within the horcrux to power her own life. The bastard did make the tattoos capable of responding to magic, so the only explanation I can think of is that when he put the horcrux in you, the snake recognised the magic and slowly responded to it, developing a life of her own in time." He scratched his head. "Well, it's a bit farfetched, but then, so is a living tattoo."

Severus shuddered and went cold. "But that would mean this is Riddle's soul and we must destroy it before we can kill him!"

"No, no," said Remus with a frown. "You misunderstand me. If it was Riddle's soul, Albus would have smelled it and jumped on that to force you to die, prick that he is. So it has to be her own life, but to gain it, she must have used the neighbouring power of Riddle's soul to create her own. Does that make sense?"

"Not at all," said a bemused Harry.

Severus felt the same, and he had made a lifelong practice of studying obscure magics.

"Boys," said Lily with a chuckle, "you're all worried about something that's actually moot. When a Dragoon revives a dying animal, the part that's injured is made brand new. Since she's soul sick, she'll get a brand new spirit when Harry revives her. There won't be any trace of Riddle or his darkness left. It'll be like she was just born, only with memories."

"But then what do we do with the trace of her left in Severus?"

Lily shrugged. "Without Painted Lady, it will die on its own. Soul fragments are entirely dependent on their containers."

Severus trembled. "And if it considers its container to be myself?"

Lily shook her head. "It wouldn't have aligned with Painted Lady in the first place if it did. However, if it does implant in you through some odd twist of fate, I'll clean that fragment from you, Sev. Since it's not a horcrux woven in with your own soul, it won't hurt you."

Severus swallowed a lump of fear. "You … you're sure, Lils?"

"Yes, Sev. It's okay. Harry can save Painted Lady without risking the war or hurting you. It's just a matter of getting her to trust a trainee Dragoon with her essence."

"Um … I don't even trust myself with it." Harry stared at the snake tattoo with eyes full of pain. "What do I do, Mum? I don't know how to transfer her."

Lily rubbed her chin. "Well, I'm not a Dragoon, but when your da did that for injured animals, he always just called upon his magic to make the body, then he asked them for their trust. He said everything else after that was pure instinct."

Harry nodded hesitantly. "But how do I call upon my magic?"

"Well, with him, it was a bit like meditation. He just closed his eyes and asked his core for help with what he needed. The life-fire within him did the rest."

Harry gulped. "Well, I guess I could try it. She's no worse off if I fail."

"True enough," said Severus. "Though I still worry about whether it is wise to risk it."

"She'll be fine, Severus," said Remus. "With a new body and new soul, Riddle will have no connection to link to. Harry might as well be creating a new snake rather than saving a dying one."

Severus sighed and acknowledged him with a nod. "That is reasonable." He sighed and laid his arm palm-up in Harry's hands. "Very well. Go ahead and try to save her, but I refuse to call her 'Painted Lady' if you do manage it."

Harry pouted. "Well, what would you like to call her then?"

Severus thought a moment. "Zera."

"Zera?"

"A name I once heard in a story and liked. It means 'reborn.'"

Harry grinned. "Perfect. All right, give me a moment and pray this works."

Severus petted Harry's hair with his free hand while his mate hissed over the snake. After a while, Harry closed his eyes and brought his knees in tight, and when he opened them, the body of a cobra had formed at his feet. A bright turquoise cobra. The colour reminded Severus of the light in Harry's eyes when they made love.

She would be a good companion, he supposed, if Harry could truly save her life.

Harry hissed something—it sounded almost like a song—and then the snake stirred. Severus drew back his feet in case she was startled—one did not toy with a cobra, after all—and watched as a fragment of blue light left his arm and moved to rest between Harry's palms. The young man watched the snake for a moment, and when she took a breath, he turned teal-blazing eyes upon his hands, sending the grain of blue light up in flames.

"Merlin!" Severus jumped back and gripped the sofa arm. "What was that about, Harry?"

"I was making sure all the remaining soul magic inside you is gone. I burned it with death—I think it was death anyway—to make sure it couldn't regenerate."

"Reaper fire," said Lily with a grin. "It's okay, Sev. He just did instinctively the exact same ritual I had planned to do with you when he had finished. It's okay."

Relieved, Severus looked at his arm to check the damage.

The mark was gone. Besides the remaining burns, his arm looked as clean and clear as it had in his youth. Severus wanted to weep with the sheer joy of it.

He was finally free!

"Harry! The mark—it is completely gone!"

Harry grinned and grabbed his hand. "It's because Zera's here, now. I hope that means this worked." He hissed in sibilant tones to the snake, no doubt trying to wake her and check on her well-being.

Just then, the snake opened her eyes and lifted her head.

Severus moved his feet onto the couch, just in case. "Is she well, Harry?"

Harry leaned down to the creature and hesitantly petted her head, hissing softly to the cobra. She closed her eyes and flicked her tongue along Harry's palm. With a bright grin, he looked up and nodded.

"She's fine, Sev, and she says she loves the name Zera and her new colour. I guess she's ours now, yeah?"

"If she will also accept me." Severus held out a shaking hand and waited, wincing as the creature hissed.

"She says not to be afraid," Harry said with a smile.

Severus nodded and tried to swallow his fear. The big snake came close and nuzzled his fingers, and Severus could not help but tremble. That snake could kill in half a moment if she bit him. He sighed at the feeling of her tongue against his palm—the sign that she had accepted him as her wizard family and would not hurt him.

"I suppose that means she is ours."

Harry laughed and let the snake crawl over his shoulders and around his arms. Severus had to admit, he looked undeniably sexy like that.

"We started our family a bit earlier than we meant to, Sev," said Harry in a worried voice. "Is that okay?"

"Of course it is. We are bonded mates now. Time is irrelevant." He patted his lap. "Come and sit with me. I need my family close after the day this has been."

"Merlin, you aren't kidding," said Remus with a chuckle. "And it's not even noon."

"I am still working on the day before," said Severus with a grimace.

Harry held out his hands. "Then come on, love. Let's get some sleep. Zera and I are both exhausted now anyway, and, at least for the moment, we don't have anything to fear."

Severus sighed, the relief of that statement washing away twenty years of grief. "All right, love. Lupin, Lily, I will speak with you after we wake."

The wolf couple bid him goodnight, and he followed Harry into their bedroom for some much needed rest.