THE LAST PRINCE II: The Pact and A Prophecy
Summary: see chapter 20.
Disclaimer: see chapter 20.
Warnings: see previous chapters.
A/N: I love you guys, you are the best. Last three chapters for Book 2 of this trilogy! Can we get it up to 300 reviews before it ends? –C.
P.S. Poll on what I should do next is still up –vote if you haven't already. Right now, you're all gearing towards the option that I personally like the least, but what the heck, readers rule! I'll write whatever the hell you want me to write!
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The Last Prince II: The Pact and A Prophecy
By: C.M. Oliver
© 2014
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Chapter 48: The Dream
"Hello Harry, did you miss me?" The apparition of Severus Snape, clad in white, smirked as he emerged from the smoky recesses of Harry's dream-scape.
"S-Sev, is that really you?" Harry stammered, gobsmacked –although it was unclear if his surprise was more on seeing his husband dressed in such fashion, or the fact that said husband was talking to him. "Oh Merlin –wait, are you a dream?"
Severus fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Really Potter. You see me alive and moving about in –Circe knows how long –"
"Two weeks –"
"Two weeks," Severus amended. "And the first thing you ask is if I were real." The older of the two shook his head. "And they call you the sentimental one."
Harry froze momentarily as Severus' words sunk in. Then, a relieved smile crept up his face. "Oh –thank Merlin! It IS you!" Without further ado, the emerald-eyed man launched himself onto his husband and enveloped him in the fiercest, tightest hug he could manage. "Oh Sev, you have no idea how much I missed you – this –being able to see you awake –I mean 00"
"There's the bumbling brat I know," Severus chuckled, pulling away to look his beloved in the eye. "There will be time for this tearful reunion once we're both back in the mortal realm. But I need you to listen to me and listen to me well for now."
Harry met his gaze and frowned.
'Mortal realm? So this is a –what exactly is this?"
"In a way, this is a dream," Severus admitted. "But unlike a normal dream, this is a conscious link –and one that will run out shortly, so we must make haste. I've received information on the curse that was used on me –and the appropriate countermeasures that must be taken."
Harry's face brightened all of a sudden. "Really? Who –tell me how –"
"Calm down, love," Severus admonished him. "You will have to be the one to perform it. In fact, according to Albus, only you can -"
"Wait –Albus?" Harry asked. "Where exactly were you that you've encountered him?"
"In the 'in-between',"
"What – limbo? Sev –are you okay –are you sure –"
"I am. And no, I'm not dead Potter," Severus smirked. "You will not get rid of me that easily. I'm hovering in-between realms, but unless you listen to what I say, that will cease and my poor, unfortunate soul would have moved on by the end of this month."
"Okay, sorry, shutting up. Tell me what I need to know and do."
"The curse is a fatal variation of the Siphoning Hex," Severus began, rubbing the bridge of his nose out of habit. "This version not only leeches magic, but transfers the core's signature to another person as well."
"Mione figured that one out." Harry put in. "And we've also deduced that it is the Grandmaster who cast the spell. On the transference, we have no proof, but I am leaning towards Corvus. He'd want to get your magical signature so he can take over the enactment of the Prince Lordship and of the Pact –not that it still matters now that we've fulfilled it. But on the curse itself, that is where we've reached the biggest road block –it seemed that the spell was never recorded in history prior to your attack."
"It wasn't," Severus sighed, not even bothering to call his husband out for interrupting his precious minutes allotted. "Albus could not tell me exactly who crafted the curse due to Fate's restraints, only that he knew who it was and he did think it prudent to craft the counter, unknown to the said spell-crafter. Nevertheless, I have my theories as to who it could be and how it may be connected to the Grandmaster, but now is not the time for that. And I do agree with your assumption that Corvus is the receiving party. He is most to benefit if he imbibes my magical signature."
"What's the curse?" Harry asked, biting his lower lip. "And is Albus certain that I can counter it? Are you sure? Sev, maybe a Healer could do it instead –"
Severus raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Having second thoughts on bringing me back?"
"WHA –NO! Of course not!" harry blurted out. "I –I just don't want to mess it up, Sev. What if I do something wrong? You know me and my uncanny tendency to attract trouble. What if –I don't want to lose you!"
Severus eyed his clearly agitated husband with fondness before pulling the younger man close for another warm embrace. "Of course you can do it, love. You saved me once, you can save me again," he whispered in Harry's ear. "I have utmost confidence in your abilities. There is no other that I would trust my life with than you."
Harry pulled away, tears starting to form in his eyes.
"I –I just hate this, you know? Me… why does it have to be me to hold your life in my hands? Why –I –"
"For the same reason that you were able to bring me back, Harry." Severus told him firmly. "Because only you can, and only you will."
Understanding flooded the younger man's eyes. "Fate, huh?"
"Yes, beloved. Fate."
Under the guise of rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes, Harry wiped the oncoming tears away. "I'll do my best then –but you –you'd better come back to me, you hear me? I will fight my hardest for you, but you'll fight with me –beside me!"
Severus made a motion of rolling his eyes outwardly, but inside, his resolve to battle whatever was coming for them was sparked anew with his husband's impassioned words. He resorted to a simple smile. "Of course. Would I really go through all this trouble of donning myself in a blinding garment of doom just to spite you?"
"Let me guess," Harry grinned. "The Headmaster's idea?"
"Who else can make me wear anything other than black?"
"Oh, I don't know," mused Harry out loud. "Let's see, Popp makes you wear the Hospital Wing dressing gown, that's pale green. Minerva got you to agree to wear pink – I actually convinced you to wear red…"
"Alright, you brat," Severus kept the mirth out of his voice not too well. "The few that dare, the few I hold dear…"
"Glad to be part of that small, elite circle, love." Harry smiled.
"Always." Severus returned the sentiment. "I'll never leave your side willingly, Harry. And if anyone or anything forces me to do so, I will surely make a scene and cause trouble in true Gryffindor fashion." He reached and traced the tears forming on Harry's eyes with a gentle finger. "As I have said, there will be time for these sentiments. Now, we need to get to business."
"Yeah," the young Lord sniffed. "The curse?"
"The curse is called 'Salamanca Lagda Transfere*.' It is a slow-acting curse, the duration of which, varies on the victim's core strength. The stronger the witch or wizard, the longer it takes for the transference to complete. Albus reckons I have a month before the inherent magic of the hex causes my own to react violently and collapse from within. If what you say is indeed true, that I've been unconscious for a fortnight now, then the counter curse needs to be administered in two weeks time."
"What's the counter and how is it administered?" Harry asked, looking determined all of a sudden. Severus paused before sighing. "The counter-curse is 'Restorato Majica Puno*.' Albus left notes on it in his Family Vault, the key of which, now belongs to Hogwarts. You can ask Minerva for the key and have Miss Granger help you with the set-up and the wand-work –but," he took a deep breath. "I'm afraid that that is only one part of it."
"What do you mean?" Harry clarified, meeting his husband's eyes. The man held his gaze. "You need access to the one receiving my magical signature to properly restore my core –in this case, that is Corvus."
"Oh –huh?" Harry felt his insides turn to ice. His previous dealing with the con man was still fresh in his mind. But really, seeing his attacker again was of no concern if it meant that he could get his Severus back. "I'll have Lucius send the whole Auror Corps to hunt him down then."
Severus only nodded, knowing what must be going through his beloved's head. "One more thing though, Harry." The young man snapped out of his musings.
"What's that?"
"A leeched core cannot just simply be restored. Whatever remains in my body as you perform the counter-spell needs something to anchor on. Salamanca Lagda Transfere is a nasty hex. It will resist the counter rather violently. It could either go wild and destroy the receiving vessel or the initial one. We need to make sure that my core is stronger than Corvus' before you attempt the spell or I may –"
"Not happening." Harry said through gritted teeth. "I won't let anything happen to you, Sev, not if I can help it. Tell me how to boost your core."
"The physical aspect of our bond," Severus said simply. Harry took a few minutes before finally catching on the meaning and blushing furiously.
"Oh, you mean –that –"
"Yes, Potter, THAT." Severus smirked. "The Salamanca Lagda Transfere Spell originates and terminates in the physical realm. Therefore, the boost shall be preferably initiated through physical coupling –the highest form of connection there is in that aspect. It is as well a common practice between bondmates since the ancient times and has been proven to be quite effective than it is between two people who do not share such a connection."
"Oh –"
"Unless of course, you would like to explore the aspect of blood rituals," Severus offered off-handedly. "Virgin sacrifices are very in this season, I've heard. We can have -"
"Alright, alright! You don't need to do that!" Harry muttered irritably, missing the knowing look in his elder bonded's face. "I can do that pretty well myself, thank you very much. Nobody touches you, but me." Severus grinned. "Of course, love. I look forward to have you top –"
"Wait, what?" Harry's eyes widened even further. "Who said anything about –really? Would I –would I? Can't I just – Oh come on, Sev –"
"I am to be the receiving party," Severus reasoned, still trying to keep the amusement off his face. "Hence, it is only logical that I be the vessel and you be the phallus –"
"Okay," Harry reddened even further. Severus could no longer hold in the guffaw.
"Really, Harry, you would think that you were a blushing virgin the way you react to the thought of topping!"
"Stop making fun of me!" Harry pouted. "I haven't done it before and here I am about to do it for the first time with your life hanging in the balance. Certainly takes the phrase 'performance anxiety' up to a whole new level."
"You'll be fine, love," Severus cooed assuringly, cupping his beloved's chin. "Our bond makes it almost instinctual –" Severus looked away, seemingly towards an unseen herald in the horizon for a second, before facing Harry again. "It is time for me to go. This is the longest my magic can allow for me to converse with you."
"So soon?" Harry's tone was both pleading and hopeful. Severus could not help but kiss those sinfully pouted lips. "You'll see me again in the living world soon enough. Remember what I said. And oh, when you perform the counter, have Lucius, Miss Granger, Bill Weasley, Minerva and Lupin in the room. According to Albus, those five are the strongest, magically, that are available should you need assistance –if –things go haywire." The hesitation was there, miniscule, but present. Severus knew Harry's abilities like the back of his hand, but one could never discount the fickle-mindedness of Fate when dealing with especially the two of them, her favorite whipping boys.
"I will not fail. I cannot. I will not." The fire in Harry's eyes could match and outrun any well-attempted Fiendfyre spell, in Severus' opinion.
"I know you won't," smiled Severus. There were really no guarantees, but there was no other option. "However, Restorato Majica Puno won't be a walk in the park either, Harry. You at least need someone to catch you should you buckle down due to exhaustion. And oh, get Draco to supply you with two vials of Restorative Potion. No matter what happens, successful or not, I want you to promise me that you'll force those two doses down right after you finish the incantation, do I make myself clear?"
"Don't worry about me, Sev, I –"
"The thing is," Severus told him sternly. "I probably am the first in line who is actually licensed to worry about you, dear husband. Promise me, you will take the potion, or Merlin forbid if I perish, I will haunt you wearing one of Albus' psychedelic robes."
"I –"
"Harry –"
"Fine!" Exclaimed Harry. Then, in a smaller, almost child-like voice, "But promise me you'll be back, no matter what."
Severus felt their connection dissolving. He reached in for another quick but deep kiss, aiming to convey those that could not be expressed until they were fully together again.
"Soon, my Harry, soon."
Then, Harry was opening his eyes to blinding sunlight streaming through his bedroom window.
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"News?"
"They are still clueless as to what curse it is, Mr. Port. Although the research has been going on full-speed, 24/7." A soft feminine voice reported from a recently hooked-up, illegally-secured Floo connection. Corvus Port smiled at the disembodied head, then at the two in the room with hi, "As planned. The Grandmaster's curse worked."
"I still do not see why it has to be you who receives Snape's transference." Fudge, who was seated in the farthest corner of that dimmed room in a muggle house they have previously broken into and made as a hideout, griped. "Why must you ne favored? We are all doing the Grandmaster's work!"
"Dare you question him, Fudge?" Corvus sneered. "I'm sure you can send him an owl and ask." Fudge paled.
"I –never mind. As long as I get the Ministry back."
"What about my Severus?" Dolores Umbridge whimpered rather pitifully. She had been clutching the skirt of her pink tent-like dress the whole time since the disembodied head began her report. Corvus rolled his eyes.
"Really, Umbridge. Could you be anymore pathetic? Are you seriously wanting my soon-to-be Squib, slash, dead cousin? Find someone else!"
"But –"
"I now see why you three need my help," the voice from the fire giggled. "For three, supposedly adults, you act like children."
"Hold your tongue, child!" Fudge glowered from his seat. "I've been doing work for the most powerful people since before you were in diapers!"
"You mean kissing their arses," the voice snorted. "Dumbledore pegged you right."
"Why you –"
"Fudge!" Corvus' voice rose. "Everyone in this room is necessary to the Grandmaster. Or else, why would he bring us together?" He turned to the fire once more. "Are they still tight on your security?"
"Unfortunately," the voice sighed. "I had to pretend to sneak off with my new 'boyfriend' to Hogsmeade to be able to get here. The Imperius necklace you supplied me helped. The pathetic loon is now Polyjuiced as me, shopping for sweets at Honeydukes. Now that school's back in session I need to be more careful though. I can only go and make my report on alternate weekends."
"That would be not a problem," said Corvus. "You did well on New Year's Eve. Are you certain they cannot trace how the curse was delivered?"
"Even the Know-It-All is clueless. If she hadn't figured out about the time-delayed cursed pin I stuck on that git's robes when the lights went off, no one will. That bitch is rather thorough."
"And no one suspects you? At all?" Fudge asked incredulously. The disembodied head smirked evilly, her blue eyes sparkling in the emerald flames.
"You do know that you should never underestimate me, right? If I am good enough for your Grandmaster, you should really learn to shut up. He contacted me. It means he deems me capable. And I am. But just to reassure your feeble mind, ex-Minister, no. Not even my family has a clue. What can I say?" The face in the floo grinned widely. "I am a good actress, and an even better spy. And besides, who would really suspect poor Ginny Weasley?"
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Harry was pouring over Dumbledore's notes. It had been two days since that dream he had of Severus. He had already memorized the necessary details for the counter curse he was to cast, with both Minerva and Hermione's help, but he still felt the need to go over the theory. He could not mess this up. Not when his beloved's life was at stake.
A sigh escaped his lips. He was sitting by Severus' bedside that morning, rolls of parchment scattered on a makeshift table he had had moved in there from one of his offices. He was reviewing wand-work for the Restorato Majica Puno Spell when a knock disrupted him.
"May I interrupt you, my Lord?"
"Ginny?" It was always like that nowadays, Harry noticed. Ginny seemed too calculated when dealing with him in private, not that there was any complaints from him on that front. He looked up from his desk. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Ginny smiled sweetly as she approached him –not too stiff, not too familiar. "It's the weekend and I thought I'd see if you were okay. Ron was supposed to come with me, but he had to do that Quidditch Practice since he's captain and he'd already bailed out on the last one –I quit to focus on my NEWTS so McGonagall chose him to replace me, Hermione's revising, I think. And it's been a while since I saw you for myself so I decided to stop by before meeting with Dean in Hogsmeade." She glanced at the bed where Severus lay, partially obscured by a privacy screen, still unmoving. "How is Lord Prince?"
Harry followed Ginny's line of sight and sighed. Honestly he did not know what to make of the youngest Weasley child. When he as Tristan and Severus came out, she had been one of the more vocal oppositions. However, when his real identity came out, she had been distant. He had half-expected her to cry foul and continue in her delusional crush on him no matter how hard he tried not to give her motive to do so. But ever since the events of New Year's Eve, Ginny Weasley surprised everyone by being one of the most involved in helping figure out and dissect the nasty curse that befell the Potions master. She seemed genuinely concerned and supportive of Harry and even told her mum off for pushing her towards the young Lord. So naturally, no one minded her, being in contact with Harry –either by the occasional owl or floo, offering comfort to her 'best friend' during these 'trying times.'
However, years of being chased by evil dark lords and learning not to take anything at face value made Harry more suspicious than the average wizard. He resolved to keep Ginny at arms' length. He had accepted her help for researching curses during Winter break, but he had drawn the line when she offered to stay with the High Lord's team after school had resumed a week after New Year's.
"No change at all," he replied quietly, shuffling his papers and discretely spelling them unreadable to prying eyes. To the world at large, they were still at a loss on how to heal his husband –only five people knew the truth: Lucius, Remus, Minerva, Hermione and Bill. They were all sworn to secrecy. If there was a mole in their midst, he would not risk them finding out, not when the consequences were this daunting. To keep up the façade, his research team was still working under Remus' supervision. But mostly, they were looking up on obscure spells. Most of the efforts of 'Task Force Royal' were redirected to the hunt for one Corvus Prince. Lucius himself personally led this endeavor, together with Amelia and Gawain Robards.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Ginny sounded awfully sincere. "How about finding who did this to him? Are there any leads?" Harry shook his head. He could be honest with the answer to this one.
"No." Time was running out. Every capable witch and wizard was out hunting for Corvus to no avail. Harry did not know what to think if they weren't able to locate the man in time, he just couldn't. They had twelve days left. A heartbeat.
"Hey, it'll be fine," Ginny gave him a too-sweet smile for his tastes. "It will all work out, don't worry too much." She then closed the gap between them and placed her hand on the young Lord's shoulder. She gave it a gentle squeeze.
"I don't know, Ginny," Harry frowned at the hand on his person. Ginny stepped closer and reached for Harry's face. "Stop worrying, Harry. You know what? Let me help you take your mind off of things…"
Then, Ginny was suddenly all too close for comfort. But all that Harry could do was freeze. A pair of soft-looking bubblegum pink lips were suddenly hovering too close to his own. But all that Harry could do was embrace the numbness in his mind… Fight? Why should he fight? No, this is good… Ginny's lips were inching, closer, and closer…
"Potter!" A loud voice broke through the fog in Harry's mind and thus ending the trance. Ginny pulled away, looking quite guilty. Her brown eyes darkened momentarily upon seeing who was at the door, before returning to their pleasant fashion. Harry did not miss her slight scowl this time around however.
"I should leave, my Lord." And without another word, she slipped past the figure by Harry's doorway, not too surreptitiously glaring at it. The young Lord breathed a sigh of relief at her exit before turning to his other visitor and unexpected savior.
"Draco, my hero. And please, it's Potter-Snape. How many times do I have to remind you that?"
The young Malfoy heir rolled his eyes. "It loses its bite that way. And you're changing the topic. Do I even want to know what I had just apparently saved you from, Lord Peverell?" He stepped inside the threshold as he had done so, many times in the recent past. Being the lover of Harry's pseudo-godfather and the pseudo-godson of Harry's husband, their now-close relationship had been an inevitable happening from the very beginning. The emerald-eyed man found Draco quite the character beyond the silly pettiness of their schoolyard rivalry, as the blonde realized Harry was, too. They quickly turned from war comrades to comfortable friends. Now, the young Malfoy was one of those that Harry trusted and enjoyed the company of.
"I should have known that she would not give up so easily." Harry sighed, waving his hand to offer Draco a seat in front of this desk. "I sort of expected some form of –retaliation for me breaking her heart –the calm was much too quiet for Ginny."
"I will never understand how the minds of you Lions, work." Draco shook his head. "If you feel so uncomfortable around her, you can always ban her from coming here. Haven't you heard of proximity restraining spells?" The blonde took his perch on the proffered space, all the while glancing at Severus' form nearby. "From my vantage point, it looked like she was out to prey on you."
"She –her family are my friends," Harry admitted sheepishly. "I don't want to alienate her and cause a rift among –"
"Self-sacrificing 'til the end," Draco smirked. "Heaven help the soul to incur the wrath of the redhead legion of doom –"
"Oi –"
"All I'm saying, Harry," here, Draco fixed his, dare-he-say-it, friend a steady gaze. "If the Weasleys do care for you and your happiness, they would understand your need to keep yourself and the ones you love safe from whatever threat, actual or perceived."
"Draco –"
"Point is, that chit will always have an uncomfortably-frightening hero-worship of you. She should get help for that. In the mean time, you need her away from you." Harry sighed.
"You're right, I guess,"
Of course I am," said Draco matter-of-factly. "And I am not alone in my observations. Remus thinks so too. And –if you want a redhead's take on the matter, I'll have you know that Bill agrees with me. Father said so."
"Bill?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "You're okay with his and your father's relationship then?" Draco shrugged.
"Could be worse. Father could actually have engendered a relationship with Longbottom."
"Oi –"
"Enough about that, Potter," Draco waved his protest of indignation off. "Remus tells me you have something to share with me in confidence. "Well, what is it? I'd rather spend the day lending my expertise to the Auror Division in hopes of catching that stupid buffoon, Port –"
Harry replied by casting a complicated privacy ward within their vicinity. Then, reaching for the previously discarded papers on his desk, he spelled them to reveal their contents to the blonde.
"We've found a counter curse."
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-END OF CHAPTER 48-
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**TLP VERSE NOTES**
MAGICAL CORE AND AURA
In my verse, a witch or a wizard may be born inherently Dark or Light. However, this does not necessarily mean that a Dark wizard is evil or that a Light Wizard is good. This just pertains to which part of the magical spectrum their powers are more akin to. As I've mentioned previously, Dark wizards (or witches) are those whose abilities are heightened after dusk. They perform better on spells that are more archaic or arcane and those that require expedient magic –magic that comes from the outside of their conduits (wands or their physical bodies, in case of wandless magic). On the other hand, Light wizards thrive on casting their spells after dawn. They perform better on spells that use up their own inherent magic (magic from their own core) and rarely do their spells need a sacrifice of anything other than their own power. Every magical born has an innate tendency to lean towards one side or the other and once established upon magical maturity at age 17 (on the average) this leaning does not change anymore. That is why magical education during the formative years (11-17) is crucial in shaping a wizard's or a witch's magical core. To further explain this concept, let me show you a practical example. But before that, here's a simple code on reading magical aura (by order of strength and peculiarities). Note, that the first color signifies a leaning towards Light Magic and the one after towards Dark Magic:
Gold/ Silver
Red/Blue
Yellow/Green
*Black –creature blood
*White –muggle blood
Note as well that these colors do not necessarily appear in a single block. More often than not, they occur in a random mix. An example would be Harry Potter's magical core. His is a spherical core of pure gold, wrapped in a thick layer of silver dotted with blue. Within these blue dots are white specks. Severus' on the other hand has a pure silver elliptical core, covered by a thin ring of green, specked with both gold and white, with the white spots being larger than gold. Remus' in contrast is a solid red, wrapped in a layer of black, spotted with white. Albus' is a gold sphere wrapped in an even mix of red and blue, almost purple. Hermione's is red dotted with silver, wrapped in pure white. Ron's is blue and green mixed, spotted with yellow and gold, with the yellow spots being noticeably bigger.
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A/N: Hah! Who thought I would let Ginny get too close to Harry? Draco saves the day! Tell me what you think. Up next: Chapter 49: Leads and Limbo –A talk between two nobles takes place in the In-Between and a glimpse on the hunt for Corvus Prince… will all Severus and Albus' efforts to help Harry revive his husband be in vain? Don't miss it! In the mean time, why don't you send me some love?
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