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Aretimis and Alex paced back and forth in the entrance hall while Natalie and Caleb sat against the wall watching.

"Where is he?" Alex mutters in frustration and worry.

Aretimis had told her that the Dark Lord had summoned him again. He didn't have to tell her that he would probably return injured. They'd been waiting for half an hour.

"He's a brilliant wizard, Alex." Aretimis assures her. "He's going to be fine."

Alex could tell that Aretimis had little more confidence than she herself did. She sighs and sits down on the sofa that Aretimis had moved into the room for them. After a while he sat down next to her and she rested her head against his shoulder, slowly falling into a restless sleep.


Aretimis slowly blinked open his eyes and stoop up, careful not to wake the three young people still sleeping next to him. He stared in confusion as the front door open of its own accord. He slowly made his way towards it, but remains a safe distance away and draws his wand. "Lumos!" A light shot out of the tip of this wand and flooded the entrance hall with a dim light, just bright enough for him to make out his surroundings, and expose the dark figure standing just on the other side of the door frame.

"Severus!" Aretimis gasped, quickly taking his arm and helping his over to the couch. "Alex! Wake up! He's returned!"

"I'm fine! I'm fine," Severus objects, exhaustion evident in his voice.

"You're fine? It's a miracle you made it out of there alive!" Aretimis hisses at him, determined to be helpful.

"I know, but I'm alright." Severus assured him as Alex threw her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair, glancing up to reassure Aretimis again.

Aretimis shook his head in confusion. "What's happening to you?"

"I don't know," Severus answers as Alex finally pulled back far enough to look him over. "But I'm taking my wife to bed." He finishes, tangling his fingers in her hair.

"Severus we need to discuss the outcome of our mission," Aretimis objects, realizing he wasn't going to pay any attention to his concerns for the mans health.

"I will discuss it with you once I get my wife to sleep. She looks exhausted." Severus refuses.

"Me exhausted? You've been gone all night!" Alex counters, glancing back and forth between Severus and Aretimis, "What was so important that you had to risk your life over it?"

"You," Severus answers stubbornly, "Now come to bed with me, witch." He stood up and pulled her towards the stairs, ignoring Natalie's accusing glare.

"You two should go to bed as well," Aretimis suggests, studying Natalie and Caleb suspiciously.

"Not that we'll be able to sleep any better than we normally do," Natalie throws back. "It's a shame he survived."

"Natalie, stop. Let's just go." Caleb mutters, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet.

"You won't talk about him like that in this house," Aretimis snaps at them.

"This isn't a house. It's a political building." Caleb counters before disappearing down a hallway with Natalie.


"Are you sure this is wise?" Alex asks Severus hesitantly, following him into their room and shutting the door behind him. 'I can call for Camille again if you need help?"

"All I need is some rest and you in my bed," Severus answers, undressing himself down to his pants and climbing into the bed. "Come lie with me."

Alex climbed up into bed next to him and let him slip his arm around her, resting her head on his chest. "I'm always so afraid that I'm going to lose you." She admits.

"You're going to. Not now, but eventually. I've made my own choices, and now you're making yours. We both know how this is going to end." Severus points out, closing his eyes and concentrating on her breathing.

"No we don't," Alex objects. " We don't know anything for certain."

"I know that there will be another battle, and that you're going to survive it, with or without me. I know that Aretimis is going to show you what our world was meant to be like. You're going to see the magic of the wizarding world, and you're going to be safe there." He answers, "That's all I need to know."

"I don't understand," Alex raises herself up to look at him. It was starting to feel as though he were telling her goodbye.

"You will," He promises, pulling her back down and pressing his lips onto her head.

"Don't leave me." She requests, wrapping her arm around his waist.

Severus doesn't reply. For once, he wasn't really sure how to. Instead he pulled her up onto him and pressed his lips against hers. She straddled his waist and ran her hands over his chest and he pulled her shirt up over her head. His hands pressed hard into her skin, and he held her as though she were his lifeline. Alex let her hands fall to his waist and unfastened his pants, pushing them down as far and she could reach and he flipped her over onto her back, kicking off his remaining clothes.

"Not tonight," He answers finally, running his lips down into her shoulder, "Tonight, witch, you're mine."