Disclaimer: The regular disclaimer still stays in place, I owe nothing but the AU and OC. The rest belongs to JKR. This one is an interrelated fic. The readers are requested to read the other associated fics posted under the SCARS series. There are currently two uploaded series. A couple of more will be added.
My mind lives in the Harry Potter fanfiction world though my body is still thankfully anchored in the monotonous reality of existence. My themes, plotline, and storyline may, therefore, get indirectly influenced by many of the brilliant fanfiction writers on this site. And I humbly bow to such creative genius who give me much needed literary pleasures to see through the toils of mundane life. Lastly, I don't have a beta, so please be merciful. Reviews would encourage this introvert writer to peep out of her literary closet.

Thunder and Trance

Prologue

In the night sky of the ancient Black forest, five brooms appeared out of nowhere. Clothed in dark robes, the five people smoothly landed on the grass. Two women. And three men. Two of the taller men brought forward two bundles, that they had been cradling close to their chest throughout the long ride from Magical Britain. The younger man was looking around the small clearing they had just dismounted upon. It was quiet. An uncanny quiet even for a forest so dense.

One of the taller men handed over his burden to the younger man. He was not only taller but thinner too. Gingerly the other held it on the crook of his elbow. He removed the blanket that had been covering the small bundle. The older of the two women came forward and whispered, "Lumos". The tip of her wand glowed. Throwing light over the face of a tiny baby with small chestnut hair. The baby cringed his brow at the sudden light but continued to slumber even if the air had gone chilly all of a sudden. Slowly the woman with the wand brought out his tiny fist and left it hanging out of his blanket.

In the meantime, the other bulkier man had walked up to the younger woman. He had transferred his charge into her arms. She had quietly, removed the blanket and the face of another sleeping baby with platinum golden hair was revealed. Her skin glowed even in this eerie darkness. The other taller man came up to this other child, and carefully brought out her fist. Like the other one, he too left it hanging outstretched.

The young woman with the baby girl in her arms walked up the young man and stood facing him. the two baby's fists were aligned one over the other. The older woman and the bulkier older man stood out, creating patterns around the other three. Mumbling spells under their breath. The taller and thinner man stood facing the young man and woman in the middle of the pattern that was shimmering on the ground below. He brought out a needlepoint knife. In the plain moonlight, its golden surface glinted with a dull aura. He nodded at the two young couples. Each of them opened the tiny fists of the babies, exposing their tiny soft palms under the night sky.

In his deep baritone voice, the man with the knife started singing an obsolete blood binding spell. With his rising tone, he swiftly brought the edge of the knife on the baby boy's palm and made a clean cut. The night air filled with a sharp wail of the wounded child. Undeterred, he brought the knife over the baby girl's palm, who have been woken awake and had started whimpering too. A second wail joined the first. Then he placed the two palms one over the other and placed them on his larger palm. He nodded to the two couples before him. They brought their left-hand palms together and placed them on top of the two tiny palms. The three were now cradling the two tiny fists, tight, withing their jointed larger palms. And were letting the blood flow free from the wounds. Soon a drop, then another, seeped out of the joined palms and freely fell off onto the ground below.

The other two older watchers came forward and pointing their wand at the odd group of five, joined in the song, the man with deep baritone voice was still singing. The wind picked up, the trees shook and the ground started vibrating. The patterns below their feet glowed and a deep crimson ray started forming right where the drops of blood had fallen. It soon started rippling outwards. The wails of the unsettled babies were drowned by the high overtones of the adults. Once the ripple grew tight and the next moment it exploded, sending the other older onlookers off their feet.

The man with the baritone voice shook slightly. He let go of the palms he was so long gripping on from below. And removed his hood. All the other witches and wizards simultaneously removed their hoods.

The younger couple, still holding the crying babies in each of their arms, stared at the thinner and paler man in awe.

Shaking his head once and then twice, "I too did not expect it. A half veela and a half-werewolf to become soul bound. I clearly sang the archaic magic spell for blood protection…"

The bulkier older man with dark skin and a bald head walked closer. "What is done, is done. Magic still knows ways to surprise us," then shifting his gaze from the babies to the ones holding on to them, he said, in a solemn voice, "That's it then, we better leave. Or else, our absence will be noted. I wish you both a happy married life, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. Madam Tonks do take care."

"Kingsley, not yet." Severus Snape, swiftly pocketed the needlepoint knife inside its dedicated holster, that he had worn under his billowing robes. Then he brought out a phial. Kneeling over the blood splatter still wet on the ground, he siphoned some off it into the phial and put the stopper back in place. Sending a long remorseful look at the baby girl, he pocketed the phial too. Next, he brought out a longish sack and gave it to the older woman.

"Andromeda, there are phials of healing potions and specific potions for infant ailments, you might require. There are a couple of basic caldrons, herbs, potions, ingredients, some clothes and other regular needs you all might require to set up," he once turned to Shacklebolt and then looking back at the emotional old woman, "in case, I am not available, contact Mr. Neville Longbottom."

The woman had walked up and that hugged the man with all her might. He had stiffened at the sudden contact and at clumsily patted the others back.

"I don't know how to…"

"Don't Andromeda, I was always a duty-bound man, remember..."

Untangling himself from her fierce hug, he turned to look at the young man. Giving him a piercing look, he brandished his wand and walked off to the nearest trees. In moments, he was transfiguring them into long logs and in half an hours' time, a decent cabin stood in the small clearing.

Swallowing once and taking a deep breath, Severus Snape, renowned for his hatred for Harry Potter, hugged the man mindful of the baby boy, in his arms. Blinking away, tears, he whispered close to the bewildered man's ears, "Lily would have been proud of you. And so am I, Harry. Consider that cabin, as my gift and my token of gratitude." Squeezing the man tighter for one more second, he let go of him.

Next, he walked up to the young woman. She gave him an encouraging dreamy smile and held out the still whimpering baby girl. Carefully, he took her in his long bony arms. Running one long finger over her chubby cheek, in a soft loving voice, he whispered, "Forgive me, little one, I know that did hurt a lot. But Godfather will always watch over you." Placing a chaste kiss over her brows, he handed her over to the young woman.

Giving the five of them a long look, he nodded curtly and walked back to Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had already picked up their individual brooms. They swiftly mounted their brooms, when the young man called out from behind.

"Minister Shacklebolt, Professor Snape, if you ever so wish your owls to find us, in future, remember to address your parcels to either Mr. Heimrich Claysmith or Mrs. Launa Claysmith or Madam Skontas."

A second later two brooms rose a couple of feet high, hovered over the clearing for a while and then disappeared in thin air.

The five magical people left behind kept staring upwards into the night sky, when a howl of a lone wolf in this quiet Black Forest of Germany, greeted the new dwellers for the first time.

A/N: Pour your thoughts, another branch of the scar series finally saw the light of the day.