Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! We had hit a writer's block, but finally found a way to get things moving again. In fact, the plot will move quicker now since the end is in sight so please stay with us :)
Appreciation: My gratitude as always to Vine Verrine. Let's finish this, girl!
- Chapter Start -
Time, which had often played tricks on Lucius Malfoy, decided to make him its prey once again. Ever since that faithful Saturday, the days had dragged their feet, second by second, and minute by minute. The second half of the week though, seemed eager to speed by on silent wings.
Once again, it was Saturday, marking a full seven days since The Removal.
The hours of daylight were spent alone, reading in bed, lying in the garden, or doing slow laps in the heated indoor pool on the top floor of Malfoy Manor, while the hours between sunset and sunrise were spent in the arms of Aventine, body blissfully free of the agony of withdrawal symptoms. The drawing of blood was, by now, just a prelude to the deepest, soundest sleep he had ever experienced.
In fact, Lucius was hard pressed to recall the last time he had shied away from those red lips and gleaming fangs, or felt any revulsion at the tall, lithe form of the vampire lord entering his room in the evenings. He only knew he had carved for himself a path never before imagined. One, if he were very honest with himself, he wasn't sure if he could step away from.
Harry Potter had talked about his Path of Destiny, and how it would change Lucius' life once he set foot on it.
Lucius didn't think this was quite what he meant, but he refused to consider the long term ramifications of his... indulgence... with Aventine. It was denial and cowardice at its worst, but something in him just balked whenever he pushed his mind to think of what would happen once his withdrawal symptoms grew bearable enough to weather without assistance.
No doubt he could allow this arrangement to continue. After all, he was Aventine's champion. They would still need to work very closely together. He was no longer averse to having Aventine's hands on him, no longer repulsed by his body lying beside him or on top of him.
He was sure Aventine wasn't eager to call this off either... if the novelty of having a compliant Lucius Malfoy hadn't worn off.
That thought, so lacking in dignity, pride and self confidence, made him cringe.
Regardless, Lucius was resolved to think no further than the present, and no further than the confines of his own home. It was like pretending something didn't exist if he didn't look at it. He refused to entertain any visitors, not even Dumbledore who called on him for the second time in the same week, or Draco. He ordered his house elves to turn anyone away with the message that he was recovering, but not to be disturbed.
By now, the house elves especially Binky, had to know what was going on, but Lucius didn't care nor was he bothered by what Narcissa thought of the matter if she found out. She had only stayed a night before going off to visit her mother again after a goodbye spoken from the door.
Lucius knew he was acting like a newlywed on his honeymoon, jealously guarding his privacy and not wanting the outside world to intrude. But that was exactly what he felt like. Only this wasn't any sort of marriage, but a mutual agreement that benefited both parties. That sounded a lot better than a clandestine affair with a Dark Creature who drank his blood, gave him pleasure night after night, and made him desperately grateful for the pain-free hours and sublime bliss he got in return.
It hadn't started immediately of course.
After Lucius found relief with Aventine on Wednesday night, things had changed between them. Aventine had bitten him again on Thursday morning, but to Lucius' dismay, initiated no other advances. It wasn't until that evening when he had reappeared, dressed to kill in a pristine white dress shirt and very well cut trousers and boots, that Lucius felt a not unpleasant shiver in his gut. All that was missing was a single red rose between those crimson lips, Lucius had thought to himself before saying as much out loud.
The amused quirk of those red lips, fangs flashing, had made his heart leap, fingers curling into the sheets with anticipation. He had found his body stirring even before Aventine tossed his cloak onto the loveseat and glided over to him.
To his surprise, Aventine had picked him up bridal style and sat in the armchair beside the bed with Lucius in his lap, sweaty back against a silk clad chest. Without further ado, he had swept Lucius' long hair to one side, nuzzled into his neck and started lavishing hot, open mouth kisses on the sensitive skin there.
Lucius' initial demand of 'What the hell' had turned almost instantly into a moan, fingers groping for and clamping onto the lean hips behind his. He had uttered an 'Aahh!' when those fangs plunged into his flesh, causing his nerve endings to sing as blood thrummed through his veins.
He had gone from half hard to fully erect in seconds, shifting restlessly over the even harder clothed length beneath his bare buttocks since his silk nightshirt had ridden up almost to his waist. He writhed in place with an iron arm around his waist, a cool hand at his stomach.
"Aventine. You... you promised... to take care... of me..." he had panted.
There had been a guttural, intelligible murmur against his skin as that hand slid down to his thigh, leaving goosebumps in its wake. The feel of cool fingers closing around his fevered flesh had come as a shock, but Aventine's fangs slid deeper still and a single nudge from Aventine's knee had caused Lucius' legs to fall on either side of those strong thighs.
A thumb had teased the wet head of his arousal, wringing a breathless curse from his lips as his body jerked in response. The fist that engulfed his length then gave a firm stroke from root to tip and it mattered not a bit that those fingers were like marble. Lucius had been instantly lost; back arching as a deep groan left his mouth. He wasn't aware that Aventine's fangs had left him and his neck was being licked and kissed with abandon. Nor was he aware of Aventine resting his chin on his shoulder, glittering red eyes transfixed upon the wet, rosy head appearing again and again in the tiny gap between his index finger and thumb.
It hadn't taken long for Lucius to find release, and a stunning, glorious one at that. He had been so overwhelmed by it that he was still in a half daze when the waves ebbed, slumped against Aventine's chest and panting, his entire body trembling.
"Beautiful," Aventine had murmured, his voice barely heard. A softly uttered cleaning spell left small, quivering tingles on Lucius' skin as it whisked away sweat, the bloodstains on his neck, and the slippery white strands on his abdomen and Aventine's fingers.
When a cool hand cupped his chin and turned his head to the side, he had opened dazed eyes to meet passionate red ones.
"Lucius." Cool breath brushed against his lips in a silent request.
Lucius, still half dazed and panting, hadn't hesitated to tilt his head and press his lips to those red ones, thrilling to the feel of those long fangs against his mouth at last.
Their first kiss had been lighter than he expected; chaste and almost innocent. Certainly lighter than what he was used to giving. Aventine had drawn back with a small surprised smile quirking his lips. His eyes seemed to glow even brighter.
"Lucius..."
Two hands had clamped around his waist and lifted him bodily, turning him around so that they faced each other, Lucius still straddling Aventine. The succeeding kisses hadn't been light nor chaste, but Lucius still lost himself in the play of tongue and teeth, not stopping even when his lower lip and tongue were caught on those fangs and bled.
It was a prelude to a deeper intimacy and Lucius was all for it.
- o -
Brisk footsteps echoed in the dark, sparsely lit corridor. The flickering torches highlighted three wavering shadows on the damp stone walls; a shorter figure followed by two taller, bulkier ones.
Diana Snape Brand didn't say anything as she led Marcellus and Claudius to Severus and Harry's quarters, but it wasn't because the numerous twists and turns required her utmost concentration. She had always been blessed with a good memory, and it served her well now, despite having been to the dungeons only once before, just after Christmas.
It was Saturday, a week since The Removal in Egypt, and four days since she and her brothers met up with Minerva McGonagall in Hogsmeade. After Minerva left the teashop, Marcellus and Claudius pressed Diana to stay with them at Briarwood Hall, but she had declined. She was well aware of their penchant for bringing up the past - old habits die hard - which would be upsetting, unproductive and now, more untrue than ever.
Instead, she had spent most of her free time ensconced in her own modest library or in the huge one in the Parthenon Temple in Athens, reading up on healing temples and the side effects of dark curses. She had been a frequent visitor there for years and knew all the Veela guardians by name. She had also learned that Severus and Harry had visited the temple together a couple of weeks earlier, but left soon after an urgent message arrived from Dumbledore.
None of the guardians knew why.
"Just how many corridors are there in this drafty old castle?" Marcellus groused from behind her, his breathing loud in the narrow space.
"I swear, the Hogwarts' dungeons are as dismal as our big brother's temperament." The jibe, almost impulsive, seemed to lack its usual bite. Instead, Claudius' tone was brittle, weak at the edges. "Nothing like Beauxbatons at all."
Diana pressed her lips together to hold back her sigh. It was thoughtless remarks like these that made her wish she had come alone or with Alrik. She was quite sure Severus and Harry would prefer the same. She heard the undercurrent of the comments, and yet it bothered her how they still could not refrain from uttering them.
Still, it was in that hidden pinch, a breeze of a feeling behind their pettiness, a tender feeling that emanated worry.
They had contacted her by floo very late last Saturday night, babbling almost incoherently about how they were sure Severus had suddenly died of some unknown cause. She hadn't been able to go back to sleep after that. None of them had until the morning came, and with it, the news that had both astounded and reassured them.
It had been Diana's dearest wish that the family dinner at Briarwood Hall about eight months ago would help mend the deep rift between the brothers, but the incident with Julius and the rose maze had instead, made it worse. Glancing over her shoulder, she caught a glimpse of the worry lurking beneath her brothers' distasteful expressions in the flickering light of the torches. The nearer they got, the deeper those feelings sank in their eyes, the darker the worry became. Now that Severus was free of the Dark Mark, perhaps they could finally get over the past and become a real family once again.
"We're almost there," she said.
They turned the next corridor and came across a large portrait of a thin wizard in emerald robes and a large green snake on his shoulder, both sleeping.
"At last!" Marcellus exclaimed in relief, causing the portrait and snake to wake up and squint at them suspiciously.
"El Dorado," Diana stated and flashed a quick smile. "Severus Snape and Harry Potter are expecting us."
The wizard nodded and the portrait door swung open.
Diana took a few steps inside only to stop in shock, Marcellus almost bumping into her back as she stared wide eyed around her. The furnishings, tapestries and rugs were familiar, but what she could see of the stone walls and floor glittered like the finest marble, reflecting the light of numerous oil lamps set about the place. Her observation took only a few seconds before her attention was caught by four wizards beside the large fireplace, standing up to greet them.
Severus and Harry were joined by Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, but Diana's attention was on her eldest brother who got up slowly, one hand on Harry's shoulder, and Harry's hand under his elbow.
"Severus!" She crossed the room with quick steps, robes flapping against her legs and a smile of relief etched into her features, arms outstretched. "I was so worried when I heard."
She hugged him tightly, feeling the minute tremors in his body when he returned the hug with a murmured 'Thank you, Diana'. Then she drew back and looked him over, masking her concern as best she could. He looked pale, with an air of fragility that would have worried her even more if she hadn't already expected it from her research.
"I'm fine," he said, a faint smile hovering on his lips as if he could read her thoughts. She smiled back before turning to hug Harry next.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Harry. I am eternally grateful for what you've done for Severus. My husband, daughters and I also thank you for waking us up from the Sleeping Spell."
"You're welcome, Diana. It's good to see you again." Harry gave her a warm smile which vanished when he looked at the two wizards behind her, green eyes turning wary.
Diana moved to one side, allowing her brothers their turn to greet Harry. They glanced at each other before executing jerky bows in unison.
"King Harry, it is an honour to meet you again," Marcellus intoned in a voice he tried to make deeper for a more serious effect.
"King Harry, we thank you for waking us and our loved ones from You Know Who's spell," Claudius added in a similar voice.
"You're welcome," Harry replied, forehead wrinkling as if puzzled or uncomfortable with their obeisance, so different from the first time he had met them.
Marcellus and Claudius bowed again with gracious smiles before turning to Severus who was watching them in silence.
"It's good to see you again, Severus." Marcellus' voice was an odd mix of hearty and awkward as he proffered a hand. "I'm glad to see you back on your feet."
"Thank you." Severus shook Marcellus' hand briefly, wincing at the firm grip, and again when Claudius added his own earnest greeting.
Diana gasped, as Claudius, in his own heartiness, shook Severus' hand one second too long, a tad too strong, and his dearest brother, weak and airy like a leaf in the wind, toppled over into his arms.
"Sev-!" Harry exclaimed, flapping arms going around Severus but still defeated by the much larger weight. Claudius, in perfect prince saving the princess fashion, caught Severus by the waist and all three of them ended up in a sandwich hug with Severus in the middle.
It was such a ridiculous, insane, endearing sight that Diana clapped a hand to her mouth, smile threatening to spill forth as Claudius awkwardly deposited his older brother on the loveseat. King Harry was left there with his arms outstretched uselessly in front of him, blushing to the roots of his hair and lips pressed together.
There was an awkward second of silence broken by Sirius Black who, after gaping, let out a very loud bark of laughter. He abruptly snapped his mouth shut when the man beside him nudged him in the ribs, also smiling.
It was such an unexpected accident, and yet it dispelled the tension from the air. The shadows looked less dark, and the yellows mellower.
Diana, however, could still see all three brothers looked uncomfortable, even if Severus's was well masked. Underneath the tiredness, he seemed uncertain also. She saw the small, commiserating smile Harry gave him as he sat down and brushed the back of his hand against the other's. Knowing that Harry was not one to hold grudges made her hopeful for the future. She turned towards Sirius and Remus and held out her hand.
"It's good to see you again, Sirius, Remus," she greeted with a smile as they shook hands. The last time she had met them was when Severus battled several duelers at the Ministry of Magic, with Sirius acting as his Second and Remus putting up the shield.
"Likewise, Diana," Sirius replied.
"Marcellus, Claudius, these are my godfathers, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin," Harry said.
The Marauders' smiling faces morphed immediately into stern lines as they turned to Marcellus and Claudius, who now looked apprehensive. The hard glare that Sirius, in particular, was giving them made Diana doubly relieved that Julius hadn't accompanied them here. He wouldn't have fared well at all.
"Well, why don't we all sit down?" It was Remus who broke the silence. Severus remained on the loveseat with Harry, Diana and her other two brothers sat on the sofa while the Marauders took the two chairs by the fireplace.
Harry summoned Dobby and asked for refreshments. As soon as he finished speaking, Dobby snapped his fingers. A full service of tea with seven cups, and a platter of sandwiches and assorted pastries appeared on the coffee table. Dobby beamed at Harry's thanks and vanished with a 'pop'.
Diana reached for the teapot, glad to have something to occupy her hands.
"Severus, we only found out about The Removal in the newspapers, on Sunday," Claudius began, his voice holding something of a reprimand in it. "Why didn't you inform us beforehand?"
"What good would that do?" Sirius shot back before Severus could say anything. "You wouldn't be allowed to witness it."
A look of outrage crossed Claudius's face.
"To be honest," Harry quickly added with an exasperated glance at Sirius, "everything happened very fast after Severus and I went to Egypt to follow up a lead. There was barely time to arrange everything."
Claudius looked somewhat mollified and Marcellus cleared his throat.
"Be that as it may," he said, "we wanted to visit Severus as soon as we found out. But Professor McGonagall said you were at a Healing Temple and no visitors were allowed. Not even family."
There was a hint of question in his voice as if wanting a confirmation of what he had been told.
"That is correct," Severus agreed in a bland tone. Diana frowned at the amused glint in his eyes, the gentle nudge Harry gave him and a muffled snicker from the two Marauders.
"Well, since they've released you, does that mean you're fully recovered?" Claudius asked.
Severus shook his head.
"It will take a full month for the symptoms to clear. The first week is the worst, but the healing water at the temple has numbed most of it. The symptoms will continue to fade over the next three weeks, but they will be bearable."
Diana noted he made no mention of when his limbs would regain their strength after such a prolonged soak in the waters.
"Why only the first week?" Claudius demanded. "Shouldn't the healing water suppress all the symptoms?"
This time, it was Remus who answered him.
"The water has magical healing properties and works wonders with Dark Curses, but they are not a cure all miracle."
There was a pained note in his voice which matched the glance he and Harry gave Sirius. Diana thought that strange since as far as she knew, Sirius wasn't a Death Eater and would have no need of a healing temple.
"In any case, thank Merlin you survived the Removal, Severus," Claudius said heartily. "We read in the newspapers that many others didn't."
This time, Severus joined Sirius and Remus in glaring at him as Harry looked away, lips pressed tight.
"Well," Marcellus said, looking eager to change the subject, "I'm no Potions Master, but surely you can brew something to relieve the remaining symptoms?"
Severus shook his head.
"Such potions offer temporary relief, but will make the returning symptoms even worse. The only way is to weather it without assistance."
Diana bit her lip. She knew that Severus was strong, and that his many years as spy had honed his willpower and tolerance to pain, but the next few weeks didn't sound in the least bit pleasant. Still, his visit to that temple had kept away the worst, and the way Harry clasped Severus' shoulder made her glad that at least he wouldn't be alone.
"Anyway, these dungeons of yours are hardly the best place to recover!" Claudius exclaimed, his voice holding a touch of condescension. "Why not stay at Snape Manor in the meantime? I'm sure King Harry will have no problem missing the last few of weeks of school, seeing who he is."
Marcellus nudged Claudius again, harder, an annoyed 'tsk' leaving his lips.
"You two are more than welcome to stay with us at Briarwood Hall," he offered. "Delphina and Julianna would be happy to instruct the cooks to make all your favourite dishes."
Diana's eyes widened in alarm, but to her relief, Severus shook his head, that weary air about him growing more pronounced.
"Thank you, but I will be fine here," he said and hesitated a moment before adding, "I do plan to reopen Snape Manor before the summer holidays. If it can be cleared of all Dark Spells first."
Marcellus and Claudius perked up at that, sitting up straighter, their eyes gleaming.
"Wonderful!" Claudius exclaimed. "In that case, Marcellus and I will do everything in our power to assist you."
Severus inclined his head.
"That would be appreciated," he said and gestured to the two Marauders. "Sirius and Remus will be leading a team of Seventh Year students there next week as part of their DADA practical exam. I am sure they can fit you two in."
Marcellus scowled at Claudius, but both nodded their agreement, if not as eager as before.
In the short silence that followed, Diana took the opportunity to pass around the plate of pastries.
"By the way, why isn't your youngest brother, Julius, here?" Sirius' voice was casual.
Diana exchanged a wary glance with Marcellus and Claudius before Marcellus nodded and turned to Sirius.
"I am sure you two know about the incident at Briarwood Hall," he said, picking his words with care, "and the spell that Severus cast on him."
Sirius and Remus nodded.
"As you might imagine, Julius didn't take it very well," Marcellus continued.
"Went completely mental for the first couple of months," Claudius added. "Destroyed his rooms and tried to curse anyone who went near him."
Sirius and Remus exchanged a grim look.
"Where is he now?" Remus asked.
"Still living with us," Marcellus said.
"And how is he doing?" Severus asked.
Marcellus shrugged.
"We aren't sure. We... actually haven't seen him at all."
Severus frowned at that.
"How do you know he still lives with you if you haven't seen him?"
Marcellus put up both hands in a placating manner.
"My house elves report back to me. They are not allowed inside his rooms anymore, but Julius' personal elf says he's better after King Harry woke him up like the rest of us.
Marcellus looked serious now.
"That's another reason why we wanted to see you," he explained. "The monitoring spell you put on Claudius and I after Julius tried to - well, that spell disappeared just after midnight last Saturday. My guess is, the spell you put on Julius is gone as well."
"Because of the ritual?" Harry asked.
"That could be the reason," Severus agreed, frowning. "Does Julius know?"
"Well, we don't know for sure." Marcellus grimaced when he got a raised eyebrow. "If his mind turned to that and he didn't suffer the usual consequence, he should realise it, but we don't know. He doesn't go out. He just sends Dipsy, his elf, on errands which we don't know about."
Seeing Severus' eyebrow go higher, he hastened to add.
"We didn't want to pressure Dipsy seeing as he's the only connection we have to know Julius is at least alive. My wife sometimes sends Julius messages, asking how he is and if he will soon come out of his rooms, but we have yet to receive an answer."
Severus, even while weakened out and looking paler, probably for sitting up for too long, looked thoughtful.
"There is something else. You know I don't appreciate you stalling."
Marcellus nodded and glanced at Claudius who nodded as well, making Diana frown.
"You are right, Severus. You are my family, my... our oldest brother. It's taken me these past few weeks to realise that. We didn't come here just to see you, but also to warn you."
Diana, feeling a twinge of panic, spoke up.
"Marcellus, Severus has been put through the afterlife and back just recently, and you think this is the right time to say this?"
"Yes. And Severus knows it's no use keeping him in the dark, and worse, putting him in danger unknowingly."
"Danger?" Harry said, also frowning.
Severus, sighing every so often now, nodded, moving his index finger and coaxing Marcellus to keep talking.
"As far as we can tell, Julius hasn't left the house, but we fear he will, and not to take a midnight stroll and feel the moonlight on his skin. He has been receiving packages, and they are very well protected. We have yet to snatch a chance to see what is inside them. As I told you, we were glad he was recuperating, seemingly interested in the outside world, even if we had yet to see him. We didn't want him to feel threatened and go back to his cocoon, but it's been long enough already. If he is indeed better, at least physically, I wouldn't put it past him to do something. Whatever that something is, to harm you. Get revenge.
"We're completely in the dark as to what he's doing, but I wanted to warn you, especially at a time like this. I don't doubt Hogwarts security, even if I doubt many other things about this castle, but taking precautions has always been your thing, and I think I owe it to you to be truthful."
Severus, even while weakened, could still roll his eyes in such a deadpan manner that the Slytherin students in the floor above probably felt it.
"It is just like you both to be so blind when it comes to Julius. So permissive. And you are certain of this?"
"I don't know. Every time I get near his rooms, I feel something different, an energy of sorts, but I cannot pinpoint if it's good or bad. The wards have not alerted us to any dark magic coming from his rooms, but we don't know if it's because they are not sensing it or because he changed the wards."
"He changed the wards of your house?" Sirius' voice was dry. "And you haven't changed them back? Or you can't?"
Marcellus bristled, but Diana shook her head at him and glanced at Sirius before turning to Severus.
"We weren't sure the wards had been changed. Marcellus and Claudius didn't seem concerned enough. I felt we should talk to Julius and not just leave him to his own devices. I kept thinking about that strange feeling we get when we approach his rooms. So this morning, I checked the house wards. There's a black hole where Julius' rooms are. Like there's nothing there. The wards just bypass his door as if it's part of the wall."
"A black hole," Severus repeated, the frown between his eyebrows deepening. "He's hiding. He did alter the wards then."
"Yes." Diana saw no point in sugarcoating it.
"The bigger the building, the more powerful the wards," Remus said. "From what Harry told us, Briarwood Hall is quite big. To trick those wards is no mean feat."
"It's very dark magic," Severus said. "House wards are powered by the house owners. To block them so completely that the house owner didn't notice anything amiss shows his skill level."
Marcellus and Claudius exchanged a look.
"We thought of confronting him as soon as Diana told us," Claudius said.
"No!" Severus said at once. "Don't forget, he is skilled enough to change the wards without you noticing."
"Are you doubting our skills?" Claudius exclaimed. "He's our youngest brother!"
Severus just raised an eyebrow again.
"Charging in will not solve anything, assuming you can get past any wards he has set up in his rooms."
Sirius, rubbing his face in frustration, said, "Just splendid. We get one matter dealt with and another one comes in just to keep things interesting. Do you think he is dangerous right now?"
Claudius took over, his tone more sombre than ever.
"We know we sound repetitive, but we don't know that either. It hasn't been long since he got cursed, so we didn't find it plausible for him to gain the knowledge to do any harm so fast, but even while childish and demanding, Julius was very fastidious with education, and he is talented. We now worry if we gave him too much free rein over the library when he was younger. And we do know for a fact that he has been reading from the books we own as several of them are missing, but they all vary from nature and topics. The biggest problem is we haven't registered any spells other than the usual ones in his room."
"And now we know why," Diana added.
Severus, with his head now reclined on the back of the loveseat, brought his trembling hand over to cover his eyes for a minute, and then letting his hand fall on Harry's thigh.
"He has always been very resourceful, that one, even knowing he could get anything he wanted just by looking from under his lashes. It is even more important to note that he not only altered the wards to block you out, but allowed certain things in to allay your suspicions."
"You have to get to him somehow before he makes over his mind and disappears," Sirius declared, almost glaring at Marcellus and Claudius . "At least now that he is still with you, you can control where he goes or at least monitor his activities."
Both brothers looked at him, affronted, and then went back to staring at Severus, who looked more and more like a black and white stain on a painting.
"Yes, that's why before we came we talked to Diana about reaching him out," Claudius said, ignoring Diana's nudge. "She always been the mediator between all of us, and we have faith she can do something about this."
With an effort, Severus sat up straight, Harry placing a hand at the back of his head.
"Diana? You're going to see him?"
Diana sighed and put down her teacup with a sharp clink.
"I didn't want to let you know until after, Severus. I am going to reach out to him tonight, but I wanted to see you first. Not because I think anything... drastic... will happen, but I still wanted to see you first. See how you're doing." Her voice started out strong at first and trembled a bit at the end.
With another and greater effort, Severus slowly stood up, moving away from Harry once he was upright, a shaky hand motioning him to stay put. He took a few steps towards Diana, his pose regal even though he moved like he had crying souls attached to his ankles, begging for forgiveness.
Diana quickly stood up, hearing the rustle of his robe hems brushing against hers. Dry lips touched her forehead and then Severus drew back, a faint but reassuring smile on his lips.
"You are going to be fine."
- o -
Several hours later...
Dinner was an elaborate, multi course feast that Diana barely touched. She wondered what had Marcellus and Claudius told their wives for them to scurry around all afternoon and order the elves to cook so many dishes. And then to get all dressed up, have their husbands do the same, and sit through each course, eating without looking, pressing her to try this delicacy and that one, and all the while staring at her like it was her final day on this earth.
Just for that, she took extra care when eating; carefully spooning the cream of asparagus soup into her mouth and chewing every bite of the exquisite pot roast before swallowing it.
When dinner was finally over, they all went out into the garden. The rose maze still stood tall and imposing under the wizarding lights that lit the garden. The compulsion charms and spells had been removed many months ago, but the scent of the large, blood red roses was still overpowering.
Diana sighed and tried not to roll her eyes as her brothers and sisters-in-law took turns to bid her farewell, as if they didn't expect to her see her again. She reassured them she was only going to check on Julius and nothing more. Then she turned to Alrick with her eyebrows slightly raised.
He nodded and came forward, looking very fine in his dark red velvet robes. Placing his large hands on her shoulder, he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Be safe," he said in a low voice. "I promised you I won't follow you in, but I will be here."
Diana nodded and smiled at him, more relieved than she cared to admit. Her daughters were at their home down the road and despite her confidence, something inside her was fiercely glad of that.
Turning around so that Alrick's hands fell from her shoulders, she went back inside the house. That same something wanted her to look back at him, at them all, but she refused and closed the door behind her, the clank of it deafening to her heightened senses. She walked slowly, as if taking a walk to clear her head, her breathing steady and her heart full of life.
She climbed the stairs to the topmost floor. With a flick of her wand, the oil lamps on the wall were brought back to life. Inhaling deeply, she gazed at the dark slit marking the end of the corridor.
The door to his rooms was open. She glided down the corridor and knocked and then pushed open the creaking door. There was no sign of Dipsy, his elf. Instead, a vast expanse of green and red greeted her and she found herself in the middle of another rose maze, as tall as the high ceiling. A breeze, rich with the scent of roses brushed her face, dried the tears she wasn't aware she had shed.
He sat on the floor cross legged with his back to her, as naked as the day he was born even though there was a single stone bench nearby.
"Julius," she intoned as if she was merely calling him to come down to dinner.
He stood up and turned around, his alabaster skin shining with an inner glow. He looked more beautiful than ever with eyes blacker than black, lips redder than red. He didn't smile nor did he look angry or anything at all.
There was a scroll in his hand and he walked towards her, extending his arm to hand it over. As soon as she took it, he turned around. It seemed he was not speaking to her. She turned around as well only to see the door from which she entered start to disappear.
Spinning around again, she saw Julius vanishing behind a rose wall but not before piercing her with those eyes and smiling a small blood red smile.
She gulped and looked down at the scroll. Pulling the cord free, she unrolled the thick parchment and saw a single phrase that read:
"I am not myself."
Then the explosions happened from behind, deafening her and blinding her eyes, sending her crashing forward into the stone bench. She knew no more that moment, and saw nothing but his gaze in the white of her mind. But she felt safe and at peace even as she tasted something metallic in her mouth and smelled the heavy odour of the roses.
- Chapter End -
A/N: Thank you for reading! As always, we are very grateful for the love and support received over the years, and we know there have been many of those - love, support and years. So thank you all so much again. We hope you will continue to support our little continuation until the end. Stay safe.