Warning and Disclaimer: see chapter 01. Thank you Wiccachic2000, Lori and Silver Wind for proofreading this chapter ^_^
Trinity Blood
C & P by G.Arnet, 2002
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Crimson 03 :: Judas Priest
The air shifted restlessly between them as they danced the dance of death on the cold dungeon floor. Severus grabbed the other's hand, but another hand which seemed more like a claw aimed to end his life for good, eternally. The Potions Master only had a few seconds to think of something to save his arse when another voice cried out a /stupefy/ to petrify the attacker. The golden eyed man went rigid and his clawed hand dropped a few inches from Severus's neck, cutting a few strands of black hair. The dark haired man shoved the body off of him so he could move. It dropped with a loud thump. Black eyes met cold golden cat eyes, which Severus suddenly realized were formerly gray. Severus sat down with a sudden, splitting headache. His brow knitted together thinking how mad the gray haired man was, and came to conclusion that the man was insane. Attacking him in the school's hallway in the middle of broad daylight, even though they were currently in the depth of an almost dark dungeon. The Potions Master glanced at the other direction and caught Lucifier standing, out of breath, against the wall, with his black wand raised. The boyish blonde always had a good timing, mused Severus silently. Had to thank the bastard later.
Lucius moved closer. "Alright?" he asked without looking at Severus for confirmation as his trained eyes still locked at the lump beside his companion. Even with all the excitement, Lucius hadn't even broken a sweat and his school robes with the Slytherin logo on it wasn't crooked or mussed with even a wrinkle. The man was an ice statue, cold and calculating. The blonde thought fast, examined the matter before him before he could discuss it with his partner in crime.
"Fine," the dark haired man muttered, trying to stand up with his own strength. His back was slightly sore and he sprained his ankle when the crazy man jumped on him. Nothing serious. He dusted his black billowing dark robes and took his own wand. Together with Lucius, they moved the stunned gray haired man into his private work room just beside the class chamber.
Lucius put a series of locking and silencing spells behind them as he closed the door. Turning back, the both of them stared into a pair of glaring golden eyes in a menacing way and sighed. "What should we do with Lupin, Severus?" asked the blonde, wand still poised in 45 degrees angle.
The Potions Master shrugged, his eyes trailing along their petrified captive warily. "Any reason why you attacked me?" he asked the petrified new DADA professor with interest. Dark charcoal eyes narrowed slightly. Lupin gave out a muffled sound with an angry tone. "Right, sorry. /Enervate!/"
When he was released from the full body bind, Lupin started cursing a long line of words which shouldn't be repeated by young children, and ended it with "bastards!"
"Yes, yes, we know that," Lucius smirked playfully, deliberately taking the insults as a compliment. That innocent pale boyish face of his, young and clueless, tended to be misleading. The eyes and voice spoke something else though. "Now spill!" A chilling cold vibrated through the work room.
The golden eyed professor glared at them defiantly. "I will not submit to anybody."
"Funny," sneered the Potion Master. "You lot seem to kiss the Vatican's arse a lot these days." His wand was pointing at Lupin's neck.
Lupin snarled and glared with full of hatred toward the men. "Not as good as you! Traitor!" He pointed at Severus. "Licking his /Master/'s- " spat the man, letting the last part swallowed between growls. "Probably enjoyed it too!"
Severus eyes flared and he stepped forward. His hands twitched as if they wanted to strangle Lupin, but he was stopped by Lucius, who kept a cool head as always. "I may be a Death Eater," said Lucius, calmly, while Lupin stared at him in horror, staring at this /young/ boy with so much power that rendered him speechless. "But I'm also a spy for my own intention. Now, Mr. Remus Jacob Lupin," Severus and Lupin cringed when Lucius said the full name. Saying a person's full name was something like a threat between rivals or enemies. Lucius was angry but decided to keep his head clear and emanated a cold fury. Lupin apparently realized that, and shrunk slightly in his seat. He was unarmed, save for his still-clawed hand hands, but two grown wizards against a close combatant like him was a win or lose game, probably the last. "You will keep this a secret and keep working in secret or I can obliviate you now OR I can kill you slowly and feed you to Severus's Potion. I assure you, I can and I will do this, without hesitation."
Severus smiled inwardly at Lucius's potion remarks. It was the usual threat he used on Lucius when he was out of hand. They were that close as friends could be, the dark haired man thought dryly. He shifted his eyes on Lupin and reminded him on his debt, "You owe me since you tried to kill me when we were in school. If I wanted revenge I could finish you of now. Or we can try to work together in our term."
"How can I trust you?" Lupin looked at Lucius, his eyes hardened. The professor realized that these men did have a point, nevermind the threat and he did owe Severus in some way. He cringed at the very thought. Oh yes, unlike his other old friends back then, he was rational enough.
"It's up to you," said the blonde, silkily. "If Dumbledore and the rest of the mortals knew your association with Vatican..., England will be your death, my dear /friend/." Lucius lowered his wand, followed by Severus.
"You..." said Lupin, then he shook his head. "You Black Knights are better off not messing around my mission." His claws went back into his skin. Severus and Lucius weren't surprised at Lupin's ability to manipulate his dark creature ability. Severus almost died by it during Lupin's insanity.
"Of course," nodded the Potions Master. "If we knew what the mission was." The black eyes gleamed.
The new professor seemed to know Severus very well. Lupin narrowed his eyes, "It's none of your business! Why should I tell you if you don't tell me what you are doing here!"
"I owed Dumbledore to protect the Potter boy, and I never break any promise, Knights code," said Severus coolly. And to keep Lucius out of trouble, he added silently.
Lupin glanced at Lucius expectantly.
The blond smiled innocently, "My personal reason, really. I'm helping Severus of course." The new professor looked at the silver blue eyes, not believing every bit of what he'd said. "And you?" asked Lucius.
The gray haired man looked down, almost sadly. The air around him turned melancholic. "My orders... are, is to keep Potter--Harry save. And it's a promise to a dear friend."
Severus and Lucius exchanged glances.
When they had nothing left to exchange, Lupin was allowed to leave. The three of them held a silent agreement to keep this facade a secret. Their roles were at stakes, but each had something up their sleeves.
Lucius looked thoughtful. "I will speak to Cain, maybe he knows what his brother's up to. Make an excuse for me, will you?"
"Just be quick." The Potion Master glanced at the blonde, "What do you think about Lupin?"
"He's hiding something."
"My thoughts exactly."
Remus Lupin went into his chamber and sat on the desk. After some thoughts he took a piece of clean parchment and wrote a letter with flourished handwriting. He went to the owlry and sent the letter. His owl hooted happily at his visit. Remus smiled softly and patted the bird on the head. "Be a good girl, Nifelheim, and send this to Abel." The great horned owl hooted once more in understanding before it took off into the night.
Remus's golden eyes changed back into gray as he watched the messenger disappear into the darkness.
Two hooded men walked slowly in the middle of the darkness, passing the protection border. Behind the shadows of the darkened trees and bushes, the smaller figure grew larger into an adult size.
"Be careful," said the slightly taller man.
His companion smiled but it didn't reach his silver blue eyes. "No worries. I won't be long." And then he was gone.
The pair of charcoal eyes watched his companion go and went back to the castle.
Harry woke up with sweat all over his body. His knuckles went white as he clutched his blanket tightly. A spam of pain crossed his paled face and his lips trembled. He felt a presence was gove from the back of his mind. A tear dropped into nothingless.
In the break of dawn, the sunlight shone through the shadows of the blinds. Green jaded eyes opened in a sudden awareness. Despite the thick blanket over his body, he felt the chill seeping into his bone, freezing his inside out. His blood ran like ice water through his veins, sweeping his organs. He tried to move, but his muscles gave a sharp cutting pain. The boy bit his lower lip to stop him from crying out loud. He really didn't need more attention than he already had. He quietly got up and tip toed to the bathroom. His roommates were still sleeping. Distantly he even heard Ron snored.
It was still early in the morning, especially on Saturday when students chose to indulge themselves in an extra hour or two in the dreamland. Harry was dead tired after a long restless sleep. He wasn't keen for breakfast, maybe a cup of coffee and a French toast. He staggered into the main hall with eyes still half-closed.
The enchanted ceiling showed grey clouds with a tint of soft blue hues. The sun rays gave a gentle tone over the dark mahogany tables and chairs. The green eyed boy would have appreciated this beautiful morning if it wasn't of the headache and aches all over his body. He was feverish, he knew. Maybe he caught flu or something, although he felt healthy the day before. Why the changed he didn't know. He probably needed another visit to the Hospital wing. The boy promptly rolled his eyes. During the course of his school, he had spent the most time in that part of the castle, for several injuries, intentionally or not.
Harry spotted his other best friend on the Gryffindor table, reading a very thick book. One of her light reading he supposed. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes once again. Hermione was heavily engrossed with the book as she didn't notice Harry in front of her. He tried to read from his position. *Something about fangs and claws, a history.* Harry flopped down on the chair. *Why am I not surprise? * The grating of the chair on the hard floor got her attention.
Hermione looked up and smiled. "Morning," she paused. "Early, Harry?" She was an early-riser, that was a fact known to the whole school, but Harry and Ron were not. The boy just grimaced and took a mug on the table which was filled with hot steamy black coffee. She stared at the cup distastefully. She preferred the subtle tea than that black thing, thank you very much. It was unusual for her best friend to wake up this early AND drink coffee either. The girl suddenly noticed how pale Harry was. She never realized how 'white' his skin was, and his red-like-blood lips either. It was like marble tinted with reddish color. At least she knew Harry was alive and well and well… Not just a walking corpse. Hermione stopped that train of thought. Okay, where did that come from? She looked down at the book. *That's it,* she decided, *Stick creepy reading at night, not in the morning.* She glanced at Harry again. He was munching blueberry bread with his jaded eyes half closed behind his slightly tilted glasses. "Are you alright?" she asked with deep concern.
"-'m fine," murmured the young boy. His voice was tinted with slight pain, which he desperately tried to hide. "I'm going to see Madam Pomfrey after breakfast though."
She sighed, "Make sure you do."
"Yes, mommy," Harry smiled mockingly at her.
Hermione stuck out a tongue childishly and resumed her reading with occasionally small chats between them.
After breakfast he got up and excused himself politely without waiting for Ron.
She stared sadly at Harry's retreating back until the boy walked out from the hall. Things had changed, she knew. Her best friend was more secretive after Cedric's death, and more so after summer. Maybe she needed to see Professor Lupin once more for their little chat. He was a kind man and very supportive of her reading hobby. She needed to return this book anyway.
Madam Pomfrey checked Harry through and through, but she couldn't find anything wrong with the Boy-who-lived. She gave him medicine for his fever instead and told him to stay in bed for the rest of the day. It was a good thing today was Saturday. Harry had two whole days to rest and gather his strength. But somewhere in the back of his mind, Harry was doubtful the rest would do anything good for him.
He told Hermione and Ron to go without him with some excused (mainly because he was sick). He knew they needed a break from him as much as he needed to be alone. Harry just wanted for Hermione and Ron to go out together for a nice date. After much probing and reassuring, both of his friends went to Hogsmeade reluctantly. Harry just hoped they would have fun together.
After a couple of hours lying on his bed, the pain hadn't lessened. It only worsened instead. Harry didn't want to go back to the Hospital Wing. All of his friends were in Hosmogade having fun or shopping.
He looked outside the window. The weather was tempting, bright sunlight and nice cool breeze. It was much better than the cold dorm room. Being outside in the open dorm porch didn't improve his mood, but he felt warmer, a little, at least. He breathed the clean air and closed his eyes from the wondrous view. Sighing, he dropped his gaze on the book in his hand. It used to belong to his mother, the late Lily Potter, which was hidden deep inside his trunk before today. Seeing Hermione reading had brought his thought to this last inheritance of her. Harry brought up his other hand and caressed the worn out light brown leather. It was locked, obviously. On the back of the book, her name was scripted in silver letters; 'Lillian N. Evans,' her maiden name. It shone gently, emitting raw magic under his palm.
Of course Harry had heard about his father countless time, but what about his mother? Petunia, his aunt, gave this to him on his last day at Privet Drive no. 4. "Don't want to have /that/ thing under my roof," she had said sarcastically, but without any force behind those words. No more anger or jealously. No more. Petunia was tired over years of self hatred and hatred toward her 'perfect' sister. Harry thought that even 'perfect' couldn't save his mother. His aunt realized that, and for once, forgave her sister and made peace. Maybe it was because Vernon Dursley had died a year before while Harry was still in school. There was an accident that killed him in his factory, when the company had been making a large fortune. Now Petunia ran the place with a bigger scale and managed to send Dudley abroad to continue his studies in computer engineering. Petunia was alone, and after a long summer, somewhat tolerable toward her sister's kid.
Harry was being grateful for the changes. There were other things he could worry. Like the war he had tried to explain to Petunia. He saw a brief concern and worries on her face but it changed quickly before Harry thought he had imagined it. It wasn't love, per se, just pity. Petunia gave the Journal to Harry and shrugged. She couldn't open the journal. It must have been the magic that tied the journal to the next of kin. Then, Harry couldn't use magic, but now he would try to see what the Journal held.
The green eyed boy walked to the edge of the balcony. He tried a number of unlocking spells for hours but to no avail. He didn't know what lily had charmed it with. Harry furrowed his brows, contemplating on how to open it. After a long while, he decided to take a walk. And his feet carried him as far as the Astronomy tower.
The Gryffindor Seeker found a spot in a darkened and abandoned class way up in the tower. Looking at the dust, not even the house elves ventured in. While trying to find somewhere to sit, accidentally his hand brushed the sharp edge of a broken chair. Harry hissed in pain. A drop of his blood fell onto the journal. It hissed as if it was being burnt. The silver light coming out from the pages scared Harry a little as the Journal flew from his hand and slowly it opened before him. The greenish light aura engulfed him like silken veil caressing his skin. Harry felt like he was burning with raw cold magic. It was different than the Riddle's diary. It was like being sucked into the book. His soul was ripped apart in different direction. And nothing as the darkness claimed its victim into the deep self conscious.
Severus had just finished the last floor for his rounding tonight. The last place would be the Astronomy tower. He knew the place like the back of his hand, spending most of his time there when he wanted to be alone. Not the usual lover's balcony or kissing corners or shagging classrooms though. There were many abandoned rooms up here.
In every room, he cast a heat- searching spell, scaring two Ravenclaws, three Hufflepufs, a few Gryffindors (which he took a lot of house points with satisfaction), and a Slytherin (with a scowl since the said Slytherin was snogging a Gryffindor). He came to the last room in the tower and cast the spell one more time. The Head of Slytherin frowned. There was a body heat somewhere, very hot unlike the normal human heat. The tall man went inside to inspect the class in the middle of dusty broken furniture and spider webs.
What he found surprised him.
There, lying on the floor, writhing in pain unconsciously, was Potter. Now, at the time like this he usually took the boy to the Hospital Wing. But then he wouldn't know how to explain this to Madam Pomfrey let alone Albus. They would ask too many questions. And he wouldn't want them to discover the relationship, the bond and Lucifier. Damn that man for dragging him here, causing Potter /this/ and let him picking up the pieces while he was gone. He was seething. *Calm down Severus. Think rationally. * He touched the boy's forehead and gasped. Potter was burning, in bloodlust fever. *Oh hell.* He picked up the boy and took the shortest short cut he knew to the dungeon and to his private chamber.
The boy was on his bed, while he was fumbling on the hidden passage behind the wall. He retrieved a small clear vial with a deep rich liquid in it. It wasn't the one that he needed, but it would do enough to lower down the boy's fever, at least until Lucifier return. How he hated this. Creating and taking care of a new childe was not his virtue. Was not the Blonde's either. Neither of them had the need to sire a child, let alone this powerful, for so long. They had no experience, just the basic theoretical knowledge. Yet he knew, when Lucifier had set his eyes on the boy, Harry wouldn't stay pure for long, literally. Damn that bastard to hell. Severus was going to hex him into next year if he could help it. One week. That was all. It wouldn't be so bad, wouldn't it? Make the boy drink the potion for a week until Lucifier returned.
The greasy Potions Master gathered the boy in his arms and tried to force him to drink the bittersweet mix, but the insolent boy was persistent closing his lips tightly, murmuring incoherently, still unconscious and with hot body. Severus was not a patient man. He drank the potion while coaxing Harry's lips to open with his fingers.
When their lips met, an electric surge crackled between them. Severus deepened his kiss, tongue dwelling deep inside the boy's throat, tasting the purest essence of the boy. Their magic recognized each other in synchronicity, sharing the power, emotion, pouring down between breaths, sweat and saliva. To the man's surprised, he felt a swelling in the pit of his stomach. This was not good. Not good at all. More so when Harry refused to let him go, clinging on his robes for his dear life, lips still locked to those of his Potions Master.
The boy tasted like cinnamon, sweet and tantalizing his tongue.
A week was fine? He was wrong. He was in a deep shit.
TBC
31/12/02
C&C? ^^