Warning & Disclaimer: Chapter 01. Beta-ed by Fatalonie Dineley (thank you ^_^)
Trinity Blood
C & P by G.Arnet, 2002-03
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Crimson 04 :: Almost Unreal
He was having a dream. Gentle touches, a nip here and a lick there. Soft kisses trailing his exposed neck before the teeth sinking into the flesh. He responded in kind, between the ecstasy of the sheer pain and the pleasuring heat that went through him. Then the stranger's woven magic coursing, yet familiar and comforting. Then the subdued cry in his throat, a silent raspy whisper. Then cooling touches over his sweaty forehead. He relaxed gradually and sighed contently at the softly murmured words, soothing to his ear, the same deep velvety voice that haunted his deepest dreams at night.
He smiled.
Yet.
The dream was different this time. Different. Different.
And the word echoed again and again, until it disappeared inside his warm golden womb where the silver crashed with the golden strains.
He sighed.
Severus watched the boy squirm in his sleep. Potter spasmed once more, lips opened in silent scream and his body glowed eerily with a pearly white and golden aura, which the Potions Master recognized the gold was Lucifier's and the white aura was the boy's. It was enchanting to see but disturbing. Severus had fed of countless boys and girls of various ages, but seeing the boy consumed by somebody else from the great distance made him uncomfortable, nor the sinking flip in his stomact.
The glow around Potter quieted down. He calmed down and tucked deeper under the velvety dark green duvet, smiling as if he just had a pleasant dream. Lips swollen from ghostly kisses, sweat mingling with the musk and the essence of the boy, lingered in the air assaulting his nostril.
Beautiful.
Painfully so.
And belong to somebody else.
Severus had never seen such a beautiful wanton display from a victim of bloodlust before. His previous feedings were never this erotic. He always had the pleasure of drinking his victims, the more struggle and screaming the better. It wasn't just the blood his kind fed upon; it was the animalistic emotion in the edge of death, despair, fright, utterly in passion, and withering life. The dark haired man touched his lips unconsciously. He could still smell the boy's blood. It tasted sweet and white and tinted with innocence, yet…
Tainted with the other's claim.
The creating of a childe was a difficult and long process, more difficult than creating a ghoul or a charmer. That was why the older vampires were reluctant to create a childe and settled for a compliant charmer instead. Even their Master Cain only sired second childes in the span of five thousands years but had a large number of charmers in his bed. So this was what it was like to see the informal feeding through the link in the charmed dreams. Potter yielded to Lucifier under that dark temptation the vampire had offer, unconsciously at first, but as the first stage drew to an end, the boy would consciously accepted the second stage, the embrace, much easier. And Luce would have… Harry.
Severus shook his head to clear his head from that disturbing thought. He got up from the bed and exited from his chamber.
Lucius closed the link with a satisfying sigh. The air around him vibrated with his magic and the golden signature crackling before it died down. The taste of the boy still lingered on his tongue, exquisite and sweet, the greenish green of the boy. Although the boy tasted different tonight, darker in red, darker in blood. Tangy, as if something was added in this boy's essence. He touched his lips, his body was still singing from the after glow. With a half mind, he shrugged it off. His Harry still tasted delicious; one would hardly wait to posses the boy completely.
At first Lucius was doubtful when he claimed the boy for the first time oh those months ago. The boy was weak and could hardly sustain his own magic, but in a short time the boy proved to be a powerful child. Because of this child's magic, he could feed him from this long distance relationship. To a Malfoy, Potter was a powerful aphrodisiac that could last for a very long time. The thought of anyone touching his boy made his insides burn. But no matter, because when the hunt ended, when he returned, he would woo the boy and he would be his for eternity. A charmer would die when the time comes, but a childe he could keep.
He surprised himself for his possessiveness. But hell, a Malfoy would get whatever he wanted, whatever the cost and how.
The door of his bedchamber creaked open ever so slightly. Lucius' senses picked up the sound and the scents quickly, yet not fast enough as the white robed man stood in front of him in a fraction of a second. Lucius was not surprised. His Master could shift in the air effortlessly without a sound in a lightning speed.
The Master looked down at him impassively. His Master was pale white under the elven shadowy lights, but his thin lips were red like the color of blood. A sinister smile graced him as Lucius fidgeted in his seat, but it didn't reach his red eyes. The more his Master's eyes remained frozen, the crazier the old vampire's mind was. "Cain," whispered Lucius under his breath. "Master," he swallowed hard.
The Master's eyes gleamed predatorily with golden tint. Deep inside Lucius shivered as Cain lowered his head.
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Harry felt a spasm on pain go through his chest. He twisted and turn and woke up from somekind of cold darkness enveloping him.
The warmth hit him as he opened his eyes. He was breathing heavily and shaking with cold sweat. He gradually felt warmer but he soon awared the unfamiliar surrounding. He looked around frantically. This wasn't the Astronomy Tower, he wasn't in that abandoned classroom. He was in a private chamber, but he was saved, it was saved, he convinced himself. He had felt the wards around this room, the raw vibrating silver magic, the familiar yet unidentified signature. He relaxed but his back still strained rigid as he looked around. His body was still sore after the book incident and the remains of tonight's dream. He reached for his glasses but he didn't find them. His eyesight was still blurry, but he still could see, feel the life in this chamber. The fireplace was in front of the bed, the only source of light in the room. The walls were that of Hogwarts' own, darkened and lined with shelves and shelves of old books and parchments. Clean. The air was crisped from the late hour, scented with sandalwood, spices and herbs. The chamber was colored with dark green and brown. Oh.
Severus chose that moment to enter the chamber. His hard gaze fell upon the boy for a moment.
Harry fidgeted under the watchful black obsidian eyes with the fire reflected on the irises. Was that just his feeling? He shook his head. This was Professor Snape. His stares always made Harry feel like an insect under a microscope. He looked at the Professor steadily, like a Gryffindor he was, he stared back hard.
Severus tensed invisibly. Infuriating brat. Thank God the boy diverted his eyes somewhere else that was not him. Hah. Victory. He didn't loose his touch.
Harry flinched and looked away, his fingers knitting in the duvet restlessly. What did he do? Why was he here? He opened his mouth to ask but he snapped it shut as Severus slithered, crossing the distance in such a speed with his dark robes billowing mysteriously behind him. How did the man move like that?
Severus sat on the bed and the boy flinched once again. The brat's green eyes were too bright without his glasses; far too green, shining unnaturally even with the showing signs of the birthing. Severus couldn't help but shift his seating position. He didn't know why the boy's cautious movement bothered him. He took a clear vial with the red Ruby from his robes and unclasped it. "Drink this." The brat just eyed the shimmering liquid suspiciously before he took the vial and drank. Severus just sighed irritably.
The Gryffindor Seeker felt much better after drinking the mysterious potion. Maybe it was pepper-up potion. It was red like it, and smell like it, but more tangy and bitter. Whatever. Potion was not his field but he trusted Snape reluctantly. Heck, the man had saved him countless time and Dumbledore trusted him with his life. So no harm done.
Foolish Gryffindor, thought the older man. A Slytherin wouldn't take the vial for whatever reason, but it wasn't his problem although he had to worry for the boy's trustfulness. After the boy settled more comfortably, he took the journal from his robes and gave it to the boy. "I believe this belongs to you?" Potter's eyes widened even more, if that was possible and grabbed it gingerly, nodded his thank yous and clutched the journal against his chest as if his life depended on it. Severus took pity and didn't say anything scatting. He saw the name engraved magically on the back of the journal. Lilith was the best in Charms, and it proved he couldn't open the book. Damn witch. But it didn't matter. Not really. Irritated, yes, but it wasn't his business.
Harry's eyes glazed over as the warmth embedded from the journal seeped into his very core. His mother's scent and magic were comforting around him, but the memory made his blood chill; the journal, his mother's memory, his feelings, and most of all, the lies and the secrets. He looked down at it grimly.
The Potions Master watched as the green eyes filled with emptiness. Why? Wasn't the journal important to him? But Severus concluded, as much as it brought bitter sweet feelings, it still brought the haunted shadow that plagued Potter since the start of the year. Scars never heal they say. The boy was mumbling incoherently. He frowned deeper, "What is it, Mr. Potter?"
"A nightmare." Harry snapped back from his stupor and looked at his Professor, "No…nothing." The Professor just stared. "Nothing at all, Professor." The green eyes turned icy.
"Really?" enquired the Potions Master. Severus wondered. The green-eyed boy just smiled thinly, so unlike the Gryffindor Severus and the rest of the Wizarding community knew. The way the boy closed up, hiding behind a façade face was like a Slytherin. He wondered if that was one of the boy's masks. Curious. Curious. The green eyes still locked with his, the same brave eyes that were now suspiciously darkened, like poison.
"Why am I here, Professor?" Harry diverted the conversation.
A Slytherin indeed, but Severus was in the House for something. "You fainted," drawled the Professor. The change in the boy's demeanor was terrifyingly exciting. There was this new boy with a different personality, changed drastically with a simple innocent question. Who was this boy? Whatever happened to Potter?
"I see." The boy nodded. "So, why am I here?" he asked again, but this time it was a specific question, the same question but in a different tone, a numbers of questions behind one.
If Severus was just an ordinary Wizard, he could worm out from this question with his superiority, deducted some points and sent the midget back to his dorm. But why feed the boy lies when the boy had skillfully evaded him and apparently had an amount of brain inside his thick skull? "I found you last night in the Astronomy Tower and brought you here." He held his gaze steadily. "You have a fever." No, not all the truth. That he would leave it to Lucifier. "Only I knew what it was and how to cure it." Temporarily.
Harry quirked an eyebrow. "What kind of fever?"
"Bloodlust."
"What?" was it possible to have those green eyes widen even more?
Severus waved his hand dismissingly, "I tell you later. You're still feverish and won't fit to stay awake for long. It's a long story and my 'friend' will have to explain some parts of it to you."
"Oh? Who is this 'friend' of yours?"
"You will now in time," smirked the Potions Master.
Git. Harry frowned but nodded anyway. He was rather tired and there was the matter of his mother's journal. He didn't know if he could confide with anyone yet. Too big of a secret and apparently his Potions Master had some of his own. "And you want me to keep it?"
"Smart boy." Sarcasm but the boy didn't care. "It's a secret." It was surprising he trusted his Professor this much. "In three days, I, we will tell you."
"Alright." Harry lay down on the bed again. It was comfortable.
Severus lips twitched slightly. It was easier than he thought, but the boy had his own agenda, he was sure. He sighed inwardly. Judging by the contented look on Potter's face, he had no choice but to sleep in his workroom, much to his irritation. But a night creature was a night creature, he could sleep anywhere. "Now sleep, when you're ready I will indulge your curiosity."
The boy nodded his acceptance. His eyes were half close when he murmured sleepily, "Thank you, Professor." But the Potions Master had closed the door behind him.
How did the man move like that?
A question a day.
Another question for another day.
The third day, five minutes before the class ended, Snape glided between the rows and sniffed at Harry's Potion. He looked at the Gryffindor right in the eyes, "Detention, 8 o'clock, Mr. Potter." He turned without waiting for an answer and went back to his desk, ignoring the snickers from the Slytherins' side and the glares he received from the Gryffindors.
"Git," muttered Ron under his breath. After they were out from the class, Ron continued his tirade over a certain Potions Master. Harry just shook his head and tried to calm down his redhead friend. Hermione watched back and forth between Harry and the Potion class door with a frown. "He just took on you for not obvious reason, Harry. You should go to the Headmaster and complain."
"I don't think that's the problem, Ron," Harry sighed, and silently smirked. He knew why Snape gave the detention. He was waiting for this day but also dreading it. He had so many problems lately; he didn't realize that Hermione didn't say anything only stared at him.
Another question for another day.
Severus sat on the chair in front of the fireplace. Vampires supposedly hate the fire but he found it as a solace to his dark nature. In the end, he would condemn himself to the dancing flame, to hell. Fascinating Ifrit, the fire was his silent friend to keep him company in his bedroom chamber and the living room/work room. Had to thank his vampire nature for choosing the Dungeon, where many of the professors chose the above ground, the lighter place. Now he had the whole Dungeon to himself.
He twirled the goblet in his hand, which was filled with scotch and red ruby. It burnt his tongue and warmed his body, but he still felt the cold air brushing his face. The work place was where Potter would have his detention. He didn't normally invite or give detention in his workroom, save inviting Lucifier for evening chats and occasionally Albus gave a surprise visit. Severus suspected the Headmaster knew, but didn't do anything against him yet, since Severus was being a good Potions Master and didn't threaten any of the students and the staff.
"Tempus." The smoke from the tip of his wand swirled and formed 19:54. In six minutes the brat would come to grace him with his presence. Oh joy. He was waiting for this day but dreading it. Lucifier would come tomorrow, if he could convince Potter to wait for the other to come and we could have out the merry little talk, and Lucifier could have his boy. Severus sneered. Damn Lucifier. The blonde was going to pay, and with interest too. His hands twitched. Four more minutes.
Speak of the devil…
Lucius appeared from the hidden door behind the bookshelves. He was trembling from the cold and the rain. God, he loved the cold but hell, he was wet, and his expensive burgundy robe was ruined. He gazed at his companion and smiled, "How's your day?" with a casual voice sounding like 'it's good to be home'. "Terrorizing the poor brats as usual?" Lucius shifted to his 16 years old body after hanging the robe. He turned around when he didn't hear Severus' answer. "Sev?" The boyish voice was now dipped in concern.
Severus rubbed his forehead and murmured, "Nothing." He took a deep breath. "Nothing's wrong."
The boy took a few steps closer. His smaller frame loomed over the Potions Master. "Are you sure? He bent closer and touched his forehead against the other, his hands gripped the either side of the chair, mirroring Cain's and his position previous nights in reversed. "Are you sick?" Now worry embedded in his voice.
"No." Severus just smiled, but his eyes didn't. "…Just a headache," he admitted softly.
"Just?" Lucius' breath was warm against his cold skin. Severus was holding his. Silver blue eyes glowed eerily, reflected in a pair of obsidian and vice versa.
The moment stayed for a few long seconds. Then a sound of something dropped onto the floor broke it. Two heads turned at the sound, still keeping their position close.
Harry stared at his Professor and Draco Malfoy, caught in an intimate moment. He shifted. His foot grated on the floor as he retreated one step. "I'm…sorry." He trembled as he picked up his bag. "I'll come back later," shuttered the boy. He hastily took a few steps back. "Truly… sorry."
The sharp tinged shot through Lucifier and Harry, but the smaller boy didn't know that. Or why. He fled.
Severus didn't react fast enough as Lucifier leapt and took after the other. He got up ready to follow, but he sighed instead and closed he door behind him.
"Potter!"
Harry fastened his steps.
"Wait up."
But he didn't stop. He didn't know why, but he felt like he was being stabbed.
A hand grabbed him from behind and shoved him into an empty classroom. Harry found himself trapped. He gulped. Draco was taller and evidently stronger than him. Their harsh breaths mingled. Draco panted from running and Harry was hot and bothered beyond reason. He didn't know why he was mad, and at whom. "Look, Malfoy," he said after calming his breath. "You don't need to worry, I won't tell anyone." Raw heat radiated between them, bottled up in their bodies, waiting for an explosion.
Draco blinked slowly. Obviously Potter had the wrong idea. "That's not…" Why did Potter feel so right against him? And God, that sexy smell! He grit his teeth to keep his concentration.
Harry found the strength to push the other boy off of him. "It's a secret." He found it ironic to use the same tone that Snape used.
"But.."
"Whatever, Malfoy." Harry brushed over Draco and ran outside.
"Shit." Draco cursed out loud. This was so messed up. No matter. He would have to catch the boy tomorrow after the Quidditch match, Slytherin against Gryffindor.
The door snapped open for the second time tonight. The blonde stood and stared at his companion.
Severus was pouring himself another glass of scotch. He mentioned to Draco to come in and close the door.
"Explain," said the boy.
Severus sighed. This was going to be a long night.
"So, was it bloodlust?" asked Lucifier.
"Yes." Severus didn't have the energy to ask Lucifier to transform back.
"But," his brow furrowed, "I fed him yesterday."
"Didn't Cain say anything?"
The blonde furrowed deeper. "He didn't say." They were sitting at the same table on the opposite sides with the goblets filled with liquor in their hands, never mind Lucifier was in his young form. Lucifier was shivering, from the cold and from the hurt he saw in Harry's eyes. He shivered again. There was a pang of guilt. He had betrayed the boy when Cain… and now the child believed there was something going on between him and the Professor, by accident. Shit. It wasn't his fault, not really. He was a Malfoy after all, and he didn't need to answer to the boy's hurt eyes.
It wasn't normal for Lucifier to loose control like this. Severus took pity on his companion and showed him the old book he was reading after Potter collapsed. Luce spent too much time as a 16 years old, he hardly could control his emotion, especially around the boy.
Lucifier trailed the old book with his fingertips. The book vibrated with magic, old and rusty but powerful and bound. As he read the first page of the birthing process and continued, he felt guilty. It was strange considering a Malfoy never felt any guilt. There was no word 'guilt' in his Dictionary. Malfoy didn't feel guilty, never was. But the hurt in those green eyes affected him greatly. He really needed to sort out his feelings. The darkened pages and the dark bloody ink were screaming at him silently. He had neglected his child in favor of his old Master. He wasn't supposed to be this late to return. But Cain was so tempting and it had been long. Yet last night Cain told him to go home after the touch. Did he know? Of course he knew. Cain was the Master. His Master.
Severus observed his companion. As much as he wanted to blame Lucifier for the boy's feverish condition, he couldn't bring himself to be mad at him. Lucifier seemed distraught and torn. It was hard to believe that a mere boy could get around Lucifier's shields. Was it because of the bond? But he never read any case like this, a bonding between a sire to his childe didn't bring this kind of effect. Sure there was concern and care and even love. But was it possible it had a deeper effect, a deeper… affection? He had read so many things of vampirism nature, the bonding and the rites, where Lucifier had neglected it. They never thought they would sire a childe for a long time and neither seemed to care. Severus read it for the sake of knowledge. Why now, he wondered. What was so special about the boy that Lucifier was willing to go through? He knew but he wouldn't believe it. He tried hard to stop the trembling of his hands.
Lucifier was engrossed on his reading that he didn't notice Severus at all.
[ The three stages of bonding:
The Claiming
The Embrace
The Sacred
Hence the name, Trinity blood, is the process of creating a childe, a bonding between a master/a sire with the said childe/the prey ]
As he read further, there was a detail description why the bloodlust was not threatening but still a dangerous exposure for a young childe in the womb before the embracing or the birthing. Not many survived this process because they were not strong enough. A muggle would reduce to death or become a ghoul, hardly become a charmer and even harder to become a childe. A wizard or any magical folk would resist (conscious or unconsciously) if he/she wasn't compatible with the sire. Harry was a strong boy. He survived the process until this day. If only he stayed until he made sure Harry was completely his, Harry wouldn't have that fever.
During the last stage of the Claiming, the bond between the sire and the childe was the weakest, the most delicate process and could be easily broken. Lucifier sighed in relief as the thin line behind his conscious remained intact and hidden from the boy. This stage was also when the sire chose weather the prey would be a charmer or a childe. Lucifier had made his choice, even if creating a childe was a difficult task.
But Harry, Harry was his and his alone. He was, Lucifier found, possessive.
"There's a limit time apparently."
Lucifier looked up from his reading. With his young features, he looked like a child.
Severus lifted his fingers, "Three months between the Claiming and the Embracing, weather you want Mr. Potter to become a Charmer…, " He almost sneered at that one. Careful Severus, you almost lost it there. "…or a childe. If you decided on the first, you skip the Embracing and go straight to the Sacred. If you want to be difficult…" he trailed off.
"The later." Lucifier said with one hundred percent certainty.
"Of course." He paused. Severus had predicted Luce's choice. "It explains why you act this possessive with the boy."
"And your point?" his childish behavior kicked in and Luce didn't know how cute he could be, scowling like a five years old.
"You acted as if someone took someone you love," Severus pointed out. "And it happened only once, when Cain chose to bond marriage with Lamia over you. But you went too far with Potter in a point you're... " he tried to find a good word to put it. "Jealous."
"I'm NOT jealous over a mere boy," said Lucifier stubbornly.
Severus raised his eyebrow, "Whatever you say, Luce."
Lucifier shrugged it off.
Severus could tell his partner was falling, deeply, madly, possesive; and didn't know what to do. As if his display over Potter and Thomas wasn't that obvious. The naked eyes wouldn't know, but Severus had spent too much time with him to know his little jibes, a subtle hint here and there. The blonde looked at the fireplace lost in thought, with eyes glazed and a small smile tugging at his lips. Yes, Luce had fallen. Severus tensed and the churn in his stomact returned.
His hands remained under the table.
Cold.
TBC
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