Chapter 20:

'I love you. I will never let anything harm you.'

It was the day before Beltane when they found the potion missing.

Chapter 21

                                A good revelation is hard to find

'Someone will pay for this!' roared the potions master, pacing Dumbledore's carpet until she thought he might tread the centuries away from it's splendid surface. The person who occupied the office in which this thunderous outburst took place looked up from his papers and inspected the outraged professor solemnly and not without a great deal of sympathy.

'My dear Severus,' he said, 'please calm yourself.'

'Calm myself Albus? Do you not realize that I am now in mortal peril or rather immortal peril? But it's worse, much worse than that.  When I refuse to give Elrin the Patriarchium, tonight, and believe me, I will, – there will be no holds barred about what is done to me, and what they will get out of me about the Order of the Phoenix, but more importantly, about you: how you think, what your powers are – everything. Voldemort has held back, because he knew how valuable I could be, but there will be no holding back this time: they will get every scrap out of me.'

Elrin, sitting on one of the chairs by the window, juddered inwardly at the thought. 

Severus, aware of her fear, twisted round to her, still angry, but holding himself in check, 'I am sorry Elrin. You aught not to be hearing this.'

'If it's the truth,' she replied, ' then I need to be aware of it. It won't help to leave me in ignorance.'

He looked at her in wonder for a moment; then jerked his head back to the headmaster.

'And they, whoever they are, have the potion, though what they would do with a healing medicine, I cannot imagine, unless to heal the wounds I will inflict on them,' he said menacingly, placing his hands on the desk and looming over it while objects in Dumbledore's cabinets rattled faintly from his wrath. 'If they…..and he stopped.

The headmaster blinked. 'Go on,' said the old man carefully.

Severus stood upright and thrust his hair back impatiently. 'I don't even want to think about it.'

Elrin's face went nearly as white as the potion master's natural colour. Even she didn't want to know what he meant. 

Should she take the Patriarchium? Should she risk not being returned to her normal state of freewill? Could she trust Severus to find the potion later?

'Severus…'she began, hesitatingly.

'No!' he roared, knowing immediately what she was thinking. 'Never,' and he came over to her, furious, 'Never in this world, not without an antidote.'

'It might be the only solution,' she said. 'There seems none other.'

'If I knew who it was,' he said in despair. 'I never trusted Lupin and yet…and yet..'

'Do you really think that he would endanger his chance of getting well?' she asked, not for the first time. 'This potion as far as he knows, might not last for long.'

They had been over this before, and appeared to be going round in circles, but like a dog chasing its' tail, could not seem to stop.

'But he was the only one,' he growled, ' besides us two.'

 'You told me you had questioned him last night, and you said you couldn't find anything that he might have said either intentionally or inadvertently and in fact, he appeared quite horrified,'

She wondered how he had been with Remus. She hoped he had not been brutal. In this rage, he must have terrified the werewolf.

Elrin got up as she spoke, and went over to see Fawkes, who was wide awake.

Severus turned back to Dumbledore.

'It makes no sense,' he said, turning his maddened attentions to the headmaster, who looked worried, though he did not want the younger man to know the depths of his concern. It would not help him.

Fawkes tilted his head, while he enjoyed her stroking hands over his feathers.

'Fawkes, we are in a deep mire here,' and she told him about what had happened.

'So, it was not Severus, and it was not you, and it seems unlikely to be Remus,' the great bird said, turning his great eye to her, and shifting on his perch, blinking comfortably. 'Which leaves a fourth person.'

'Who found out by what method?' she asked, puzzled. 'The two of them had already discussed this. As she looked deep into his great dark pupils, something shifted in her memory and she swung round to the two men.

'Severus, I – remember – when we were talking about it, we had the window open.'

'Because it was a warm night,' he finished for her.

'But it's a high wall there – well above the lake,' she objected.

'Someone on a broomstick,' he snarled and growled venomously 'Potter!'

Dumbledore got there before Elrin did. 'My dear fellow….?'

Severus snorted loudly and then with the headmaster's arguments, gradually acceded to the unlikelihood of it being the young student. 'No, I suppose not. Someone else though. Someone up to no good. Why should someone be there at that particular time though? How would they know the right moment?'

She looked back at Fawkes and suddenly had a thought.

'They didn't,' she said.

'Why would someone be snooping round your office window?  To your knowledge, has anyone ever done that before? She asked.

'No,' he replied, puzzled. 'What would they get out of it if they remained outside? I am not in the habit of talking to mys…..' then caught her drift. 'They were listening, because you were there,' he said, and started to gallop with the thought. 'They were prying, wondering what we got up to in the privacy of my domain, and happened to hear about the potion. It was sheer luck.'

'If it was a student, though,' she said, 'how would they get in through the wards? I understand that only a mature wizard would be able to do that, not a student.'

'True, but if they had connections to someone who could…' Severus closed his eyes briefly as he internally cursed himself yet again for not putting greater wards on it.

'But this is not getting us anywhere,' he snapped. 'Someone has the potion,' and we can guess where it might be now and it is too late to make another. It takes some time to transfigure,' he explained to the headmaster.

'Well actually,' she began, and then hesitated, wishing she had not begun.

Both men turned their heads towards her and waited.

'I have a theory about that,' she said simply, hoping for it to remain just that, in her head.

'Go on,' said Dumbledore, stroking his beard as if he had all the time in the world.

'It seems unlikely, idiotic even.'

'Nevertheless, I would like to hear,' said Albus.

She took a deep breath and snatching glances at her lover, slowly began to tell them her crazy idea.

'It came from the parchments,' she said, and Severus frowned and fixed his black eyes on her, intent on her words.

'It just seemed a coincidence, the wording of much of the manuscript…..and us…and the potion.'

Severus looked askance, and was baffled in the extreme. 'Us? You mean, you and I?'

'Yes. May I speak of the details of it, to Albus?'

'Of course,' he said abruptly.

'I know nothing of the herbs and the other ingredients, and the mixing, of course.'

Severus nodded slowly, still not knowing where this was going. The more she was aware of what she was going to say, the more she wanted to hide in the nearest pair of curtains. Albus just tilted his spectacles, to see her more clearly.

'I believe, that it is a prophecy. A prophecy about…. Please, I can't go on, it sounds ridiculous.'

'Go on Elrin,' said Severus, 'don't leave us there. If you are wrong, no matter.'

He doesn't tell his students that.

'This is a dark day anyway,' he muttered.

'The prophecy is about the union of a star and a serpent and I quote, though out of order:

 "The rituals shall be half known and half concealed: the Star and the Serpent are one and not two;

 For I am divided for love's sake, for the chance of union.'

'These lovers have special – energies – qualities,' she interrupted the text. As she said this, the potions master flopped down in one of the chairs, beginning to half listen, his heart somewhere with the missing potion and the felon who took it.

'It occurred to me that the next information was particularly significant:

"The Star comes from nowhere and the Serpent knows where he is. The work of the cauldron and the work of the wand; these he shall learn and teach but he may make severe the ordeals."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. He was obviously thinking what she was. Severus was however, oblivious and looked blank at both of them. Realizing she had to spell it out for him, she said, 'You are the Serpent, the Severe teacher of the cauldron and the wand. You know where and who you are.'

 'It is a generalization of the serpent principle,' he said, not without a certain intellectual arrogance. 'It is in all mythology: a fundamental alchemical principle.

'No doubt,' she countered. 'I assume that it works as a symbol – however.. maybe in this case, it has a dual meaning, as do many myths. Your complaint about me, was that I was irresolute. 'You were right,' she acknowledged across at him. 'I came into your world, and from your perspective, came into it from nowhere. I was a completely unknown element. It does seem a little incredible, but I could be….the Star – well, have some relationship to it…or…having the star principle.'

That was the bit that she found most difficult to believe, but the remembrance of the Star and the Wings above the Serpent Path was so strong. It was almost…..almost….

He looked at her as if he was concerned about her mental state. Perhaps the strain of all this had taken its' toll. Dumbledore was humming very faintly underneath his breath. The next bit was embarrassing:

"A woman shall awake the lust & worship of the Snake and let he be the adorant,

She is uplifted in thine heart; and the kisses of the Star rains hard upon thy body.

Put on the wings, and arouse the coiled splendour within me: come unto me!"

Bear up in thy rapture for thou art the Lord of the Potion of Power."

'And especially:

"Nor let the fools mistake love; for there are love and love."

'When two people – err – first have a relationship, sometimes it is not always with the fullest of love. Love can grow. Can grow into something much more powerful, much deeper.

 And then:

"When it is not practiced, it turns out to be poison."

'It could be,' she continued bravely,' What I mean to say, is that we two are related to the potion. What affects us, in our relationship, affects the potion.'

There she had got it out.

'Earlier, our relationship had not fully developed…so when Remus had the potion, it became poison, because we had not….err…got to that stage of development.

Severus began to listen intently.

'It was only, when we….had reached a certain level or stage or peak…that the potion began to transform, and twice it did so after we had….done so. It seemed an odd coincidence.'

She looked at him, and he knew she was talking about the Serpent Path and the Wings and the Star.

"Yet therefore in this knowledge is the knowledge of life and death," she added.

'It is not complete,' she said from her own knowledge,' but it is not far off.'

 To complete her explanation, she recited the last piece without any necessary clarification.

"Yet there are masked ones: An evil shall arise, and bring fresh fever from the deeps."  

Dumbledore was now tapping on his desk lightly, still humming. Her lover looked at her like he had never seen her before and she could see something slotting into place in his mind.

'It is not impossible,' he said, stunned. 'Albus?'

Albus smiled warmly at him. 'It fits my dear friend. Despite the apparent improbability of something so ancient having to do with present day events, it fits. And it came through you, your family. You are the guardian and the descendent of guardians.'

A knocking at the door interrupted them and Minerva bounced in. 'I am sorry headmaster – could I interrupt?' The deputy needed details on Beltane and complained that the castle was like a mad hive. 'This is just not wise Albus,' she protested. 'Not with this – evil – hanging over us.'

Tell us about it.

'We need to do this,' said the Head, gently, but unmoving. 'Everything goes ahead as planned.'

 'And the wedding?' she asked.

'That is a decision for both of these two people.'

'Would you marry a dead man?' asked Severus of Elrin.

'Would you marry a dead woman?' she countered.

'No,' he said.

'Yes,' she replied, 'I would.'

They were standing there, yards away staring at each other, when there was another knock at the headmaster's door. Louder and sharper.

Dumbledore's expression changed, became very still and he drew a breath before he called 'enter.'

At the sight of the person who swept through the door, a familiar chill breeze floated through her body.

'This is a grand day for Beltane,' drawled the voice, looking around at the gathering, noting the lovers' auric tensions as well as the stiffened headmaster and rigid deputy, and drew energy and self-satisfied composure from it all. Jerking his black cloak back with his cane, he continued on alone, 'It is beautiful outside, the sun is shining; all is right with the world – don't you think? Mm? 

Severus sneered the best crooked smile he could manage in the circumstances.

'Lucius.'

'And congratulations seem to be in order, my dear Severus,' the erstwhile Slytherin purred, holding out his hand

The potions master hesitated a fraction before meeting it with his own.

Such control.

'Good man, good man. Always did know what was good for you, eh?' and added, much to both their annoyance, 'I see that that is your mother's ring.'

'Yes, it is,' said Severus in a cool voice. 'She was an amazing woman. I have given the other half to another amazing woman.'

'And you, my dear lady,' he smirked, as he thrust his arm forward to collect her hand and bent down to kiss it, 'are a spectacular woman.'

Deadly hypocrite. If it were not for Severus, I would slap you in the face or blast you into eternity, whichever was the most satisfying.

She gave him a cold leer, which he returned and which gave him a hot shiver of delight.

The potions master observed the malicious gaiety of the school governor and Lucius observed the professor's discomfiture with obvious delight, but did not see him grip the top of a nearby chair with ferocity since he had his back to him.

'Shouldn't you be getting ready, you two? He drawled with fake amiability, looking greedily at Elrin.

Albus interrupted at this point, 'I think that that is a good suggestion Lucius. I suggest that you two go and do that very thing. Now.' he ordered, indicating with his eyes that the betrothed remove themselves. As they were about to go out of the door, Minerva spoke coldly to the governor in front of her, 'You may be interested to know, Lucius, that your son has been chosen by the Goblet of Beltane to be the May King. I have just come from the ceremony.'

Malfoy looked at the assembled group and solid pride leaked out behind his smug exterior. 'Good. Good. A worthy King indeed. And who, may I ask, is to be Queen?'

Minerva paused before replying, and the tension mounted, within Malfoy particularly.

'Well?' he demanded, as if the dignified deputy were a junior professor.

She had her pleasure and was determined to enjoy it and out of her pursed lips said 'Hermione Granger.'

The assembly were delighted at the way his face turned pale, nearly rivalling his hair colour. He spat out, 'This is not possible!'

It was Minerva's turn to look smug.

I wonder how Hermione is going to deal with this turn of events?

Glad to get away and happy to leave Dumbledore to deal with the enraged Malfoy, they ran down the steps like escaping children, hand in hand.

'He has the potion,' he snarled after a short while as they walked down the long corridors, the blue sky outside and the sunshine pouring through the high windows onto both of them, mocking the darkness of their future.

'How do you know?'

'I could feel it. I know it, and he knows I know it,' he said grimly, holding her hand tight. 'It was all I could do to prevent myself from throwing myself at him.'

'I was tempted to kill him as well.'

'I don't want to be around him to give him the opportunity to request or demand to be my Man at Arms. I could not bear the idea, even for the sake of everything,' said Severus. 'There are limits to a man's honour.'

'Who is it to be?'

'Yes, who is it to be? Came a throaty voice from above them, and they saw the Bloody Baron swooping above them.

'I am not having one,' replied the professor looking irritated.

'Shame,' replied the Baron. 'If I could go outside the castle, I would offer my services my dear Snape.'

'Thank you,' muttered Severus, straining at Elrin's slowness, 'that would have been obliging of you.'

'You're welcome,' replied the ghost, apparently unaware of the sarcasm and left, diving through the wall in front of them.

'Do you really not want anyone?' she asked.

'The truth is that there is no one I would care to assist me. Only Albus would fit that role, and he is officiating. I would prefer to be unaccompanied.'

'What about family?'

'What about yours?' and he stopped in front of her, concerned.

'That's not really an option is it? But even if there was, I doubt if I would truly want to have to choose to invite them.'

'You are not…I mean, you were not close to them?'

'No, I wasn't close,' she said not without some sadness. Groups of students were milling past them, laughing and chattering, and he glared at them and they shifted quicker. The couple moved on to the dungeons to get out of the way of the general bustle.

'Severus, how are you about doing the ceremony in front of all these students?' she asked as more children skittered past them, carrying bundles of this and boxes of that.

'I will survive,' he grinned bleakly, snapping at a clumsy child, 'but - Who is to give you away, and who is to be your Lady of the Costumes?'

'Do you mean –  a Maid of Honour?'

'It is the equivalent, yes.'

'If you are not to have anyone, neither will I. '

'But…'

'I don't believe in the principle of being 'given away, but if I chose anyone it would be Albus too, and I even thought….ridiculous really, and it's a flight of fancy anyway….' And she laughed, wondering at herself laughing at this impossible time.

'Don't tell me, he said, 'Fawkes.'

'Correct Professor, point to Slytherin.'

'Only one?' he murmured.

'Two perhaps.'

'You are fairly tight-fisted with praise yourself, Madam.'

'And you,' she said, 'have not told me about your family.'

His mood altered hardly perceptibly, but enough for her to notice.

'There is no one,' he said shortly.

'No one you want, or?'

'There is no one left, but me. And soon,' he said sourly, 'there will be no one left at all.'

As he opened the door to his office, he plunged his hand in his robes for his wand and froze.