Thanks so much everyone for reviewing chapter ten of TATL – we had such fun writing it and cannot wait to see how the remainder of the fic turns out! Sev1970 and Nymphadora Tonks1

Luna Aelf Writer ~ Mikee ~ Kati ~ Saavik13 ~ menecarkawan ~ Anarane Anwamane ~ Cha-Cha Chica (Thanks Neat - I saw that typo after we posted it and laughed – it does sound cute for our Sev! Thanks for the compliments. We are excited that it worked out for us to write their "coming together as one, scene" – LOL) ~ Jaded Angel8 (We like to keep busy!) ~ Lisa13 ~ MissCrystalix ~ Jvanilly (All of the authors thank you for putting this story on your faves list.) ~ Lady Lynn (Chronic Literature – that sounds fitting; first time I heard of Round Robin, I was like…huh? – LOL) ~ lutheyl (Yes, Lee did an awesome job with chapter nine!!!) ~ pistaccio pudding (and what we wrote was very tame; what we wanted to write would have gotten us kicked off of ff.net!) ~ Fuzzy-Bumpkins (Hi Jenny – I would think probably there will be more Harry/Sev goodness but that is up to the remaining authors. You already have begun a new fic, but I will answer your question anyway – YES – you should write another fic – I am already hooked on it and it just started!!! Hope you are all over the flu now.) ~ Calani ~ ronslilprincess (Wow – that is awesome that this fic is what turned you on to Harry/Sev; that makes us so happy!!!!) ~ sherdelune (Lee gave us awesome material to work with!) ~ LeeLeePotter (Yes, Harry telling Sev the truth…loved writing that!) ~ Corgi1 ~ DaughterofDeath ~ AmandaMarsters (This is a RR so it is up to each individual to write a chapter of what they think should happen. But, this fic is winding down so I would venture a guess and say, NO this will not be M-PREG!)

Disclaimer: You all know how this goes by now, I'm sure. I don't own it.

Last Chapter:

Harry opened his eyes early the following morning and smiled. There couldn't be a greater feeling in the world than waking up in Severus' arms. He kissed his lover gently on the lips, waking him up.

"Mmm… good morning, love," Severus mumbled, kissing Harry again.

"Yes," Harry agreed, "Very good morning."

Severus could see that Harry had something on his mind, and was thinking about it seriously. "Harry, is something wrong?" Severus asked, cursing the panicky feeling he had, and the thoughts that flooded his mind, like Harry regretting what happened between them last night.

"No, it is just, well, about our… relationship. I just, I want everyone-" Harry was cut off when Severus hissed in pain. The hiss soon turned to moaning, and his face held a look of pure agony. "Severus! What is it? What's wrong?"

"Voldemort," Severus ground out between clenched teeth, holding his forearm tightly.

Taking Away the Loneliness

Chapter 11: Talisman

Harry bit his lip. This was so not how he had wanted his first morning waking up with Sev next to him to turn out. Dammit all! Why the hell did that snake-faced bastard have to pick now, of all times, to try and summons Severus; did he really expect the man to answer the call now that his cover had been blown twice?

Peering worriedly at Severus, who was currently curled up in a ball of agony, he asked urgently, "Severus! What do you need me to do?" When he didn't get a response, he reached down and shook the other man's shoulders, fear starting to gnaw at his insides. Perhaps this wasn't a summons, but a punishment?

Finally, after several long moments of Harry frantically shaking and calling him, Severus looked up. "Get the Headmaster, Harry. Hurry!" Harry leapt off the bed to do as the other man said. Throwing powder into the fireplace, he cried, "Dumbledore!" The old wizard's head appeared in the flames almost immediately, concern etched on his face.

"What is it, my child? What's wrong?" Harry quickly explained what had happened that morning, with the mark burning, and requested that the Headmaster come as soon as possible because Severus had asked for him. Immediately, Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the flames and into the living room. Harry jumped, startled, but didn't waste any time, leading the other wizard back towards the bedroom, where Severus was still curled up and shivering.

Without thinking about it, Harry climbed onto the bed and spooned behind Severus, holding him tightly and wishing he could take the pain away for him. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily when he saw this, but didn't say anything about it. "What is wrong, Severus, my boy? Is he summoning you?"

Severus nodded and gasped out, "Yes, but it's also a punishment. The pain will continue to escalate until I go mad trying to ignore it, or else go to him and get myself killed." Harry shuddered, horrified at the implications that no matter what Severus did, he was in trouble. Staring anxiously up at Professor Dumbledore, he pleaded, "Isn't there a way to break the connection? Or to block it?"

Dumbledore just shook his head. "Unfortunately not, my child. Voldemort's Mark is intended to be used to summon his Death Eaters. If they could block it, then it would be useless." Harry nodded and bent down over Severus, tears falling silently down his face. There had to be something he could do. Anything. If someone would just tell him how to spare the man, he'd do whatever it took.

Without realizing what he was doing, he moved Severus' right hand from where it clutched his left forearm and laid his own forehead against the Dark Mark. Suddenly, a blinding pain shot through his head and he cried out. Dimly, he was aware of Severus calming beneath him and relaxing as the pain diminished, but Harry was being pulled into the Mark and could not find it in him to pull away. If it was helping his Sev, then he'd let the Mark pull him.

When he regained his sight, he noticed that he was in a round circular room. There were no windows and the room had an earthy feel to it, suggesting that this stronghold might be underground. Death Eaters filled the room—it appeared to be a general assembly. On the far end of the room sat Voldemort, with a crouched form next to him. Harry felt his face twist in disgust—that sniveling rat Wormtail was holding his left arm out so that Voldemort could press upon his Mark, hurting Severus.

After another few minutes of this, Harry saw Voldemort's face twist in rage as he shoved Wormtail away from him, not caring that the weak-minded man tumbled down the stairs of the dais he was seated upon and lay in a crumpled heap at his feet. "It appears that our traitor has found a way to block some of the effects of my punishment. It is no matter, he will come soon, or he will die trying." There were a few muted chuckles around the room, but they were silenced when Voldemort glared at them.

"I have a mission for all of you, and for your children. My inner circle has failed me time and time again, and I do not tolerate failure. I seek a Talisman of great power. With it, I will truly become invincible. Not even that muggle-loving fool Dumbledore will be able to touch me." A soft rustling spread throughout the room as the mass of Death Eaters shifted nervously. They knew the penalty for failure, and were worried since even the Inner Circle—Voldemort's elite—could not find this Talisman.

"The others have managed to trace the Talisman to France, where they lost its trail. I want it found, and I want it done yesterday! Do I make myself clear?" The Death Eaters murmured their understanding and he dismissed them, leaving him with only his Inner Circle. As they assembled around him, he hissed, "You fools. Now I have been forced to entrust such an important mission to the weaker ones, to the peasantry. You have failed me once again. Crucio." Each of the Inner Circle was hit with the curse before Voldemort finally dismissed them. As they made their shaky way out of the room, Voldemort called out, "Oh, and Lucius?" When one of the Death Eaters looked back at him, he purred, "Do not forget that your son is due to be initiated within the month, on his eighteenth birthday."

Lucius Malfoy bowed, "Of course, my Lord. He will be here to accept the great honor you will bestow on him by allowing him to become one of your honored servants." Voldemort just smirked and hit Malfoy with the Cruciatus again before permitting him to leave the room. Done with the meeting, Voldemort beckoned to Wormtail and again grabbed his arm, calling to Severus.

Harry was furious. How dare he! How dare that evil, snake-faced, crimson-eyed, undead bastard try to hurt his lover. Not caring that what he was doing was foolish, he stepped out of the shadows where he had been standing, moving straight towards Voldemort. Unfortunately, his movement had attracted the Dark Lord's attention, and he stared at Harry in visible surprise. "Potter?!" Then he snarled, "How dare you? Trying to spy on me again? It won't work, Potter. I may no longer be able to access your mind, but I sure as hell can keep you out of mine."

This gave Harry a very vital piece of information. Voldemort no longer had access to him. Either his skills at Occulmency had improved without him knowing, or something else had blocked Voldemort from him, but he was blocked nonetheless.

Voldemort snarled in outrage and Harry felt himself being ripped from the room. Dammit, he wasn't done yet! Crying out, Harry sent a hex towards Wormtail, not sure if it would work or not in this dream-like world. Apparently it did, as Wormtail was torn from his Master's grip and sent sprawling again. With a last crow of triumph, Harry allowed himself to be pushed out of Voldemort's mind.

Harry groaned as he was snapped viciously back into himself. "Bloody hell. Does he always have to be so brutal?" he groaned. As he became more aware, he was aware of two voices trying to gain his attention, one filled with worried concern and one with light amusement. Apparently the Headmaster found his grousing entertaining. Rolling his eyes, he straightened up from where he was still bent over Severus' body.

Realizing what he had just done in front of the Headmaster, he flushed in embarrassment. But Dumbledore just chuckled, so he relaxed. Apparently the Headmaster wasn't going to tell them that they were forbidden to have a relationship, and for that he was thankful. Of course, he would have gone ahead with it regardless of whether or not the old wizard permitted it, but his disapproval would make it so much harder for him to convince Severus to continue the relationship.

"Did you find out anything of interest, my child?" he asked gently, coaxing Harry to look back up at him. Harry nodded and told him that Voldemort now had all of his Death Eaters hunting for the elusive Talisman, and that he had as good as admitted that he could no longer access Harry's mind.

That puzzled both Dumbledore and Severus and before he knew what was happening, Severus had pointed his wand at him and whispered, "Legilimens," trying to probe his mind. Almost as if by instinct, Harry threw up a wall that Severus could not break down.

A few minutes later, Severus ended the spell and lowered his wand, staring at Harry in surprise. "How in the world did you manage that, Potter?"

Harry winced at Severus' use of his last name and shook his head. "I'm really not sure, Sir. I just did it instinctively, without thinking about it." Severus just nodded, still looking shocked.

Dumbledore shifted slightly, drawing their attention back to him. "Harry, what else happened?" When Harry just looked at him blankly, he clarified, "While you were unconscious, you cried out a simple low-level hex. I was wondering what you did." Harry just blinked until realization hit him. He explained how Voldemort had been using Wormtail's Mark to call Severus and that he had simply needed to separate the two.

When he was done, the old wizard nodded and smiled widely at them both, his eyes twinkling madly. "I take it that you two have 'resolved' your issues?" he asked. Both Severus and Harry flushed. Harry dropped his head into his hands and murmured an apology to the Headmaster. "Whatever for, my dear boy?" asked the old man genially, and Harry just glared at him, knowing that the conniving old coot knew exactly what he was talking about. Dumbledore's eyes just twinkled brighter as he excused himself to leave the room.

Looking back at the two wizards who had both just been through excruciating pain via the Dark Lord, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "You two need to get your rest; I will find someone to take your classes Severus, and Harry you are dismissed from attending classes today."

After they were sure he was gone, Severus turned onto his back, pulling Harry down on top of him and giving him a gentle kiss. When they broke apart, he smiled and whispered, "Thank you, love."

Harry blushed and looked down, but Severus could tell that he was pleased as he whispered, "You're welcome, Sev," before meeting his lips for another kiss. This one was not gentle or chaste, but burning and filled with passion, and Harry moaned appreciatively. "I could get used to waking up like this, you know," he murmured as he kissed his way down Severus' cheek and jaw before moving on to his neck, where he paused to suckle and nip above the older man's pulse, earning an appreciative hiss of pleasure.

Grinning against Severus' skin, Harry continued to move downwards, planting wet open-mouthed kisses along his lover's bare skin, occasionally stopping to nibble or lick a spot before moving on. Their lovemaking that morning was slow and sweet and gentle, both men trying to reassure the other that everything would turn out all right in the end.

They cuddled up next to each other before drifting off to sleep. When they woke up, they had a lot of things to discuss, but right now they'd just enjoy finally being together and having someone to care for them. There would be plenty of time later to fret over the Talisman and what it was, as well as who had it, as well as researching a way to block the Mark so that Voldemort couldn't reach those who left him. At the moment, though, the unlikely pair just dozed, content to cuddle up with their loved one.

Author's Note: All right, people. I hope that this chapter worked well with the rest of the story, and I sincerely hoped you enjoyed it. Please review and let me know how I did, all right? Thanks!

~~Savage Damsel~~