Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine. Anything you recognize from JK Rowling's books is not mine. Anything you don't recognize is either mine or a typical fanfiction plot device. The Call of the Blood and the concepts associated with it – as a package, not as individual elements - are my creations, not the creations of JK Rowling – please email me if you wish to use them or a derivative of them in a story.
Partly inspired by the Marriage Law Challenge on WIKTT. See Chapter 1 for full disclaimer. Author's Notes at the end.
Warning:This fic is SS/HG and includes character death, descriptions of abuse, and adult situations.
Cloak of Courage
WendyNat
Chapter 26
Hermione raced through the corridors to the Headmaster's office. On the way she saw a few Slytherin students staggering out of their common room in confusion and she yelled at them to return and wait for further instructions. A moment later, she was relieved to see Remus running past her to lead the students to the passageway and the Portkeys.
The moment she reached the gargoyle the door swung open and she raced up the steps. Panting heavily, she burst into the Headmaster's office. Harry was already there, pacing, Fawkes perched on his shoulder. The phoenix's wings flew open to regain his balance as Harry whirled around to face her. Fawkes had a definite look of irritation in his eyes and Hermione had to hold back a hysterical giggle.
"Snape's gone, isn't he?"
Sobering quickly, she answered, "Yes… his Mark glowed gr-"
"I figured. My scar is hurting – even through the shields I use. He's ready. Excited."
Dumbledore pulled his head out of the fireplace. "Hermione – it's good to see you." Standing, he brushed off his robes. Glittering floo powder floated slowly to the floor.
"Headmaster – how did they drop the wards on the castle? I didn't think that was possi-"
"I do not know, Mrs. Snape," Albus said, frowning. "Severus said there had been hints that this might happen, but he hadn't any idea how Tom meant to go about it."
"Gods…"
"It is not entirely unexpected. The wards on this office, and I imagine those on Severus' – on your – chambers are still intact. The ones that were separate from the main castle, that is."
"Right. So we just sit here, blind, waiting for them to come?"
The Headmaster shook his head and Harry gestured to a small table sitting next to the Headmaster's desk. On it were multiple scrying glasses. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise – each glass showed a different part of the castle. She could see Minerva rushing to the Ravenclaw Common Room in one, and in another glass she could see Filch pulling the heavy bars down across the main doors in the Entry Hall.
"Minerva is already organizing the evacuation of the students."
"I saw Remus going to the Slytherin Common Room on my way here. So now…"
Harry's face hardened. "We wait."
-----
"The time of battle is at hand, my loyal servants. The time of your reward is near. Make me proud. Bring glory to my name. Power will be ours. We will cleanse the Wizarding World of those who wish to drag it down into the depths, we will restore the purity of magic and blood!"
A rousing cheer followed this short speech. Severus smiled grimly behind his mask. He had arrived prior to most of the others, thanks to the lack of anti-Apparition wards around the castle.
The Dark Lord had been most displeased at Lucius' failure to appear at his Summons. Draco had arrived when the rest of the Death Eaters were called and the boy stared at Severus with pure hatred. It was likely just a response to his correction of the boy's actions at the beginning of the holidays, but a thread of doubt wormed its way into his head… what if Lucius had completed a familial binding with the boy?
It wouldn't surprise him.
Still, a familial blood bond would not transfer more than extreme pain… it was not so close a bond as that created during a blood mating ritual. And, he reminded himself, Lucius had endured no injury that would transfer through a blood bond… even a full-emotion blood mark, which he suspected Narcissa bore. At the moment the man lay unconscious behind heavy wards.
Severus relaxed slightly and smirked again at the common rhetoric the Dark Lord used to rile his troops. The man truly had no subtlety. But – with this group – it certainly seemed to work. In a frenzy, the first groups of Death Eaters were dispatched to Hogsmeade. Severus settled in for a wait. Once the first reports returned from the field, the Inner Circle would be sent to Hogwarts to prepare it for the Dark Lord's arrival. Four only would remain at the Dark Lord's side for protection.
It was over a half an hour later that the first messengers returned to the Dark Lord. The city was resisting, Aurors had been called, but it was going well. Severus barely held back a snort. As if any messenger would be foolish enough to come with bad news before the Dark Lord! Even if every Death Eater other than himself had been killed, the man would likely say it was 'going well.' Once the messenger had been sent back to the field, the Dark Lord straightened and turned red eyes to Peter Pettigrew.
Severus frowned. This was unusual… unfortunately, he was not close enough to hear the exchange. With trepidation, Severus watched the man known as Wormtail Disapparate, wondering what assignment the Dark Lord had appointed to the man.
He hoped it was nothing that would throw their plans into disarray.
-----
Hermione raced down to the dungeons, the vial from the Headmaster held tightly in her left hand, her wand at the ready in her right. As she passed the door to the Slytherin Common Room, she allowed herself to feel a moment of relief. The students were gone, safe… far from this hell. They had watched via the scrying glasses as the Portkeys were activated. Only then did Dumbledore allow her to go to complete this task.
She had told Harry and Albus of the confrontation with Lucius. Due to the wards Severus had erected on the room, they weren't able to see the classroom the Death Eater was being held in, but Hermione was confident that the man was still unconscious. Her stunning spells had always been rather strong; even so, the Headmaster had suggested a more permanent method of keeping Lucius unconscious and out of the way. He couldn't be allowed to report to the Dark Lord, or Severus' life was forfeit.
Hermione often forgot that the Headmaster was an accomplished Potions researcher. She wasn't sure how, since it was even listed on the back of his Chocolate Frog card that he was instrumental in discovering the twelve uses of dragon's blood. But when the old wizard had pulled a small vial from his robes and pressed it into her hand, she had felt a jolt of surprise before her common sense took over.
"This is a sleeping potion. If the full dose – three drops – is given, he will not awaken until given the antidote. Less, and it will wear off on its own; more, and… well. Three drops only, Mrs. Snape. If Malfoy is put to sleep permanently with a potion it would not, unfortunately, be considered by the Wizengamot as a casualty of War." Hermione remembered pursing her lips together in irritation. Once again, she thought how easy it would be… how tempting… but the Headmaster's words echoed in her head. "Three drops only, Mrs. Snape. Hermione. Don't forget… we will likely need his testimony when all of this has ended."
Harry hadn't been pleased with Hermione heading down to the dungeons on her own, but she had overridden his concerns (with Albus' help). The scrying glasses would show if she was in any danger in the corridors, and with the wards down she could easily Apparate if she ran into trouble. She agreed with Albus and Severus' plan that Harry be kept back from the battle until the Dark Lord appeared – it would serve no purpose for him to be exhausted – magically or physically - before that all-important confrontation. Even Apparition would tire him unnecessarily.
Finally, she reached the abandoned classroom. Quickly removing the physical wards, she strode into the room and gazed down at the man lying on the floor. He had not yet begun to stir, but she knew the stunning spell wouldn't hold indefinitely. And a wizard of Malfoy's power would likely make short work of the bindings, given time alone to concentrate his energies.
Kneeling beside the blond man, she whispered the incantation to remove the black cords from his mouth. She stared down at the refined features – still elegant, even now. Graceful, even. But cold. Deadly. Ruthless. Her hand began to shake and she wrenched her eyes away, sternly forcing her mind away from thoughts of what he had done.
From thoughts of revenge.
He will pay. I will make him pay.
She struggled with herself, shaking her head, pushing back the urge.
No!
With resolve, she grabbed the stopper and pulled it off, fumbling a bit as her sweat-soaked palm slid across the smooth glass.
Three drops only…
She lifted the vial and raised it to Lucius' mouth when she heard something behind her. Whipping her head around, she raised her wand…
… but it was too late…
"Expelliarmus!"
She was flung to the floor, the vial and her wand knocked from her hands by the force of the spell. Silently, she berated herself. Why hadn't she considered this? Why hadn't she considered that, once the physical wards on the room were down, anyone could Apparate in? Why hadn't she removed all of the wards, not just the physical ones? Harry and Albus would have no idea of what was occurring down in the abandoned classroom…
But… how did Draco know to come? He was supposed to be in Hogsmeade, not here…
A hand grabbed her by the hair and lifted her, cutting her train of thought. "What are you doing to my father, Mudblood?" She didn't answer and he flung her back against the wall. "What did you do to him? I felt it… through the bond."
She stared at him, wide-eyed. The bond? Then she remembered her readings… the blood mark wasn't just for lovers… there were variations – for families, friends… rarely used, but the Malfoys were a traditional family.
His eyes flicked to the now-empty vial sitting on the floor. Its contents had spilled across the stones when it was knocked from her hand. "Luckily for you, Mudblood, I'm short on time. I have to get back to the battle before I'm missed. Tell me what you just gave my father and how to counteract it." She froze. Should she tell him that she hadn't given his father anything? Would he believe her? Maybe she could stall, pretend there was an antidote somewhere…
He put his hands on her upper arms and shook her. Her head knocked against the wall and she clenched her teeth together to keep from crying out. "TELL ME NOW!"
"I told you if you touched her again, I vould kill you."
Viktor. She felt a wave of relief before a stab of fear shot through her. Draco released her immediately and turned to face Viktor, but not before a slicing hex hit him in the shoulder. He grunted in pain and then backed up against the wall. Hermione took the opportunity to retrieve her wand and then stood back to watch the two men.
"So you followed me?" A sneer accompanied the words, but it was half-hearted – the pain from the slicing hex had obviously stolen much of Draco's arrogance.
"I followed you. I saw you leef Hogsmeade vunce ve Apparated there. It vas easy to trace your Apparition signature. You do not even bother to cover it."
The blond man frowned at the cold look in the other man's eyes. "Listen, Viktor – I wasn't – I didn't come here to hurt her. I came for my father, and she was here. I wasn't going to hurt her-"
"You haff already hurt her!"
Draco swallowed. Hermione edged her way towards the wall, closer to the shadows. "Krum – I didn't mean to, I didn't… the Call, it was too much. You understand, you know – you know better than anyone… you saw me complete the linking with Weasley, you were there!"
"You claim to haff vanted her. You claim to have vanted her for years, and then you haff done these things to hurt her. You lied to me, Draco."
"You knew about the rings-"
"Not the rings, boy! Vat happened ven you lost control of your Call, ven you tried to…" Viktor stopped and a cold fire lit his eyes. Hermione could feel it building… growing in him… there was an affinity, like Ollivander said – Gods, she could feel the Call rising in him! And she knew what was to happen, knew it with a cool certainty.
And she had no intentions of stopping it.
Severus would not be blamed, could not be blamed. She would keep her promise to him. And still, she could have her revenge.
"Viktor, wait! What about… what about… your loyalty to your brothers, remember? Remember what the Dark Lord said, Viktor!" Draco pleaded desperately.
Viktor raised his wand in a steady hand and breathed, "Avada…"
"VIKTOR!"
"…Kedavra."
A green flash… it pulled at her, sought her out… wanted her to feel what it was like, the glory, the power…
She clenched her teeth together…
A sound of rushing, of rushing death…
Draco fell to the ground, lifeless eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.
From the outside, it seemed so quiet; such a calm, civilized, unemotional way to kill. But the truth… the truth was so different… now that she knew… now that she could feel… the Call roiled in her and she used every ounce of her determination to tamp it back down. She could not afford this, not now, not when Harry needed her… She looked at Viktor with haunted eyes and by his expression, he knew. He knew all too well what she was going through.
Her friend.
Her friend, and her destroyer… and her savior. It was too much, too confusing…
He strode across the room urgently, pulling off his mask. "Hermione – ve must go. You must go. Voldemort vill know, vill sense that there has been a killing of his Death Eater here at Hogvorts, before any haff been sent. He vill send somevun to investigate."
Hermione nodded and was about to step away from the shadows when Viktor cursed under his breath and wrapped her in his cloak, pulling her with him against the wall. He murmured an invisibility spell and she felt the ripple as it took effect. Heart pounding, she peeked out through a gap in his cloak. She had just drawn in a breath to question him when she heard it.
Footsteps.
Someone was coming…
A war raged within her. What if it wasn't a servant of Voldemort? What if it was someone from her side? An Order member? Would she speak, and give away Viktor's presence? Would she show her friend the same loyalty he had shown her? Would she betray her Order to help him to safety? Betrayal brings hope, loyalty brings ruin. But whose loyalty? What could she do? Gods… against all normal reason, she began to hope it was a Death Eater coming.
Maybe it would be Severus!
She allowed herself a moment of hope, but that hope was destroyed when she saw who entered the room. She pressed back against Viktor and they moved farther into the shadows. She could feel Viktor's heart beating furiously against her back. The figure that entered wore a mask and robes, but she knew just who it was. Those twitchy movements and hunched stature could only belong to Peter Pettigrew.
Pettigrew stopped, a strange sound coming from his throat as he caught sight of Draco's body. Then, another strange sound as his head shifted to see Lucius. "There you are! Our master was most displeased that you didn't arrive with the others, Lucius." Pettigrew made his way to the elder Malfoy. With a wave of his wand, the black cords withdrew.
To her surprise, rather than reviving him immediately, Pettigrew just stood and looked down at the blond man, chuckling. "You think I never hear what you say about me, don't you, Lucius?" Pulling his foot back, the silver-armed wizard kicked Lucius hard in the ribs. "It won't be so funny when you wake up with a set of broken ribs, will it?" Another swift kick. "If the Dark Lord didn't want you, I'd kill you right now. But, unfortunately…" With a shrug, he lifted his wand. "En-"
Pettigrew stopped suddenly, his head turning. Hermione could almost imagine whiskers twitching and ears moving as the rat-faced man seemed to test the air. Abruptly, he disappeared and a rat stood in the spot previously occupied by the wizard. The rat sat still for a split second before scurrying out of the room. Hermione shook her head, confused, and then she heard it.
Footsteps, more than one person… and the popping sounds of Apparition… with a grunt, Viktor turned her around. "Ve haff to go. Be careful." She nodded and stepped back, waving her wand. As she Disapparated, she saw Viktor standing with his own wand out, black eyes gleaming at her, a strange look on his face. She would almost call it… affectionate.
With a pop, she appeared in front of the gargoyle leading to the Headmaster's office. Once again, it opened automatically and she slipped inside and up the stairs. She expected to be bombarded with questions, but Harry didn't even turn when she entered the room.
"Albus is gone – he's met with the other Order members and they're taking their positions. He even saw Snape-" Harry indicated the scrying glass on the lower right. "-and it looks like the plan is the same." The plan. Severus was to watch the corridor leading to the Headmaster's office and misdirect any Death Eaters that approached. If it proved impossible to misdirect them, he would have to… deal with them.
Discreetly, of course.
Hermione took a deep breath, resisting the urge to run and join her husband. "So the Inner Circle has arrived."
"Yes. And we're stuck here, watching." The bitterness in Harry's voice was indescribable.
----
"Silencio!"
With a satisfied breath, Severus turned back to the entrance of the corridor. Those ridiculous carol-singing suits of armor had now all been silenced and he was able to concentrate much easier. After successfully misdirecting a couple of lesser members of the Inner Circle to another part of the castle – an area of the castle which held a goodly number of trained Order members – Severus sank back into the shadows to await his next victim.
Hopefully the others were involved in their own skirmishes… the Order members and trusted Aurors that Dumbledore had assembled greatly outnumbered the members of the Inner Circle… a small detail that Severus had failed to mention to his other "master." He smirked at the thought.
Footsteps sounded down the corridor and Severus' heart froze when he recognized the Death Eater that was approaching. No, not him… any but him…
Rodolphus.
Severus let out a breath. So it was here – it was here that his loyalty would be tested. He had been ordered by Dumbledore to stop any Death Eaters that tried to enter this corridor, and he had gladly accepted. But he had not counted on this possibility…
His eyes were so fixed on Rodolphus that he didn't notice the other Death Eater approaching from the small side hall. A mistake that proved costly.
"Expelliarmus!" Severus' wand flew from his hand and he impacted the wall hard, barely keeping his feet under him.
"Lucius!" Rodolphus yelled, taking two long steps to push the blond man back. Lucius had on familiar black robes but no mask, and there was a crazed expression on his face. "What are you doing?"
"Out of my way, Rodolphus!"
"No, Lucius! Whatever your personal issues ar-"
"He's a TRAITOR!" Lucius screamed, spittle flying. Severus held his breath. This was it… his end. Severus sighed bitterly. And such an ignoble end it would be. Why couldn't he have at least been tortured to death by the Dark Lord, something a bit more interesting than a simple Avada Kedavra from Lucius Malfoy?
Rodolphus stared at Lucius. "You're mad, man. You tru-"
With a growl, Lucius shoved Rodolphus aside and reached into his belt, pulling out a long knife as he lunged at Severus. Severus jumped back, instinctively pulling his stomach in, but he hit the wall and the knife caught his cloak. The fabric tore easily, and as the knife pulled back he could see black threads clinging to the serrated blade.
Well, at least this is more interesting.
Cool stone pressed against his back, and he knew he had to get into the open, away from the wall. He flung himself to the side and twisted around the blond man as Lucius raised the knife again. He tried to twist his body more to the side as the knife came down, but he was too late. The knife swung in a vicious arc, ripping through his cloak and shirt, slicing into his skin. Severus hissed at the line of fire blazing down his right torso.
"Damn it, Lucius! Calm yourself!" Rodolphus grabbed Lucius' knife hand and pulled him back, away from Severus. His friend's knuckles turned white as he pressed hard against the tendons in Lucius' wrist, causing the knife to fall from the blond man's grip. It rang loudly as it hit the stone floor. "The Dark Lord gave us orders, Malfoy – push the Call back! Merlin, man, you mentored him yourself!"
But Lucius was too taken by the Call to listen. With a surprising show of strength he shoved Rodolphus aside and raised his wand. Severus let out a soft sigh and waited for the inevitable.
"I have been waiting for this, friend. Too bad your Mudblood couldn't be here to see it… Avad-"
"Avada Kedavra!"
A green flash, a rushing sound, and Severus could feel it… could feel the pull of the Call, beckoning him…
…and then, nothing.
He opened his eyes and saw Rodolphus standing over the body of Lucius Malfoy. The blond man's eyes were unseeing, empty. Cold.
Dead.
Rodolphus took off his mask and stared down at Lucius while Severus retrieved his wand, grunting slightly as the movement opened the slash wound further. It wasn't deep, but it was painful. He had to get Rodolphus out of there, before another Order member appeared. Before he had to do something that would betray their friendship. Pulling off his own mask, his face beseeching, he began, "Rodolphus, you must-"
"And what have we here?" Severus closed his eyes in anguish at the voice. Only one voice was that raspy… only one person's gait had that peculiar thunking noise…
Alastor Moody.
There would be no way for him to spare Rodolphus, now.
None.
The Gods were laughing, no doubt.
A raised wand. "Mad-Eye Moody… this is a prize, isn't it, Severus?"
Moody remained still, one eye on Severus and the other – the magical eye – fixed on Rodolphus. Severus hesitated a moment, but his decision had already been made. It had been made years before, when he knelt beside his father's body as the Dark Mark burned in his arm…
You cannot bring back the dead.
…when he knelt before the Headmaster and drew two lines on his right side with a blade, adding to the two scars that already marred his skin…
Once, as required by the Dark Lord. The second time, as required by my own resolve.
…when he whispered the counter-incantation to keep a young boy astride a bucking broomstick…
I will do what I must.
… and now, when he stood before his friend and his old enemy, and raised his wand.
"Expelliarmus!"
Rodolphus' wand flew from his hand and clattered against the stones. The man himself staggered backwards, catching himself on the opposite wall. He stared at Severus in confusion – for a heartbeat… or two… - before understanding dawned in his eyes. Severus steeled himself, waiting for the recriminations… the accusations… but they never came.
Rodolphus lay his head back against the wall and laughed.
Full, rich laughter… the sound of youth, of friendship, of loyalty…
…of brotherhood…
Moody, in an unusual show of restraint, remained where he stood and watched the tableau in silence. Finally the laughter diminished and Rodolphus said, "Very good, Severus. Very good. You have my congratulations." A mock bow. "You fooled us all."
"Don't make me do this, Rodolphus."
"You don't have a choice, friend. Or, rather, you have already made your choice." Rodolphus pushed away from the wall and stood silently before Severus. "Do it."
"You could-" Severus stopped. There was no point in continuing… the other man couldn't turn. Not now. Not after the atrocities he had committed. Azkaban would not be an option anymore, that was certain. And even if it was, he recalled Rodolphus' words when he escaped from Azkaban: It was a horror, daily. Nothingness, nothing. Death would be preferable. Before I would return there, I would take my life. Mark my words.
Rodolphus nodded slowly. "You understand, don't you, my friend? My brother. Do it. Your final show of friendship. Don't let them have me."
Severus nodded silently and raised his wand.
"Avada Kedavra."
The green flash, the rushing… but for once the Call remained silent… the only thing in Severus' mind an echo… an echo of his own voice, uttering the curse… killing his oldest friend… Avada Kedavra…
… and his own harsh whisper. "Farewell, brother."
Severus stood and looked down at Rodolphus' body, turning only when he heard the thunk-thunk of Moody approaching.
"Death Eater scum."
Severus turned fierce eyes on the old Auror, but subsided when Moody met his gaze evenly. "Evil and death… that's what he lived, Snape. Like calls to like."
Like calls to like. Indeed, it does.
"May it not call to me or mine," Severus whispered.
Moody stared at him for a moment and then rasped, "Agreed."
A sudden sharp pain in his arm brought his attention away from the body in front of him. "I'm being Summoned."
"Go, then."
"Tell Hermione-"
"I know what to tell her, man. Go!"
With a wave of his wand, Severus Apparated to join the Dark Lord.
"My Lord." The wind began to blow more strongly.
"Rise, Severus." The Dark Lord stated. Severus obediently began to stand, carefully guarding himself against the upcoming invasion… his emotional state was shaky, at best, after what had just occurred with Rodolphus. As he straightened the caught the tatters of his shirt and cloak.
He felt the lick of cool air against his right side and his heart froze in fear. Casually, he tried to ease the remains of his shirt over the telltale scars.
"How goes the battle, Severus?"
"Well, my Lord. It is taking some time to flush out all of the Order members, but progress is being made. The battle goes well."
"I see." The Dark Lord tapped his wand against his chin, regarding Severus coldly. "I have had reports from Hogsmeade, but I have not received any word from Hogwarts." Bright red eyes pinned him in place. "Do you know why that might be, Severus?"
"No, my Lord."
The Dark Lord nodded thoughtfully. "Severus, my loyal servant… whom else do you serve?"
"None, my Lord." Severus bowed his head for a moment, his mind racing frantically.
"Interesting." The Dark Lord gestured behind him. "Wormtail, my servant, is missing. Lucius Malfoy is dead. Rodolphus Lestrange, dead. Draco Malfoy, dead. Which would not have raised my attention, as he is not an Inner Circle member, but for the fact that I sensed him killed at Hogwarts. And yet - you tell me the battle goes well."
"I am not aware-"
"You are not aware," the Dark Lord hissed. "And yet you appear before me, alive. Were you not teamed with Rodolphus for this?"
Severus swallowed. "Yes, my Lord."
The Dark Lord brought one long white finger to Severus' chin, lifting his head to stare directly into the powerful wizard's fiery red eyes. As the skeletal finger touched Severus' skin, he felt the telltale tingle of the personal wards that the Dark Lord maintained around his body. Those wards would have to be countermanded before any attempts to use the Patronus blade or the soul-detaching charm. He hoped Hermione rememb-
The invasion was sudden and brutal, his mind laid bare, his barriers barely holding against the assault from the Dark Lord's mind. A master Legilimens… a master of emotional Legilimency… pitted against a master of image Occlumency…
Oh, Gods…
…the images remained safe, but the emotional barrier crumbled just a tiny bit… just a minute amount… Severus frantically forced it back into place, but the momentary lapse was enough.
It was enough. The Dark Lord sensed it. The one defining emotion of this encounter… fear. The jolt of fear as he stood and felt the cool wind hit his right side just minutes ago.
The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed and he withdrew from Severus' mind abruptly, leaving the black-haired man gasping for air. "Whom else do you serve?"
"None, my Lo-" In a sudden movement, the Dark Lord reached one emaciated hand out and grabbed Severus' tattered cloak, ripping it away from his body. A wave of pure panic washed through Severus and he tried to back away even as the Dark Lord succeeded in clawing his shirt away from his skin. The wind blew fiercely, whipping the ragged shreds of cloth to the side.
Thinking furiously, Severus said, "My Lord, Dumbledore demanded-"
"Silence!" The Dark Lord yelled. "What else are you hiding, loyal servant?"
Severus tried to shake his head but was unable to move as the Dark Lord's eyes shot to his left shoulder. The shirt had blown almost completely off by this time and the blood bond marking was plainly visible.
There would be no excuse, no story he could come up with to explain that away… the marking of a Mudblood… as Lucius had pointed out when he had Severus under his control, it was evidence of his ultimate betrayal…
"The Mudblood marked you? And you allowed this to occur?" One bony finger came out to trace the blood mark, and a searing pain tore through Severus' body. He bit the inside of his cheek to hold back a scream and the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth.
"My… My Lord," Severus began, knowing it was futile and yet unable to stop himself. To have come so far… and then have to give it all up because of Malfoy's knife work… He's killed me after all. Well done, Lucius. Well done.
"Crucio!"
As Severus fell to the ground, writhing, every nerve ending on fire, one thought repeated itself… again and again…
Gods, Hermione… don't let Hermione come…
-----
"Harry, wait! When Severus gets back, we can find out when the Dark Lord plans to arrive. Until then, we should stay here like Moody told us." Hermione tried to sound confident, but the emotions she had begun to sense via the blood bond were difficult to ignore. Desperation was the overriding feeling, which was not unexpected, but there was something else she had rarely felt from Severus.
Fear.
"I'm tired of this, Hermione! Tired of sitting around, waiting for him to attack! We should-" Suddenly, Harry stopped and brought a hand to his forehead, wincing.
"Harry, what's wrong? Is it your sca-" The words stuck in Hermione's throat as pain lanced through the blood bond… her mark burned and she stumbled with a gasp. "Oh, Gods, Severus…"
"He's with Voldemort!" Harry exclaimed, rubbing his forehead. "What happened?"
"Harry – the blood mark – I've got to go to him, he's in pain, he's…" Two strong hands gripped her upper arms and Harry's eyes bore into hers. She was unable to look away, pinned by those green eyes… so lovely, so determined…
"How does that blood thing work? Can you go to him? Do you know where he is?"
"Yes! Yes!" Oh, Gods… oh, Gods…
"Can you Apparate us both?" Fawkes landed on his shoulder, digging his claws in tightly.
"Yes!"
Harry nodded and shook out the Invisibility Cloak, draping it over their shoulders. It wasn't much, but perhaps it would allow them to arrive in secrecy. "Good. Now, are you ready? Do you have the spells ready? The ward reducers, the soul-"
"YES! Now, hold on to me!" Harry put his arms around her and she found herself face-to-foot with Fawkes. She assumed the phoenix would Apparate with Harry, but just in case she reached her left hand up and grasped his claw. With her other hand, she pulled out her wand and the three disappeared with a pop.
A field.
They were in an empty field.
Empty except for some figures standing several paces away. It appeared he had thrown most of his force against Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, only maintaining a skeleton guard. Four… they could handle four easily. Hurriedly Hermione raised her wand and created an Anti-Apparition ward around the perimeter along with some more basic shields… once the Dark Lord recognized Harry, he would try to call his Death Eaters to him.
She didn't intend for them to intervene.
Another wave of pain lanced through her and she looked over to see her husband, his torso bare, twisting on the ground in front of the Dark Lord. Crucio.
"Hermione, keep the cloak. Wait for the right time… he needs to be disarmed before I can attack with the blade," Harry whispered. She nodded her head.
"You know the incantation to permanently bind his soul to the blade, right, Harry?"
"Yes. And the spell to separate it from his body… but you've got to get his personal wards down first. Now, are you ready?"
"Go, Harry!"
Harry set off at a run toward the two figures, Hermione – still wrapped in the Invisibility Cloak - following close behind. Fawkes left his perch on Harry's shoulder and flew above their heads, waiting for a moment when his services would be needed.
"Stupefy! Stupefy!" Two of the Death Eater guards went down silently. The others were watching the torture so intently that they didn't notice their brethren falling to the ground. The final two fell just as silently.
It was too easy. It seemed all too easy.
The Dark Lord turned from his torture of Severus and smiled coldly as he saw Harry approach. No surprise showed on his face. "Welcome, Potter.
Severus coughed into the grass, his back muscles convulsing. Hermione ached to go to him, but she didn't dare… she had to wait… to wait for the right time… She held onto the cloak tightly, not wanting the wind to pull it from her and expose her before it was time.
It was the strange, little things that she noticed as the duel raged in front of her – the small details that seemed to spring to the front of her mind, engaging her attention in the most compelling way. The way the ground sprayed into the air in tiny clumps as misfired hexes hit it… the flash of red feathers as Fawkes fought to keep his balance… the way the wind picked up their robes and blew them out like capes in flight… the way the small yellow wildflowers bent in the wind, only to spring back up when it fell silent once more…
It shouldn't be daylight. It should be night, dusk, dark… it shouldn't be this blissfully bright day; this cheerful yellow and blue sky shouldn't be the background for this…
Lights passed back and forth as she circled warily, rarely moving her eyes from the two men. Severus, she saw with relief, had crawled away from the duelers, taking shelter behind one of the Stunned Death Eaters.
They were both amazingly powerful… she had never realized, never fully comprehended the extent of Harry's abilities. He was quicker than lightning, many of his spells not even requiring the words of an incantation but merely driven by his force of will. Gods… She had book knowledge, and she was powerful, but this… this raw ability completely awed her.
A weapon. Honed and prepared carefully for battle.
That was what Harry was.
Finally, the weapon proved its worth. Two spells, thrown in quick succession, succeeded in creating a hole in the Dark Lord's defensive spells and Harry was able to get through a simple, yet effective, shot.
"Expelliarmus!"
The Dark Lord's wand flew from his hand and he snarled, turning to lunge for it. Hermione darted forward, heedless of the wind's effects on the Invisibility Cloak, and cried, "Accio wand!" A moment later, she held the Dark Lord's wand in her hand.
"Now, Hermione! Now!" Harry screamed, already running towards the powerful wizard with the Patronus blade out. She saw his lips moving and his wand tap the blade, preparing it as the permanent binding site of the Dark Lord's soul… if they could get it separated from his body… and before they could do that, she had to bring down his personal wards.
She knew, from her readings and Severus' information, that he would use the most powerful physical wards available. She would have to be close enough for her wand to actually make contact with the ward barrier in order to bring it down. Watching carefully, seeing the Dark Lord's attention fixated on Harry, she darted forward and cried out the incantation, touching her glowing wand to the back of his shoulder.
An instant later, Harry thrust the Patronus blade into the Dark Lord's chest and yelled the incantation to begin the ritual… to separate his soul from his body. A greenish-blue light began to form at the Dark Lord's chest and an anguished wail came from the emaciated form… the light moved away from the blade and the Dark Lord writhed, his arms flailing outwards…
…and Hermione's skin came in contact with his…
…a greenish-blue glow filled her vision, and she felt herself being… filled… like an oily fog, sliding into her…
This isn't right! This isn't supposed to happen!
The soul has been separated.
But it had not yet been bound to the blade… it would be separated forever until they finished the incantation to bind it to the blade…
Or bind it to me!
Frantically, she struggled up through the fog. "Harry! No! Don't cast it! He's…" Her vocal cords spasmed as the other presence in her rose… as it took control over her body… for a moment only…
"Thank you for the new body, boy." It was Hermione's voice… and yet it wasn't… Harry looked at her in horror and she struggled to the top… she took control over her voice again and shouted, "I can't… I can't push him out, Harry! The sword, the blade! You have to trap him in it!"
Harry pulled the blade from the Dark Lord's body, which now lay crumpled on the ground.
"It's prepared already, stab me and finish the incantation!" Hermione struggled to remain on top, fighting the green fog… her voice grew smaller as she began to sink within herself. "Kill me, Harry – the sword… trap him…"
"NO!" From the corner of her eyes, she could see Severus struggling to his feet.
The other presence rose up in a rush and said in a rough voice so like her own, "No, girl – stay where you belong…" It tried to push her back down, but she fought, clawing with her mind, with her will, to rise back up to the surface…
Harry's voice was frantic. "The sword is spelled to Voldemort only, but Hermione - what if you get pulled in, too?"
"I won't, Harry. Do it," Hermione managed.
"NO!" It was Severus' voice. She turned her head haltingly to look at him.
Hermione saw Severus through eyes that were rapidly being taken over by the other presence in her mind… the green fog was building… building… her own soul, shrinking, drowning… suffocating… and then…
…a red haze grew… expanded… her soul could breathe again… the red haze hit the edge of the green fog and pushed… Hermione struggled to the top again and reached out, her arm moving jerkily, and grabbed the blade. Harry gasped, shaking his head, and she followed his gaze to see blood dripping from her fingers. The pain… Gods, the pain… the Call… the red haze - the Call! It was helping her, saving her… and in return, she knew… she knew what it expected of her… pain, blood, the Blood Rites, the Call…
Finalize the bridge…
Finalize the link…
Pulling the blade to her chest, her head swam as Voldemort continued to try to take control… every now and then the red haze would be pushed back, letting the green billow up… and every time, her grip tightened on the blade and the wash of fresh blood from her cuts rejuvenated the power of the Call, pushing back the green.
With one hand, she pulled open her robes, exposing her flesh to the cool air. With the other hand, she pulled the tip of the blade to her skin, over her breastbone, and drew a long, straight line across it. Distantly she heard a scream from Severus… but she couldn't make out the words… gasping denials from Harry… Harry… Savior of the Wizarding World… she looked into his green eyes and smiled.
"Payment Offered. Blood Accepted," she intoned, feeling the Call course into her, eager in its impatience… "Do it, Harry. You have to do it."
"Hermione!" Tears? Were those tears in his eyes… the silly boy… eyes are so pretty… so pretty… so green… green… green…
Her vocal cords were no longer her own. Her voice came out, guttural and uneven, the tones and modulation nothing like her own even cadence. "No, boy – you don't want your friend killed, do you? Particularly not by your own hand. You wouldn't betray her like this… not the loyal Harry Potter."
Hermione struggled… struggled… fought against the green fog even as her head was turned to face Severus. "Snape – blood traitor… this Mudblood means much to you, doesn't she? Help me, and I will give her back to yo-"
The sight of Severus gave her the jolt of energy she needed to push Voldemort back down… the red haze roiled wildly, specks of green fog beginning to show in the gaps… "Harry, please, I can't keep us separate much longer…" Harry began to shake his head, but she stopped him. "Harry, listen to me! Betrayal brings hope, loyalty bring ruin… this was foretold… it has to be… the incantation still holds on the blade… trap him… do it. Do it."
She watched as Harry closed his eyes, bowing his head. His fingers tightened their grip on the hilt and her fingers, still weeping blood, covered his. In a whisper, he said, "I'm sorry, Severus."
"No!!!" The raw scream from Severus shattered the stillness. From the corner of her eye, she saw him struggle back to his feet and lurch towards them.
Too late.
A small hesitation. A quick thrust. A sucking feeling… a greenish-blue glow moved from her to the blade… glowing… glowing…
And then the sucking feeling was gone…
In its place was pain… pain like she had never known…
Green eyes, tear-filled, haunted…
She began to fall… the hilt pulled from her friend's hand…
Black eyes stared from an ashen face… falling… she fell…
Her fingers slipped from the oddly warm hilt… slick with blood… she fell…
It was like floating… she hit the ground, the point of the blade catching on the ground beneath her back… the blade slid out a few finger widths from her breast…
A shaking hand reached up… red-filled… blood… liquid blood… dripping down… the red haze grew… it was her own hand, her own hand grasping the hilt and pulling the blade from her own chest…
It slid from her body with a wet, sucking sound… it still glowed… Harry, Harry you have to finalize it… Wait… you did, I was there… I am there… the Dark Lord will be dead… the Dark Lord is dead… is dead…
She was being lifted… floating, again… but the ground was so soft, so nice… the floating is nice, but someone keeps talking… make them stop… the dark is nice and warm and comfortable…
A choked voice, speaking to her again, "Hermione… love… hold on…"
Hold on… to what? She reached out and touched the ashen face, her eyes opening wider as she saw blood… her hand… blood… the red haze grew, gave her strength… and then she saw blood – solid blood – blood in flight – it landed on her chest – it sung…
Blood singing, singing, crying for her… the crystal tear dripped onto her chest… blood is crying for me… why is blood crying for me?
They have paid. You have made them pay.
She could breathe again… she sucked in air, beautiful air, and coughed… wings flapped in her face at the movement and she blinked.
Fawkes.
Phoenix tears.
She began to laugh. She laughed until tears fell from her cheek.
Someone else was laughing… no, wait. No… not laughing. The body she was leaning against was shaking… Severus…shaking with sobs. Her laughter died, but the smile remained on her face… a remnant of her laughter, just like the red haze lingering in the back of her mind was a remnant of her newly-forged linkage to the Call.
Sitting up with a small groan, Hermione turned stiffly and wrapped her arms around her husband, holding him as tightly as her weakened muscles would allow. She felt like she had been chewed up by a Hippogriff and spit out again. She felt like she had taken a hundred bludgers to the body. She felt…
…she felt wonderful.
Severus was alive. Harry was alive. She was alive.
Severus' arms tightened around her and she gasped out a laugh once again. "You did say it would be better for me to die, than follow the path that you took," she said, her laughter changing to a cough. He didn't speak, just shook his head and held her tightly.
"Severus… I feel it. Even now… will it always be like this?"
"Gods… I don't know. I don't know." Severus opened his eyes and stared at her, still a touch of disbelief in his expression. "No one has ever performed the Blood Rites on themselves before. That I know of… Gods, Hermione… You might. You might feel it like this all the time – is it unbearable?"
"No… just… there."
Severus let out a relieved sigh. "The linkage was completed, but the bridge is small, then." His eyes snapped and he stared at her fiercely. She swallowed, confused by this change of demeanor. "I love you, do you understand that? I love you, Gods… don't you ever do anything like that again…"
"I'll try not to." She grinned and opened her mouth to say more when she heard a voice from behind her.
"Stupefy."
Releasing Severus, she turned and saw her friend slump over onto the ground, his glasses falling next to him. Oh, Gods… what now? She didn't even have the energy to reach for her wand as Severus shifted to put himself between her and the approaching figure.
The black-robed figure stopped next to Harry's unconscious form before reaching up and pulling off the mask.
Viktor.
"Vell, isn't this a cozy scene?"
Hermione finally found her voice. "Viktor - what are you doing? Why did you Stun Harry? What-"
Viktor cut her off. "Vat am I doing? Vell, you all here haff so kindly removed my two largest problems… now I only haff vun other problem to take care of." Viktor's black eyes, now cold and hard, shifted to Severus. "This problem is a more personal vun." He steadied his wand.
Hermione's eyes widened as it hit her… she finally realized Viktor's motivations. "No!" She scrambled in front of Severus, covering him with her body. He protested angrily, trying to push her away, out of harm's way, but she clung to him… she knew – she hoped – that Viktor wouldn't strike while she was in the line of fire. She craned her neck to stare at the black-robed man, letting out a relieved breath when she saw his hesitation. Severus must have seen it, also, because he stopped trying to remove her from his person.
Viktor's hand trembled. "Get out of the vay. You may haff been forced into this, but I can help you."
Hermione shook her head. "No – Viktor… No. It was my choice. You'll have to kill me, too."
Viktor's eyes darkened and Severus' wand arm tensed. "Get off of me, Hermione."
"No, Severus," she said, turning to look him in the eye. "He saved my life. From Draco. Don't." Severus' eyes narrowed but he nodded infinitesimally.
"I vill save you again, Hermione. Come vith me. You do not haff to show him loyalty any longer."
"No, Viktor. If he's going to be dead, then I'm dead with him." Hermione turned her head once again, ignoring the pained muscle in her neck as she looked at Viktor. "I love him, Viktor."
Viktor hesitated again before raising his wand… his arm shook… his eyes blinked rapidly… holding back tears? Gods… I hadn't known… I hadn't known…what could have changed, had I known? Slowly, Viktor's shaking hand lowered and he shook his head slowly. "You know me too vell. I only vanted to be vith you… any vay I could… but…" Viktor laughed self-deprecatingly and said thickly, "I haff alvays luffed you, Hermione. Goodbye." Turning, Viktor walked to the body of the Dark Lord and stood silently, looking down at it. To Hermione's surprise, he bent and picked up the corpse and turned to face Severus. "Take care of her."
Severus nodded silently and they both watched as Viktor Disapparated with the body of the Dark Lord.
The field was silent, but for the wind. She could hear her own breathing as she clutched Severus to her… his heartbeat under her ear.
Then the silence was broken by a loud flapping of wings. Fawkes, with a reproachful glance at the two conscious humans, landed on Harry's chest and began to sing.
Phoenix song washed over them, reviving them, energizing them.
Harry's eyes opened, and Fawkes flapped up to his shoulder as he groaned and sat up, clutching his head. Severus sneered. "Oh, wipe that self-important look off your face, bird. He was only Stunned." Fawkes looked at Severus with a definite gleam of amusement in his eye and then took off, disappearing with a pop. Hermione frowned, the Phoenix song's refreshing effect on her mind making her realize something.
"Viktor Disapparated… now Fawkes… my wards are down?"
"They've been down, ever since Voldemort…" Harry's voice trailed off. "I would Apparate, but I'm pretty damned sure I'd splinch right now. Your old boyfriend packs a rough Stunner, Hermione."
"I'm sure the phoenix has gone to get help, Potter," Severus said dryly, clutching Hermione to his chest more tightly. She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes.
"It's over, isn't it? It's really over."
"Yes, Potter. It's over," Severus said with none of his usual rancor. "And I've been far more fortunate than I ever had hope of being."
Hermione lifted her head and stared into his eyes, black, warm, open… the eyes of her lover, her friend, her mentor, her husband…
Popping noises announced the arrival of Mediwizards and Aurors and Order members, but Hermione and Severus ignored the rushing feet as their lips met with a feverish joy.
And I've been far more fortunate than I ever had hope of being.
"The key to ensure light over shadows prevail
Is in the blood of the friend, bound in red
From dark to light, from despair to hope
From stag to blade, from blade to flesh
Betrayal brings hope, loyalty brings ruin
Blood rites will conquer the shadow
And the Dark Lord will be dead."
A/N: Whew. I hope the ending didn't disappoint… There will be an epilogue, posted at the LATEST by next Tuesday night. A sequel? Maybe. No time soon, though. I am going to start on my original fiction in earnest now, though I will probably pop into HP fanfic every now and then with a one-shot, short story, or a PWP when I've got awful writer's block ;). I don't expect to start writing any long fanfictions anytime soon, however. But I will definitely be reading!!!
Thank you so much to everyone for the feedback and wonderful response this story has received. Your comments, emails, posts, and reviews have really been flattering and thought provoking, definitely very helpful as I try to hone my writing skills.
Next week I'll post the House Points, as many of you have requested I do, at the end of the epilogue. I apologize for my long author's notes, as I know many of you might find it irritating. That is why I did it at the end of the chapters, however, so you didn't have to wade through them unless you wanted to. There are people who are irritated by it and people who are irritated when the author never acknowledges reviews – can't make everyone happy so I did what I thought best. Thanks for reading, thanks for reviewing, thanks for recommending, and thanks for telling me when I screwed up. As always, tell me if there are mistakes in this chapter – I always look to improve, and that kind of feedback is invaluable. It's a long chapter, it's late, and my mind does funny tricks on me with long chapters late at night :).
And pleeeeez review! (If you have any questions or if there's something you're unclear on, please post it in a review or email me. I will answer as soon as possible – though some things will be answered in the epilogue or were left ambiguous on purpose.)