Chapter Thirty-one: A Broken Peace
"So this is going to hurt?" Alex began carefully. "That's all?"
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, that is not all. My studies have given me to understand that severing a magical bond when one of the bonded is unwilling is excruciating, worse than the Cruciatus."
Alex watched with fascination as his brow furrowed deeply in concern and found herself almost glad to have this opportunity to see the proof of his feelings for her. Though, frankly, his description of the pain involved terrified her. "Knock me out, then. Don't you have a potion or something to..."
He shook his head. "No. I cannot monitor your health while you're unconscious. I need you to be awake, and introducing a pain killer into your system while his magic moves within you is also dangerous. An unstable element could kill you." His eyes softened as he looked down at her. "I'm sorry, Alex. You'll simply have to bear it."
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "You'll stay with me?"
"Every second. I only wish I could bear it for you." Alex had no doubt that he was being completely honest, the regret that he felt was etched deeply in his face. "Is there anything you need?"
"I guess a glass of water wouldn't hurt," she mumbled, concentrating on keeping her breathing level, the discomfort in her usually unshakeable lover's face causing a swell of panic to rise within her.
A pitcher and glass were conjured immediately and she brought the cool liquid to her lips gratefully, washing away the sticky taste of fear.
Lucius completed the first refrain, creating a strong bond between his own forthcoming guilt and what was left of Thomas Marsh, ignoring his captive's inarticulate screams of protest. This complete, he immediately began to weave a web of protection around himself. The wind that came from nowhere suddenly ceased to stir his robes and whip the hair about his face as though he were surrounded by invisible walls. He tentatively checked the barrier and the bonds around Marsh. They were flawless, a proper testament to his power.
With just a whisper of remorse in the back of his mind, he spoke the first strain of the unbinding.
The glass slipped from nerveless fingers and fell to the floor, the shattering barely heard by either of the lovers. Severus clenched his teeth tightly in sympathy and looked on helplessly as Alex's eyes widened and her body went rigid. The shock in her eyes, as she raised them to his, went straight to his heart and he wove his fingers around hers. How he wanted to sink into his usual coldness, to harden his heart to her suffering, but he owed her this. He would suffer with her, would bear silent witness to the pain as Malfoy's spell ripped through her, tearing away the web of protection strand by strand.
He watched with morbid fascination as she viciously fought the agony. For almost a minute she endured in silence, drawing blood as her nails dug into his hand. He suffered without so much as a wince, hardly even noticing the discomfort. The evidence of her loss of control was precipitated by a whimper which became a low whine, then slowly grew into a scream that wrenched his heart.
She released his hand, writhing madly, clawing at her own body in an effort to alleviate her suffering. He allowed her the freedom to do so until she began to raise lines of blood, then he was forced to bind her. Another spell would have been better, but he feared what the combining of magic would do to her. Instead, he conjured strong but soft ropes, and with great effort, bound her to the bed, closing his eyes briefly against the sight of her contorted face as she howled.
At that moment, he recalled with some disgust allowing himself a fantasy about taking her while she was bound to his bed only a few days ago, the day he had heard that she'd turned Lucius down, the day he'd realized that he still loved her. He snorted. That egotistical fiend thought that just because he'd had his way with a woman that she'd fall to her knees and worship him. Whatever his usual experience with women, that was not to be with Alex. She was more likely to cut his throat in his sleep, especially now.
He checked his thoughts. Backed up. Considered the implications.
He'd have to smooth this over with her, somehow get her to see reason. The Order needed Malfoy's plan to succeed. The combined efforts of Malfoy, Snape and the Death Eaters who were certain to assist them, would be enough to destroy Voldemort. Then Severus could decide which side best suited him, which group deserved his loyalty. Everything worked to his favor if Lucius ascended the Dark Lord's throne, but Alex need not be involved.
His ponderings were interrupted by the sound of tearing as Alex strained the ropes that bound her. Having learned long ago to never underestimate her, he reinforced the ropes and lay down beside her, his ears already ringing from her screams. He was tempted to cast a silencing spell or even just a muffling spell on his own ears, but the power of the dark magic that was positively crackling in the air around them, raising the hairs on the back of his neck, was intense, violent, and nothing to be toyed with. He'd simply have to endure the screaming.
Lucius half listened to Marsh's growls and snarls as the magic of the contract sought him out to punish him for the pain that was being inflicted on its charge. Soon, these dissolved into screams as the spell began to rip away the strands of the web that bound Lucius to Alex. Each one that was broken caused a satisfying shudder in the pit of Malfoy's stomach. He relentlessly increased the rhythm of his chanting, wanting to be free, needing to exact revenge on this slip of a girl who dared to defy him, to make a mockery of his authority and he concentrated solely on his fury with her as the power of the spell grew within him, waiting to be released as needed.
She was learning already that challenging him was one of the worst mistakes one could ever make. Soon, he would make her pay for her lack of humility in the face of his power. When these bonds were broken, he would send his faithful Death Eaters out hunting. They would find her, bring her to him, and then he and Miss Borgin could discuss a suitable punishment.
Thomas thrashed impotently against his bonds as his screams became more and more hoarse, blood poured from the reopened wounds that covered his body.
Lucius' mouth curled into a demon's smile even as he panted for breath with each word. He felt a chill race down his spine as another strand fell away. He was almost free.
Severus fought down a swell of pride in his old friend. Malfoy was obviously working with his typical ruthless efficiency to sever the contract. With the exception of the convulsing girl in his arms, Snape was very comfortable with the way the spell was progressing. Alex's mind was intact and she seemed to be unharmed, despite the intense pain. She had grown weak enough from the struggle that he'd been able to release her from her bonds and just hold her while she trembled and cried.
He experienced a moment of guilt at the relief that her voice had given out almost an hour ago. No matter, he could fix that with a few potions after this was all over.
He was surprised to find that there were moments of peace to be had every few minutes, almost rhythmically, the pain would subside and Alex would just lie in his arms crying quietly. Now, however, was not one of those times. Now she shuddered and twisted violently as he held her, her waning strength requiring a minimum of struggle for him to keep her still as he wrapped around her like a second skin. They were nearly at the end, he could tell, the rhythm of timing between moments of peace and torment was accelerating and he could almost see the protective web being torn away.
She choked as she panted for breath and he stroked her hair soothingly, whispering words of encouragement, trying to ease her discomfort as best he could. It worked surprisingly well, her body relaxing a bit more as another wave of pain ended. He sighed, dipped his fingers in the pitcher and placed them to her mouth, allowing her to suck the drops of water from them. He repeated this a few times, her hydration having become a primary concern as she poured sweat no matter how much he cooled the air of the room. He himself was shivering from the cold as he drew his body more tightly around her feverish form.
The next wave of agony was so terrible that she actually cried aloud, a wretched, ragged scream torn from a throat so raw that he thought no more sound could come from it. His heart soared, though, as he felt the energy come to a peak around them. It was almost over, he knew. This was likely the last of it. Soon, he could tend to her properly, could give her food and drink and healing potions. Then later, perhaps, he could talk her out of going back to Malfoy Manor in disguise and killing the only hope they had of ridding the world of Dark Lord.
Lucius Malfoy. Severus shook his head in wonder of a man he couldn't help but respect. This was a spell that few could have managed, requiring concentrated and focused energy, the raw power of a pure-blood wizard, and the discipline of a master. It must have been exhausting in the extreme.
He started as Alex shuddered violently, then went limp in his arms for the final time. The air around them swirled as the last of the magic swept away and Severus gave his lover a tentative squeeze.
"It's over, Alex," he whispered into her hair. She managed a tiny moan in response. "Well done, my love."
Lucius collapsed to his knees with a cry of relief and release, drawing in a deep breath even as Thomas drew his last. It was done. The bonds were broken and Alex, he promised silently, would be his by the next full moon. For several minutes, he contented himself to remain on his hands and knees, catching his breath, swaying slightly as his arms trembled from the strain of the incredible amount of generated, contained, and released magical energy. He was exhausted and desperately needed a hot bath, a cool drink, and a long rest.
The temptation to summon the maid to assist him with these things was almost overwhelming, but he resisted knowing that it would do much more harm than good. Rose needed a full day off to settle her mind and acclimate to the fact that she was now the property of Lucius Malfoy, indeed she had unknowingly been his property for quite some time. He had no intention of releasing her from his service. Tonight, however, he would have to fend for himself.
A bit unsteadily, he rose to his feet, shook the hair back from his face, extinguished the candles and the fire beneath the cauldron with a quick wave of his wand, and strode from the room without a backward glace.
Severus placed the last bottle on the bedside table and woke Alex who had drifted off for the third time. She blinked awake, a look of confusion clouding her features. She had yet to show any real comprehension of what had happened or why she was even here and it frightened him more than a little, concerned that the pain may have affected her sanity.
"Sev?" Her voice trembled, childlike and frightened, and it touched him deeply to hear her call to him so naturally. She reached out a small hand to touch his hair as he leaned over to feel her face. It was cold, much colder than it should have been, even after a warming spell. He was tempted to call Poppy, but seeing the sister of her dead friend was the last thing Alex needed right now.
"It's alright, love. I'm here." He enfolded her hand in his. "Can you sit up? You need to drink these."
"It hurts, Sev," she whispered, her voice still weak after the soothing potion he'd given her.
"I know," he said softly, regretfully, helping her to rise and cushioning the headboard behind her with a pillow. "These will alleviate some of that."
He handed her the first of several bottles and she sipped it gingerly, pulling a grimace.
"I know. It's not exactly mulled wine, but it's better than any healing potion on the market." He smiled down at her. "My own special brew made with elements which are outlawed most emphatically." It wasn't difficult to see her visibly relax as the potion made short work of damaged nerve endings, immediately replacing them with new ones. The effect was so quick that most never even knew what was happening. Necessity had been the mother of that particular potion, his body no longer able to handle the intensity of torments heaped upon him by the Dark Lord. It was satisfying to see his work comfort this woman he so deeply cared for.
Now if he could just get her to talk.
He gave her the next bottle and watched as she drank it more easily.
"Are you hungry, Alex?" He watched her for her usual reaction, a quickly raised head and an interested gleam in her eyes. Alex was almost always hungry.
She gave no answer, inspecting her palm carefully like an addle-brained child. He scowled.
"Alex, do you know why you're here?"
She looked up at him carefully, tilting her head to the side in that familiar inquisitive gesture. Her eyes cleared slowly. "Lucius," she stated simply, shivering a bit at the mention of the man who had so grievously hurt her.
He sighed deeply, not satisfied, but encouraged by her recognition of at least that much. "Tell me what you remember."
She released a breath, obviously exasperated, but too tired to react heatedly. "I know what happened, Sev," she assured him. "I remember everything... unfortunately. I haven't lost it."
He simply nodded. "Good. Now finish these potions. You never answered my question. Are you hungry?"
The ghost of a smile tugged at her mouth. "Of course I am."
He chuckled lightly, relieved. "Something light, I think."
He summoned a house elf and ordered dinner as Alex disappeared into the lavatory to bathe.
When she emerged she looked clean, refreshed, and extremely desirable in nothing but one of his crisp linen shirts. He was settled against the headboard himself now, two serving trays hovering on either side of the bed.
She smiled warmly. "Now this is more like it," she said tiredly, climbing in beside him.
Severus was amazed at how quickly they settled into their old and comfortable routine, chatting lightly as they ate, laughing at subtle jokes, and touching one another softly, casually. He had forgotten how contented he could be in her presence and once again scolded himself about throwing it all away because of petty jealousy. It was high time that he settled within himself the fact that Alex would do what she had to do, just as he did.
When the trays were pushed to the side and the easygoing conversation began to die, she kissed him ever-so-sweetly on the cheek. "Say it again, Sev," she pleaded softly into his ear.
He chuckled as she nibbled his neck. "Do you never tire of hearing it?"
She rose up and looked him in the eye, her smile having flown at his question. "I'll never get tired of hearing it. I want to hear it for the rest of my life."
Severus kissed her gently, then broke away. "I love you," he whispered. He kissed her again, pressing her body slowly down beneath him and whispering it over and over into her skin as he made love to her tenderly, sweetly, unforgettably.
Lady Jenilyn: Having now written him that way, I find that I like Severus all mushy as well. A sort of bitter-sweetness seems to suit him. I hope that you enjoyed the culmination of the spell. My poor Lucius, he was so tired! I felt so sorry for him. I know exactly what you mean about Harry Potter being considered Satanic here in the Bible belt. My mother teaches at a Christian school (Church of God, at that) in the Deep South and won't go anywhere near an HP book. Whenever I mention them, she just changes the subject as if I've mortally offended her, but speaking of it would sully her pure soul. Gee, am I venting? Sorry. Anywho, I'm glad that my spell didn't go over the top. I tried to keep it true to the spirit of the books. I agree with you about Sev being there with her. He's such a sweetie!
Annie: Something to grab onto, huh? You bad girl, you! In a few sweet hours, I'll be in the theater seeing this "flab" for myself. I can't wait! So, you think that Lucius can never be sexy after this? Oh, come now. I know better. But, feel free to demurely disagree if it helps you sleep at night. :-) Alex separating the two women is a pretty big issue in the coming chapters, so I'm glad that you agree with Sev on that point. Then again, how can one not agree with him? He is the King of the good point. Your description of that movie theater was horrible. Between the snacks sold inside and the super early commercials, I'd be ballistic! How do you cope?
Rycca Wolfbane: Lucius holds a grudge for a long, Long time. I really like that about him. Yes, you have your Sevvie-Poo back for a few chapters. I admit I'm happy to see the little bastard as well. There's just something about him. Okay, Merlin for-friggin'-bid that Lucius ever find out you've lied to him about something as important as that heart. He'd be burning you alive in that waste bin, but for a really long time. Not a pretty thought. More Snapey goodness (yeah, that's become a household phrase already) coming your way soon. Leans over and whispers, trying to be unobtrusive and subtle, "How's Rougarre coming?"
Mary: Oh, I get it now. You're part of the 'Lucius Can Do No Wrong' club. So am I! Groovy! So, you're as big a Lucius fan as I am! Good girl! Sit down and have a cup of tea with me! Pull up a chair, have a snack. Lucius and Rose do have some issues to work out, that's the truth. Details later!
Intel Ewok: Hi, there! People keep saying that this is the best chapter and I'm terribly flattered. I'll have to reread it carefully to see what was so right about it. I'm glad that the dark spell didn't lack. I was really worried about it. Frankly I couldn't believe that Alex was throwing potions at Severus! I looked up at my screen and saw what she was doing and nearly freaked. That girl is crazy! She's lucky that Severus is so lenient with her. Anyone else would have been hexed into oblivion. I've tried so hard to stay away from Mary-Suedom where she is concerned. I don't mind Mary Sues that much myself, but there's so much hatred out there for them, and I'd hate to lose readers just because I didn't make her human enough. Of course, human or no, Severus could kick just about anybody's ass. I'd put my money on him every time.
Quietude: "Disturbingly horrid." I like that. Thanks! A very interesting question about why Severus told Lucius that Marsh had betrayed him. Very astute of you, actually. I didn't bother explaining it because I didn't feel it really mattered, but you definitely deserve to have an explanation. Severus did that to even further ingratiate Lucius, to reaffirm his own loyalty in Malfoy's eyes. Essentially, I see Severus as a man with a foot in both camps. Right now, he's pretty sure that he, Lucius, and a handful of loyal Death Eaters will be able to overthrow Voldemort. If that happens, then he's instantly in a position of great power. If not, then he can still fall back on Dumbledore's misplaced trust. Thanks for asking questions like that. It helps me to reevaluate what I write and to see whether everything is clear. I appreciate it.
Silverfey: I'm so glad you're back! YAY! As I've said to others, don't freak over Draco's "feelings." He's a teenage boy. His hormones are out of control. I think he realized by the end of the chapter how misplaced his attraction was. Sorry about those buttons. Okay, actually, I'm not sorry at all. I love to push buttons. It's fun! Severus is a confused ball of emotions, isn't he? I'm glad he finally sorted out his feeling for Alex, though. I was beginning to worry about that. I can't feel too badly for Marsh. He turned his back on Lucius, offered to sell out his secrets for protection. He should have known that Lucius would rip him apart in the end. At least Alex is up front about her refusal to serve him. I think he respects that... not that he isn't pissed about it. Ah, I've missed my "Go, you." Thanks. Now, get to writing!