A/N: Thanks for your continued support and feedback; I really appreciate hearing from
you all. Sorry this chapter is a bit late; I'm considering this one my 'quota' for
last week. I still plan on writing one for this week. Warning: I'm posting this with
only a minor check for spelling because I want to get this uploaded quickly.

Disclaimers apply as always. Best when served warm.

----------------------------

Chapter 27

Severus narrowed his eyes consideringly even as he watched Harry's widen in shock. It
was quite fascinating, really... the detailed swirl of color present around the boy
defined themselves with almost instinctive ease. Present was a mixture of confusion,
worry that had ebbed ever so slightly at his previous words, curiosity, sudden
comprehension and a good deal of pain which was very unpleasant to continue to look
at. But then Severus never allowed pain of any sort to get in the way of his
gathering of knowledge.

Resuming his intended path back to his bunk with Dumbledore's fussing aid, Severus
found he couldn't seem to remove his gaze from the youth. Without quite realizing it,
he altered his path to stand at the side of Harry's bunk. Dumbledore, ever perceptive
and swift acting, conjured a chair for Severus and settled him there. "How did you
ever put up with this?" Severus inquired, thoughtfully comparing the aura and then
the lack of auras surrounding Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey.

"It wasn't so bad," Harry hesitantly replied.

Severus watched as shades of uncertainty and unease blossomed around Harry; likely
there was something the boy wasn't sure if he should say, so he prompted the boy with
a brusque but not harsh, "Out with it. What is on your ... mind?" Severus was faintly
pleased at the expected effect the pause had; Harry was familiar enough with Severus'
behavior from his classes to know exactly what was left out of his last statement,
and it gave Harry enough pause to transform his uncertainty into irritation, causing
him to speak that much sooner and with less thought to guarding his words.

"It's helpful," Harry stated with challenging bravado, meeting Severus' eyes without
flinching despite the boy's weakness. "A tool, apparently, that is used to aid the
other, and to heal."

Frowning with increased concentration, his interest piqued despite himself, Severus
asked, "And how did you do this?"

Resting back on his pillows, Harry drew a deep breath. "The very first time I
remember seeing your aura was when we were on our own and Voldemort tried summoning
you. It was before you'd gotten your memory back. Voldemort wasn't pleased at finding
you where you were and was punishing you with pain ... Your aura was riddled with
holes and something ... malicious was flooding through them. I ... " Harry gestured
in the air as though trying to describe something he couldn't. "... I stopped the
influx and ... well ... flushed out what was causing the pain. I tried to ... smooth
over the holes, but there were a lot of large ones that I couldn't fix completely."
Behind Severus, Dumbledore had grown very still and silent; a sign of the man's
continued low level distress.

Speculatively, Severus squinted at Harry, tilting his head slightly as though to get
a better look. With a bit of effort he rose from his chair to get a closer look at
the aura before him. "From the look of you, Harry, I'd hesitate only a moment before
comparing it to a slightly less developed appearance of Swiss Lorraine cheese. The
holes in some areas are small but plentiful. Especially, and not unexpectedly, around
your scar."

Madam Pomfrey chose that moment to interject, "Mr. Potter seemed to take the brunt of
the last attack, having been outside the wards." She looked deeply regretful and
guilty at not having the forethought of an occurrence like that, and Dumbledore
hastened to reassure her with gentle words of reassurance that managed to be
unobtrusive enough to keep the previous conversation on track.

"Perhaps ..." Severus hesitated before raising a hand, hesitating again before
carefully touching Harry's wrist where there was some sort of disturbance in the
aura; pain and a few small rips. "You seem to have damaged your wrist." Severus' next
words were cut off when he gasped at the tingling sensation he felt, as though tiny
pricks of electricity were jumping between the two of them at the point of contact.
He swiftly drew his hand back.

"Severus?" Dumbledore swiftly checked for signs of distress. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Albus," Severus muttered as he inspected his own fingers for physical
evidence of whatever had happened and found none. Turning his attention back to
Harry's wrist, Severus was able to see that the intensity of pain had lessened a
small amount, making it less uncomfortable for Severus to study. Thusly reassured,
Severus brought his hand to rest more firmly around the thin circumference of Harry's
wrist, keeping it there as the prickling sensation resumed and eventually faded. When
he drew his hand away to inspect the wrist again there was no evidence of pain and
the holes had become the visual equivalent of protective scabs.

From across the bed, Madame Pomfrey explained, "Harry fell on that wrist when he
collapsed. The potion I gave him will heal it as well as the ankle he twisted while
he sleeps. I was about to give him a small dose of Dreamless Sleep," she added. With
a curious glance first at Harry's wrist and then the lessened strain in his
expression, she murmured with a pleased tone, "You seem to have done him some good,
however."

"My wrist doesn't hurt anymore," was Harry's reply, staring up at Severus as he
flexed his hand, testing it.

"Hmmm," was Severus' only reply, busy analyzing the damage he saw further. The worst
of it was centered around Harry's scar, and that location seemed to be spreading
further non-physical distress to other areas. He wasn't eager to touch the scar due
to recent experience, but it would be less than efficient to do anything else. Coming
to a reluctant compromise, Severus murmured to Albus, "Please be ready to pull me
away from him if something is amiss." Before Albus could finish the first words of
his objection, Severus covered Harry's scar with his right hand.

* * * * *

Harry couldn't help but gasp at the sensation, his eyes falling closed. It was as
though he'd been experiencing a sweltering summer day with no sign of relief from the
heat and humidity before a sudden storm front pressed its way through, bringing on
its heels refreshingly cool breezes and rain. Wherever the rain fell he felt the pain
slowly ebbing, being neutralized and washed away from him. He let out a sigh of
relief and sank into a blissfully dreamless sleep.

He awoke to the gentle play of sunlight on his face and he enjoyed the light's warmth
for some moments before stirring further and opening his eyes. Reaching for his
glasses, Harry put them on and sat up, stretching with the simple pleasure of doing
so without pain or stiff muscles.

Looking over to one side he spotted Severus curled up on his bunk, still asleep. His
professor still looked tired, yet he seemed more peaceful than before; a tiny smile
quirked at the edges of his mouth as though in remembrance of some past event that
had pleased him. With a grin, Harry decided he'd best not be caught staring at
Severus when he awoke like that. Thankfully Madame Pomfrey chose that moment to bring
in trays of breakfast for them.

Pleased to see Harry awake and seemingly without pain, she set his tray to floating
before him before sharing a conspiratorial grin with him upon Severus' current state.
She gestured that Harry should lie down again before she called in a slightly louder
than strictly necessary tone, "Wake up, Mr. Potter. Severus. It's time for your
breakfast and then a checkup.

Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw Severus jerk awake and sit up, quickly
gathering his thoughts and composure. The curious and suspicious look he gave Harry
upon sighting him led Harry to conclude that Severus was still able to see his aura.
Harry tried to give his breakfast his full attention to keep his amusement from
running rampant. Soon enough, breakfast, morning ablutions and medical checkups were
completed and the two were left with time to themselves.

Severus settled in the chair that Dumbledore had conjured the previous day, still
supportive and comfortable from the sheer power put into it. Harry could easily
understand that Severus much preferred to sit than to appear more vulnerable resting
in his bed, but he was also pleased to see that Severus didn't put any effort into
moving the chair away from Harry's bedside.

"Let's have a look at the prophecies; there was something in them I recall which can
have a different meaning since the events of last night," Severus suggested.
Producing his wand with a smooth gesture, he murmured, "Accio Prophecy summary." From
the pile of papers came the summary they had read from Dumbledore, but a small
booklet also unearthed itself from the sheaf to be delivered to Severus- awkwardly
hanging by the binding of the back cover. "Curious," Severus commented. Setting the
booklet on the covers of Harry's bed for perusal later, Severus perused Dumbledore's
parchment. "Yes, here it is... with company." He read:

'One is the Power while the other is the Key'

Tilting his head consideringly, Severus murmured, "This one was actually recent and
in English, so the words aren't a matter of chance. It seems likely that the phrasing
is more than creative license. One is the power, and while the one is the power the
other one is the key. When one is the key, the other is the power. And here is
further proof." Looking back to the list, he pointed out another line:

'Their Power is twinned, but not held by both'

"It seems that our abilities will shift- hopefully according to need," Severus added
dryly.