A/N: Thank you, thank you - 400 times, thank you! Again I've had a week
filled with lots of great reviews, bringing me up to over four
centuries worth. ;)
Sorry for the delay, RL's reared its ugly head lately. I've put some
efforts towards making revisions of previous chapters, however. Mostly
corrections and small improvements; if I were to make major changes I
may as well just write a new story altogether... Anyway, I'll likely be
posting the altered version in much larger multi-chapter sections when
I'm done.
LJ is still here and looking for company as I blather on about this
chapter and future plans. Comments are welcome!
http://www.livejournal.com/users/athenakt/
Disclaimers apply as always.
---------------------------
Chapter 40
Severus looked up at Harry in weary bemusement, and Harry couldn't help
but to run a soothing hand along the older man's back once more. "Let's
get you over to the chair and you can rest a minute." Severus had
tensed slightly at Harry's touch but offered no further protest as he
was assisted to his feet and guided to the chair in the corner to sit.
Moments passed before Severus stirred again, raising a hand to press at
the bridge of his nose and taking a breath. As swiftly as he was able,
Severus gathered up the tattered shreds of his composure and rewove
them into something passably strong. Harry couldn't help but reach a
hand out and gently move it through the place where Severus' aura
shone at its darkest.
The sight of it from close up brought Harry to a startled realization,
and he breathed, "Scars. Old scars on your aura." His hand passed
through the aura to rest on Severus' shoulder.
Severus swiftly pressed himself to his feet and moved beyond Harry's
reach, leading the way out to the main room. Tonelessly, he muttered,
"You should go to your rooms now. They are just across the hall. The
password is "Phoenix Feathers".
Harry wanted to protest, but the weariness in Severus' eyes and aura
urged him to give Severus time to rest and recover for a while. He
nodded reluctantly but added, "We might want to be careful at first; we
haven't really been away from each other for any length of time except
in the Hospital Wing which was warded for us."
Watching Harry approach again, Severus nodded briefly and closed the
door to the Rune room after Harry. Warding the door, Severus kept
himself a safe and comfortable distance from the younger wizard. "Go
on, then. Keep your door open at first, and then we'll go from there."
"What about Peeves? Harry questioned. "Won't he be able to get into our
rooms and wreak havoc?"
With signs of a faint smirk, however brief, Severus shook his head.
"For ghosts or poltergeists, wards are wards- whether the door is open
or closed. At least in /my/ rooms and the other dungeon suites that
I've seen to long ago. The Bloody Baron is the only one capable of
entering these rooms without special measures being taken. Peeves is
fearful of the Bloody Baron and rarely wreaks down here- havoc or
otherwise."
Harry nodded slowly with amusement and started to make his way along
the bookshelves towards the door. In sudden realization, he grinned and
turned back, "Thank you, Severus. For rescuing me and everything. I
suppose I should also thank you for all you've done to keep me safe
when I was younger, too. I never ... appreciated it."
Blinking in surprise, Severus absorbed the words for several moments
before nodding brusquely. "You're welcome, Pot- ... Harry. Go to your
room and rest now."
It was then that Severus' fireplace sparked to life, a familiar voice
coming from within. "Severus. Are you there?"
Harry recognized with shock that the voice belonged to Lucius Malfoy.
* * * * *
The boy's eyes widened in shock as Severus watched, and he quickly
gestured at Harry to dispel any foolish urge to confront his caller.
Silently he mouthed the words, "Stay here and stay silent," to Harry so
that he would stay out of visual range of Lucius in the fireplace. At
Harry's hesitant nod of agreement, Severus stared pointedly at him for
a moment more before turning to make his way to the area before the
fireplace.
Calmly, Severus regarded his boyhood companion. "Good day, Lucius. I
expect that you have any number of reasons for flooing me."
"And you know them all, Severus," was Lucius reply, his stern features
lightening upon first sight of Severus. "Likely you could deliver an
hour dissertation on each," he added wryly.
"And from the sound of things, you must be alone." Severus took a
moment to study the blonde wizard whose hair was unrumpled, his
composure absolute. He knew that Lucius' clothing and Manor would
follow the same theme, no matter the stress he might be under at the
moment. He murmured, "I hope things didn't go too badly for you?"
"Too badly?" Lucius questioned with a touch of sarcasm, "No, not at
all- for me at any rate. I just got to take a tour of America's
charming eastern countryside and seaboard with nothing to show for it
apart from nettles in my cloak and sand in my shoes. So I was away
while the Dark Lord was venting his displeasure upon the others. That
will change later, I expect, when he next summons us and I tell him the
results of my search."
Severus winced, knowing that displeasure from experience. "I suppose
you're calling to make me feel guilt over it."
Lucius smirked despite the unease of what faced him later, "That and to
ask for a bit of your specialty for when I get home." Taking a longer
look at Severus, Lucius seemed a touch concerned- although to others
with less experience of the man, the flicker of the gaze would convey
anything but that. "You look rather hellish if I might say so."
"You may," Sighing, Severus deliberately kept himself from glancing to
the side where no doubt Harry was gaping at him like a fish. "I'll send
some of the potion over to Narcissa when it's ready; it's time to make
a fresh batch."
Knowingly, Lucius muttered, "It's been a busier summer than we'd
anticipated last year, eh Severus? Looks like you'll have to get back
into the habit of keeping that in stock now that he's back."
"You're hardly safe on that end," Severus growled. "And neither is
Draco. When are you going to swallow your pride and leave? Especially
now that I seem to have been sunken into his disfavor?"
The other wizard snorted, "If you were any more disfavored you'd be a
pile of ash, Severus. He hasn't actually called you a traitor yet, but
between his paranoia and his intelligence it won't be long. I'd suggest
you don't go out for a while."
Wryly, Severus shook his head, "I'll trade your services of shopping
for a few of my more ... selective ingredients for this month's supply
of the potion, then."
"Agreed. So long as you don't use the version that contains that
repulsive tasting wart root."
Severus couldn't help but chuckle. "Stay on my good side, then."
Lucius suddenly grinned with the warmth contained in his voice,
"Always." More seriously, he asked, "How is the old fool treating you?"
"The same," Severus immediately replied, deliberately masking his
reaction to the memory of recent events into impassivity.
Lucius knew better, however, and frowned at the answer. He also knew
that pushing him would get him nowhere and instead growled, "You know
how much I despise that man. Even since Fifth year you hadn't been the
same. You shouldn't stay there."
"And where would I go? With you in the Manor?" Severus dubiously asked.
"You could." Sly grey eyes regarded Severus almost impishly.
"Not the most intelligent move. How long do you think it would take for
word to get out?" Severus sighed. "Not only would I be at risk, but so
would you as well as Draco and Narcissa."
Lucius' expression stiffened at the slight to his pride, but Severus
knew he wasn't enough of a megalomaniac to believe in it blindly. He
wouldn't have gotten to the position he had if he did. He didn't admit
to the potential inability to protect them, however. Instead, he
changed the topic. "Send a list of ingredients with the potion and I'll
see them delivered tomorrow afternoon."
A touch more kindly, Severus tried for a smile. "Thank you, Lucius.
Watch your back."
"You too." And with that, the blonde wizard was gone, the fire dying
down to embers once more.
Surprisingly, Severus found the brief 'visit' to have put him in a
better mood as he turned to bestow an expectant stare upon Harry who
was, as he had guessed, gaping like a fish. "Close your mouth, Harry.
You never know what might fall into it otherwise."
filled with lots of great reviews, bringing me up to over four
centuries worth. ;)
Sorry for the delay, RL's reared its ugly head lately. I've put some
efforts towards making revisions of previous chapters, however. Mostly
corrections and small improvements; if I were to make major changes I
may as well just write a new story altogether... Anyway, I'll likely be
posting the altered version in much larger multi-chapter sections when
I'm done.
LJ is still here and looking for company as I blather on about this
chapter and future plans. Comments are welcome!
http://www.livejournal.com/users/athenakt/
Disclaimers apply as always.
---------------------------
Chapter 40
Severus looked up at Harry in weary bemusement, and Harry couldn't help
but to run a soothing hand along the older man's back once more. "Let's
get you over to the chair and you can rest a minute." Severus had
tensed slightly at Harry's touch but offered no further protest as he
was assisted to his feet and guided to the chair in the corner to sit.
Moments passed before Severus stirred again, raising a hand to press at
the bridge of his nose and taking a breath. As swiftly as he was able,
Severus gathered up the tattered shreds of his composure and rewove
them into something passably strong. Harry couldn't help but reach a
hand out and gently move it through the place where Severus' aura
shone at its darkest.
The sight of it from close up brought Harry to a startled realization,
and he breathed, "Scars. Old scars on your aura." His hand passed
through the aura to rest on Severus' shoulder.
Severus swiftly pressed himself to his feet and moved beyond Harry's
reach, leading the way out to the main room. Tonelessly, he muttered,
"You should go to your rooms now. They are just across the hall. The
password is "Phoenix Feathers".
Harry wanted to protest, but the weariness in Severus' eyes and aura
urged him to give Severus time to rest and recover for a while. He
nodded reluctantly but added, "We might want to be careful at first; we
haven't really been away from each other for any length of time except
in the Hospital Wing which was warded for us."
Watching Harry approach again, Severus nodded briefly and closed the
door to the Rune room after Harry. Warding the door, Severus kept
himself a safe and comfortable distance from the younger wizard. "Go
on, then. Keep your door open at first, and then we'll go from there."
"What about Peeves? Harry questioned. "Won't he be able to get into our
rooms and wreak havoc?"
With signs of a faint smirk, however brief, Severus shook his head.
"For ghosts or poltergeists, wards are wards- whether the door is open
or closed. At least in /my/ rooms and the other dungeon suites that
I've seen to long ago. The Bloody Baron is the only one capable of
entering these rooms without special measures being taken. Peeves is
fearful of the Bloody Baron and rarely wreaks down here- havoc or
otherwise."
Harry nodded slowly with amusement and started to make his way along
the bookshelves towards the door. In sudden realization, he grinned and
turned back, "Thank you, Severus. For rescuing me and everything. I
suppose I should also thank you for all you've done to keep me safe
when I was younger, too. I never ... appreciated it."
Blinking in surprise, Severus absorbed the words for several moments
before nodding brusquely. "You're welcome, Pot- ... Harry. Go to your
room and rest now."
It was then that Severus' fireplace sparked to life, a familiar voice
coming from within. "Severus. Are you there?"
Harry recognized with shock that the voice belonged to Lucius Malfoy.
* * * * *
The boy's eyes widened in shock as Severus watched, and he quickly
gestured at Harry to dispel any foolish urge to confront his caller.
Silently he mouthed the words, "Stay here and stay silent," to Harry so
that he would stay out of visual range of Lucius in the fireplace. At
Harry's hesitant nod of agreement, Severus stared pointedly at him for
a moment more before turning to make his way to the area before the
fireplace.
Calmly, Severus regarded his boyhood companion. "Good day, Lucius. I
expect that you have any number of reasons for flooing me."
"And you know them all, Severus," was Lucius reply, his stern features
lightening upon first sight of Severus. "Likely you could deliver an
hour dissertation on each," he added wryly.
"And from the sound of things, you must be alone." Severus took a
moment to study the blonde wizard whose hair was unrumpled, his
composure absolute. He knew that Lucius' clothing and Manor would
follow the same theme, no matter the stress he might be under at the
moment. He murmured, "I hope things didn't go too badly for you?"
"Too badly?" Lucius questioned with a touch of sarcasm, "No, not at
all- for me at any rate. I just got to take a tour of America's
charming eastern countryside and seaboard with nothing to show for it
apart from nettles in my cloak and sand in my shoes. So I was away
while the Dark Lord was venting his displeasure upon the others. That
will change later, I expect, when he next summons us and I tell him the
results of my search."
Severus winced, knowing that displeasure from experience. "I suppose
you're calling to make me feel guilt over it."
Lucius smirked despite the unease of what faced him later, "That and to
ask for a bit of your specialty for when I get home." Taking a longer
look at Severus, Lucius seemed a touch concerned- although to others
with less experience of the man, the flicker of the gaze would convey
anything but that. "You look rather hellish if I might say so."
"You may," Sighing, Severus deliberately kept himself from glancing to
the side where no doubt Harry was gaping at him like a fish. "I'll send
some of the potion over to Narcissa when it's ready; it's time to make
a fresh batch."
Knowingly, Lucius muttered, "It's been a busier summer than we'd
anticipated last year, eh Severus? Looks like you'll have to get back
into the habit of keeping that in stock now that he's back."
"You're hardly safe on that end," Severus growled. "And neither is
Draco. When are you going to swallow your pride and leave? Especially
now that I seem to have been sunken into his disfavor?"
The other wizard snorted, "If you were any more disfavored you'd be a
pile of ash, Severus. He hasn't actually called you a traitor yet, but
between his paranoia and his intelligence it won't be long. I'd suggest
you don't go out for a while."
Wryly, Severus shook his head, "I'll trade your services of shopping
for a few of my more ... selective ingredients for this month's supply
of the potion, then."
"Agreed. So long as you don't use the version that contains that
repulsive tasting wart root."
Severus couldn't help but chuckle. "Stay on my good side, then."
Lucius suddenly grinned with the warmth contained in his voice,
"Always." More seriously, he asked, "How is the old fool treating you?"
"The same," Severus immediately replied, deliberately masking his
reaction to the memory of recent events into impassivity.
Lucius knew better, however, and frowned at the answer. He also knew
that pushing him would get him nowhere and instead growled, "You know
how much I despise that man. Even since Fifth year you hadn't been the
same. You shouldn't stay there."
"And where would I go? With you in the Manor?" Severus dubiously asked.
"You could." Sly grey eyes regarded Severus almost impishly.
"Not the most intelligent move. How long do you think it would take for
word to get out?" Severus sighed. "Not only would I be at risk, but so
would you as well as Draco and Narcissa."
Lucius' expression stiffened at the slight to his pride, but Severus
knew he wasn't enough of a megalomaniac to believe in it blindly. He
wouldn't have gotten to the position he had if he did. He didn't admit
to the potential inability to protect them, however. Instead, he
changed the topic. "Send a list of ingredients with the potion and I'll
see them delivered tomorrow afternoon."
A touch more kindly, Severus tried for a smile. "Thank you, Lucius.
Watch your back."
"You too." And with that, the blonde wizard was gone, the fire dying
down to embers once more.
Surprisingly, Severus found the brief 'visit' to have put him in a
better mood as he turned to bestow an expectant stare upon Harry who
was, as he had guessed, gaping like a fish. "Close your mouth, Harry.
You never know what might fall into it otherwise."