Hiding Under the Ninth Earth
Book 03 : Epithalamium
Part II : Oh What a Difference a Day Makes
Chapter Twenty Seven : To the Veils of Death and Beyond
25 October 2003 (Continued)
8:30 pm
Arthur had no more touched the door when the cosy little room around them dissolved, leaving them on the far side of the much changed Room of Requirement. While Harry had been here numerous times over the years, it was so different this time, it took him a few moments to get his bearings. To him it looked like the Room itself had no boundaries, the people within forming one of their own as they gathered in a loose circle around a large eight point sunburst pattern in the centre, lit softly from within. The rest of the room was in pale shadow as if the circle was suspended freely in time and space.
The guests, arranged in pairs, stood near their appointed places ready to complete the circle. The four larger arms of the sunburst, where the eight witnesses would stand, were set on the cardinal points of the compass; the lesser four, which would be occupied by those representing the community, were centred between. Dumbledore, resplendent in sky blue and white robes awaited them in the middle, facing the north. Bemused, Harry looked at Arthur's amazed face, and together they strode into the soft light from the west, while Severus--
Harry thought he'd never seen a more wonderful sight than the exhausted face of his beloved coming towards him, escorted by Poppy. His heart, pounding wildly, tightened in profound relief as he devoured every detail of his appearance. With obvious stiffness, Severus slowly approached, and when they met in the middle, their arms rose involuntarily, hands sliding comfortingly under the sleeves of their formal robes. The almost painful pressure of their fingers tightly grasping the forearms of the other somehow made this moment more real. They allowed themselves only this simple gesture--both knowing that to do more, to show just how overjoyed they were to be back together, would involve bare skin and complete privacy.
Standing close, Harry held Severus' tired gaze. With their touch his healer's senses told him his lover still hurt; he suppressed the urgent desire to make him well and concentrated instead on conveying his full heart with his eyes and through their bonds, sending his love and concern. Severus replied back with his own that he understood Harry's restraint and that this internal loving was enough for the moment, that if he were to do more, he wasn't quite certain he would be able to stop. So they greedily took what comfort they could; the blood pulsing beneath warm skin under their restless hands and the feelings in which they wrapped each other became a steady reminder that they were finally together, soon to be never parted. With a reluctant, mutual squeeze, they separated, standing side by side facing north.
Dumbledore waited patiently, knowing they needed this small time to reconnect, for each to ensure the other was well. Although he was unhappy with what had transpired and its heavy cost to them both, especially Severus, he was conversely pleased: their binding tonight would be stronger for their recent trials. The day had proved to him again that though he might be a master of the Orrery, serendipitous chance always had a way of ensuring he was only partially correct in his assessments. He wryly thought of the 'other' things he'd glimpsed in their future and suspected one of them, in particular, would be far more 'interesting' than anything he could foresee now. He had brief pang of regret that he would most likely not live long enough to enjoy the mayhem it would bring into their lives, then brightened as he realised he could relentlessly plague them about it as Phineas and Merlin did him. He smiled to himself; he so loved poetic justice.
When Harry and Severus were ready, their reunion as complete as he knew they would allow themselves, Albus called the guests to their places, his back to Severus and Harry. Everyone else stepped forward onto the enchanted circle, Poppy joining them in the centre, smiling when she faced her two friends. With a word of command from Dumbledore, the room disappeared. They were suspended in the Orrery, the sunburst taking its place in the middle as the sun, the stars dancing around them. The planets, frozen in the arrangement foretelling their bond on this night, floated around them, their orbits forming circles outside of circles off into the distance. While the other guests simply thought this was part of the rather elaborate decor, only the four of them in the centre knew where they really were.
Certain of their isolation in this secure place, Dumbledore began the rite, older than the room they stood in. "We have gathered here at the behest of our friends Severus Snape and Harry Potter to witness and forge their final binding. The Banns have been published, and their marriage has been approved by their adopted community." He slid his eyes to Malia and winked, never breaking the cadence of his speech. "Most of the conditions of the Closed Form have been met, with the last--the Handfasting Trial--to be proven later at the Assimilation. Your presence tonight is twofold--to witness their bond--to embody the Form, but more importantly, we are here to celebrate their love for us and each other in a union that will transcend time itself."
Dumbledore pulled his wand out of the full sleeve of his robe. "The rite of the Form is simple: The Attunement (which we are now completing), The Casting of the Circle, The Blessings (which we will all bestow), The Exchange of Vows and Rings, The Assimilation, and The Closing of the Form with the witnessing and acceptance of their Marriage Contract. Severus and Harry have opted to express their part of The Blessings as an Epithalamium." There were whispers of surprise around the circle.
Dumbledore chuckled, acknowledging the glare from Severus, as he continued, "I freely admit I coerced them into writing a traditional Epithalamium--five verses apiece--one each on their past, courtship, present, passion, and future. They, brave souls, have chosen to write it separately, without collaboration."
He held out his wand, which began to spurt white sparks out of the end. "We forge the links to each other by community and commitment." He circled the flaring wand in a flat orbit starting from the North running clockwise until the streamer of sparks at the end joined those at the beginning. With a flick of his wand, the sparkles expanded outward like ripples on a still pond until they completely surrounded the guests. "Please join hands." Each person in the ring crossed arms and joined hands with their neighbors. "We bind the links to each other with cooperation and love." With another command, the magic formed a link with each, merging them into the Form as a whole. When the sparkles disappeared, they stood once again alone, their hands falling to their sides.
Holding his wand at his side, Dumbledore declared, "The Circle has been cast. All within have been bound by the Form. We will now begin the Blessings."
He held out his hand to Poppy, who moved into the centre, facing Severus and Harry. She solemnly raised her wand to her forehead and pulled out a fine filament similar to the ones drawn from Severus and Harry at their handfasting. The strand became a thin white cord floating separate in the air between them. "I am the Alpha, the Keeper of the Spirits, the Spiritual Realm of your journey. I bring balance, wholeness, integrity, and spiritual growth to your union." She touched the cord twisting in front of her. "This is the proof of your binding; when completed by the Omega, it will become the foundation of your union." She moved aside, allowing Dumbledore to stand before them, Poppy's cord floating freely to his right.
Eyes locked with Harry's, Severus spoke the first verse of his Epithalamium--their past:
"Shadows of light
Filled my soul and my dreams almost ev'ry night.
Left with nothing but memory;
It was all I could see.
Fearing the dance
I would silently watch but not take the chance
They'd see through the reality
Of the man that was me.
Then hope came to me with a glance; I was almost undone,
Bound by your eyes shining bright with the light of the sun."
As Severus recited the verse of the poem, Dumbledore raised his wand and gently placed the tip on Severus' forehead. As he pulled the wand back, the strand of Severus' past hung in the air next to Poppy's foundation cord. With a twist of his wand it lengthened and transformed into a thin cord the bluish-white of new snow.
With the two strands in place, Harry took Severus' hands, his thumbs stroking the backs, and recited his Epithalamium verse:
"I was more than what people saw--
A saviour, but only a boy
Snared by my fate hid in the blood of war accurs'ed.
I felt I was naught but a pawn
Trapped in a game with no rules to be found.
Stalked by despair, caught in a furtive, deadly seduction.
My purpose gone, I had no reasons to live;
Your caring touch opened lonely eyes to see you as a man."
Dumbledore pulled Harry's intent from his forehead, carefully avoiding his scar; the captured filament transformed into a silken cord the colour of ermine in the winter. With a touch of his wand to the three white cords, they twisted and twined into one shimmering whole.
Severus smiled to himself; the cords reminded him of a midnight snowball fight he'd had with Harry one night when Harry had come home late from St. John's. He'd been bored and worried, and finally succumbing to the antsy feeling, had gone down to hide in the shadowy shelter of the door of the stairs leading to their quarters to await Harry's return. He didn't know then or now, why the cheerful face of his lover, almost skipping down the path to their stair, a jaunty whistle floating on the air before him made him bend down and pack the first snowball, given that it was so out of character for him, but he remembered with glee the look of utter shock on Harry's face when he'd lobbed it with deadly precision right in the middle of his face. As he was about to throw the second one at Harry in his memory, a mental rush of cold filled his mind as Harry sent an image of himself with a thick splatter of snow clinging to his hair and the side of his face--the product of Harry's retribution. He shivered remembering how it had slid down inside the collar of his cloak, the icy water freezing on his skin. He caught the flash of a grin on Harry's face as they both remembered how they'd warmed up afterwards.
Once the new cord was complete, Albus stepped to the side so they could approach the first compass point, where Ron and Hermione awaited them.
Harry thought of his best friends and wondered how they were faring with the new ties that bound them. While Ron had forgiven him, he'd never spoken of the effects of his new closeness to his wife, a closeness he'd tried to avoid in the Vows of their own marriage. Hermione just glowed. Curious and suspicious, he reached out his healer's senses, and Harry suddenly realised why. He chuckled softly as they made their way over to them, answering Severus' unspoken question with a mental picture that had his lover chortling along with him; Ron was in for a bit of a hard time in the not so distant future.
While Severus and Harry stood before them, hands clasped, Ron spoke first. "We are the North, Keepers of the Earth, the Physical Realm of your future, and witnesses to your vows." Hermione finished the Form, a secret smile on her lips, "We bring good health and a happy, well-grounded home to your union." Ron took his wand, Hermione hers, and they each pulled a strand out of their foreheads to hang in the air, twining to form a single brown cord. It sailed over to Dumbledore where it hung separate in the air.
Harry spoke the next verse to Severus--their courtship:
"Teacher, friend, or foe--I knew not.
Unsure whether you would ever find out
Just how much I needed you;
Then ev'rything changed--you wanted me, too.
Tender patience with forbearance
Conquered all our fears as we took the chance."
Albus once again plied his wand to Harry's forehead and the resultant strand turned a rich ochre.
Severus waited until the cord hovered near the other ones.
"You brought light to the darkness
Fully shrouding a heart
Beating hopeless and unsure how to show you my love.
Wistful feelings well guarded
Until our trust was certain;
Reckless, my soul a coin paid for you."
Dumbledore meshed the chocolate brown cord from Severus with the other two cords to form one the colour of fresh turned earth. It hung in the air next to the foundation cord.
Harry thought of a time when the two of them had gone into the Forbidden Forest one clear night to harvest the Roots of Nightshade Severus had needed for his potions stock. It had been hard work; Harry hadn't a clue how to dig out the delicate roots, so he'd stood point to protect Severus while he turned over the rich earth, digging out the small sections he needed with a small golden spade. It had turned out to be a fairly uneventful night, the only disturbances being Hagrid coming through with Fang when he'd seen the light of their shadowed lantern. Hagrid had known what to do, so helping Severus, the work had gone faster, which had been all to the satisfaction of the two centaurs who stopped by, also noting the light; they'd made it clear they wanted them well away. A picture of Harry standing alert, wand drawn, Fang literally sitting on his feet, filled his head; he glanced at Severus and smiled as they moved clockwise around the circle.
The next two people brought them smiles. Ben and Kalani awaited them, their solemnity belied by their mischievous eyes. Their wands pulled the burnished gold strands from each other, an island variation of the ceremony. As the filaments formed the cord and floated over to Dumbledore, Ben spoke their approval. "We bring to this union the gift of friendship, both merry and profound." Kalani continued, "May you always share the ability to speak your thoughts and hearts to each other with respect and devotion."
Harry and Severus clasped hands with them, both thinking of the time Kalani lay helpless under Harry's hands as he bound him even more closely to Ben. Severus leaned over and kissed Ben on the cheek, murmuring, "Thank you for teaching me what courage truly is." Harry was astounded almost as much as Ben at the demonstration, so rare for Severus, but Harry understood what it meant, on all its levels; Ben had knowingly risked as much as any of them that fateful day and it had been his courage as much as Harry's that had led Severus to finally accept Harry and his work. Not knowing what else there was to say, both Ben and Kalani nodded in acknowledgement in the reserved manner of the islanders and they moved on, secure in their friendship.
Molly and Arthur waited for them next. Harry could feel Severus' discomfort as they traversed the circle. Knowing that any healing at all would not be a good idea at this time, Harry quietly cast his simple propping spell to help Severus support his weight on tired legs. Severus looked at him sharply and smiled his relief while Dumbledore nodded his approval when Harry glanced at him.
They stood before the older Weasleys, their pride evident in their faces; Harry felt this was like an approval from his own parents. Arthur stated, "We are the East, Keepers of the Air, the Mental realm of your Bond, and witnesses to your vows." Molly continued, "We bring wisdom, learning, and intellectual growth to your union." Arthur using his wand and Molly hers, pulled their strands, which twined to form a grey cord. It joined the others by Dumbledore.
Severus spoke quietly of their present, his shadowed eyes telling a tale of long nights spent writing this verse:
"Emerald eyes
Mask your scars deep inside in a poor disguise
I have seen what you cannot hide
When you lay by my side.
Caught by our past
We know each dawning sunrise may be our last--
Time so precious we can't despair
Blessed with each day we share.
I'd give my life to protect you and keep you from harm.
I give my heart when embracing you close in my arms."
With Severus' dark grey strand in front of him, Harry loved him with the tightening of their hands. The Epithalamium was becoming more personal now; speaking the words to each other alone would have been hard enough, but to express them, out loud, with others present, no matter how close, was a small torture.
Dumbledore was pleased they'd held nothing back and drew Harry's dove grey strand as he recited:
"We are 'marked' by more than our dreams;
Forgiving of all that we've been,
Our shadows render invisible the ties that bind us.
You see through me and accept the good with the bad;
Despite my flaws, I'm stunned you completely love me as I am."
Dumbledore joined all three to form one the colour of clouds after a spring rain. The cord put Harry to mind of a day when he and Severus had been returning from Wales after hunting for antiques. The day had been muggy, the walk from the Apparation point making them sweaty. When almost to the castle, a sudden cloudburst had soaked them. As refreshing as the cool rain had been and as fine as their mood had been, it had never occurred to them to seek shelter and they'd taken advantage of the sudden solitude the rain brought to walk hand-in-hand the rest of the way to the castle, laughing, assured that everyone else would remain snug in the castle until the downpour was over. Severus squeezed Harry's hand as picture of a soaked, laughing Harry, hair plastered to his head, glasses all spotted, filled his mind. They both remembered the day fondly.
As they moved further around the circle, the undulating strands of causality followed them.
Kingsley Shacklebolt, still a bit battered himself stood tall next to the lovely Quiesta. Severus was struck by what a handsome couple they made and a scheming part of his mind wondered on the possibilities for the two single people. He shook his head at his fancy when Kingsley said, "I bring to this union the gift of loyalty and honour, both future and past. May you stand together through all times with honesty and integrity." As Shacklebolt pulled his strand, Quiesta spoke in her low soothing voice, "I bring to this union the gift of collaboration. May you always share the joys of your life's work with each other and respect and nurture each other's dreams."
While Dumbledore joined Quiesta's lavender strand to Kingsley's bright purple, they clasped hands with Harry and Severus. The pulsing strand joined the others. Harry glanced at Severus with the picture he sent and was heartened by the answering wicked gleam; the cord reminded them both of the fat heads of fresh clover they harvested together every spring for the oil of clover Severus used in his lubricants. Harry winked at Severus' raised brow of memory.
With silent laughter, they continued the journey. Moody, his magical eye for once staring straight at them, grinned hugely while Remus was hard-pressed to contain himself, and, feeling the weight of being Harry's only official family, spoke softly, "We are the South, the Keepers of Fire, the Evolutionary Realm of your lives together, and witnesses to your vows." Moody finished saying, "We bring creativity, harmony, sensuality, and vitality to your union." In unison, they pulled their red strands and sent them to Dumbledore.
Harry's shifting to one foot was the only indication he gave of his discomfort with this verse--their passion. He'd agonised over every word, trying to strike a balance between the intense intimacy of their loving with what should be public; there were some things better left unsaid. His eyes darkened, remembering the visions that had inspired his words, as he spoke:
"Dulcet silk lulls me to pure bliss.
Breathless wonder culminates with your kiss.
Each sure brush of fingertips,
Skin loved tenderly with feather soft lips
Brings repletion safe from all harm.
My heart is so full lying in your arms."
Severus on the other hand had found this verse the easiest to write. The words flowing out of his quill had landed smooth on the parchment; the difficulty lay in saying the private feelings out loud while he burned with the fire Harry's words had lit in his imagination and memory. Without thought, he trailed his hand over Harry's face, the fingers resting lightly on his jaw, stroking, as he spoke the words, his voice slow and dulcet.
"In the long nights of quiet
Passion trembling in firelight
Your lips burn me to my core; my repletion your joy
Until weak with the wanting
Absolution is given.
With your loving you free me from my shadows; my heart's soaring."
Harry felt the desire slam into him as the silk of Severus' voice caressed him, the heat blossoming as the images of what those words meant floated lazily into his mind as Severus uttered them. He closed his eyes to contain it, to not reach out and do what the words begged him to do. And he'd almost succeeded when the breath of a kiss brushed his lips. His eyes flew open to stare at his lover, mere inches away, his eyes blackening with an answering desire. He felt the brush of Severus' breath across his face, a thing more intimate than the kiss. Regret coloured their sighs; with a mighty effort they pulled away, the sparks flying between them nonetheless.
While they visibly struggled to rein in their passion, Dumbledore bound the red cords taken from each while they were so preoccupied. He smiled to himself; this was going to make things quite interesting at the end--the crimson cord vibrated in the air as if there was not enough space to hold it. The guests looked away to give them privacy, hiding their small smiles.
A few moments later, under better control, they continued on. Malia stood regally with her shy daughter, Kahealani. Malia spoke first. "I bring to this union the gift of Ohana or family and community; we are all one in life. My wish for you is that you continue to know the joys of your friends and loved ones, knowing that even if not with us today, they are ever with us here." She held out her hands and touched their hearts. They both held her hands there a moment and then released them.
Malia waited patiently for shy Kahealani to clear her throat before saying softly, "I bring to this union the gift of communion, the everyday tasks of taking care of each other. May you always cherish the quiet times, the times we hold close for those when we cannot and need them the most."
Malia removed Kahealani's strand as well as her own. While Dumbledore joined Malia's pale pink strand to Kahealani's of plumeria red, Severus thought they were much like the summer blushes they'd seen every time they'd tried to gently tease the girl whenever she'd come to their cottage. Harry and Severus leant in and kissed Kahealani's cheek before doing the same to Malia. They'd come to admire the girl's quiet ways and her dignity in living with her small magic; her personality was a magic all its own. They continued the journey.
Reaching the last compass point, Harry could sense Severus tiring further. He squeezed his hand to give him simple support; while small, the gesture was enough to straighten Severus' back, although he was still too pale. Minerva and Hagrid waited for them.
Dwarfed by the half-giant only in size, Minerva stated, "We are the West, the Keepers of Water, the Emotional Realm of your relationship, and witnesses to your vows." Hagrid completed the Form. "We bring understandin', intuition, mercy, and our love to yer union." While Dumbledore drew the baby blue strand from Hagrid, Minerva pulled her own of cerulean. Severus noticed the warm cast to Minerva's face belied her normal stiff carriage and he thought on all the years they'd shared.
Hagrid sniffled suspiciously and blinked his eyes several times before he would look at them. Harry smiled at his oldest friend at Hogwarts; he put his hand on his arm and before he knew it, was caught in a huge Hagrid hug. He didn't mind and hugged him back.
Waiting for Hagrid to release Harry, Severus looked at Minerva, who nodded in understanding and agreement with his earlier sentiment when she stepped closer to him and said softly to him, "The ties that bind are not necessarily ones we consciously forge, Severus. Sometimes they wrap around us over the years until they are as unbreakable as the ones you make tonight." She embraced him, and when she released him, she whispered, "You made an 'interesting' cat." He pulled his head back, one brow raised, while she chuckled softly. He made a note to himself to ask her about it later.
Harry eventually managed to calm Hagrid down, and with Harry once again facing him, Severus took his hands and finished his Epithalamium:
"Savour life to the fullest
Quench our thirsts to fulfillment.
For now, we stand together, but tomorrow may be
Gone with one dream left to trow.
Feeble words fail to answer:
Just how long is forever?
I'll always love you."
Harry used the time it took Dumbledore to pull the navy blue strand from Severus to compose himself. Severus' words had surprised and moved him; the trust Severus had shown in their company to hear the words of his heart was staggering; his own, he thought, had not been as open. Nonetheless, he drew breath to impart the final verse--their future:
"We can't see what tomorrow brings us;
Joyfully, unpretentious
We sense each sunrise we greet
May be our last taste of living so sweet.
I'll always love you, taking our bond
To the gates of death when we pass beyond."
Harry's cord was of the ocean and spoke of days spent gazing at an endless sea. He'd almost choked on some of the words as the full import of what he'd written meshed with the unacknowledged fears and uncertainties of the day. Stripped clean of his selfish defences by the Epithalamium, he couldn't hide from them, couldn't conceal their reality anymore. He'd almost lost Severus today and in this incontrovertible instant felt the encompassing pain which would fill his remaining days if his words ever became a reality. He urgently needed to tell Severus this, to let him know that the merest hint of life without him made Harry's soul ache with emptiness.
He needed Severus. Like air, like water, like life. Sliding his arms around Severus' waist, he held him close, completing what they had started when they'd first seen each other at the beginning of the ceremony. The hand stroking his hair, the arm, strong around his shoulders told him of Severus' understanding, the gentle kiss on his forehead as he started to pull away an affirmation that they were still alive, the soft words, "You won't be so easily rid of me," a reminder that their mutual mortality should be seen in perspective. Words failing him, Harry gave Severus a small smile, hoping it would be enough to show everything burning inside him. When the sweet memory of their quiet times together in Hana floated across his mind's eye, he knew it had been.
Standing separate again, they were almost done and, fingers entwined, they made their way to the last point on the sunburst. Sprout and Filius were the last to greet them. Sprout could see Severus was tiring again and with her usual consideration, she began speaking as soon they stood before them. "I bring to this union the gift of perseverance, commitment, and compromise. May you realise that everything has its season, that anything worth having is worth waiting for, and that no one is always right." She smiled warmly.
Filius hovered next to Sprout. When Severus had hand-delivered the invitation to him, he'd seen the surprise Flitwick had tried to hide, but if his broad smile and merry manner was any indication, he'd been pleased to be included, saying only that perhaps the incident at the lake had meant more to Severus than he had let on? Now, with a normal, sprightly lilt in his voice, he said, "I bring to this union the gifts of steadfastness and faithfulness. May you continue to love each other with joy and happiness tomorrow the way you so obviously do today."
The soft leaf green of Sprout's strand blended with the moss coloured one from Filius to join the other eight completed strands hovering beside Albus. Severus smiled, hearing the echo of Flitwick's words from a few months before when they'd talked. They thanked them both with the pressing of their hands.
Dumbledore silently led them back to the centre of the circle, the cords following, each twisting in their own way, making a little dance of colour in the air. His task was to complete the circle. Before he spoke, Poppy, standing next to him again in the middle, surreptitiously cast another Enervate spell; Severus immediately looked better, the unnatural whiteness of his face taking on its more sallow cast. He nodded his thanks.
Somewhat startled by her action, Harry took Severus' hand, eyes closing in concentration, his gentle inner touch reading the health of his lover. Severus, exploring this new feeling of Harry inside him, suddenly found his attention returning outwards when Poppy, taking advantage of Harry's distraction, stood close to him, whispering fiercely, "Never forget, Severus, lose not even one instant."
Taken aback by her vehemence, he knew of what she spoke and, given her own situation, he could understand her fervour. In his own silent fashion, he told her so as he softly trailed his fingers down her face; impulsively leaning in, he gave her a kiss on the forehead, after which Harry, who had taken her hand, kissed her on the cheek.
His heart full, Albus watched their silent exchange--Poppy, his beloved, with Harry and Severus, their sons of choice rather than of body: his family. He wanted to join them, to add his own affections, but knew this was not the time nor the place. Relieved that the tenderness he couldn't restrain remained well-hidden behind his spectacles, he instead gave them the time to finish their communion.
Once he had everyone's attention again, he quietly stated, "I am the Omega, the Keeper of the Unknown and Unknowable; I am the forger of your vows. I bring serendipity, surprise, and whimsy to your union." Albus plied his wand to his head and pulled forth a strand of intention of a blinding white. Twisting and turning, it joined the others, its inner light highlighting and brightening all that surrounded it. "This is the terminus of your binding; when joined, it will be the solder of your union to unite all the Blessings bestowed, their potential awaiting the final amalgam and tempering of your Vows."
He pulled from a pocket in his sleeve a tiny box, which he opened to reveal the hearts removed from the Gimmal rings when they were handfasted. He took them out and floated them in front of him, the gold winking in the soft light. "Severus? Harry? Your left hands, please."
They both held out their left hands and with Dumbledore's quick spell, the rings took several long moments to morph off their fingers to join their missing mates, obviously resisting their removal. The shock of their absence was unexpected, the comforting handfasting link dissolving abruptly; they missed it dreadfully.
Albus watched their dismayed reactions with open pleasure, saying, "By the reluctant removal of the rings, the Handfasting has been proven. With all the conditions of the Form fulfilled, we may complete it." He began to disassemble the four bands of the handfasting rings so he could rebuild them with the hearts hidden underneath the clasped hands of the middle bands, the outer serpents smoothly running over them all. Joining, the rings hung in the air, the pieces assembling into their proper places.
Harry was relieved. They'd gone through so much already and he'd heard tales where couples had got this far only to have the final binding denied because the previous bond had not been strong enough to last. Although with the assurances Albus had given him earlier, he didn't know why he had doubted it.
Severus, for his part, had no doubts; he'd long suspected he'd felt Harry more than Harry had felt him, not because he was more devoted, but because Harry's magic in it was simply stronger. And something had happened today, he wasn't sure what, but something had 'shifted' within him, within them--an easing of unkenned tensions. Whatever it was, he wasn't sure he really wanted to know how it had come about; he was more than content to bask in the previously unknown ease he felt with Harry.
Their attention was drawn back to Dumbledore by the click of the rings reconnecting. Albus brought the cords forward and with a long incantation, wove them into a solid whole containing the colours of the rainbow, the white heart hidden in the core highlighted by the blinding brilliance of the terminus. The new cord twisted in the air with its own vibrancy. With some difficulty, he controlled it into a semi-circle as before to Harry's and Severus' side, the ends facing them. The rings threaded on the ends, the gold glimmering.
"We are ready to begin the Exchange of Rings and the Assimilation. Severus? Harry? If you will join right hands."
They turned slightly to face each other. Harry held his right hand against his waist, parallel to the floor, palm up. Severus slid his over Harry's, palm down, their fingers resting on the pulse point of the other's wrists. Their eyes locked, both bright with the promise of the Epithalamium.
Albus patiently waited for them to begin the Exchange of Rings. As they each reached for a ring from the end of the floating woven cord, and placed it on the other's left ring finger, they spoke in unison:
"Epithalamium meum animum exprimet, consulto meo adligatus.
Praeterita, praesentem tempum, et ardorem ad posterum nostrum adligo meo sponte."
Harry took a deep breath; the first part of the vows sent ripples through him, the ring heavy with Severus' promise. While Severus was not as visibly open in revealing his own shock, Harry could see it in the slight widening of his eyes and the jerk of Severus' hand against his own.
Reaching out again, they each grasped the end of the cord farthest from them. With arms thus crossed and right hands still joined, they said together:
"Non iam solitarius sum.
Mihi insum.
Tibi insum.
Vobis qui nos amant insumus."
After handing the completed cord now carrying a part of their vow to Albus they met in the middle, their lips joining softly for an instant, but forever. Their left hands joined as they had during their handfasting, upright, the rings hot against their skin. Placing his hands over them as if sealing them, Albus then wrapped the commingled cord around their joined hands at the wrists. As he completed the loop and tied the significant knot to bind the cord to them, they looked not on him, but on each other and recited as one:
"Partes capimus et nos adligamus:
Amicitia, praesidium, civitas, et gens, amoris obstricti."
He touched their shoulders to let them know they were almost finished. Disengaging their right hands, the three of them pulled their wands and touched the knot with them. Time and the place faded away for them as Severus and Harry vowed to each other:
"Pignus meus audi:
Non te desebo ut alium habere.
Te apud constanter manebo, neglegens si magno mihi stetit.
Semper te amabo,
Ad integumenta mortis et ulterior.
Hos te promitto."
Harry and Severus were too involved to notice Albus gently removing their wands from their hands and with a small smile behind them to Poppy, he joined them with his own. The cord visibly vibrated. Albus touched all three wands again to the cord and said to them:
"Ubi bifarias eratis--"
To which they immediately responded:
"Unus iam sumus."
It didn't take long after the last syllable faded from the air for them to fall into themselves. The communal magic surged through them strongly, carrying them on a wave made up of themselves and the intentions and wishes of their friends. Thoughts, memories, feelings all became one in the tide of their binding. They revelled in their union and the comforting connection they could feel to everything and everyone around them. It transcended the physical, although the sensations of their held hands, the soft, heavy weight of the cord, and their mingled breaths were experienced as well.
And when they thought it could go no deeper, their personal magic and the wards they bore melded with the commitments and aspirations and vows bound by the cords. It sank deep into their flesh, flew unfettered within them, and settled into a new place inside them, where only they resided--a safe haven--it wrapped around their very essence, the very definition of who they had been, who they were, and who they were to become, and in one bright, blinding moment bound them together, forever. The cord resorbed into them, its unleashed power made them shiver and burn with the fire of their commitments. They were no longer Harry and Severus, they were something more, a part of all that surrounded them, a part of each other, yet, like the columns of the temple, standing separate within themselves.
Unaware of their surrounding, unbound hands glided under the formal robes to hold tight, hands slid into hair to pull them closer as lips moulded in a perfect kiss, all of which amplified the maelstrom and chaos deep within them. They never knew how long they stood there, bodies close, mouths straining to achieve without what was being wrought within.
With the closeness of Severus' body like a living shield, Harry felt protected from anything or anyone who could ever cause him harm. His mate's love wrapped around him, warm and supple--a guard against the cold nights of his dreams; he knew he would never have to fear again with Severus by his side.
Severus felt the joy that was his Harry dancing within him; he'd felt a pale echo of it when they Handfasted, but nothing had prepared him for the fierce happiness surging within him. Harry's love surrounded him, an embrace warming the coldness of his soul; he knew he would never have to be alone again with Harry by his side.
Staggered by the import, and the loss of the kiss when Harry ended it, Severus sagged and then righted himself. Harry tightened his grasp against the silky fabric at his waist, giving him purchase, knowing the momentary weakness was caused as much by his remaining injuries and the lingering remnants of the curse (which he could now feel in full) as the intimacy of the bond. Giving into the temptation he'd had all evening, and with the weary internal acceptance of his new husband, Harry released a little of his energy into him--not a lot--but a little Harry went a long way. Surprised at the ease of the transfer, Severus straightened, re-energised, and after one last serious kiss, they reluctantly broke apart.
Dumbledore beamed at them as did the rest of the assembled. Dazed, Harry looked around at the smiling faces around him and grinned. The object of his desire felt his rare possessiveness, basking in it. While ecstatic inside, Severus was wearing thin on the outside; he was running now on pure magic alone. At the lascivious images suddenly dancing across his vision from Harry as he tested the bond, he raised a brow and muttered, "Really, Mr. Potter. We've time enough for that later." Severus had a feeling this was going to be--interesting--until they both learned to control it again.
Harry's grin just got bigger with both the comment and some answering pictures sent by Severus, mainly about sheep. He was about to speak when Dumbledore cleared his throat and he was once again brought back to the present. "I believe it is safe to say the binding is complete," he said at his driest, "and about bloody time, too." Amidst the chuckles and well-wishes, a small writing table with a thick piece of parchment on it popped up in the centre between him and the new couple. Albus picked up the huge feather quill and handed it to Severus first. "The contract needs to be signed and registered with the Ministry. The last formality to be observed, I assure you."
As Severus was about to sign with his usual flourish, he noticed the words of the Epithalamium and their Vows formed the body of their contract; nothing more, nothing less. While he was not sure he wanted the minions of the Ministry reading such intimate statements, he remembered that Arthur had promised weeks ago that he would personally file it in a place no one would ever find it. He glanced up at the man, reassured by the understanding nod of his head, and with a lighter heart, Severus signed with bold strokes. He handed the quill to Harry, who signed with his normal scrawl, the name "Snape-Potter" unfamiliar to his hand. Harry chuckled as the witnesses signed one by one, remembering the night they'd discussed which name they would take; he decided he was up for a little incest tonight, although he suspected 'Daddy' was still too injured to play. With the clearing of Severus' throat and a picture of Harry on top of a mountain shouting through a megaphone, Harry turned his head in time to see Severus' wicked smirk and hear his murmured, "It's way past your bedtime, 'boy'."
Harry leaned over, his lips at Severus' ear and, resisting the temptation to nip the spot right below it he knew could make Severus shiver and groan, whispered, "Oooo--promises, promises. Does 'Daddy' want to play?"
Before Severus could respond, the parchment, now completely signed, rolled up on its own, and flashed once to duplicate. Another flash saw both parchments and the table disappearing.
"One copy has been forwarded to your quarters, the other to the Ministry for their records." For the first time in the evening Albus looked uncomfortable, his eyes suspiciously bright. To them alone he said, "I am so very content. I despaired at times ever getting you two old souls together--so much like the children I should have wanted." He took them each into an embrace; they could feel him through the bond, the peaceful yet merry balm of his personality doing much to ease the chaos within them.
He stood back and looked at them over his spectacles, "Not that I don't expect more mischief out of you both, probably long before I'm ready for it." With a wave of his wand, he uncast the magic of the circle. The room returned to it proper place in time and space and, within moments, transformed into an ordinary room found anywhere in the castle. A table at the back, a lone vase of flowers defiantly placed there by 'The Girls', held the refreshments.
As the guests moved to the table, Harry placed his hand on Severus' shoulder and leant in, whispering, "Mr. Potter might have been able to wait, but Mr. Snape-Potter is singularly impatient to be gone." He felt Severus' chuckle under his hand and his single word, "Indeed," as they turned to join the group for their celebration.
TBC
I'm not into Author Notes at the ends of chapters, but this one is special.
Disclaimer: Harry's original Epithalamium was written using the metre of "Alla Luce Del Sole" as performed by Josh Groban. Severus' original Epithalamium was written using the metre of "Un Amore Per Sempre" as performed by Josh Groban. The words to both in no way match those of the respective songs, only the cadence was utilized. Thank you Aseneth, Delphi, and Jiltanith for your excellent suggestions and comments.
My undying thanks go to Delphi for the Latin translations of the vows, which are as follows:
Epithalamium meum animum exprimet, consulto meo adligatus.
My Epithalamium expresses my heart and soul, bound by my intent.
Praeterita, praesentem tempum, et ardorem ad posterum nostrum adligo meo sponte.
My past, present, and passion I freely bind to our future.
Non iam solitarius sum. :: I am no longer alone.
Mihi insum. :: I am a part of myself.
Tibi insum. :: I am a part of you.
Vobis qui nos amant insumus. :: We are a part of those who love us.
Partes capimus et nos adligamus: Amicitia, praesidium, civitas, et gens, amoris obstricti.
We take each part and bind it unto ourselves: Friendship, protection, community, and family bounded by love."
Pignus meus audi: :: Hear my pledge:
Non te desebo ut alium habere. :: I will never forsake you for another.
Te apud constanter manebo, neglegens si magno mihi stetit. :: I will steadfastly stand by your side regardless of personal cost.
Semper te amabo :: I will love you always
Ad integumenta mortis et ulterior. :: To the veils of death and beyond.
Hos te promitto. :: This I promise you.
Ubi bifarias eratis-- :: Where you were once two--
Unus iam sumus. :: We are now one.
And if you happen to 'see' them, you might want to let my betas, Lydia Lovestruck, Aseneth, Delphi, and Jessika-Chan, know just how much their hard work and repeated readings (ad naseum) of this chapter is appreciated.