A story in review. Break ahead to Chapter 17 if your reading this all at once. thanks for reading. CKT
Chapter 3: "Draco if you can find a room with a huge picture of a silver dragon and golden snake painted on the ceiling, that's your room." He turned to Remus, "Here." Severus handed Remus a letter.
Chapter 4: "Harry, you do have another relative. He was unfit before to raise you because he was afraid."
"Who?"
"Me." Severus said quietly Harry could barely hear the man.
Chapter 5: "Severus Snape you have kidnapped my child." Lucius said quietly. "I want him returned to me."
"No, Draco is now mine, not yours. I now have full guardianship over Draco until he comes of age." Severus said smoothly.
"Snape I am warning you, you will regret this." Lucius turned his back to pale man and walked out of Hogwarts.
Chapter 6: Harry placed his hands over the dark-mark that was exposed on Sev's arm. Each hand lay flat as Harry closed his eyes and began glowing green much like the color of his eyes. Severus started whimpering in more pain now then he had ever received from the dark-mark before. His fist clenched and the light around Harry grew darker.
Chapter 8: "you. are. the. worst. man. i. know." Harry choked out making the blade cut him a little more with each word. Then he spoke no more, his body seemed to slump a little but the dark green aura from four years ago returned to the boy's body. … Sev feeling confident that Harry was fine, checked on Lucius, the man was dead, stiff as stone and already cold.
Chapter 10: "Harry your dad and… umm… dad they broke up…" Ron finished quickly.
Chapter 11: "I did love you, but I don't know if I can anymore. Now get out and leave my son." Severus
"Is that what he is to you, your son?" Remus
"What? Why wouldn't he be?" Severus
"Not the son we could share and could raise together and love and cherish and hold dear. No, he always was yours: never mine. We shared Draco, but not Harry. No, because Harry belonged to Lily, and I could never be Lily, could I?" Remus
Chapter 13: Draco sat up as Harry said those few words again, "Voldermort is coming."
"What do you mean?"
"He's coming, gaining power. I can feel it, and I know it's him. He will attack soon I know he will. I can feel his anger, his evil… everything running through me like hot melted iron." Harry closed his eyes as he relaxed down onto the bed. "I must return to Hogwarts tomorrow. I must keep training against him…"
"How?"
"Dumbeldore."
Chapter 15: As Draco woke the picture of snake and dragon woke its self and the dragon roared out: "Protecting peace is our mission to be" to which the snake replied, "The sacred ones will bring peace". Draco looked at Harry.
"That's weird… I've never heard the painting speak before. 'Protecting peace is our mission to be' I wonder what it means…"
!Okay the review is over!
A Father's Love
Chapter 17: Release
A few days before term Severus's body was strong enough to make the venture down to his rooms. It was the first time anyone had been in the room since Harry had looked for the picture of Lily. Severus was devastated at the sight of total anger that the smashed frames and broken glass revealed. The faces in the pictures were still smiling and waving but they were mixed with the pieces of broken anger. Sev retrieved his wand and repaired all the damage taking out the one that featured himself and Remus and opened the now fixed frame to reveal the picture of Lily that had been concealed. Severus sat it aside and levitated the boxes to the different rooms and did the spell to unpack everything and put it in its proper place. He lit the fire and ordered a dinner with tea.
Remus soon joined him and they ate together in the calm of the dungeons.
Harry, Draco and Ron had been listening to some of Ron's songs when Harry heard one that he felt so relaxed to that he sunk down on the bed and curled up next to Draco. He curled up and managed to go to sleep next to his fully clothed boyfriend in a restful sleep for the first time in a while. Ron had been staying in the room with them in a second bed so he and Draco managed to stay up and talk while Harry slept undisturbed by the movements and vibrations of Draco's chest.
The morning of the arrival of all the other students the young men had to pack their trunks to be moved to their dorm. The snake hissed it usual greetings as the three boys left the room in the early evening. They had a couple hours before the rest of the castle would arrive and they headed down to the lake to take in the solitude of it for the time they could. Draco held the exhausted Harry in his arms as they relaxed Harry's eyes were closed as he rested his head on Draco's thigh stretching out with his right knee bent keeping them from slipping down the grassy hill. Ron sat next to Draco and the three were quiet as the sun slowly sank down. Making there way back to the castle they ran into Hagrid and the horseless carriages.
"There you are. I was a bit afraid when I didn't see ya in the entrance hall when I was ready for ya. But that's all over now. I got um all hooked up we just gotta make it down ter the entrance. I suppose you should all be wantin in the first one so you can lead the way back then. Well hop on in." Hagrid said pleasantly to the trio. "I got to get the boats ready but I'm sure ya know the way down there by now being sixth years and all. I'll see ya down there is a few."
"Alright Hagrid." Draco said with a smile.
In the grand hall the tables were laid out and Harry took is seat in between Draco and Ron somewhat protected from the rest of the school. It wasn't that he was being anti social it was simply he was too tired to take any guff or even any adoration from anyone. The three had hit training extra hard the past couple of weeks of summer vacation and with all the bruises and cuts he and Draco had received from each other and Ron. Harry was using the power he had unknowingly. It was an automatic response he had to the areas of unnatural color, and now more then ever he was being abused as he fought off more and more teachers. The new students came in and Harry perked up as he listened to the hat sing it's greeting song. The words were always listened too, but Harry had almost never heard them as they were meant to be heard. The meaning slipped through his mind and he twisted the words to match what he thought the hat was trying to say. There was an uncomfortable pause in the hats song but Harry could hear the meaning he didn't need to hear the silence. He knew what was happening. Harry charged out of the great hall in a rush with stunned Draco and Ron after him.
"It's almost too late. If we don't hurry we'll be responsible!" Harry yelled running up the corridor to the stature that led to Honeydukes' basement. Harry ducked in and sprinted as fast as he could. Surely there were others besides the Murauders who knew how to get to and from Hogsmead and Hogwarts School. He could here the pounding of his heart and feet in sync with the even breathing and heavy steps of his companions. He tried his damndest to get a link with anyone in the castle but he didn't have time to turn around or argue with either of his followers to go back and explain. He had to leave immediately or… he slowed down. "What if I'm wrong?" He spun and faced the other two. "What if I'm just starking mad! What if Voldermort isn't in Hogsmead?"
"The Dark Lord?" Ron's face was transformed from deep confusion to fright.
Draco took Harry's hand and then kissed him quickly. He began running but Harry wasn't ready and had to let Draco go. Harry watched as Ron too passed him. Then in a new fit of sanity and strength Harry charged ahead. Pulling the need to save his lover and friend from the fright that would be seen upon there arrival. The run continued in the dark and the boys came to the cellar's trap door. They listened for any sound to be heard but they just heard each other's breathing. Slowly they crept into the small room filled with sugar and chocolate. Up the stairs and viewing the street from the large windows. Deatheaters plagued the streets. They seemed to all be headed in one direction the three sunk down and Harry laid out a plan.
"Harry! Where are you! We have to get back to Hogwarts!" Ron yelled out running down the street that had been abandoned. He wore the invisibility cloak but the Deatheaters could still hear him. He ran into one and after stunning him from inside the cloak stole his mask and robe. The shoes weren't anything special and they were too small so he left the Deatheater under the invisibility cloak and headed where all of the other Deatheaters seemed to be going: The Shrieking Shack. Voldermort was surrounded by his Deatheaters Ron joined them.
"Did you kill the boy?" One turned his mask hiding the movements of his lips. Ron nodded not sure if his voice would be recognized. The Deatheater turned away from Ron but he settled in ready for the show to begin.
"My loyal soldiers. Today you will get revenge for the fifteen years you have lived without your master! You will witness the death of Harry Potter! Or should I correct myself, it appears that one of those who betrayed us wanted me not to know that he was the father of this boy! Severus Snape shall die tonight my Deatheaters and who brings me his head will be secured a position in the new wizarding world! Order will once again rule the world and humans will keep to themselves or they will die!" Ron watched in great trepidation as Harry carried by a Deatheater was carried to the feet of Voldermort.
"My lord. He was spying on you." The Deatheater backed into the crowd a very few people back. There had been a hesitation when the Deatheater had placed the limp body of Harry Snape at the feet of their lord, and Ron now knew where Draco was. Now they waited as Harry started 'waking'.
From the entire bustle it was clear Voldermort intended to let Harry wake before they killed him. Harry was held by two thugs.
"My Deatheaters! I have revised my plan! We will make this boy watch as I kill dear old dad!" Deatheaters do not cheer, the voice of Voldermort had grown stronger and Ron feared they had missed the chance to attack. Then the Dark Lord did exactly what everyone wanted him to do and began cursing and hexing the unchallenged form of Harry.
"To weak of a man to attack me in a respectable way?" Harry managed between audible gasps of pain.
"Release him and give him back his wand!" The Dark Lord ordered. They cleared a stretch of land for a duel and the Deatheaters took positions surrounding the two duelists. Then the most painful display of torture began. It was a real battle, curses flew, hexes rang out, and then they spoke in parseltounge. This was the cue. It meant Harry was ready. Draco and Ron revealed themselves with a combined spell they had been working on. A lightning ring formed and those caught in it were rendered useless as their power was bound. Being on opposite sides of the field, they had caught Harry and Voldermort in the circle where lightning came in to attack their bodies. Harry screamed and continued to fight as Ron and Draco continued muttering the words to keep the spell going as curses hit them some having mild effects even with the protection of the new spell. Voldermort kept fighting and he grabbed Harry by his hair pointing his wand and then the words that had killed the family he once had came crashing down. Harry summoned all of his will and dug his fingers into the body of his enemy. The spell was absorbed into his body and the dark green aura appeared instantaneously having held it back for so long. The Aura turned the deepest shade of black dimming the battlefield. The essence of a silver snake wrapped itself around Harry as the dragon of gold did to Draco and then everything went black the white lightning stopped and the Deatheaters who were not caught in the middle charged forward.
There was nothing to be found. Voldermort, and the three boys had disappeared. But the Deatheaters found that they could not move. The four bodies portkeyed directly to a ministry of magic dungeon. Draco pulled Harry off the still of Voldermort. Harry was unresponsive.
"Ron we have to get out of here."
"We only had the one portkey."
"No, the medallion we have to use it."
"We can't."
"We don't have a choice Ronald!" Draco yelled tearing Ron's robes in search for it.
"Draco! Stop! I'll get the damn medallion!" But Draco was in tears now. He clutched Harry's body. Ron produced the portkey and Draco activated it. The pull in their stomached made Draco want to wretch all over the floor but he would not let himself. The portkey had been to transfer them into Hogwarts. They couldn't give it directions beyond that. It was just using the power of Draco and Harry that they had even managed to get the Portkey to work. They had given it to Ron for safekeeping. They were working on a second one but were not getting anywhere. But this portkey could be used twice. This was the second time they would use it. It dissolved in Draco's hand a fine gold and silver powder that if he had looked he would have recognized the painting he had heard speak not so long ago.
Draco let out a monstrous wail as he felt someone try to take Harry away from him. That's when he looked up to curse the person when he saw it was Madam Pomfrey and they were in the middle of the great hall before the end of the meal. A couple of professors were missing including Dumbeldore and Snape but for the most part the school was intact. Ron was being led out by his sister Ginny. Draco looked at the shocked faces and realized it was not anyone else who was crying. It was he. The nurse was talking but he did not answer. He stood and took the one and only love he would ever have to the infirmary. He would not break contact with Harry a moment longer then needed. He had stopped crying just as soon as he had started. Harry would get better. Harry always got better. Even when he met him for the first time after Severus had told him about Hogwarts. He had been beaten nearly to death. He had gotten better then. He would get better now. But if he didn't it would be his fault. He had been the one to keep running when Harry had stopped. If Harry died it would be his fault.
It was close to a week later before Harry woke. His bed was surrounded by gifts that he didn't need and chocolate that he wouldn't mind but best of all there lay his blond haired beauty. There was a privacy screen around the various gifts, and he imagined there were a number of questions waiting for him. Harry's fingers found the soft platinum locks.
"I know you love me when you won't leave me." Harry spoke softly as his lover's eyes opened slowly. "Good morning Drey."
"Morning? It's near midnight. I'm glad you're awake."
"I guess I should talk to Dumbeldore and Dad and everyone else too."
"Probably. You're a legendary figure more then ever."
"Just what I always wanted." Harry let out a sigh Draco sat up and took Harry's hand.
"You could do an exclusive and refuse all other interviews."
"My Drey always thinking of me. Rita Skeeter. She'll eat it up and I can control her."
"Thanks to my keen eye and the fact that Parkinson talks to me." Draco hummed.
"She was just digging dirt because it was a slow day. But yes that did make my life easier." Harry tried to sit up, the pain he felt had him stop mid-move with a low groan. Draco managed to help him sit up and then sit next to him. "I could be comatose for another week, at least to the public. But I think we would get bored staying in this room all day."
"We?"
"You know you would stay with me so don't even give me that." Harry smiled again his stamina was fading. "Tell Madam Pomfrey I'm awake. I need to know what the symptoms are so I can heal myself."
"Don't you know what they are?"
"Not while I was asleep. If I fix the wrong thing, it'll just make me more sick." Harry closed his eyes and Draco found the medi-witch attending to a first year with a serious case of homesickitis. She lay him down on a bed and gave him a small potion that was reportedly bitter in taste. She spotted Draco before he made his way back behind the curtain where he stayed the next two days as Harry healed and got a number of visitors. It was a week later as students shed there robes for casual ware that Harry walked with Rita Skeeter and his two hero friends giving the exclusive that would tell the world the truth.
"It came to me all of a sudden. I knew where he was and what he was doing. We managed to put a plan together in a few minutes and the execution of it was risky, but going into any battle carries a risk. The three of us knew we were in danger. Especially if the plan didn't work, but as it turned out: it worked out better then any of us thought. I had gotten a ministry-approved portkey to transfer us all to the Ministry of Magic when I needed it. I didn't know it was for the dungeon."
"The Deatheaters couldn't move from the space a size of a dueling field."
"That I can't explain. While I wished that they all be caught and punished, I had not the strength left to contain them all. My best explanation is that is was an after effect of the spell Draco and Ron used."
"What was that spell?"
"A most difficult one." Draco put in.
"I'm afraid that we aren't allowed to reveal that. Without training it's just too dangerous." Ron added. Harry smiled a bit; Ron had been the one who had come up with the spell. As much as he liked to have fun he could be quiet intelligent when it came to matters he cared about.
"How did you actually kill the Dark Lord?"
"Say his name Rita."
"Voldermort."
"Now say Tom Riddle."
"Tom Riddle." She looked at him with a question hanging in the back of her eyes.
"Tom Riddle killed his parents. Tom Riddle killed multitudes of wizards and muggles. Tom Riddle was a very dangerous coward. Tom Riddle was head of a very small percentage of wizards who were oblivious to Tom's real intentions. Tom Riddle and Lord Voldermort are dead. You can say his name now no one has to fear him anymore." Rita was struck silent for once. Harry continued telling the story. "I have no one to thank more then Draco and Ron because without them I would not have been able to keep myself safe enough to harm Tom. He would be out licking his wounds and planning an attack worse then killing almost an entire village. The loss of the wizards in Hogsmead has deeply effected the wizarding world. Many knew them and many loved them. Those who survived will have a hard time rebuilding, but the wizarding world has always been strong and we will make it through this time as well." Harry stayed quiet and then he sat, he was at his favorite place, the hill on the west side of the lake. Where he had proposed to Draco, where he thought the best. This was the one place of Hogwarts where there didn't seem to be any controversy or bad memories. "I may not remember what it was like before, but this time I'm glad I could help prevent it from getting back to the way it was, I could never have done it without everyone else." Then Harry reached up to his fiancé and took his hand. "Rita, write an article about hope."
"You've given me some to work with, am I going to get anymore?" Rita asked hopefully
"No. I've given you enough." Harry closed his eyes "Hope, real hope."
When Rita left it was time for Harry to have his meeting with Dumbeldore and with his family. He waited in the room where there had once been a moving speaking painting, but now it was old, mute, and still. The paint cracked dividing the two animals. Harry would miss this room but this would be the last time they would use it. He and Draco had already discussed it, and together they believed that a force neither of them knew about had helped save them during the fight. They transfigured the beds into couches and Harry called Dobby for a tray of goods and then The three young men waited for a very few moments for the three people with whom they trusted to enter the room. After pleasantries were exchanged and everyone had comfortably settled Harry started.
"I don't know what questions you have for me, but this is your chance to ask them, for I will never again speak of the events of Voldermorts death." Harry was just as calm and adult as he wanted to be and was thankful his audience was only this select few.
"How did you know to kill him?" Severus asked, speaking first.
"A hallucination while the sorting hat sang its song."
"How long have you known about your special powers?" Dumbeldore spoke with the twinkle in his eye brighter then it had been before.
"Since Lucius. I died, I was actually gone for several days as a spirit and an old wizard explained it to me. Said that you would know and unless I had a simple question you wouldn't know details."
"Did you die when you killed Voldermort."
"Yes."
"Were you gone for several days after?"
"No. It was a year. The same spirit came back. I spent a year in that would and had I spent a day longer I would not have been able to come back. The year gave me the final training I needed to bind Voldermort's spirit so that he will not return. He tried several times and even managed to reincarnate himself into a woman's womb. Unfortunately she and the child had to be killed. But I managed to turn his world into fine shards of existence. He's dead in the physical world, but in the spiritual I am not yet sure. The kind spirit who taught me is keeping constant vigilance over him, until I return."
"So then you're…"
"No, I just have to finish the job. The last bow has to be tied in a series of laces."
Then the group was silent and they ate scones and tea breads while sipping a fruity blend of tea. Slowly everyone left and the portrait on the ceiling began to repair its self for the future if it would be needed again.
Severus swallowed back pain and clutched his arm.
"Severus!" Remus screamed out.
"I just need to sit for a minute." His deep voice thinned with control.
"We need to get you to the infirmary."
"No Remus. I've seen to much of those walls."
"Severus I can't let you die." They sat in the hall and Severus closed his eyes. Remus wrapped his arms around the man whose breathing became labored before it slowed to something nearly impossible to detect. Tears ran down the cheeks of the warewolf. "I can't have you die when I just got you back." He whispered.
"How's a man to get any rest from a magic draining if his lover won't stop sobbing?" Severus's voice came out in one fluid sound audible only to Remus. "It was just something I forgot about."
"You bloody sod. You shouldn't scare me like that!" Remus kissed him without the knowledge that Severus was now a carrier of a stronger bit of magic that he had saved for the protection of Harry and Draco.
In the dorm Harry and Draco had climbed into bed together.
"Drey I don't want to stay here."
"We should finish school at least."
"I mean after school. I don't want to stay here."
"Then we won't."
"I mean the wizarding world."
Draco looked past Harry for a minute. "Then I guess I should learn how to become a muggle."
"We could return later, but not for now. I don't want to stay and be made. I have to find myself and I want you with me. I know I'm asking a lot."
"Harry. Open this." Draco produced a box with a thin golden ribbon cutting into plush red velvet. Harry opened the box to reveal a thin silver band with one ruby and one diamond embedded into the band. "Ron and I went to go get it. I wanted you to have something different, but with just as much love. The inside has our names inscribed."
"It beautiful. I couldn't have wished for something else as long as we live."