Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people or places that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling. The OCs (Katherine, Septimus, Serenity, Helena, Christoph, Elisa, Henry, Nick and any name you don't recognize, and isn't from the HP universe) are entirely my own.
Chapter 27: Re-Bonding & Re-Healing
January ended with an unusual warm streak, but February left them in more snow and even colder weather. Severus swore he hadn't seen the sun the whole month, as it either was snowing or overcast. And colder weather meant more colds, and more colds meant more hours in the lab.
Serenity had grown leaps and bounds since his birthday, and it made Severus, himself, happy to see Katherine smiling again; even if it was over their daughter's small milestones. A week after his birthday, they were rewarded with her first gummy, toothless smile, followed by several different facial expressions, most of which imitated her father. Severus also noticed that her eyes followed movements much more and she was beginning to reach out for her mobile that hung above the crib.
By the time she reached ten weeks old, Serenity was now sleeping about six hours at night, much to her parents' happiness. Her hands had also become a new fascination, and she was mainly putting them into her mouth; and she was able to lift her head and hold it for a short time as well. Severus and Katherine had even starting a new nighttime routine with the little girl, as every other night Katherine would sing to her and on the other nights, Severus would read her to sleep.
With Katherine's birthday just around the corner, Severus' adrenaline went into overdrive. He was spending most of his days cooped up in the lab, and was finding it difficult to get out alone to find her the perfect gift. What was even more of a problem, was figuring out what that perfect gift was going to be.
Books were out; as Katherine had so many in the study to begin with. Not to mention the few hundred or so that were still being stored in the vault at the Superior Bank. Books were definitely being crossed off the list.
New robes were a no go as well. Although Katherine loved the set of midnight blue robes that he had purchased, under Elisa's pushy influence, at Christmas; Katherine usually stuck to something simpler at home.
'Jewelry,' Severus snorted in his head. He knew that was out as well, even though he was thoroughly glad to see her wearing the emerald ring at all times. Besides the ring, all she ever really wore was her mother's locket and a pair of small silver earrings, which never left her person; unless there was a fancier occasion that they had to attend.
Christoph had suggested wedding bands, but Severus had turned that idea down altogether. Both he and Katherine had discussed that a while ago, and even made a point to go to the vault and see if someone had left a matching pair.
Unsurprisingly enough, a pair of matching wedding bands that had belonged to Severus' third great grandparents were found hidden amongst the small pile of jewelry boxes. The goblins even confirmed them to be the same type of metal used in the Prince ring that Katherine already wore.
"Why not have the re-bonding ceremony as a part of her birthday gift?" Christoph asked, as he and Severus stood in the lab one afternoon. Christoph had stopped by, to inform them both that a government official had been appointed to do the handfasting.
"That would be a bit, what do you call it?" Severus muttered over a simmering cauldron. "Tacky."
"Oh, I don't know Severus," Christoph shrugged as he tapped the glass on a jar of what looked like eyeballs floating in green slime. "Don't most women want a dream wedding? You know...beautiful flowers...huge wedding cake...one of a kind dress; those type of things?"
"Katherine is not most women," Severus stated, as he carefully stirred the bubbling potion.
"No truer words spoken," Christoph said, as he returned to the table where Severus was working. "I mean, you wouldn't have to have a big to do, you know. It could be just the two of you, with the two of us as your witnesses of course...the government official as well..."
"Christoph," Severus sneered into his cauldron. "You're flying off course. We were talking about Katherine's birthday, not the bloody re-bonding ceremony."
"Alright, alright," Christoph sighed, as he leaned against the table. "What about just taking her for a night out then? Maybe take her out to dinner, and still find a nice romantic spot for the ceremony."
"The only romantic spot that I have planned is the comfort of my own home," Severus snarled, as he increased the fire under his cauldron.
"Oh please Severus," Christoph scoffed. "The cabin's nice and all, but it is far from romantic."
"You're right, it's not," Severus said in a serious tone, looking up at the other wizard. "It is about comfort and safety."
"Oh for Merlin's sake," Christoph rolled his eyes. "Comfort and safety? What in Merlin's name are you worried about? The weather? The fresh air?"
"What I am worried about is the safety of my family," Severus said sternly. "I fear that one false move or even one blink of the eye and they'll be gone. Christoph, a year ago this all was nothing more than a dream. A dream that would plague me...no, mock me in my sleep. I still fear that this isn't real...that I will wake up one morning and I will be back in the dungeons of Hogwarts, still in the mist of war. Where there is no cabin, no children and, most of all, no Katherine."
"Severus," Christoph sighed, as he gazed into the dark haired wizard's black orbs. "I realize that you have those fears. You are not the first wizard that I have had to relocate. I seen mean go mad by fear.
"I..." he paused, swallowing hard and looking away from Severus. "When I first started with the relocation program at work, I was assigned to an older wizard, who was being relocated here in the state from Italy. He...he had been trailed by a group of wizards, whom claimed that he knew too much information. Whatever that information was, I was not privileged to.
"Anyway," Christoph paused again to collect himself. "He had a wife, a daughter, who was a squib, and a grandson, all of who he brought with him during the relocation. We placed them in a small town, much like Amadahy, and figured that they needed some time to adjust and meet the people there. His family, after a couple of months, began opening up to their neighbors and making friends in the town. But, unfortunately, the husband didn't.
"I would do my monthly rounds, checking in the family, and every time I visited, the man became more and more distant. His wife finally told me that he was still plagued by nightmares and that he would sometimes have flashbacks during the day; seeing the wizards in his home, attacking his family.
"And then we got a floo call," he stopped; swallowing so hard that Severus could see his Adam's apple bob considerably. "The Aurors in the area where the family lived received a call saying that neither the wife, daughter nor grandson had been seen in few days. So they called us, and I made my way over there. Do you know what I found?"
Severus found himself not being able to speak, let alone shake his head, as horrible thoughts filled his head.
"Dead..." Christoph sighed heavily. "All four of them. The wife and daughter had...had been killed with a severing curse. Both had been in the kitchen. Merlin there was so much blood. The grandson, a two year old, had been suffocated with his own pillow on his bed. And the wizard..."
"He..." Severus didn't know whether Christoph was even able to continue. "He was hanging from the rafters in his grandson's room."
"Had the other wizards found them?" Severus asked carefully, watching Christoph's face closely.
"No," Christoph shook his head. "We worked in the house for days; checking for fingerprints or any other forms of DNA we could find, but found nothing. Then we found the man's wand. It was found underneath a dresser in the grandson's bedroom. We examined it and found that the severing curse had come from his wand. And there was only one set of fingerprints on that wand...the man's own.
"We figured that he had finally snapped," he sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "Severus, he allowed his fear to overtake him. I know that you are not as bad as he was, but you've got to remember to allow yourself to live now. Allow yourself to move forward, and remind yourself that this is real. Your son is real...your daughter is real...this place is real...
"...Your wife is real," Christoph stated, now holding Severus' gaze again. "It's time to let go of that fear that they are not here. It's time to move forward.
"It's also time for you to stop taking Dreamless Sleep Draught before bed," Christoph smirked lightly at Severus' widened eyes.
"How did you...?"
"Katherine found the bottle," Christoph continued. "She's worried about you. She just wasn't sure how to broach you on the subject."
"It is just a precautionary," Severus sighed, as he leaned against the workbench next to Christoph. "I planned on stopping after Katherine's soul had been healed."
"You'd better," Christoph chuckled lightly. "Or you'll get the same scolding you gave Katherine a little over a year ago."
"But in all fairness," Severus stated, "she was doing it for the same reason that I am now."
"True," Christoph smirked. But his smirk soon died away into a frown, as his nose caught a whiff of something that smelled almost rancid. "What's that smell?"
Severus and Christoph both glanced at each other both turning back to look at the workbench that they were leaning against. The cauldron that Severus had been working on was bubbling and spitting out green-fowling smelling murk, as the pot itself began shaking violently above the largely lit flame.
"SHIELDS!" Severus shouted, as both wizards quickly conjured up protective shields and duck under the workbench.
Within seconds, the cauldron exploded with a force so great that it shook the house. Rattling windows and breaking the glass jars that lined the room. The cauldron exploded into a million pieces, sending the chunks of pewter and green globs in every direction.
Slowly, Severus and Christoph emerged from under the table, both staring at the damage around them. Thundering footsteps could be heard barreling down the cellar steps, before the lab door flew open, revealing a slightly disheveled Katherine.
"WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME WAS THAT?" Katherine shouted, as she surveyed the damage.
"Sorry, sorry," Christoph apologized, as both he and Severus lowered their shields. "My fault. I distracted Severus from his work."
"Are you both alright?" Katherine asked, as she moved further into the room.
"We're fine," Severus sighed, as he pulled Katherine to him and wrapped her in his arms. "Everything is fine."
On the night of Katherine's birthday, Severus Apparated the two of them to Rynek Lane, where Christoph had helped him to make dinner reservations at The Standish Resort, a popular weekend spot for wizards.
Even though when Severus had told Katherine of his plans earlier that morning, she had said that he needn't make a big deal for her birthday; but Katherine's eyes betrayed her. Severus could see her ice blue eyes sparkle with excitement, at the mere thought of an actual 'date.'
So, promptly at six in the evening, Severus and Katherine left Serenity with her godparents and Apparated to the wizarding section of Milwaukee. Rynek Lane was fairly deserted that Monday night, which allowed Severus to feel more at ease, as the two made their way to the end of the street.
Katherine's face lit up at the sight of the large resort that sat overlooking Lake Michigan. Severus, himself, hadn't known what to expect, as they had never ventured this far down the lane. But he was surprised to see an older Victorian building, painted in white, with large windows and balconies overlooking the lake.
If the outside was impressive, the dining room nearly blew him away. As they stood waiting for the hostess, Severus took in the expansive dining area. Group tables and intimate tables adorned with deep red table clothes and porcelain plates, with gold rims. Golden goblets and utensils, and freshly pressed white linen napkins, with the Standish logo embroidered in red were placed perfectly on each table; as well as a lit red and gold candle sat in the center.
A large stone fireplace was centered in the middle of the room; its' flames dancing lively within. Three large French doors opened up onto a large balcony that was adorned with more tables with a magnificent view of the lake. Soft music filled the air, as diners eat and talked quietly.
"Can I help you?" a young wizard in dress robes asked, as he approached them from the dining room.
"We have reservations," Severus said, watching the young man search the guest list.
"Name?"
"Prince."
"Ah. Here we are," the host exclaimed. "Follow me please."
The wizard led them through the dining room, and out onto the balcony. He sat them at a one of the small tables that lined the rail of the veranda, and quietly handed them their menus.
"Can I interest you in the wine list tonight?" the host asked. "We have some newly imported Elf-made wine from Europe that has recently arrived."
"That will be fine," Severus said, "We'll take the bottle."
"Excellent," the host smiled, before disappearing back into the dining room, leaving Severus and Katherine with their menus. Before long a young waitress appeared with the wine, and quickly took their order, before vanishing back into the building.
The two sat in silence as they looked out onto the lake. Severus silently thanked Merlin that the balcony had a warming charm placed on it, as a gentle breeze blew in off the tarn.
'So this is what an awkward first date feels like,' Severus thought, as the silence between them stretched on. He slyly snuck a glance at Katherine, noting that she was still taking in the lake. Her golden hair was done up in a loose bun with a few locks hanging down, framing her slender face; and emerald studded earrings sparkled on her lobes. Her mother's locket still adorned her neck, and her emerald diamond engagement ring glittered brilliantly on her alabaster skinned finger.
Severus caught his breath slightly, as he drank her in. She had worn an emerald green satin dress, with a wide portrait neckline. The beautiful faux-wrapped skirt cascaded to one side, hugging just all the right curves. Taking a sip of his wine, Severus cleared his throat, causing Katherine to glance back at him.
"You look beautiful tonight," Severus said quietly, trying to hold Katherine's gaze as best he could.
"Thank you," Katherine replied softly, before the two drifted back into silence once more.
"Katherine..."
"Sev..."
Both started, but dropped their gazes quickly. Severus cursed himself silently, for behaving like an awkward teenager again. His long, pale fingers fiddled with the stem of his wine glass, as he continued to mentally berate himself. His eyes were downcast towards his empty plate, willing the food to appear soon.
He flinched suddenly, as he felt something brush lightly against his hand that was occupying the glass. Severus' eyes shot up, and came in contact with Katherine's blue ones.
"You don't have to do this you know," Katherine said, as she gently pried his digits from the stem and took them firmly in her hand.
"Do what?" Severus asked in a sharp, yet quiet voice. His black eyes looking away from her once more, as her thumb began to caress the tops of his fingers.
"Try to make small talk," Katherine grinned slightly. "We've known each other for thirty year Sev; we're well pass small talk."
"I'm sorry Katherine," Severus sighed, as he leaned back in his chair, but not far enough to pull his hand out of hers. "I'm just not use to this."
"Neither am I," Katherine smiled softly at him.
"But you had plenty of chances," Severus pointed out. "Half the male population at Hog...at school followed you around like lost puppies. You could have dated any of them."
"But I didn't want to date any of them," Katherine said sincerely, causing Severus to look back up at her. He noted how clear Katherine's eyes truly were at that moment. Those ice blue eyes full of truth; full of love. "I only ever wanted what's right in front of me."
But before Severus could respond, the waitress arrived with their meal. The night seemed to pass by easier after that, and Severus wondered if he would close his eyes, that he would find himself back at Spinner's End...in the kitchen...sharing a meal...talking about potions...talking about everything.
If Severus had thought the meal at the Halloween Benefit's food had been impressive, he was even more astonished with the resort's. They shared an appetizer of Casaba Melon and Prosciutto Di Parma, followed by Sautéed Veal Medallions with Sweetbread Crepinette, Hazelnut Polenta Cake and Brandied Shiitake Cream for Katherine; and Spice Rubbed Breast of Muscovy Duck with Sweet Potato Puree, Tuscan Kale, and Fig-Port Glaze for Severus.
It was well after eight in the evening when they left Standish's; declining dessert, claiming to be too full from the wonderful meal. The sun had well since set, cooling off the land around them. Small flame-lit candles danced lively in their globes that hovered above Rynek Lane. Shops had closed for the night, with the exception of the local pubs and restaurants; even St. Augustine's seemed quiet, as they passed by.
"Thank you for the wonderful birthday Sev," Katherine said, as they reached the Apparation Point. "It was an amazing night."
"The night is far from over," Severus whispered, as he offered her his hand.
"What?" Katherine breathed, as he pulled her into his arms.
"Do you trust me?" Severus asked softly; mirroring the words Katherine had asked him nearly a year ago.
"With my life," Katherine replied without hesitation. Severus turned them swiftly on their heels, and disappeared with a pop into the darkness.
A loud crack echoed throughout the vast field, as Severus and Katherine reappeared in the darkness. A gentle breeze disturbed the long grass around them, allowing Katherine to catch the faint scent of pine, flowers, and earth.
"Severus?" Katherine asked, as she pulled her wand from the concealed pocket of her skirt. "Where are we?"
"About twenty minutes from home," Severus smirked, as he casually lit his own wand.
"Twenty minutes," Katherine murmured with astonishment. "That cannot be. The scent of flowers I'm picking up shouldn't be blooming until later in July or early August."
"Trust me," Severus said, before the crunching of grass beneath feet made them both turn on their heels.
"Mr. Prince..." A gentleman around their age appeared before them in the darkness; holding a wand in one hand and a lantern in the other. The gangly-tall man seemed soft spoken, and had short, wavy graying hair. His clothes were a bit battered and rumbled, and covered in dirt.
"Mr. Desrosier," Severus said, as he reached out to shake the man's hand.
"Bit earlier than expected," Desrosier stated, with a slight smirk.
"Yes, well thankful we had the restaurant pretty much to ourselves," Severus said, before indicating to Katherine. "Desrosier, this is my wife, Katherine."
"Nice to meet you," Desrosier said, shaking Katherine's hand before turning back to Severus. "Everything is set and ready to go, just as we discussed. Have a good evening." Without another word, Desrosier turned on his heel and headed back in the direction he had come from.
"Sev?" Katherine asked, now pointing her wand in the direction where the other wizard had disappeared. "What's going on?"
"Follow me," Severus smirked, as he began walking off in another direction. But Katherine stay rooted where she was; refusing to move while she figured out what was going on. Realizing Katherine wasn't following him; Severus paused and looked back over his shoulder.
"You told me you trusted me," Severus said, slowly extending his hand out towards her. Katherine turned to face him; hesitation still in her eyes, and her mouth set firmly as in thought. "I would never lead you into harm intentionally Katherine."
Slowly Katherine walked towards him, and grasped his hand firmly. Severus led them down a narrow, grass covered path, and in the light from his wand, Katherine could make out the shapes, of what appeared to be, large yellow sunflowers. Some were shorter than others; some were at eye level, while others towered over even Severus' six-foot-one frame.
Suddenly the path opened up, revealing a large grass covered clearing. And directly in the center of the clearing, was a tan canvas tent that was surrounded by numerous floating colored lanterns. Severus smirked lightly at Katherine's look of astonishment, before leading her towards the tent.
Katherine gasped lightly upon entering the tent; there was a small sitting room, but no chairs or settees. Instead large cushioned pillows surrounded a small square coffee table in the center of the room. Three softly lit candles hovered a few feet above the table; fresh wild flowers rested gently in a vase in the center of the table's black granite slab, while a platter of her favorite fudge and chocolate turtles, adorned with a bottle of elf-made champagne accompanied it.
"Look up," Severus whispered softly to her. Her ice blue eyes slowly looked upwards, and the sight caused Katherine's eyes to widen even further. At the center of the large ceiling, the canvas was invisible, revealing the dark blackened sky and its' millions of tiny, tinkling stars.
Katherine gently let go of Severus' hand, and walk further into the room. She noted a decent sized bedroom, with a large mahogany bed, peeking through an opening on the right of the sitting room, and to the left, a small dining area and kitchenette.
Severus silently summoned two glasses from the dining room, and then he made himself comfortable on one of the many pillows in the middle of the living room. He observed Katherine quietly, as he poured the champagne, and then waited for her to join him.
Minutes had passed by before Katherine realized that Severus had moved from his previous spot, and finally she moved to join him. Wordlessly, Severus handed Katherine a filled glass and raised his own.
"Happy Birthday Katherine," he said, clinking his glass with hers, before taking a sip of the bubbly.
"Severus," Katherine whispered, her eyes finally resting on Severus who was sitting next to her. "What is all this?"
"I thought you deserved a proper birthday for once," Severus said softly, before motioning to the tent itself. "This is ours for the night."
"The night!" Katherine exclaimed, her eyes growing wider. "But what about Serenity? What about..."
"Elisa and Christoph are taking care of her," Severus explained calmly. "She'll be fine for one night."
"You didn't have to do all of this you know," Katherine said. "I was more than satisfied with our dinner tonight."
"But I wanted to," Severus said sincerely, as he took Katherine's left hand in his, and brushed his thumb over the emerald and diamond ring. "I have numerous birthdays to make up to you Katherine..."
"Sev..."
"No, let me finish," Severus said, cutting her off. "I could never remember your birthday until it was too late. Usually Narcissa's gifts were a reminder for me, but...I don't know Katherine. A part of me feels guilty for all the years I missed it."
"It's alright Severus," Katherine stated, shifting closer to him on the pillow. "You had other things on your mind at the time. Plus, you never were good with remembering birthdays anyway." She smirked softly at him, earning a snort from him.
"Yes...well...whatever could I do to make those birthdays up to you?" Severus asked, slipping an arm around Katherine's waist, and pulling her closer to him.
"Umm," Katherine hummed, pressing against Severus' side. "I have a few ideas."
After a few glasses of champagne each, accompanied with the chocolates and the occasional snog, Severus led Katherine to the bedroom. They both had long since shed their traveling cloaks and footwear, and Severus had even relaxed so far as to rolling up the sleeves of his collared white shirt. He gave a small smile, relishing in the fact that there was no longer anything to hide under them. The pale skin of his left forearm sat before him, unblemished...untainted.
Upon entering the bedroom, his shirt was removed by nimble fingers and lips descended on his. Severus pulled Katherine into his arms; running his hands up her hips and around to her back. His agile fingers quickly found the dress' zipper, and slid it down slowly, as he gently nipped Katherine's bottom lip.
Katherine stepped back out of Severus' embrace, and let her green satin dress fall to the floor. If Severus thought that he was hard before, the sight before him made his trouser unbearably uncomfortable. Katherine's slender pale body was adorned with a black lace corset and matching knickers.
He groaned loudly, as he pulled her to him once more; pressing her barely clad body hard against his own. His lips descended on hers once again, as he backed her towards the bed. Their lips only parted for a moment, as Katherine settled herself into the middle of the sea of white silk sheets; her corset a stark different between her flesh and the ashen mass surrounding her. She had removed her hair from the up-do that it was in earlier, and the golden locks were now fanned out around her.
Climbing onto the bed, Severus quickly covered her body with his. His arousal was pressed hard against her, as he attacked her lips once more. Slowly, Severus kissed down her neck, while running his hands down her body.
Severus paused for a moment, when his eyes came into contact with the corset' laces. He watched Katherine's breast rise and fall quickly, as she struggled to control her own arousal. Smirking slightly, Severus took the cord between his teeth and slowly began undoing them, lace by lace.
Katherine's breathing sped up even more, as Severus' shoulder length hair brushed against her top of her breast. It was torture; she thought this was how his Christmas presents must feel, as he peeled the ribbons and wrappings away as slowly as possible.
Finally Severus finished with the laces, and pulled the corset from her body. His rough, potion-stained hands gently massaged her breast, causing a soft moan to escape her lips. But her soft moan soon turned to a loud gasp, as Katherine felt Severus' tongue swipe across a nipple.
"Oh, Severus," Katherine moaned softly, causing Severus to chuckle against her breast. He could sense Katherine was trying to restrain herself from being too loud; as though she feared someone would hear her.
"No one can hear you here, love," Severus said, before gliding his tongue over the other nipple. "No children..." his tongue trailed down her stomach slowly. "No friends calling...We are completely alone out here."
Katherine let out a cry of frustration, as Severus' tongue stopped just above her waistline of her knickers. Slowly, he rose onto his hands and knees, and slid down to the end of the bed. Katherine opened her eyes and looked down at him. Severus sat back on his haunches, and gently grabbed a hold of her right ankle. He raised it from the bed, and undid the strap on her high heels. Unhurriedly, he slid the heel from her foot, and tossed it over his shoulder.
His eyes never left hers, as he tenderly ran his lips along the arch of her foot. His lips slowly began moving north; kissing up Katherine's delicate ankle, up her calf, over her knee, and continue along her thigh. But he stopped short of where Katherine wanted him the most, causing another cry of frustration to escape her lips.
"Severus..."
"Not yet," Severus smirked, as he slid down to the edge of the bed again to continue his assault on her other leg. But this time he didn't stop his ascent, and allowed his nose and lips to press lightly against Katherine's soaked knickers.
"Please, Severus..." Katherine moaned, as she tried to rub herself against him.
"Please what, love?" Severus asked, smirking against her black-clad core.
"Make..." she breathed heavily. "Make love to me..." Severus chuckled lightly, as he slid back up her body; making sure that his own person rubbed against her all the way up.
"Is that what you want for your birthday?" Severus asked innocently, as he grasped her hips firmly.
"Yes..." Katherine moaned, closing her eyes once more. "Take me...Severus. Make me cum..."
Those words stopped Severus dead in his tracks. They were the same words that she had said in his dream nearly two years ago. But he that it wasn't a dream this time; this time, it was real. A growl echoed through Severus, as he quickly undid his trousers and pulled them off along with his boxers.
Katherine squirmed beneath him, as he hastily pulled her knickers done her legs and threw them across the room. Severus covered her body with his once more, and ground her arousal against his hardness. He kissed her gently as he pushed into her; both moaning into each other's mouths.
Severus began moving slowly, pushing himself deep within her. Moaning loudly, Katherine moved her hips upward, allowing him to sink deeper into her. Severus could feel her inner walls begin to tighten around him, and he reached down between them to press his thumb hard against her pearl.
"Severus!" Katherine cried loudly, as she came. He moaned loudly, feeling her tighten even more around him, and began thrusting into her harder and faster. Their breaths quickened, as Katherine came again, harder than before.
"SEV!" Katherine cried out loud, causing Severus to lose control. He drove forward once more, and came inside her. His body shuddered under the force of his climax, and he fought to gain control of his person once more. Slowly, he kissed Katherine gently, before pulling out of her, and rolling off to one side of the bed.
"I love you Katherine," Severus said, taking a deep breath to calm his body. "Happy birthday."
"Umm..." Katherine hummed happily, as she leaned over to kiss him gently again. "I love you too."
"Are you tired?" he asked, pulling her against him.
"Not quite," she said, smirking as she pushed him onto his back and straddled him. "I'm just getting warmed up, love..."
Before they knew it, March twenty-fourth was there. Katherine and Severus, along with Serenity, Elisa and Christoph, Apparated back to the fields that were just north of home. The morning after Katherine birthday, Severus had told her that he had reserved the same clearing for their bonding ceremony. She smiled brightly at him, and her ice blue eyes sparkled with excitement upon see the vast fields of sunflowers surrounding their tent in the morning light.
After an hour of pestering the morning of the ceremony, Katherine had agreed to let Elisa transfigure her dress into something more suitable for a wedding. Severus and Christoph, themselves, dressed in formal dress robes, while Elisa wore an emerald green knee length dress. As the reappeared within the fields of sunflowers, Severus never thought Katherine looked more stunning, as she stood before him in the green clearing.
Elisa has put her in an ivory colored strapless dress that was adorned with a lacey bodice and short train. An emerald green sash was tied around her petit waist, with the small bow in the front. Her blonde hair was done up in curls, showing off her slender neck and shoulders. Severus smiled softly at his daughter, who Elisa had dressed in a miniature gown like her mothers.
Christoph had introduced them to William Davis, a grumpy, portly wizard who was several inches shorter that Katherine, and never smiled once. Severus eyed the wizard carefully, but brushed off his bad feelings, figuring that the man just wanted to, as the muggles say 'get on with the show.'
"Let us begin the re-bonding Handfasting ceremony," Davis said, as Severus and Katherine moved to stand before him. Christoph took his place on Severus' right, while Elisa, who was now holding Serenity, moved to stand on Katherine's left.
"Know now before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other. As you seek to reenter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real, the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and the institution of marriage.
"With full awareness, know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to renew your handfasting, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers.
"The promises made today and the ties that are rebound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and live of each soul's growth.
"Do you still seek to reenter this ceremony?" Davis asked, looking back and forth at the wizard and witch.
"Yes, we seek to enter," Severus and Katherine both stated, as they turned to clasp their left hands together.
"In times, past," Davis continued, "it was believe that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is the belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony.
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East. Communications of the heart, mind, and body. Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of hearth and home. The heat of the heart's passion. The light created by both. To lighten the darkest of times.
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West. The deep commitments of the lake. The swift excitement of the river. The refreshing cleansing of the rain. The all encompassing passion of the sea.
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North. Firm foundation on which to build. Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives. A stable home to which you may always return.
"Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union.
"I bid you look into each other eyes." Black found the blue, which held them equally. Davis raised his wand and began the re-bonding.
"Severus, will you cause her pain?
"I may."
"Is that your intent?"
"No."
"Katherine, will you cause him pain?
"I may."
"Is that your intent?"
"No."
"Will you both share each other's pain and seek to ease it?"
"Yes." Severus and Katherine said together.
"And so mote it be." Davis stated as he touched the tip of the honey oak wand to the couple's joint hands. A thin ribbon of light sprung forward and wrapped around their hands.
"Katherine, will you share his laughter?"
"Yes."
"Severus, will you share her laughter?"
"Yes."
"Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?
"Yes." The couple stated together.
"And so mote it be." Davis stated as he touched the tip of the wand to the couple's joint hands once again. A second thin ribbon of light sprung forward and wrapped around their hands.
"Katherine, will you burden him?
"I may."
"Is that your intent?"
"No."
"Severus, will you burden her?"
"I may."
"Is that your intent?"
"No."
"Will you both share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?"
"Yes." Severus and Katherine answered again.
"And so mote it be." Davis stated as he touched the tip of the wand to the couple's joint hands for a third time. Another thin ribbon of light sprung forward and wrapped around their hands.
"Katherine, will you share his dreams?"
"Yes."
"Severus, will you share her dreams?"
"Yes."
"Will you both dream together to create new realities and hopes?"
"Yes." The couple answered.
"And so mote it be." Davis stated as he touched the tip of the wand to the couple's joint hands. A fourth ribbon of light sprung forward and wrapped around their hands.
"Severus, will you cause her anger?"
"I may."
"Is that your intent?"
"No."
"Katherine, will you cause him anger?"
"I may."
"Is that your intent?"
"No."
"Will you take that heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?"
"We will." Severus and Katherine answered.
"And so mote it be." Davis stated as he touched the tip of the wand to the couple's joint hands. The fifth ribbon of light sprung forward and wrapped around their hands.
"Katherine, will you honor him?"
"I will."
"Severus, will you honor her?"
"I will."
"Will you both seek to never give cause to break that honor?"
"We shall never do so," the couple stated in unison.
"And so mote it be." Davis stated as he touched the tip of the wand to the couple's joint hands. A sixth ribbon of light sprung forward and wrapped around their hands.
"Will you Severus Arcadius Prince, willingly re-bond your soul to Katherine's, for the rest of your lives, and in death, willingly follow her into the darkness?"
"I will."
"And will you Katherine Ariana Prince, willingly re-bond your soul to Severus', for the rest of your lives, and in death, willingly follow him into the darkness?"
"I will."
"And so mote it be." Davis stated as he touched the tip of the wand to the couple's joint hands for a final time. A seventh ribbon of light sprung forward and wrapped around their hands.
"The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords, but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for as always; you hold in your own hands the making of breaking of this union.
"You are bound not only by these knots of marriage, but by your souls as well. Now that both of you have given yourself to each other by the promises you have exchanged; I now pronounce you, husband and wife...again" Davis finished. He extended his wand high into the air above Severus and Katherine, shooting off colored sparks, over the field of sunflowers, to signify the marriage.
The seven small threads of light that bound their hands together, faded into their skin. Severus' eyes never left Katherine's throughout the whole ceremony, just like the last time, but at least this time Katherine was smiling, and her blue eyes were filled with several different emotions. Severus pulled her to him, and gently placed his lips upon her smiling ones.
"I love you," Katherine told him silently.
"And I you," Severus replied, as they pulled apart.
"Severus, Katherine," Davis continued, "Shall we continue with the re-healing spell?"
"Of course," Severus said, as Davis handed them their wedding rings. Quickly slipping them on one another, Davis directed them to place their wands in their left hands, and lay them over each others' hearts.
"Ready?" Davis asked, and was replied with a nod from both. "Réparer l'âme, que je suis lié. Rendre toutes les âmes ensemble à nouveau."
A bright, white ball of light began to glow beneath both of their hands. Severus watched as it grew steadily larger, engulfing their fingers then wrists, before spreading slowly down their arms towards their chests. He could feel something stir in his torso, as though it was trying to break free. His heart gave a quick jolt as he felt a cold wave wash over him; and suddenly the dull ache in his chest was gone.
"Réparer l'âme, que je suis lié. Rendre toutes les âmes ensemble à nouveau," Davis continued the spell, the white light growing brighter and brighter. "Réparer l'âme, que je suis lié. Rendre toutes les âmes ensemble à nouveau."
Severus glanced back up at Katherine, expecting to see the light, that had surround them begin to fade. But for some unknown reason, it wasn't.
"Prenez sa vie de douleur de son corps. Sentez-vous la douleur au sein de votre propre," Davis continued, chanting an entirely different spell.
"Davis!" Severus could hear Christoph shouting beside him, but his cries sounded faint. "What are you doing? That isn't the same spell!"
A sudden pain ripped through Severus' body, one so strong that it brought him to his knees. He closed his eyes in agony and clenched his teeth; never noticing that his hand was still attached to Katherine's chest, and hers to his.
"Prenez sa vie de douleur de son corps. Sentez-vous la douleur au sein de votre propre," Davis continued, despite Christoph's protesting.
Pain rippled through Severus' body again, like a thousand knives piercing his person. He could hear Katherine calling to him, and Elisa yelling at Katherine, telling her not to release her hand from his chest. Severus wrenched open his eyes, and was surprised to that Katherine was now on her knees as well. Her ice blue eyes were wide with fear, and were searching his dark orbs as though trying to understanding what was exactly going on.
Severus' heart began to race, as he held her gaze. The outside world disappeared around him, as he began to fall into the depths of ice blue. He could still hear Christoph and Elisa's shouts of objection, but it was so faint that he couldn't even make out the words.
"Prenez sa vie de douleur de son corps. Sentez-vous la douleur au sein de votre propre," Davis chanted a third time.
The world exploded in a flash of brilliant white, and the pain grew more intense. Severus closed his eyes in misery once more; but instead of being greeted by the familiar blackness flashes of color and then images appeared behind his eyelids...and in his mind.
Pain first rippled through his right arm, as he saw a familiar young girl fall out of a tree and land awkwardly on the same arm. That pain was followed by several smaller stinging ones that occurred on his legs, feet, hands and arms.
Then the pain began to change, becoming more severe, as he saw the same girl being hit with spells, hexes, bats and bludgers. Bones felt as though they were breaking; his skin tingled and burn as though it was being sliced open.
Pain ripped through his ankle, as though someone had drove two metal rods into it. Pain flowed through his face next, feeling as though someone had punched him several times. The pain kept growing worse and worse, as the girl, in the images, aged. It was then that he heard it; a high hissing voice within his head.
"Crucio!"
Severus' could feel his body wither in pain, as the curse worked its' way through his person.
"CRUCIO!"
His body convulsed under the spell, and more pain shot through his pain. He could barely hear Christoph, Elisa or Katherine now, as their voices were only a whisper now. The hissing voice overpowered them, repeating the curse over and over again. A cackling woman's voice soon joined the hissing one, which threw in random curses here and here.
Then suddenly the pain shifted; this pain was different, as it started out as a sharp pain in his back. A horrible sharp pain, that grew and grew with each passing second. The sharp pains were soon replaced with strong waves of pressure and throbbing through his lower torso. It kept building up and up, until it was suddenly just gone, and replaced once again by the two voices hissing the Cruciatus Curse at him.
Curse after curse sent ripples of pain through his body, until they were once again replaced by the sharp stabbing pain in his back; followed by the waves of pressure and throbbing. Then, suddenly, it all stopped. The images of the girl, now woman, began to fade. He felt his body grow heavy, and with all the strength he had left in him, Severus cracked open his eyes to find his wife.
Katherine was still kneeling before him; tears streaking down her pale cheek, as she was silently calling to him. But Severus couldn't hear her, as her cries were drowned out by loud cackling. He shifted his eyes towards Davis, only to find the last thing he expected to see.
Davis' face and body was shifting; his body bubbling beneath his skin. The wizard was shrinking; morphing into a petit body of a woman. Dark brown short hair lengthened into grey locks. Pale skin darkened and wrinkled. Soft grey eyes became beady, black, and they stared down at him with amusement and insanity.
'Wakanda...' It was Severus' last thought, before the darkness overtook him.
a/n: Hello! I'm back! I know, I know; it's been over two months since I've update, and I apologize greatly for it. Work's been crazy, and I've been running back and forth between my real job, and giving tennis lessons and piano lessons on the side. So finding time to sit down (without falling asleep) and actually writing has been a nightmare.
Alright, explanations for this chapter are in order...since it's so, so long. Phew...
1) Casaba Melon & Prosciutto Di Parma - Casaba melon is a type of muskmelon, closely related to honeydew and cantaloupe. It is native to Asia Minor, but is commercially grown in South America and the Southwestern US (mainly in California and Arizona). It has a very thick rind, with a smooth, yet wrinkled skin; and often bright yellow in color. It has a juicy flesh with a cucumber-like flavor. Prosciutto Die Parma, or Parma Ham, is a dry-cured ham that is thinly sliced and served uncooked. The sweetness of the melon and the salty meat is a simple and elegant appetizer.
2) Sweetbread Crepinette - Sweetbreads are (if you have a queasy stomach, you might not want to read this) are, in culinary terms, names for the thymus (the throat, gullet or neck sweetbreads) or the pancreas (also called heart, stomach or belly sweetbread). Crepinette is a term meaning a small, flattened sausage. The sweetbread from the calf is ground or minced then wrapped in Caul fat (the thin membrane that surrounds the stomach of the calf) and usually cooked with an outer coating of bread and sauteed in butter.
3) Hazelnut Polenta Cake - basically it is a ground hazelnut, cornmeal porridge cake, with a pleasantly crumbly and grainy texture.
4) Brandied Shiitake Cream - basically you sautee shallots, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes in a large skillet. Once sauteed, add garlic and sautee quickly. You add brandy and bring the mixture to a boil. Then add beef stock and cream, and return the mixture to a boil, until it reduces in volume, and gets thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5) Muscovy Duck - a large duck native to Mexico, Central and South America, but there are small, wild and feral breeding populations in the US, particularly in Texas. The Muscovy duck has a unique taste; it is lean, meaty, tender and flavorful. They also have less fat and less calories per pound than turkey!
6) The sunflower fields where Katherine and Severus spend their wonderful evening really exist. The fields are located at the intersection of Hwy 63 & County Hwy E, in Northern Wisconsin.
7) Réparer l'âme, que je suis lié. Rendre toutes les âmes ensemble à nouveau - translates roughly to 'Repairing the soul, that I am bound. Make all souls together again.
8) Prenez sa vie de douleur de son corps. Sentez-vous la douleur au sein de votre propre - translate roughly to Take her life pain of her boy. Feel pain in your own.
Phew...okay, my culinary background is weaving its' way into my writing. Sorry for that...
A big thanks to RemaSofiRuin, SweetieCherrie, lightbabe, adellameeka, Mira Severus Sirius Black-Snape, AdaYuki, PMtheHBP Fan, xxyangxx2006, rissmuso (I'm not a professional writer, so I know my writing isn't prefect and I'm not out to make money on this story, so...yeah...believe I've read stories with worse grammar and spelling than mine - extremely worse...sorry, didn't mean to rant...anyway), The Eve of Ten-Thousand Mists, and Tara Cytherea (times 28!), for their awesome reviews!
Also thank you to all who are reading and/or following and favoring this story! It means a lot to me that you all have been so patience with my writing! Thanks again, and I'll will start writing on Chapter 28!
-FonzFan
