I realized as we emerged into the overworld that it must have rained lightly throughout our time in the catacombs. The scent of petrichor lingered heavily in the nose and everywhere drops of moisture could be spied hanging to the trees and leaves. The thick wetness was not the only change done to the mystical forest.

As the light faded and the woods darkened, I realized suddenly that the forest had not regained its earlier spirit. The day had seen many the telltale signs of life. There had been the odd chirping of song birds here and there, the rhythmic drumming of woodpeckers. There had been the sound of squirrels scampering and snakes shifting through the debris of underbrush. There had been deer grazing and the ever shifting rush of wind to punctuate the silence. Now, however, as we walked through the dead woods, the stillness of this new place overwhelmed me. We continued more slowly for the next few minutes, an unspoken eery caution now present in our stride. I watched shadows lengthen and warp beyond recognition as twilight yielded quickly to Nyx's caress. The trees came and went for another ten minutes and still there was no other sign of life.

Scor stopped us in our tracks with an outstretched hand, motioning with his other for me to be quiet.

Had he heard something that I had not?

*Crack!* I heard in the distance, a dread disquiet gripping me by my throat.

I could scarcely believe we had yet another obstacle to overcome today, not after our confrontation with the great spirit.

As if out of nowhere there came then the sound of charging hoof beats. We turned as they grew louder and louder until a beautiful white unicorn came crashing finally into view. It saw me and almost skidded nervously to a stop, stamping at the earth in panic. Its frantic whiny did nothing to dampen my alarm, nor did the sight of the terrible gash that had marked her hind leg. Its poor horn had been broken off and its mane had been stained by the faint splattering of crimson.

"Woah there girl, woah." I commanded, trying in vain to calm the splendid creature as it frenzied about to spill more of its silver blood.

"Fleothri asphaloth. Fleothri." I repeated in faeric, patting the creature to which the beast did somewhat respond.

"Something is after it! Al, get ready." Scor barked as he peered off into the ghostly woods. The blond's training was evident in his posture as he positioned himself carefully for a fight.

At first we heard nothing, the mere whisper of chill stillness stuck heavily in the air. It began only then as the quivering of raindrops that yet clung to the green leaves and grass of the forest. Little orbs of dew vibrating as they shook free from their purchase, knocked in sheets to the ground by the distant trembling. It did not take long for the wrath of evil to deepen its growl. A great crashing rumbled through the trees and the closer it neared the more certain I was of what had spawned it.

"Mor Tork!" I shot to my blond as he steadied himself further. Scorpius nodded and tossed his robes to the side. As I continued to try and comfort the noble creature I could not help but to get heavy blots of the silver liquid all over my hands. The horror of gore stained me before even our challenger approached, making me tremble in anticipation of the nearing battle.

"We will deal with the beast pure one. Take heart and rest. Please." I ushered, trying to get the unicorn to step behind us for its safety. Its eyes were wide and fearful as it limped away.

I reached into my secret pocket and felt the three powerful books there. Only one would be of use now. 'No. Not now.' I thought to myself.

I too removed my summer robe and tossed it to the side. 'Better to be unencumbered for this fight.'

"HERE IT COMES AL!" Scor bellowed, stepping backwards away from the din.

A storm of branches and groaning splinters exploded from the direction of the rumbling as a monstrous red boar came charging like an elephant through the trees. Horror gripped me as the hulking colossus exploded into view. It's sheer scale made the nundu we had faced last year look like but large cats by comparison. I spied the unicorns broken horn lodged deeply into the matted fur of the pigs breast and shuddered. It was clear the two foot long spiraled bone had done no more than annoy the grunting menace.

Wild eyes examined the scene in disdainful impatience, noting the two small humans who now stood between it and its prey. One angry snort was issued as a threat as if ordering us to move aside.

I snarled my lips into a grimace and pointed my wand at the rabid animal, not waiting to give it back its initiative. "INCENDIO MAXIMA!" I cursed as a jet of massive flames spewed forward towards the Tork. 'My wandless fire magic is on its own something to behold. A fully enunciated spell with wand in hand should reduce it to smoldering ruin.' I thought to myself.

The flames, to my dismay, lapped harmlessly at the sweat drenched fur of our foe, causing it to squeal angrily in outrage. The beast grated at the dirt with its cleaved hoofs, readying to launch itself like a bulldozer.

My flames, despite the rain, had set light to several trees and while they had done no harm to our attacker itself, had actually helped us to see better in the fading light.

Scor's go to would be, "Gelis armas!"

My blond spat as a jagged beam of ice impaled the creature in the shoulder just as it began to crash towards me. More squealing bellowed out as pain and blood tore from the newly formed wound. For a moment I spied shock too as the creature's focus settled on Scor this time. Twice in one day an inferior creature had harmed it. 'Not again' I thought, reading its emotions.

The boar shattered the ice with ease and blitzed straight for my idiot. I watched Scor dive out of the way helplessly as the beast tried to gore at him with gargantuan tusks. So easily had the crimson animal broken the ice spell that my blond had not chanced a second lance for fear it would wound his foe but not protect him from the savagery of its onslaught.

'A lance!' I screamed to myself.

Hunters would take down giant boar by allowing the animals to drive themselves headlong in a charge onto a spear. This beast might just be too large for that. Earth magic then maybe? Spikes of rock could act like spears? Or a Pit? I thought quickly, racing through my options as Scor dodged and rolled.

"Any day now Al!"

"I'm trying to think! Oh damn it. Petros!" I screamed driving my foot into the ground. I sent a rumble of rolling earth like a wave towards the tusked assailant, not knowing what else to do. As it reached him pillars of rock emerged from the ground to slam into its side, knocking the animal over in a squealing rage. It had done nothing but buy Scor time to retreat. "FUCK!" No wounds had been done as I'd forgotten to shape the rock into points like Scor had done with the ice. I was not in my eighteen year old body today. The magic would not flow for me as easily as it had then.

"Skial-thi" I shot in faeric instead of latin. It wasn't exactly the correct way to use the spell but as a hardened lance sprang into being out of a branch I nodded to myself at the success.

"Buy me a minute or two scor! I have to think how to make metal."

"What? Oh fine! ARGHHHHHHH!" Scor shouted, smashing a massive spray of water into the boar from the brook to keep it downed where it lay on the ground.

"Think, think, this isn't sharp enough to penetrate its hide." I spat to myself examining my makeshift weapon. I can't create metal out of thin air... I have to... i took off my exquisite watch and felt its weight... not enough.

"Scor!"

"I'm a little busy at the moment!"

"I need your watch. Now!"

"My what? This thing is a hundred galleons!"

"I'll buy you another one you stingy fuck. Just hand it over!"

"Scor removed his watch and tossed it to me. The momentary break in concentration was all it took to allow the angry boar to regain its footing. Scor had to roll out of the way as the beast slammed into a tree behind where the blond had just been.

"Ignis!" I shot melting the metal watches and their steel bands into a sharp blade. I quickly sealed the makeshift spike onto the shaft of my hardened spear, nodded to myself uncertainly at the sight. It would have to do.

I roared then as I charged the side of the pig, impaling the spear into its flesh. The boar grunted but to my horror I had not driven the pole deep enough to properly damage the great Tork. Worse, I could not pry the weapon loose from its thick hide so had no choice but to leap back without it as my assailant turned to face me.

'It's at least having trouble dealing with the two of us at once' I thought gratefully. Although... it didn't seem we could do it much harm either. If this continues one of us will tire and make a mistake...

"Accio Spear!" Scorpius shot as the weapon dislodged itself from our attacker and flew to greet his outstretched palm. "Al" He shouted, tossing the pole back to me.

I caught the object awkwardly but had to dive out of the way of another charge. Hot needles pricked at me as I felt a wound open the entire length of my right arm. Blood poured hot from the opening as the liquid ran down my skin in streams.

"Fucking pig!" I shouted as Amelias training kicked in. A piece of martial magic sprang to mind from my classes, but neither Amelia nor I had been able to perform it before. I did a sort of flip and kicked the blunt butt end of the spear at the rear of the grunting menace. "Ventus!" I whispered creating a beam of wind to propel the shaft through the air. The javelin hurled its way through the space, whistling furiously as if thrown by achilles himself. The makeshift missile drove itself deeply into the hind leg of the Tork. The same leg as the unicorn it had maimed.

"Serves you right!" I spat triumphantly as the monster shrieked and howled. It was now locked in a blind rage, thrashing its head about into trees and rocks. I was disappointed that the blow had not crippled our adversary, watching hopelessly as it turned back towards us with but a weak limp.

"Al are you ok?"

My vision blurred as the ruby liquid continued to escape me. It was at that moment that the unicorn's horn caught my eye again, just as my sight doubled and hazed. It was stuck but a hair's breadth from the Tork's heart. If we could drive it home... just maybe we'd have a chance.

"Its getting ready to come at us again!"

"I need you to stop it momentarily. Can you think of something?!"

Scor didn't hesitate. He used his outstretched hands to create the necessary motions. "Just know I'll be completely spent after this Al. It will be our only chance!"

He summoned the legendary Malfoy bow we used to train with and fitted a bolt of lightning to its string. It was not true lightning but the energy should at least–

"CRACK" I heard as the sparkle of electricity collided with its mark. The beast froze in place, beginning to twitch and spasm violently as though possessed.

"Petros" I roared creating a massive pillar of earth that burst forth to smash into the unicorns horn. The force of the blow pounded the horn like a hammer into the head of a nail, sending the sharp end deeper into the creatures chest.

"Accio horn!" I spat, wrenching the magical blade from the broken body of the boar. It squealed and reared as blood gushed from its torn chest like a geyser of wine from an industrial barrel.

Still it was not dead! I held the enormous unicorn horn like a sword in my hand, furious at the pain that ran through my torn limb. 'Boars cannot look up' the echo flitted through my head from a book i'd read.

"I need a boost!" I barked over my shoulder, issuing the command like a berserker in rabid battle lust. To my surprise, Scor raced in front of me without hesitation, kneeling into position like a trained spartan. I merely sprinted forward and used every ounce of Niime's flight magic in me to propel myself off of Scor's back, ascending loftily into the air. The boar glanced stupidly at Scorpius then, having missed what had just transpired. It was too late.

I descended in an arc like a falling star and as I landed, I impacted the unicorn sword into the skull of the angry beast like a railroad spike.

There was no shriek or groan or squeal or roar this time. There came only the sound of slumping as the gigantic Tork collapsed like a lifeless doll into the wet muck of the brook. I could hear myself heaving for breath as adrenaline threatened to burst my heart open. I pressed my still unicorn blood drenched hand into my wound as more lifewater spilled from the shredded mess that was my mangled arm. The unicorn essence contaminated the injury, but I couldn't think straight anymore. I fell to my knees just as Scor rushed over to support me.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck... Its only a minute... ok Scor... you can do this. You can do this." What was he babbling about? "Tempus!" I heard the blond shout as a blue clock appeared in the air. My torn arm rewound itself as the injury healed in reverse. The unicorn blood sank into my flesh as Scor tried to reset the skin.

"ARGH!" Scor yelled as exhaustion hit him from the earlier lightning magic. The wound burst open again as he could not hold back time.

"Tempus!" He shot again, forcing his remaining energy to feed the desperate spell. Again the skin tried to reweave itself into place, trapping and mixing with the silver blood. "Its not working Al. My energy is spent!"

"Salvere." I attempted near unconsciousness, fear gripping me as the healing spell did nothing. "Damn it! IGNIS!" I shouted finally in utter desperation, sealing the bloody silver mess with a molten spell to burn the entire section of flesh in place. "We can fix it later... Just... call for help" I offered looking at the smooth silver pattern that was not at all like a normal burn. 'The pattern on my arm was rather beautiful' I thought foggily as the pain pounded furiously through me. Somehow the unicorn blood had interfered with my flame magic... I realized, the stench of my scorched flesh reaching my nostrils and sickening me.

"But Al! You're not alright." He spat fearfully. The concern was woven about Scor's expression in a tapestry of sublime panic.

"Just do it!" I cursed as the blond shot a red rocket into the sky. The spell shattered into a starburst of sparks, indicating to the hunters that we'd found prey to collect. The unicorn approached us with a hobble, stopping to sniff at the dead heap that had earlier tried to take its life.

"Are you ok Al?"

"I'll be fine, the bleeding stopped. That's the main thing. Does our friend here look ok?" I asked as my vision floated in an out of darkness.

The blond turned towards the startled unicorn, a look of sadness on his face. The magnificent creature would survive but its horn would take years to grow back.

"Get some of its blood. I have vials in my robe." I ordered firmly as the animal nuzzled at me. "I know, I know. You're very welcome sweet thing." I soothed, accepting the animals gratitude for saving it. The blond retrieved the vials as I instructed but eyed me skeptically. It was callous to strip the unicorn as I intended. More so that I could consider such a thing while on the obvious verge of collapse.

"Unicorn blood is profane Al. It can grant eternal life but nobody dare ever wound one. Nor would someone think to take its horn."

"Which is why we are very lucky to have both. I don't intend to drink the blood Scor, but to acquire unicorn parts without the sacrilege of harming one is a rare gift."

"You're like a walking danger magnet you know that? I'm with you for a single day and we meet Lilith Rhoyne, acquire the book of love and now we have a unicorn horn and its blood?"

The blond shook his head as he filled vial after vial of the silver gel as it poured slowly from the gash.

"Take some of its hair for wands too." I shot greedily, panting heavily. The slytherin in me knew we needed to take full advantage of this encounter. I looked down at the horn and marveled at it. Five minutes passed and I no longer felt like I was dying. I rose with a wince and went to wash the crimson blood off the ivory spike, continuing to examine it as my vision cleared and my strength trickled back.

"Yeah, well, there's more of that where that came from. Still intent on being my Vice Regent? Dragons and Tork and Keepers and terrorists. Its like every other day with me."

SPOV

"I'm always with you Albus." I offered, coming to stand next to the frazzled brunet. The unicorn followed and continued to nuzzle affectionately at the twit like a lost puppy. Al looked at the few strands of hair in my hand and rolled his eyes.

"We saved its life Scor. Besides it looks like a one legged mess at the moment. Whats adding 'plucked chicken' to that list of descriptors?" He chastised, severing the entire beautiful tail right below where he had felt for bone. It unnerved me a little, how easily Al had told me to strip the sacred animal bare.

"You're not a plucked chicken. You'll be as beautiful as ever in no time flat. Yes you will. Yes you will." He continued sweetly, stroking the unicorn and eliciting a lick from the mare. Al laughed and continued to rub at the unicorn's neck, smiling at it. It was like he hadn't just driven a giant spike into the skull of that monstrous boar.

I looked over at the ruined carcass and became nauseous when I realized i was still shaking from the encounter. The only thing that restored my confidence, was the faintest sight of Al gulping repeatedly to himself. He was also still shaken... 'good... he's human after all'... after that display of lethal prowess I was concerned It had not affected him at all... I shook that thought from my head.

"Salvere." Al whispered, weaving a thin layer of skin over the wounded animals leg. It was only a basic healing spell. We had not the energy for much more.

'Why had It worked on the unicorn and not Al's arm?' I wondered to myself as I finished filling the glass containers.

"I got several flagons. Are you really sure we will find a use for all of this?"

I watched Al limp over and climb the giant crimson beast without a hint of fear. He pried the makeshift spear from the animals rump where it was lodged, before hopping down to the ground below. He steadied himself along the shaft as he landed, but fell to one knee in dizzying pain.

"If not for potions than at least we can sell the hair to pay for your watch." Al mumbled out of embarrassment, handing me the weapon who's blade had been hastily melted and shaped into a spear point.

"Don't worry about that. Tempus." I cast separating the metals and turning them back into their respective watches. I was surprised when they stayed that way. I half expected them to bounce back to the present as the tomb entrance and al's wounds had earlier. I could not go back in time but I could rewind time temporarily. So why did the watches stay...

A shock sparked in me and just as I thought the watches were restored, they flew back together to complete the spear again. Interesting...

"Well... anyway... Dad's like a billionaire at this point... he'll buy me a new watch... its just my mom gave that one to me..." I complained softly. Al looked so guilty I almost wanted to laugh. "You saved us with that idea... so don't feel bad about it. You can't be blamed for a makeshift solution if it saves our lives."

"This wasn't all me. We did this together Scor. You fought so well back there. Did you see how we did that?" Al asked me excitedly. "We're unstoppable together!"

I was again a little surprised by how much the thrill of battle had set his blood boiling. He was a natural fighter, there was no doubt. I hadn't fared too badly either. There wasn't a scratch on me.

I was, however, a little worried about the seared wound on my idiots arm. It didn't look like any burn i'd ever seen. It just looked like skin that was silver instead of pink. I was still too afraid to admit that when the Tork had gored him that I had felt the pain in his arm just as if it had been my own. Our soul bond was deepening.

"RUFF. RUFF RUFF!"

"AWOOOO!"

The sound of hounds and dogs barking broke suddenly in the distance as our rescuers neared.

"Finally." Al huffed mercifully. I went over to help him up, jamming the glass bottles and ponytail of silver hairs into his enchanted robe pockets. "Time to go girl. You'll be alright now."

I watched Al slap the unicorns rear to send it racing off into the forest just as our reinforcements appeared.

"Al! Scorpius!"

"Boys!"

"Oh MY GOD!"

"Cyril, get me first aid potions at once! You men, form a perimeter!" Augustin's voice commanded as he strode with his son over to greet us. "Renervate!" The Royal Valois Patriarch spoke, sending his energy into our bodies without hesitation. I felt a flood of raging vitality rush through me as the french prince lent his royal strength to the two of us. Cyril helped Al stand, taking my place as his brace. He handed the brunet a potion which he gulped down furiously without hesitation.

Harry and Ginny emerged close behind the string of huntsmen, bolting to us in a headlong sprint. Ginny came straight to me and pulled me into a hug as Harry stood next to Al and Cyrille to observe his wounded son.

"Are you ok Al? You're drenched in blood." Harry noted. Ginny was scanning me for any sign of injury which had me blushing. She ran a hand through my hair and pulled my head against her chest in honest relief.

"Its fine Dad, i cauterized the wound... some of the blood is the Tork's" Al explained weakly to his father, spitting a gob of dark red off to the side. He was covered in wet mud and matted clumps of drying blood, sweat intermingling with the sticky mix. My heart sped up suddenly as a strange sensation struck me then. He's not a weak little kid, i realized feeling my cheeks warming. I grew confused at the feeling in my chest but did not spare a moment longer to contemplate it. My eyes flew to their right then.

Harry, Augustin, Izanagi, Izanami and Marius Maxus looked over to the heap of crimson fur and finally one of Cyrille's guards expressed what we were all thinking. The french guard merely whistled at the sight.

"Master!" I heard as three Red Robed guards appeared from the procession of hunters and hounds. They raced to take the burden of Al's hobbled form off of Cyrille. They too could not help but observe the mass of legendary creature that hulked listlessly into the water. 'The dragon mask and the lion' i noted quietly to myself. From the mansion.

"You two defeated that? With this?" Augustin balked, seizing the spear and unicorn horn from my hands and eyeing us as if we were savages. Covered in blood the way we were it was hard not to agree with that sentiment.

"They must fight like demons together my lord." A young masked guard of the Valois noted. His voice sounded eerily familiar to me, but again the confusion of the encounter left me too distracted to contemplate it.

"Has anyone brought back a Tork this year?" Marius asked of the guard.

"No my lord... two dozen rarmites, a hypogryff, six gor, four neox, an enfield, and two pexeo."

"So then this is by far the largest prey caught this year?"

Augustin confirmed, nodding his head in amazement.

"Boys, we will arrange to have this returned to the palace. Its head will be made into a trophy and a shard of its tusks shall be fashioned into trinkets of high honor. The rest we will have the elves prepare for the midnight feast. Tork are supposed to be delicious. I will have the unicorn's horn fashioned into a sword by my finest smiths if it pleases you?"

Al nodded absently, too tired to entertain much more talk.

"Cyril will you and the guards take the boys home. We need to continue collecting the animals for the kitchen staff. Boys I want you to head straight to Draco's apartments and tell everyone you're alright. We were very worried when you were the last to contact us." Ginny ordered firmly, looking into my eyes as she spoke. She pulled Albus briefly to her so she could kiss him on the head.

Cyril led us back to the portal and after fifteen minutes of silent walking we made it to the strange doorway that had teleported us here what felt like decades ago. Al noticed a peach tree nearby and grabbed a succulent fruit just before I stepped through the gate. He appeared behind me with the juicy item and just like that we were back at the Shadow Louvre.


"ASHERA WHAT HAPPENED!" Grandma Cissy exclaimed as Al and I hobbled into the room. There was blood and dirt all over us from Al and the Tork's wounds. It made for a grizzly sight.

My father and grandfather looked up from their papers and rose immediately when they too spotted the state of us.

"We're alright. we're alright." I exclaimed to the room. AL's guards stood outside at his orders so it fell again to me to help the idiot off of his sprained leg. Itsy leapt to put towels onto a chair where i was able to deposit the gory brunet.

"What a weird day. First we had a massive fight and finally resolved our little squabble. Then we discover that my grandmother was not a muggle born but a squib descendant of the Rhöyne. Next we have a run in with a Gigantic Tork who nearly killed us! I'm about ready to collapse." Al exclaimed, slumping into his chair.

"You what now?" Lucius asked first.

"I knew you'd be more intrigued by the discovery than by our near death experience." I countered rudely to my grandfather. "Yes, we found the tree of names in Broceliande. Al is Peverell on his father's father's side and Rhöynar on his fathers mother's side."

"Never mind that you two. Are you both alright?" Draco inquired, examining us skeptically.

"Scrapes and bruises on Scor. I have a massive gash that I had to burn shut and I've done terrible damage to my leg." Al explained, wincing. "We took down the Tork though. So that's something."

I handed my dad Al's makeshift spear, still bloodstained on its point.

"Sorry Mr. Malfoy. I had to melt our watches into the blade. I understand Scor's was expensive." Al apologized politely, as though my father could care one lick about such things at the moment. My grandfather clicked his tongue however and I had to scowl.

"Damn. That was an antique I gave to your mother when she married Draco."

We all looked at him and squinted, which elicited him to raise his hands in surrender. "I'm just saying."

"Never mind that. Is there anything we can do? Water? Fetch a healer from the court?" Narcissa asked placing a hand on Al's shoulder.

"I need to wash the grime and gore of battle off of me. Scor can tend to what injuries i have for the moment." was all Al replied. He looked over at me and I knew he wanted help getting up. "We just wanted to let you know we were safe."

The adults exchanged glances with each other before my dad came over to us. "I'm so glad you both are alright." Father whispered softly. He was about to hug us but realized he would get his dinner clothes dirty if he did. I almost laughed, realizing how much I was like him.

We rose and left through a side door to my private apartments, acutely aware that they watched us go.

I walked Al into the bathroom and set him down on a marble bench, noting that Itsy had set aside two sets of fresh clothes for us on the shelves.

"Are you ok Al?" I asked softly. We had spoken very little on the way back from the forest and I couldn't help but worry about him. I still felt the chill of nearly dying clinging to my bones. The excitement at the discovery of the tome of love. The warmth of his lips against mine. The feel of my heart when I caught sight of him covered fiercely in sweat and blood.

"My arm still feels like its torn open... and my legs and muscles ache from leaping and crashing into things." He stood up and rolled his neck in pain. "Could you help me out of my clothes Scor?"

I walked over to him and pulled off his robe to toss it to the side with mine. "The elves can clean the clothes, but our robes have the books concealed in them so I'll keep them with us. Ok?"

He nodded quietly as I began to unbutton his blood stained shirt. I peeled it off of him and saw bruises forming already where he had impacted the ground and rocks harshly. Small scrapes and cuts grazed his arms and legs where sticks had torn through the material. He undid his belt and began to lower his pants when he grimaced in pain. I stopped his hands and sat him down, removing his shoes and pulling the pant legs off of him one at a time.

It was very intimate somehow, the slow act of disrobing him.

As I looked up at Al's face from the ground I caught his eyes just as they darted nervously away from mine. He feels the same...

I took my own shoes off and tossed them to the side before pulling my sweater and undershirt off of me too. He didn't stay to watch me remove the rest, merely hobbled over to the shower to turn the water on. He waited for steam to appear, periodically dipping a hand into the flow to check its temperature. I wasn't sure if he was going to remove his underwear so I shrugged to myself and pulled mine off first, adding them to the pile of dirt and blood stained filth growing in the corner of the room. I retrieved the bathrooms Eyepod and loaded my spotify to it. "Shuffle and voila."

Dive by Alex Lustig came on. I almost changed the song, failing to recognize it until I was distracted by Al. He tried pulling his underwear off but again had trouble bending over. I walked over to him then and grabbed his hands softly where the lip of his stretch band hugged his hips. I knelt at his feet making sure to stare firmly down at the floor. I slipped the material off of him without looking, discarding the emerald material to one side.

That too had felt impossibly intimate. When I rose, he mumbled his thanks and merely stared at my face as a tinge of red broke across his cheeks.

"Hot?"

"What?" He asked nervously.

"The water. Is it hot yet?" I asked again, moving around him to step into the shower. "Oh wow its perfect."

The brunet slipped in with me and closed the door behind him, allowing the steam to fill the room. Hot mist roiled, fogging at the glass panes as the space became a little shelter for just the two of us. I moved the wounded boy to the center of the enormous rainfall and sat him down again. This time i had deposited him onto a wooden bathing stool the valois servants had placed in the corner of each shower. Once his hair had soaked enough, I took shampoo from a shelf and lathered it thoroughly, delicately running my hands through the chocolate locks with deliberate care. He felt the gentleness of my touch and released a soft moan the moment I began massaging his scalp.

As I rinsed the product from his head, I noticed the surface layers of blood and grime begin to wash away in response to the hot water sluicing down his skin. 'I'll have you back to normal in no time' i whispered to myself, switching from shampoo to conditioner. "Hows that Allie?" I asked softly as my fingers worked.

"Hmmm... I love when you wash me... sorry if thats weird." He explained exhaustedly. I didn't think it was weird. I remembered the baths we'd shared before, both as kids and after our reunion. The times he washed me so gently.

As the red and brown flowed down the drain, it left only the more caked and sticky muck of the battle in its place. I took a washcloth then and used my expensive Prewett&Gould body wash to begin cleaning the rest of him in slow kind strokes. I lifted an arm and carefully scrubbed away every speck of debris before moving to the other. I tried to be as soft as possible to not aggravate any of the cuts or scrapes or burns. Next were his shoulders and neck and back which I paid deliberate attention to, kneading the sore flesh with my thumbs. Finally I handed him the washcloth so he could work at his more intimate places himself.

He grabbed my hand as i tried to pass him the wet cloth. "I was so scared. Jumping in front of that blast was nothing compared to facing that monstrous boar. It was so much more real. I thought we were going to die..."

"Afraid? You were so brave Al. You took charge immediately and gave me directions that ultimately led us to triumph."

"That doesn't mean I wasn't terrified. Most of our spells did very little to it. It was like being naked."

"You don't seem too afraid of being naked." I joked as he released my hand.

I moved to stand in front of him so the water would fall on me too. My eyes closed and my head tilted back to let the water just run warmly over my skin. When my eyes opened I noticed he was standing again, scrutinizing my face intently. The music changed to a song called Clementine by Wet, and I smiled beginning to sway my head to the tune.


"I decide

I need you, I need you, I need you, I need you

in my life

Thеre's nothing more that's on my mind"


I sang along to the simple song and my heart swelled to watch him break into a grin.

"Your voice is even more beautiful than mine Scor. You know that right?" He shot softly, his smile still stuck stupidly on his face.

'He's so bloody honest' I thought to myself. 'Always open and honest'

"Wait... Ashera save me... Scor... your bluescale. I don't see a trace of it."

He looked at his left arm to examine the last few scales that remained there and then back to my unmarked body. He turned me around to scan my back, legs and ass. My bluescale had disappeared entirely earlier this afternoon.

I shook my head, listening to the music and thinking at how exposed we were to each other then.

"Yeah. Mine vanished completely when I kissed you outside of the tomb..."

"Wow. It did?" He asked nervously, watching the expression on my face.

"Should we finish yours off completely?" I asked sweetly, stepping closer to him to lift his arm and kiss the scales there. He remained quiet so I delicately trailed my touch down his scaled skin to meet his hand and intertwine our fingers. I pushed him slowly up against the stone walls, my other hand pressed against the marble wall beside his head.

I leaned in then and whispered. "No more of this once it's all gone. Got it Al?"

He nodded shyly, waiting for my lips to press softly against his for the umpteenth time today. Our eyes closed peacefully at the contact and we merely spent the next half an hour kissing lovingly in a dream of steam and music. Song after song played as the enchanted water spilled soothingly over us, but I hardly noticed. My brain never once stopped to consider why I enjoyed it as much as I did. We both had beautiful full lips... that must have been it.

I was so relieved when it ended that he hadn't tried for more. Had he gotten hard, had he even tried anything beyond kissing, I would have known for certain he was guilty of what I suspected. 'I know I promised we'd never fight again... but even I don't think I could take it... if you... wanted more from me... for now i'll just enjoy this with you...' I thought to myself.

He pulled back and immediately marveled at his appendage, now completely cleared of bluescale.

"Merlin's beard. It worked Scor. You're a genius." He touted. His right arm was still marred by the silver unicorn blood but at least he didn't seem to be in pain anymore. I looked at his fingers on the raised arm and began to freak out. 'Even naked he wears you on his fingers.' I thought examining the two rings that remained firmly on his hand. 'Albus Malfoy' The memory of the sight of his name on the Obelisk did nothing to assuage that fear. 'Go on Scor, kill me. The horror wouldn't be that you did it. What terrifies me is that even now, I would let you.'

Do I own this sweet boy? Or does he own me?

"Thank you Scorpius..."

"What for?"

"For everything really... for pushing us back together... for trusting me... for fighting along side me... for getting into water fights... for laughing with me... for kissing me even though you hate it... for... being you."

I didn't care that we were naked. I moved to hug him tightly, nuzzling the side of my face against his as he began to weep heavily over my shoulder. His arms came up around me and for one of the only times in my life I felt tears forming fast on me. This time he sang the lyrics of the song that had played earlier, mangling the words a little as we both wept with joy.

"I decide... I need you, I need you, I need you, I need you... in my life. There's nothing more that's on my mind. Oh oh oh oh oh... oh oh oh oh oh... Some things, some things, some things, Never end... they'rе always... oh oh oh oh..."


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