Chapter 25
Ice Tower, In the Middle of the Wasteland - June 29
He didn't know how long he had been lying on the ground. He couldn't help staring at his dried blood. He was surprised that he had stopped bleeding even though the stalactite was still stuck in his insides. It occurred to him that it might have been caused by the ubiquitous chill of this place. He couldn't be sure how much time he would be aware of, but in order not to go crazy, he began to use his infinite time to observe his surroundings.
The cave chamber looked like a remnant of the Coronation Hall. The kind he saw in the films about King Arthur in his youth. The dais was the most central and eye-catching from its current position. An empty dais emerging from the center of the lake. Before he passed out again, he thought of one thing. He hoped his Love was safe.
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The Ice Wizard looked at Helen's belly with relief. He was pleased to see that her wound had stopped bleeding. The young witch wasn't as pale anymore as she had been a few hours ago.
It wasn't until the situation stabilized that he realized he hadn't seen Severus Snape since yesterday. - Severus ... I could have guessed. - He put his hand to the ground. It didn't take long to find out where the other of his pupils was now. Despite the progressive reconstruction, the Ice Fortress was practically still a ruin, but it still behaved like a living organism. The Chief Wizard has always been able to locate all living things in this territory. They were lucky that the dark-haired young man didn't leave borders. Otherwise ... They'd have much more trouble finding him.
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Hogwarts - June 29
Sirius Black once again went to the wake next to his friend's bed. They couldn't stay all at once, so they decided that the best solution would be to conduct the roster. He wasn't quite sure about it, but all he had to do was agree with Remus, Peter and Professor McGonagall.
As he approached the open door, he heard a question. - Poppy, do you know what's wrong with this boy? - the concern was clearly heard in the voice of the Gryffindor Caretaker.
He stopped. He wanted know an honest answer.
- I'm not sure…
- Come on. - The Scottish witch growled, completely losing her temper.
- I heard that Mr. Potter was the partner of our former student who is a veela. This boy underwent the Swap Ritual. Is it true?
Sirius heard the Transfiguration professor sigh. - Yes it's true. Severus Snape and James Potter were bound.
- Minerva. We both know the Hogwarts curriculum isn't the best. I'm older than you, and I took a Wizarding Culture course here. We were taught about this Ritual. It has been going on for a year. Until it is completed, all those involved in the bond are linked. If I'm right, the wound on James Potter's stomach mirrors the wound on Mr. Snape's body. Mr. Snape is probably dying now.
The young wizard felt breathless. If he understood correctly, his friend and the person who was to replace him in this bloody bond would die with Snivellus' death.
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Durmstrang - June 29
Evan Potter regarded Lucius Malfoy with amusement. The blonde was very concerned about the situation he was in. He didn't understand what was happening.
- Don't laugh at the young man so much. - Evan knew that Łukasz Łagoda, despite his strict appearance, was amused almost as much as he was. - Yesterday he tried to assimilate the fact that there is another Potter. Today he was trying to understand why teachers in Durmstrang are free to sit everywhere. At breakfast today, he almost suffered a heart attack when I sat down next to him instead of at the Professor's Table. Now he is trying to get information about Severus' whereabouts. He is cute as a fluffy kitten.
Professor DADA laughed - Is every Pole so delighted with cats and cupids?
- Definitely not everyone. - Łukasz smiled. - It's just that his confusion brings a bit of change after months of fighting for a place in the school's team for TriWizard Tournament. Everyone is tired.
- Then why shouldn't I laugh at him?
- Because laughing at something and laughing at someone are two completely different things.
Evan Potter turned back to the table where their intern was sitting. After a while, he was scared by a letter falling into an empty bread basket. At the last moment, he managed to see an owl flying out of the window. An owl belonging to his strict former teacher.
It had to be something important that he decided to make contact outside of the allotted time. He quickly open the seal on the envelope. Even faster he read the few sentences outlined in fast, so unlike his teacher's handwriting.
- Damn it. - he said in a not very subtle voice.
- What's happening? - the director of the institute on the other side of Evan was more than concerned.
- My teacher asks you to prepare a healer. He wrote that he has dealt with all the damage, but would like to make sure he didn't miss anything.
- Who's hurt? - Aleksiej's voice grew hard.
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Ice Tower, In the Middle of the Wasteland - June 29, a few hours earlier
He had never been so scared before. He didn't know how Severus found the entrance to this cave. It was sealed at a time when he himself was just a child. He knew about this place and he didn't warn them. He left Helen in a safe room and went to the Hall of Dreams. A place where even the most sensible people would lose their mind.
The last time he walked down this corridor was a hundred and twenty years ago. He checked whether the security was still operational. He lived alone here for so long that he didn't even think about locking the entrance to this tunnel. Every step he took brought him closer to the Hall. And it caused him more and more pain.
He wondered how long this boy had been walking. He himself could afford to Apparate over short distances. He knew this area and knew how to follow the instructions in order not to accidentally end up in one of the other sealed rooms. Not all of them were empty. Many of them were filled with death traps.
He was scared. He was afraid that he would arrive too late and that with the young wizard's death his chance to have a family would die. For him, family didn't mean blood ties, but loyalty and trust.
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Helen Granger stared at the ceiling of the room their teacher had left her in. Fortunately, she was awake. Weak but very awake. She was thinking about Severus. She knew something had happened to him. She just hoped she wasn't hallucinating and that her magical energy was really flowing into him.
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Hogwarts - June 29
Lily Evans surreptitiously entered the Hospital Wing. She didn't know why she was doing it. After all, James Potter hadn't really bothered about her lately. He paid no attention to her at all. However, when in the morning headmaster Dumbledore announced the mysterious illness of this annoying boy, she knew that she wasn't indifferent to him.
- Miss Evans ... What are you doing here? - Madam Pomfrey noticed her almost as soon as she entered. Apparently she wasn't as stealthy as she had previously thought.
- I wanted to see James Potter. Check how he feels. - She answered truthfully, however, she felt in her heart a slight pang of remorse.
The mediwitch smiled. - Maybe it's even good that you came. You could hold his hand. He needs someone else's presence. Unfortunately, the boys are taking care of Mr. Lupin today.
Lily quickly ran to the bed where James was lying. He was very pale. He was shirtless so she could easily see the extent of the injuries. Blood began to seep through the dressing. - Madam Pomfrey! - She shouted without moving from the chair.
After a while, she saw the woman she called for. - What's happening? - She didn't have to answer. For the older witch, a glance at the patient was enough to see the situation. - Damn it. It was all right in the morning.
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James Potter felt as if he had been detached from his body. He didn't know what caused it. And he didn't know if he wanted to know the cause of this condition. He was pretty sure that the moment he felt the pain in his stomach, he also heard Severus Snape's scream. He had heard it often enough in the past five years that he couldn't recognize it.
He knew who was coming to see him. Just because he couldn't react, it didn't mean he wasn't aware of what was going on around him. He heard Sirius tell him about his growing attraction to Remus. He heard Madam Pomfrey explaining her suspicions to Professor McGonagall. And he felt Lily Evans take his hand in hers.
He dreamed of having the opportunity to apologize before he died. Maybe in another life ...
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Durmstrang - June 29
Aleksiej Ivanovic was furious. But not at the Ice Wizard. He was furious with himself. They knew that the bond formed as a result of the Ritual wasn't yet stable. They knew it. However, this didn't stop them from risking their health. He only hoped that Helen and Severus' former partners were safe. James Potter and Lyall Goyle should pay for their behavior, but not by a sick side effect of the spell.
Several healers and professors awaited the arrival of the Wizard with Severus and Helen. Everyone was nervous. But the worst thing was watching Jean Granger. Richard seemed to be an oasis of peace. However, Aleksiej suspected that the man was doing everything he couldn't to cause additional worries for his wife.
Students were also starting to appear in the meadows next to the castle. This got Lucius's attention. Until recently, the boy was a student himself and was as confused as they were. Even though he was technically an adult in the UK, he was still a child in his country. And he will be a child until he is nineteen.
- Do you have any questions? - He turned to the blonde standing next to him.
- Who are we waiting for? What's happening? Why are more and more of us here? - young Malfoy asked new questions with growing speed.
- I would prefer you to meet your friend in different circumstances. Severus Snape is being transported. As far as I know he had a life-threatening injury, but the person who looked after him took care of his wound. The problem is that a mirror wound appeared on Helen's body. Until Mr. Snape's health improves ...
He didn't have time to finish the sentence. A blue flame appeared in the middle of the clearing. It slowly expanded to form a circle. Before anyone knew what was going on, the fire broke out and after the smoke cleared, three people appeared. Helen Granger, Severus Snape and the furious Ice Wizard.
However, that wasn't what caught Aleksiej's attention. He was worried about the appearance of claws on Jean's hand.
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Another chapter. Do you like it? Do you remember when you first said you wanted Severus back to Hogwarts? See how much you would miss?;). Regards, katie-krum
