Luminescent
Part Seventeen
Hogwarts' Protection
Disclaimer: I still haven't figured out how to get the copyright of Harry Potter. Sorry, folks. The Lugovaloses, however, are still mine. Unfortunate as that may sometimes be for me. Annoying, stubborn bunch, they are.
Warnings: Sap, cuteness, Severus angst, bitchy Umbridge. . . wait. She's always like that. Never mind.
Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, everyone! Real life caught up with me and kicked my but, but I think I have something worked out now. As you can see, the schedule I thought I was setting for myself went down the drain. Now I think I'll just have to be content on stealing time as it comes. Fear not, however, I enjoy writing this too much to abandon it.
I'm also currently working on revising Pyrotechnics. Since I can do that in smaller incriments, I try to do that whenever I have a moment or two that isn't condusive to writing. So I suppose I'm really doing both at once. I would live to have Pyrotchnics revised before I post anything with Book Six (still yet to be started or named), so it may take me awhile because I like to get ahead with everything for editing, revising, and posting puproses. Trust me when I say it makes all our lives easier.
I'll also add that one thing I'm going to fix is that whole Divination mess. I've left it for too long! It shall be resolved, dammit!
And for a reviewer that commented, but has probably been in the minds of a few readers, Phyrrus' Saphire. Yes, most saphires are blue. The one in Phyrrus' ring is rare, but it isn't made up. I like to research, and even though it was for another, random project, I ran across the fire colored saphire. If you get a chance, google it. They're quite lovely to look at. So it Harry's stone, since I'm thinking about it, so I recommend looking them both up!
And one, last thing. . .
Enjoy chapter seventeen!
oOooOo
With Leon's permission, Harry and Phyrrus quickly told the rest of their close friends about the strange path and the dream, ordering them not to tell Dumbledore anything about it. The headmaster might have been a good person, but Chara and Leon still didn't trust him implicitly, and Harry knew no one else would believe his story. Not with Umbridge around to attempt to undermine him. He sighed, rubbing his face as he curled next to Phyrrus in their bed, trying to fall asleep. His boyfriend had gone to dreamland long ago, and Harry desperately wanted to join him.
"Fuck," He finally muttered, staring the clock. Glowing red numbers proclaimed it to be nearly two. Harry rolled out of bed, grumbling, and pulled on his bathrobe so he could curl in the windowsill. Watching the stars always calmed him down, and he was desperate to get at least some sleep. He wouldn't be able to stay there long, or else Phyrrus would wake, wondering why the bed was cold, but he was just thinking too hard to sleep.
If that road had meant Voldemort had created several horcruxes, what would that mean for him and Phyrrus? Especially if one of those roads led to him? Leon had never heard of a person being a Horcrux, but said it wasn't impossible. But why? If Voldemort kept trying to kill him, why would he have made Harry a Horcrux? What would have caused that kind of desperation? It wasn't that he was near death; Voldemort had other Horcruxes stored away for that. It wasn't even certain that Harry was a Horcrux at all. For all he knew, it was a strand of magic that bound them, not part of Voldemort's soul. But that wouldn't explain why he'd seen through Nagini's eyes . . .
"Fuck," Harry muttered again, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes. "My brain needs to turn the fuck off."
"I see I've had a rather astounding affect on your language," Phyrrus stared at him from the bed, his fire-gold eyes glowing in the moonlight. "What's wrong?"
"What isn't?" Harry sighed again, resting his head on his knees. He was glad Phyrrus stayed in bed. He would have felt even worse if Phyrrus was coddling him. "I mean, what did that path to me mean? I can't be a Horcrux, right Phyrrus? How would I be? I have my own soul. I can't have part of his, too."
"But you have part of mine," Phyrrus pointed out, frowning. "So it's not impossible, right?"
"But that doesn't make any sense at all." Harry shook his head. "I can't have three souls. What would I do with them? Where would they stay? Especially one that was forced into me. What would happen to that one? So it doesn't make sense for me to be a Horcrux, right?"
"I don't know, Harry. Horcruxes are really dark magic. It's not like they're standard curriculum anywhere," Phyrrus was obviously cranky.
"I know. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you." Harry felt bad for waking him. "You should go back to sleep. I don't want to fight."
"I'm sorry too, Harry. I didn't mean to pick." Phyrrus did rise, then, sweeping their blanket off the bed and wrapping it around Harry before picking him up and carrying him down the tower steps.
"What are you doing?"
"Sh! I don't want to wake the whole tower," Phyrrus situated them on a couch under one of the common room windows so Harry could lay in his arms and still watch the sky. "There now. Much warmer. Let's try to get some sleep."
"But we won't wake up--"
"Breathe, baby. I'll set the alarm on my watch. Besides, we'd wake up when people started leaving. You know my sisters wake early, and so does 'Mione. Now let's get some sleep. Or, at least try to." Phyrrus held him close and pressed a soft kiss to his jaw, curling around his boyfriend. It wasn't long before his breathing evened back out in the rhythm of sleep, but Harry continued to lay awake, wondering. If he was a Horcrux . . . what would they do?
oOooOo
The next morning, Harry was incredibly cranky. He might have managed two hours of sleep at most, though he was glad he'd been in Phyrrus' arms for the night. It was more comfortable to stare at the stars from Phyrrus' embrace than from the cold windowsill. When Phyrrus' alarm went off in the morning, Harry caught it before his boyfriend could wake and decided that, even though his night had been terrible, he was going to at least make Phyrrus' morning a little pleasant.
The soft kiss that Phyrrus woke up to made him hum softly in pleasure, drawing Harry closer and deepening the kiss. Harry moaned softly, glad he'd chosen to wake his boyfriend with a kiss. At least his morning was a little better. "That was nice," Phyrrus murmured, letting him go after several moments. "Did you ever get to sleep last night?"
Harry shook his head, dropping his head tiredly to Phyrrus' shoulder. "Couple of hours."
"Maybe you should skip our morning classes," Phyrrus worried, sitting up.
"No, I'm fine. I'll be all right after a shower and some caffeine."
"You're sure?"
"No, but that's okay." Harry managed a smile. "I'll make it."
"Harry . . . "
"Trust me, arudo, please."
"You know I do. I just worry."
"You and the rest of the world. It's just one day."
Phyrrus wasn't sure he was reassured, but he allowed it, following Harry up the stairs to the showers and then off to breakfast. As they left, they were stopped in the entrance hall, by a scowling Umbridge and a sobbing Trelawny. Harry stiffened. "What's going on?"
"It's terrible!" Parvarti and Lavender wailed. "Umbridge is firing Trelawny!"
"Can she even do that?" Harry raised an eyebrow.
"She put up a new declaration this morning!" Parvarti sobbed. "And then went after Trelawny!"
The two exchanged looks, frowning. Umbridge was more trouble than she was worth. She'd been quiet for a while after Grandma Lugovalos left, but now she seemed to regain her confidence and was out to clear out those she deemed "unworthy." Harry had a feeling this was just the beginning.
Dumbledore stepped into the entrance hall, looking concerned. "What's going on?"
Umbridge sneered at him. "I was just getting rid of some of the trash you collected, Headmaster. Starting with this fake of a teacher." Trelawny wailed louder. Everyone ignored her in favor of the byplay between the headmaster and the ministry teacher. "Then I can find someone more appropriate. Now, she must leave the castle."
"Hogwarts is my home!" Trelawny wailed, and McGonagall hurried foward to wrap an arm around her.
"She does not have to leave this castle," Dumbledore glared. "And I have already found a suitable replacement teacher, so the ministry cannot appoint one. It is stated in Hogwarts' rules and regulations. Now, if there's anything else?"
Umbridge glared, and the students hurried into the Great Hall. Phyrrus waved to Leon and Severus, sitting next to Harry and munching on some toast. Harry downed two cups of coffee in rapid succession. Umbridge entered, and the entire school froze.
She was smiling.
"Ah, Professor Severus Snape." Her voice was honey sweet. "Just the person I wanted to see."
Harry tensed, and the Slytherins all turned to the head table. "You're the only other teacher that failed to pass my evaluation." Severus went white, his black eyes growing wide. Leon gripped his hand.
"On what bounds?"
"He failed to perform properly." Umbridge's smile grew sweeter. "He did a potion too difficult for his students, and nearly had an accident. Not to mention he let someone into the lab that wasn't supposed to be there. Ministry regulations state that no one is allowed in a lab without a potions master present if they are teaching."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Severus is a potions master, and therefore I am allowed in the room to observe. I was not in any way helping, except by answering your questions, which does not violate any statues."
Umbridge growled. "He still didn't pass."
"You're only saying that because you hate him!" Harry rose to his feet, green eyes flashing angrily. Phyrrus winced and pulled him down, wrapping his arms around him.
"Let Leon and Severus fight this battle." Phyrrus murmured, exchanging looks with Cyrrus. Severus continued to stare at her.
"You're firing me?"
"You're incompetent," She snapped. Severus rose gracefully to his feet, nodding to the headmaster.
"As you wish, then. I shall gather my things and leave immediately. I hope you have something ready to tell my mother. She isn't going to be pleased."
"Your mother is dead." Umbridge sneered.
"But mine isn't." Leon smirked, following his lover out. "And since he's not welcome here, we'll be going home. To my home. With my mother." And then the two disappeared into the hall, leaving the Slytherins looking terrified and the other students nervous. If someone had asked any of them just a few years before if they would care if Severus left, all of them would have said no. Now, they were angry with Umbridge about forcing Severus–who had been voted their least favorite professor almost every year since he'd been hired--to leave.
Phyrrus, Cyrrus, and Harry raced toward Severus' chambers. Severus was waiting for them at the door, letting them inside. When he didn't close the door immediately, they turned to see Draco, Ron, Hermione, and Pansy following closely behind. "Uncle Sev?" Cyrrus chewed his lip. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Severus managed a small smile. "I guess it's time for me to leave."
"Who are they going to get to replace you, though?" Draco threw his arms around the man's waist. "You're the best potions teacher ever!"
Leon snickered softly at the look on Severus' face when Draco grabbed him, making the smaller man glare at his lover. "Shut up."
"I think you all need to leave," Leon ordered softly. "We'll be sure to speak to you before we leave. Don't worry about anything further. The headmaster will replace your dear potions professor, and I'm sure his next head of house will be just fine. Harry, will you write Remus and Sirius and let them know what happened? Cyrrus, I want you to tell Percy and Anders. Phyrrus, tell your mother. And make sure to tell the DA. Now, what are you all doing?"
The teens repeated Leon's orders dutifully, and then took off. Leon looked at Severus. "You're sure you're all right?"
"I shouldn't be pushing all this on you." Severus sank down on the couch and covered his face with his hands. "I'm so sorry, Leon."
"You aren't pushing anything on me," Leon wrapped the other man in his arms. "I promise you that. I love you, Severus. This is nothing. You can come home with me. Do the potions research you love. We'll be fine. We can live together and it'll all work out. I know you want to do your part, but there isn't much to do. Our house is paid off, and we can take turns paying utilities and groceries. It'll be fine. You love it there, and we love each other."
"What happens when you get tired of me, Leon? What then? Do I find myself with no place to go?" Severus turned away. "And I don't have much set away. Until people actually start buying things from me, what will I do? Mooch off you?"
Leon scrubbed at his face, sighing heavily. "How long will it take for you to understand I'm never going to tire of you? Severus . . . I don't care what you have put away. We can make it. Everyone there loves you, I love you, you can start getting a client base quickly. You're good. You're a potions master! And I know Chara would gladly recommend you to the hospital where she last worked. They need more potions and American law states that all medicinal potions must be brewed by a master. Plus you can make wolfsbane. Native Americans might not use it, but that doesn't mean no on else does."
"And getting in?"
"I'll have you through the government in three hours." Leon smirked. "We can do this, Severus."
Severus nodded, rising to his feet and bending over Leon to kiss him hungrily. "I love you so much."
"And I love you," Leon murmured against Severus' lips.
"Good." Severus rose to his full height. "You can help me pack, then."
"Sev!" Leon whined, but let his lover pull him up. Severus gave a smile and a wink.
"We can leave something as well." Severus told him. "I just don't know how happy Umbitch will be to find it."
Leon raised an eyebrow, but didn't protest when Severus pulled him toward the bedroom. Umbridge certainly wasn't going to be happy with that surprise.
oOooOo
Harry paced the common room angrily, arms crossed, face set in a scowl. "I can't believe that bitch . . . she only fired him because of us! Not because he's a bad teacher!"
"He didn't like teaching, and he was always happy at the farm . . . maybe he'll like it better there." Phyrrus shrugged. Leon and Severus had never shared Severus' reluctance to move to the farm. What Phyrrus knew that Severus didn't was that Leon would gladly be Joined with Severus at a moment's notice. Granted it would be longer than a moment because Grandma Lugovalos would kill them if she wasn't present, but it was the thought that counted.
"Even so, how could she do that? Letting personal feelings get in the way of her job," Harry spat, still pacing. "That bitch . . . I hope Grandma beats the shit out of her."
"She very well might, but I'll leave that to her. The less we know about it, the better. The real question is, now what?" Phyrrus chewed his lip. They'd already contacted most of the people they were supposed to, and called an emergency meeting of the DA that night. At the moment they were killing time, too worked up to attempt homework, but not wanting to leave just in case something else happened. It also meant Harry was getting steadily more agitated, pacing and muttering. Phyrrus finally stood up, collecting his boyfriend to head to the room of requirement.
"You aren't the only one that needs to work off some energy," Phyrrus muttered, stopping in the dorm for a moment to change into his gi and dig out a large wood and lead blade. Leon had started teaching him some sword work to go with his staff work. Trying to remember the new movements would help.
Harry nodded in agreement, changing into workout clothes as well. Phyrrus and Leon had decided to start teaching Harry the quarterstaff, and Harry hoped the smooth, repetitive movements would calm him down. At least a little.
Phyrrus settled in with the huge sword practice sword Leon had given him. Harry had wondered where the man had ever found such a monster of a sword, but it seemed to fit Phyrrus' powerful form. The sword, from pommel to tip, was nearly six feet long and weighed almost eight pounds. The wooden version had been weighted with lead to imitate the weight of the live weapon that Phyrrus kept at his home. Harry had been surprised the weight of the sword had been so light, assuming--incorrectly--that it would have been heavier. Since it was a sword, the blade stayed thin and, therefore, light.
Phyrrus, even though it was very awkward, could actually weild the blade single handed. Harry watched him for several moments, then returned to concentraiting on his staff work. He had enough trouble with the movements when he was concentraiting fully, never mind when he was staring at Phyrrus.
The two spent nearly two hours working on their respective weapons, and finally collapsed to the ground, panting. They were too tired to be agitated. Harry's staff slowly rolled away, and he closed his eyes, exhausted. After the sleepless night he'd suffered through, he was more than ready to sleep. Phyrrus shifted, pressing a soft kiss to his lips before climbing to his feet. "I'm going to go find Cyrrus, all right? I'll be back soon."
Harry nodded, smiling when a cloak was draped over his thin frame. The door closing softly was the only indication he had of Phyrrus leaving.
And then he was suddenly in a large, rounded hallway, damp and dim, with the sound of trickling water. He frowned, brows furrowing. Soft hissing made him stiffen. He was Nagini again! Harry tried to scream, to wake himself, but found his lips frozen. Something with red eyes swam into his vision and, suddenly, he wasn't in Nagini anymore but he was Voldemort himself, laughing as he tortured a group of muggles. Harry knew he was crying, could feel the tears, but he couldn't wake.
"Let them go!" Harry roared, reaching desperately for his magic. White flashed through his vision--
--And he snapped awake in the room of requirement, panting.
Harry closed his eyes, trying to control his breathing.
What was happening to him?
oOooOo
Phyrrus felt panic flair along their bond and rushed toward the room of requirement. Cyrrus, who had been with him, followed closely behind, worried. Phyrrus offered no word of explanation and trusted his cousin to make sure no one followed them, just moved to Harry with a single-mindedness he rarely displayed. "Harry?" Phyrrus skidded to a halt next to his boyfriend, golden eyes filled with worry.
"Sorry, Phyrrus . . . I just . . . my scar." Harry rubbed it, finally registering the stinging pain in his head. "I just don't understand. Why is this happening?"
"I don't know, Harry. I just felt you panic . . . but you're all right?"
"I'm fine. But Voldemort is still after that prophecy. If we don't do something, he'll take it."
Phyrrus and Cyrrus exchanged looks, jaws set. "Not if we get there first." Their voices, eerily harmonic, nearly made Harry start.
"What?"
"Not if we get there first. No one has been taking us seriously, but we can take ourselves seriously. There's no reason for us to stand around and just wait, right?" Cyrrus' eyes were dark. "We just have to get to it first."
"I don't even know what he's after!"
"So we'll find out. And then we'll take it." Phyrrus smirked. "We can sneak in anywhere. And the DA will help. I'm sure. Between Hermione and Draco, surely we can figure out what they're after. Do you have a location for us?"
"It's the same place Ron's dad was attacked. The . . . the department of mysteries. I'm not sure what they keep there, though." Harry let Phyrrus pull him up and frowned slightly. "Maybe Ron would know? Or Hermione. Draco might, too."
"First I think you should shower, then we can figure out where to go from here," Phyrrus grinned at his boyfriend. "You're beginning to smell."
"Like you have room to talk," Harry grumbled, following Phyrrus and Cyrrus from the room and watching it melt back into the castle walls. It was a very handy room, and Umbridge had yet to track them there. "Does anyone know how Umbridge is getting information?"
"Pansy's been talking to me. Some of the students are giving her the drop, but we're not sure who," Cyrrus frowned. "She's trying to find out. She says she's got a lot of connections around to use. Between her and Ginny, we should know soon."
"The two of them are getting along?"
"Well, now that Ginny knows Pansy isn't after me they are. Pansy finally admitted she's got this huge crush on some Ravenclaw seventh year." Cyrrus shrugged. "I never have understood women."
"And he wonders why I'm gay," Phyrrus rolled his eyes. Cyrrus muttered something the others missed and left, leaving Harry and Phyrrus to stare at each other and laugh.
"I don't," Harry murmured, twisting his arms around Phyrrus' neck and standing on tiptoe to kiss his boyfriend. "Not at all."
Phyrrus smirked in reply, wrapping his powerful arms around Harry's slender waist and pulling the shorter up to make kissing him more comfortable. Harry didn't protest, opening his mouth and lapping at Phyrrus' lips with his tongue. Phyrrus groaned, pressing them against the wall as they kissed, his hands kneading at the small of Harry's back. Harry's fingers twined themselves in Phyrrus' hair, massaging the other's scalp as they stood there, kissing, and finally pulled back with soft sighs. "You taste so good," Phyrrus muttered, nuzzling Harry's throat and nipping softly at the pulse point. He knew better than to leave marks, but the action made Harry squirm so he always did it anyway.
"Cut that out," Harry scolded, breathing heavily. " I don't want to have any . . . misunderstandings if anyone sees us."
"I don't think they'd be misunderstanding anything," Phyrrus breathed, catching Harry's lips again. "They'd think we were making out, and we are making out."
"We aren't if you keep talking," Harry replied, forcing Phyrrus to tilt his head so Harry could kiss him properly. Phyrrus bore the action patiently, readily deepening the kiss. Harry finally pushed at him a little.
"We need to go talk to Hermione," He panted, out-of-breath from their little tryst. He also knew that if they didn't stop there, they would have problems stopping at all. His control was already shredding quickly.
"It's harder to stop, now," Phyrrus panted in reply, not daring to set Harry down until he was sure the other was steady enough to stand on his own.
"There must be something with the bond," Harry breathed, resting his head against Phyrrus' shoulder. "But we don't have time to worry about it now."
"I know, I know. Go talk to Hermione to see what happening. We'll need to send a letter to my mother as well. Maybe she'll know why we can't stop as easily anymore." Harry's ears burned at the thought of sending a letter to Phyrrus' mother about their sex life, but Chara needed to stay informed and they both knew it. If something got out of hand, Chara needed to know everything about their bond, at least if she thought it was necessary. Harry sighed and banged his head lightly against the wall a few times. Stress lines formed around his mouth and eyes, and Phyrrus gently kissed them away. They needed to figure all this out, quickly. If they didn't . . . well, they were both going to have a breakdown.
oOooOo