The Vow And its Consequences

Chapter 8

Talking

Lucius groaned as he finally sat up in his luxurious king size four poster bed, he just couldn't sleep. He looked over at his wife; she on the other hand was sleeping very peacefully. Grabbing his silver robe he put it on over his pyjamas and left the room. He went straight to his office, and grabbed two tumblers and filled them. Once that was done he headed back towards the guest room, where Harry Potter was currently staying. He was still trying to wrap his mind around it, who would have thought he'd have Harry Potter, of all people staying in his manor. He opened the door and observed that Severus was still awake as he'd predicted. When Severus was troubled he couldn't sleep, that was how well Lucius knew his only true friend. Who would have thought it? He certainly hadn't, in fact he had felt sorry for the first year. He had helped him as best as he could, without the black haired child knowing about it. To this day he still didn't know why, it had not been beneficial to him. He couldn't have been more surprised when Severus was initiated; he knew Severus was a half blood. It was only later that he'd discovered the Dark Lord's true blood status.

"Lucius," said Severus without even turning around, "I'm surprised you aren't asleep."

"Here," said Lucius handing him a glass of rare delicious bourbon he'd begun to love, courtesy of his father. Severus wasn't a man who cared what he drank, and so he accepted the drink. To be truthful he could use it right now, his mind was spinning as the ramifications of his actions built up in his mind.

Lucius pulled up a chair and sat down next to his friend, knowing how he felt, trapped, helpless, and overwhelmed. "There was nothing you could have done." Lucius said his mercury eyes solemn.

"For the last four years, when I thought of him I sneered and wrongfully assumed he was being spoiled. Not that I thought of him often, but still…I was wrong." said Severus bitterly, his bitterness was making his stomach rebel horrendously. Considering Severus always felt bitter, it was a surprise for it to make to make him physically sick.

"We all did, I mean he survived something others didn't, who wouldn't have spoiled him?" asked Lucius quietly.

"His family apparently," said Severus, his anger was steadily burning; he wanted to return to Cokeworth and kill Petunia. Then show Dudley Dursley what it was like to be bullied and stop a child turning out to be just like his bitter twisted mother.

"Leave them to me," said Lucius a vindictive grin spreading across his face. If there was one thing Lucius knew and it was how to destroy people, blackmail them, and threaten them. He wasn't by any means a good man, and he didn't pretend to be.

"I have no doubt your revenge would be better than anything I dole out." said Severus wryly, staring at the sleeping child unsure of what to do.

"That's because you'd just kill them," snorted Lucius in amusement, which was true, Severus had no patience whatsoever. Why he'd become a teacher he didn't know, then again that wasn't true. He knew why, Dumbledore had basically forced him into it with Unbreakable vows. Nobody could get out of them, not without loosing their life. It was the worst binding spell in their world; one could argue that loosing your magic was worse.

"True," smirked Severus sadistically, it's what he wanted to do right now. "What the hell am I supposed to do Lucius?" he finished his smirk gone replaced by worry. He had taken Harry but that's as far as his thinking had gone. He'd expected to drop an abused kid of at St. Mungo's now he was the caretaker of Harry Potter.

"That my friend is up to you," said Lucius quietly as he sipped his bourbon. "Is there anyone you could trust to bring him up? I could give them money it's the least I can do."

"You think someone could take Harry Potter in and keep quiet about it?" asked Severus dryly, staring at Lucius as if he'd lost his marbles.

"Perhaps with oaths we could?" suggested Lucius conceding Severus' point.

"You think they could raise him properly? Without fawning all over him? He'd come to Hogwarts worse than his blasted father." stated Severus shaking his head adamantly, it wasn't a road he wanted to travel down.

"Better than the alternative," said Lucius, if Severus hadn't noticed the Wizarding world would have been hit with the news that Harry Potter was dead.

"There must be another way," growled Severus. "Dumbledore cannot know, I never thought I'd be saying that." Lucius had always said it, but right now though for the first time Severus himself believed it too.

"Binding a child's magic what was he thinking? Especially Harry Potters!" he asked exasperated, he knew the child's future was going to be long and hard. It was obvious the Dark Lord wasn't gone otherwise Dumbledore wouldn't have forced him to stay or give another vow. Although it wasn't hard for him to figure it out himself, after all the Dark Mark was still there. Faded to the point of almost disappearing but still there.

"He's a manipulative old fool; I wouldn't be surprised if he had Potter's life already mapped out. The worst of it, he would succeed in moulding him to his exact specifications." said Lucius sneering in disgust at the thought of Albus Dumbledore.

"Would have," said Severus, now that he knew he wasn't going to let Lily's son suffer. Especially not for some god forsaken prophecy, that was only just one outcome of all possible futures. He believed that the future could go all manner of says, you just had to know what road to travel down. For all he knew Harry had already played his part, he would do what he could to keep the child safe as he'd promised Lily at her grave and the vow for Dumbledore.

"You do know the only person he could be safe with…is yourself? Most of the Wizarding world adores Dumbledore, if they don't good chance they are Death Eaters." said Lucius, much like himself. He wasn't as sadistic as many of them, and didn't believe in the needless killings but he'd do anything to keep his family safe.

Severus snorted, "You think I could raise a kid?" his voice thick with incredulity.

"You are good with Draco," said Lucius pointing out the obvious.

"Yes, I am, but you know what? I can hand him right back over. I wouldn't be able to do that with him. I would be responsible for every aspect of his life." said Severus, it's a terrifying prospect. One he didn't want to dwell on, but now Lucius had said it…it was getting under his skin. It was impossible really? What did he know about raising a child? He'd never wanted one; it wasn't something he'd ever dwelled on. He'd dreamed on having one with Lily, but he'd never consciously thought it. Someone couldn't help what they dreamed.

"It's easier than it seems, but you know what Severus? The rewards far outweigh the negative." said Lucius; it would give Severus a reason to live other than to destroy the Dark Lord for Lily. In fact now that he thought about it, he realized he rather liked the idea. All Severus did was teach students, read books, brew potions. Before all this bad stuff had happened he'd been inventing his own potions, own spells and actually living. Maybe if Severus did have Harry he might go back to actually living. Severus could be a great man, not everyone had the smarts to create potions and spells. It was as if the Dark Lord had sucked the life out of Severus. Severus had always felt things deeply; it didn't surprise him that everything he'd done was weighing down heavily upon him.

"He's Potters son, there's no guarantee I'd look after him properly," said Severus seriously, he wasn't at all sure if he'd try and get revenge on a dead man though him.

"You knew he was Potter's son when you brought him here, that was before you knew what Dumbledore had done." said Lucius, rolling his eyes at his stubborn friend. He placed his empty tumbler on the floor and settled back the tiredness was finally kicking in.

"Dumbledore placed him there, he had to have known how he'd be treated." said Severus tiredly. "He needed a healer, I didn't think beyond that, I do know that apparently I cannot trust anyone with him." not even Lucius, he'd give Harry up in a second to protect his family, they both knew it.

"Which means you need to raise him," said Lucius adamantly, it would help ensure he wouldn't do anything to Harry as well no matter what happened in the future. No matter what he would never cross Severus. Especially never someone Severus cared about, because he'd probably creatively torture him then kill him friend or not. He didn't have any plans right now, but he didn't know what the future held. Severus was very vindictive that way, forward about it not like him.

Severus just gazed doubtfully at the small form on the bed, he wasn't father material. His own father had been a drunken layabout, who'd been extremely abusive. That wasn't exactly a good example. He'd seen Lucius with Draco, it was the only scope of experience he had. He couldn't see himself being like him, he wasn't capable of that.

Of course he underestimated his capacity to love.

"Get some sleep Severus, we are going to need it." said Lucius standing up. He called Dobby to remove the glasses before heading back to his own bedroom, Narcissa was still asleep. He slid in and thankfully fell asleep quite quickly, it was well after three AM and his son would be up in four hours. Not only that but the healer would be back, and hopefully there will be an improvement on Harry's condition.

"Severus? Severus wake up!" said Narcissa shaking his shoulder.

Severus jumped awake, already going for his wand before he realized he was safe. He groaned when the pains in his neck made themselves known. He could smell the breakfast Narcissa had brought to him. More importantly, coffee, he needed it, he was quite frankly exhausted. He'd only slept a few hours that is if he was lucky.

"Joseph will be here in five minutes," said Narcissa, fully dressed putting the breakfast down for Severus to eat. Everyone else had already eaten, Severus hadn't come down so she'd put some food together for him.

"Alright," said Severus gratefully drinking the hot brew hoping it would wake him up properly. He needed all his wits around him, especially when the healer began talking. He needed to know how to take care of Harry properly. "Send him up when he arrives."

"Sure," said Narcissa, before she turned and left him to eat.

Severus looked over at the child as he ate his breakfast, if he wasn't mistaken the child looked a little less pale than he had yesterday. He seemed to have a bit more colour to his face. That could only be a good thing, but then again looks could be deceiving. He would know how Harry was soon enough. Speak of the devil, thought Severus, as a knock sounded the door.

"Come in," said Severus without his normal teacher snarl or sneer.

"Severus, how are you?" asked Joseph regarding Severus shrewdly, he was far too skinny and pale. He looked as though he needed a good night sleep as well.

"I'm good," said Severus curtly, he wasn't the sick or dying one in the room after all.

"Did he get the potions at the right time?" asked Joseph picking the clipboard up to find he had. He nodded his head in satisfaction, and performed a diagnostic spell on him to see what needed done.

"Of course," said Severus sounding highly insulted.

"He is healing extraordinary well, I wouldn't be surprised if he's a natural healer…only his ability trying to heal himself rather than others." said Joseph. "Considering his magic is bound…he may well be the best we've ever seen." his awe was evident. It seemed he was the only one unimpressed by Harry Potter and his abilities. It just strengthened his belief that he had to take care of Harry. He couldn't let someone else get him and spoil him, turn him into a Gryffindor.

"Should he choose to pursue a career with it," said Severus bluntly bringing the healers attention back to now.

"Oh of course," said Joseph, "He won't need any more blood replenishing potions, he needs at least three more doses of junior skele-grow. At least two more for internal injuries. The nutrition potions will be needed until he's fully recovered and at the same height and weight as other children. No doubt he will need stomach soothing and sealing potions, to stop him being sick. He's probably never had anything substantial and the first time he does, I guarantee his stomach will rebel quite viciously."

"So he is recovering then?" asked Severus.

"Yes, very well in fact." said Joseph, "Other than the damage to his magical core because of the block."

"Damage?" asked Severus sitting up straighter, glaring at the healer demanding an explanation. Would it affect Harry's magic later in life? Was it permanent, he was surprised by the extent of the worry he felt for the child. It wasn't because of the Dark Lord, or the part Harry was 'supposed' to play in it. No it was for the child himself.

"Don't worry; once his magic is released it will immediately begin repairing its core. The longer you wait the more damaging it is. That's why binding was made illegal in the first place. That and the fact magic is a gift and should never be bound in the first place. The more magic that's bound the more dangerous it is. Eventually it explodes, the core burns out and so does the Witch or Wizard the shock kills them. Whether they know they have magic or not it still affects them. I've always been interested in them, after a case came my way." said Joseph.

"Well that's good to know," said Severus relief sweeping over him.

"Well I shall take my leave, you wont need me again but Narcissa knows how to find me should you need anything else." said Joseph, the money was no doubt already in his account for his services.

"Thank you," said Severus he did appreciate everything the man had done.

"No thanks necessary I only did what needed done, as I would for anyone." said Joseph. First do no harm, the motto that both the Wizarding world and Muggle had together for helping others.

"If the price is right of course." said Severus.

"If you must know I help people who cannot afford it Mr. Snape, everyone deserves healing." said Joseph a little coldly at assumptions being made upon his character.

"I did not mean that how it sounded," said Severus slightly apologetically but he did not apologize.

"No problem," said Joseph before making his way out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Severus sat back down again, staring almost blankly at the child on the bed. It was finally sinking it what he had to do. What he'd have to sacrifice to do. As he continued looking at him, he realised he owed it to the boy. He was partly at fault for his parents death, partly he said because the man responsible, directly responsible for their death was in Azkaban prison. The one that killed them was no more than a parasite thanks to the child who'd avenged his mother's death before she was even cold. He prayed to Merlin he could do it and not screw up.

There we go a new chapter for you all so will lucius warm up to Harry? are you enjoying that Lucius isnt too much out of character? still a death eater and not a spy but someone who would go to any length to save his family? im sick of making him a spy lol :) so he wont be in this one R&R PLEASE!