Severus stalked into Blake's rooms after his last class to find the man's bag sitting on the table and the shower running. He sighed as he looked at the bag knowing it meant that his lover would be heading off again. It must have been a last minute call; since Blake hadn't told him he would be leaving. He moved into the kitchen as the shower shut off to make them coffee.
"Where are you going?" Severus called out when the bathroom door opened.
"Germany," Blake called back as he moved into the bedroom. "The Ministry called, they have a problem with the wards. It must be bad if they are calling me. I rang Dracka and he's going to meet me at the Portkey Platform in Berlin."
Severus moved back into the main room and set the mugs of coffee on the table as Blake moved out of the bedroom. His hair still wet and only wearing pants, as he slipped a shirt over his head.
"Bit last minute I know," Blake stated as he opened his bag and moved a few things around. "Conner called in a bit of a panic, so I think they have tripped something."
"Why is Dracka going to be there?" Severus asked as he settled at the table.
"We are going to see if we can work some arrangements into the deal," Blake explained as he pulled out a couple of shirts and spread them out on the table before moving back to the bedroom. "They will probably be happier with that than my fee."
"Why did they call you?"
"Master curse breaker," Blake responded. "There are not many of us and most of them are grumpy old buggers. Plus, Conner always calls me when they find something interesting so I give him discounted rates."
Severus smirked at that as he looked over the mess on the table.
"We are always in demand," Blake said as he re-entered the room with a couple of pairs of jeans in his hand. "If they called me that means their curse breakers can't work it out."
"And you will be able to?" Severus asked in interest as the man rolled up his shirts and jeans.
"Should be able to," Blake replied. "Hopefully it won't take too long. I might stop in at Dracka's Coven and reinforce the wards on the way back. Should be gone for a week or so. I'll call you when I get there. Sorry, about the late notice."
Severus looked the other man over as Blake looked up with his pale green eyes and gave him a smile.
"I'm sure the castle will still be here when you get back," Severus remarked with a smirk. "In fact, it has a better chance with you gone."
Blake barked a laugh and gave him a smile that went straight through him as he placed the last shirt in the bag and zipped it up. He picked up his coffee and took a sip as he looked around the room.
"Dracka sounded happy on the phone when I called him, at least." Blake commented. "The Council have been trying to work with the Germans for a while now. The phone call only involved a few swear words which isn't bad for Dracka."
Severus smirked, as he looked the other man over and could see the amusement in the man's face.
"I'll grab something off the house elves before I leave," Blake continued. "I've already called Albus and informed any students I would have had lessons with and worked out other times with them. Good thing I don't plan too far ahead."
Blake finished off his coffee and looked down at Severus and opened his arms. Severus got to his feet and pulled the arm into his arms and gave him a soft kiss as his hands rested on his back.
"I'll make it up to you when I get back," Blake whispered in his ear and Severus shivered. "But I have to leave now."
"Stay safe," Severus replied and kissed him again, pulling him close.
"Always," Blake replied and pushed him back. "Look out for Ry for me."
Severus smirked in amusement and the two men shared a look before Severus released the shorter man.
xXx
It was close to eleven that night when Harry finally got to the International Portkey Platform in Germany and he wasn't happy and neither was Dracka when he saw him.
"What took you so long?" Dracka snapped.
"Got held up in London." Harry replied mildly as he shook the man's hand. "Aurors were doing spot checks on everyone. God only knows what they were looking for. I just need to call Severus before we leave."
Dracka just swore at him and stalked a few paces away. Harry smirked over at the vampire as he pulled his phone from his pocket and called the familiar number.
"Are you just getting to Germany now?" Severus asked as he answered the phone.
"Yes," Harry confirmed. "The bloody Aurors held me up with checking everyone over. Can't talk long, since Dracka's about ready to explode."
Dracka growled at him, the wizards and witches around them gave them space. Harry just smiled over at him and Dracka's eyes flashed red briefly.
"Okay, Blake." Severus said and Harry could almost hear the smirk in his voice.
"I'll call you when I can," Harry told him. "Have a good night."
"Night, Blake."
Harry hung up the phone and slipped it into his pocket as he looked over at the vampire.
"Well," Harry said with a smirk. "What are you waiting for?"
Dracka's red eyes were his only answer as they moved towards the apparation zone of the platform. Once they apparated to the entrance to the Germany Ministry of magic. Harry just looked at the site with wide eyes.
"What the fuck?" Harry cursed.
There was what looked like a dark magic barrier in place in front of the building's entrance. A swirling mist was rolling away from the doorway and curling along the ground. Harry had never seen anything like it and since he couldn't actually feel any dark magic coming from it, which just confused him.
"Hey, Blake."
Harry turned to see Conner Fritz moving towards him from the crowd of Ministry workers gathered around. Harry stepped forward to shake the man's hand while Dracka stood next to him.
"Conner," Harry greeted with a grin. "This is Rolf Dracka from the Council of Magical Creatures. Dracka this is Conner Fritz, Deputy Minister of magic. I think you two may have spoken on the phone a couple of times?"
Dracka and Conner shook hands as Harry turned back to the entrance with interest.
"Do we know what happened?" Harry questioned.
"An apprentice set something off," Conner explained. "It will let people out but not in."
"Dracka do you have that list of demands?" Harry asked with a smirk over his shoulder. "I'll get started on this, if you want to work out a deal with Conner."
Dracka flashed his fangs at him and Conner frowned.
"Don't worry Conner," Harry remarked as he looked at the man. "He's been fed."
"Sun!" Dracka snapped.
Harry gave a laugh as he left the men and moved closer to the entrance and held his hand out to feel the mists float over his fingers. It felt cold on his hand like mist from a block of dry ice and he frowned. He tuned out the voices of the men behind him as he closed his eyes and let the mist roll around him. He opened his mind to the magic, looking closer at the wards and swore. They were frayed and twisted around each other but didn't look broken. It was going to take him a while to work through the mess.
He pulled back from the wards and stepped back towards the other two men. Conner and Dracka had been joined by a woman and another man. They all looked over as he moved closer.
"Blake," Conner said and pointed out the other two men. "This is Alto Somma, from our version on the Department of Mysteries and Sam Fowler from the Charms Department. It was her apprentice that tripped the wards."
"You can tell your apprentice that it probably wasn't them that made this mess," Harry reported as he shook their hands. "They were probably just the last straw. It's going to take me at least four days maybe more to work out this mess. There's a lot here that needs to be untangled."
Harry rubbed a hand over his head as Dracka watched him with dark eyes.
"I'll need the goblin that has the base wards from Gringotts as well as a couple of curse breakers to hold a few wards while I work with the ones that are frayed and twisted." Harry ordered. "How about we meet tomorrow at eight?"
"I'll see what I can work out," Conner replied. "I'll call you if I have any problems."
"Okay," Harry agreed. "Nice meeting you Alto and Sam. Conner, I'll see you tomorrow. Come on Dracka I'll apparate us to my apartment. Good night, everyone."
Everyone said their good byes before Harry turned away with Drack at his side.
"Did you get what you wanted?" Harry asked the vampire.
"Should make life easier for us," Dracka replied with a grin.
"Perfect," Harry stated. "Might even be worth the headache I'll have by the end of the week."
Dracka barked a laugh and Harry grabbed his shoulder to apparate them to one of his apartments in Berlin.
xXx
Severus watched Blake's little gold griffin run down the Slytherin table and jump as it tried to fly. He knew from the other teachers that the thing had made its way into every place in the school which included his potion's ingredients storeroom which he wasn't happy about, but it hadn't done any damage, at least.
"What is that thing, Severus?" Minerva asked as she took a seat next to him.
"How should I know," Severus drawled. "It's Blake's creature, not mine."
"But you must have some idea?" Minerva insisted and he could see Charmling taking notice.
"None at all," Severus replied and watched as the griffin tried again to take flight. "You know do know how curiosity killed the cat, Minerva?"
The woman glared over at him in answer to that and Severus smirked back mildly.
"It made a mess in my greenhouse," Professor Sprout snapped. "Had to chase it out with a broom."
Severus smirk widened as that image came to his mind.
"Where did Blake go this time?" Minerva questioned.
"Germany," Severus replied. "They called yesterday."
"He spends more time overseas than here," Albus grumbled. "At this rate, his pay cheque won't be worth the paper it's written on."
"I don't think it will matter much to Blake," Severus retorted in amusement. "And you knew what he was like before you hired him, Albus."
"So," Charmling said as he moved a few seats down. "He doesn't stay here all year?"
"Oh, no." Albus replied with a twinkle in his eye. "He's only here under contract. So, he comes and goes as he does work for other people."
"Normally just long enough to cause a mess," Minerva muttered. "Then disappears before one of us can find him."
Severus smirked as the griffin finally dashed down the table and took flight, with a few students gasping and pointing.
"It seems to be learning," Albus commented as he watched the creature.
"He seems to get away with a lot in the Ministry," Charmling mentioned, bringing the conversation back to Blake.
"Yes," Albus replied in amusement. "His file was an interesting read. The parts that aren't censored, that is."
"No doubt, he is on a couple of watch lists there as well." Minerva muttered and Severus snorted into his coffee.
"Minerva!" Severus snapped.
"Oh, Severus." Minerva cried with a grin as she waved her hand. "You know better than anyone what he's like."
Severus smirked then snorted as the gold griffin dived for Potter. The boy ducked with a yelp as Granger sent a spell towards it and missed. The griffin winged off as it looked for its next target.
"Yes," Charmling commented with a grin. "I had a quick look at his file in the Auror Department, once I got the position here."
Severus started and looked over at the man and from the look in his eyes, Blake's file wasn't the only one he'd looked up. Severus gave him a cold smirk and Charmling looked away as he turned to the Headmaster.
"He's been here two years?" Charmling asked
"Off and on," Albus agreed.
"And the castle is still standing," Minerva pointed out with a smirk as she shared a look with Albus. "That bet is still standing, Albus."
Severus snorted as he looked at the other two in amusement.
"What bet?" Charmling asked in interest.
"We have a pool going," Flitwick explained from further down the table. "Which part of the castle that he's going to destroy first. Albus do you have the list?"
The Headmaster pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket and laid it out on the table with a smile. He slid it towards the younger man with a twinkle in his eyes. Severus could see his own writing on the paper as well as others.
"All in good fun, of course." Albus added with a smile.
Charmling looked the list over in interest then glanced over at Severus. Who just gave him a smirk in return as he leaned back in his seat. He watched as one of the Ravenclaw fifth years had cast a small ball of light in the air. The golden griffin winged after it to the amusement of the students as the other teachers chattered around him. Even when Blake wasn't here, he still kept them amused as the griffin suddenly crash landed on the Hufflepuff table, scatting plates of food as the students squealed.
The little animal got back up and gave itself a shake before stalking down the middle of the table as students watched it. How the thing didn't break he had no idea as it picked up a roll of bread in its beak and tried to run off with it but just tripped over as students giggled.
"It's kind of cute," Albus commented as he watched the creature.
"It has a taste for fingers," Severus grumbled with a smirk. "It doesn't seem to like Potter much."
Albus gave a chuckle as the griffin jumped over to the Slytherin table and made its way towards Draco.
"It seems to like your godson though," Albus said with a smile as the animal stopped near Draco and curled up next to his plate as the boy ran a finger down its back.
"That it does," Severus agreed softly. "Mr Nott was in my office complaining that it bit him in the middle of the night. I did bring it up with Blake but the man just laughed."
Minerva snorted.
"Do you think it's made with dark magic?" Albus asked. "He did make it when he wasn't here."
"Anything is possible with Blake," Severus replied, seeing Charmling take an interest again. "I've given up asking him."
Minerva snorted.
"Mainly because I don't want a lecture," Severus added mildly.
Albus huffed a laugh, all the teachers knowing how Blake could get once he got going on a subject.
xXx
Harry sighed as he smoothed over the last ward and took them all back from the goblin and the other two curse breakers he was working with. He gently twisted the wards together, making sure they were all sitting right before passing them to either the goblin or the ground and released them. It had taken him a week to work through all the wards and the strands of magic and he was very happy to let them go for the last time.
He opened his eyes to see the entrance to the Ministry clear again and he nodded over to Conner.
"All done," Harry announced as the man moved over. "Please don't call me for at least six months."
Conner gave him a grin and clapped him on the shoulder.
"I'm sure Mr Dracka would disagree," Conner pointed out with a smile.
Harry barked a laugh before thanking the other two curse breakers and the goblin.
"I'll be off then," Harry said. "I have students to torment. Good afternoon, everyone."
"Thanks, Blake." Conner offered.
Harry gave him a nod and apparated back to his apartment in Berlin. The headache wasn't as bad as he thought it would be as he stepped through the door and took the lift to the third floor. He heard the music before he arrived and groaned.
He followed the music to his apartment and opened the door to the blaring sound. He found Dracka sprawled out in one of the armchairs with his eyes closed. The vampire tapped the beat along on his knee as the music blared from the speakers. Harry left him to it as he moved through to his bedroom and closed the door before heading to the shower.
"Did you finish them?" Dracka yelled over the music.
Harry ignored him as he stripped off and stepped into the shower.
"Blake!"
The music cut off and Harry heard the bathroom door open.
"Did you finish them?" Dracka asked again.
"Yes, all done." Harry called as he washed his hair. "We can leave once the sun sets. I'll reinforce the wards around your Coven before heading back to Hogwarts."
Silence greeted him and Harry looked around the shower curtain to see Dracka standing in the doorway.
"What?" Harry asked. "They could do with being reinforced. Did you want me to reinforce the wards around your mansion as well while I'm there?"
"If you don't mind," Dracka said with an odd look in his eyes.
"Okay," Harry replied as he finished up his shower. "In that case I'll stay in town for a day or so."
Harry grabbed the towel near the shower and towelled off before wrapping the towel around his waist.
"Why do you need a couple of days?" Dracka questioned from the doorway. "You normally don't take that long."
"Really, Dracka?" Harry drawled in amusement as he stepped out of the shower in just a towel. "I have been working on wards for the past week and you ask me that?"
Dracka flashed his fangs at him and followed him into the bedroom. Harry moved to the bed and pulled out a shirt and pants from his bag. Harry could feel eyes on his back and he looked over at the other man.
"What?" Harry asked as he held the clothing.
"The scars," Dracka remarked as his eyes looked over the marks.
"Yes?" Harry said, drawing out the word as he slipped his shirt over his head. "What about them?"
"You were tortured," Dracka stated.
"I was," Harry agreed as he pulled the pants on under the towel. "A very long time ago."
Dracka nodded sharply but Harry could still see the strange look in the other man's eyes. Harry ignored it for now, it could mean anything from the vampire.
"Now," Harry said into the silence. "Did you want to continue the rock concert you had going out there and hope the neighbours have gone deaf or head back to France?"
Dracka just smirked at him with red eyes as Harry ran the towel over his head.
xXx
Harry collapsed on his bed back at Hogwarts, totally exhausted. A whole week and a half of working with wards had done his head in. Not to mention the fact of dealing with the vampire. He still had the man's music running through his head. He sprawled out still in his clothes, not that his taste in music was bad, it was just bloody loud.
He'd been held up at the British International Portkey Platform on the way back as well. He could only guess that it had something to do with the Ministry recognising that Voldemort was back.
Harry started when he felt a hand on his shoulder since he hadn't realised that he'd fallen asleep. He looked up at Severus sitting on the bed next to him.
"Hey," Harry muttered sleepily. "Did I sleep through dinner?"
"Not yet," Severus replied. "Starts in about half an hour."
Harry rolled over onto his back as he rubbed a hand over his face.
"Perfect," Harry replied with a yawn. "Have just enough time for a shower."
"Do you want company?" Severus asked with a smirk.
Harry shivered at the words and placed his hand on Severus's knee.
"Will that take longer than half an hour?" Harry replied with a smirk.
Severus's eyes darkened as he looked down at him and Harry could feel himself taking an interest.
"Because I could really do with a coffee and food," Harry smirked as he sat up and took Severus into a kiss.
Severus moved further onto the bed and pushed the other man back onto it as he deepened the kiss. He slipped his hands under his shirt and Harry groaned.
"I remember someone saying they would make it up to me," Severus purred and Harry shivered at the words.
"Hey, I was thinking of dinner in Hogsmeade." Harry grinned as he flicked the man's belt open. "I don't know what you had in mind."
Severus chuckled and it went straight through him as Severus shrugged out of his robes before slipping out of his shirt. Severus slowly unbuttoned his shirt as Harry worked on him before leaning forward and running his hand over Harry's chest and ribs and he shivered.
Harry moved his legs up on either side of Severus as the man kissed down his neck and his hand grabbed his hip. Harry moved his head to the side as he shifted slightly.
xXx
Missing scene.
xXx
Harry silently cast the cleaning charm and rolled to face the other man. Harry cupped the man's face and pulled him close as Severus's hand slipped lower and rubbed him through his pants. Harry grabbed Severus's hand, stilling it.
"Come on," Harry purred in the man's ear. "We don't want to be late for dinner."
"Blake?" Severus questioned, slightly confused.
"Food, coffee and sleep, Severus." Harry said with a smirk and a wink. "I'm sure after those three, I can make up what I owe you."
Harry pulled the man forward for another kiss before heading towards the bathroom for a quick shower.
"How did everything go?" Severus called after him as he dressed.
"It was a mess," Harry called back. "Dracka was very pleased. Might want to avoid my apartment in Berlin for a while. Dracka likes his music loud."
"I thought with their heightened hearing…" Severus let the sentence hang and Harry laughed.
"For all I know," Harry muttered as he stepped out of the shower. "He did it because the apartment is surrounded by muggles."
Severus snorted and held out his clothes with dark eyes. Harry gave him a smile as Severus's eyes roamed over him as he towelled down. He dressed quickly as Severus leaned back against the wall.
"How's it been here?" Harry asked as they moved into the main room and Harry picked up his cane.
"Quiet, which isn't surprising." Severus replied with a smirk.
"Ah," Harry uttered. "Have they been missing me yet?"
Severus snorted but didn't answer and Harry gave him a wink as they entered the Great Hall. The noise from the children washed over him as he looked around.
"Dad!"
Harry gave a big grin as his son crashed into him. He had to brace himself while Severus snorted beside them before moving towards the Head Table. Harry pushed the boy back and looked him over.
"I haven't been gone that long," Harry remarked with a smile as he patted the boy's shoulder. "Unless you are getting in early before I talk to your other teachers?"
"Um," Ry said and gave him an innocent smile that Harry knew well. "Got to go!"
Harry looked after the boy as he dashed off and he was sure he would find out soon enough what he had done. He looked up at the Head Table to see Minerva glaring down at him. He gave the woman a disarming smile and her glare picked up a notch.
'Right then,' Harry thought as he moved towards the Head Table. 'Time to break out the cat nip again.'
"Blake," Albus greeted with a smile. "Welcome back, my boy."
"Thank you Albus," Harry replied and pulled the coffee mug towards him the moment he sat next to Severus.
"You don't look so well," Albus asked in concern.
"Coffee will work wonders, Albus." Harry stated in reply as he filled up his cup. "I'm back for the month unless something else comes up."
"I have a new student for you, Blake." Charmling called from a couple of seats down. "Did you want me to bring the file down?"
"Sure," Harry replied mildly. "Just give it to me tomorrow morning and I'll look it over, what year?"
"Second year, Hufflepuff." Charmling replied with a grin.
"Where are you off to next month?" Severus asked quietly and Harry turned away from Charmling.
"Russia," Harry answered as he refilled his coffee. "But it's only for a couple of days, it's for Gringotts. Then it's the field trip for the warding at the start of the holidays then-"
Suddenly something gold pelted towards him and his hand shot out to grab the gold griffin.
"Nice catch," Albus laughed as McGonagall gasped.
"You know, Blake." Minerva said with a smirk. "We do have a teachers verses students Quidditch match every year."
Harry laughed as he placed the griffin on the table and it jumped around on the surface in excitement before jumping off the edge and was flying away again. Harry looked after it as it winged around the room.
"Then what?" Severus whispered, drawing his attention back to him.
Harry looked back at him with a soft smile and placed his hand over the Dark Mark on his amr and Severus's eyes widened.
"Have you spoken to any of the Malfoy's lately?" Harry asked with a smirk.
xXx
"Why do I have to carry my own bag!? We should have brought a house elf for this!"
Harry gritted his teeth and kept limping forward without looking over his shoulder at the blonde haired Slytherin. He could hear Hermione hissing at the other boy and was happy that Ry wasn't joining in, yet, as they moved towards the first building of the village.
"What's it to you mudblood!"
"One more word, Mr Malfoy!" Harry hissed. His eyes flashing as he turned on the boy. "And you go straight back to Hogwarts and your mother will get a letter from me! Understand?"
Malfoy reared back in shock.
"Sorry," Malfoy muttered to Hermione to the shock of the girl and Ry.
"Better," Harry snapped. "Now, we'll lay the first wards here and work back towards the forest behind us, where we first arrived. Just put your bags near that tree."
Harry pulled out the black and silver trunk as the students placed their bags where he had indicated. He resized the trunk and took out two bags of chalk powder and placed them on the ground before closing the lid and shrinking the trunk again.
"Okay Ry and Mr Malfoy," Harry announced as he stood. "Pick up a bag of chalk and hold it in your right hands. Yes, like that."
Harry stepped forward and cast a spell over the bags so that the white power slowly leaked out onto the ground.
"Ry go to the left and Draco to the right," Harry ordered. "I want you to walk all the way around the village, when you meet each other on the other side I want you to cross the lines of chalk and come back to me. You don't need the chalk to completely cover the other line but it does help. Now, off you go."
"Okay, dad."
"Yes, sir."
Harry watched the two boys move off as an older man made his way towards them. Harry could see the man's dark curse as he got closer and guessed that he was probably a werewolf.
"You must be Blake Sun," The man greeted when he got closer. "I'm Sam Halter"
"Nice to meet you," Harry replied, shaking the man's hand. "Did Dracka contact you?"
The man smiled, his blue eyes standing out against his greying hair.
"He did," Sam confirmed as he looked him over. "Thank you for coming."
"No problems at all," Harry replied. "Do you have any buildings that need special attention?"
"Ah, yes." Sam stated. "The community hall, it's where we gather in case of an emergency."
"Very well," Harry agreed with a smile. "This is Hermione Granger and when they get back, Draco Malfoy is the blonde and the dark-haired boy is Harry Potter. Mr Malfoy would be very happy if someone could collect his bag and take it back to the motel."
Sam gave a laugh and said, "I can have that worked out for you. Did you say Harry Potter?"
"The one and only," Harry remarked with a chuckle. "He likes to be called Ry."
"I'll have someone come out to collect the bags," Sam offered. "Do we need to do anything while you are working?"
"Nothing at all," Harry replied. "Though a lunch and some coffee wouldn't go amiss."
"I'll see what I can do."
They shook hands again and Sam walked back to the village as Malfoy and Ry came running back with their bags of chalk.
"Sir?" Hermione said quietly.
"Yes?" Harry questioned turning to Hermione.
Ry beat Malfoy getting back to the start of the chalk line and was giving the other boy crap about it.
"Why does the Ministry not place these wards?" Hermione asked as Ry and Malfoy sat close to them on the grass getting their breathing under control.
"Because this village is not a wizard only village," Harry replied sadly.
"Wait," Ry gasped. "The Ministry won't place wards here because other people live here?"
"Correct," Harry confirmed. "You can only apply for wards with the Ministry if you can prove that over 90 percent of people living there are wizards or witches, otherwise you have to pay Gringotts to set them up and they are not cheap."
"That's sick," Ry said in disgust.
"That is why we are here," Harry said with a smile. "Did you have fun with your race?"
"I won!" Ry cried.
"He cheated!" Malfoy yelped at the same time.
"You are a Slytherin, Mr Malfoy." Harry drawled with a smirk. "Where is you cunning?"
Malfoy grumbled but didn't seem too unhappy about losing. Harry handed over a couple of bottles of water to the kids before stepping up to the chalk line. He pulled out his cherry wand.
"Okay," Harry stated. "We start with a protection circle. Praesidio."
The chalk line flared to life with Harry only put a little of his magic into the spell.
"Can you feel that?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Sir."
"Yes, Dad."
"Now you want to tie the charm to the ground," Harry intoned. "This is very important."
He grabbed the charm he had placed and sent it into the ground. The soil rippled slightly as the ward spread along the chalk line and moved towards the centre of town running up the buildings and under people as they lived their lives. If he wanted to he could have taken a count of how many men, woman and children that lived within the village. That however didn't matter to the wards and he couldn't be bothered as he held the spell.
"Okay," Harry said, once the ground was covered. "Can you feel the ward?"
"Yes, sir."
"Yes, dad."
"Perfect." Harry continued. "Now let it settle into the ground, let it soak in slowly. This village has stood here for a long time so the roots run deep. You have to let your magic do the same."
Harry held the ward for a few minutes, letting the magic leak down like water into the earth. The children wouldn't be able to see it the way Harry did but they didn't need to. They could still work with the magic even if they could 'see' the magic like Harry could. They just had to feel out the magic and to be able to pick it up.
"Now that we have covered the area we want. We need to add in the wards and charms." Harry said smoothly. "The first one is magic with ill intent…"
Harry slowly layered in the wards and charms he wanted, calling them out as he worked through them. Protection, anti-violence, spells against harm, illegal spells and the list went on. He could see the students taking notes as he worked through each ward, each spell lighting up the chalk line briefly with its own colour. The chalk line looked like oil on water to Harry's sight when he was done with the last ward.
"Now, we need to tie it down." Harry ordered softly as he held the magic easily. "Grab all the strands of magic and bind it to the earth. This is the tricky part, you should be able to feel out the different strands since we have layered them on top of the protection charm. Can you feel them?"
"Yes, sir."
"Yes, Dad."
"Perfect," Harry muttered.
Harry held all the strands together and twisted them. Each one a different colour, so that it looked like a brightly coloured braid to Harry's sight. He knew it wouldn't look that way to the children as he worked them all in together so that anyone wanting to bring down the wards would have to pick through them to get the right one. This was work that needed to be done with someone that could tap into the magic sight, like Harry could.
"Alligant autem praesidio," Harry intoned.
He pulled the strands, then pushing them down into the earth at his feet. Spinning colours ran over the ground before sinking into the earth and disappearing, taking the chalk line with it. Harry quickly double checked the wards to make sure they had settled in correctly and that they were sitting smoothly under the earth. He gently gave a slight nudge to the ones that were being stubborn until they all sat under the surface of the ground.
"Okay," Harry announced as he turned to the three students. "Got that?"
"Um," Ry muttered in answer.
Harry laughed and ruffled the boy's hair.
"I'll show you a few more times before you can try," Harry told him.
"Wow," Malfoy gasped then shut his mouth quickly and blushed.
Even Hermione was looking shocked, making Harry frown. He looked at each student as they looked back at him with large eyes.
"Have you not seen warding before?" Harry asked.
"No, sir"
"No, Dad."
"Oh," Harry said stupidly. "Really?"
The children shook their heads as a few villagers came towards them carrying baskets and bags of food. Harry thought he might have cast wards with Ry in tow but then he thought he probably would have been too young or at his muggle boarding school while he'd done the work.
"Oh well," Harry replied calmly. "I'll have you casting them in no time. Now lunch time."
xXx
After lunch with the villagers, Harry led the children back towards the forest where the portkey had landed them.
"This ward is to complete the protection." Harry explained. "This is why Sam is here."
Sam smiled at the children.
"This will be the first line of protection," Harry explained. "Anyone trying to attack this village will have to get through this ward before getting to the second part of the warding. This gives people in the village time to get to safety. The Ministry normally only does one line of warding, I don't find that's enough. This makes an attacking force have to push through two lots of warding instead of one."
"Do we need to run the chalk line again?" Ry asked.
"No," Harry replied. "We pick up the ward that has already been laid and work out from there."
Harry passed Sam a steel knife, which the man took in his hand. He then put five small crystals onto the ground in front of him.
"Okay kids." Harry said, straightening up. "Can you feel the wards I already placed?"
"Yes, sir."
"Yes, Dad."
"Perfect." Harry remarked with a smile. "Just pick up the edge of the ward to get the protection circle then just pull it back to where we are standing. It will spread out evenly from that point to here all the way around the circle."
Harry held his wand down as he worked with the magic, stretching the ward out gently. It covered the ground between where he had laid the first wards to just before him. Like a second circle around the first. He made sure that the crystals at his feet were within the wards before working in an anti-apparation charm and other protection charms, calling them out for the children as he worked them in.
"Now these wards we are grounding to Sam and the crystals as well as the ground itself." Harry explained. "Sam could you cut your hand and let a couple of drops of your blood fall?"
Sam sliced along his palm and opened his hand to let a few drops of blood fall onto the ground. It hissed as it hit the wards and Harry tied the blood and crystals into the wards.
"Perfect." Harry commented. "Alligant autem praesidio."
The ward flashed silver then disappeared completely. The crystals lit up before turning gold in colour. Harry wasn't sure why it turned that shade of gold, every person that laid wards, the crystals would turn a different colour. It did make it easy to know who had done the ward work, though.
Harry pulled out a plastic snap lock bag from his pocket and placed four of the crystals into it. He held out the last crystal to Sam and the man took it in his hand with a nod.
"Thank you," The man said quietly as he stared at the crystal.
"No problems," Harry replied with a grin.
"What do the crystals do?" Malfoy asked.
"They will alert the person that someone is trying to get through the wards." Harry informed him as they made their way to the motel they would be staying in. "Now kids, I'll leave you at the motel and you can get settled in for the night, while I work on the last building."
xXx
"Your Dad is brilliant," Hermione whispered to Ry when they got to their rooms.
Each student had their own room but Hermione had decided to talk to Ry in his room.
"He is," Ry said with a big grin. "You should have seen him fighting against the Dark Lord!"
"I've never seen someone work with magic so naturally," Hermione said in awe. "He thinks we can do that?"
A soft knock came at their door and Ry got up to find Malfoy on the other side.
"What do you want?" Ry asked.
"Can I come in?" Malfoy requested.
Ry stood to the side and let Draco into the room.
"I think I missed one of the spells that Blake used," Draco said softly, holding out his notes to Hermione. "Could you look...please?"
Hermione looked at him for a few seconds and Draco shifted on his feet slightly.
"Of course," Hermione replied, taking the paper. "We were just talking about how Mr Sun works with magic."
"It's amazing," Malfoy exclaimed, excitedly. "And I've been around wizards and witches all my life! He must come from an old pure blood family!"
"Nope," Ry said with a grin, he forgot sometimes that people didn't know as much about his father as he did. "He's the same as me, half blood."
"What?" Malfoy asked shocked.
"Yep," Ry replied smugly. "His grandmother on his father's side was a Potter but his mother was a muggleborn."
"Really?" Hermione asked in surprise. "His mother was like me?"
"Yep," Ry said. "Just like my mum."
"But the way he uses magic," Malfoy stuttered in shock.
"What? Do you think that half bloods can't use magic the same as pure bloods?" Hermione snapped.
"Umm," Malfoy stuttered, looking between Ry and Hermione. "That's what I was taught as a child."
Malfoy was starting to believe that what he'd been taught as a young child at his father's knee was flawed. When his mother had bundled him up that night about six months ago and told him that they were leaving, his whole life had suddenly changed. His nightmares of being forced into service for Voldemort had suddenly disappeared and he couldn't be more thankful to his mother for taking him away.
"Well it's wrong!" Hermione snapped.
Malfoy looked away from the girl.
"I can see that now." The blonde muttered.
"Did you want to play a game of chess?" Ry asked suddenly, breaking through the tension.
"Um, sure." Malfoy answered as he gave the other boy a small smile.
xXx
Harry kept a close eye on Hermione as the girl worked with the wards of one of the villages on the list. They had been working through the UK list for the last week and Harry was happy to see Hermione working the wards like a pro. The girl had a natural talent for warding magic, and many other kinds of magic. She was going to go far with whatever she put her mind to.
"Very good," Harry muttered, lending his magic to the spells as he gently held some of the girl's wards as she worked.
The girl grinned, her eyes unfocused, as she held the magic. Harry guided her gently and carefully through the magic. Keeping it all under control just in case it slipped from her. Hermione looked beautiful as her wild brown hair had escaped her hair band and curled around her face. Harry smiled softly as he kept an eye on everything. Her tongue slightly peeking out the side of her month as she worked with the magic.
"That's it," Harry encouraged. "Now pick up the strands I'm holding. Yep that's right. Now you are holding all the magic. Now the spell Alligant autem praesidio."
"Alligant autem praesidio." Hermione intoned as she pushed the wards down into the ground as Harry smoothed it all out.
"Perfect!" Harry cried, clapping the girl on the shoulder.
She turned to him with a big grin and her brown eyes alight.
"Well done, Hermione!" Ry cried, hugging the girl.
"Yes, well done Granger," Malfoy muttered.
Harry looked over at the boy and could see the changes that the week had made on him. He was a bit more laid back than he'd been when they had first started and had stopped fighting as much with Ry and Hermione. If only he could get Ry and Severus working together as well but he was sure that pigs would start flying before then.
"Okay Draco," Harry announced as he turned to the boy. "Your turn."
xXx
Harry was happy to get back to Hogwarts once the last of the warding was done. The castle was quiet since the students were still on holidays.
"Bye, Dad!"
"Bye, Mr Sun!"
Hermione and Ry called as they walked off towards the Gryffindor common room. Harry fell into step with Draco as they walked down to the dungeons together.
"You did very well, Draco." Harry said softly as he rested a hand on the boy's shoulder.
Draco smiled up at him. "Thanks, sir."
"Don't forgot that your mother is coming here next week," Harry reminded him.
"Oh yeah." Draco said brightly. "I forgot."
Harry ruffled the boy's hair. "Of you go."
Draco patted down his hair with a glare and moved off down the hall as Harry stopped outside Severus's rooms. He peeked in but the man wasn't there or in his office. Harry frowned and made his way to his own rooms. Severus wasn't there either but a note was on his table with a box of Chocolate frogs sitting on top of it.
'Blake,
Went out to pick up some potion ingredients, will be back in time for dinner. How does dinner in Hogsmeade sound?
Severus.'
Harry smiled and picked up a chocolate frog. His rooms feeling a little empty without the other man before he moved into his office to continue his work until dinner.
xXx
Harry looked around the fancy restaurant in surprise. The waiter showed them to a small table near the back of the room that sat away from the other people in the restaurant. Harry gave the waiter a small grin as he took a seat and hung his cane off the side of the table.
"Are you breaking up with me?" Harry asked Severus, once the man was seated.
"What?" Severus stuttered.
Severus's hand was frozen as he reached for the water on the table. Harry gave him a grin and a wink and Severus kicked his leg gently under the table. Harry gave a laugh as he picked up the menu.
"Ha, ha." Severus drawled.
"So, what is this all about?" Harry asked as he looked over the menu at the other man.
"Can't I do something nice?" Severus questioned with a raised eyebrow.
Harry laughed and Severus gave him a smirk with a glint in his dark eyes.
"I won't tell anyone," Harry said softly with a wink. "They wouldn't believe me anyway! Especially Minerva."
They shared a look before focusing on their menus. They ordered their meals while they caught up on events over the last couple of weeks, while Harry had been gone. Harry eyed off the chocolate cake that the waiter placed on the table. He looked Severus over as he started in on the cake. He could pick up the slight signs of nervousness and he frowned. Something was bothering the other man.
"What is it, Severus?" Harry questioned.
"I have something for you," Severus said smoothly.
Severus placed a silver ring on the table between them nervously. Harry picked it up in his hand and could feel the man's magic on it. The silver was shaped like a snake consuming its own tail. The scales were etched with skill and the black eyes of the snake glinted as the light hit them.
"It's beautiful, Severus." Harry said in awe.
"It was in my vault from my mother's family," Severus explained. "The bracelet that you gave Potter gave me the idea. I've cast the spells on it myself, so you might want to check them over."
Severus looked away as Harry just stared at the ring in his hand.
"What kind of charms would I be looking at?" Harry asked, looking up at his lover.
"Tracking charm and charms to let me know if you are in danger." Severus replied softly.
Harry looked the spell work over quickly before slipping the ring onto his finger and it shrunk to fit perfectly. He looked up at Severus and the man gave him a soft smile.
"Thank you, Severus." Harry said. "The charm work is perfect."
Severus grinned, dropping ten years off his face with such a simple act. Harry grabbed his hand, the ring shinning as Severus linked his fingers with his own. Harry could feel his heart clench at the look in Severus's eyes as he gently ran his thumb over his hand. Severus was always tense with such acts in public and Harry could understand why but also only cared about the man before him and no one else's opinion.
"Narcissa Malfoy will be here at ten on Tuesday." Severus broke into the moment and Harry let his hand go. "We can see Spinner's end tomorrow, if that suits?"
They turned back to their desserts as they moved onto business. Harry smiled as Severus spoke, his smooth voice rolling over him. His eyes were drawn back to the ring as they finished off their dinner and moved out of the restaurant.
Once they were away from the village, Harry grabbed the other man's hand and linked their fingers together. Severus looking down at him with a soft smile as they made their way back to the castle in a comfortable silence. Words not being needed between them.
xXx
Harry looked around the neighbourhood as Severus led them towards Spinner's end.
"Hey," Harry said into the stillness of the night. "Why do wizards name their houses?"
Severus started at the question and looked confused.
"You don't know?" Severus asked.
"Nope," Harry replied with a grin. "The Weasleys call their house 'the Burrow' and Ry's parents called their house 'Godric Hollow' and well there are a lot of other examples."
"Your parents…" Severus let it hang in question.
"I was brought up by muggles," Harry replied. "In a very muggle house on a very muggle street."
Severus started in surprise at the admission.
"Your parents?" Severus questioned.
"Died when I was young," Harry reminded him. "I was brought up by relatives."
"What were your parents…?" Severus let the question hang.
It took Harry a second to realise what Severus was asking and he stopped walking and turned to the man. For some people blood ties could be a very tricky subject to bring up but Harry didn't much care.
"Same as Ry," Harry answered. "Pureblood on my father's side and muggleborn on my mother's side."
Harry looked over to see surprise on the other man's face and he frowned.
"What?" Harry questioned.
"Your magic…" Severus started to say, looking uncomfortable.
"Yes?" Harry asked, drawing out the word.
"Is very strong," Severus finished. "Maybe even stronger than Albus."
"It's not," Harry replied with a lopsided grin. "And what does that have to do with my parents?"
"You are a half blood," Severus stated slowly.
"Ah," Harry muttered as he looked at him. "I think we covered that."
"Right," Severus agreed then tried to change the subject. "Wizards name their houses so that they can be connected to the floo network easier."
"Don't think you can get away that easy, Mr Snape." Harry snapped. "What does my magic levels have to do with being a half blood?"
Severus sighed and looked down at him.
"You don't normally find people with dark or light magic outside of pureblood families," Severus explained softly. "Or if they have some creature blood in their veins."
"And I am neither," Harry stated. "Even if my father was a pureblood?"
"Yes," Severus confirmed.
Harry started walking again as he thought it through. Understanding how flawed the way people of this time thought. He understood concepts of magic that wouldn't be fully realised or accepted for hundreds of years. Concepts that would rock the whole magical world as they struggled to understand. That what they had been led to believe and the way magic worked, wasn't as black and white as they first thought. Severus's words reminding him of the time differences from where he came from to now.
He looked out at the landscape before him and thought about how much Severus's life was going to change. He could almost feel the burden on his shoulders at the thought. It was jolting to know what direction that the magical communities were going to take and the changes that would be happening in the future. There was always a price for knowledge and Harry had paid it many times before. Just the feeling of the dark power of the Hallows flowing in his veins, reminded him of that fact.
Magic always had a price and he knew it very well as his hand tightened around the cane in his hand. He could almost feel the scars on his back as he walked beside Severus. Yes, the price for knowledge could be a high one. Paid in blood, pain or a life.
"You know," Harry said carefully a few minutes later. "It always confused me about the way wizards and witches would go on about how pure their blood is. Are you telling me it's because of dark or light magic? I always thought it had something to do with the elite and all that."
"There is some of that," Severus answered, uncomfortable with the subject.
"Your mother was a witch?" Harry asked instead.
"Yes," Severus said shortly.
"Your father?"
"Muggle," Severus admitted.
"Gee," Harry replied. "You must have copped hell in Slytherin."
Severus whacked his shoulder as Harry grinned.
"I had a talent for potions," Severus remarked. "Not all purebloods end up in Slytherin."
Harry grinned at him as they walked up to a rundown townhouse attached on each side by another house making a block of three. The neighbourhood wasn't too bad even with the train line running close by. Harry looked around and could tell that the block that Severus's house stood on would be very large. The other two houses didn't look lived in as they moved closer since they couldn't see any lights on. They were a part of a small estate and Harry looked around in interest, most of the houses around them were dark and looked unlived in.
"Yours is the middle one?" Harry asked as he moved towards the front door.
"How can you tell?" Severus questioned in interest.
"The wards," Harry replied. "Very good ones too. You'll have to ask me into the house."
Harry moved closer and held his hand up to the wards. He could feel the barrier before him as the wards brushed against him and Severus waited.
"Finished talking to the wards?" Severus purred in his ear as he wrapped his arms around his waist.
"Um," Harry started. "Yeah, sorry. I just can't resist."
Severus snorted and reached forward and opened the door.
"You don't lock it?" Harry questioned.
Severus chuckled. "We are wizards, Sun."
"I've talked to the wards, Snape." Harry retorted with his nose up in the air. "They wouldn't stop a muggle from walking in."
"What?" Severus started as he pulled back.
"We are wizards," Harry said with a wink. "But we forget about muggles. Anti-muggles wards are just a joke really. Like leaving a light on when you go away on holidays."
Harry stepped to the side as Severus moved into the house.
"Oi!" Harry called. "You have to let me in."
Severus stepped back and looked down his nose at him on the front doorstep.
"Do I also need to carry you over the threshold?" Severus smirked.
"Only if you want to, love." Harry said with a leer and a wink.
"Come in, Blake Sun." Severus said with a laugh.
Harry stepped through the wards and shivered as they raced down his back as the magic recognised him. He walked into the hall and looked around.
"Is there coffee?" Harry asked casually.
Severus rolled his eyes and walked off down the hallway without answering. The house was small with two stories, a small living area to his right and a door, probably to a bedroom to his left. A staircase and the hallway was in front of him as Harry moved after Severus to a dining area and a small kitchen at the back of the house. The walls were bare and the house was kept clean with only a thin layer of dust around them.
"When was the last time you were here?" Harry asked as he took a seat at the dining table.
"A couple of years ago," Severus replied as he placed two cups of coffee on the table. "I used to come here when I wasn't at school. I had a lot of stuff packed up and moved to Gringotts last year. The house has mostly been empty since then. I wasn't sure what to do with it."
Severus waved his hand as he looked around, his eyes unreadable.
"This place never felt like home," Severus admitted as he looked down at the cup of coffee. "My mother died here…"
Harry sat back in his seat and waited the other man out. Severus wouldn't look up as him and was absentmindedly rubbing his left arm.
"My father killed her here," Severus uttered into the silence.
Harry's heart clenched for him. He could see how much this one act had changed the man in front of him. He placed his hand on the table within Severus's reach but no more. Offering support if Severus wanted to take it.
"You know what happened from there," Severus whispered.
"I know you turned to Albus," Harry stated softly. "You turned your back on a powerful wizard."
"And walked to another one," Severus said hollowly.
"You think that?" Harry said roughly. "You think that you walked away from one master to another."
Severus's head shot up at Harry's words in shock.
"If you think that, Severus." Harry snapped, his eyes intense. "You are as much of an idiot as I am."
The two men stared at each over the table for a few minutes.
"In that moment of blood and marking," Harry said into the silence. "You saw what your life was going to become and became repulsed by it. Disgusted in what you did and what others did around you."
Severus's eyes widened.
"You felt the Dark Lord's magic touching your soul as he marked your skin." Harry whispered. "He branded you in blood, Severus."
"How do you…" Severus trailed off.
Harry smiled grimly.
"Because, Severus." Harry stated softly. "I have seen the memories of a marking."
Severus gasped, his dark eyes wide, as he looked at the man before him.
"How?"
Harry rubbed a hand over his head and covered his face for a minute as he gathered his thoughts together.
"Blake?" Severus asked softly and grabbed his hand on the table.
"You are linked to the Dark Lord and it is not a simple link, Severus. It's a complex spell that binds the two of you together." Harry continued, ignoring Severus's question. "You had the will power and strength to turn your back on that and walk a dangerous line. If you think it's as easy as walking away from one master to another, you are wrong. Very wrong."
Harry looked up at the man across from him. His expression closed but his eyes gave him away to Harry. He knew this man well and he could see the pain.
"There is a reason that the Dark Lord marks his Death Eaters." Harry explained calmly. "To tie them to him. To make them loyal to just him and to him alone. Why do you think I was so surprised when you were able to sway Narcissa Malfoy to help us?"
"She wants to save her son," Severus reasoned.
"The love of a mother," Harry uttered. "It's a powerful magic. Just remember Severus that once a connection is made. It can be broken but there is always a price to pay."
Severus shivered and looked away as he wrapped both hands around Harry's on the table. The two men sat there in silence for a few minutes.
"Now," Harry said into the silence. "I'll have my lawyer find out who owns the townhouses on either side of this one and find out more about the estate."
"Why?" Severus asked with a frown.
"This is a good block of land," Harry said. "It will sell better if we sell the whole block instead of just one house."
"So, they would knock it down?"
"Most likely," Harry replied. "Will that be a problem?"
"I would prefer it," Severus remarked with a sad smile. "This was not a happy home."
Harry tightened his hold on Severus's hand before glancing at his watch.
"Are we staying here tonight?" Harry asked.
"If you don't mind?" Severus replied.
"Do I get to see photos of you as a child?" Harry counted with a smirk. "I'm sure I can find some around here somewhere. I do have some of you and Lily when you were at school which Ry has by the way."
Harry gave him a wink as Severus groaned. His black eyes locked onto Harry's pale green ones. An understanding that couldn't be expressed in words passing between them. Severus tightened his hold on Harry's hand between his own and Harry gave him a soft smile.