"I need Severus to identify some death eaters," Albus asked.
"Why are you asking me and not him?" Harry asked with a frown as he took a sip of his coffee.
They were in his rooms at the school and Harry's bag was already on the table ready to go in two days' time.
"I thought I should run it passed you since you are heading out of the country," Albus said. "And I would need him to be close to the death eaters to identify them."
Harry leaned back in his seat and pulled out his mobile phone and called Severus's number.
"Yes?" Severus drawled.
"Can you come down to my rooms, please?" Harry said into his phone, his eyes not leaving Albus's. "Albus has a mission for you."
"Why are you calling me then?"
"I believe that Albus is asking for my blessing," Harry replied as Albus snorted into his tea.
"Oh, god." Severus replied.
Harry hung up the phone and placed the device on the table as they waited. Severus walked in through the door and looked over at the two men at the table and Harry's bag then sighed. Harry waved his hand to Albus and the man looked at him in amusement.
"Severus," Albus said with a smile. "I need you to identify some death eaters."
Severus frowned as he took a seat at the table and eyed off Harry's bag.
"Okay, explain." Severus replied.
"I'll need you to go out with a team to where Voldemort is hiding," Albus explained. "You have the best knowledge of his original death eaters. We are hoping you can tell us who is new to his ranks. We think that some of them will be past students of this school."
Severus frowned at the Headmaster before looking over at Harry.
"When?" Severus asked.
"Saturday night," Albus replied. "I just got word that he is calling a meeting at the Riddle house."
"Blake?" Severus asked as he looked at the bag on the table.
"I'll be in Russia," Harry replied. "I'll be leaving Thursday lunch time until Monday. They need a curse breaker to break down some wards on a house that Gringotts are claiming."
Harry watched Severus lean back in his seat and look between Harry and the Headmaster. Harry gave him a smile as he picked up his coffee, letting the man think it through.
"If you run into trouble," Harry said softly. "It will take me time to get back here. You will have to trust the Order to come to your aid."
"We will back you up the whole way, Severus." Albus said calmly. "We'll be using the scopes that Blake managed to get for us."
"Is this a marking?" Severus asked softly.
"We think so," Albus replied.
Harry frowned and his hands clenched around his cup.
"So," Severus drawled. "There is more of a chance that the new death eaters will not be wearing masks and the inner circle being there. You know he will have a lot of his followers there if this is a marking, Albus."
"Yes," Albus said in agreement and his eyes flicked to Harry.
"Did you want me to leave?" Harry asked.
"No," Albus and Severus said at the same time and Harry smiled.
"Could you reschedule, Blake?" Severus asked.
"No, sorry." Harry replied. "I've already signed the contract with the goblins."
Severus sighed.
"Very well," Severus said softly.
"Thank you, my boy." Albus said with a smile. "We'll met in my office after lunch on Saturday. Good afternoon, boys."
"Good afternoon, Albus."
Albus gave them a smile as he left the rooms leaving the two men alone. Severus turned to Harry and raised an eyebrow in question.
"Why did you ask to leave?" Severus asked with a frown.
"Order business," Harry replied. "I'm not in the Order Severus."
"Dracka?" Severus asked.
"Is not part of the Order," Harry replied. "As far as I know."
Severus frowned and Harry sighed.
"Albus is the Head of the Order of the Phoenix, Severus." Harry said. "It is up to him the way that he works with the members of the Order and it is up to you about what you do."
Severus's eyes fell on Harry's bag again on the table. Harry reached over and placed a hand on Severus's arm.
"If you get into trouble," Harry said softly. "I will head back as quickly as I can Severus."
"That would break your contract?"
"Yes," Harry confirmed then gave him a smile. "You'll be fine. Albus is good with planning and I'm sure that Dracka can have some men on hand."
Severus groaned.
"I'm not a child," Severus spat.
Harry smirked and raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"I'm not saying a word on that subject," Harry replied mildly.
Severus glared at him.
xXx
Severus was sprawled out on his stomach on the ground, on a slight hill, overlooking the Riddle house with five other Order members further back behind him as he lifted the scope and looked through it to see Voldemort and his followers out the back of the Riddle mansion. He held the scope still as he wrote down names on the piece of paper next to him on the ground. He could easily pick out the original members of Voldemort circle and a few students that he had taught over the years.
None of the newer members coming forward were current students and he sighed. He was also glad for the fact that there was a silencing charm around the mansion and grounds as people were led forward and he was sure that he would have been able to hear screaming from here as the marking went ahead.
Remus crawled up beside him and Severus passed the scope over to him. The man glanced through it then paled and handed it back.
"Have you seen enough?" Remus whispered.
"More than enough," Severus replied. "But give me another half an hour for every one of them to be marked."
Remus patted the man's shoulder and crept back as Severus turned back to the scope and the notebook. Over half an hour later he crept back to the other Order members and they moved away from the mansion silently. From the looks on the men and women's faces they would have liked to have raided the mansion instead of letting the marking go ahead but there had been nothing they could do with Voldemort on the scene.
"How was Blake about letting you be here?" Remus asked quietly.
"I think he would have like to have been here to back us up," Severus replied, making sure they couldn't be over heard. "He's in Russia."
"What's he doing there?" Remus asked in interest.
"Something for the goblins," Severus replied.
xXx
Harry cursed as he looked around at the ghost hounds circling him and wondered how he'd gotten into this situation as he glanced over at the heavy-set blonde man beside him.
"Orders?" Ivic asked in Russian as he looked around.
"Stay still," Harry ordered also in Russian. "Do not move or attack."
"That is your plan?"
"It is at the moment."
The man glared over at him as Harry held his silver sword out in front of him hoping that Severus was having better luck than he was as one of the ghost hounds snarled at him.
xXx
"Duck!"
Severus dropped with Remus beside him as the death eater stepped out from behind a wall and sent a spell hurling in their direction. Remus pushed him as they felt anti-apparation wards fare up and Severus cursed. They quickly moved further down the street as more death eaters started to appear. Severus shot a spell over his shoulder as Remus forced a door open of one of the houses.
They tumbled into the dark house and dashed straight through to the back and quickly over the fence of the property next door. Remus went to climb the next fence when Severus pulled him back and behind a small shed. They huddled down behind the steel shed as they heard voices and movement as the death eaters sprinted through the yard then it went quiet.
Severus peered around the side of the shed to see the empty garden and pushed Remus back towards the fence they had first gone over. They made their way back into the house and back out onto the street. Severus shrugged out of his robes, shrunk them and placed them away in his pocket. Remus quickly did the same, the werewolf looking to the spy for direction.
Severus grabbed the man's hand and stepped closer to him and Remus looked over in surprise as they passed a few people on the quiet streets. They were heading away from the Riddle mansion and Severus hoped they could make it to the edge of the wards without being spotted again.
"Do you think it was a scouting party?" Severus asked as he leaned close to the other man.
"I'm not sure," Remus replied, tense under his hand. "We scoped out the area over the last two days."
Severus cursed, surprising Remus.
"Then there is more of a chance they picked up on you," Severus replied.
Shouting sounded and Severus pushed Remus up against the wall. The other man squeaked as Severus covered his body with his taller frame and looked down into the wide eyes of the werewolf. Severus gave him a wink and leaned forward.
"Keep an eye out," Severus whispered into his neck.
He felt Remus nod as Severus held him still.
"Two death eaters to the right," Remus whispered. "There's a vampire coming up to them."
"Let's hope it's one of Dracka's men," Severus muttered.
Severus glanced over before stepping back from Remus as the vampire tore into the two death eaters. Remus paled with his eyes wide as the vampire took down the last death eater and moved towards them. Severus tensed as he took Remus's hand again and pulled him forward.
They could see the vampire's red eyes shining from here and Severus could feel how tense the man was beside him. The vampire leered as he got closer, he had long brown hair and his eyes were blue, once he got control of his demon.
"Order, oui?" The man asked with a strong French accent.
"Yes," Severus confirmed and released Remus's hand.
The man pulled out one of the message stones and turned it for Severus to see.
'How many in your team? Dracka,' was written on the stone in Dracka's curving script.
"Six," Severus replied. "Including us."
The vampire handed him the stone.
"Think Dracka and message," The man said.
Severus did as he was ordered and the message came up on the stone as if he'd written it. He passed it back to the vampire, who leered at him and gave him a nod. The man looked back down at the stone.
"Follow me," The man said and moved off, without waiting for a reply.
Severus went to follow when Remus grabbed his shoulder.
"Is it safe?" Remus hissed.
"Yes," Severus said with a small smile. "He's one of Dracka's men."
There would have been a time in his life that following after a vampire when there were death eaters around, with a werewolf at his side and the Riddle mansion a few streets away. Would have been a situation that Severus didn't think he would have found himself in. That was before Blake came into his life. The vampire waved his hand at the next corner and they hugged the wall and waited.
Suddenly two death eaters appeared from around the corner running and the vampire grabbed the closest one and plunged his fangs down into the man's neck before he could cry out. The wizard winched at the sight before moving into action.
Severus quickly sent a spell at the other one while Remus's spell followed his and the man fell hard to the ground. The vampire let the person in his grip go and looked over his shoulder at the two wizards and Severus shivered at the sight of the red eyes and blood dripping down the man's chin.
Severus grabbed Remus's wrist and pushed his wand down.
"No cursing the vampires," Severus hissed, then realised that he sounded like Blake and smirked.
The vampire waved his hand and they moved closer. The vampire crouched down and peered around the corner quickly.
"Back other way," The vampire hissed when he got to his feet and the three men were running.
Shouting sounded behind them as they skittered around a corner and Severus quickly pulled a piece of chalk from his pocket and ran a line from one wall to the other.
"Severus!" Remus hissed.
Severus ignored him as he brought up a protection ward and the chalk line flared. It wouldn't be as powerful as a circle but it should hold as he poured as much power into it as he could and the barrier flared blue in colour before he ran after the other two men.
xXx
"This plan is not working," Ivic snarled as the beasts started to circle around them as Harry held his silver sword out.
"Do you have a better one?" Harry asked as he watched the beasts.
"You have magic," Ivic hissed. "Use it!"
"Against what!" Harry hissed. "They don't have a form! Plus, me using magic is what made them to appear to begin with!"
"You can't do something about that?"
Harry paused, since the ghost hounds had no form they couldn't be killed but from the pain in his arm and leg from where one had latched onto him they could cause pain, but no physical damage. Harry and Ivic had been separated from the rest of the team when they had stepped through a doorway that had taken them to another part of the house and now they stood in some kind of indoor garden with the ghost hounds snarling at them.
Ivic was the closest relative to the woman that had owned the house but he didn't have magic so the house didn't recognise him as the owner but he did share the same blood which had gotten them through the door. It had gone downhill quickly after that.
"Tell me about your mother?" Harry asked instead.
"She was a kind woman," Ivic said, as he looked at the beasts. "Then about six months ago something changed. She closed up the house and wouldn't let anyone into it. She used to open it on weekends to tourists. It is a very old house, people would have weddings here."
"Was it a sudden change?" Harry asked, as he swiped his blade when a beast got too close and it backed off.
"She stopped calling me," Ivic said quietly. "She would call me at least once a week maybe more. Then stopped."
Harry started to have a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"You were born without magic?" Harry asked softly.
"Yes," The man confirmed. "I work in an office building in Moscow. My mother set up an account for me so that I would inherent her money after she passed. It did not feel right to get money without working."
Harry grinned over at the man and he returned the smile. Suddenly his walkie talkie crackled and Harry slipped it off his belt.
"Sun," Harry said into it, but it just crackled.
His phone was useless as well, whatever magic was on this house was blocking communication spells and he couldn't pick up a muggle phone tower. He flicked his sword out when one of the hounds jumped forward and pushed it back.
"Tell me more," Harry said softly. "What did your mother like?"
"Her garden," Ivic replied.
Harry looked around the garden, seeing the neat garden beds but the plants had over taken it now.
"And her dogs," Ivic said softly and looked at the beasts.
"Afghan Hounds?" Harry asked as one of the ghost hounds snarled at them.
"Yes," Ivic replied. "And Mastiffs."
Harry's eyes widened when he could only see hounds milling around but the animals seemed to be calming as Ivic spoke.
"Tell me what she was like?" Harry said softly. "What type of flowers did she like?"
"Roses," Ivic replied as he looked around. "She liked orange roses."
Harry's radio crackled again and he could start to hear parts of words coming through the static.
"Keep going," Harry said, then stepped to the side as a hound tried to take a bite out of his leg. "Did she show her dogs?"
"Yes, yes." Ivic replied with a smile. "She did very good. I don't know where they are now."
One of the beasts snarled at them.
"I can guess," Harry said softly.
xXx
"You did magic?" The vampire asked thickly.
"Yes," Severus replied as he caught up with the other two. "Should give us some time."
"I no magic," The vampire said. "Too young."
Severus and Remus looked at the other man in interest as they ran but they were running out of streets as the houses started to thin and yet they couldn't apparate or portkey until they got passed the wards which seemed to just keep going.
"Where is Dracka?" Severus panted.
"Outside wards," The vampire replied. "You want me to call?"
Severus yelped and ducked as a spell sailed over his head and tripped on the sidewalk as the vampire pushed Remus to the side and down an alley.
"I call!" The vampire called as Severus scrambled along the ground as spells crashed around him and he quickly pulled up a shield but that just made them start throwing the killing curse which just went straight through.
Severus finally made it into the alley and Remus pulled him until he was behind cover as the vampire held the message stone in his hand. Then Severus stomach dropped as he felt something along the connection with Blake.
"Dracka come," The vampire hissed as he crouched down, his red eyes shining as he peered around the corner. "They have vampire."
Severus shivered at the man's words as he felt the link with Blake indicating that something was wrong. Severus pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Blake's number but it just beeped at him and he paled even more. That had never happened before when he'd called Blake's number. He looked up at Remus.
"What's wrong?" The man hissed.
"Blake," Severus replied. "Come on."
Severus grabbed the man's shoulder and they were moving further down the alley with the vampire watching them but not moving from his place on the corner. Severus waved at him but the vampire just flashed his fangs in his direction.
Severus and Remus paused as a man swung around the corner with a wand out and Severus had to grab Remus's wrist as the man looked up with red eyes. Dracka leered at them and barked something at the other vampire that had the man running towards them.
"We can't go that way," Dracka said quickly as the vampire drew even with them.
Dracka grabbed the man by the back of the neck and pulled him close, whispering something in his ear, the position looking very intimate as Dracka held the man. The man nodded and dashed back down the alleyway to where he'd been before. Severus quickly pulled out his piece of chalk and ran a line over the entrance to the alley and brought up a protection ward.
"The other way doesn't look great either," Severus said as he moved towards the vampire and he flashed his fangs at him and Severus just smirked.
Dracka lifted his nose into the air before turning to Severus.
"The Dark Lord has moved into town," Dracka said. "Everyone else is out. It's just us. Come on."
The three men moved back to the younger vampire and Dracka knelt next to him and they spoke quietly in French as Severus and Remus kept an eye out.
"Dracka," Severus called.
The man looked up in question.
"Can you call Blake?"
"Blake?" Dracka asked as he looked around.
"His number isn't working," Severus said quickly.
"We have enough problems, Severus." Dracka said quickly. "Let's get out of this first then deal with Blake. He can look after himself."
Dracka turned back to the vampire next to him and said something in French and the man nodded and looked up at the second story window across the alley. The man quickly dashed across the alley and Severus watched in amazement as the man quickly scaled the side of the building and broke the window to get in as glass rained down.
"Can you all do that?" Severus asked Dracka, whom gave the man leer before peering around the corner.
"Your ward is holding Severus," Dracka hissed. "Liam is going to try and take them from the other side. We need to move into place."
"Okay, lead the way vampire." Severus snapped and Remus snorted.
Dracka flashed his fangs at him and moved out of the alley with Severus and Remus following behind. Remus stayed further back as Severus and Dracka took point. There were four death eaters using spells to smash into the barrier Severus had placed. Dracka cocked his head to the side as he looked at it and glanced over at Severus.
"Have you been taking lessons from Blake?" Dracka drawled.
Severus just smirked at him as they took cover behind a steel bin and waited for Liam to get into place behind the death eaters.
"Severus, get ready to drop it." Dracka said softly as he looked down at the message stone in his hand.
xXx
Harry cried out as a beast lunged at him. He wasn't quick enough to get his sword up as it latched onto his arm and he dropped his sword with a curse as Ivic scrambled back across the ground. Pain shot through Harry's arm and he instinctively lashed out with dark magic. That just made the beast more solid as it ripped into him and the pain increased. There was no real damage but Harry could feel the pain of the beast's jaw tearing into his skin.
"Keep talking about your mother!" Harry called out as he tried to get the beast off his arm as other beasts circled around.
"Why?"
"This is your mother's house!" Harry yelped as the beast pulled him forward. "You are her son!"
"She gave me one of her dogs," Ivic stuttered as the beasts circled around him. "A beautiful tri coloured bitch, just because I said I liked her."
The beast stopped pulling Harry forward and he gritted his teeth at the pain in his arm.
"What did your mother look like?" Harry gasped.
"She had long blonde hair that was straight," Ivic said as his eyes flicked around at the beasts. "And bright blue eyes and had such a beautiful smile. She would light up a room."
The hound released Harry as Ivic spoke and he quickly summoned his sword between them and the hound jumped back.
"Father was a hard man," Ivic kept going. "Very rough but mother would always have time for us."
The beasts started to back up as the young man spoke.
"When father died, I came to live here for a while." Ivic said softly and looked around at the over grown garden. "It didn't look like this before."
Harry sighed as the ghost hounds started to lose their forms as Ivic spoke and he pulled back his magic completely and held it close. The radio crackled and Harry could pick out his name being called over it amongst the static.
"Did she spend a lot of time here?" Harry asked as he pulled himself to his feet and winched at the pain in his arm and leg.
"Da," Ivic replied. "She would say that magic had a life and so did plants. You have to work with them and take care of them for them both to grow."
"I would have liked your mother," Harry said softly as the ghost hounds lost their forms completely and they were alone in the garden again.
"What did you do?" Ivic asked looking around.
"That wasn't me." Harry said and clapped a hand to the young man's shoulder. "That was you. Your mother is right. Magic has a way of making a life for itself."
"Sun?" A voice crackled over the radio.
"Sun here," Harry replied to the radio.
"Where the hell are you?"
"Tell everyone to pull back," Harry ordered. "This house already has an owner. The goblins can't claim it."
"What! Sun!" Static overtook the man's words as the radio crackled.
Harry looked over at Ivic and the man just looked puzzled.
"Your mother's last gift," Harry said softly. "We just need to break the dark curse that killed her."
Ivic flinched back as a roar sounded through the house and Harry sighed. Some days just weren't worth getting out of bed for as the walkie talkie died in his hand.
xXx
"Okay, Severus." Dracka ordered and pulled his steel sword. "Drop it."
Severus broke his ward just as a death eater spell smashed into it and Dracka rushed forward with his sword as Severus and Remus covered him. Liam came up behind the death eater at the back of the group and quickly took him out. They very quickly took out the group of four death eaters and Severus flinched when Dracka sunk his fangs into one of the men's throats quickly before stepping back. He grabbed Liam by the back of the neck and dragged him back towards the two wizards.
"Come on," Dracka hissed and they were moving.
Liam suddenly flashed his fangs at Severus and Dracka growled low in his throat. Liam's eyes flicked to Dracka before he quickly stepped back and tilted his head slightly before falling back another step. It wasn't until moments like this that Severus remembered that, even if Dracka acted like a wizard, he was still a dark creature as Liam moved to the back of the group while Dracka moved forward. Not a word spoken between the vampires.
"Is this what happens when groups of werewolves come together?" Severus whispered to Remus.
Dracka snorted loudly, having over heard him while Remus gave the man a grin without answering. Liam called out something in French and Dracka stopped them and glanced over his shoulder. Severus's eyes widened when a dark beast, shaped like a large cat, appeared behind them and he froze as the thing's red eyes locked on them.
Dracka jumped forward in front of Severus and Remus with Liam at his shoulder as he held the steel sword out before him.
"We could do with Blake's silver sword about now," Dracka called out. "That thing is made out of dark magic."
"Would a silver knife help?" Severus asked smoothly as he pulled out the silver knife he'd taken from Charmling and held it up for the vampire to see.
Dracka gave him a smirk as the beast started to prowl forward smoothly. Severus moved up towards Dracka as Remus watched their backs.
"How far are we from the edge of the wards?" Severus asked.
"Two more streets," Dracka replied quickly. "We can't outrun that beast. It will take us down."
"Did the Dark Lord cast it?" Severus asked softly.
"I would say so," Dracka replied. "He's getting closer, Severus. We have to make this quick. Liam left side, Severus if you get a chance stab in the heart or head. Try not to let that blade touch us."
Dracka and Liam moved forward with superhuman speed as the beast yowled loudly. The beast swung for Liam first but the man danced away as Dracka attacked its right flank with the sword and the beast turned on him and lunged taking the vampire down. Severus darted forward as quickly as he could as Liam crashed into the beast's side. The vampires tangled with the dark beast as Severus darted in and stabbed his silver knife into its hind leg and it screamed and lashed out with its claws but Severus jumped back, stumbling slightly.
Dracka growled and lashed out at the large cat and it jumped back, swiping its claws out at Liam. The man moved so quickly that if Severus had blinked, he was sure that he would have missed it, as he jumped and twisted in the air before landing on all fours and crashing into the animal's side as Dracka grabbed it around the neck. Severus quickly moved in but before he could attack the beast, it threw Dracka and the man hit the wall on the other side of the alley hard.
Liam lost his hold as Severus darted in and swiped the blade at the thing's left flank. Liam yelped as the blade nicked his arm slightly, burning his skin, and barred his fangs at Severus but the wizard was already turning the blade and digging it in deeply into the beast's chest. The animal screamed and lashed out.
Severus stumbled back as Liam jumped free of the beast.
The younger vampire turned on Severus as the cat screamed and he felt a bolt of fear run through him as the man stared at him with feral red eyes as he moved forward.
"Sorry," Severus gasped.
Liam snarled and lunged forward but Dracka was there and pulling the other man to the ground and getting in the younger vampire's face with his fangs barred and a growl in his throat.
"Finish it," Dracka snapped and Severus bolted for the cat.
Severus quickly plunged the knife into the thing's side and it puffed away into dark mists. He glanced over his shoulder to see Dracka pulling back from the younger vampire and Remus looking very pale. Liam had his head tilted to the side and Severus could see fang marks on his throat and he shivered.
"Move," Dracka snapped and they were running.
Dracka leading the way with Liam two steps behind. Severus and Remus brought up the rear as they crossed the wards and Dracka held out a portkey for them. Severus locked eyes with the vampire over the portkey and he flashed his fangs at him with dark eyes before activating it.
Severus looked around the stone room and sighed, they were safe. Dracka growled slightly and Severus's eyes flicked to him sharply but he was looking at Liam. The younger vampire looked at Severus and tilted his head slightly, making Dracka huff a laugh and hiss something in French.
"Sorry," Liam said in his thick accent. "I am still young. Sorry."
Severus nodded his head and flicked his eyes to Dracka and the man gave him a smile before grabbing Liam's shoulder and moving to the door to the stone room.
"Remus!"
Everyone looked up as Tonks flew across the room and took Remus in a tight hug. The man grinned and hugged the woman back as Dracka huffed a laugh and pushed Liam towards his men to the right of the room. Severus gave them a smirk as Remus and Tonks shared a kiss before he moved towards the Headmaster's desk. The Order were looking over at Dracka's men but Severus could see the respect in the eyes as Dracka spoke quietly to the men and women under his command.
"Are you okay?" Albus asked running his eyes over him.
Severus placed the notebook on the table.
"Yes," Severus replied. "I wrote down all the names, but I think the vampires might have snacked on a few of them."
"I don't think they will be missed," Dracka said from beside him and Severus glanced over at the man.
"How's your head?" Severus asked mildly.
Dracka flashed his fangs at Severus which just made him smirk.
"Just remember vampire healing," Dracka replied with a leer. "Try calling Blake now?"
Severus swore and quickly took out his phone.
"Blake?" Albus asked with a frown.
Severus's phone just beeped at him as Dracka pulled out his phone with the same results.
"Can you call Blake with your landline?" Severus asked and he shared a look with Dracka.
Albus picked up the phone and called him.
"It just beeped twice," Albus replied and placed the phone down. "Should we be concerned?"
Severus focused on the ring and felt unsettlement and the feeling that something was wrong coming through.
"I'm not sure," Severus replied. "I've never had his number fail?"
"Neither have I," Albus replied in concern. "Dracka do you have men in Russia?"
"Not many," Dracka replied. "He is due back Monday?"
"Yes," Severus replied as he looked around at the Order members and the way that a few of the vampires had moved to talk to them, especially Remus and Tonks.
"Could it just be the connection spell in his phone?" Albus asked.
"No," Severus said softly. "I felt something over the connection with the ring. He was in trouble."
Albus sat back in his seat looking a little pale as he glanced around the room.
"I'm not sure what we can do, Severus." Albus said. "He's in Russia. You need approval to go to that country."
Severus ran a hand over his head in agitation and Dracka placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll try to get in contact with the men I have over there," Dracka said softly and moved away from the two men.
"I'm sorry, Severus." Albus said with sadness his eyes.
"You know he would drop everything to help us, Albus." Severus hissed as he glared at the old man and the noise in the room dropped.
"And we would for him," Albus replied. "But he's in Russia, not here."
"The goblins," Severus said and turned to Dracka. "Dracka, the goblins."
The man nodded as he spoke on his phone.
"What's going on?" Sirius asked as he moved closer to them with Remus beside him.
"We have lost contact with Blake," Albus said softly. "Severus thinks he's in trouble."
"Can we do anything to help?" Remus asked.
"He's in Russia," Albus replied. "We can't cross the border without approval."
"The goblins lost contact with Blake and his team on Thursday," Dracka said as he moved over to the others. "They have sent a backup team there but they can't get into the property. The grounds and the house went into lock down after they stepped over the wards. They have a curse breaker there now trying to get in."
"Can they get us into Russia?" Severus asked.
"They are working on it," Dracka replied. "Should have an answer tomorrow morning."
"If you need back up, Severus." Albus said softly, "We'll back you up."
Severus sighed and looked down at the floor, he was concerned for his lover and he hated this feeling of helplessness. He pulled his phone again and tried Blake's number without success. Dracka land a hand on his shoulder.
"Get some sleep, boys." Albus said softly. "Hopefully we'll have some news in the morning."
Everyone broke up after that and Dracka fell into step with Severus as they worked their way down the school.
"Blake can look after himself, Severus." Dracka said softly. "And you know he can't die."
"And if the hallows fail?" Severus hissed, his eyes flashing and Dracka sighed.
"The magic of the hallows are entwined with his own Severus," Dracka replied softly. "I think it would be near impossible for that to change."
"But the possibility is still there," Severus stated.
"let's hope it isn't."
xXx
"Where did your mother die?" Harry asked softly as they moved through the house.
His walkie talkie had failed again and Harry had clipped it back on his belt as they moved through hallway after hallway and room after room. The magic in the house turning them around and Harry was sure they'd moved through the same dance hall four times already.
"She jumped from the tower," Ivic said softly. "I hadn't heard from her in a long time. Then the police called me through the Ministry of Magic."
Harry groaned when he opened the next door to find the dance hall again and he moved to the stage and took a seat on the steps with Ivic beside him. Harry glanced at his watch then the windows, his watch stated it was one am and yet sunlight shone brightly through the windows and into the hall.
"This house, just keeps turning us around." Harry said as he rubbed his head. "The dark magic has soaked into the foundations and the walls. Did your mother have dark magic?"
"I don't know," Ivic replied. "How can a house be working against us?"
"It's what your mother used to say, Ivic." Harry said tiredly. "Magic has a way of finding a life for itself. Come on, we'll find a room and get some sleep."
xXx
Severus didn't sleep well that night and every time he woke he tried to call Blake without any luck and he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. At five in the morning he gave up and dressed, it was Sunday morning and the castle was empty when he moved to the front doors and looked out onto the front lawn as he reached for the connection with Blake.
The connection was there and he could feel unease passing over it but nothing else and he sighed and released it as he watched the sun climb on the horizon, from the shadows of the castle.
"Couldn't sleep?"
Severus glanced over at Dracka and he could see that the vampire looked just as tried as he felt.
"No," Severus replied. "Any news?"
"Nothing," Dracka replied as he stepped closer to Severus. "The goblins should be contacting me soon, hopefully with portkeys booked."
"What do you think went wrong?" Severus asked softly.
"Could have been anything, Severus." Dracka replied, "He's a Master Curse Breaker. If he can't break through the wards around this house…"
Severus paled at the thought, if Blake couldn't break through the wards then who would be able to?
"Another Master Curse Breaker?" Severus asked softly and Dracka snorted.
"There's a reason that Blake is always in demand, Severus." Dracka said softly. "It's also the reason that the goblins came over to the Treaty with the Council when Blake asked. They can't afford to lose his talents."
xXx
Harry woke with a start when a roar sounded somewhere in the house and the bed under him shook with the sound. He rolled from the bed and landed in a crouch with his silver sword out as his eyes darted around. Ivic sat up on the lounge with wide eyes as Harry looked around but couldn't find any danger and he dismissed his sword.
"Well," Harry said in amusement. "That works well for an alarm."
"I would rather a kiss from a beautiful woman," Ivic quipped back and Harry grinned over at him. "Maybe more?"
"Always a good way to start the day," Harry agreed. "Bodiless roaring, not so much."
"You have a wife?" Ivic asked.
"I did, once." Harry replied. "Not anymore."
"I am sorry," Ivic replied. "My wife is due with our second baby in a couple of months."
"Have you been married long?" Harry asked in interest. "Any magical babies?"
"About four years," Ivic replied. "My daughter is only two, so we don't know yet. Little Alissa."
Harry froze at the name.
"Alissa?"
"Da, Alissa Smirnov." Ivic said, with a smile. "My wife is English and a witch."
"Ah." Harry said, still feeling a little faint from hearing the girl's name. "Does that mean I can start talking English instead of Russian?"
Ivic barked a laugh and Harry gave him a smile.
"You speak Russian like a native," Ivic said, in amusement. "My English is not as good."
Harry gave the man a grin as he looked around the room before sitting on the bed, to take some weight off his leg.
"Your family are purebloods?" Harry asked carefully.
"Da," Ivic replied. "Father was not happy when I did not have magic but I was youngest of three."
Harry looked down at his hands, he knew that the man's other siblings were dead and he was the only one still alive and that was due in part to the fact that he didn't have magic.
"Not having magic, saved you Ivic." Harry said softly.
"Da," The man said as he looked over at Harry. "Any yet, we are trapped here."
"For now," Harry said with a lopsided grin.
xXx
Dracka slipped into his seat next to Severus at the Head Table with a grin.
"Goblins came through," Dracka said. "They have a portkey ready for us to pick up at nine. Bill Weasley will be meeting us at the house."
Severus went to stand but Dracka grabbed his arm.
"The Goblins told me that they only went into the house with food for the day, Severus." Dracka said softly. "That was on Thursday."
Severus paled, three days without food wasn't the concern. It was three days without water. Severus nodded sharply and Dracka let his arm go.
xXx
Harry passed his water bottle over to Ivic to take which was the last of their water. They would have to get out of this house soon. Harry picked up his walkie talkie but it was dead now as well as his phone. The charge having run out. He sighed and placed both away.
"What about the rest of the team?" Ivic asked softly.
"I don't know," Harry replied. "We just need to focus on breaking through the dark curse, which means we need to find the tower."
"How?" Ivic asked as he finished the last of the water. "We walked in circles for hours yesterday."
"Keep a look out," Harry said softly as he slipped out of his shoes and jacket and sat on the bare stone floor. "I'm going to try something."
"Those hounds appeared last time you tried something," Ivic pointed out.
"I know," Harry confirmed. "So, keep a look out."
Harry closed his eyes and opened his mind to the magic in the house tiredly, he was not in the right state of mind to be working like this but didn't have much of a choice. He opened his eyes and Ivic started back from him as he looked into the magic of the room as mists swirled around his vision.
"Your eyes glow," Ivic said softly.
Harry gave him a grin as he pulled himself to his feet, Ivic picked up their gear as Harry stepped out of the room. He had lost his cane somewhere and his leg was not impressed with taking his whole weight as he moved through the house. He had been improving with his potions but one of those ghost hounds had gotten him a good one in the leg. It also didn't help that he didn't have any potions to help him now.
Harry stopped in the hallway and looked into the magic around them, if he wanted to he could have focused in and picked out the spells in the items around him but they were unimportant. He limped along for a while, until something caught his eye and he stopped. It was a door, which looked the same as all the others and yet, the mists around it were lighter in colour.
He reached forward and placed his hand a couple of centimetres away from the wood and looked at the spells closer. A wizard had crafted the door a long time ago and had placed spells on it to keep it looking new and to stop wear. He turned his mind away from the older spells and looked at anything newer.
"That was my old room," Ivic said softly.
Harry started and looked over to the man.
"What?" Harry asked.
"That room," Ivic repeated. "That was my old room."
"Can you place your hand on the door?"
Ivic placed his palm on the door and Harry watched in interest as the spell work parted under his hand, then shivered as something roared. Harry looked around the hall but nothing lunged at them as they stood there.
"Can you open the door?" Harry asked softly.
He could feel something coming as Ivic opened the door and it swung inwards silently. The room beyond was completely dark, not just in shadows, but just darkness. Harry kicked up his magic sight until he could see only the magic and not the real world anymore but it was still just darkness and he pulled back and rubbed his eyes.
"Can you remember your old room well enough to walk through it without opening your eyes?" Harry asked the other man as his eyesight went back to normal.
"It has been a long time," Ivic replied, in amusement. "The room doesn't lead anywhere."
"Is there a bathroom attached or a cupboard?" Harry asked quickly, feeling a darkness coming towards them.
"Da," Ivic replied. "Both."
"Which one could you lead us too?" Harry said as he summoned his silver sword and Ivic stepped closer.
"Bathroom," Ivic replied. "What is coming?"
At the end of the hallway something was gathering and Harry looked at it with large eyes. Something was there but if he looked at it directly it would slip away from his sight. It was like something was keeping to the corner of his eye and Harry shivered.
"Close your eyes and lead us to the bathroom," Harry ordered as he held out his hand.
His blood froze as the thing at the end of the hall roared as Ivic took his hand and pulled him into the darkness
xXx
Severus and Dracka looked around the tents that had been set up around the front of the mansion with interest. Dracka huddled down in his thick coat and moved closer to the shadows. The tents were scattered everywhere and they could see both goblins and humans moving around.
"Severus."
Severus looked up to see Bill Weasley waving at them with a brown headed woman next to him as he moved over to them. Severus took Bill's hand and the man pulled him in for a hug which surprised the Slytherin before he stepped back.
"This is my partner Elizabeth Weathermore," Bill introduced. "The goblins called us when they couldn't get into the house. We were in Romania."
"Severus Snape," Severus introduced as he took Elizabeth's hand. "And this is Rolf Dracka."
Dracka gave a nod but wouldn't move from the shadows as he huddled deeper in the thick coat.
"The vampire that is teaching Defence?" Bill asked as he looked Dracka over.
"One and the same," Dracka replied with a grin showing fangs. "Severus tells me that I missed out in teaching the Weasley twins."
Bill barked a laugh.
"They would have liked to have had a teacher that's a vampire," Bill said in amusement. "I'm sure that Blake can introduce you. Since Ry and him are silent partners in my brothers' business."
Severus groaned at the reminder and Bill gave him a wink before he looked back at the house.
"The curse breaker is having no luck getting in," Bill undated them. "She says whatever they tripped, needs to be fixed from the inside. All lines of communications have been cut and the batteries are probably dead by now anyway. We got one message from Blake after the communications were blocked he said: 'To pull back and that the house already had an owner and that the goblins couldn't claim it.' The goblins were not happy, but they are just focusing on trying to get them out now."
"They must respect Blake," Dracka muttered. "For them to worry about him more than profits."
"Yes," Bill answered and Severus felt like he was missing something. "They are here in force. I think they are thinking of putting their magic against the house at this stage."
Dracka paled at the words.
"But that could destroy the house," Dracka yelped.
Bill nodded and Severus's eyes widened.
"We've talked them out of it so far," Elizabeth said softly. "The curse breaker is still picking through the wards. This house is very, very old and the wards have stood for over a thousand years. We are not sure if they tripped an old ward or a new one at this stage."
"What was Blake doing?" Dracka asked.
"The owner of the house committed suicide two weeks ago," Bill said. "She has no living relatives with magic and one son that's a squib. The goblins wanted to claim the house and the son agreed to use his blood to give them permission to enter, which would have been standard."
"What went wrong?" Severus asked softly.
"We think there was a dark curse at play," Bill replied.
Dracka swore as he looked up at the house and Bill nodded.
"Blake and the team stepped over the wards," Bill explained. "The blood from the son allowing them to pass over. That's when we lost communication with them."
"The dark curse flared up," Dracka finished for him. "After they had stepped over the wards, trapping them?"
"Correct," Bill confirmed. "They have a chance, since Blake is with them."
Severus glared at Bill and the man stepped back.
"It's more than they would have had, if he wasn't with them." Bill said quickly.
Dracka laid a hand on Severus's shoulder and the man calmed down.
"I'll show you to a tent," Bill said softly.
xXx
Harry tightened his grip on the hand in his as darkness surrounded him. He couldn't even see Ivic beside him as he was pulled along and his feet seemed to land on something springy and he felt panic spike through him. He never liked the feeling of helplessness, as Ivic led him and all he could do was follow, as the feeling of dark magic brushed against his arms and he shivered.
He focused on the other man and kept a tight grip of the hand in his. Knowing that if he let go, that he would be lost.
xXx
Severus paced up and down the tent, feeling unease and panic coming from the link he had with Blake and the ring. Now that he was closer he could feel the connection more and the direction that Blake was in but he couldn't help him as he was held back by the wards of the house like everyone else.
"Severus," Dracka growled, his eyes flashing red. "Please sit down!"
Severus glared over at the other man and stopped pacing.
"I can't help it," Severus replied softly. "Something isn't right."
Dracka sighed and pulled himself to his feet to stand in front of the taller man and grabbed his shoulders.
"The spell in the ring?" Dracka asked.
"Yes," Severus snapped, on edge.
"Is that spell supposed to act like that?" Dracka asked with a frown.
"No," Severus said with a smirk. "It didn't when I cast it."
Dracka frown then laughed.
"Blake," Dracka stated in reply.
"Yes," Severus said with a fond smile.
"Ha!" Dracka said with a grin of his own. "He can't leave spells alone. You should see him whenever he comes to my Coven. He just has to play with the wards…every time. He will even stand out in the pouring rain while he fiddles with them."
"Yes," Severus said in agreement. "You should hear the Headmaster after Blake has decided to look at the wards of the school."
Dracka barked a laugh.
"What did he do with the spell in the ring?" Dracka asked.
"I don't know," Severus replied. "He said he picked up the connection after it was broken when Charmling stabbed him."
Severus looked away as he remembered that night and Dracka's grip on his shoulder tightened pulling his focus back.
"We'll get him out, Severus." Dracka said softly.
"I hope so," Severus replied softly. "Because starvation is not a good way to go."