"Snape," Severus answered the phone.
"Um."
Severus looked at the phone in his hand before realising he was holding Blake's phone and not his own.
"Sorry," Severus replied. "Were you after Blake?"
"Um, yeah." The voice said. "I'll call back."
Then the person hung up.
Severus frowned down at the phone.
"I better give this back to Blake," Severus said as Dracka started laughing.
Severus gave the other man a glare as he walked into the bedroom to see Blake standing in front of the chest of drawers in only his underwear. The bruise looked like an ink stain down his left side.
"That's a beauty," Severus commented.
Blake looked over his shoulder with a sly smile.
"I hope you mean me?" Blake smiled.
Severus smirked and moved closer.
"Your phone," Severus said and placed it on the chest of drawers. "I answered it thinking it was mine."
Blake grinned.
"We should get going," Blake said as he pulled out a shirt and pants from the drawers. "I'll feel more comfortable once we're back at the school."
"Do you feel up to travelling?" Severus asked in concern.
"Um," Blake held the chest of drawers and took the weight off his right leg. "Not really. Did you say horcrux last night?"
"Yes," Severus said helping Blake dress.
"Dracka!"
The vampire came to the door then gave him a sly grin.
"Didn't know we had moved to this level yet," Dracka smirked.
Severus and Blake froze and twin glares were aimed in the vampire's direction.
"Horcrux," Blake barked.
"Yes," Dracka said, staying in the doorway. "I have it in a containment jar."
"We really need to move," Blake said, using Severus as a crutch as he made it back to the bed.
Severus spotted the phone still sitting on the chest of drawers and sighed as he picked it back up and gave it to Blake. The man just grinned up at him.
"Ah," Dracka purred. "Aren't you two cute?"
"Shove it."
"There's a cane in the cupboard Severus," Blake said as he stood up.
Dracka lunged forward as the Blake's leg collapsed under him and the man fell into him with a pain filled grunt, his body giving off a lot of heat as Dracka held him.
"Bloody vampires," Blake cursed, trying not to put weight on his right leg.
"Hey!" Dracka yelped. "This vampire just stopped you from landing on your ass."
Severus smirked and held the cane out to Blake as he got under the man's right arm. Dracka passed Blake over to Severus and his eyes locked with the other man's over Blake's head. Dracka titled his head to the side slightly.
"What the fuck?" Blake snapped at Dracka. "No!"
Severus was shocked at the outburst as Dracka stepped back, his face unreadable.
"Dracka," Blake growled and tried to stand up straighter but failed with a hiss.
"What's going on?" Severus asked.
"Nothing," Dracka replied before Blake could say anything.
Blake stared at the vampire until the man looked away.
"We should get going," Blake said softly.
They quickly gathered up everything they needed before heading to the front door. Severus helping Blake while Dracka brought up the rear. Once they were outside of the wards, Dracka got under Blake's other arm and apparated them to the German International Portkey Platform.
They looked around at the crowds and sighed. They were going to be there for a while as Blake sent Dracka off for the portkey as they took a few seats in the back of the large building.
"What was that about before?" Severus asked.
Blake sighed and took a couple more pills with some water from a bottle.
"He was stating his intentions but it can also be a type of bow out." Blake said softly, holding his head in his hands. "Hard to explain because it can mean a few things, I didn't see the whole exchange to give you a better answer. They have their own language, Severus. Most of it silent and can be hard to pick up."
"Intentions for who?" Severus asked softly, rubbing Blake's back.
"To you," Blake muttered into his hands. "To us, it's your guess. Not going to happen."
"You wouldn't have a relationship with him?" Severus asked carefully.
"I didn't realise you hit the tree instead of me," Blake replied, peering up at him with pale green eyes.
Severus felt a tension in his shoulders that he didn't even realise was there ease at the words.
"What about you Severus?" Blake asked, resting back in his seat.
"God, no." Severus grinned. "I have enough trouble with you."
Blake snorted and closed his eyes. Severus laid his hand on the man's knee as they waited. Ignoring any looks cast in their direction.
"I follow your lead in this Severus," Blake said softly. "I am yours until you tell me otherwise."
Severus squeezed the man's knee in response knowing that words weren't needed between them. Blake smiled keeping his head tilted back on the seat as they waited. It was a good twenty minutes before Dracka appeared, winding his way through the crowd.
"It's going to be a while." Dracka said softly, when he returned. "We got behind a big group, is he out?"
Blake didn't react when Dracka appeared, as he sat sprawled out in the chair.
"I think so," Severus replied. "It's not like him. He's still running a fever."
"Yeah," Dracka agreed taking a seat next to Severus. "They gave me a buzzer for when they are ready for us. Could be a while. Do you want something to eat?"
"Sandwiches and water," Severus replied softly. "Chicken if you can find them."
Dracka nodded and moved off.
"Blake?"
Severus shook the man's shoulder and Blake's eyes blinked a few times before glancing over at him.
"Wha'?" The man slurred.
"It's going to be a while, Dracka has gone for food if you're hungry?" Severus said softly.
"I'm good," Blake replied running a hand over his face.
"Here," Severus said moving a couple of seats down and pushing the armrests up. "Lay down."
Blake complied and laid down on his right side using Severus's leg as a headrest. Severus ran his hand over the man's head, his hand lightly touching on the swelling at the back. Blake fell asleep quickly and was out with one arm hanging over the side of the seats when Dracka got back with the food. His eyes falling on Blake before flicking up to Severus as he placed the food and drinks on the seat next to the man and took the next one over.
It was over an hour and a half until Dracka's buzzer went off with a Platform number and time. Severus shook Blake's shoulder gently, the man jolted and looked up at him.
"They have buzzed us," Severus whispered. "Portkey in fifteen minutes."
Severus helped Blake up as Dracka cleared everything away. Blake leaning move heavily on Severus than before as they made their way to the platform and he could feel the heat coming off him. Severus glared at anyone that dared look in their direction but Blake's cane turned a lot of eyes away before Severus's glare could. Dracka kept close to Blake's left side, just in case.
They made it to the platform and stepped into the room as they were handed a Portkey. Dracka got under Blake's left side and they activated the portkey. Severus was happy to be back on British soil as they moved off the platform and towards the apparation zone and back to the school.
xXx
Harry groaned softly and leaned into Severus's side as his right leg screamed at him, it was like he had been bitten by that bloody snake all over again as the dark magic of the hallows burned in his blood. He could feel Dracka on his other side but he was just focused on the warmth of Severus and his magic beside him.
"Blake?" Severus asked, resting a hand against his face. "He's heating up again."
Harry thought that was odd since he felt cold, except his leg, which felt like it was on fire.
"He seems out of it?" Dracka asked on the other side of him.
Harry missed a step and grunted as more weight came down on his right, which collapsed under him. Severus pulled his arm further up on his shoulders as he felt sweat running down his face as he shivered slightly.
"Come on," Severus whispered. "We need to get him to the school. The wound might have gotten infected, I'll get Poppy down to look him over."
"Dad!"
Harry jolted but didn't have the energy to lift his head.
"Give us room, Potter." Severus snapped, making Harry's head swim.
"What happened?" His son asked.
"He hit a tree," Severus deadpanned.
Dracka snorted as Harry just thought one step in front of the other. He missed another step and the pain that shot through his right leg left him tumbling in darkness.
xXx
Severus grunted as Blake suddenly went limp between them.
"Potter," Severus snapped pulling Blake up further. "Run up and get Poppy, something isn't right."
Potter took off, as Dracka got further under Blake.
"This seems to be becoming a regular thing," The vampire muttered.
"That's because he's an idiot," Severus muttered, not letting the concern he felt get to him as they got closer to the man's rooms. "He has no concept of mortality."
"I suppose that happens if you can't die," Dracka muttered and Severus glared over at him. "Young vampires have the same problem."
"Vampires can be killed," Severus stated mildly. "I made sure to look it up."
Dracka flashed his fangs at the man.
"You will find," Dracka said softly. "That we are not as easy to kill as the books suggest."
Poppy arrived just as they got Blake to his rooms and she quickly ordered his clothes off and had him laid out on the bed. They all looked down at the red and inflamed gash across his leg.
"That doesn't look good." Dracka remarked, stepping closer.
"It's badly infected," Poppy commented. "How long has it been like this?"
"Less than a day," Severus muttered with a frown. "I tried a basic healing charm but it failed. Where's Potter?"
"I sent him to get the Headmaster," Poppy said as she ran her wand over Blake. "This is too much of an infection for less than a day. Severus could you clean this while I work on the head injury? It's a bit messy."
Severus nodded and set himself up to clean the wound. He worked slowly making sure he cleaned it out as much as he could as the bowl of water slowly turned red. While Poppy worked on the swelling on his head.
"Dracka," Severus said softly looking up at the vampire. "Can you go into Blake's office and grab the red notebook off his table?"
The vampire nodded and disappeared quickly. Severus stood and washed off his hands before taking the notebook when the vampire returned. He flicked it open and Dracka could see Blake's neat writing inside.
"What's that?" Dracka asked.
"His notes on the muscle restoration potions and balms we've been working on," Severus replied as he flipped through the pages.
"Do you think that's why the cut has gotten infected so quickly?" Poppy asked as she finished up.
"Maybe," Severus muttered, until he can across a balm that the man had made. "This might be promising."
He flicked forward in the book keeping the other page marked with his finger as he looked at the potion that Blake would have taken the night before and started to grin.
"Ah, crap." Dracka moaned. "I know that grin, that's a Blake grin."
Severus gave him a wink. "Can you go to his office, in his second drawer there are containers of balm. I need number…twenty-six?"
"What do you have in mind, Severus?" Poppy asked.
"I'll need a steel knife as well," Severus said softly. "I'm sure Blake has one."
xXx
Harry woke briefly but Severus was quick to give him a couple of pills and a potion, which sent him back down. If he was more in his right mind he would have wondered why, as it was, his body was happy to drift away again.
When he woke again, Poppy was there shinning a light in his eyes and asking him questions that he may or may not have gotten right before Severus was there with pills and potions. He trusted Severus but something wasn't right.
When he woke for the third time he grabbed Severus's wrist before he could give him the potion he held. His grip may not have had his normal strength but Severus just waited him out.
"What are you doing?" Harry whispered hoarsely.
His head was swimming and he felt the potions and drugs in his system, just grabbing Severus's wrist was taxing him.
"Sh, Blake." Severus said softly, running a hand over his head.
Blake relaxed and his hand slipped off Severus's wrist.
"Are you in pain?" Severus asked quietly, looking up at something before turning back to Harry.
"No," Harry slurred, already starting to lose his battle with the darkness at the back of his mind. "Numb."
Severus looked up at something again before he smiled down at Harry.
"It's okay," Severus whispered. "Just take this and go back to sleep."
Harry tried to lock his eyes onto Severus's but the world kept spinning, he thought he heard someone else say something but wasn't sure then he was tumbling into the darkness again.
xXx
"How strong is that potion?" Dracka asked in surprise as Blake went limp again.
The man had been struggling against the potions for the last week and Dracka could tell that it was wearing down on Severus as the man looked pale and sick as he looked down at his lover.
"A quarter of this can take down a Hippogriff," Severus remarked. "I just gave him a whole vial. God he is strong. He has a high resistance to potions."
Dracka huffed a laugh.
"That's not counting the muggle drugs that Doctor Greenburg sent me," Severus said with a sigh and leaned back in his chair. "We can't keep him under for much longer."
"Will it be enough?" Dracka asked in concern.
"It will have to be," Severus said softly, watching his lover sleep restlessly.
xXx
Harry woke slowly, the drugs and potions in his system making it feel like his brain had been replaced with cotton wool and the bed rocked under him slightly. He was laying on his side with Severus wrapped around him snoring softly. Harry grabbed a hold of the link between then and sent a little bit of magic along the connection to send the other man deeper into sleep, not that it took much. Harry could feel how exhausted the other man was.
"Did you just send him to sleep?"
Harry startled and looked up at Dracka sitting beside the bed, damn them.
"Maybe," Harry said roughly.
Dracka snorted.
"Are you here to drug me?" Harry whispered.
"No," Dracka replied. "Severus said you have'd enough. He also said you wouldn't wake for another few hours."
"Can't keep a good man down," Harry stated with a grin.
"Or a bad one apparently," Dracka said with a snort.
Harry grinned as Severus turned away in his sleep rolling onto his other side.
"Why?" Harry asked softly, pulling himself up into a sitting position, ignoring the spinning in his head.
"Your leg…" Dracka trailed off.
Harry frowned and grabbed both of his legs.
"Are both still here," Harry said slowly. "Can't quite feel them but they are there."
"We should probably wake up Severus," Dracka whispered looking nervous.
Harry looked at him sharply, his eyes narrowing.
"What did you do?" Harry hissed.
"Um," Dracka stuttered, looking very nervous as he played with his hands. "A cutting curse got you right across where the snake had bitten you…"
Harry frowned and carefully pulled the blanket down to look at his leg, it was red and bruised but the scaring and muscle wastage wasn't there and the skin looked shinny. He felt the muscle and could still feel the damage under the skin but it wasn't what he was used to.
"The cut was badly infected," Dracka explained, not looking away from Harry's naked form. "Severus looked up your notebook…"
"He worked it out," Harry whispered.
Now that he was looking at the wound it started to throb painfully, but nothing like what he was used to. He rubbed it absentmindedly to ease the pain.
"He's not sure it has worked," Dracka said softly, his eyes red. "It's still healing. That's why we had to keep you under for so long."
"How long?" Harry asked turning back to the other man.
"About a week," Dracka replied, sitting forward in his seat.
"Please tell me you had my phone," Harry groaned.
Dracka barked a laugh.
"Don't worry, Blake." Dracka laughed. "Everyone doesn't think you're dead."
"Ha!" Harry grinned. "Give me a hand, I have to pee."
Dracka happily helped him from the bed. Harry's legs felt like rubber and his head was swimming as Dracka helped him, if the Vampire's hand strayed a little Harry didn't say anything just trying to keep his feet under him. Hope blooming in his stomach for the first time since the snake had bitten him so long ago.
xXx
Severus woke with a start and reached out for Blake but the man wasn't there. He sat up in a panic looking around. He wasn't in the room and neither was Dracka. Cursing, he pulled himself out of bed and pulled on some pants before opening the bedroom door. Blake looked up at him from the living room table. His phone next to him and files scattered across the tabletop.
"Morning, Severus." Blake said with a grin.
"For fuck sake," Severus cursed as he came into the room. "When did you wake up?"
"Yesterday morning," Blake said calmly.
Severus stared at the man as Blake sat back and smirked at him.
"You sent me to sleep?" Severus accused.
Blake barked a laugh. "I could say the same, love."
"You two are just as bad as each other," Dracka said from the lounge.
Severus glared over at the vampire before snagging up a shirt and pulling it on.
"Out," Blake ordered.
The vampire smirked but did as ordered leaving Severus and Blake alone. Severus made his way over to the table noticing the horcrux sitting on the table top.
"Coffee?" Severus asked.
"Yes, please."
Severus gathered his thoughts as he made the coffee.
"I looked over my notebook," Blake called out to him. "What did you see that I didn't?"
Severus walked back out of the kitchen with the mugs of coffee and placed them on the table before snagging up Blake's notebook. He flicked it open to the two pages he needed and handed it back to the man. Blake looked down at the two pages.
"But this balm didn't work." Blake said softly, with a frown. "The potion worked, of course…"
"The balm would have worked if the bite had been fresh," Severus said smugly.
"I'm still not seeing it," Blake said, running a hand over his head.
"The cutting curse that hit you was fresh," Severus said softly, taking a sip of coffee.
"So, the balm would work on a fresh wound?" Blake asked.
"The cut got infected too quickly," Severus explained. "It ate into your skin because of the potion."
"Like the snake venom did," Blake whispered. "So, you…?"
"Cut the skin down with a steel knife," Severus said. "And used the balm to build the muscle up."
"It's not as painful," Blake admitted.
"Yes," Severus said. "We're hoping it will give you more movement."
"And less pain," Blake said softly.
"Yes," Severus agreed. "But it could take a while to see if we were right."
"I can almost forgive you for keeping me asleep for a week," Blake said with a smirk. "Almost."
Severus looked at the other man over the table as he stared at the notebook in his hands. Blake looked up at him and gave him a smile that went straight through him.
"Thank you."
xXx
Harry tipped the cup out of the containment jar that Dracka had put it in and into the bronze circle of his classroom. He quickly pulled up the protection charm around it and stood back. Dracka, Severus and the Headmaster watched him as he looked down at it.
Something wasn't right about the cup but he couldn't put his finger on it. He lowered himself to the floor with the help of his cane and looked at the magic in the cup. He could feel the darkness of the horcrux but it didn't feel like the others had. He could feel the two souls tangled up in it, so it was a horcrux, it just didn't feel right.
"Are you just going to stare at it, Blake?" Dracka asked from behind him. "Because I have students to fail."
"Come here," Harry said softly.
Dracka moved closer, unsure.
"Please stand on the other side of the circle," Harry ordered, frowning.
Dracka moved to the other side of the circle and Harry closed his eyes and tapped into his magic. He looked over at Dracka his eyes glowing slightly, making the vampire shiver as he looked into the dark power the man held before focusing on the horcrux again.
"Severus can you stand next to Dracka," Harry requested softly, something wasn't right here.
Severus moved next to Dracka and Harry looked at his dark magic with his head tilted to the side slightly before focusing on the horcrux again. What was he missing here?
"What is it, Blake?" Albus said softly.
"There's something wrong with it," Harry said softly.
"It's a horcrux," Dracka said with a snort. "'Wrong' doesn't cover it."
Harry looked up at him with a grin, still seeing his magic swirling around him, making the vampire shiver slightly even Severus shifted uncomfortably.
"You know that gives me the creeps," Dracka said, flashing his fangs.
Harry pulled back on the magic and gave him a wink.
"Better?" Harry asked in amusement, as Dracka's eyes flashed red.
Severus pushed Dracka's shoulder before moving back to Albus leaning on the table. Dracka smirked over at the two men.
"Stay there," Harry said softly, as Dracka went to move. "I'm going to creep you out again."
Severus snorted as Albus coughed a laugh.
Harry closed his eyes again and relaxed his body as he focused on his breathing for a second. He pulled both of his wands from their holsters and placed them on either side of him as he looked closely at the horcrux. He could feel it pulsing slightly like a heartbeat and he cocked his head to the side. He wasn't sure if he was hearing a slight beat or not as he focused more on the magic.
He brushed his magic over Dracka and felt the man shiver as he took a look at the man's curse and the darkness in his magic before focusing on the horcrux again. It felt similar, but not the same. If anything, it felt halfway between Severus's dark magic and Dracka's curse and not like the other horcruxes.
He pulled his magic back and refocused on his breathing and the pulse of magic he could feel from the cup and very carefully reached out towards it but bumped up against his barrier and stopped. He opened his eyes and Dracka jolted back from him as he stood and stepped over the bronze line of the circle and brought the barrier up behind him before sitting again. He would have to work with this one closer this time, which made it that much more perilous.
He could hear the beat stronger now that he was within the circle and he closed his eyes again. He could feel the dark magic reaching out towards him and he gently touched on it to hear whispers in his mind as the heartbeat grew louder and his head tilted again as he listened to it.
The horcrux felt drained in some way, like someone had tapped into its dark power but that just confused Harry even more. How could someone do that without the magic taking them over? Unless they already knew how to control dark magic to a high degree.
Harry tapped his hand on the stones beside him absentmindedly, tapping along to the beat he could hear in his mind. He focused on the voices, being very careful not to let the dark magic of the horcrux mix with his own as he opened his mind a little more. He knew he was stepping into dangerous territory here.
.
He stood with a knife in his hand as he sliced through a man's throat as green light flared out around him.
.
Dark magic swirled around him as he called out in Latin, the cool night breeze drifting around, as the dark magic twisted out into the night.
.
Dark power cracked along his skin as dark power poured into his body burning him from the inside out.
.
He looked up to see bodies scattered around him in piles so deep he couldn't see the ground as crows cawed loudly and he felt dark glee run through his body at the death and destruction.
.
He rubbed his fingertips together, his hand covered in blood, as dark sparks flew from his fingertips catching on the air to drift away.
.
The whispers grew louder as the heartbeat drowned everything out and Harry's hand stilled. The voices screamed and Harry grabbed a hold of the dark magic harshly and pulled, ripping it free of where it had lived, as he heard a soft crack.
Harry hissed as the darkness turned on him and he brought up his light magic to block it as it turned like a snake to bite him. He very carefully wrapped the darkness up as he panted slightly at the effort and his other hand reached out for a wand that wasn't there and he cursed his stupidity.
The darkness found a weakness and tried to strike out but Harry was quicker as he ripped into it, ignoring the pounding in his head. A hand falling on his shoulder, startled him and he looked up in shock. A young woman in her late teens stood next to him and gave him a soft smile, her brown hair braded down her back as she stood in a blue dress, her pale skin glowing softly as she looked down at him.
Harry got a quick glimpse of pain and suffering before the woman smiled and Harry could feel the light magic touch him as he held the darkness in his hands and Harry released it. The woman took the darkness into her hand and gave Harry a smile, her brown eyes dancing.
"I'll take it from here," The woman whispered in his mind as he felt light magic brush over him.
Harry could only stare up at the woman as she turned and stepped away. She puffed into smoke, which settled across the ground. Harry listened as the beat slowly drifted away and he opened his eyes and found himself staring at the silver cup in front of him and the crack running down the side of it. He reached out and broke the protection circle around him.
Harry yelped when hands suddenly grabbed him pulling him to his feet and he grabbed Dracka's wrists, as he looked into the vampire's red eyes, his own eyes wide. Dracka shook him slightly as Severus and Albus tried to grab the vampire.
"Whoa," Harry snapped. "Settle down!"
Dracka's eyes bled back into black as he looked at him and Harry patted the hands clenched in his shirt.
"Blake?" Dracka asked softly.
"That's me," Harry said softly with a crooked grin. "Not anyone else."
Dracka gently released him and Harry set his feet on the ground as he picked up the dark magic around them and pushed it down into the stones below them. Dracka stepped back and Harry's eyes flicked over to a very pale Severus.
"Hey," Harry said with a grin.
"What the hell was that?" Severus said softly and Harry wasn't sure if he was talking to him or Dracka.
"I broke the protection charm too early," Harry said as he straightened his shirt. "There was still too much dark magic around me."
"I wasn't sure if the horcrux had taken you over," Dracka said softly and Severus paled even more.
Harry gave the vampire a lopsided grin and a wink, which just made Dracka growl at him, and Severus's glare kick up a notch.
"What happened?" Albus asked softly, breaking into the stand off.
"Someone had siphoned off some of the magic in the horcrux," Harry said softly. "There were memories in it…"
Harry trailed off as his mind went back to what he had seen and felt and Dracka grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back sharply.
"Ah, sorry." Harry said, distracted. "I could tell there was something wrong with it. It wasn't as dark as the others, more like a mix between your magic Dracka and yours Severus."
Albus glanced over at Severus but the other man hadn't taken his eyes off Harry.
"I'm not sure what you saw?" Harry asked.
"Not much," Dracka replied for the other two. "Just flashes of light and dark magic, not all of it yours."
"Yes," Harry replied with a frown. "He used a light witch to make the horcrux. That was very risky, or he wasn't aware of it, it weakened the dark magic over time and I think that's how Simpson was able to break into it."
Dracka swore.
"He has the knowledge of how to become a Dark Lord," Harry said softly to the room. "He got it from the horcrux. I was looking for a connection between the two men but there wasn't one to find. He stole the horcrux and fled into hiding."
Dracka paled and the other two men didn't look much better.
"He has the Dark Lord's memories on how to do a dark ritual to become a Dark Lord," Harry said softly to the room.
The thought alone made Harry shiver. The man may have tried and failed to become a Dark Lord in the past but he now held memories on how to become a Dark Lord from a man that was already at that level. It looked like it was just a matter of time now, until the man acted on the memories he had gained.