Severus was panicking but he was keeping it well hidden, deep down inside. He had to get that cube of Blake's to the Headmaster so he could bring down the protection charm around the man, but one thing stood in his way.
"I knew you would always come back, my snake!" Voldemort laughed.
"Of course, my lord," Severus said softly as he knelt on one knee before the man.
He turned sightly to see Blake still kneeling on the ground. He had gone silent and still after breaking through the pain curse. Dracka stood close by keeping anyone from attacking him and Severus just prayed that Blake was getting through to Potter. Everything hinged on that as he bowed his head in front of the Dark Lord and held back a shiver.
The Aurors with Miller and his team kept the death eaters busy and away from them, as they had been ordered to do, but were keeping an eye on what Severus and Voldemort were doing. He had no doubt, in his mind, that they were thinking that he'd changed sides, but they would follow the orders Blake had given them since he'd passed over command to Dracka and Severus. Miller would make sure of it and Severus couldn't be more thankful for Blake setting that up.
"You have even betrayed your lover!" Voldemort cried. "Look at him!"
"I got what I needed from him, my lord" Severus replied, the words leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
"You even brought the vampire to my side!"
"Severus!" The Headmaster yelled, horror in his eyes.
Voldemort turned to the old man and laughed. That was the opening that Severus needed and he took it. He jumped to his feet as he threw the cube at the Headmaster using a little magic to keep it straight and true.
"What is this?" Voldemort hissed.
"Pay back," Severus hissed and ducked back towards Dracka and Blake.
The cube soared into the air and as it hit the barrier around the Headmaster.
It shattered into a million pieces.
The Dark Lord's high-pitched laughter rang out over the sounds of fighting.
"That was your pay back!?" The man yelled with a chilling laugh.
"Yes." A soft voice called out.
The Dark lord twisted around and gasped as Ry stepped forward, white light blazing around him.
"No!" Voldemort yelled. "I killed you!"
The boy's face twisted up and the smile he gave the Dark Lord had Severus shivering as he ran back towards Blake.
"And he isn't alone," The Headmaster stated as he stepped out of his prison, the black cube held in his hand.
"What! No!" Voldemort yelled, looking between Albus and Potter.
Ry stepped forward to stand next to the Headmaster and a silver sword appeared in his hand, Blake's silver sword, as the glow dimmed down and faded away from his skin.
"Severus!"
Severus's head snapped around to Dracka. Blake was limp in his arms and Severus's heart dropped to his feet.
"Oh god," Severus gasped. "Blake!"
Flashes of spells passing over his head as he ducked and ran. He fell to his knees next to his lover, his hand shaking when he grabbed the man's shoulder. Blake was limp, his green eyes half closed and he felt cold to the touch.
"Is this meant to be happening?" Dracka hissed. "He can't die! He holds the hallows!"
Severus quickly looked over his shoulder at Ry fighting the Dark Lord with the silver sword flicking out at Voldemort, wielding it like he'd been born with it in his hand, while the Headmaster distracted the other man with spell after spell.
"He's channelling his magic into Potter," Severus gasped. "The boy doesn't have that much skill."
"But I drained off his dark magic," Dracka said and horror started to settle between the two men. "The hallows…did I take too much?"
If they hadn't drawn off the dark magic in Blake, then he wouldn't have been able to connect to Potter, and yet it was the dark magic that fed the hallows. They both realised at the same time the possibility that Blake Sun could die today and they felt a chill run through them.
"No," Severus gasped. "Can you push the magic back?"
Dracka shook his head. "Doesn't work that way!"
"Then he has to pull back from Potter!"
Both men looked up as the ground shook, Ry was holding his hand out to the side as the ground ripped in two separating the Headmaster, Voldemort and Ry from any help. They both realised that without Blake's power and skill they could fail and everything would be for nothing.
Blake moaned suddenly, startling the two men, the man was sweating and shaking his head slightly.
"Blake!" Severus cried. "Can you pull back your magic?"
"No," Blake gasped painfully. "Holding connection. Can't leave him."
Ry turned the silver blade and hit the Dark Lord deeply in the leg as the Headmaster shot a spell out. The man stumbled but brought his wand to bear and Ry ducked back as a part of the earth at his feet pulled up to block the spell Voldemort had cast. He could feel his father guiding him as power flooded into his body as he moved. Everything his father had taught him over the years coming back to him as flicked his wand towards Voldemort. Working as a team with his father as they used what they had between them to push Voldemort back.
"He's pulling too much," Blake gasped, his hands digging into the earth. "Doesn't understand."
"Blake," Severus hissed. "Pull back!"
Severus shook Blake's shoulder hard but he knew the man couldn't hear him as he mumbled under his breath. Too tangle up in the magic to realise what it was doing to him. Severus locked eyes with Dracka as Miller and the Aurors kept anyone that would interfere back.
Ry twisted out of the way of the Dark Lord's spell and cast a spell his father supplied back at him as they moved as a team. Working together seamlessly as the lessons his father had taught him over the years came to the front of his mind. The Dark Lord howled as his spell cut straight into him, cutting him to the bone. He could feel his father's voice whispering in the back of his mind, the connection between them strong as they moved as one.
Harry moaned as pain ripped through him, his son was drawing on his magic but didn't know how to do it correctly. It had been the one thing that he hadn't been able to teach him, the right way to draw on light magic. Ry was pulling too much, too fast, setting his skin on fire. He tried to slow it down but Ry kept pulling and he couldn't break the connection without severing the power and skill. He couldn't leave his son vulnerable.
Albus cast a quick spell at Voldemort as Ry's spell sliced into the man. He had never seen the boy move like he was now. It was like he was looking at a different person, one that was battle worn and knew how to use the skills he had but the boy was putting too much magic into the spells and he knew something had to give as he increased his attacks on Voldemort. They had to end this and quickly.
Voldemort yelled as the boy inflicted another score with that blade of his, the silver biting deeply, not only into his skin, but into his magic as well. He couldn't let the Potter brat win. He is Dark Lord Voldemort! He did not bow to children!
Dracka could do nothing but hold Blake and watch with large black eyes at the fight between three powerful wizards while Severus tried to keep Blake focused. He knew the man in his hands was suppling the skill and power to help his son but watching the boy he was struck speechless.
The Headmaster sent a lash of fire at the Dark Lord and Voldemort skipped out of the way but he was a touch too slow and the Potter brat's sword sliced right into his chest. The silver cutting through his magic, skin and heart.
Everything stopped.
Voldemort looked down at the sword in his chest then slowly looked up at the blazing green eyes of the child in front of him in shock. How could a child beat him!
"You could never beat us!" The child snarled. "Avada Kedavra."
It was at that moment that Voldemort realised that he hadn't just been fighting a child as the green light consumed him, taking what little magic he had for his life had already fled.
xXx
Harry broke the connection quickly with his son and moaned in pain. He felt hands on him and a hard body at his back. His neck was on fire and his bones felt like they had been turned to ash by the magic burning through him. What he'd done was not supposed to happen. He felt every cut, scrape and bruise on his body and, oh boy, did he feel his age. Suddenly his stomach rolled and he was rolling to the side and throwing up as that strong arm held him around his chest.
"Sh," Severus said softly, rubbing his back. "It's okay."
Harry wasn't so sure as the nausea rolled through him and he kept throwing up until all that came up was blood and bile. Something was very wrong.
"Is there anything we can do, Severus?" He heard Dracka ask.
Harry knew it was his strong arm around him as he went limp, all his energy spent.
Once Dracka was sure that he was done throwing up, he pulled him into a kneeling position, very much like the one he'd held him in not that long ago. The man's head hung limply. Severus reached forward with gentle fingers and tilted his head up. Slitted green eyes peered at them and Severus shivered. The man was so cold to his touch and his eyes were unfocused.
He glanced around and noticed that the fighting had mostly stopped since the Dark Lord had fallen and that the Headmaster was helping Ry over to them. Miller was working with the Aurors as they took down the last of the death eaters and held the ground around them. He caught Miller's eyes briefly before he looked away and back down at Blake.
"Severus?" Dracka asked again.
"I don't know," Severus replied. "Blake?"
Blake's eyes blinked and a bit of life slowly came back into them. He had no strength as Severus held his face.
"He pulled too hard," Blake whispered. "Too much."
"Sh," Severus tried to calm the other man down. "It's over."
"Not sure," Blake slurred.
Freezing the blood in Severus's veins.
"Blake?" Severus asked.
"Can't feel…" Blake trailed off and Dracka tightened his hold and shook the man slightly.
Blake jolted at the movement, gasping.
"Dad!"
Severus and Dracka looked up as Ry ran over, the silver sword in his hand and the Headmaster at his back. The boy landed next to the three men and reached out for his father, grabbing his hand as he dropped the sword beside him.
"Oh god," Albus whispered when he looked Blake over from the bloody bandage on his throat to being held up by Dracka.
"Dad?" Ry whispered and Blake tried to turn his head to look at his son but couldn't manage it.
"Potter," Severus turned to Ry. "Blake made a connection with you, can you make one back?"
"I don't know," Ry said in a small voice. "I could feel him whispering in my head and the power but not how the connection was made."
"That's where you got the skill and power from," Albus muttered. "I thought as much when the sword appeared."
"Here, sit here and take his face in your hands," Severus said to Ry. "Look into his eyes and try to make a connection."
Dracka shook Blake gently to try and get his attention while the boy knelt in front of his father, Dracka could feel the other man's heartbeat and how it was slowing. Something wasn't right, he could feel it, he had a feeling that the blood and magic that he'd taken from Blake was trying to tell him something, he just didn't know what it was as he held the man tightly.
Harry was drifting. He could hear voices and pain. Every now and again a voice would get through then he would drift again. Then there were hands on his face and a familiar magic was touching against him. He shielded away, he had nothing more to offer.
"Dad, please."
He crept back at the voice as an arm like steel held him. The magic brushed against him again and he gasped.
"Have nothing," Harry slurred. "No."
"Dad," Ry cried as he looked into his father's glassy eyes as tears blurred his own. "I don't know how to make the connection."
Harry reached out instinctively at his son's plea. His son was crying out, he had to help him. No! He had to protect what magic he had left but it was his son. He hesitantly reached out further and brushed against that familiar magic.
Ry gasped as something brushed against him and he shivered, he looked deeper into his father's green eyes, so much like his own and yet not.
"Come on, Dad." Ry whispered. "We won. We were a team you and I. It was us against Voldemort."
Harry reached out again at the words, remembering the feeling of his magic and spirit tangling with Ry's as he danced with his silver sword the way he used to when he was young.
Ry shivered again as something brushed against him and he instinctively reached out with his magic and grabbed it. The connection was made and he felt his father faintly.
He was dying. Ry gasped in shock.
"Oh god," Ry said softly.
"Did you make the connection?" Severus asked beside him.
Ry felt his father stir at Severus's voice but he was just so tired. Ry could feel it, could feel it in his bones and his heart, how tired the man was. His father had lived so long and Ry shivered at the pain he had suffered and how in some way he wanted it to end but couldn't let go. He'd had no idea how his father had felt as he held the connection and could feel the slow beating of his heart. Only a slight burn at his core where he knew his father's magic should be and could understand why his father had always said that the Deathly Hallows was a curse. He was a fixed point while everything changed around him.
"He's dying," Ry whispered.
Dracka tightened his hold on the body in his arms while Severus sat back on his heels in shock. His heart clenched as he looked at the man he loves and could lose as his mind stuttered to a stop.
"Can you do anything Ry?" The Headmaster asked softly, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I don't know," Ry answered.
The connection with his father was faint but he could feel him holding on. Ry smiled slightly, even now with the pain he felt and the chance to let go, his father was still holding on to the connection. Still fighting and in that moment, Ry saw his father in a different light. He was a warrior to the core, a man that would go down fighting. Slowly Ry channelled the magic within him and fed the connection.
Harry jolted as a familiar magic took hold of him. He started to shake and his heartbeat picked up speed. The hands on his face stayed steady and Harry opened his eyes wide staring into his son's eyes.
"Stop," Harry slurred.
The magic burned within him, like a wildfire burning him from the inside out. The flow of magic stopped but the connection remained. Harry panted, staring at his son and Ry gave him a soft smile.
"Sorry," Ry whispered.
Harry took a hold of the magic that Ry had fed him and shaped it, strengthening the connection and smoothing it out. The arm around his chest grounding him to the now as he felt someone take his hand. He reached out to the connection and touched on Ry's power. Harry took a look then understood what had gone wrong, Ry had taken too much of his power into himself. Gently Harry touched the ball of magic and slowly separated it out.
Ry gasped as his father did something, he wasn't sure what it was but it felt right. He stepped back in his mind and let his father have his full trust. Harry slowly untangled the mess he had made while he'd been connected with Ry and took the magic that was just his back into his core. His magic slightly different to Ry's as he worked through the mess.
He gave one last pull on a strand of his magic until only Ry's pure magic remained. He frowned as one last strand of dark magic held onto Ry's core before uncurling and coming to Harry and the dark magic at his own core. His magic settled before he looked back at Ry's magic to make sure he got everything that was his then he felt a chill settle on him.
Only light magic was left behind. He had always believed that He'd been born with some dark magic but looking at Ry's core now, he had been incorrect. It looked like his dark magic had always come from Voldemort or the hallows and he had never been born with any. He shivered at the realisation. He slipped back to his core and looked over the small amount of magic and he recognised it as only his. That chill intensified and he started to wonder in what other ways the hallows and the part of him that had been a horcrux had changed him, tainted him.
He was too tired to think on that now as the fatigue pulled at him and he softly broke the connection between him and his son as he fell into the darkness at the edges of his mind.
"No," Ry yelped as the connection broke.
"What?" Severus whispered.
"He broke the connection," Ry said.
Blake was completely limp. His head heavy in Ry's hands but his skin was warm and his breathing even.
"We should get him up to the school," Albus said softly.
They turned back to look up at the school. The wards had held on the castle. The death eaters had not been able to get passed the walls of Hogwarts. Thanks in part to Blake and the teachers, and the fact they had strengthened the wards years ago.
Dracka carefully picked up Blake holding him in his strong arms as Severus looked down at his lover. They had made it through this war, but what was the cost, he thought as the small group turned towards the castle. Blake's body limp and pale in Dracka's arms.
xXx
Harry woke with a jolt, a warm body pressed up against his back and a soft snore in his ear. He turned slightly to see Severus wrapped around him, his arm over his chest and his legs tangled with his own. The man was so deeply asleep that he didn't wake as Harry untangled himself and wiggled to the edge of the bed.
Harry sat there, feeling tired and his throat burning but otherwise not too bad. He could feel his magic slowly healing him, both dark and light magic working together and he sighed. He turned on the bed to look at Severus. He gently brushed the man's hair back from his face and cupped his cheek. Harry smiled at him before slowly pulling himself to his feet, pausing just long enough to pull on a pair of jeans before limping out of his bedroom.
Dracka was sprawled out across the lounge in the living room, his long frame a foot too long for the couch, so that his feet hung to the side awkwardly. Harry limped passed him to the bathroom to take care of a little business before grabbing up a bottle of water from the kitchen. He moved back to the armchair across from the sleeping vampire.
Once Harry was settled in his chair, he kicked the lounge with his left leg. Dracka started then his eyes fell on Harry and he shot to his feet.
"Sit," Harry ordered roughly.
The man sat without thought then glared at Harry.
"We have things to talk about," Harry said softly, his throat raw.
"Should you be up?" Dracka asked, looking over to the clock in the room.
It had only been a few hours since the battle.
"I am now," Harry whispered. "You and Severus had a plan?"
"Ah, yes." Dracka said softly.
"You kept that plan from me." Harry stated in a whisper.
"Yes," Dracka said. "It didn't go as much to plan as it should have but the results were the same."
Harry nodded then winched as it pulled at the wound on his neck.
"You planned to drain the dark magic from me," Harry continued quietly. "But you forgot that the hallows, the thing keeping me alive, was a part of the dark magic. Something that Miller didn't know and couldn't help you plan for."
"Yes," Dracka replied, looking away.
"You got lucky," Harry said dryly. "Ry pulled almost all of the magic from me."
Dracka paled at the words.
"But he couldn't control it," Harry said, leaning forward in his seat. "While I had the connection to him he pulled on the power without realising what he was doing."
"He could have killed you," Dracka whispered in horror.
"Yes," Harry confirmed. "And if I had broken the connection too soon then Dark Lord Voldemort would have lived."
"And damned us all," Severus whispered from the doorway.
Harry looked over at the other man. He was just wearing slacks as he stood very still and looking more pale than normal with a nice bruise along his ribs. Harry was sure he was responsible for that but he would focus on that later.
"Yes," Harry confirmed. "You were lucky because Ry couldn't use the dark magic. He couldn't tap into the part that was the hallows."
"You were able to pull it back into yourself." Severus said softly, moving over to Dracka and kicking him to move over on the lounge. The vampire flashed his fangs at the man but moved enough for Severus to sit down.
Harry nodded slightly.
"What was your plan?" Harry asked, sitting forward in his seat.
"I noticed that there was no dark magic around Ry's core," Dracka said. "The curse scar was dark but his magic was completely light."
Harry bowed his head at that, another thing he had missed and a confirmation of what he already knew but still didn't want to acknowledge.
"We realised with your connection to both the Dark Lord and Ry that you could make a connection with him." Severus said softly. "Since you are both the same person and both marked by the Dark Lord. You could follow him where no one else could."
"It was the dark magic that was the problem," Dracka finished. "It would have held you back, you needed light magic to connect to his light magic."
"So, you two idiots thought if you drained off my dark magic, then I would be forced to use only light?" Harry said softly.
"That idiot came up with it first," Severus said, pointing at Dracka. "When you said you died so that the horcrux could be destroyed."
"We realised that Harry Potter would have to die again," Dracka said softly.
"And you knew that I couldn't let that happen," Harry whispered. "I couldn't let my son die. I wouldn't be able to hold myself back."
"Yes," Severus agreed.
"But you wouldn't be able to combat the Horcrux while the dark magic was still in your blood." Dracka commented.
Harry hung his head cupping his hands on the top of his head as he looked down at the rug under his feet. He didn't want to admit it, but the two men were right. They had worked out a plan that he wouldn't have considered. Hands fell on his thighs and Harry looked up at Severus crouched before him.
"If we had known…" Severus trailed off.
"You would have come to me with this plan first," Harry finished hoarsely.
"Something like that," Dracka commented.
"Your plan was sound," Harry said softly. "You just forgot one small detail."
Harry reached forward and took Severus's face in his hands.
"Ah," Dracka said. "I should probably be going. I have men to work out and reports to collect. Bradon was looking after everything but he'll want to head back to the Coven to handle things from that end."
"If you leave the castle, vampire." Harry said sweetly. "I'll hunt you down."
"Message received," Dracka agreed and disappeared out the door.
Harry took Severus in a soft kiss which the other man deepened before Severus stood and held out a hand out for Harry to take. Severus pulled the shorter man to his feet and guided him back to the bedroom.
xXx
Harry hadn't slept long before the nightmares woke him and he pulled himself from the bed with a slight groan. Severus woke and looked over at him and Harry ran a hand down his side, over the bruising on his ribs and stomach that he'd caused.
"Go back to sleep," Harry said softly. "I need to know."
"Blake?" Severus asked with a frown.
"Stay here," Harry said gently as he got to his feet.
Severus watched him with dark eyes as he dressed slowly, his ribs protesting. He didn't say anything as Severus moved from the bed and dressed as well. Once he was ready, he palmed his cane and moved out of his rooms. He had to know who had fallen, he wouldn't be able to sleep until he knew.
Harry walked with Severus limping slightly himself as he followed behind him, like a silent shadow as they moved out onto the castle's front steps as the first rays of sunlight reached out across the grounds. Birds calling softly to each other as they looked out over the mess. Harry slowly made his way down to the grass and took in the sight, his eyes catching on the paw print that his dragon had made.
"Blake?"
Harry turned to see Kingsley standing there with hollow eyes as he overlooked the Aurors working through the battle field that should have been the front lawn of a school.
"Should you be up?" Kingsley asked in concern.
"No," Severus replied for him.
Harry's lips twitched before he gave a nod and moved out onto the lawn as Severus watched him from beside Kingsley. Harry moved through the fallen and the Aurors as they worked. A few would stop and talk to him as Harry moved around the grounds. Looking at each person on the ground regardless of what side they had been on. Pausing when he came across someone he knew.
He could still feel the magic on the air as his own magic, not bothering to hold it back as he moved back to Severus and Kingsley. Both men had taken a seat on one of the stone benches as they waited for him. Harry moved towards them and collapsed on the seat next to Severus. He was physically and mentally exhausted.
His eyes caught on a few veela as they helped move some of the captured death eaters and he smirked as the death eaters followed after the light creatures like puppies without leads while the Aurors watched them in interest.
"They worked well to contain some of the death eaters on the east side," Kingsley remarked in amusement. "I thought I was going to lose one of my teams to them getting tea and biscuits for the veela, instead of holding back the death eaters."
Harry snorted as he looked around. Seeing the dark and light magic around them from the people with creature blood and the residue of power, like mist on the air. He was too tired to pulls his magic sight back as he looked out over the grounds.
"I bet the veela would have liked that," Harry replied as he leaned his head back on the stones behind him. "Do you need me for anything before I head over to see the mess on the south side?"
"You-know-who's body?" Kingsley asked. "Is it safe to move it?"
"Yes," Harry replied with his eyes closed. "I'll check it over, but should be safe. My sword would have cut through any magic, if he'd had any, on his body."
Both men fell silent at his words and Harry was grateful to them as they sat there for a while. He opened his eyes and slowly moved to his feet.
"I'll be back soon," Harry whispered as he looked at the two men before moving away.
He knew where the body would be as he limped along, heavily using his cane as he walked. He stopped when he came across the body of the Dark Lord and slowly kneeled down with a winch. He looked down at the man lying on his side where he had fallen, before reaching out to grab his shoulder and pulled.
The body rolled limply as Voldemort's red-brown eyes stared up sightlessly. They had been lucky that their combined magic and Harry's sword had cut through the Dark Lord's magic as it had cut through his heart. They didn't have to deal with the backlash from killing a Dark Lord. They had made sure to have a barrier charm ready to go but it hadn't been needed.
Harry reached out and closed the man's eyes as he looked over the very human face and mop of brown hair. The man had caused so much death and destruction in his wake and he could understand the fear people had of Dark Lords and Dark Wizards. His hand clenched around his cane and he wasn't sure how long he knelt there for until a voice broke into his thoughts.
"Right there, Blake?"
Harry slowly looked up to see Remus Lupin looking down at him in concern. He knew how far out of it he was, for the fact he hadn't felt the man's dark curse as he'd approached. Harry gave a sharp nod in answer.
"Sirius?" Harry asked softly.
"Flat out on his back in the hospital wing," Remus replied, he had a nasty gash down his arm and was standing a little to one side but otherwise didn't look too bad. "Took a blasting curse to the side which laid him out but his Black family luck held."
"Tonks?"
"Not a scratch," Remus said with a small smile as he shifted his weight. "We were lucky, those Auror teams took the brunt of it. Not to mention the Department, I'm sure that we would have taken heavier hits if it wasn't for them. I wasn't aware of how skilled they are."
"They have their moments," Harry said as he slowly pushed himself to his feet and braced his feet as his head spun slightly.
Remus grabbed his shoulder to keep him standing and Harry closed his eyes until it passed.
"Should you be up?" Remus asked softly.
"Probably not," Harry replied.
"Ry has a bed next to Sirius," Remus said as his tan eyes looked him over. "I'm sure they could find one for you."
Harry glared at the man and Remus's lips twitched up before he looked down at Voldemort.
"How's Ry doing?" Harry asked softly.
"He's fine," Remus replied as the two men moved away from the body and back towards the castle, both moving slowly. "I think Poppy is holding him for the fact that Sirius is there and his magic levels are low."
Harry paused and his eyes caught on the white sheets over the bodies as memories of other battlefields overlapped each other in his mind. Remus's hand landing on his shoulder jolted him and he glanced over to Remus. He'd seen too much of this in his long life.
"You are more than just James's cousin," Remus stated. "You have knowledge beyond what we know."
Harry nodded and said nothing.
"What you can do with magic. Is something that would take longer than how old you look, Blake." Remus said softly, making sure that no one could over hear them. "The way you understand dark and light magic and can twist it to the way you want. We are still understanding that magic and you are a master of it."
Harry looked down at the churned up earth at his feet for a while before focusing on the werewolf. Remus just stood there, not pushing for answers just putting it out there, in case he wanted to talk. He knew better than anyone what the price of a secret was worth.
"I am from the future," Harry said softly, feeling hollow inside as he looked around. "I hold the Deathly Hallows."
Remus sucked in a breath as his eyes widened. Harry glanced at the other man and reached out and touched on the man's curse, just above his skin. Feeling the strands of dark and light mixed together seamlessly.
"I am cursed," Harry whispered and moved off.
Remus didn't follow him but Harry could feel his eyes on his back. Severus moved to his feet when Harry approached.
"You can take his body away," Harry said to Kingsley. "Do with it what you want, cremation would be my suggestion."
"Thank you," Kingsley said softly and moved away, leaving the lovers alone.
Harry looked Severus over and the man gave him a raised eyebrow in question.
"Can I help you, Mr Sun?" Severus drawled.
Harry looked away as he leaned into his cane and looked over the grounds.
"Blake?" Severus whispered as he moved closer. "Are you alright?"
Harry didn't answer and didn't react when Severus took his hand.
"I'm going to see the vampires," Harry said softly. "Alone."
Severus's hand tightened around his and Harry looked up at him. Severus's eyes were dark and unreadable as they looked down at him.
"And who to going to catch you when you pass out?" Severus hissed.
"The floor," Harry replied. "That's what normally catches me when my stupidity catches up with me."
Severus's lips twitched at those words.
"Spoken from experience?" Severus drawled.
Harry gave him a small smile as Severus let his hand go. Harry gave him a nod and walked away.
xXx
Dracka glanced up as he caught Blake's scent and his demon took notice as the man slowly moved towards them. He noticed a few other vampires looking over at the man. Dracka moved to his feet when he noticed how unsteady Blake looked and he frowned when he didn't notice Severus with him.
The Aurors were helping his men with moving the vampires that had been killed out of the rising sun for his men to take them back to his Coven. They had taken a big hit of not only his men but people fighting for the Council of both light and dark creatures and Dracka's eyes caught on some veela and he flashed his fangs at them as they bared their teeth at him. Some habits were hard to change.
"I don't want to have to break you lot up," Blake said softly as he stopped close to Dracka.
"They have been good so far," Dracka reported as he looked the other man over.
His eyes catching on the bandage on his neck and his hand itched to heal the wound but it was too late now. Severus had been too quick to place the potion on the wound as Blake's hollow eyes looked over the scene.
"The goblins came through with some direct portkeys from here, through the French Portkey Platform to my Coven and back," Dracka said softly as his eyes roamed over the other man. "Without charge."
"That was generous of them," Blake said softly.
Both men fell quiet as Dracka turned back to his men, his friends and family that had fallen and felt his demon whine softly in his mind. He moved closer to the other man and let the man's scent touch him. He could only faintly feel the man's magic and knew that Blake wasn't holding it back, it was just that faint. Like a cool breeze brushing his skin.
"Should you be up?" Dracka asked as he turned to the man.
"From the amount of people asking me that," Blake said as he turned to Dracka. "I'm starting to believe that I shouldn't be."
Dracka's lips twisted up in a smile.
"Blake. Dracka."
Both men turned to see Miller moving towards them with his arm in a sling and only wearing his dragon hide vest and pants. The man looked rough and he needed a shower as he moved towards them as his sharp blue eyes looked around before focusing on them.
"I owe your men, Dracka." Miller said and clapped a hand to the vampire's shoulder. "We would be burying team ten without the support of your men."
"They were happy to help," Dracka replied. "I'm sure they were feeling peckish."
Miller gave him a twisted smile that looked even worse with the dirt and blood on his face before his eyes looked Blake over.
"Right there?" Miller asked.
"Still standing," Blake replied.
"Probably not for long," Dracka muttered.
Miller and Dracka looked over at Blake when he didn't say anything and Dracka frowned. The man really didn't look good and he reached out and grabbed his arm. Blake flinched slightly at the move and Dracka's frown deepened as he released him.
"I should find somewhere softer than the floor to collapse on," Blake said softly before turning and walking away.
Dracka and Miller shared a look as they watched the other man limp away.
"Should we help him?" Miller asked softly.
"Dracka!"
Dracka looked over to see Dalcon, another Coven leader, calling over to him and he turned to Miller.
"I have to go," Dracka whispered and looked over at Blake. "See that he gets back to his rooms, without hitting the floor."
"I can try but it is Blake." Miller replied with a smirk and moved after the other man.
Dracka's demon growled slightly as Miller caught up with Blake before his attention was drawn back to the other Coven leader and the job ahead of him, the scent of the man clinging to him.
xXx
Ry looked over to the main doors of the hospital wing when the noise dimmed slightly to see his father standing in the doorway with Sergeant Miller by his side. He was surprised to see his father up so soon, not to mention the three flights of stairs to the hospital wing, and by the way that Miller was keeping a close eye on him and was staying close to his shoulder the other man was surprised they were there as well.
Ry gave a slight smile as his father's eyes locked with him and he felt relieved to see him. Ry moved to the side of his bed and sat there as Blake entered the room. Ry reached over and picked up a box of chocolate frogs and waited for his father to arrive.
He could still remember the way his father had looked at the station and how he'd felt when he picked up the connection. His father stopped beside him and glanced over at Sirius in the other bed before taking a seat next to him and Ry handed over the box of chocolate frogs.
"Merlin, don't give him chocolate," Miller moaned and Ry gave him a smile as the man took a seat on the other side of him.
"He's not that bad on a chocolate high," Ry said in amusement before looking his father over. "You look like you need it."
Blake snorted and gave him a smirk but it didn't reach his eyes.
"How did you even get up here?" Ry asked.
"The normal way, Ry." Blake replied in amusement. "Two legs, a cane and Nurse Miller making sure I didn't land on my ass."
Miller barked a laugh then ducked his head as Madam Promfrey glared over at them. His father laid his hand on his leg and gave it a squeeze as they shared a look.
"How's the savour of the wizarding world feeling?" Blake asked with a smirk.
Ry groaned as his father unwrapped the first chocolate frog and he was already regretting giving them to him. Ry glanced up at Miller and could see his thoughts reflected there as the man eyed the box of frogs. Both men knew what his father was like on a sugar high.
"And how did you deal with it, Blake?" Miller asked and Ry froze.
"I would say gracefully," Blake replied. "But I would be lying."
Ry snorted loudly and quickly glanced at Poppy to see her lips thinning as she kept an eye on them. They were just lucky that Ry's bed was at the back of the room, where the windows are and they only had Sirius passed out in the bed next to them.
"Kingsley was good," Blake said softly. "Had me enrolled in the Auror program, even if I didn't have the schooling to get in. Helped me write a statement to the press and everything."
Ry could see the faraway look in his father's eyes as he glanced at Miller on the other side of him and looked the rough man over. He'd known the man since he was a young child.
"Looks like we've lost him," Miller muttered and picked up another box of chocolate frogs and Ry gave him a smile. "He might need that chocolate to get him back down to the dungeons."
His father looked over at them and Ry shivered at the look in his father's eyes.
"Did you know?" Ry asked softly.
"Did I know what?" Blake asked.
"I'll check on my men and come back," Miller said with a nod and moved off. "Then Nurse Miller will make sure you get back to the care of Nurse Snape and he is worse than me."
Ry snickered as Miller gave them a wink and moved off. Ry looked at his father and raised an eyebrow.
"If you want this private," His father said. "You will have to cast a silencing spell."
Those words told Ry how his father felt as he pulled his wand and whispered the spell and felt it go up around them. His father looked tired and Ry was surprised that he wasn't passed out somewhere, from the look in Blake's eyes he was surprised as well.
"Did you know when you took over my guardianship that I would have to die?" Ry whispered and his father looked down at his hands.
Ry reached out and wrapped an arm around his shoulders in comfort but he had to know.
"No," Blake said softly. "The connection was there but it wasn't strong. It was when you had that vision of Arthur Weasley, when Dark Lord Voldemort's emotions started to leak over the link that I knew the horcrux was alive in you enough to stop him from dying."
"You had to die," Ry pointed out.
"Dark Lord Voldemort used my blood to come back, Ry." Blake said softly. "He renewed and strengthened that connection as he fed the horcrux, binding us close together in the ritual that he used. He did not do that with you, I thought at the time that we could try something different to break the link."
Ry pulled back from his father and looked him over, his father wouldn't meet his eyes as he looked out over the busy hospital wing. Something was wrong with him as he sat there and Ry frowned. Picking up on his body language.
"Dad," Ry whispered and the man turned to him. "Why did Snape and Dracka want to keep what we were doing a secret?"
Blake sighed and buried his face in his hands and Ry felt his heart clench for his father, he knew now the pain the man had had to face over his very long life.
"Because I couldn't do it, Ry." His father whispered.
Ry frowned as he tightened his hold on his father.
"I knew what needed to be done," Blake said softly. "I already looked at everything I could, Ry. Every bit of magic that I could think of and I knew what needed to be done but I couldn't do it. They had worked it out and they planned what I couldn't face."
"Sh," Ry said softly with his arm around his father. "Severus and Dracka knew what to do."
Blake nodded and when his father looked up, his eyes looked hollow and every line of his body showed how he felt. Ry could understand his father more now than he ever had before. He'd had a connection to his father and felt his emotions and thoughts as they had fought against Voldemort. That feeling of knowing that he would survive when other wouldn't and also the wish to let go.
"They did," His father whispered.
Ry just wrapped his arm around his father's shoulder, giving what comfort he could.
xXx
Harry swung his legs slightly as he looked out over the grounds of Hogwarts from his seat up on the wall of the school. He could see the large footsteps that his dragon had made and the mess of the grounds. White sheets to his right marked out where Voldemort's followers had been moved to while the Ministry worked out what they were going to do with them.
They had faired okay and Harry was happy to report that the losses to their side weren't as high as they could have been. Dracka's men had faired the worse and he'd had to call in some more of his Coven to take the dead away. They had been ambushed on the southside but the Aurors that Harry had sent had stopped them being overrun.
A scuff on the stones had Harry turning his head to see Alastor Moody limping towards him.
"Going to push me off the edge?" Harry asked as he brought his left leg up onto the stones so he could turn to see the other man better, his other leg still dangling over the side of the wall.
Moody's fake eye rolled as he limped closer, the man had taken a bad cutting curse to the side but he was a tough bear of a man and was up again quickly.
"Any man that can stare a Dark Lord in the eye and cast a spell at him." Moody growled as he moved closer. "Has my respect."
Harry gave him a small grin before his eyes caught on the grounds again and the ones that had fallen and his grin faded.
"It could have been worse," Moody remarked as he moved to stand next to Harry. "I've seen battles lines fall quickly once dark magic starts flying around. Your vampires fought well."
"And many of them died too," Harry said softly.
"But they fought with us, Sun!" The man barked.
"Well yes," Harry said in confusion, looking over at the man. "They are one of our allies. Part of the Council."
"You don't get it, Sun!" Moody rumbled as he looked out onto the grounds.
Harry waited the other man out.
"You brought dark and light creatures here," Moody said after a few minutes. "And they fought with us against a Dark Lord."
"Yes," Harry agreed. Drawing out the word, not seeing the man's point.
"You managed something that had not been done before," The man growled and Harry froze. "I'm an old man, Sun, and I don't like change but you are making changes. There is a vampire teaching at this school-"
"The Minister of Magic put him in that position," Harry cut in.
"And where did he get that idea?" Moody barked. "I thought he was mad! A dark creature like a vampire surrounded by children! What was the man thinking! A Dark Wizard teaching children was bad enough, now a vampire."
Harry swung his leg as he waited for Moody to get to the point.
"It worked," Moody said as he fixed both of his eyes on Harry. "We are getting nothing but good reports out of this school about Mr Dracka."
"Please don't tell him that," Harry pleaded. "He doesn't need a boost to his ego, it's large enough as it is."
"And you Sun!" Moody continued. "A man that doesn't hide his dark magic, who is clearly a Dark Wizard and yet fought against a Dark Lord. From what Albus has told us the castle would have fallen without you."
Harry stilled at man's words.
"I think the Headmaster gives me too much credit," Harry said softly.
"Bah!" The man cried. "You think I can't see your magic on this school! On the wards! On the stones of this school?"
Harry rubbed a hand over his head before focusing on the man beside him.
"Yes," Harry said softly as Moody's magical eye focused on him. "I imagine that eye of yours lets you see a lot more than others can."
Moody gave him a twisted smile, which sent a shiver down Harry's spine.
"I may not like change, Sun." Moody growled. "But I can see when change is a good thing and may be needed."
The man turned on his heel and limped away slowly as Harry watched him. Harry's eyes were drawn back to where Voldemort's followers had been lined up as memories from his own time overlapped as he looked out over the grounds. They would move forward, like they always did but Moody's words gave him pause.
Severus moved up beside him and stood silently next to him as the sun made its way higher into the sky. Harry slipped his hand into the other man's as he sat on the wall. Whatever may come they would face it together.
"What are the Weasley twins doing?" Severus said suddenly.
Harry looked out to see the two red heads crouched down, looking at one of the footsteps his dragon had made.
"Taking notes?" Harry suggested.
Severus paled.
"They don't think that they can call up a dark dragon?" Severus whispered.
Harry gave a chuckle.
"They can't call up a dark dragon," Harry said softly and Severus relaxed next to him. "A light dragon however, would be a different story."
"Oh, god."
End of Part Four.
One more part to go.