Harry shoved another shirt into his bag as he slowly filled it with their gear for the week. He had a couple of extra things to go into Dracka's bag when the man finally arrived but had fit everything else without a problem. He placed the last item into the bag before limping out to the main room and taking a seat at the table next to Severus. He placed the bag on the table.
He still felt a little stiff after his fight with Dracka but he felt a lot more like himself. His nightmares had settled down over the last few days and he was able to get sleep once again. He hadn't realised how much he'd needed that fight until he was dancing around the vampire. From the way that Dracka was acting, he felt the same.
"There are a few more things on the bed to put into Dracka's bag when he gets here." Harry reported to Severus as he leaned back in his seat. "Where is he anyway?"
Severus smirked at him.
"Catching up on his tan?" Severus suggested.
Harry grinned, he'd placed the daylight pendant around the man's neck earlier that morning before they'd came back to his rooms to pack.
"Had to pick up a few things," Dracka stated as he came through the door with a grin.
"Well hurry up," Harry snapped. "I've left what won't fit in our bag on the bed."
Dracka flashed his fangs at him before moving through to the bedroom.
"Remind me again why we are not just shrinking our bags?" Dracka called out.
"I don't want anything on us that can be tracked," Harry called back.
Severus snorted and pushed the coffee mug in his lover's direction. Harry sighed and grabbed the mug in both his hands. It was still early and Harry was hoping to be gone before the students started to wake for breakfast on a Saturday.
"Do you really need this shirt?" Dracka asked, holding up one of Harry's shirts. "It won't fit."
"Just leave it then," Harry answered as his hands tightened around the mug. "Could you fit everything else?"
"And these socks?" Dracka said with a smirk.
Harry gave up as he picked up his bag and stalked from the room. He could hear Severus's voice through the door as his cane tapped away on the stones. He made his way out of the school with only a few students for company at such an early hour on a Saturday.
He started to relax as he made his way out of the school and out onto the front lawn. There was a cool breeze on the air but the sun was warm on his back as he slowly made his way to the front gates of the school. He placed his bag on the ground as he leaned back on the fence. He idlily reached out and touched on the wards he could feel at his back.
They hummed down his back and the presence of Hogwarts filled his mind as he looked out at the castle. He could see the mists and colours floating around the school as he opened his mind to the magic. He picked up the strands of the wards gently in his hands and ran them through his fingers. He strengthened the ones that needed and fixed any that were frayed but most of them he just flicked to the side. He tapped along the line to make sure they were sitting right and there were no broken connections.
He pulled back from the wards, still seeing the magic as Dracka and Severus appeared walking towards him. Both men were coated in dark mists but Severus had a wizard's core and the shimmering of rainbow colours mixed in with the dark magic the man held. Dracka on the other hand didn't have any wizard magic since he was born a vampire and the dark mists swirled around him like a cloak.
If Harry had wanted to he could have easily reach out to that dark power but he didn't. He brushed against Severus softly and the man stumbled on a step as Dracka laughed at him. Harry grinned and looked down and caught a glimpse of his own magic. Light, dark and rainbows twisting and swirling together.
He was still held concern for that part of his magic that just didn't sit right, but so far it hadn't caused any trouble and most of the time he forgot about it. He knew he would have to address it at some point but until he knew what was wrong, he wasn't too concerned. He had a few ideas about what it could been and had been trying to narrow it done.
He picked up some of his wizard and light magic and gently pushed the magic down. He slowly spread it out across the grounds and under the two men as they moved closer. He could feel Hogwarts taking the magic in and he felt a slight brush against him as he cut off the magic.
"What are you doing?" Severus questioned.
"Keeping myself busy," Harry replied with a grin. "Well, should we go?"
"Before Albus can find you?" Severus drawled. "He hasn't yelled at you for a while."
Harry quirked a smile as they stepped over the wards and he grabbed the two men and apparated them. They landed in a small village on the edge of the sea and Severus grabbed his arm as he stumbled. Dracka flinch back as the sun hit his skin but quickly relaxed as he looked at the sun on his skin. Harry patted the vampire on the shoulder before passing the bag he held to Severus.
"I'll going to hunt out the lay line," Harry reported. "I might be a little out of it for a while as I try and pick it up. The lay lines here are a lot thinner and harder to find than in the rest of Europe."
"Why is that?" Severus asked as he shouldered the pack.
"No idea," Harry replied with a shrug. "The one that runs under Hogwarts is thick but it's had over a thousand years of magic soaking into it."
"What about the Border spell?" Dracka asked.
"Unless you want to go swimming," Harry smirked and pointed out to sea. "It's about a kilometre that way. We won't be able to look at it until it touches land."
"Why are we starting here then?" Dracka asked, looking around. "There's nothing really here."
"This ley line runs straight to Germany," Harry replied then amended. "Well, mostly to Germany."
Harry slipped out of his shoes and socks and palmed them off to Severus, who sighed in resignation. Harry gave him a grin before he stepped out onto the rocky beach. He closed his eyes and centred himself as he listened to the soft waves and the birds calling in the morning light. He slowed his breathing down and relaxed his body. Feeling the rough sand under his feet and the two men at his back. He tuned out their magic and focused on the earth under him.
He slowly reached down into the sand with his mind then the soil as he felt the phantom touch of water running over his hands. They weren't real sensations but as he worked, they felt that way. He slowly spread his awareness out to his right trying to pick up on the thin line of the lay line. He frowned as he stretched further but couldn't find anything. He pulled back and stretched the other way. He didn't have to go far until he touched on the lay line and felt a jolt of electricity touch him.
He hissed and pulled back slightly. He hated working with lay lines, they always wanted to hurt him for some reason. It was like working with live electricity, always waiting for the shock of a live wire. He pulled back slightly and opened his eyes. Magic swirled around his vision and just seeing the sand under his feet was hard enough. If you looked hard enough you could find magic in everything and that was what he was seeing. The world of magic coming to the forefront of his mind.
Harry stumbled slightly as he looked around and tried to filter through everything he was seeing. Severus and Dracka stayed back and he knew his eyes were shining as he focused in on where he was going and the thin line of magic he'd touched. He set off down the beach, the sun feeling warm on his back as the cold wind chilled him. Those sensations grounded him to reality.
He followed the shore for a while until they had to work back up onto the road to get around some rock outcropping. Harry would stumble every now and again as something would rush by him as he looked into two worlds. The one of magic and the other real as he followed the signal of the lay line.
He stopped suddenly and Severus's magic nudged him to the side. Harry grinned over at the man when he realised he'd stopped in the middle of the road. He moved in the direction Severus's magic pushed him. He carefully picked up the lay line and swore when it sparked in his fingers. Severus nudged him again and he moved that way until he stood with his back to a wall.
Harry focused in on the lay line and he was surrounded by light. It poured in from everywhere and the street and everything else disappeared around him. He felt like he was high or drank a hundred cups coffee at once. He was buzzing with that much magic and he understood how wizards had been lost to that feeling. He curled his hands and felt brickwork under his fingers and the feeling of rough ground under his feet. He grounded himself to reality with those feelings as the magic overtook his sight.
This was why most wizards wouldn't dream of using the wild magic of a lay line. It was too easy to just fall into the magic and be lost, swept away with the flow. Once he was cantered and had a firm grip on the ground under him. He turned towards the Border spell, he could feel in the distance, and followed the flow of magic. He kept the feeling of earth close to him as he followed it with his mind. He didn't want to physically move along the line.
When he came up against the Border spell he stopped. He gently touched the spell then strengthened it where the lay line passed through it. The magic of the lay line passing through easily, he'd never looked at the Border spell this way and it fascinated him. He looked it over once again before focusing on the earth under his feet and the bricks at his back.
He shook his head as he came back to awareness and rubbed his eyes. He was crouched down on a sidewalk with the stone wall at his back with Dracka and Severus on both sides of him. He looked up to see some of the early morning shoppers giving them strange look from the other side of the street. His head pounded and he held it for a second before sliding up the wall as he stood.
"Back with us?" Severus purred and held out a pain potion.
Harry took it and downed the whole thing before passing the empty vial back. He felt like he'd had a night on the town and was now paying the price. Dracka slid an arm around his shoulders and Harry leaned into the man as the potion worked through his system.
"Thank you," Harry said to Severus. "I could feel you give me that push."
"Was the only way to get you off the bloody road," Severus muttered, unimpressed. "That wasn't a 'little out of it' that was 'riding high on drugs'."
Harry barked a laugh and looked around as his headache eased off.
"Why do you think curse breakers work in teams?" Harry asked with a smirk.
"To stop the others from doing something stupid," Dracka quipped and stepped back from him.
"Well," Harry admitted. "That too."
Harry looked around the small village centre that they were standing in, getting more than a couple of odd looks.
"So," Harry announced after a moment. "Coffee?"
Severus smirked as Dracka swung an arm around the smaller man's shoulder and tugging him towards a café that was open in answer.
xXx
"So," Blake said once he was settled with a cup of coffee in his hands and they waited for their breakfast order. "It looks like it will be easier to follow each lay line and place a barrier there for foreign magic then to change the Border spell itself."
"Would that mean you would have to go to each line?" Dracka asked, sitting back in his seat.
"Yes," Blake answered. "It would take a lot more time but Simpson won't know until he tries to use a lay line that the pathway is blocked. Hopefully with a group of men behind him when he tries. That would give them one hell of a good shock."
Dracka shivered at the dark smile curving up Blake's lips. The man could be as bloody thirsty as a vampire sometimes.
"We'll work on the ones coming directly from Europe now," Blake said fiddling with his ring. "Then we'll work on the others when school breaks for Christmas."
"You want to do all of them?" Severus asked in surprise.
"Yes," Blake answered. "That way no one will be able to use the lay lines to get onto British soil. Um, I may have to file that with the Department as well."
Dracka barked a laugh as their meals were served.
"You didn't inform the Ministry of Magic that you were going to change the Border spell?" Dracka asked.
"I filed the paperwork in the Department," Blake remarked. "They laughed at me. They laughed harder when I said I was going to change it where the lay lines sit."
Severus smirked as Dracka laughed.
"No faith," Blake said with a smirk. "You would think they should know better by now."
"Have you blown anything up down there?" Severus purred.
Blake's fork paused in mid-air for a second as he ate.
"Not lately," He replied with a wink.
Dracka grinned as they finished off their breakfast and sat back enjoying the sea breeze and more coffee. He ignored it when Severus slipped his hand onto Blake's knee under the table but he did notice a couple other people around the café giving them disapproving looks. He gave one woman, that had been staring, a leer and she turned away with a blush.
They worked through two more lay lines along the coast until Blake said he'd had enough. The man looked wrung out and Severus was giving him concerning looks as they booked into a hotel for the night. They booked a large room and Blake handed over a small plastic card to pay for it without question. The lady behind the counter gave them the look over but then plastered on a fake smile, putting Dracka on edge.
Blake just smiled back at the woman and took the key and ordered breakfast to be sent up to them in the morning. The man laying on the charm a bit thick as he spoke to the woman until her smile turned more true and she happily started chatting away about what was going on in town and how the hotel had been busy. It still amazed him the talent that Blake had to get people to talk and he swore it was magic but Blake had been able to do it even with his magic held tightly to him. Even now he could only faintly feel the man's magic.
He brushed his hand against Blake's and the man cocked his head slightly as he spoke to the woman. The man knew what he was doing and Dracka felt better when he could feel his magic brushing against him. The woman giggled and slipped a pad of paper and pen towards Blake and he pocketed them as she gave him a smile.
The three men walked away from the counter towards the lifts with Blake in the lead as they made their way to the top floor. Blake laid his back against the side of the lift and raised an eyebrow at Dracka.
"Yes?" The man drawled.
"Nothing." Dracka smirked, leaning back on the other side.
Severus just sighed and leaned beside Blake as the lift went up. They piled out and Blake opened the door to a huge hotel room which was more of an apartment than a room.
"There should be coffee," Blake muttered and wondered off.
Severus and Dracka looked after him before turning to each other and shared a look.
"Do you think one day," Severus said slowly. "He may just overdose on coffee?"
Dracka barked a laugh and slapped the man's shoulder.
"If anyone can do it," Dracka smirked. "It would be Blake. Death by coffee, I bet the Deathly Hallows wouldn't see that one coming."
xXx
Severus watched as his lover stood on another beach on the third day of working on the lay lines. He just couldn't hold back the question that had been burning in him as he'd watched Blake.
"What does he see?" Severus muttered and Dracka snorted next to him.
"What's that?" Blake asked over his shoulder, the slight glow to his green eyes fading back to normal.
"What do you see?" Severus repeated.
Blake turned around to face him and walked the few steps back to the two men with an easy smile on his face and a glint in his eyes. Dracka groaned at the look and took one step away from Severus.
"Do you want to see?" Blake asked.
Severus felt a spike of fear and uncertainty run down his spine at the words. He glanced at the vampire but he was no help. He straightened up and nodded. Blake gave him a smile and took his hand and stepped back, pulling him away from Dracka. They stood for a second while Blake looked him in the eyes.
"Are you sure?" Blake asked softly.
"Depends," Severus drawled. "Will this involve sex? Because this is a public beach."
Blake barked a laugh and pushed Severus's left sleeve up. He pulled a silver knife from his pocket and held the edge to Severus's skin. The taller man held still but he trusted Blake.
"Ready?" Blake asked.
"Yes," Severus replied.
Blake nicked his skin, just a slight sting on his arm and tucked the blade away. He placed his thumb on the cut, making it sting even more.
"Close your eyes," Blake requested softly.
Severus closed his eyes.
"Okay, just focus on your breathing." Blake intoned. "Just feel the breeze around you, the sounds of the birds, and the ground under your feet. Let the sounds roll over you and just open your mind to everything you can feel and hear and sense."
Severus relaxed as he followed Blake's directions. Slowly he felt the man's magic beside him, brushing against him and he reached out instinctively. Blake grabbed a hold of his magic and gently brushed his own over his skin. Their magic tangling together slightly, similar to when they had sex but not quite the same.
Severus followed the magic but a sharp pain on his arm pulled him back again as Blake's magic surrounded him.
"Don't drift away," Blake purred, he wasn't sure if the man spoke or if it was in his mind and he focused back on him.
He could feel the familiar presence of the man. His magic a comfort around him as they stood there as the birds called loudly and the surf crashed.
"Okay," Blake whispered. "Open your eyes."
Severus did and almost lost his concentration but Blake had him. His magic curled around him and Severus could see that his own magic was swirling with Blake. Everything around him was too bright or too dark as shadows and rainbows took over his vision. It was similar to what he saw after they had sex but more vivid. He could see less of the real world and more of the magic.
"Focus on the earth beneath you," Blake suggested. "Makes it easier to focus. Since it is more stable."
He looked down and could see the solid earth beneath his feet. He could see mists rolling along the surface but the ground was the same. Once he was cantered, he slowly raised his head and looked out at the ocean. Rolling waves lapped at the shore curling with mists both light and dark. He could see things moving out there and tried to look closer.
Pain in his arm drew him back and he glanced over at Blake. The man's magic and green eyes a comfort and he centred on the man's presence. He glanced over his shoulder and flinched back. A dark figure stood behind him with red eyes and a cloak made of darkness draped around his shoulders which flowed to the ground.
"Sh," Blake cooed. "That's Dracka."
Severus focused in on the man and could see him standing there. Calmly wearing the darkness like a second skin as he looked closer but the sharp pain drew him back again. He could understand how this could be so dangerous for someone without a guild as he looked around with wide eyes.
Suddenly something brushed passed him and Blake's hand clamped down hard on his arm and his concentration slipped away completely. Blake gently untangled their magic and Severus blinked his eyes a few times as the world came back into focus. Blake released his arm and slipped the bag off his shoulder and handed up a bandage for the cut.
Severus took it as Dracka moved closer and Severus could still see the slight darkness around the vampire. Severus stared at him with wide eyes.
"Bit of an eye opener?" Dracka asked and Blake snorted.
Dracka took the bandage from Severus's hand and gently wrapped it around his wrist after cleaning the blood off with a cloth.
"Um," Severus stuttered, his eyes still wide.
"I think you broke him, Blake." Dracka muttered to the shorter man.
"He'll be alright," Blake smirked. "He'll be back being snarky in no time."
Severus smacked the man in the shoulder with his other hand as Blake chuckled.
"Is that what you see all the time?" Severus uttered.
"God, no." Blake exclaimed. "I'll go mad if I saw that all the time."
Dracka tied off the bandage and patted the man's shoulder before stepping back.
"Oh!" Blake cried and held his hand out. "Let me show you something else."
Dracka laughed as Severus held out his arm with a sigh. Blake took in his hand gently and wrapped his hand around the spot he'd cut.
"You can see Dracka's dark magic?" Blake asked, looking over at the vampire.
Severus nodded and Dracka leered back at him which sent a shiver down his spine.
"Okay, see the dark magic?" Blake said softly.
Severus felt Blake's power around him again and felt him grab his magic and stretch it out towards the vampire. He touched on the man's magic and Dracka shivered but held his eyes. It felt odd and yet familiar as he touched on it.
"That is dark magic," Blake explained. "Whether you are touching Dracka's magic or someone else's that is the feel of dark magic. When you dip into your core Severus, it will also feel the same. Just remember if you pull on it to make a spell, it can slip from your control more easily than wizard magic. I wouldn't recommend playing around with it until you understand it more."
Severus nodded and allowed Blake to pull him back. The man released his hand and stepped back, he could still feel the man's magic around him, guiding him but it felt different. He turned to look at him and could only see light mists swirling around him. He stepped back from that magic, instinctively.
"It's okay," Blake said quickly. "Just focus on me, okay."
Severus stepped forward and Blake grinned. He gently reached out with his magic and touched on the other man. His magic felt unfamiliar and yet familiar at the same time as he focused on him.
"Light magic," Blake confirmed. "It should feel a little strange to you."
Dracka snorted.
Severus ignored him as he felt the magic, it was sharper than the dark magic. He also had an odd feeling that it didn't like him as he ran his magic over it and Blake shivered but held still.
"Have you got the feeling of it?" Blake whispered.
Severus nodded and Blake's magic changed back to what he was used to. He cocked his head to the side as he looked at him and could see and feel the different strands. Something he hadn't been able to see or feel before, he could also still feel that slight wrongness as well and he frowned. He focused on that and could feel that it felt darker somehow.
"Have you worked out what that is?" Severus asked.
"I'm not completely sure," Blake replied evenly. "I think it may have something to do with the Horcrux that was in both Ry and myself. A residue perhaps."
Dracka shifted and they both looked over at him. Severus went to pull back from the magic but Blake grabbed his wrist.
"Hold on," Blake said quickly. "I want to show you one more thing."
Dracka chuckled and muttered something under his breath.
"Problem vampire?" Blake asked.
Dracka grinned, showing off his fangs in answer. Severus rarely felt fear around the vampire but since he could see the curse around the man and the red eyes. It was a clear reminder of what lay just under the surface of Dracka's skin. The demon of a vampire.
"Ignore the idiot and close your eyes, Severus." Blake stated calmly.
Severus smirked at Dracka before doing as instructed.
"This is going to feel strange."
Suddenly Blake's magic surrounded him completely. He felt himself tangling with the other man's spirit as Blake grabbed a hold of him and his mind seemed to see everything and nothing at the same time. He could feel Blake whispering into his mind and he calmed down and relaxed.
He opened his eyes and felt like he was seeing a ghost town around him. Just shadows of the land, trees, oceans, houses and cars around him. Blake nudged him to the right and he drifted that way 'seeing' dark, light and rainbow colours in the distance. Understanding and yet not understanding what he was seeing.
He moved towards them, feeling something stretching out behind him and knew it was the anchor that Blake had placed. He landed on a street and looked around at the ghost town as people passed them without seeing them. He could see their magical cores shinning in rainbow colours. Every now and again dark or light mists would swirl around him.
He tried to reach out to one of the people but Blake blocked him. He could feel the man's amusement and love around him and he focused on that instead. Blake's amusement increased but Severus frowned when he could also feel slight pain and wariness to the man. He was tired and he could feel an echo of a headache and a phantom pain in his side. He brushed against the man's magic then grabbed it slightly.
Suddenly he was back on the beach and Blake as kneeling on the ground before him, panting.
"Sorry," Severus said quickly as he knelt in front of him, unsure what he'd done.
"All good," Blake muttered as he tried to get his breathing under control.
Severus slipped a pain potion out of his pocket and passed it to him.
"What happened?" Dracka demanded.
Blake pulled himself to his feet instead of answering.
"Severus needs more practice," Blake replied and smiled but Severus could see it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm done for today. We'll finish this lay line tomorrow."
Blake patted Severus on the shoulder and moved up the beach.
"What did he show you?" Dracka asked as the two men followed behind.
"I think he cast our magic out," Severus replied. "You know when he says he senses people out?"
"Yes."
"I think he was trying to show me how to do that but something went wrong."
"What did you do?"
"I'm not sure." Severus said in reply, a frown marring his brow.
xXx
Harry was sprawled out across the bed on his back as he tried to get his headache under control. He hadn't been prepared for Severus to grab a hold of his magic while he was guiding him. The man had been going so well until something within Harry had distracted him and before Harry could direct him away, the man had grabbed a hold of him.
He had to quickly cut off the connection before Severus could do anything else and it had made his head spin. He'd never taught a lover how to do his kind of magic before. Only apprentices and he had always kept a barrier up while doing it but the familiar feeling of Severus's magic mingling with his own had him lowering his barriers instinctively. Working it like they were having sex and not teaching.
He started slightly when Severus sat on the bed next to him and ran a hand over his head.
"Roll over," Severus ordered.
Harry peered up at him, before slowly rolling over and onto his stomach. Severus run his hands under his shirt and up his back and Harry slipped out of it. He groaned as Severus worked his fingers into his shoulders, kneading the tight muscles as he worked slowly down his back.
Harry relaxed into the bed as his headache eased off. Severus worked on the tight muscles in his neck, shoulders and back. He took great care around the bruises still healing on his side as he worked. The man knew how to work each muscle to release the tension and Harry was soon boneless under him as his mind drifted.
"I did something wrong?" Severus questioned.
"No," Harry answered. "Well, yes but no."
Severus snorted.
"I'm glad we cleared that up," Severus drawled.
Harry huffed a laugh then groaned as Severus touched on a knot in his lower back.
"I let my barriers down too far," Harry expanded.
"You felt tired," Severus remarked. "I could feel how tired you were."
Harry didn't know what to say to that as he lay there while Severus worked.
"I could feel you had a headache," Severus continued softly.
"Yes," Harry agreed, letting the other man work through it.
"I shouldn't have been able to feel that?"
"No."
Severus's hands stilled for a second before running over his shoulders.
"I wanted to look closer," Severus said softly.
"Yes," Harry whispered. "You grabbed a hold of me. I broke the connection."
Severus's hand stilled again and silence descended as the taller man saddled his legs.
"And if you hadn't?" Severus inquired
"If I said bad things would have happened, would you let it drop?" Harry asked in amusement.
Severus smacked his shoulder in answer.
"It's fine, Severus." Harry said softly and wiggled until he could look up at the other man "I just wasn't expecting it. Next time I'll be more careful and keep a better barrier up."
Severus looked down at him with soft black eyes. Harry sat up and took the man into a kiss and pulled him down onto the bed as he deepened the kiss.
"Dinner is here!" Dracka yelled and banged on the door loudly.
Harry snorted as he pulled back and Severus looked down at him fondly.
"He has timing at least," Harry smirked.
xXx
Harry sat on the beach looking out at the waves crashing further out, just enjoying the sun on his back. He closed his eyes as the breeze cooled his skin. It was their last day before heading back to the school the next morning and he just let his thoughts drift as seagulls called out loudly.
He had managed to block the direct lay lines to Britain and just had the less direct ones to go. He would make his way back during the Christmas holidays to finish the rest of them. He idlily picked up a stick and wrote a couple of runes on the sand in front of him.
Dracka flopped down next to him with a huff and Harry looked over at him in amusement as the man sprawled out on the sand in the sun.
"How's the tan going?" Harry asked in amusement.
Dracka snorted before the two men looked over to see Severus waiting in line to get food. They waved when he looked over at them and he glared back.
"How are you feeling?" Dracka asked when the silence stretched.
"This has helped," Harry admitted as he rubbed his head. "Always feel better when working with links and connections. Like wards. They are easy to understand."
"Easy for you maybe," Dracka muttered.
Harry grinned over at the vampire in amusement.
"Give me this kind of magic any day." Harry remarked as he watched Severus. "I would rather be doing this than dealing with Dark Lords and battle plans."
Dracka looked over at Severus as well.
"Blake?" Dracka said softly and Harry turned to him. "You have started to teach him."
Harry stilled at the words, knowing the vampire was referring to Severus.
"If you say apprentice," Harry growled. "I will hit you."
Dracka flashed his fangs at him and Harry gave him a smile before his eyes drifted back to Severus.
"I have had apprentices before, Dracka." Harry said softly. "None of them were lovers."
"Really?" Dracka asked in surprise. "That is uncommon."
Harry looked the vampire over as Severus moved towards them with the food.
"And Severus?" Dracka asked.
"I don't know," Harry answered. "He has the talent and power but isn't sensitive to magic. He is young though so that could change."
"Who is young?" Severus asked as he sat down on the sand next to Harry with a plastic bag with sandwiches and bottles of water.
"You are," Dracka replied with a smirk.
Severus glared over at the vampire.
"Compared to you two old men?" Severus sneered.
"Blake's older than me!" Dracka snapped back. "He's ancient!"
Twin dark eyes landed on Harry as he started on his sandwich and he raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"How old are you, Blake?" Dracka asked and Severus snorted.
"I was born on the thirty first of July 1980," Harry replied with a wink. "You do the math."
Severus snorted as Dracka growled.
"So," Harry announced with a leer. "Going off birth dates. I'm the youngest one here."
"Oh, god." Severus moaned. "Don't say that!"
Harry laughed and pushed the man's shoulder as he stretched out his legs.
"So," Harry said with a smirk. "That makes you about twenty years older than me, Severus."
Dracka barked a laugh as Severus glared at Harry.
"So that makes Dracka the old man," Severus drawled.
Dracka leered at the both of them. Harry leaned back on the sand with his hands under his head as he let his thoughts drift as he listened to the birds and the surf and just enjoying the company before they had to head back to the school.
xXx
It was a week before the Christmas holidays and Harry was holding his last class. He had students from every year around him as they stood on the front steps of the school. A few other students had gathered as he'd waited for all his students to arrive. Severus and Dracka were watching him and even Albus and Minerva had come out to watch.
"Okay everyone," Harry called to his class. "If everyone could move down to the front lawn and we'll get started. Everyone else take a seat on the front steps."
Harry moved down to the lawn with the rest of his class and pulled his dark wand and a few students shifted when they saw it.
"What?" Harry asked. "Why do you lot always do that?"
No one answered him and he let it drop. With a whispered spell a large griffin appeared in front of him and swung its head around as it turned towards the class. Students gasped and stepped back.
"Today," Harry called. "We'll be working on conjuring animals. These can come in handy as a distraction in a fight or as an amusement at children's birthday parties."
A couple of students giggled as the griffin stretched its wings wide.
"The biggest problem with conjured animals is the fact that you have to order it to do everything you want." Harry instructed.
Harry dismissed the griffin and it disappeared. Suddenly another griffin flew over their heads and Harry looked up in amusement.
"Unless you add dark or light magic to it," Harry remarked as the griffin dipped and dived in the air. "As the Headmaster has demonstrated with his light magic."
The students gasped as the griffin winged around before landing in front of the students and Harry. It was in perfect detail as its sharp gold eyes looked the class over in interest.
"Now the spell is Partum," Harry called, drawing the attention of the class back. "You have to have a clear idea in your head of the animal you want to conjure."
A black cat prowled along the grass and Harry looked up to see Minerva smirking at him.
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall." Harry called as the cat wound through the kids and they giggled. "As I was saying you have to have a clear idea in your head of what the animal should look like when you cast the spell."
A few squeaked when a large green snake appeared on the ground and made its way towards the cat which hissed at it. He was sure that Severus was responsible for the animal as the cat took off with the snake behind it. Then there was a small white rabbit skipping around.
"Oi!" Harry shouted over to the other teachers as the students giggled. "I'm trying to run a class here!"
"Problem, Mr Sun?" Severus drawled.
"Just interfering teachers," Harry muttered and a couple of his students laughed. "Now, it's easier to conjure an animal you know well. Like a pet or an animal that you have studied."
A hawk appeared in the air as Madam Hooch grinned and the griffin took to the air to chase the bird. The students gasped as the two animals twisted in the air.
"Okay everyone," Harry called. "The spell. Partum and flick of your wand with a clear idea in your head of the animal."
Harry flicked his wand as he voiced the spell. A large black dog appeared in front of him and it ran off after the rabbit which took off at speed. Another gold coloured dog appeared and crashed into his dog and Harry grinned over at the seventh-year student who'd cast it.
Very soon the lawn was filled with all sorts of animals. Harry moved from student to student as laughter filled the air and Harry looked around in amusement. Once everyone had the spell going, he moved back towards Severus and stood next to him as they watched the students and animals.
Albus looked over at him with a twinkle in his eyes as they looked around. One of the students had conjured a very good giraffe which was swinging its head around and watching the owl flying around its head. Albus's griffin wasn't alone and someone else had conjured a good example of it and they twisted around each other.
"Looks a bit like all the animals escaped from a zoo," Harry remarked in amusement as two dogs danced around each other.
"You are good at turning this school into a zoo," Severus muttered.
Harry grinned over at him before turning back to the giggling students. With a flick of his dark wand he had an elephant stomping off across the grounds. Severus grinned and a large tiger appeared snapping at the elephant's heels and Harry grinned. The elephant swung its trunk around and battered the tiger away to the student's giggles.
"Bully," Severus muttered.
"Ha!"
xXx
"Blake?"
Harry looked up to see Dracka in his doorway with Bradon by his side.
"Hey, come on in." Harry greeted with a smile. "How are you Bradon?"
"Well," The vampire replied.
"Fantastic," Harry said with a grin, as he looked the two men over. "Look after Mr Dracka for me. I still have a need for him."
Bradon flashed his fangs at him in answer as Dracka growled. Harry just sat back in his seat.
"Will you be okay?" Dracka asked as he moved into the room with Bradon as a silent shadow behind him.
"Sure," Harry answered. "Severus will be busy here, making potions for St Mungo's and I will have strike team three with me. Couldn't be safer."
Harry was heading out to finish off the lay lines while Dracka went back to his Coven and Severus would be safe behind the wards of Hogwarts. Harry was hoping to be back in time for Christmas and was a little sad that he wouldn't be seeing Ry this year for Christmas due to him being in the program.
"We are planning on going to France to look at the Border spell after that," Harry reported as he took a sip of coffee. "I can come to your Coven and look at it there, if you want? Your Coven isn't far from the Border. I would have the strike team with me though."
"We won't mind," Bradon added. "We could do with the practise."
Harry barked a laugh.
"I'll run it past them," Harry replied in amusement. "And let you know."
xXx
Severus watched Blake with dark eyes as he sat on the top step of the school. He'd been there a while now and Severus was sure that he was doing something with the wards. He turned slightly as Albus came to stand beside him. They both looked at Blake.
"Is he working on the wards?" Severus asked, turning to the Headmaster.
"Yes," Albus agreed. "I'm not sure what he's doing but yes."
"Does he do that a lot?"
"Every now and again. I don't think he can hold himself back really. He sees a ward or something that isn't right and he has to fiddle with it."
Severus turned his eyes back to Blake until four people moving onto the grounds from the front gate caught his attention.
"That would be Sergeant Miller and his team," Severus assumed as he watched the team of four.
Severus wasn't happy about being left behind but St Mungo's had sent him an urgent plea for potions, which he couldn't ignore. He knew his lover would be safe with Miller and his team which had helped ease the concern he felt as he watched them getting closer. Blake looked up suddenly and pulled himself to his feet and moved out to greet the team.
"He'll be okay," Albus offered from beside him.
Severus smirked as one of the men swung his arm around Blake's shoulders, making the man stumble. Blake flicked out his cane, hitting the man in the leg and Severus could hear the laughter and yelp from where he stood.
"It's not Blake I'm concerned about."
xXx
Harry sighed as he pulled back from the last lay line and felt his head pound as he let the magic go. He stumbled slightly and Robbie quickly grabbed his arm.
"Right there, Blake?" Robbie asked in concern.
Harry shook his head, that last lay line had been the thickest and trickiest line to fix up and he'd left it as the last one for a reason. His head swum from holding the power and he could feel himself coming down from the high of holding so much power but he felt that something was wrong.
"Whoa," Robbie yelped as Harry's legs gave out. "Bob!"
Harry felt the other man get under his arm and he wasn't sure if he was going to pass out or throw up. He had pushed himself too far and too long and something just felt wrong.
"Blake?" Miller said softly. "Right there?"
"Going to throw up," Harry muttered and Miller helped him to his knees.
Harry threw up everything he'd eaten as Miller knelt next to him. His head was spinning and he could still see the magic around him. Miller's magic brushed against him and he threw up again.
"We'll set up camp here," Miller ordered as Robbie placed a bottle of water next to Harry.
"Yes, sir."
Harry rested a hand on the ground as he tried to pull back from the magic. He'd used too much of his energy to block the lay line as mists rolled over his hand. He threw up until it was only bile as his head swum as darkness crept into his vision. Those mists pushing at him, dragging him down.
"Blake?" Miller asked softly.
Harry tried to say something but the world was sliding away from him as he fell into the darkness.
xXx
"Robbie," Miller called over to the younger man. "Give me a hand."
Robbie moved over in concern when he realised that Blake was out cold.
"Did he pass out?" Robbie asked as he got under the man's other side.
Blake was limp between them.
"I think he pushed too far," Miller guessed as they moved him towards the camp they were setting up.
"Should we call Severus?" Robbie asked as he laid a hand to Blake's forehead. "He's hot."
"We'll give him time to rest," Miller ordered. "That was the last lay line anyway."
"What about the vampire then?" Robbie suggested. "We were going to head there next?"
They moved Blake into the tent that Sarah and David had already put up and placed him down on the camp bed. The man looked pale and Miller quickly conjured up a bucket and placed it on the floor next to the camp bed. He laid his hand on the man's forehead to feel the heat. He could already see the sweat on his brow as David moved over with his wand out.
"Call the vampire," Miller ordered. "Give him the heads up."
"Yes, sir." Robbie answered and pulled out his phone.
"Dracka," The man answered smoothly.
"Mr Dracka," Robbie said into the phone. "It's Robbie Milton from the Depart-"
"Is Blake okay?" Dracka cut in.
"He had a problem with the last lay line," Robbie explained. "He's out cold."
A string of swearing answered him.
"Miller wanted me to call you and give you the heads up," Robbie explained, when there was a break in the swearing. "We are headed your way as soon as Blake is able."
"The bloody idiot," Dracka cursed. "How long has he been out?"
"Not long," Robbie replied. "He doesn't look good."
"Have you called Severus?"
"No, should we?"
"Unless you want him to find out another way, call him."
"I'll pass that on to Sergeant Miller," Robbie commented. "We still have our orders to come to you, Mr Dracka."
"Not until Blake is able to," Dracka snapped. "Call me when he wakes up."
"Will do," Robbie replied. "Good afternoon, Mr Dracka."
"Thank you for calling," Dracka said before hanging up.
"He wants us to call Severus," Robbie reported to Miller.
David was beside Blake and running his wand over him. He was their medic so was magically trained. He had a frown on his face as he looked down at Blake.
"I'm not sure what is wrong." David remarked, as he ran the wand over him. "His magic levels are a little down but nothing to be concerned about. He has a fever but I'm not sure why."
"Robbie," Miller ordered. "Go to Hogwarts and talk to Severus."
"Yes, sir."
Robbie stepped out of the tent and apparated to the front gates of the school, not looking forward to facing the ex-death eater.
xXx
Harry woke slowly with the bed rocking under him as someone ran their hand over his head and he wasn't sure if he was going to be sick again. He felt too hot and he wondered what was going on. He leaned over the bed and grabbed the bucket and threw up, only bringing up bile as he spat into the bucket as a hand rubbed his back.
"What did you do this time?"
Harry started as Severus's voice but didn't have the energy as he curled back up on his side.
"Blake?"
A hand ran up and down his back as he focused on his breathing. His body limp and heavy, he blinked his eyes open but closed them again when all he could see were mists. He felt Severus magic brush his back and he shivered as he floated for a while.
xXx
Severus looked down at Blake in concern. He knew the man was awake but he was completely limp and unresponsive which was very unlike him.
"How is he?" Miller asked as he moved into the tent.
"He's awake," Severus said softly.
Miller frowned as he moved closer and placed his hand on the man's forehead. Blake didn't react which concerned Severus.
"Are you sure?" Miller inquired with a frown.
"Yes," Severus replied shortly. "He is awake."
"I'll get David," Miller said before leaving.
Severus moved around in front of Blake and laid a hand on his too hot forehead as he held the link between them gently.
"Blake?" Severus asked quietly.
Blake flicked his eyes open, then shut them quickly.
"Can't pull back," Blake slurred.
"Sh," Severus crooned quietly as he rubbed a hand over his head. "Just relax."
Severus picked up the man's hand as David entered the tent and kneeled down next to Severus and pulled his wand.
"Blake can you hear us?" David questioned as he ran the wand over him.
Blake nodded slightly.
"Can you open your eyes?"
"No," Blake whispered.
"You're running a fever," David told him.
"K," Blake uttered and Severus snorted.
"Why can't you open your eyes, Blake?" Severus asked softly.
"Seeing magic," Blake muttered. "Too much."
"Okay, Blake." Severus stated softly. "I'm going to give you a potion to help with the fever and a sleeping potion."
"K," Blake agreed.
"David can you help him?" Severus requested as he pulled out his potion's pouch and selected the potions he needed.
David helped raise Blake's limp form and Severus quickly gave him the potions. Blake's eyes flicked open briefly, until the potions worked into his system and he was out. Severus grabbed the man's hand as David covered him up with the blanket.
"What did he mean?" David asked.
Severus looked up at the other man. He was a dark-skinned man with an easy smile and dark eyes and hair. He stood a few inches shorter than him and had power in his body. A man in his prime with short hair and the air of the military in his stance and eyes.
"He's having problems pulling back from seeing the magic," Severus answered. "He probably pushed himself too far. He should be fine once he wakes up again. Just have coffee waiting for him."
Severus gave the other man a smirk before getting to his feet and rubbing a hand over Blake's short hair.
"You speak his language," Miller joked as he moved closer.
"I wouldn't say that," Severus commented with a smile. "I believe that you would need a degree to speak his language and I think he even gets lost in what he's saying."
Miller and David barked a laugh.