Chapter 45.
/
Hermione bottled the Blood Breaking potion in the special golden vials that Harry had bought for the occasion along with the golden cauldron, while everyone looked on in silence. Rasmus' heart was beating loudly in his chest. It was finally done. The curse of the Galanos line, that heinous connection their blood shared with the epitome of all that was twisted, unnatural and evil would be severed once and for all. He had no doubt about that.
What was on the line now, was whether he'd survive to taste the freedom. And no matter how much he wanted to deny it, Rasmus feared death. He didn't want to die.
"Listen, maybe we should tell your uncle," Harry said gently. "Maybe-"
"No!" Rasmus snapped. "He'll either destroy the potion or take it himself. I don't want to do that. This is MY redemption, Potter. So you'd better not botch it, or you really will know what it is to have a Snape as an enemy. I mean it in every sense of the word," he sneered at Harry with a glare so scathing, that for a moment Harry's spine tingled with the same reaction as when Severus had turned that very same look upon him.
"All right, Rasmus, all right," Harry mumbled, though he really wasn't sure about it. How much would have gone easier, more lives saved if Dumbledore hadn't kept things from him?
"Well we won't stand by and just let you take the risk without doing anything," Hermione said in a huff. "We'll be here to help you- try to save you if it goes wrong."
"Yeah, that's the only decent thing to do," Ron fidgeted uncomfortably as he was taking down the wards.
Rasmus said nothing to that. He just took the golden vial and put it in his pocket, then swishing his wand he made everything else disappear.
"When will you do it?" Harry asked. "So we'll be here."
Rasmus fidgeted. Why didn't he do it right now? There was nothing stopping him. But he couldn't bring himself to open the vial and down the potion just yet. He wasn't ready to risk a horrible, painful death.
"I'll… I'll need tonight. So tomorrow, after breakfast sounds good. Thank you for your help; good night."
He hurried off, dark robes billowing around him, shoulders locked in tension as Harry and his friends looked on in anguish.
"Harry… this magic we've performed is uncharted territory."
"I know," Harry said, only looking away when Rasmus wasn't within sight anymore. Hermione wrung her hands.
"I mean, we don't know what it will do to you either, when he takes the potion. You're the one that has cast the link of protection. Whatever might hurt Rasmus, it'll go through you first."
Ron frowned "what!? And you just tell us that now? The little Snape's using him as a shield!"
"I knew that Ron. I did study for this myself, this time… it's all right. I want to take the risk. He's risking his life to defeat a Prime Wizard like Osiris, keep him from ever returning. The least I can do is help shield him from some of the brunt." Harry's eyes were deep and thoughtful as he spoke. He put his hands in his pockets.
"But Harry- haven't you done enough already? Haven't you saved enough of the world already?" Ron said with chagrin.
"Not yet," Harry said, mostly to himself. "I've yet to step up for someone I never did before."
/
Nikos transfigured the silver box with the Key of Wind into a locket and clipped it around his neck, tucking it under his clothes. It felt heavy, not because itself was so heavy, but because he knew that the time he had for Rasmus, for himself, was over. There was no telling if he'd survive this- in fact, his charts showed that he probably wouldn't, since going up against Isis and Osiris was like going up against an entire army of regular wizards, without even counting their special Cult flanking them.
It would all hinge on drawing them to Greece with the Key of Wind, and robbing them of their chance for absolute power by destroying the Omphalos, the part that connected the four Elemental Keys together for the superweapon that elevated any wizard to virtually godlike status.
And it would have to be done while they were attacking, so the greek wizards with the pythagorians at the helm would take advantage of the shockwave to defeat them, and send them to hell where it was long overdue for them to end up.
And then, Rasmus would have the chance to live free of the Galanos curse, and free of the strife he had to grow up experiencing.
Nikos felt he'd be able to meet with Aello in the great beyond in peace if he could tell her he had managed that.
He smiled to himself.
"What are you smiling about, you insufferable man? Are you even aware what my son has been doing while you were off chatting with stupid portraits!?" Severus' voice thundered, shaking Nikos from his reverie. Nikos smirked.
"Are you talking about yourself?" he purposefully let his eyes slide around the frame around the painting the potions master had taken possession of to yell at him.
Snape glowered, but he had more urgent business than trading comebacks with the Auguror.
"Rasmus has been up to something with his theory about blood bond breaking and Allurement, Galanos. I couldn't surmise what it was, but it involved Potter, and Potter is always trouble. Especially when he is avoiding me, and he has been avoiding me meticulously all day today."
Nikos frowned.
"I'll talk to him, Severus. And I'll ask Minerva and Erna to keep an eye on him."
Severus lingered, scowling accusingly.
"You're going back to Greece by yourself."
"It's time. With the Key of Wind, we can lure them from here, and back to the Omphalos." Nikos agreed. "It will end, Severus. We're almost there, finally."
Snape's expression was unreadable as he clenched and unclenched his fist.
"The boy will be devastated if you die, Galanos. You are all he has left, unfortunately."
"I'll try not to die, thanks," Nikos chuckled. "I'm going to talk to him, then I'll be on my way. It was nice seeing you again, Severus, even if it was in oil, and not in the flesh," he winked as he made his way out of the room, and Snape looked on with the same unreadable expression. Then he was quickly gone from that frame, in search of the one bane of his existence, that even beyond the grave remained so terribly important.
/
Rasmus walked to the entrance of the Slytherin dorm, to find Nikos waiting for him there, hands in his pockets and with that calm smile he always had, even if there was trouble, even if there was chaos churning around him. It had helped Rasmus feel like he had his very own anchor through a life so full of tempests and uncertaintly and tragedy, and somehow looking upon him right now- he couldn't help it.
He ran to him and hugged him tightly. Nikos returned the hug with a chuckle.
"Hey… what's the matter?" he patted his back with affection, ignoring the incredulous looks other Slytherins were giving Rasmus for this scandalous display of emotion.
"Nothing. I just really missed you," Rasmus said, then stepped back. "How is that casualty doing, in the infirmary?"
"Still critical, but I've a feeling he'll make it," Nikos said, walking with Rasmus towards the nearest window, then perching on its sill with him. Rasmus nodded.
"That's nice to hear. You wanted to talk to me, right? About my work."
"Yes." Nikos looked at Rasmus seriously. "I've been slightly afraid to tell you this, because I don't want you to take it as a green light to go ahead and do it- but your work is brilliant, Rasmus. That research is some of the most innovative projects I've ever laid eyes on, and with a mother and father like yours, I've seen a ton."
Rasmus couldn't help chuckling a little, his eyes warming with delight at the words of praise.
"Thanks," he said, feeling also a bit more strength for what he was about to do- if his uncle was so enthusiastic, then the potion would most likely work. He'd survive this. "I've learned from the best."
"I want you to promise me that you won't do this, Rasmus. You don't need to. There have been the developments we were hoping for, and we'll defeat Osiris and Isis without need for this," Nikos said earnestly, putting a hand on Rasmus' shoulder. Rasmus frowned.
"What sort of developments?" Then he remembered Adeline's gloating. "You found the Key of Wind?"
Nikos nodded. "Yes. And it's perfect, Rasmus. Together with the Key of Fire, we'll manage to destroy the Omphalos, and Isis won't be able to withstand us at Delphi."
Rasmus' heart fluttered.
"When are we leaving?"
"You are staying here," Nikos asserted, and cut off Rasmus just as he was about to protest "you know the best traps are set when there's decoy strategically placed. You need to stay here, so that Isis won't realize until too late that I am in Greece, destroying the weapon she's trying to piece together."
Rasmus scowled even more, looking like he was about to argue, so Nikos lied:
"I've cast the chart, Rasmus, and if you don't stay here, the fight will be lost. Stay here, stay in Hogwarts. Do the right thing to help us win this war once and for all."
Rasmus raised his eyes then, with a new light of determination, as if Nikos' words had, unknowingly to the Auguror, cemented a decision in the boy's heart.
"All right. That's what I'll do, Uncle."
"And you won't continue your research anymore. No using this either," Nikos asserted, smiling in approval, even though there was guilt weighing down his heart a little- he hadn't lied to Rasmus before. But it was for his own good.
"I won't," Rasmus smiled, though his heart lurched. It didn't feel nice lying to his uncle. But it had to be done. It was for the good of the war.
I see now, that my purpose is to give you the leverage you need from afar.
I am ready.
/
See children, lying is bad for you. Heh heh heh.
Three chapters to go.