Chapter 10
Alex now spent every night in Sev's bed. It was never discussed; it just happened that way. They had slept together every night ever since the Christmas holidays.
Severus had been called by Voldemort the night before and as always Alex went with him. The maniac rarely called the teen because he was still in Hogwarts and Voldemort didn't want Dumbledore to know that he had marked students.
Alex, as always, had listened in on Voldemort's thoughts curtsey of their connection and, as usual, had been disgusted by the thoughts that went through the dark wizard's mind. He was still intent on having Alex as his consort and had now moved up to decided flirtation and 'accidental' touching. Alex had to shower and get Severus to make love to him after every meeting to try and get the monster's words and touch out of his mind, not that Severus minded that much. He was eager to enforce their bond after each meeting as well; he didn't like watching his lover being surreptitiously groped by a man thirty years older than them.
Afterwards Alex and Severus reported to Dumbledore, informing him of any new developments. Occasionally Henry Potter was there. Alex was always happy to see the man; Albus didn't allow them to go to Order Meetings on the grounds that they were too young so he rarely saw his grandparents although Melissa Potter wrote to Alex as often as she could. She kept her thoughts and feeling on their ancestry to herself, if wouldn't change anything and would most likely upset her son. She just hoped that James would grow up soon, he seemed to be doing so with the help of Lily Evans but she couldn't wait to see the man her son would be. Although from the sadness in Alex's eyes at least she would not see her grandson grow up and if her feelings were correct then neither would Alex's parents. Melissa's heart bled tears of sorrow when she considered her only grandchild all alone in the world. Only the thought that he was so close to Severus Snape reconciled her. 'I don't think the age difference will bother them.' She thought fondly when thinking back on a scene that her and her husband had interrupted during Christmas Break.
Alex and Severus had been duelling in practice. Severus had failed to block one of Alex's hexes and was blown across the room as a result. Alex had immediately rushed over and healed him with no permanent damages but the emotion was palpable. Alex had held the unconscious boy in his arms until he awoke and then kissed him breathless. That was when she and Henry had walked in after watching through the door. "After seeing that I'm sure those two are still holding back a little on me." Henry had joked to her that night. He was no longer young but still a powerful wizard in his own right but the two Slytherin's far outclassed him.
Ten months had passed since Alex had arrived in the past. 'Ten glorious months.' Alex thought sadly. 'I could be happy in this time but I have to go back. If only because of Voldemort. I can't leave him to my friends. But if I killed him in this time so many people would live…No. I have to go back. I have to.'
Alex had sat his NEWT's with the rest of the seventh year. He was confident that he had passed. After all, his mother was remarkably similar to Hermione and Sev and Remus also liked to study even if Alex didn't, which wasn't the case.
The Potions NEWT hadn't been as hard as Alex had imagined. When he told his lover Sev had just smirked at him and said something about Alex having a good teacher. Alex had just snorted and kissed the boy to shut him up, his favourite method.
As expected the Defence Against the Dark Arts NEWT was a walk in the park. Alex had been studying Defence more than any other subject since he entered the wizarding world. Defence had kept him alive and he was incredibly good at it.
Charms, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Herbology, Astronomy, Healing, Spell Weaving and Duelling were quite easy too, thanks to the constant studying they had been doing for months.
As with his Charms OWL the examiner had heard of his pantronous from Professor Flitwick and asked him to perform it for an extra mark. Alex complied and the examiner had exclaimed at the sheer strength of it, not to mention the fact that there were three. In fact when Alex had looked closely at the man he thought that it was a younger version of the examiner that marked his Charms OWL practical in his third year. 'What a small world.' He thought with amusement as he shook hands with the man.
Thankfully the exams were over and Severus and Alex had time to themselves again, separated by times when they met up with Lily and Remus of course but Remus couldn't get away very often anymore since he couldn't use the excuse of studying to scare James and Sirius off.
It was two weeks before graduation when Alex told Severus that he only had a few days left. He had calculated how long the boomslang skin would last a while ago and at best he had five days to go. Alex had been putting off telling his lover for as long as possible. If Severus didn't know then he wouldn't act differently and their last days together would be perfect, not bittersweet. But it was unfair not to tell him, Alex relented. He couldn't keep such a secret from his soulmate.
Saturday morning, as they were lying in bed languidly, Alex whispered his terrible secret into his mate's neck. But Severus heard.
"What?" He asked.
"I have to leave soon. By my calculations I only have a maximum of five days left."
Severus was devastated. 'Five days at most?' "We will have to make the most of our remaining time then." He said in an attempt to be cheerful. Alex saw his lover's sadness and kissed him gently.
They got up and quickly showered, separately, because the other Slytherin's were there. Alex left their room and dressed first. He waited for his lover in the Common Room. It was still early on Saturday morning so there was only three other people there. Two were third years; Alex didn't know who they were. The other was Lucius Malfoy. The older blond boy stared at Alex from across the room. Using his skill in Legitimacy Alex reached out and gently prodded the teens mind; unlike the adult version, this Malfoy's mind was an open book. It appeared that the teen was still lusting after him if the thoughts running through his mind were any indication. 'He found my threats arousing? Eww that's disgusting!' Alex thought with a mental shake.
When Severus came out of the dorm Alex went over to him. Just as they were leaving Severus, without turning around, shot a hex at Malfoy leaving him in an awkward predicament. He had heard Alex's thoughts, listened in on a few of Malfoy's thoughts and decided that he needed to teach the fellow Death Eater a lesson. No one touched what was his.
As it was a Saturday they went down to the kitchens and asked the house-elves if they could prepare them a picnic. The house-elves were more than happy to oblige and the two teens left laden down with enough food to last through a siege. They sat down under a large willow tree close to the lake. Severus sat with his back to the tree and Alex sat down next to him. The picnic basket was left beside them for a while; they had some talking to do.
Alex kissed Severus softly and whispered to him, "I will always love you, Severus. No matter what. Please remember that."
Severus frowned at that. Alex kept saying things like that. It made him wonder if they got on in the future. Who was he in the future? He knew that he would become the Potions Master and replace Slughorn and that he was a spy but what else? Did he have friends? What were his hobbies? Does he ever finish reading Salazar Slytherin's Biography, he thought that it was absolute rubbish, his family had Slytherin's real one and it told a completely different story but he was interesting in seeing just what history got wrong, how things became perverted over the course of time by telling and re-telling stories.
They talked and ate for while. Alex snuggled up to Severus comfortably as there was no one around to see them. Although their relationship was not a secret, homosexual relationships were accepted in the wizarding world; they were both very private people and did not want to broadcast it.
"I don't want to loose you." Severus whispered into Alex's unruly hair.
"When I go back, whilst it will only feel like minutes to me, it will actually be years. I will understand if you don't want me anymore. After all, you have always acted like you hated me." Alex confessed sadly.
'So, it's true. We don't get along in the future.' "Do you hate me in the future?" He asked curiously.
"No. I never hated you. Disliked you intensely, yes. But never hated," Alex said passionately, "There are only two people I really hate in this world and you are not one of them. You are harsh and I never really understood you, but then again I never took the time to either."
"I would wait fifty years if that was what it took for us to be together again." Severus said before kissing his mate. He had never considered himself to be a romantic person, he found it quite sickening to be honest but something about Alex made him want to tell him just how much he meant to him.
"Don't worry. It won't be quite that long." Alex quipped with a cheeky grin as they broke apart.
"That's good to know. I wouldn't want to be an old man while you are still a teenager." Severus teased. "I'd be accused of paedophilia."
Alex just laughed at him and kissed him soundly.
When they went inside for dinner Severus was highly amused to find Malfoy curiously absent from the Great Hall.
Alex sensed his lover's amusement. After searching the teen's mind for the reason he asked through the bond, 'Sev, what did you do to him?'
'Nothing he didn't deserve.' was the cryptic response.
Alex sent back his curiosity and when he got his reply he burst out laughing, much to the shock of the third year girl sat next to him. Severus had hit Lucius Malfoy with an aphrodisiac hex. It made the recipient aroused beyond imagination for twenty–four hours no matter how many times they reached orgasm. Another side to the hex was a hormone repellent; any one attracted to Lucius Malfoy or who he found attractive would be repulsed by him for the next twenty-four hours as well. That meant that the ice Prince of Slytherin was currently aroused without any hope of release.
Alex just couldn't stop laughing, he tried biting his hand but it didn't work. People from all houses were beginning to stare.
James Potter shouted meanly over from Gryffindor table, "Something funny, Frost?" The relationship between Alex and James had never really changed but, thanks to Lily, James left the two Slytherins alone more.
Alex had just shaken his head and continued to snigger all night. His amusement was made worse when they returned to the Slytherin Common Room and found out that Malfoy had refused to leave his room all day and strange noises and threats had been heard through the door for hours. Both teens had managed to keep in their hysterics until they reached their room whereupon they collapsed onto the bed in peals of laughter.
Three days later Alex awoke in Severus' arms and could feel that this was his last day. He gently woke his partner and went for a shower. Severus sleepily watched him leave. He felt a wave of sadness and resignation coming from his mate. The boy quickly guessed the reason and got out of bed to join his lover in the shower where they made love for the last time.
They had spent the last two days planning the future together. Severus had agreed to buy a house for them when he graduated and keep it until Alex returned to him where they would move in. Together they had picked out the furnishings, colours and even the books in the library. All the rooms were planned and designed. Luckily their tastes coincided at every point so there were no arguments and they had really enjoyed themselves. It took their minds off Alex's impending departure at least.
Whenever Severus thought about it his heart froze. Alex had only been in his life for ten moths and already he couldn't imagine life without him. What would he do without the shorter boy's bubbly personality and great sense of humour? How many years would he have to wait? There was no question in his mind about the waiting it was just a matter of how long, they were soul mates. He had never before met anyone, apart from Lily, who was most definitely a sister to him, who could deal with his moods and who would put up with him no matter how many time he insulted them. Alex just insulted him back or kept quite if Severus was trying to work.
Alex's feelings were the same. Whenever he thought about leaving his heart clenched painfully. He knew that Severus was there in his time but was the man waiting for him as the teen so passionately promised he would be? Had he found someone else? Would things change when Severus knew that he was Harry Potter?
After classes Alex and Severus met Lily and Remus in the Room of Requirement so that they could say goodbye.
He said goodbye to Remus first, "Goodbye Remmy. I think that you will realise just who I am before anyone else. It's that gift of yours. I look forward to seeing you again." Alex had gotten very close to the Marauder during his time in 1977-8. He still didn't do anything when James and Sirius were pranking others but was working up the courage to tell them that what they were doing was wrong sometimes. "Don't forget that your friends will still be your friends even if you tell them that they're wrong. It's what real friends do."
Remus just smiled softly and nodded minutely. It was just difficult to speak up. He felt like he was betraying his pack if he didn't agree with them all the time. Alex was helping to change his mind, however.
Next was Lily, "Meeting you and becoming your friend is more than I have ever dreamed of. Goodbye, Lily," he said with tears in his eyes as he hugged her.
Lily frowned slightly at his words but hugged him tightly as she said her goodbye, "I am very grateful to have met you, Alex. You convinced me to give James a chance and have made Severus happier than I have ever seen him."
Alex just hugged her tighter. He didn't want to let go. It felt so right being there, surrounded by his mother's love, he could smell lilies, her perfume. It was familiar to him, a faint remnant from his all too brief childhood.
Finally he let his mother go and turned to his lover, "I will probably re-appear in the same place I disappeared from as that is where I appeared…I would hope to see you there."
Severus nodded, 'Of course, love.'
Alex sighed and walked to the door. An arm stopped him from opening it. It was Severus. He kissed him desperately, ignoring the others in the room. 'Will you bond with me?' He asked mentally. I know we are soul bound but I want to make it official.'
'Ask me again when I come back.' His lover replied.
Severus smiled faintly in understanding and removed his arm from the door, "Goodbye."
Alex felt tears fill his eyes, "Goodbye," he whispered his voice cracking on the last syllable.
Alex left and made his way up to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore had asked him to come to his office when it was time for him to leave in order to make sure that nothing went wrong.
Alex fought against the urge to run back into Severus' arms all the way up to his office. It would be so easy, just turn back and never go back. He could do it. No one would ever know. He could kill Voldemort before he killed anyone else. Before he killed his family. 'No. I can't' Harry's conscious reminded him once again.
Steeling himself, he said the password and ascended the stone staircase as slowly as humanly possible trying to forestall the inevitable. As soon as he opened the door Fawkes flew over to him and trilled at him. Harry smiled sadly at the phoenix, "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Fawkes."
"Are you ready, Mr Frost?" Dumbledore asked him.
"Yes sir. I'm ready." He replied. Fawkes gave him one last head butt, his sign of affection, and then flew back to his perch.
"Very well. Let us go to the dungeons then." He replied kindly. Dumbledore glanced at the boy. He had never before encountered someone so powerful so young, the only one that came close was Tom Riddle before he became Voldemort. 'He would be a great asset in the war.' He regretted.
They walked sedately down the stairs and round the labyrinth-like corridors of the dungeons, Alex's home for the past ten moths. The dungeons had become as familiar to him as Gryffindor Tower. He was loathe to leave them. Hogwarts was his home, any part of Hogwarts. They walked until they reached the Potions classroom. Alex went in and Dumbledore followed him, as he closed the door he caught sight of dark hair and smiled faintly, a bittersweet smile. Severus was watching from the sidelines, as he did so very often. The separation would be hard on Severus he knew but Alex had to go back to his own time.
Five minutes passed in tension filled silence and then Alex felt a tingling feeling all over his body. It quickly became a burning. A flash of white light filled the room and when it disappeared the young teen was gone.
Albus Dumbledore muttered, "Goodbye, Alex," to the left over trace of magic and exited the now empty classroom. He nodded his head in greeting and acknowledgement to Severus as he passed. Severus bowed his head and made his way back to his dorm where he barricaded himself in his room for the rest of the day. He eventually emerged the next morning, with huge bags under his eyes; he hadn't slept a wink all night. Alex's presence was missed immediately. At breakfast a few of the braver Slytherin's asked him where his lover was. He just answered that he had returned to his own time. That night Voldemort called Severus and asked the same question. Severus held his Occlumency shields tightly as he answered that Alex had returned to his own time and that he had no idea when that was, other than the past. Voldemort had cursed him repeatedly for that. The Dark wizard was mad, no … he was livid. His consort had been taken away from him. For the next month he cursed anyone who came near him and hexed Severus every time he saw him for six months after although the teen rapidly made his way up the Death Eater ranks. Voldemort had no reason to doubt his loyalty.
After a meeting of being placed under the Cruciatus curse four times in the course of five hours Severus managed to drag up the energy to apparate back to Hogwarts. 'Please come back to me Alex. I can't do this alone.' Was a common thought when he was at a low. Over time, he thought it less and less, although the feeling didn't leave, he still longed for his lover. He had taken no other. He wanted no other but Alex. Severus withdrew from the world after taking his Potions Mastery. Albus offered him the Potions position and he accepted, he knew that was where he would meet his mate again and it would help his spying. As the years passed Severus felt his heart grow colder until one point, twenty years in the future when a boy with messy black hair and bright green eyes disappeared in a flash of white light after a Potion exploded.