Also, it would appear that I am an idiot and that the DSL does work. Ends up I had a crossed wire or something like that and a lovely technician came and fixed it for me. Yay DSL people!
-
-
Chapter 52Tallis pushed back against Bill's large frame, grinding his arse against the lovely hardness he had discovered a few moments ago. He pushed back again, this time lining himself up perfectly with his lover's rapidly thickening cock.
Bill moaned softly in his semi-awake state, shooting to full awareness when Tallis ground against him again. He put a large, work roughened hand on Tallis' slim hips, pulling him in harder for a moment before stopping him completely as reality caught up to him fully. "Draco's here," he said softly.
"What the hell is Draco doing in our room?" Tallis demanded, immediately losing all desire in his confusion and indignation.
Draco's sleep tosseled head peeked up from the back of the sofa. "There aren't enough rooms open for us to all have our own room."
Tallis looked around himself in confusion. "What are we doing at the Manor?" he asked, getting more anxious as he realized that he had no idea what was going on. "Why are we sleeping in Mione's room?"
Bill sat silently for a moment, deciding how best to approach this. "Do you remember anything about Halloween Tallis?" he finally asked slowly.
Tallis didn't speak for a moment, trying to remember the evening. "We all went to the feast," he said slowly. "Nothing much happened. Wait, the lights went out, didn't they?" Draco and Bill nodded, leaving Tallis to move at his own pace as he put the evening back together. "Voldemort was there, but he wasn't there." He paled so suddenly that Bill held his arm out to grab his small frame, certain that he was going to faint. "He killed my dad. He's dead," he whispered, beginning to hyperventilate. "He left me."
"No, no," Bill rushed to assure him. "Do you remember right after that? Do you remember deciding to heal him?"
Tallis shook his head frantically, his eyes wild in panic.
"You touched him," Draco explained quickly, trying to calm him down before he lost control of his magic. "You touched him while you were healing him and it worked. You brought him back."
"You can't heal someone who is dead," Tallis snapped. "He's dead and you are all lying to me. It's a trick, it's all a trick," he muttered, backing away from Bill's arms and huddling against the headboard.
Bill nodded toward the door and Draco ran out to his godfather's room, not bothering to knock. He ran up to the bed and ripped the blankets off of him, grabbing an arm and pulling him out of bed still half asleep.
"What the hell is going on?" Severus finally got out as they neared the door to his bedroom.
"Tallis woke up. He thinks you're dead," Draco said urgently, tugging his godfather along more quickly.
This woke Severus up instantly and he pushed past Draco and literally ran the last few steps to the room his son had slept in last night. He came to an abrupt stop when he saw his son wrapped in a small ball, muttering softly about tricks and lies. "Tallis," he called out. "Tallis, I'm right here. No one is lying to you."
Tallis shuddered and wrapped his arms around his legs more tightly, shaking his head and refusing to look up at the familiar voice. If it was just a hallucination he didn't want to know that. He would rather live in a limbo of uncertainty than learn, for a fact, that his Father was dead. If he looked up and he wasn't there then he would know. He just couldn't do it.
"Tallis, we weren't trying to trick you," Bill said, trying to calm him again. "I swear to you, he is perfectly well. Go on and look at him. He's standing right here and he wants to see you." Tallis didn't move.
Ron and Hermione entered after hearing the commotion and took in the situation quickly. The two walked in closer to the bed, Ron walking around to the far side of it and Hermione simply climbing over Bill to get to her friend. Both sat down on either side of Tallis and wrapped themselves completely around him, holding their breath collectively as Tallis stiffened and then calmed down again without attacking them.
"We're here, Tallis. Everything is ok," Hermione crooned.
"No it's not. He's dead, isn't he? Like all of them. Dead."
"No mate, I promise you. He's perfectly fine. You did something with your magic and you were able to bring him back. He's not going anywhere," Ron said, rubbing the taught back while he tried to calm him down.
"He's alive," Hermione said. "He's not leaving you. He's here now, you can see for yourself."
Tallis shook his head miserably. "He's not there. It's a trick and you are all lying to me."
"I'm here, Tallis," Severus said. "Please just look at me."
Tallis shuddered when he heard his Father's voice, barely stifling a sob.
"I've never lied to you Tallie," Hermione said softly. "Please believe me now. Everything is ok. He's perfectly well."
Tallis looked up hesitantly at her words, eyes looking for the truth in her eyes before searching out his Father's tall form nervously, seemingly still expecting to see nothing at all or else a ghost. He stared at him in open shock. "You were dead," he whispered, still not leaving his friends' arms.
"You healed me."
"That's impossible."
"I know," Severus said simply.
Tallis reached out a violently shaking hand toward his Father. Severus stepped in closer, letting his son touch him, reassuring himself that he was really real. Tallis grasped his hand tightly, his fingers white with the pressure. "I'm not crazy. You're really here," he muttered to himself, seemingly reassuring himself of his sanity.
Severus sat down on the edge of the bed as Ron backed off a bit to give him some room. Hermione didn't move, knowing that Tallis could still lose it at any moment. Severus slowly hugged his son, holding him tightly when he felt the sobs wracking the small frame. "It's alright, I'm here now. We're alright," he said quietly, stroking his long hair slowly in an effort to calm him. "I'm alive. I won't leave you."
When Tallis had cried himself out he leaned back into Hermione's arms, not wanting to let his Father out of his sight for a moment. "I still don't understand what happened. Why was Draco sleeping with us? Why are we in Hermione's room?"
The men allowed Hermione handle this one, knowing that she could usually deal with the difficult questions with more tact than they could. "After you touched your Father you were knocked into a healing coma. When you woke up you were a bit confused."
"Like when I have a flashback?"
"A bit," Hermione acknowledged. "You had a strange form of selective amnesia. You remembered your Father and your name but you couldn't remember the rest of us. You got a bit better each day and today is the first day you woke up yourself."
Tallis closed his eyes. "How many days?"
"Today is November 4th," Hermione said softly.
"Did I do anything…" he faded off, not knowing how to ask if he had done anything utterly humiliating or if he had revealed anything that he wanted to be kept secret.
"We spent your first day playing muggle games around the manor and you spent most of the second and all of the third days in your animagus form," Ron rushed to explain, knowing what his friend was worried about.
Tallis nodded slowly. That wasn't too bad. Although he trusted all of them he still had secrets to keep. They would all come out with the trial but Draco had no reason to be admitted to the courtroom, nor did his Father. Ron and Hermione had agreed to remain outside unless they were testifying and he hoped that Bill would agree to it as well. He knew that would all love him no matter what was revealed but some things he just didn't want them to know. Some things he wanted to keep private. "I'm sorry."
"It was nothing," Severus said, still holding his son's hand tightly. "We're all just pleased that you are fully restored to yourself again."
"Did the press find out?"
"They think that Sev was just in a coma and that you managed to wake him up with a strong blast of magic," Draco supplied.
Bill knew that they needed to tell Tallis everything. He hated finding out important things about himself after the fact, and finding out about the current abuse debate from someone at school would be disastrous. "Do you remember what Voldemort said while he was at school? He mentioned that both he and Harry Potter had been abused by muggles." Tallis paled slightly but nodded, determined to hear the rest. "The Prophet picked up on that right away and there is a debate going on right now, trying to determine whether or not he was telling the truth."
"How bad is it?"
"About half of the people believe him and the other half say it is a lie," Bill explained. "All of them are pushing for an investigation though, to find out the truth."
Tallis closed his eyes. "I see."
"Nothing has happened so far apart from the debates. I saved the papers for you to look at if you want to."
Tallis shook his head. "Thanks for telling me. I don't need to read all the details. This was enough."
"Can we have some breakfast mate now that we're all caught up?" Ron asked, always prepared to create a distraction when his friend needed one. Conveniently (and not terribly surprising) his stomach grumbled loudly and made Tallis laugh.
"Sure," he said, climbing out of bed. He looked down at his clothes in shock. "What the hell am I wearing?" he said, looking at his horrifically all green outfit.
Severus bit back a smile. "Those are the clothes you picked out for yourself two days ago."
Tallis shook his head in bemusement. "Let's go get some new clothes," he said, grabbing Bill's hand and pulling him toward their room. He slammed the door behind them, reaching up to Bill eagerly and tugging him closer. "We were interrupted earlier," he said softly, planting small kisses along Bill's jaw.
"Are you sure?" Bill asked, hesitant to start anything after the incredibly emotional morning his lover had endured.
Tallis stood on his toes, moving to nibble on Bill's earlobe. "I need you right now."
Bill understood that. He reached down and pulled Tallis' shirt off, tossing it aside. "Merlin, I've missed you." Tallis leaned into the seeking hands, practically purring as they stroked his toned chest and back. Bill reached down to work on the trousers as well, unwilling to take it slowly. He needed this too. He needed to know that his lover was truly all right, that he was his again.
He quickly stripped Tallis off and pushed him backward onto the bed, making quick work of his own pajamas before joining Tallis on the bed. He covered him completely, thrusting gently against him, making Tallis hiss at the contact.
"Please," Tallis whispered, tears suddenly coming to his eyes.
Bill gently kissed them away. "I'm here with you love. Everything is all right. We're all fine," he said, still stroking him slowly.
Tallis looked up at him, his green eyes reflecting his pain and his need. Bill reached down to start preparing him, knowing that more than anything Tallis needed this right now. He slid into the warm heat, holding Tallis to himself tightly, kissing him and murmuring his love to him over and over.
SDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSD
"Looks like they got distracted," Hermione commented with amusement as they sat at the breakfast table, waiting for Bill and Tallis.
"Evidently," Severus said dryly. He understood though. He had often turned to Lily for sex when he needed some comfort as well. He knew that his son was incredibly shaken by the past few days and that he needed something to make him feel like himself again, to feel like everything was as normal and that things were no longer in flux.
"At least they waited 'til they were in a different room this time," Draco said.
"You too?" Ron asked, remembering the near call they had all had when Tallis had come home during their meeting a few weeks ago.
Draco blushed lightly. "At Gringott's."
Severus rolled his eyes. "New topic," he demanded, making the students all giggle.
"When do you think you and Tallis will return to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"Perhaps after the weekend is over. I'll have to see how he does tomorrow to see if he'll be ready by Monday."
Tallis and Bill entered the dining room then, both freshly showered and dressed. "Sorry," Tallis muttered as he took a seat. Bill didn't bother to apologize for their tardiness. He wouldn't have cared if they were two hours late. They had both needed it.
Severus cleared his throat. "We were discussing when we might return to Hogwarts. If you are ready, it might be a good idea to return on Monday."
"Today is Saturday?" Tallis confirmed.
"Yes. I think it might be better to be present in the school in case Dumbledore tries to do anything stupid. He's bound to make a move sooner or later," Severus explained.
Tallis nodded. "Of course. That sounds good."
Tillie popped into the room bearing the Daily Prophet. "The paper has come for you, Master Snape," she said, handing it to Severus who quickly nodded his thanks. He opened the paper, scanned the headlines and the first few sentences and closed his eyes for a moment, folding the paper closed again.
"What is it?" Tallis asked warily.
Severus sat in silence for a few more moments before getting the strength to reply. "Last night at nine p.m. the Headmaster called a press conference. He denied any possibility that Harry Potter's relatives could have abused him. As a sign of goodwill he announced that Harry would be returning to his family for the winter holiday to enjoy a family Christmas."
Tallis paled and started shaking lightly. "I'm not going back there," he said firmly despite his obvious terror. "He can't make me do that."
"There is no way in hell I would ever let you," Severus snapped. He closed his eyes again. "I'm sorry, Tallis, I didn't mean to snap. Suffice to say you will not be returning to them ever again."
"What will we do?" Tallis asked, calming down now that he knew, for certain, that his Father wouldn't be sending him back to them.
"I believe it is time to create the golem," Bill answered for all of them. "I mentioned the possibility to you before and you wanted to put off the decision. What better time to do it though? With Dumbledore forcing you back into their house we need to send someone or something there. We can send the golem in your place. If the Dursley's harm it or kill it then we will simply have more evidence for the trial."
"I'm still not certain about a trial," Tallis said, toying with his fork and avoiding their eyes.
"I don't believe not having a trial is an option anymore," Hermione said softly. "The Wizarding world is demanding one. The only thing we can control is how you are involved in it. If Harry Potter is still alive he must testify. If the world believes him to be dead then you will be done with it. They will try the Dursleys on their own. Whatever you decide though, the Dursleys will have a trial."
"What about Dumbledore's press conference? Didn't that make a trial unnecessary?" Tallis asked desperately.
"It delayed it a bit, at best," Ron explained. "He might have calmed the people down for the moment but within a few weeks they will be on end again, demanding an investigation. I'm sorry, mate, but the trial will happen either way."
"You just need to decide what role you want to have in it. Do you want to go as Harry Potter and offer testimony or do you want to stand to the side as Tallis Snape and avoid the thing as much as possible?" Bill asked.
Tallis sat quietly for a few long minutes as the others sat tensely awaiting his response. "Harry Potter needs to die," he finally said slowly. "We need to make the golem."
"The Dursleys might not kill it," Hermione reminded him gently. "There is still the possibility that you will need to endure a trial."
Tallis looked up at her, his eyes poorly masking his sorrow. "That won't be a problem. They will kill me within a few hours. I attacked Uncle Vernon. That will not go unpunished."
Bill sighed and scooted closer to him, pulling him into his arms. "No matter what happens, you will always have us. We're never leaving you, you know that don't you? You'll always have me. Your Father and Draco are your family and will never leave you. Ron's your brother now through me and you know Hermione isn't going anywhere. We'll be at your side no matter what."
Tallis smiled weakly and settled into his side. "I guess we have a lot of work to do before we go back to Hogwarts."