CHAPTER 41

A/N: There will be a fourth Snarry story, and I am thinking of a blind Harry. Please submit your votes in the poll and/or your comments in the comments section on my blog (cf. homepage on my profile page) if you're interested in participating in the fourth Snarry story plot:-) You will also find more information on a prospective blind Harry plot on my blog. Thank you for all your reviews, and thanks for visiting my blog, too!

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Severus stared at Harry's sketch on the wall. Only three days were remaining until Harry's birthday. Please let it not be the day of Harry's doom, he silently begged the invisible and fickle power called Fate. He felt a moan of pain come out of him – pain eating up his soul. He loathed Voldemort so much that he wanted to throw up. He had discovered joy with Harry – and, all the more incredible, Harry had discovered joy with him, snide Severus Snape. A touch from Harry was enough to calm him down when he was grumbling about grading or exploded potions and other annoying things. That was all it needed – Harry approaching him and touching his hand. Harry smiling and laughing, launching Severus's own sarcastic comments back at him with exquisitely chosen timing. He recalled their honeymoon in the charming cottage with yearning. Please don't take him away from me, Severus plunged into his voiceless mantra again. Please don't…

Two arms wrapped around his waist.

"Sev," Harry said softly. Severus turned around and looked at him. Harry was so tranquil – too tranquil, even.

"Harry…it is…" Severus stopped and shook his head slowly. "It is the ghastliest birthday celebration…" he broke off. "Why don't you want to celebrate the day before?"

Harry kissed his cheek.

"I don't believe in celebrating a birthday in advance – unless you're born on the 29th February, of course. I'm a bit superstitious about early birthday celebrations. Our honeymoon was the sweetest celebration I could think of, Sev. Not in terms of a birthday feast. In terms of celebrating you and me and what we have together. There's nothing more that I could wish for. Well, except for destroying Voldemort and keeping those I love safe."

Severus pressed Harry against him.

"We will destroy him," he said through gritted teeth; then, hearing a knock on the door, he released Harry and went to the door. He opened it, and all of Harry's friends and Order members poured inside: the Weasleys (except for the twins, Percy, Bill and Charlie), Lupin, Tonks, Mukherjee the art teacher, and, beaming at him, Ron and Hermione. Luna Lovegood looked as serene as usual. Harry blinked; then he looked at his husband and understood that Severus wanted him to feel like he was meeting his family and extended family. As soon as people had finished hugging and greeting him, he fairly sprinted to Severus and kissed him in front of everyone.

"Thank you, Sev."

"These quarters have definitely never, ah, hosted such an appalling invasion before," Severus's characteristic sarcasm washed over him. Harry simply grinned at him and, seizing his hand, tugged him over to the group of people waiting for them. Severus did not protest, although his facial expression was forbiddingly dour. Ron and Hermione had been recently made Order members, and they would be part of the people who, under the guidance of Alastor Moody and McGonagall, would attack the Death Eater camps which had been built in the bowels of wizarding London– places where Voldemort was brainwashing and recruiting young people into Death Eaters, including Draco Malfoy. Another group, led by Lupin and Hagrid, would go into the Forbidden Forest to prevent the gathering of Dementors, werewolves supporting Voldemort and other creatures. A final group supervised by Mukherjee and Flitwick would attempt to break into Malfoy Manor, where Harry and Severus would meet Voldemort and his Death Eaters. It was therefore inevitable that the familial atmosphere in the dungeons was somewhat troubled with anxiety and that some tactics and plans were touched upon again during conversation. Harry was nevertheless happy to be surrounded by people he trusted and was close to. Both Ron and Hermione fought bravely against their tears as they embraced Harry on their way out; they were the last to leave.

"You'll do it, mate," Ron said gruffly, ruffling Harry's hair affectionately.

"We'll all do it, Harry," Hermione said in a fierce voice, kissing his cheek. They shook Severus's hand, and Hermione gave him a smile which thanked him for making Harry happy. The smile also seemed to say, I told you so!

When the last night came, Severus and Harry made love with a heartbreaking desperation, knowing that when the night was over then they would have breakfast and wait for Voldemort's summons while Dumbledore and the rest of the Order prepared their plans. When Severus collapsed on top of Harry after their lovemaking, he clung to the youth, and tears scalded his thin cheeks. Those tears were the only sign of his grief; he suppressed his weeping and the urge to yield to the shakes which were threatening to overwhelm his body and make him tremble all over; but Harry knew, and he didn't have to feel the tears wetting his shoulder to realise that Severus was struggling with all his might to smother his weeping. In spite of their thorough preparation, they had no guarantee who would win and who would lose. They could only hope, and it was with hope in his heart that Harry put his arms around Severus and stroked the Potions Master's head with a tenderness which made Severus want to weep aloud. The slight fingers slid slowly through his long hair, and the cool metal of Harry's wedding band touched his scalp.

"Sev, do you remember our honeymoon cottage?" Harry murmured to him.

"How could I not?" Severus said with admirable steadiness. He did not even sound stuffy-nosed.

"It's a memory no one can take from us, Sev."

"Not even a Dementor, my love."

"Not even a Dementor," Harry agreed, green eyes filling with tears which spilt into Severus's hair. Neither of them slept much. They kept on waking up and reaching out for each other, searching instinctively for the reassuring warmth of the other. Dawn arrived far too soon, and it was with a horrible feeling that Harry and Severus got up on the 31st July. It was Harry's birthday, and it was the day Harry would have to confront Voldemort again. They knew that it was inevitable. Everyone knew. And it didn't make things any easier. People were expecting Harry to get rid of Voldemort for once and for all. No one wanted to think of what would happen if Harry failed.

The couple met with Dumbledore in his study after a silent breakfast which they had forced themselves to swallow. They needed as much strength as possible. Nessa the snake had hissed parting words of encouragement to Harry.

The wise Headmaster of Hogwarts studied the two wizards with grave eyes. His gaze did not fail to notice their tightly clasped hands and pale determined faces.

"Your love, Harry and Severus, makes your mutual bond very powerful indeed. If Voldemort were to touch either of you, then he would suffer horrible pain, and it is well possible that the Death Eaters will not be able to touch you either," Dumbledore said at last, approaching them and placing one hand on Harry's shoulder and the other on Severus's. They had planned and planned until they thought their heads would burst. Voldemort could not touch Harry and Severus, but he could still harm them with spells and curses.

"Harry, my dear boy, it is your nineteenth birthday today. This day is yours, not Voldemort's. Make sure that Voldemort is aware of it."

"I will, Professor," Harry said.

"Severus, today is the moment when Voldemort will learn about your true alliance. He will regard you as a traitor, and he will also learn that it is your loyalty which will be his downfall. There is so much more I would like to say to you both…but I can only say this: Severus and Harry, you embody the power Voldemort knows not."

Harry turned to look at Severus and smiled. Severus did not smile back, but he gave his husband a deep look which spoke volumes; and even as he did so, the Black Mark started to burn, and his face went blank.

"It is time, Albus," Severus said matter-of-factly.

Dumbledore nodded slowly.

"Good luck, my dear boys. Take care, and remember that I am very proud of you."

Fawkes let out a loud trill and flew around them in a circle, as if blessing them. Dumbledore summoned a purple travelling cloak.

"Time to collect the Order members," he said. He embraced Harry and Severus warmly, and Fawkes sat on the table in front of him, flicking his long tail feathers at him. Dumbledore gripped them. There was a flash; a phoenix feather drifted onto the table; wizard and bird were gone. Harry picked up the feather reverently and left the office and the castle with Severus, walking hurriedly towards the edge of the grounds. Harry could Apparate and had his Apparating licence; but he could not Apparate to Malfoy Manor without the Dark Mark, and therefore needed to go with someone who possessed said mark. Severus put his arms around Harry, using the act of Apparating as a means of sharing a final and private moment of closeness with Harry, and pressed his lips against the youth's forehead; then they were sucked away into a funnel of confusion.

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