Chapter 9

The next morning an owl came from Viktor. He was at Hogwarts and had secured permission for Hermione to have dinner with us. Sev and I spent the day at St. Mungo's trying various healing spells and potions on Mother. Sev asked me to help him with the Longbottoms, also. I thought, perhaps, one of my father's Cruciatus reversal spells might be helpful. I explained it to Sev and we tried it on Alice Longbottom. She showed some improvement so Sev had me teach it to the Healers. I also taught the potions healer the receipt for the Murtlap, Nettle and Aloe salve. Mother wasn't responding to the treatments. The healers said it might just be the trauma of seeing her husband killed before her eyes exacerbated by the weeks of living in the wild. They suggested we simply let nature take its course, let her body recoup its strength before we tried to restore her sensibilities. Sev agreed that it was the best course for right now. I took picture albums and her night things to her as well as a couple of her favourite books.

I wanted to make dinner that night very special for Viktor and Hermione so I prepared Beef Stroganoff with a beet and cabbage borscht. For dessert, I prepared Honey Mousse with raspberries on top. Sev brought home a bottle of red wine that was more full bodied than our usual elf-made wine. He was wearing a secretive smile when I caught him hiding a bottle of champagne in the bar refrigerator. I asked why he was tickled about it.

"If Viktor is successful, he will want to toast his affianced bride. If not, he may just want to drink it to console himself. Either way, I thought we should have some on hand."

He sniffed at the dinner I was preparing, and then made an excuse to leave on an errand. When he returned he brought in a large bouquet of roses. He had mixed shades so there was a riot of colour. He found a crystal vase, added water then brought them to me.

"I thought the occasion warranted some extravagant display on my part. Will this do, Thera?"

"Of course, now go take your shower and get ready. They should be coming through the floo network very shortly."

"Come shower with me, we will conserve water as well as make sure our backs get washed. What are you wearing?"

"The copper brocade caftan should do, don't you think? I laid out the Cossack tunic for you, the green one. It will go well with the black pants you usually wear. Hermione actually thought that us being married was squicky, Sev. Can you imagine?"

"She was sixteen, Thera. Not still a child, yet not an adult yet either. She is probably the most mature of the three friends but she was not raised in this world. Some things are going to be strange to her. An older man in the Muggle world is not what a young woman of your looks, talent, and upbringing would marry, or fall in love with. This world is subtly different. Things here are not normal in the Muggle world. She has adapted beautifully but she will always have the memory of her early life to either aid her or hinder her. It is all in how she processes the differences."

He stepped out of the shower before I did, handing me a towel to dry my hair. I decided that the evening was warm enough so did not put on anything except my knickers which matched the caftan. I was walking around the bedroom in just my knickers when Sev was getting dressed. The kosovorotka tunic fit him perfectly. I only had to button the top two buttons for him. I kissed the side of his neck as he ran his hands over my shoulders. He helped me put on the caftan and retrieved my shoes from the closet. My wedding ring was going to be my only jewellery that night, until Sev came up behind me and clasped a heavy rose-gold necklace around my neck. It was a style that had been known in its heyday as a dog collar. It did not drape at all, just fit around the column of the neck. There were three cameo like stones in it. Two large carved green cabochons and a central stone, which looked like moonstone. He fastened drops, which matched, into the holes in my ear lobes.

"Emeralds and Opals, love. The jewells of the Karkaroffs. Igor brought them to me for you when we married. He said I would know when to give them to you. Tonight I knew it was time." He stood behind me as we both looked into the mirror, then he bent to kiss my temple and led me from the room. The fireplace burst into green flames a few minutes later. Hermione and Viktor stepped out laughing at something.

"Oh, Thera, how beautiful you look. Hello, Professor. "

"Bon soir, Mademoiselle Granger. Bon soir, mon ami." Sev was teasing them.

Viktor bowed to Sev then kissed my hand. He was happy.

"My husband is being a prat, Hermione. I am glad you decided to come with Viktor tonight. I have missed you."

Sev just raised an eyebrow as I hugged her. Viktor was grinning like a demented being. Sev poured him a glass of vodka and told him to quit looking like an obliviated arse.

Hermione took me into a corner and asked what she should call Sev, "This is your home so I should probably be less formal but he IS still my professor. What do I call him?"

Sev had followed us and answered her question. "Call me Severus, Hermione. You participated in our wedding so that should, hopefully, make us friends. I am not an ogre. I will refer to you, in class only, as Miss Granger. But here in our home you are Hermione, my Thera's friend. Has the change in Potions teachers affected anyone's abilities? It is amazing that Slughorn can teach anything. He wasn't the most attentive to the progress of the students even when I was in school."

"Yes, sir, erm, Severus, Neville is doing much better and Harry has shown a sudden talent for potion making. Surprising, really."

"It is about time. You are not helping him, are you? Or Longbottom?"

"No, Neville says his tutor from last year, Thera, helped him understand the connection between herbology and potions so well that he is not unsure of himself anymore. Hasn't melted a cauldron yet this year, but of course, Seamus Finnegan has blown up a couple of them already."

Hermione was laughing at the memory when suddenly Sev grabbed his arm. His mark was burning. He hurried from the room to gather his mask and robes before disapparating out of the bedroom.

Viktor came to stand beside me as I chewed on my lower lip.

"He will return safely, Thera. There is no need to worry. Perhaps we should do this another time. We can floo back to the school."

"Don't be silly, Viktor. Come on into the dining room. It will only take a moment to serve dinner. I decided we would have stroganoff and borscht, for dessert we have honey mousse with raspberries. Sev will return and get leftovers."

We talked and laughed over dinner. At some point, I realised Viktor had not asked her to marry him yet, but that they had come to some type of understanding. Hermione was radiant and Viktor was wearing a look of supreme contentment. Just as I was serving up the honey mousse I heard Sev apparate back into the bedroom. He appeared moments later looking thoroughly disgruntled. I served him dinner and set plates of the mousse before Viktor and Hermione. Viktor asked him what had happened to put him into such a mood.

"Draco Malfoy is the most stubborn, blind, arrogant, fool …."

I had to twit him just a bit. "Even more so than Potter, Sev?"

"Which one? James or Harry? Oh, my dear, much more than Harry but not nearly as much as James. That was one single minded idiot. No, Draco has taken it into his head that I am trying to usurp Lucius' place with the Dark Lord. That is all Bellatrix's doing. She is poisoning the boy's mind against the one person who might be able to help him extricate himself from this mess. Typical of the thought process of the Blacks, act out first; think last. Those words do not bear repeating, Hermione."

"I have kept all of Thera's secrets heretofore; I think I can keep some of yours also, Severus."

"I take it that this is not a celebratory dinner. I see no evidence of any, how shall I term it, alliances between the houses of Granger and Krum."

Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair. "I said I would give him his answer after you-know-who falls or I graduate; whichever comes first."

"Good for you, Hermione, Viktor is always trying to rush things. Make him wait, it is good for him," I laughed.

When the four of us were seated in the sitting room, Sev started to talk about what was happening in the Dark Lord's camp. The different factions vying for supremacy and all the backbiting that entailed. He was most concerned with Draco and what the boy was working on for the Dark Lord. Draco was refusing to talk to Sev and refused any offers of help or counsel. There were more things going on at Hogwarts, Dumbledore and Harry were going off on secret jaunts without telling Sev or Minerva what they were doing or where they were going. Hermione blushed a bit because she was privy to more information than the others. Harry had talked to both her and Ron Weasley about some of the outings.

"They are searching out things that mean something to him…. Voldemort."

"The horcruxes, you mean, Hermione? Yes. I am aware of them. I heard him say, years ago that he had gone further than anyone before on the path to immortality. That had to mean Horcruxes. There simply was no other interpretation. The diary was one. The ring that Dumbledore destroyed was one. The Snake, Nagini, is more than likely one. He was... is obsessed with the four founders of Hogwarts. If he could find any item belonging to one of them he would be sure to make a horcrux out of that. So many of the founders' items were lost….I know at one time there was a locket which he claimed was Slytherin's, and a cup he claimed was Hufflepuff's. The only item I can think of which was Ravenclaw's was the diadem which has been lost for centuries. The only item of Gryffindor's is the sword and it has never been out of the Headmaster's office except the time Potter brought it from the sorting hat in the Chamber of Secrets. There must be more, that accounts for only 6 and I think there may be an additional one, one that even the Dark Lord does not realize; Potter, himself, may be the last one. It would explain so much about his connection to the mind of the Dark Lord. But even then Potter has his own sort of horcrux. When the Dark Lord regenerated, he took some of Harry's blood, in effect, it made the Dark Lord a horcrux for Harry. Are you all following this?"

"Yes! This is excellent. At least Harry won't die at the hands of the Dark Lord." Hermione was ecstatic.

"You cannot tell him that, Hermione. Things are going to happen this year that will change everyone's perceptions. You must take an oath to keep this secret. Lives depend on it. Just as you and Viktor cannot reveal our marriage, things will happen this year that will seem horrific. I will eventually be hunted as a criminal. I will become the Dark Lord's right hand henchman; at Dumbledore's bidding. There is a plan, a truly devastating plan. I abhor having to carry out that plan but it must be done. Thera is not to speak of this nor are either of you. Is that understood?"

The three of us swore not to reveal any of what we had heard that night. Viktor returned Hermione to the school before rejoining his squad of guerrillas. Sev and I cleaned up before going to bed. The next day we stopped to see Mother at St. Mungo's. She was still confused, but one of the healers said she had not woken up crying the night before. Alice Longbottom was also making advancements since our last visit. Even Frank had rolled over on his own and opened his eyes. They were both coming back to the land of the living slowly.

We returned to school and the usual school routine. When the incident of the cursed necklace happened, Sev and I both tried every curse reversal spell on the Bell girl but nothing seemed to make a difference. Dumbledore agreed with Sev that it was probably Draco's work. Later, at Slughorn's Christmas Party, Draco was caught by Filch trying to crash the party. Sev took the boy down to an unused classroom to try to talk some sense into him. Draco rejected Sev's offer and insulted him as well. Sev was nearly at the point of washing his hands of the little prat but Dumbledore urged Sev to still keep an eye on the boy. I could tell the strain was getting to Sev. He was looking much more haggard and gaunt these last few months. I worried for his health. The Dark Lord was getting impatient with his followers. The slightest thing could trigger the most excruciating punishments. Sev was walking the razor's edge on all fronts now. The only peace he found was when we were in Chelsea.

As the months flew by towards Spring Dumbledore looked older and much more ill. I knew he was still going off on excursions with Harry. The day of NEWT testing arrived at last. Sev kissed me that morning before wishing me luck.

"Luck has nothing to do with this. I am completely prepared. I will not fail you, Sev. Take care of yourself today, I have a strange feeling that our precipice is going to give way very soon."

That night Sev told me that Draco had tried to curse Potter who had retaliated with one of Sev's own invented curses. Sev had had to heal Draco, who had not even bothered to thank him.

We discussed the task that Sev was going to have to perform and its outcome. The same conclusion had occurred to both of us. Sev was going to have to make his own horcrux when he killed Dumbledore. He knew exactly where Potter had hidden the Potions text he had been using that year. It was one that Sev had purposely left for him to find and use. I retrieved the book from the Room of Hidden Things. Sev carried it always in the pocket of his cloak thereafter. We both dared not tell Dumbledore what was going to be done. Oh, it was so hard to think that the death of this man we all loved was going to be at the hands of my husband. I knew it was eating at Sev. It was eating at me, too. The NEWT testing officials congratulated me when they were preparing to leave. They hinted that my scores were the highest they had seen in years.

"Not since your Head of House sat his NEWTs have we seen scores this elevated, Miss Leonidas," Professor Marchbanks said as he was packing up.

Sev was standing nearby and smiled for the first time in weeks. Dumbledore patted him on the arm before winking at me. The three of us met later in Dumbledore's office for a celebratory drink. That was the last time the three of us were together.

It is June now. The precipice has given way just as abruptly as we had feared. Draco has imported Death Eaters into the school. I was in Sev's office when Flitwick came rushing in saying to come quickly. Sev did not want the man to return to the fight so he stunned him abruptly. Then he sent me a look that said it was happening now and I must be prepared. He rushed from the office and sent Luna and Hermione in to care for Flitwick. They made him comfortable while I rushed up the stairs to find a battle going on in the hallways. I sent a spell at the Death Eaters I could see. Sev had rushed up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower to find the scene he had dreaded for a year. Draco had disarmed Dumbledore, but could not find the courage to kill him. The werewolf, Greyback, and the Carrows were taunting the boy, who was fast losing his nerve. Suddenly Dumbledore looked at Sev and began to plead. Sev looked at those eyes, which held so much pain, in those few moments, information and absolution were transferred by Legilimency. Sev took one deep breath and said the words that irrevocably tore his soul and his heart. The killing curse. He sent the body over the wall so that the Death Eaters could not dishonour it. Then he grabbed Draco and ran down the stairs towards the exit. The Death Eaters were close behind him. They all made a concerted effort to stay together and escape in a group. Harry came rushing down the stairs screaming at Sev. He had apparently seen and heard everything. Sev was doing his best to keep Draco in hand while making for the disapparition point just outside the grounds. He and Harry were verbally sniping at each other until one of the other Death Eaters sent a Cruciatus at Harry. Sev stopped them immediately with a few commands. Harry was devastated, it showed in his voice and his whole demeanor. Knowing my husband as I did, I knew he too was feeling the loss of his surrogate father. Both of these men were fighting for the same side but continually at cross purposes. I sent a patronus to Hermione to quickly come for Harry. I told her that devastation was upon us all. She sent back that she would notify Viktor also. That I would need him nearby if she understood me correctly. I walked with Harry to where Dumbledore lay on the rocks at the foot of the astronomy tower. I knelt to pick up his spectacles. Harry did not even notice I was there. A patronus appeared as I was returning to the school doors. A white Siberian tiger, Viktor had arrived.

"Gather your things, write McGonagall a letter, and we leave. It is best for now," he urged.

I knew he was right so I went to my room and began to pack. I summoned Ptitsa from the Petersburg house and asked her to pack Sev's things. She would bring them to Chelsea for me. She could have his things packed and gone before anyone realized. I called a school House Elf to me and sent it off with my letter to McGonagall. I knew she would understand my reasons. When I was ready I climbed the stairs to find Viktor and Hermione talking quietly in the entry hall. People were milling around crying and ranting. I walked to Hermione and put my arms around her, "I am so sorry. I knew it was going to be bad but this is so much worse than anything. Dasvedanya, my friend. Until this is over I must stay away. If you need me, send an owl. I will be in Chelsea. Viktor will know. If I can help with Harry's quest, I will. If you need someone to talk to, a different perspective, an explanation of Dark anything, please send to me. I will help. I must help. Try to ease Harry's pain, he will need to be stronger than ever now. But know this, Hermione, Sev is not the enemy. This was the plan, however horrible it may seem to you, it was Dumbledore's plan. I must go now before McGonagall tries to use me as a way of finding Sev. Take care, little sister, Viktor loves you."

That was three weeks ago. I have been in Chelsea waiting for word. I heard from Hermione last week. She is still too stunned to be able to see this clearly, but is willing to keep an open mind. My NEWT scores arrived today. I scored higher than anyone taking the test this year, at any school. My scores on three subjects were higher than Sev's, but the DADA scores were an exact match to his. In total I had scored 109 points higher than any other student taking their NEWTs this year. There was even a notation on the letter that it would be many a year before anyone would top my score. I wanted to share that with my husband. I had again cried as I watched the lights of the boats on the Thames. My life is so empty; without him I have no purpose. Viktor has been here off and on for most of that time. He fears for me. He says if I do not eat I will waste away. I am staring out at the lights on the river. The CD that he played for us that night so many months ago is playing again. The words run through my head over and over again. I finally go in to take a shower and as I am drying off I hear the sound of someone apparating in. Thinking it is Viktor, I call out to him.

"Viktor? I will be out in a minute. I hope you did not bring food again. I told you I am not hungry. I don't want to eat until I know he is safe."

The music was turned up louder and I heard someone humming the melody. I knew that voice as well as my own. He was home!

I tied the belt on my robe and flew out the door. He stood in the sitting room looking out at the lights as I had done so very many nights. He turned and opened his arms. I flew into them at once. I was crying tears of joy to see him, to hold him once more.

"Hush, lass, hush, I am here. I survived. He has kept me busy these past weeks. He was not pleased with Draco nor with me, but I persuaded him that it did not really matter who did it as long as the deed was accomplished."

He was tired looking and thin. I made him sit and began to prepare food and tea for him. When he had eaten everything I put before him I sat down with a cup of tea in my hands.

"Did you make it, Sev? The horcrux? Viktor has been here checking on me almost every day. He is in constant touch with Hermione. The orders for the Aurors are to kill you on sight, no bringing you in for a trial. Please stay hidden. I cannot bear this. I cannot be away from you."

"The Ministry has been infiltrated, Thera. It will fall within a few weeks, possibly less. He wants me to go back to the school… as Headmaster. He is sending the Carrows as well. Did you manage to get our potions work out? And my things?"

"Yes. I summoned Ptitsa. She brought everything. The potions I stored in the passageway between the rooms. No one can get in there without our passwords. I stored some of the books there, also. The dungeon rooms are sealed and warded. The tunnel is blocked as best as I could at such short notice. I can easily reopen it if necessary. Who knows of its existence?"

The two of us, Albus and Lupin. Moody might know but I don't think Lupin told him. I plan on altering the wards so that you can apparate directly into the tunnel. I am not going to take the Headmaster's suite of rooms. I will stay in the dungeons. I will however take over the office and the sitting room attached to the Headmaster's suite. I will connect the floos in the castle to the main floo in the headmaster's office. I am going to shower. I am very glad to see you, Thera. I am glad to be home."

When he came out of the bathroom I saw he was covered with half-healed injuries. I immediately treated them with Dittany before we went to bed. His lovemaking that night was hard, fast and almost desperate. I woke much earlier than he did. I crept out to the kitchen to make myself a pot of tea which I drank as I watched him sleeping. When I could stand it no longer, I woke him with gentle seduction. Raining kisses from his neck down, across his chest to his stomach to his groin, I breathed softly on his phallus and kissed it ever so gently. Taking it into my warm hands, I began to lick and tease it with my lips and tongue. I knew he was awake because I could hear the pleased growl from his throat and felt his hand clench in my hair. As he became fully erect under my careful ministrations, I took him into my mouth. Licking, nibbling, stroking, and sucking at him until he moaned and spent his passion into my mouth. I lay back onto the bed as he slid down to kiss me.

"Mmmmm. That was exquisite, Thera. What a wonderful way to be woken up. What do you want from me today? I have time to spend with you before reporting back to the portrait of my other master. I must borrow the invisibility cloak Igor left you so I can sneak into Hogwarts sometime this evening. I must meet with Dumbledore's portrait. There are developments he needs to know about. Come here, my young witch, you are mine to pleasure this summer morning," he laughed. He pulled me to him and began a slow, sultry seduction of his own.

It was early evening when we disapparated to the edge of Hogsmeade. My wards on the tunnel had held firm. I checked for any presence of intrusive magic, finding none I apparated into the tunnel. I sent word by patronus to Sev that the way was clear. He was beside me in seconds. We made our way to his old rooms before casting a spell to determine who was present in the castle. Sev was aghast at the lack of protection the findings showed.

"Only Minerva, Moody and Filch here to watch this whole school? Imbecilic. Oho! Minerva and Moody are in her quarters. Filch is doing rounds, he is up in Trelawney's area. We can make it to the Headmaster's office if you use the cloak. I will disillusion myself. Come."

"Why would Minerva and Moody be in her quarters? I know they are both members of the Order but why meet here?"

"I totally forgot that you could not know. Years ago, when I was a child, they married in defiance of both of their families. It was supposed to be the love match of the day. They fought like cats and dogs though. That was also the year he lost his leg and his eye in a battle with the Dark Lord. She left him while he was still in St. Mungo's. They have barely been able to be in the same room with each other in the years since. This is truly a wonder if they are in her quarters. Here we are. Paradox," he said to the gargoyle.

The door to the moving spiral staircase opened silently. "Remember that password. It is only to be used for matters concerning my dealings with the Dark Lord. It supersedes all other passwords."

When we arrived at the upper door he whispered that I should go in first and cover the other paintings. I did just that so he could enter without anyone settling up a racket.

"Thera, my dear you are looking very thin. Are you not eating? My dear boy! I am so glad to see you." Dumbledore was effusive in his greetings.

Severus quickly cast the Muffliato charm so the other portraits could not hear what we said.

"Pius Thicknesse had been imperiused. The ministry will fall very soon. They are aware of the plans to move Potter the night before his birthday. If all stays the same, the boy will be slaughtered."

"Then the plans must change. You need to suggest to a member of the Order that there be a diversion. Seven Harrys should do it. Polyjuice potion, my boy. Some of them need to go by broom, some by Thestral, some by other means, get Hagrid to unearth that motorized contraption of Sirius's, too. The multiplicity will confuse the coterie of his followers and, hopefully, no one will suffer. But the information must reach Riddle by your hand. I would suggest Mundungus as the Order member whose ear to drop the hint into, he is very easily obliviated afterwards. How is Draco? Was Riddle very angry that his plans had been changed? Or did you smoothly make him see that this way was much better for his purposes?"

"I pleaded both my case and Draco's. He saw reason, eventually."

"At what cost, Severus? How many times did he use Crucio on you? Or did he let his little pet, Bellatrix, do it? By the look of you, it must have been Bellatrix. You know she hates you." Dumbledore was gently chastising Sev.

"It matters not. What matters is that I saved Draco and survived to spy another day. I will contact Fletcher. Or I will have Viktor do it. That way there will be no Aurors waiting to kill me. I am to be your replacement, Albus. When the Dark Lord takes power he wants me here to train his next recruits. I will have Thera here with me in secret. She can assist me in protecting the students. I will not leave her behind," he said as he took my hand.

"Excellent! Matters did not fall out exactly as I had planned, Severus. You may now be in more danger than I had foreseen. There may trouble, worse trouble, coming your way. Have you forgotten the small portrait I gave you last year? You need to keep it at the Chelsea flat. I can come to you there if you call. That way you do not have to infiltrate the school."

"Albus, Minerva is closeted in her quarters with Alastor. I thought they had ….."

"She still loves him, Severus. He still loves her. My death has finally made them see their way to reconciling, I hope. Now go. Feed your wife, Severus, she looks like she might blow away in the next gust of wind. Thera, make sure you take care of him. Make him the brand saved from the burning."

That phrase struck a chord in my memory. As we scurried to leave the castle I tried to remember what or why.