Chapter 8 – Heartaches and preparations

The second time Severus went to the makeshift tent, making good on his promise to help them, he could feel the teens now trusted him. But for different reasons.

To the Weasley boy, the reason for his trust was that Severus brought food. Severus was sure that, had the Dark Lord any reason to do so, he could conquer the boy with a pack of Oreos. And to Harry Potter, his trust (which seemed feeble, frankly) grew a lot when he appeared with the Gryffindor sword. His green eyes lit when Severus spoke about Dumbledore's instructions, and he was reminded of Lily so much it hurt a bit.

But then Hermione showed her trust. And it was as he imagined it would be with her: Hermione trusted Severus because Severus had information. Reliable and logical information. Hermione trusted practical things, and Severus knew it. Shamelessly, he admitted that there was a lot one could learn about the other when he could observe them from an invisible position.

'I will try to help you when I can,' Severus said. 'From now on, though, I cannot guarantee I will be able to do that.'

Hermione smiled, 'You have done a lot, Severus. Thank you.'

'Remember,' he warned her, 'once you destroy the first one, it's likely that he may sense it and come after you. Be as careful as you can be.'

It was strange that the word Horcrux was not spoken, yet it was understood. Hermione nodded gravely.

She was so lovely, thought Severus. Even lovelier when she was worried. He could almost see the cogs of her powerful brain turning as she saw not only two but three or four alternatives of action. Hermione could do that in a flash, and in doing so her adorable little nose would scrunch up as she frowned her gorgeous face.

Chronos would never let him live it down. He was so in love it was sickening!

Then Ron Weasley came in the tent. He looked different. And Severus's accoutrements went mad.

The teens felt that and became tense.

'What's happening?', asked Harry, alarmed.

'I am not sure,' said Severus. 'Please stand back. This is sensitive equipment.'

'You!,' frothed Weasley at Severus, worked up in a rage. 'You tell us nothing, you bring us food and expect us to fall into your lap as little dogs as you flirt with my girlfriend and may be very well selling us to You-know-Who!"

Hermione exclaimed, 'Ron!'

Harry tried to intervene, 'Ron, give me the necklace.'

Weasley was still charging against Severus, and the presence of the Horcrux was affecting Death's instruments. The piece of a soul inside the locket was meddling with all the devices Severus used. Also, the boy seemed possessed.

'Let me go, Harry!' cried Weasley. 'He doesn't fool me! And you are just like him: you are both hitting on Hermione!'

'Stop that, Ron!' said the girl. 'This is not you! It is the necklace! It preys on you! Give it to Harry!'

'Ron, mate, please,' said Harry. 'You've been too long with the necklace. Give it to me, OK?'

Sensing things would not end well, Severus retreated and urged, 'Potter, use the sword! Use it now!'

Then all hell broke loose. Harry wrestled with Ron to take the necklace away, Hermione tried to protect both her friends, Severus struggled to keep his devices from harvesting that piece of soul wriggling inside the jewelry. Things became thoroughly confused for a while, as the four of them battled for control. The magic inside the tent was so wild that the necklace literally flew to the ground, and emitted a dark, ominous smoke that hissed and a voice Severus hadn't heard in more than a decade sounded as if spoken directly in their ears.

'You defy me. You think you can defeat me. All of you are weak and shall be vanquished. The Mudblood, the pure blood traitor and the boy who lived are dead people walking. And there is literal death walking. I see you, Severus. You look for redemption, for love. But you can no longer atone for your sins because -'

Wham!

Severus could not recall when or how, but he picked up the Gryffindor sword and slammed the enchanted necklace with it. Smoke filled the entire tent, and a horrible shriek made them all cover their ears, as if it were the sound of something very unholy dying.

Suddenly, it stopped. Severus felt a ringing in his ears as silence fell around them.

The teens looked at each other, as if trying to reassure they were all in one piece. Severus put down the sword and asked, 'Are you all right?'

With various nods, the kids recovered their breath. Weasley was the first to ask, 'What happened?'

Severus answered, 'You have just witnessed something that will happen each time you destroy one of those foul accursed objects.' He pointed, 'The sword is able to destroy them. Take good care of it. Good luck.'

As he turned to leave, Hermione called him, 'Wait! Are you leaving?'

'I told you I can't help much,' warned Severus. 'I must go.'

Harry Potter took a step towards him, hand extended. 'Severus, thank you for everything.'

They shook hands, and the Weasley boy nodded, 'Yeah, mate, thank you. You know, for saving us.'

Severus nodded to the red-haired boy. But before he could react, he felt a body being thrown right in his arms, and Hermione's muffled voice sounding, 'Thank you.'

Severus was paralyzed as he felt her warm, lithe body against his in a heartfelt hug. She was a shapely young woman and his body hadn't held one as such in a very long time.

With difficulty, Severus extricated her body from his. Without difficulty, he smiled and said, looking in her eyes, 'You are very welcome.'

Turning around quickly, Severus went out of the tent and exhaled. Only then did he realize he was holding his breath.

He mounted Mort, who was waiting for him with a very puzzled expression. Severus could swear the horse was judging him.

o0o 0o0 o0o 0o0

Severus could not say for sure how much time had passed since he had last seen the teens. He realized that his infatuation for Hermione had begun to make him bitter. Perhaps that was the reason he stopped going to the tent unseen. He stopped going altogether.

Lilly came back to his mind. It was strange to think about her now, not experiencing pain or love, but affection. He missed his friend, the one brought sunshine and life to his miserable existence.

Taking care of Lilly's son did make him feel redeemed or at least in the road to redemption. He was quite conscious that saving Harry might be damned well impossible, given Dumbledore's conviction that the boy should die.

Finding Hermione while doing that was an added bonus.

'Thanatos, my friend,' said Chronos in a friendly tone, 'I take it you and your beloved are still a mystery to each other.'

'She will never be mine,' said Severus despondently. 'She has already a suitor.'

'Which century are you, mate? Seventeenth? Women don't have suitors anymore. If there is a bloke interested in your girl, you go and get her!'

Severus sighed, 'It's not that easy. He is what the Americans call a high school sweetheart.'

Chronos said, 'Yes, of course. You used to be English, right? Not to worry, my friend. Even for a backwards man like me, you seem very likely to succeed in the arts of love.'

That piqued Severus's interest. 'Why do you say that, Chronos?'

The personification of Time looked quite downhearted as well. 'Being someone travelling backwards in the timeline of everybody else can take its toll, I tell you. I can see everyone's future, but mine. Yet I also travel backwards from time to time. You see, now I think I am about to gain my lover.'

'Is that such a bad thing?'

Chronos was sincere. 'Well, I remember now the fights and all the pain of our break up. It was so hurtful! I really hope that the passion and the romance of love's stirring will have compensated.'

'You shouldn't complain to having loved and lost,' said Severus gravely. 'You have been on the future and you know all things end, with time.'

For a moment, Chronos kept his silence. Then he said, 'Thanatos, you know I have a commitment to my office to never reveal anyone's future. But trust me, in this. And by me, I mean, trust the office. Like the tides, times always change.'

Severus looked strangely at his friend. Chronos had never been this maudlin before. Perhaps something big was coming to this timeline.

In hindsight, perhaps Severus should have discussed his heartache with Fate. That woman would never reveal anything about his path in life, but she surely was a refreshing wakeup call to his priorities.

Soon, though, he would have other priorities.

o0o 0o0 o0o 0o0

The device warned him that Harry Potter was yet in another life-threatening situation. This was not unexpected, given what they were trying to accomplish. Severus decided to supervise that situation.

He found himself inside the cellar of the Malfoy Manor. He was invisible, but he could see a house elf transport two people. Inside the cellar, clearly as prisoners, remained Harry and Ron. Severus was about to make himself known to the boys when a blood-curling scream was heard from above. He knew it was Hermione.

Severus almost panicked. Hermione's screams grated directly on his nerves. His insides twisted.

Weasley turned to Harry, frantically, 'What are they doing to her?'

Severus decided to act. He went upstairs and the scene before him almost stopped his heart. Hermione was being tortured by none other than Bellatrix Lestrange.

Quickly, invisibly, Severus threw the first thing he saw and produced a noise from the other side of Malfoy's large sitting room. The echo piqued Bellatrix's attention and she stopped what she was doing.

'Who's there?'

Still invisible to mortals, Severus came close to the bound girl and whispered, 'Hermione, it is me, Severus. Just listen: close your eyes and don't open them until you hear Harry's voice. We will rescue you.'

To the girl's credit, she did not say a word, although Severus could distinctly hear a quiet sigh. She closed her eyes as ordered. Then Severus did the unthinkable.

The incarnation of Death rose to his full figure and donned all his garb before becoming completely visible. He even pulled his famous scythe (the long one, his favorite), and used his most intimidating voice to utter, 'YOU! Despicable woman who follows a mortal man! You are a servant of a foolish mortal man who defies me!'

Bellatrix became even more demented than her usual self. 'Th-this c-can't be true!'

Then Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley erupted from the Malfoy Manor's bowls. Harry cried, 'Expelliarmus!'

Disarming Bellatrix was the perfect diversion Severus needed to simply vanish into thin air. Hermione lept to her feet, the shouts attracted other inhabitants of the mansion and a duel was on.

Severus's watch began flashing and his heart went cold. Someone was going to die!

Not Hermione, not Hermione, please please not her...

The duel went on, and the arrow in Severus's accoutrements began flashing towards his client. There was such a confusion that he could not say, at first, if it was the Weasley boy, the elf or a goblin who suddenly appeared in the melee. Harry Potter was wrestling Draco Malfoy for the possession of a wand. He won it and joined the group.

And it was just in time, for they all disapparated the same moment Bellatrix threw a small, sharpened dagger.

Damn.

Severus called Mort and went after his client. He appeared by a seashore, along with the others. Severus knew then his client was the house elf. The creature stared at him, still standing. It was clear the elf could see him. As usual, the client could always see Death.

'You came for me, sir?'

Severus nodded. The elf smiled. 'I am honored.'

Gently, because he knew this was a gentle creature, the Incarnation of Death harvested his soul. He still granted the elf a few moments to say goodbye to his friends. It was obvious that the elf was very dear to Potter and his friends.

It was no surprise that, later that day, this soul ascended.

o0o 0o0 o0o 0o0

With pain in her heart, Fate stared at the tapestry, pondering for a few minutes. All three aspects were busy with the implications. Dozens of threads were changing, and she knew her Atropos persona was about to have a lot of work. All three were really sad.

'I thought you'd be more helpful than Chronos,' said Severus, breaking the silence. 'At least he talked to me.'

'My apologies, Death,' she said. 'It's just that sometimes knowing the future can be a burden.'

'Tell me about it. Knowing that I am faded to die alone is not easy.'

'Yet you continuously keep on saving the girl. Even though you think you don't stand a chance with her.'

'I hope I didn't interfere with her future.'

'You know I can't confirm that.'

'Indeed,' said Severus with a nod. 'But had I interfered, you'd be screaming bloody murder.'

Fate chuckled. 'You know me too well, Death.'

They smiled at each other amicably. Severus wondered why he could not fall in love with her, instead of the impossible matches he seemed so fond of pursuing. Fate certainly was charming and intelligent. Not to mention she was also a fellow Incarnation of Immortality, just like him. If love could be made with brains, this was the logical choice. But alas, logic had nothing to do with the heart.

'At least now you can no longer be called a paedophile.'

Severus frowned. 'Is this true?'

Fate nodded, 'Hermione turned 17 at the end of last year. She will be 18 come fall.'

'I didn't realize that. Maybe that was why she was so… so…' Severus struggled for a word, 'so… grown-up.'

Fate let out a small laugh. 'You should see how embarrassed you look, my friend. I dare say you are, indeed, living in the past century or more.'

Severus turned sarcastic. 'At least now I can be unrequited within the law and morals. Such a relief.'

'Oh, stop being so grouchy. You know you better focus on your job. Even if those youngsters succeed in what they are attempting, there will probably be a war, or at least a big battle.'

'It's not in the tapestry, is it?'

'No, I know this because Mars came in earlier. He sounded really excited. You know he has a knack for knowing these things before they happen.'

Severus stood up and grabbed his long scythe, his favorite one. 'Well, it seems there will be no shortage of work to us. Let's get prepared, then.'