The Bonds That Tie

Harry couldn't believe it. He was a horcrux and Dumbledore knew. Dumbledore wanted him dead and had planned all along for Severus to kill him, then Voldemort kill Harry. What was worse? Severus had known this all week. Why wouldn't Severus reveal this to him?

"Wait…Harry's one of those horcrux things?" Draco asked.

"An unintentional one," Voldemort spoke. "I was able to see it too…That explains the link, as told by Dumbledore." Harry was silent, still running over the information in his head. "Harry, if it helps break you out of that state, I don't intend to kill you to get my soul back."

"Entirely beside the point!" Harry gave him a glare before looking back at Severus. "You've…Known for a week? You've known all this time that Albus was plotting to have me killed along with the other horcruxes in order to defeat Voldemort. I'm not prophesized to be the one to destroy him, just die so he can be destroyed…Why would you keep this from me?" Harry questioned.

"Harry…I didn't know how to tell you and…There was already a plan to not destroy the souls so they could remerge. I knew Dumbledore's plan would fail." Severus explained quickly.

"You didn't know it could fail!" Harry remarked. "What if I hadn't found the others? What if Dumbledore had destroyed the rest and turned on me next. Yeah, maybe his blast failed but I can still die, Severus. Merlin's beard…That's why he attacked me. He was trying to destroy me along with the horcrux…" Harry understood. "And you felt that just because there was another plan I shouldn't know the old fool wants me dead? And you didn't think it pertinent information to tell me that Dumbledore was aiming to actually get rid of me? I know you hate me, but do you want me gone that bad?"

"Harry, no. I don't want you gone." Severus argued quickly.

"Then why wouldn't you tell me right away. I asked you how it went, you told me fine and lied to my face." Harry countered. "You've literally had no problem these past six years telling me how it is, but something that involves my life and you decide you suddenly wanna turn into a nervous boy like one with a crush who is afraid to get rejected?"

"No. I was not scared. I got back as quick as I could to let you feed and then we both fell asleep…Then you were busy the rest of weekend and all week." Severus said.

"Doesn't change what I said. You could have told me when you got back from his office. Instead, you lied…So my only guess is you want me dead to get out of the bond." Harry scoffed.

"No. Harry, no. That's not why I didn't say any-," Severus tried.

"Oh, save it. I saw everything, Severus. Dumbledore asked you if you cared about me, and you only showed the doe patronus to reveal your love for my mother. She's the reason you've kept me alive all these years, protecting me…A promise to her. Your care was for her, as you said…Always. You hate me because of my father and godfather…You're just as bad as everyone else. You don't see me as Harry, you see me as James's son. Lily's son. I look just like my father, I have my mother's eyes. I've been listening to it since first year and I'm getting really fed up with it. Draco looks like his parents, no one constantly reminds him. Just the example of what genetics do to the offspring of two people. Yes, I look like them…They are my parents. But does that invalidate who I am? I'm Harry, but no one seems to see me as myself." Harry stopped a moment.

"You've been hating me because of my father, protecting me because you failed to protect my mom. I've heard the stories…I heard what Tom told you the night you came to my room. You begged him to spare her, and when you lost faith he would spare a muggle-born, you went to Dumbledore…" Harry remarked. "You protect me out of guilt for losing mum…But hey, I'm just like my father, right?" Severus didn't know what to say. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Harry stepped back with his hands up. "You know what…Forget that talk we were gonna have. You gave me all I needed with this." He paused a moment. "I'll figure out how to sever the bond so you don't have to be tethered to someone you hate."

"Harry, no one has ever dissolved a soulmate bond!" Pansy warned.

"Where there's a will, there's a way…Even if it has to kill me to do it. You want me gone, Severus…You got your wish. I'm done with this." Harry replied. "I'm so done…" Before anyone could say anything, Harry vanished from sight.

The room was silent now, all eyes seemingly on Severus. "Uncle Severus…" Draco spoke first. "I love you…But you really just fucked up."

"Draco!" Narcissa scolded.

"He needs to hear it, Mother…" Draco side-eyed her. "I don't know much about soulmate bonds, but I know how powerful they are and the effects of it being ignored or rejected are painful. What do you think it's going to do if severed forcefully?" Draco looked back at his godfather. "Find Harry and fix this, now. I love you as family, but Harry is my family too…You need to make this right."

"I don't know how to fix this. The last time I messed up this bad with someone, it was Lily…And she never forgave me, despite many apologies. If Harry is anything like her, he won't forgive me either." Severus stated.

"There's one of your problems, stop seeing him as James's son, or Lily's. We all know who he is the child of, but he is his own person." Lucius remarked.

"And sitting there in silence didn't help your case any," Blaise remarked.

"He thinks you don't trust him, or care…" Pansy frowned.

"I couldn't argue what he said…I protected him on Dumbledore's orders years ago after the Potter's died. Albus told me the boy was still alive, I said he didn't need protection because the dark lord was gone. Albus called it fifteen years ago that Voldemort would return and Harry would be in danger…He pulled Harry having Lily's eyes on me, and then if I ever truly loved her…He made me swear to protect Harry when he came to Hogwarts as he'd be out of the protection of the blood wards during the school year." Severus muttered.

"But you never loved Lily romantically. You loved her as your friend, best and first." Narcissa reminded. "Your patronus matches hers to reflect the pairing of friendship. Whereas her patronus is the proper mate to a male deer, which was James's. And now you still have that doe and Harry has a stag. Pretty simple where things are supposed to be, Severus."

"Complimenting patronus animals. Self-formed soulmate bond. You're meant to be in Harry's life, my friend," Lucius informed calmly. "Perhaps it's as friends, perhaps it's supposed to be more with time, given how intimate things got and Harry's own revelation that your blood sent him into bloodlust, but never Draco's, back when Draco fed him with virgin blood. The signs are there, Severus. You just have to see them for yourself and accept what is."

"I don't love Harry," Severus denied.

"But you could with time, as the same he could love you. No relationship is instant, it takes work to maintain. And those who fall in love generally over spending time together, learning about the other…You could grow to love one another if you give it a chance." Bellatrix remarked.

"Take it slow, get to know him. As Harry, not a student, not James or Lily's son." Draco offered. "Go find him, talk to him…Work things out."

"I don't know how to find him," Severus admitted.

"Use the bond," Voldemort told him. "It's similar to the connection Harry and I have. You have to access it, open your mind to him."

"Open your heart too," Narcissa suggested. "Drop the walls around it, let the bond in. It'll take you right to him."

Severus tried to focus on finding Harry, but ended up hitting some kind of block. "There's a barrier on his end…I can't get through."

"He's blocking things. Which can be done with any kind of bond; a way of turning off his emotions so you don't have to feel whatever he does, nor him feel you. It's usually done between couples to give them time after a fight." Bellatrix enlightened. "It won't be up forever, takes too much energy to maintain."

"It…Might actually be a good idea to let Harry cool off first," Theodore spoke up calmly. "He's angry, probably hurt…I wouldn't go chasing him right away; he'll just keep taking off or there will more arguing. Let him calm down, then approach him and find a quiet place to talk where you apologize right away, then assure him you do not hate him…That you care."

"I support Nott Jr's idea." Rabastan added.

"As do we," Amycus and Alecto Carrow nodded.

"We'll likely see him at school tomorrow, but just watch him…Gage when might be a good time to pull him aside for a talk." Pansy reminded.

Severus could only nod, actually feeling awful and worried for Harry now. He did mess up and he needed to fix things, the others made astonishingly good and true points about the matter. Who knew what could happen if they tried, or rather, he tried. Voldemort concluded the meeting as Severus took Draco and his friends back to the school, then they went off to the common room to relax until dinner. Severus remained in his room, thinking of how he would approach Harry in a couple days and work things out as Draco worded it. Severus wasn't good at apologies or sympathies, but this was a different situation so he needed to try his best.

. . .

Harry appeared outside the manor belonging to the vampire coven as everyone part of the group resided there except for Harry himself. Harry walked through the wards easily by holding up his coven ring, then getting inside. Harry used his sense of smell to track down where everyone was, the main room, of course. Harry pushed open the door and headed into the space.

"Harry!" Shouted a female vampire named Jevera.

"Hi," Harry greeted.

"Harry, my child," Sanguini strolled over.

"Lord Sanguini," Harry replied calmly.

"What brings you by this time of day? Surely your presence is being monitored by the school?" Sanguini asked.

"Not on the weekends," Harry remarked. "I just needed to get away and there wasn't anywhere else I could really go."

"You're always welcome here," Sanguini assured. "Now, what troubles you?"

"Many things…" Harry sighed. "I hoped to speak with you about them, if that is alright by you?"

"Of course, my young fledgling. Come," Sanguini put an arm around Harry's shoulders and led him away from the group, then down the hall and eventually to the man's office. "Blood?"

"No, thank you…I'm alright for now." Harry declined respectfully.

"Talk to me, Harry and I'll offer whatever guidance and assistance I can to the situation," Sanguini invited.

Harry sighed. "It's…Complicated." Harry began to regale the story of things with Severus. Harry didn't leave anything out about what happened as he knew that holding back would only result in results that weren't helpful at all. Sanguini listened close, his brain working the matter as Harry explained about the soulmate bond that formed with Severus, the intimacy, the mating being unfinished, how their patronus animals complimented one another and then of course, the big fight that just took place leading Harry to leave because he was furious and hurt. "And now, I just…Don't know what to do. I see the obvious signs of why it occurred, but I do not see how we are soulmates at all. How we can be when it's clear he has a long lasting affection for my mother." Harry closed his eyes. "I fear a mistake has been made and that we should not be bonded in something so meaningful. I know he doesn't want this…I've tried to be patient and let him sit with it…But I feel that there is just too much hate between him and my father and godfather, who bullied him some years ago." Harry informed.

"It does seem to have a bearing of an old grudge against your family members from the past." Sanguini agreed. "You've mentioned before your discomfort to always being compared to your father and mother."

"I feel like no one sees me as me. Even becoming a vampire doesn't seem to have changed people's vision of me." Harry said. "I just don't know what to do."

"Well, let's try another question…What do you want to do, Harry? Do you want to fix things?" Sanguini asked.

"I don't know. That's the problem within itself, there's much I don't know." Harry remarked. "The first being…Is there any way to break the bond aside from death?"

"There are…Rituals to call on the higher power to state the case that you and your bonded are not in fact soulmates and wish to dissolve it. Consider it a spiritual divorce, if you will. But Harry, I warn you now that is extremely painful to you both. There is pleading the situation is wrong if an accidental bond was formed, say during lovemaking, the couple are spouting off their immense love…But then there is your case where the evidence of being soulmates is against you. As you explained with the similar patronus'. Drawn to his blood when not drawn to other virgin blood. The bloodlust only with him." Sanguini paused. "Dissolving this bond that formed out of one blood-lusted night, fighting what was bestowed is not advised. It would be painful for you, and it might just kill Severus, I believe, you said his name was. He's only human; he doesn't have the strength you do. You'd be in pain, weakened; it could destroy him. In fact, it could kill you both. There have been theories that soulmates die together, unable to live without their other half. Call it dying of a literal broken heart."

"I guess I don't want him dead…" Harry sighed. "Then what do I do…He lied to me, refuses to accept what happened. I do not see how this is to work."

"Relationships are hard on their own, more so with such a strain upon it. Forced together rather than coming to one on their own." Sanguini nodded. "More with breaking such a union between you two, is that if he is truly your soulmate; you'd go through life forever longing to have the feeling of completion back. You feel that now, do you not?"

"Yes…But it hurts too and that's what I can't stand. I thought we were getting closer and then…" Harry raked his fingers through his hair.

"I know it's easy to get angry and walk away, Harry…But the only way to truly handle this is the hard way, where you stay and work it out. Not right away, give it a couple days and then sit down with him. Talk it out. Put yourself in his position, knowing you are not a master Occlumens. He can't risk Dumbledore getting into your head, so it was best not to tell you. But tonight, he told you he'd properly teach you how to protect your mind, and there was the revelation that your bond allowed his mastery of the skill to protect you to a degree. There is more in play than the lie he told you." Sanguini informed. "He told you about the good night you two had when he fed you. Harry, child, everything is right there. Maybe there is more to this man than meets the eye. You hated me when you found me, and here you are now, coming to me for advice and guidance. I convinced you to give me a chance, and such as worked out. Give Severus a chance too. It sounds like he's had just as hard life as you did."

I suppose…" Harry agreed. "It's different. You only turned me…Severus and I have been butting heads for years over the grudge he holds against my father, and godfather. Both of which are no longer of this world."

"Tell me, my child..." Sanguini urged.

"I was informed that my father and two of his friends were rather mean, bullying Severus during their time as students at Hogwarts. But my mother and Severus were the best of friends, having lived in the same neighborhood and became such a few years before Hogwarts. During their fifth year, the friendship ended because Severus, in his anger to of my father and his friends, called my mum a filthy mud-blood. Which you know is an awful slur for someone who is muggle-born, like my mother had been. Severus tried to apologize, but mum refused to hear it and disliked that Severus had swayed to the dark arts, eventually graduating and joining Voldemort." Harry paused as Sanguini nodded, showing he understood so far.

"Fast forward to me attending Hogwarts at eleven. Severus was the potions teacher and gave me hell over taking notes of what he said he could teach the class. After referring to me as their new celebrity, he asked me about certain concoctions and of course, growing up with my muggle relatives and never knowing about the wizarding world beforehand, I didn't have the answers. He mentioned that fame wasn't everything. His classes were always a disaster, giving me a hard time over every potion I brewed. Always had a comment to make about my father because I look just like him. Except my eyes, I have my mother's eyes." Harry informed.

"But Severus has also always protected you over the years." Sanguini mentioned.

"Yeah, out of guilt that he failed protecting my mom from Voldemort. I called him on that earlier and he didn't deny it…He's never cared about me, just my mom." Harry muttered.

"Harry, him protecting you out of guilt over losing your mother can also be interpreted into him not wanting to lose you like he lost her. He may have sworn to protect you because the dark lord would inevitably return and did not wish for you to meet the same fate as it was you Voldemort had been going to kill that night." Sanguini stated. "It goes back to what I told you before, perhaps there is more to things than you are seeing because you are angry with the secret that was kept. Take some time to calm down and talk to him. Learn about the past, give things an honest chance with the air cleared. After all, he is your soulmate, Harry…There is always room for things to grow and become more if you both try. Relationships are trust, and communication, sacrifice, and compromise. You just have to find the middle ground and go from there. I am certain all will work out."

"As I don't want to risk killing him by breaking the bond, I guess I don't have much choice. I've got the bond cut off right now…" Harry sighed.

"There's nothing wrong with that. Sparing you both the pain of a strained bond isn't heartless, but remember you cannot do it forever." Sanguini reminded.

"I know…" Harry nodded.

"Now, what else troubles you?" Sanguini inquired.

"The next thing would be the matter I learned, holding part of Voldemort's soul within me…" Harry said.