The Bonds That Tie
And so the next week passed without any problems, thank Merlin. Harry and Severus returned to the school around 11:00 pm and just stayed together all night after making love. The rest of the week went slow, or it felt that way to Harry but they were finally released from school and enjoyed the nine-hour trip home. Lucius and Narcissa picked the boys up from the platform and went to Malfoy Manor. The boys got settled into their rooms, finding that the house was a little more full than normal and it had only seemed odd to Draco that Pansy, Blaise, Theodore, Vincent, and Gregory were there too. Harry explained to his brother about the situation of a raid taking place and it was likely that everyone assumed a death eater or had been suspected during the first war was going to be targeted. It was decided the safest option was to move everyone into the manor because it was under the Fidelius Charm. It would be too much with the entire army present, so Harry only called on Hermione, Ron, Luna, Neville, Fred, George, Remus, and Tonks to come for the meeting that was taking place. It was currently about 8:30 pm when Severus, Tonks, and Remus finally arrived.
"Sorry I'm late. Albus decided we had to have a staff meeting." Severus muttered.
"And then an Order meeting right behind it." Tonks rolled her eyes.
"Bring any news for us?" Voldemort asked.
"Their moving the raid up to tonight. You all moved in the nick of time." Remus stated to those now living inside Malfoy Manor.
"That was thanks to your information, Tonks." Harry smiled. "Come, sit. Join us…" He motioned to the available chairs. Severus took his place next to Harry, greeting the vampire with a small kiss on the cheek and then Remus and Tonks sat down closer to the Harry's army Lieutenants, or that's what everyone assumed they were. "How did the staff meeting go, Sev?"
"Albus is beyond himself that nothing happened to me at the end of the year." Severus informed.
"That's because I lifted the curse, just to throw him off." Voldemort grinned. "I like watching him be at a loss for words or ideas. It's entertaining."
"Indefinitely. It was the first thing brought up at the meeting, how nothing happened to the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Severus stated. "As there's nothing he can do, I'm staying on through next year. Slughorn is keeping potions."
"Wonderful news." Voldemort nodded. "Anything else of use from the staff meeting?"
"No, my lord." Severus shook his head.
"And the Order was focused on trying to reign Harry in to prepare for the final battle. Albus is sure it will happen next year, end of the school term." Remus reported.
"And the raid is in high hopes of not just capturing death eaters, but also, find Harry with his mate so they can rescue him." Tonks commented.
"Imagine that, just like I said." Harry scoffed. "We should be safe here."
"Why is it should be?" Lucius asked Harry. "We're safe here. None of them know the address."
"But it's possible to floo here without knowing the house location itself." Harry told his adoptive father. "Remus was able to contact the manor without knowing its location last year when summoning you two and Draco to Grimmauld because I was ticked off and needed to feed."
"I have to agree with Harry," Tonks nodded. "It's uncouth and against normal protocol, but they could get here through the floo network. It would take permission from the minister himself, head to the department of magical law enforcement, and then going to the department of travel to get the fireplaces switched from calling to full connection."
"I didn't know they could do that." Narcissa frowned.
"They're not supposed to, Aunt Cissy, but desperate times. If they were to believe after checking all the other homes of suspected death eaters that everyone is hiding out in one place they can't access by storming through the front door…" Tonks trailed off.
"So we might not be safe here either." Lydia Zabini, Blaise's mom, said.
"You're safe because I have a backup plan." Harry retorted. "I'm just not revealing it until necessary."
"Moving on…" Voldemort started. "Is all still in place for this weekend, Harry? Your work with the Longbottom's?"
"Provided nothing happens between now and then, yes." Harry nodded.
"What's going on with your parents, Neville?" Luna asked gently.
"It's been kept under wraps, but Harry thinks he might have a way to restore them from insanity. My gran has permitted him to try," Neville explained.
"It's never been done…Harry, how are you sure that it will be any different than professionals who have tried?" Hermione asked.
"Professionals weren't vampires and have the abilities I do. Now, it's still not guaranteed. This is only theory, but it's a method others haven't tried because they're not vampires. It's worth taking a chance and trying." Harry informed.
"It would be healing history if you can, mate," Ron smiled.
"We're not looking to make it public, but if so…It could mean more acceptance to the vampires as they'd be the only ones capable of restoring this kind of damage." Harry remarked. "What will go public is that it was Tom's idea."
"What? Mine?" Voldemort blinked a few times.
"If you want the people to see you as more than the dark lord, you need to show them that you're not the dark lord. We want them to appeal to you and against Dumbledore." Harry told him. "So if things go public about how the Longbottom's were restored, who came up with the idea; we say it was you. New and improved you. You stopped your attacks, sought out the pieces of your soul to restore your own sanity and was able to remerge the pieces because of how awful you feel about what you'd become because of Albus." He explained. "You know you can't restore the dead, so you came up with other ways to right your wrongs. You didn't capture me, or turn me dark; you sought me out to help you in your bid to fix the corrupt world."
"It's pretty solid, actually," Hermione shrugged. "If I weren't part of this endeavor, I'd have believed it."
"Us too," Fred and George agreed. "Oh, Harry…We think we can bring dad in on this, now that mum's out of the picture. What do you say?"
"He's fighting for custody of Ginerva?" Harry inquired as they nodded. "It might not be safe just yet to bring him aboard."
"He's only taking custody of her to keep an eye on her, it would defeat the purpose of excluding her from the movement." Lucius said.
"We'll tell him in time, but my father is right. Ginny can't know about this, and if your father is going to have custody of her; he can't know either. But not yet. If he has custody of Ginny; he'll keep her in line. Away from Dumbledore and Molly, so they can't put anymore nonsense in her head." Harry remarked. "Sorry, guys."
"Don't be sorry. We just figured he'd want to help; he's furious that Albus got Ginny like this." Ron told his friend.
"It wasn't just Albus, though, Ron. It was Ginny's own obsession with me, she has been since second year when I saved her in the chamber." Harry informed. "Albus just upped the obsession by telling her that the prophecy referred to our love that would defeat the dark lord. And Molly, she just wanted the money and fame and she knew Ginny with me would get her that because Ginny would give her mom some. All three of them are responsible for this, and all three will face Karma in due time. Now more than ever before, everything staying in place for the plan is imperative."
"Ever the Slytherin," Draco snickered.
"Yes, yes…We've established that I'm absolutely a snake." Harry rolled his eyes. "Neville, Severus and I will meet you and your grandmother at St. Mungo's tomorrow morning. Remember, it needs to be protected space. We can't afford interruptions. The staff needs to stay out, and we also now need to watch for Dumbledore. I can't say for sure why I feel like he's going to try something, but he might…After all, years ago, he interfered with Sirius taking custody of me after my parents died. If anything hinders whatever plan he has, he tries to stop it."
"We got it, Harry." Neville promised. "Why would Dumbledore care about my parents being restored, though?"
"Dunno, but why take the chance?" Harry shrugged. "As I said, everything we do now is imperative to the plan. Dumbledore can't know I'm going to attempt to restore your parents sanity. He also doesn't need to know that I have that kind of power. He's already trying to make me his weapon, obviously going to fail. He has no means to control me."
"No because we are your guardians, even if something happens to us, your custody is split between Bellatrix as my sister and her husband, Rodolphus, then also Remus. We named him your godfather just after Easter holiday." Narcissa informed. "Dumbledore will never get his hands on you, much more…You turn seventeen in about a month. The only way custody gets contested then beyond adulthood is if it can be proven you're not in your right mind to take care of yourself."
"And there's not contest there because you've done that all your life." Lucius nodded. "Plus, you have Severus too. Don't you worry, Harry. There is no situation possible where Dumbledore will ever have a legal claim over you."
"Or my money because I've already added Severus to my vaults as my husband." Harry remarked. "If anything happens to me and we all know Dumbledore is gonna try; Sev gets everything. Well, aside from what's sectioned out to others."
"You already wrote your will?" Remus blinked.
"I've written a will every year since 1992, updating it before the new school year because it seemed to be the pattern that I end up in life threatening situations every single June." Harry remarked.
"Fair." Voldemort agreed.
"You really left me everything?" Severus inquired.
"Well, there's things going to a few others too…But majority of it goes to you, yes. Who else would I leave it too? You're my mate in vampire standing, my husband to everyone else. We're bonded, same thing as marriage. Just way stronger because we're soulmates." Harry told him. "It has to go to someone I trust and we don't have any children."
"Not yet." Severus reminded. "We will, when things quiet down."
"Yeah?" Harry smiled.
"Yes, you dunderhead. You need heirs to your lines. I've always wanted kids and I need an heir to my own line, thank you very much." Severus stated.
"I know, the Prince line." Harry nodded. "We still visiting your mum after the war?"
"She demands to meet you in her last letter." Severus informed.
"I look forward to it, Sev." Harry nodded. "I told you, we'll take a long and much needed vacation after I graduate."
"In all seriousness, Harry…You could probably just go take your NEWTs at the ministry and be done with school entirely." Pansy chuckled.
"I could, but I rather finish at Hogwarts with all of you." Harry told them. "We started together in 1991, we'll end together in 1998."
"Aw, you do love us." Blaise grinned.
"Unfortunately," Harry teased.
"HEY!" His friends yelled at him.
"So, it's summer now…When are you turning Uncle Sev?" Draco inquired.
"After the attempt with the Longbottom's. Probably by the end of June, when we see about this raid situation. I don't want to be turning him in the midst of a battle," Harry stated. "Good with you?" He turned to face Severus.
"Fine with anything." Severus nodded.
"I'll be on standby then." Draco assured.
"Can we watch, when you turn him? I've never seen it before." Theodore asked.
"That's probably not the smartest idea. All the new scents are going to overwhelm him and we don't need him losing control. It's the first thing a vampire wants after turning; blood." Harry stated. "It's nothing to see, I'm basically gonna put him on the brink of death by sucking him dry and then replenishing everything I took with my own. That's it. The whole thing takes about twenty-four hours, completed as soon as he takes human blood for the first time. Might not even take twenty-four hours, mine did because I held out until about twenty-three hours before giving in and finding a muggle to feed on."
"Let them learn, Harry." Severus assured.
Harry rolled his eyes and leaned closer to Severus, bringing a hand up. "It's an excuse, Severus. When I change you, because I'm your mate, you're gonna want blood and sex. Trust me…You don't want them around after you feed from Draco. First time you take in blood, you're gonna get aroused as hell and everyone's gonna see it. You sure you want that?" Severus tensed up. "I didn't think so." He returned to his spot.
"Never mind, it should be kept a private affair." Severus stated. "I don't trust my ability for self-control if it's anything like Harry has told me it will be."
"What did you say to him?" Narcissa blinked.
"Nothing." Harry replied calmly. "We all good with this meeting? Anything else need to be discussed?"
"I think that's everything." Voldemort nodded. "In a rush?"
"Not at all, but if we're done talking, no need to just sit around the room like this in silence." Harry told him.
"True." Bellatrix shrugged.
"Some of us still need to get to unpacking," Amycus Carrow said.
"I wouldn't do that," Harry informed. "Things are too unstable to get settled here. Until we know the status of the raid, we should be ready at all times to move elsewhere. That goes for everyone. Unless you can pack at a second's notice be ready always."
"But they'll find us anywhere we go," Viola Goyle mentioned.
"Doesn't matter, the point it to avoid being caught. We already know from Tonks that they'll be going to people's houses first and when that fails, they'll attempt passing permission to enter homes through fireplaces. As the other places will have already been checked, it will be safe to move to them as secondary bases. Potentially. It's just as possible that they lay guards down at the old places. That's what we have Tonks and Remus for, even the Weasley twins. All those still in the Order who joined this cause. We have information coming in everywhere. Trust me, aurors might be organizing the raid, but Dumbledore is gonna worm his way into allowing the Order to take part too." Harry explained. "It's best to always be ready to move. We won't have time to pack up and bail if we're stormed. It will just need to be immediate and not be followed."
"You said you had a backup plan for if they storm Malfoy Manor, Harry…So shouldn't we know it to be ready?" Hermione inquired.
"When you need to know, I'll tell you. Right now, the less who know, the better." Harry informed. "So only keep unpacked what you don't care about leaving behind. Or pack an emergency bag you always have on you. If we get raided here, there won't be time to run up to your rooms and get what you want. Expect the unexpected, something to live by." He mentioned.
"Harry's right, best not take chances. Dumbledore is working with Scrimgeour, it's not a good pairing for anyone on the known dark side." Severus agreed. "We should always be expecting the worst and ready for anything. I've already packed what I won't leave behind and carry it with me shrunk down in my pockets."
"As have we," Remus nodded while holding Tonks' hand.
"Then we'll follow suit," Voldemort informed his followers. "Do what Harry suggests."
"Yes, my lord." The death eaters responded.
"You guys too," Harry looked to his adoptive parents and Draco. "Father, Mother…If you are unable to take everything you want; I can ward the things you want safe from the raid. It'd be the same protections I have on my room at Hogwarts that curse breakers, Dumbledore, and even Severus can't get through. It would keep items hidden and safe until we return."
"Thank you, Harry. Narcissa and I will assemble what we're prepared to take and leave the rest to you to protect." Lucius bowed his head.
"W-Wait, we're actually gonna leave?" Draco asked.
"If we're raided, son, we have no choice. We can't be caught, and anyone bearing a mark is going right to Azkaban. With how desperate they are to capture people; I don't put it past them to immediately sentence people to not just prison, but the Dementor's Kiss." Narcissa informed. "This is not a chance we can take."
"B-But this is our home…We can't abandon it." Draco frowned.
"This is war, brother. In war there are always casualties, I do not desire to see you, Mother, or Father become such. If we're to survive sacrifices must be made." Harry told his family. "If this place is raided for any reason, it's because they suspect death eater activity. And as Tonks revealed; if capture is unavailable, the unforgiveable curses are permitted to be used. As cocky as it's gonna sound, not everyone can resist those curses like I can. If this place is raided, we must prepare to abandon it to move to safer ground for a while; that is the sacrifice to be made. Homes can be rebuilt. Families cannot. If we lose people, they're gone for good." Harry paused. "I'd rather lose a house than another family." Draco nodded, understanding. "It's not forever, Dray…And it's also not set in stone, but we need to be prepared for anything." Harry put his hand on his brother's shoulder.
"Then it's settled, everyone will prepare the means to have to evacuate if raided. Harry has the evacuation plan set, so we do what he says when the time comes." Voldemort ordered.
"That goes for all of you, as well." Harry looked to his friends from Gryffindor, and Luna from Ravenclaw. "If Dumbledore is associating me with the dark, none of you are safe. If you find yourself raided as suspects, use your coins. They're charmed to portkey right here, and they will only take you. Even if someone grabs on; they'll get splinched and left behind. These portkeys are keyed right into your magical signatures…So they only take their owner, not passengers. I'll send word out before the night is over, so everyone knows. The army itself might be safe, but those of you close to me are not."
"Harry…What about our dad?" Ron asked, referring to Arthur Weasley.
"He's a respected member of the Order and knows nothing of this. He'll be safe," Harry promised. "If he is not, I will arrange that he has an emergency portkey out. But not Ginny. I'm sorry, I don't want her anywhere near this."
"Ginny's old enough to choose who she wants to reside with, so might very well end up with our mother." George stated.
"Dad only wants her so he can keep an eye on her, but even if he's not granted custody; Ginny can't come near you because of the restraining order in effect. She's obsessed, not stupid enough to get herself sent to prison." Fred nodded.
"Then I will arrange a portkey for Arthur. Only to be used if he finds himself in danger, it will not take him here if there is no danger. The coins on person are charmed to pick up on emotions." Harry explained.
"Not missing a beat with this, are you?" Neville chuckled.
"I'll arrange a coin for your grandmother too, Nev." Harry informed as Neville nodded in thanks. "We're too invested to seeing this to the end and being successful. I won't risk it for anything…" Harry informed. "Now then, it's still start of summer and we don't need anyone getting suspicious on where you've disappeared to most of the evening. Head home,"
"Yes, sir," His friends smiled and stood, then made their way out.
"As for you, darling husband," Harry grinned. "You and I have a date upstairs to boost me for tomorrow."
"Yes, beloved," Severus remarked with an eye roll.
"We bid all of you a goodnight." Harry stood with Severus, taking the man's hand and then they left the room.
"It's barely 9:30 pm…Why are they saying goodnight?" Tonks wondered.
"Because they won't be back down after Harry feeds from Severus." Draco laughed a little. "It gets both of them riled up."
"Draco!" Lucius and Narcissa admonished. "It's your brother and godfather's business!"
"It's not like everyone didn't already know," Draco shrugged.
Such was true, most times Harry and Severus went off on their own so Harry could feed; they ended up having sex. It didn't matter, least the two were happy and anyone could see that they were into one another. It might not be love, but there was definitely like. It was only a matter of time until love hit.