Chapter 32: debriefing

The three men arrived in the courtyard in front of the manor house. It was dark and cold, a few flakes falling from the sky, but only the wizard was sensitive to them. He removed Jasper's handcuffs, saluted the two vampires and disappeared into a pop. Jasper and Carlisle headed for the living room, the only lit room in the manor. The younger was looking forward to being alone with Harry for a while, so that his emotions could settle down. He also wanted to go out on the pontoon: the peacefulness of the place always helped him regain his inner balance, but with the snow, he feared Harry might fall ill.

All the Cullens, as well as Harry, Hermione, Ron, Blaise and George, were in the living room. Jasper's rising jealousy almost made him lose what little control he had left. The vampires were immediately on their guard, ready to intervene if he jumped on the inventor. The latter sensed the danger and froze under the black stare. It was Harry, who had his back to Jasper, who defused the situation by turning around. The smile on his lips lit up his tired face. The relief and love he felt hit the empath hard and eased his jealousy. Harry understood what was going on around him, but chose to ignore it. He suspected that the last two days had been hard on his vampire and was reassured that he hadn't jumped on George as soon as he arrived. He stood up, took his boyfriend's hand and drew him into their bedroom.

Jasper allowed himself to be soothed by this contact, by the feelings that came to him, by the distance he gained from the other occupants of the manor. He let himself be seated on the bed by the wizard, who settled astride his knees and kissed him full on the lips, slowly and lovingly. He'd worried about him for two days and realized that he couldn't see his life without him at all, that he was already madly in love with him and that there would be no one but him. Jasper drowned in their kiss and the feelings he was receiving, his heart and being, had never been more in tune. However, he ended the kiss as he felt his desire for the young man awaken. He cupped his face, caressed his cheeks with his thumbs and observed his features.

"How long has it been since you slept?"

"You're the one who just spent two days plunging back into the hell of your memories while I was here, and you're the one who's worried?"

"I wouldn't be worried if I didn't think you hadn't slept since I left," Jasper scolded, amused by his wizard's reactions, but also concerned.

Harry looked away, having spent his evenings with Ron and Hermione, his nights with the Cullen children and his days thinking about his future. His concerns for his soulmate had kept him awake.

"Don't neglect yourself for me, please," Jasper whispered.

"I saw the worst eventualities every time I closed my eyes."

The vampire slid his hands down Harry's back, closed his arms around him and held him close. He felt sorry for the young man and wanted nothing more than to stay in this room with his love in his arms and let him sleep as much as he needs. However, he was interrupted in his reverie and brought back to the situation by the young man's question.

"How did it go for you?"

He breathed into the warm neck and stepped back.

"Let's go find the others, they're probably waiting for us to debrief."

Jasper had no desire to find the others, George even less so even though he knew he had no reason to be jealous, that Harry wouldn't return to the redhead's arms, he was too unstable that night to help himself. If he was relieved to find the inventor and Blaise absent, he was physically unsettled by the general disquiet that greeted him. He dropped into an armchair so as not to show his disquiet, and Harry sat on his lap, determined not to let him go after two days of anguish and the fatigue he could see on the vampire's face. The latter rested his head against the wizard's and asked Carlisle if he could tell him what had happened.

The story was hard on the empath, who had to keep his own emotions in check as the memories came back to him, but also those of others. Worst of all was when Azkaban was mentioned, the wizards leaping up in horror, soon joined by Edward, he felt as if crushed.

"He can't!" cried Hermione, while Ron swore and Edward clutched his head in his hands.

Harry thought back to the way Sirius had looked when he'd escaped, or the way Bellatrix had looked, and his heart clenched.

"Harry, step away from Jasper for a moment," Esmee urged him with a certain urgency in her voice.

The young man gasped and rose to his feet, guilt gripping him as he discovered the empath's clenched jaw and fists.

"I'll be all right," Jasper murmured, not wanting him to blame himself. "I'll go out into the hall, but I'm listening."

They all watched him struggle to his feet, take his time to regain his proud soldierly posture and exit.

"What's this Azkaban?" asked Rosalie.

"The magical prison of Great Britain," replied Hermione. "From its creation in the fifteenth century, until a few months ago, it was guarded by detractors. These are creatures of darkness considered to be the most repugnant in the world. They feed on human joy, causing despair and sadness to anyone in their vicinity. They no longer guard the prison, but studies made show that it will be several years before the walls are cleared of their fluids."

Harry suddenly felt the need to be with Jasper, so he followed his instincts and went into the corridor.

"Can I come?" he asked the vampire who was sitting on the floor, his knees hugged to his chest, encircled by his arms.

His jaw was still tight and his features drawn, but he nodded. Jasper crossed his legs and invited the wizard to sit on him, wrapping his arms around Harry's waist and letting his forehead rest against his chest as the young man ran his fingers through his hair. Harry had managed to calm his emotions before coming to him and was now concentrating on the love and pride he felt for this brave man who was still capable of compassion and love despite what he had been through. Even though he couldn't understand how Harry could feel that way about him, Jasper clung to it so as not to lose his footing under the waves of horrified feeling that came to him from the living room.

"The fluid alone," Hermione continued, "is enough to remind people nearby of their worst memories and plunge them into despair."

"Already for a lambda person it's a condemnation to go mad," Ron interjected, "but for an empath..."

He didn't finish his sentence, it wasn't necessary, everyone had understood, sending Jasper to Azkaban would be condemning him to a slow and painful death of his mind.

"Why do your people want to hurt me so badly?"

"I won't let them condemn you to such a fate."

"You may not be able to do anything."

"Jaz, look at me."

The vampire did as asked and discovered the wizard's face, at once closed and gentle, who kissed him tenderly.

"I promise I won't let them hurt you. I won't let them torture you anymore."

"You may not have a choice."

"I've been known to do the impossible."

Jasper pulled Harry against him, struggling to convince himself that his lover would know how to intervene if his government decided to send him to their prison, but there was nothing either of them could do about it at the moment. They stayed there until the meeting was over and Ron and Hermione came to say good night. As soon as Harry's best friends had left, he lured Jasper to the dock, where he cast a warming spell on himself, summoned an umbrella that protected them from the snow, snuggled into his vampire's arms and fell asleep.