Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Invitation	By : starstruck86 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Snape/Ron Views: 6835 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I make any money from these writings

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
A/N: Good morning all *yawns* its 06:24 here. And the
computer screen is hurting my eyes. *blinks* Here you are. Last
chapter for a few days, and I really like this one. I�ve read it a lot
to cover up holes and hope I got them all. And I got to make up wizarding
history, which always makes me happy. However I now have my proof that fanfiction is bad for your wellbeing: got up early to post this, did not put the light on in the bathroom and kicked part of it, resulting in painful foot woe. *_* Thanks for you reviews as ever:

Sheree �No Wind Tunnel necessary
for this. Maybe something to settle your stomach?
I did warn you you
were getting ahead of yourself�

DaVinci �I can see where you�re coming from on
Ron moving away from Severus after he�d divulged that piece of his past, but
actually, Severus took it better than you�d think. I don�t think he quite
realised quite how confused Ron is or how easily he is hurt until then, and his
main concern was actually for him (which probably startled Severus more than
what Ron did anyway). And thank you for the holiday wellwishes xxx

Kai �Yes, I like
to call it a phenomenon known as �fingers of fury�. Glad you liked the Smex. I know I did. ;)

On with it...

-----

Severus could have been flying for all he knew. He didn�t
feel the feet which were pounding through the corridors of Hogwarts, nor did he
hear the way their steps echoed through the stone paths, or realise the way his
breath was so sharp and ragged.

No, the only thing that Severus Snape recognised was the nauseating
fear bubbling through his body, and the way he didn�t seem to be getting
anywhere no matter how much he ran. Albus� words kept floating through his
mind, punctuating the sheer dread.

�He will have no
choice.�

Breath escalating to near hyperventilation, Severus ran
faster.

�Just
as I have no choice.�

Severus jumped off a staircase from the fifth step up.

�I regret what I have
to do. But he is my charge.�

He crashed brutally into the outside wall of the next spiral
staircase he dove into.

�You are instantly and
permanently dismissed. The Governors have called for it.�

Severus slipped slightly off the bottom step and ignored the
pain in his ankle.

�You are aware of what
can happen now, Severus� Do not be a foolish man��

Severus shot down the grand staircase and swung round the
stone newel post, propelling himself towards the dungeon entrance, and his
brain kicked into gear.

Please God don�t have
left my rooms, please be there Ron, please be there, please be there.

Hurtling down the sloping corridors of the dungeons, Severus
didn�t know what he would do if Ron had awoken during his absence and left his
quarters. He would not have time to warn the redhead of the situation he would
walk into. Yanking out his wand, Severus shot the wards down from his door as
soon as it came into his view, and praying harder than he could ever remember
in his life, he burst through the door to his office, eyes frantically darting
around for Ron.

�Severus?� Ron did up the zipper on his coat, not looking at
the man who had just burst through the door. �I was just about to head off into
Hogsmeade!�

�No!� Severus cried desperately, and slammed the door shut
with such force the stone wall shook a little.

It wasn�t the trembling wall but the strangled note in his
voice which made Ron look up, and his stomach dropped out at the bloodless
face, heaving breath and reddened eyes.

�Where were you�? Severus?�

�Albus,� Severus growled. �Ron, you� we don�t have��

�Calm down, Sev,� Ron sprang forward, hands outstretched.
�What is it� what�s he doing to us?�

�What he�s doing to me is nothing,� Severus spat with rage, hands trembling. �But you? In the name of �protection� the man is willing to
risk your sanity!�

�What?� Ron asked, his voice ashen.

�He has researched an old branch of magic, last used around
the time of the Marston Rebellion, though it dates before that. It�s as old as
the BLOODY hills and unsafe� I� I never thought he would take this route, Ron.�

�Just tell me what he wants me to bloody do!� Ron asked,
trying to control the panic rising in him from Severus� livid response. �I�ll
just refuse, Severus.�

�You will not be able to refuse; he is� permitted�
by the school legislation to make you undertake this by force if you disobey.�

�What is it?�

�It is used to prise bonds apart,� Severus stormed up and
down in front of his desk.

�Severus, what is it?� Ron pleaded again, trying to understand.

�It is a spell which will diffuse into your very being, your
very magical core, and whilst there, you speak the words to renege on whatever
the spell is supposed to break��

�The Invitation?� Ron gasped.

�Yes. But Ron, it is so risky. Those
who undertake it are never the same -they�re just� shadows of their former
selves. Most of them lose all their memories.�

�Can�t he just Obliviate me?� Ron asked desperately. �I�ll do it, Severus, and
come back to you.�

�He has trapped us,� Severus shook his head, glaring at the
carpet. �If they Obliviate you, and then I approach to remind you of everything
that has transpired between us, they will call it harassment from a dark one,
and banish me.�

�What, can they do that?�

�I am a vampire, Ron. And whilst we are marginally better
off than the werewolves, because we can easily hide what we are, the same
prejudices and cruel laws exist against us. He has already contacted the
Ministry alerting them as to my condition, something he previously promised he
would never do.�

�That fucking bastard!� Ron yelled.
�Severus, they can�t do this, I�m nineteen in March��

�Whilst you�re a student, Ron� there is very little you can
do� he will write to your parents, who will no doubt be shocked� and then��

�No, Severus, I�ll just quit! I�ll quit right now and then
we�ll go somewhere. I presume he�s sacked you?�

�Ron, we are trapped,� Severus growled again, rage tearing
at every square inch of his body. �This isn�t going to work. If you quit, and
we leave �run away, they� they will file an abduction claim. And that is one of
the worst crimes a Vampire can be accused of �because they attribute it to the
beginning of Covens.�

�And what would happen to you?� Ron�s eyes were wide.

�I� I don�t know what method they favour these days,�
Severus took a deep breath. �Once upon a time the punishment for human
abduction was forced execution using imitative sunlight spells. Not many
vampires are dense enough to let themselves be caught these days��

�No, no, no, no, no!�
Ron said instantly. �So you�re telling me that if I stay, I�m forced into this
spell, forced to renege my Invitation, purely because of my age? And if we run,
disappear together� then they� you� oh God.�

Ron finally gave himself over to the trembling he had been
fighting off. �Severus, what do we do?�

�There is nothing we can do� He will be summoning you any
minute.�

�I can�t believe he�s doing this� it�s not as though I was
forced, I did this by myself!�

�His justification, and he is backed by the Governors, is
that you were inebriated when you issued the Invitation and thus you were not
in your right mind. And they have the right to force you to revoke your
Invitation.�

�And afterwards, if I still fucking wanted you? Then
what would the bunch of stiffs do?�

�They claim that if, afterwards, you are still of a� mind,
you could choose to continue your relationship with me, if you felt the need,
but due to my nature and due to yours, we would have to be monitored.�

�Monitored?�

�So that I did not turn you� There is a very good reason why
my kind take to disappearing underground,� Severus
said with an ugly look on his face. �We are so discriminated against we prefer
to leave the world which treats as nothing more than scum� as if any of us
asked for such a curse.�

�And especially not you�� Ron said softly, thinking back to
the night before when he had finally learned the truth about Severus� change.
�I can�t believe he�s doing this to you, does he not have any respect for
loyalty, Severus?�

�He claims that as I have severed my loyalty to him, he can
do the same to me� hence why he has alerted the ministry about me.�

�What will happen to you if I�m� hurt by the spell? Would
you� the burning? The blood?�

�They aim for the spell to break us apart, Ron. Only I would
have the memories and what does it matter? I am inhuman; I don�t have a heart
to break.�

�I can�t believe this� I� Severus, what should I do?�

�I cannot answer this for you,� Severus held his hands up, palms facing Ron.
�This is your life.�

�It�s not my life; they�re going to force me into something I don�t want to
do! And something that might leave me so totally un-me
I might as well not be alive!�

�I know.� Severus� voice was laced with defeat. �There is no
right or wrong. Stay or go, there is danger.�

�At least if we go, we�d be together,� Ron said softly, with realisation.

His mind was a torrent of thoughts. He couldn�t understand
most of them; all he knew was that there was very real danger, to them both
separately and to them as a unit. And Ron knew how to deal with danger �he�d
had enough practice during the war. And he hadn�t survived that to be reduced
to a walking shell.

�Severus, you�re going to pack what you can. Reduce it in
size. Take every blood replenisher you have and your
things and-�

�No, Ron, don�t you see? We are trapped!�

�Do you think I can argue with him?!� Ron shouted. �Do you
think if I set a foot in his office he�ll let me walk back out of it? No! We
have to do something, I will not wait like a sitting fucking duck,
Severus!�

�But think about what you give up,� Severus spat hotly.
�Think of all those you leave behind, Ron �your family, and your friends. You
throw away eighteen years worth of that, and you certainly will, because we
will have to disappear, you throw it all away for me? It�s just a month, Ron, a
month. I am not worth this.�

�And tell me what exactly
is worthy, losing my memories?� Ron�s
eyes were blazing. �Tell me, Severus! Would you do it? Would you step up to the
fucking executioner�s block like that?�

�They do not think it will be so risky��

�And why do you think it would be?�

�Because� Bridgette told me there were ways old magic could
be countered� with more old magic, and she told me she would not chance to put
an eighteen-year-old through them. I can only assume this is what she meant. I
trust her judgement implicitly, Ron.�

�Bridgette,� Ron said slowly, repeating the word, testing
the feel on his tongue and lips. �Severus� can we get to the coven in Paris?�

Severus� eyes widened. �Ron, I�m not walking you into the
heart of a bloodthirsty group of vampires, have you lost your mind?�

�We don�t have to stay there, but they know the city, they
can hide us, Severus, we can use them.�

Severus stiffened, remembering Bridgette�s parting words to
him when he had left on Christmas Day. �If
you are in danger� you must come to me.� The hope of an escape was swept
away by despair again as he turned back to Ron.

�This is your choice, Ron, it is me, or your
past. Your family will be there when you come out of this Renegation,
I will not.�

�And if I do not go through with it,
you will be there, and they will not. It�ll just be me and you��

�Until the Ministry catches up with us� an abduction,
fabricated or not, is serious Ron.�

�I�ll leave a note,� Ron realised how ridiculous it sounded.

�A note?� Severus asked
incredulously. �God, are you already out of your mind?�

�I�m just trying to find a way here, Severus,
I�m trying to� oh Gods�� Ron was overcome with panicked breaths, his chest
heaved and he could not find an anchor with which to ground himself.

Severus watched him lose control and for once his heart went
out in sympathy. Faced with a life changing decision, Severus wasn�t sure he
would have handled it any better. He flew to Ron�s side and engulfed him in his
arms, stroking at his hair.

�Did you know about this? Did you know it was a risk?� Ron
muttered.

�I researched when this first happened, and I did not find
anything specific. Bridgette said there were ways but she implied such danger I
truly did not think Albus would stoop to such levels� and yet he has. The
Marston�s Rebellion has fallen off the syllabus at Hogwarts now but I learned
about in my time.�

�We don�t have time for a history lesson,� Ron said
decisively. �You pack, right now. Anything you can get your hands on. Do you
have money? They�ll block our accounts if we�re on the run, not that there�s
anything in mine, of course.�

�If there is one thing my father taught me,� Severus said
with a glint in his eye, �It was never to trust banks.�

Without thinking any further, Severus whirled into his
bedroom and Ron followed, finding his vampire on his knees, peeling back the
carpet with his wand and then lifting a stone out of the floor. He reached in,
grabbed something, and then lobbed it at Ron.

�Sweet Merlin, Severus, what the fuck?� Ron tested the
weight of the pouch in his hands and couldn�t estimate the amount of galleons
in the shrunken bag.

�My father never trusted anyone with the little money he
had,� Severus� face was set. �And he passed that on to me.�

�So, Paris?� Ron asked, as Severus
flew past him and pulled a suitcase off the top of his wardrobe.

�Stop talking about it,� Severus whispered. �You don�t know
what they�ve put where, or who is listening.�

Ron gave a stiff nod, heart beating with the gravity of what
they were about to do. It was running away, disappearing� but how could that be
worse than the alternative? At least he would have time, time to prepare
himself for if the Ministry caught up with them.

Items were being summoned past him from the office and
bathroom and closed his eyes and took deep breaths. When he opened them he saw
a muggle notepad and pens fly past and he looked questioningly at Severus who
mouthed �easier!� at him and Ron nodded.

�I don�t think you�d have time to get anything from your
dorm��

�I have everything important to me,� Ron swallowed. �Wand,
clothes, and��

�And what?� Severus zipped shut the case and looked at
him.

Ron just pointed at him.

�Are you sure?� Severus asked tremulously. �You understand
the severity of what will happen?�

�I will not submit to them in this way,� Ron growled. �If we
have a chance by running, Severus, I will do it, despite what I�ll leave
behind. I need to write something.�

�Be quick,� Severus watched the determination radiating out
of his Fire Imp and was blown away by it. This might not even work, depending
on how quickly the Ministry acted. With a dry mouth Severus levitated the case
into the office and looked around at what he
was leaving behind.

You were sacked
anyway. You would be leaving this behind regardless.

Severus reduced the suitcase. Thinking that they would have
to live a very muggle life, he doubled back into his bedroom, yanked open his
wardrobe and pulled out a plain pair of black jeans and a long sleeved black
shirt. He changed quickly and reached for the coat hanging up, seldom worn in a
world where he could wear his cloak, and threw it on, feeling strangely trapped
by the heavy leather.

Then he walked back into the office and pocketed the reduced
suitcase, saw Ron bent at the desk and walked to his side, reading over his
shoulder.

�I am fine. I will not
be fine if I stay. Please understand. I know this will come as a shock but I
hope you all know me well enough to know I�m unable to give up without a fight.
I do not expect your support but know that I love you all very much. Love, Ron.

�I�ll send it along the way,� Ron folded it up and put it in
his pocket. �I won�t leave it here. There�s no reason to state the obvious that
we�ve left together. If they�re determined they�ll find us, but still� I won�t
help them hunt us out. Are you ready?�

Severus gave a nod. �I thought muggle was best.�

Ron looked over him and gave a nervous smile. �Floo to the communal portal in London, then apparate out of the country?
Down to the coast first, then across the water? I don�t know where I�m going;
I�m going to need your help��

�Do not worry, I will help you.�

�Severus� the anti-sunlight potions?�

�I have had my dose for today� but it needs to be brewed
freshly� I� packed the store I had, three days.�

�Alright, so we�ll revert to creatures of the night,� Ron
shrugged. �Did you get the vampire book? It�s here; I had it with me last
night�� He pointed to the coffee table. �I�m tempted to leave it� for them.� He
thought of the letter in his pocket.

�It will do no good,� Severus whispered and summoned the book. �There�s no
time��

�I know,� Ron breathed. �Time won�t exist for us anymore� it never does when
you�re on the run.�

�Ron, you don�t have to��

�I will not stay and be mindlessly forced into a spell I do not want to go
under! You can stay if you want to; I�m not going to force you to come with me!�
Ron�s temper flared instantly, and he looked to Severus with raised eyebrows to
see what he would choose. Severus nervously swallowed. �Then, enough�� Ron took
that as an affirmative. �Now let�s go before they fucking block your Floo and
we�re royally fucked up the arse.�

�And if it�s already blocked?� Severus breathed, watching
Ron take a handful of Floo powder.

�Disillusionment charms and we leg it,� he said decisively.

Severus wondered how the boy was so well versed in the art
of escapism. He blinked as he disappeared in a flash, and Severus threw his own
handful into the flames to follow.

He surprises me with
every single passing day. What on earth am I doing, following him?

***

Luckily the beach they popped out onto was empty, and the
tide was out. It would have added insult to injury to apparate into the water.
Ron staggered slightly, steadying himself from the horrific sensation of
apparition, and Severus blinked around him.

�This is right,� Ron confirmed, looking out. �That�s the
port over there, where the ferries leave. The official apparition point is the
other way, round the coast.�

�How do you know so much about the country�s apparition
points?� Severus asked him, walking close �the beach was cold and windy.

�I got about during the war,� Ron shrugged. �Sort of stuff you
remember. Look, there�s a cave over there we can sit in to regenerate.�

He immediately turned and picked his way over the bigger
stones which acted as covering the further they got from the water, glad he had
his boots on as they were safer to walk in. He reached the alcove in the rock
and assessed the safety, but there was nothing to fall on them and it was dry.
He perched down on a conveniently placed boulder and waited for Severus to join
him, which he did.

Ron looked out at the steely grey sea battering against the
beach, smelling the salt on the wind.

�Think they know we�re gone yet?� He asked, not turning to
look at his companion.

�Probably. It�s been half an hour
and Albus was insistent he was calling you the second I left the office.�

�But nothing came��

�He assumed you were in your dormitory, he probably went there himself� I did
not tell him you stayed the night in my quarters.�

�That was lucky. He might have asked��

�He asked if we�d seen each other since our meeting with
him�� Severus kicked at a loose rock on the floor. �Of course, I had to
answer��

�It�s okay,� Ron said softly, reaching out and taking his
hand without even looking. �I know you�re bound to answer him.�

�Ron I� this is so serious now��

�I know. I know we might have made things worse for
ourselves by running, Severus. But I couldn�t go into his office and be forced
like that. It�s not who I am� free spirit, remember? And you� the thought of
you banished� It�s inhumane. If running away combats both the problems then
I�ll hold my hand up and admit I ran away.�

�Where are you finding your strength from?� Severus asked
him quietly. �How can you sit and be so� stoic when
you have just thrown away any chance of a normal life?�

�Maybe a normal life isn�t what I�m meant to have,� Ron
looked at the sea. �There were times I thought that with Harry, that we would
never win, and nothing would ever be as we thought we were striving for. We did
win. And still nothing�s like we thought it would be.�

�What are you going to do about your letter?� Severus asked
and Ron sighed.

He had been going to send it inconspicuously along the way,
but now he was not so sure. Surely it would be kinder on his family if he were
to just disappear, to not write an apology that he was leaving them?

�You no longer wish to send it?� Severus murmured, and Ron
gave a non-committal jerk of his head.

�I don�t know what�s best.�

�Neither do I.�

�Do you feel strong enough to get us across yet?� Ron
changed the subject abruptly.

�No, another ten minutes,� Severus assessed, concentrating
on his magic reserves.

Normally apparition would be no problem for him, but taking
Ron in a side-along and across such a large distance was going to be hard work.

I should not have come
with him. The thought manifested in Severus� head and he gulped at it. I should have remained in the castle, let
them see me, let them question me� and then sought him out.

�I shouldn�t have come with you,� Severus said, his voice
panicked, and he got to his feet. �Ron, I should have remained and followed you
later, we have acted rashly.�

�Well, what choice did we have?� Ron looked up at him. �We
were scared. Or, I was, I don�t presume to know about you. And I wasn�t really
going to leave you behind to God knows what when you�re talking about
banishment and executions and� no, Severus. Stop it. We�re in this together, more so now than we have ever
been.�

A thought slammed into Severus� conscience then which sent
icy tendrils crawling along his spine. Oh
Gods� the Protection. That is why I followed! And why I was so very angry� does
that mean I was right regarding the effect the spell would have on him? It was
so unlike me to follow� Oh sweet Merlin.

�They have no idea I was with you.� Ron ploughed on
resolutely, unaware of Severus� revelation. �If Dumbledore moved as quickly as
he hinted, then he might not have known that you ever had time to speak to me.
I am just gone. And my bed isn�t slept in. No elves were in your room this
morning, nobody knows I was there. I could be anywhere, Severus. And you have
packed your most important belongings and left, just as was requested of you
when he sacked you.�

Severus thought over Ron�s words and calmed slightly, though
he was still adrift, wondering what on earth would become of them, and
wondering about the Protection.

�We were careful in London,
nobody saw us before we came here. And now� there�s nobody on this beach. And
by the time we get to Paris,
we�ll be under the protection of the coven.�

�They will not likely protect us long,� Severus warned him,
recovering his sense of speech. �Bridgette will do what she can for us but if
we reveal the coven to the authorities� gods above, we won�t even get out of
the underground metropolis before they tear you apart.�

�Me?�

�Human,� Severus reminded him with narrowed eyes. �I don�t
know if they�ll even let you in. If not� you�ll have to hide somewhere.�

�We�re going to have to live as Muggles, aren�t we?� Ron
mused, dragging his teeth over his bottom lip, looking slightly like a chipmunk.
�Cut down on the magic we use or not use it at all?�

�Unfortunately I think that would be best.�

�Severus?�

�Yes?� he sank back down onto his rock to rest.

�Thank you for following me.�

Silence wedged between them and Severus swallowed anxiously.
I am not the man to find words for such a
poignant moment as this. He simply reached across and laced his fingers
through Ron�s, squeezing them as a symbol of strength.

***

�How far is it from here to Paris?� Ron asked, hating that he had
absolutely no idea of the geography of their situation.

�About two hours,� Severus sighed, he had his head resting
back against a tree and his eyes were closed, knees bent up in front of him and
hands locked dangling between his legs.

Ron was sat cross-legged on the floor, tearing roughly at
the grass between his thighs, twitching with nerves.

I might never see my
family again.

He blinked, thinking how overdramatic that was.

Is it really? I�ve
just� run. No note, no nothing. Only what Dumbledore tells them and when he�
they probably won�t believe him that I brought this all on myself. They�ll just
blame Severus. Harry will just blame Severus. Fuck.

Ron looked at the man trying to re-charge his metaphorical
batteries against the old tree, his face pale and drawn.

How can we know if
we�ve done the right thing? I don�t know�we barely know each other and yet
we�re� He was annoying even himself. Ron was very glad his incoherent
babble was not said aloud for Severus to hear, as he was fairly sure he�d be
throttled.

But this is huge� I
don�t have any experience of living with anybody other than Harry. And that
money won�t last forever, and we�re going to need a place to stay and pay rent�
oh fuck.

Perhaps Severus had sensed his fear, Ron jumped when the man
spoke out of the blue.

�I think I can get us along the last leg of the journey
now,� Severus got to his feet, brushing down the seat of his trousers and
stretching out his arms.

Ron looked up at him. �So soon? Are
you sure?�

�Yes, please get up,� Severus� voice was tight �not only due
to his tiredness and worry, but because in minutes he would be walking Ron into
an underground burrow of vampire-ridden tunnels.

Ron did as he was requested and wrapped his arms around
Severus� waist tightly, as he had been instructed to do to get across the
channel. He placed a soft kiss on the man�s lips and then closed his eyes,
hearing the steady counting of Severus readying his magic, and then felt the
hideous squeezing sensation claiming his stomach. They were spinning and Ron
kept hold of Severus with every ounce of strength that he had, teeth clenched
so hard he thought they might break.

And then his feet hit solid ground and Severus staggered
against him slightly, pushing him back into a wall. Both of them blinked and
the world stopped spinning.

�Where are we?� Ron whispered, as he heard the sounds of traffic rumbling
nearby, and saw flashes of colour at the end of the narrow alley they appeared
to be in.

�Near the Coven,� Severus answered in a hushed tone. �Look,
Ron� this is the first dangerous step for us. You must promise to obey me,
never let go of my hand and behave. I know this make you sound like you are
five but these are my kind, and I know how to handle them. Please?�

�Of course,� Ron assured him with wide eyes. �I�m not fucking this up now,
Severus. We have to stay together.�

�Don�t even really look at anyone. You� uh��

�What?� Ron said worriedly.

�I was going to make a comment about your talent for making
Invitations but it�s not really the time.�

Ron gave him a weak smile and a squeeze around the waist to
let him know that he at least appreciated Severus� attempt at humour. Severus
stepped back, reached for his hand, and then pulled him further down the
cramped alleyway, which was full of litter and stank of urine. Ron had to
confess it was the last place he�d expect to be the portal into an underground
vampire coven.

Severus hissed something in Latin that Ron neither caught
nor understood, but guessed it was a password from the way the wall suddenly
flashed and he was tugged through the blinding light.

When he opened his eyes, he was standing in a completely
normal hallway, with a wooden floor, plants in pots and what looked like a
buzzer system, but one of the biggest systems he had ever seen in his life. In
fact it almost took up the entire wall. Severus instantly stepped over to it
and pressed a button somewhere in the middle, which instantly phased green.

�Thank god,� he muttered under his breath, though Ron heard
him. Then there was the sound of a buzz and a female voice.

�Hello?� It was clipped and undeniably British.

�Bridgette? It�s me, Severus.�

�What the hell are you doing back here so soon?�

�Do you remember the parting wisdom you gave me as I left on
Christmas Day?� Severus asked in a low voice to the speaker.

�Oh, lord. Have you-�

�Yes.� Severus answered her; Ron assumed that was her way of
asking if he�d dragged a mortal into their realm.

�Good Godric, Severus. Get down here as soon as possible. Do
not let go of him.�

She buzzed off and Severus turned to Ron with a grim
expression on his face. �No less than I expected. Come on,� he moved off down
the hallway, and turned into a staircase.

Ron was fascinated as they walked down the stairs, past what
seemed like an entire city under the ground. Severus led him past busy levels,
further beneath the ground. It wasn�t until the fourth level that they passed
anybody, and Ron�s back set on edge at the way Severus clenched his hand
tightly. The man stared but did not stop; Ron kept his eyes to the floor as he
had been instructed.

They descended for what felt like forever, and although Ron
was worried about what was going to happen, he couldn�t help but spare a
thought for his poor legs when they walked back up again, because they surely
could not stay in the Coven. They passed more people and they all stared, and
Ron heard Severus mutter that the whole metropolis would know there was a human
amidst them within ten minutes.

�Nearly there,� he said quietly to Ron, and finally led him
off the stairs onto a floor which looked far quieter and more domestic than the
others. It seemed to be lined with simple doors which were all numbered, and
when Severus stopped outside one of them, Ron recognised the number from the
buzzer system on the wood.

�Are you alright?� Severus whispered, pulling Ron close into
his side.

�Shouldn�t they all be asleep?� Ron asked in a whisper,
gesturing at his watch.

�They have ways of factoring it out with the magic
protecting them here.�

Ron nodded with a dry mouth and took a deep breath, and
squeezed Severus� hand in what seemed to be their new way of showing affection
and support.

Severus squeezed back and knocked on the door, which took
all of five seconds before it flew open.

Ron hoped his mouth hadn�t fallen open. Standing at the door
was a woman wrapped in a flowery silk floor-length dressing gown, her platinum
blonde hair loose and falling straight down her back. She had grey eyes. Looks like a Malfoy!

�In,� she commanded, and stepped back so that they could
pass, and Ron kept hold of Severus� hand, even though he could tell the older
man made to drop it.

The image of the beautiful woman swirled in Ron�s mind and
he tried not to think of how very obvious her breasts had been beneath the
silk. Wonder if I could get Severus in
silk? � Not the time, Ron, focus. Life and death, on the run� remember.

�So this is him then?� Bridgette spoke, folding her arms
over her chest.

�Yes,� Severus flicked her a glance, daring her to
kick off with Ron present. �Ron, this is Bridgette.�

�Nice to meet you,� Ron said, stupidly shyly, and held out
his hand, which he thought would be polite, but the blonde took one look at him
and burst out laughing. Ron let his hand fall by his side and did not look at
Severus for a rebuke over the blunder he�d just committed.

�So why are you here, disturbing me?� Bridgette asked, and
then as though she had remembered something, moved and closed one of the doors
leading on to the room.

�It�s the middle of the morning,� Severus rolled his eyes at
her.

�Are you telling me you only have your little beau here in
the dark depths of the evening?� She raised an eyebrow, and gestured to her
sofa. �Sit. And for the love of Godric tell me what on earth�s happened.�

�We were cornered. Albus Dumbledore found us out, and conferred with the
Governors,� Severus said weightily, dropping down and dragging Ron with him,
whilst Bridgette paced in front of them.

�And now what?� she asked.

�They wanted to force him into a spell to get him to renege
on his Invitation, like those used in-�

�The Marston�s Rebellion, yes, Severus, that was exactly the
kind of thing I warned you about. I cannot believe someone deemed to be the
greatest wizard of our time would willingly put an eighteen-year-old through
that!�

�Can one of you please explain what that is?� Ron asked
quickly, and they both stared at him, making him blush again.

�It�s not taught at Hogwarts any more,� Severus turned his
head to the blonde in explanation as to Ron�s ignorance. �William Marston was a
wizard who had a double life working as a farmer in the Muggle community in the
late seventeenth century.�

�And when the International Statute of Secrecy came into
play in 1692, he was not happy,� Bridgette took up the story. �He had the best
crops, the best everything, and was making a fortune selling them to the
muggles.�

�Because he was growing with magic and could beat out the competition?� Ron
looked between them.

�Exactly,� Severus nodded. �But he wasn�t happy with the
Statute as it meant he would be breaking the law if he continued to trade as it
was making profit from Muggle ignorance. There were others like him, and the
Rebellion was basically them gaining power and strength in their area so that
they did not have to obey the law.�

�And they probably would have gotten away with it had they
not started using mind-control on Muggles to do their will,� Bridgette
finished. �But once that started, and there were several nasty deaths, the
Ministry acted. However this was a time when they were still worried about the
continuation of the wizard race� they didn�t want to waste good, fertile
wizards on imprisonment or death. And so they unearthed magic which was old
even then. They found out that the rebels had all taken an oath to protect and
serve their interests, made a bond, if you like. So the Ministry forced them to
break it with the same spell that Dumbledore was trying to force on you��

�And what happened?� Ron asked slowly.

�Nobody died,� she shrugged. �But it was working in their
souls and magical cores. Wives lost their husbands, and mothers their sons,
metaphorically, because they were so changed by the way the magic had worked�
they became despondent, depressed, plenty of them violent� it would have been kinder
for them to have been lost physically. Especially as divorce was very much
frowned upon at that time��

�And it�s common knowledge that it had such an affect on
them,� Severus growled.

�I can�t believe they�d do this to a boy as young as him, in
this day and age,� Bridgette indicated at Ron, who bristled at the way she kept
on referring to him as though he were a child.

�Neither could I.�

�And so� you�ve run away?� Bridgette�s voice lowered to a
whisper.

�It was my decision,� Ron said loudly, as Severus opened his mouth to speak.
�There was no way I was staying for that. Severus was sacked anyway and had
been asked to leave the castle. I was leaving anyway, and he� agreed to come
with me.�

�Despite the fact I�d imagine he will now find himself accused of abduction,�
Bridgette said with horror evident on her face. �Severus� this is��

�What choice did we have? The Protection�� Severus hinted at her with a deep
look, and she glared back. �I know this is far from ideal. Ideal would be me
just getting the sack.�

�No, ideal would be the old fucking coot keeping his nose on his own face,� Ron
cut in.

�Ideal would have
been you keeping your stupid mouth shut in the first place, brat, and never
dragging my charge into this hideous mess. This is all of your doing! And now he will suffer because of you!� The blonde hissed menacingly in
Ron�s direction.

�I�ve apologised to him and he accepts that,� Ron said
stonily.

�Well I am his mentor and I do not
accept it,� she replied flatly. �I am extremely
tempted to throw you out of the door to wander these halls alone and hide
Severus away so that he is safe, and you would get what you deserve!�

�Enough!� Severus got back to his feet and finally dropped
Ron�s hand. �Bridgette, that�s not going to help anybody!�

�And what is going
to help you, Severus? Hmm? What? You�re living the
life of a fugitive now, not even four years old� where on earth did I go wrong
with you?� She gesticulated wildly as she ranted. �This is all because I let
you go back! I should have kept you here and then you would never have ended up
in this mess.�

�I had to go back, you know that!� Severus snapped. �And what would you have
done with me here? Added me to the notches in your bedpost? To your list of
those you have mentored and then fucked?�

Ron could tell that Severus� temper was getting away from
him by the coarse language and it would not do for him to truly anger the one
person who might be able to help them. Furthering that, he did not want to be the only human in the
room during a vampire shouting match.

�How dare you? You
ungrateful�� she seethed, trailing off with a growl of rage, and Ron�s mouth
fell open when she raised her hand and slapped Severus across the face, with a
strength which did not befit her slim stature.

Ron was up off the sofa before he realised what he was
doing: he locked his arms around Severus� waist and pulled him away, throwing
him back onto the cushions he had just vacated, and then placed himself between
them, hands outstretched.

Severus gaped at him with wide eyes and Bridgette was not
much more accommodating.

�Look,� Ron said, heart pounding erratically. �This isn�t�
Please, Severus, just calm down. I know she just hit you, but what you said was
insulting. Just� shh.�

Severus opened his mouth to retaliate and Ron cut him off
with a glare, a jerk of his head and an annoying �uhah!�
noise he had last heard coming out of the mouth of his own mother.

Fuck it. I�ve turned
into my mother. This is not a good day, not a good day at all.

He turned to Bridgette, who was now looking at him oddly.
�I�m sorry, please� he�s just so stressed out with this whole thing and I know
it�s my fault, but can you help us? If you can�t we really need to move on. We
don�t want to draw attention to the Coven in any way. So if you don�t want to
help, we�ll go.�

�I suddenly see what he sees in you,� she tilted her head to
the side. �It�s the eyes, so soulful.�

�And the tattoo,� Ron shrugged.

�Really?� her voice grew warmer by the second. �He always
did have a thing for tattoos. And piercings� Got any
of those hiding away?� She sounded hopeful.

Ron shook his head but stored that piece of information away
for a later interrogation. This woman had known Severus for three years and she
knew so much about him� Ron found himself wanting to unlock her brain and let
all her knowledge flood out and sweep him up.

�Did you bring anything with you?� She asked doubtfully,
looking at how they were unencumbered without baggage.

�Severus brought some of his most important things but I
have nothing,� Ron shrugged. �I didn�t have time. They were looking to force me
instantly, it seemed. I got out as quickly as I could when Severus was ready.�

She nodded. �Do you have funds?�

�Severus does, but I�m not sure� how much does it cost to
rent a place in this city? Is it bad?� Ron hated how the questions tumbled out
of him ungracefully.

�Nonsense, no talk of renting,� she turned and sashayed off
to a desk in the corner of the main room, and pulled out a key. �I have an
apartment registered under a fake muggle name in the city. You can stay there.
It is not warded, which will throw anyone off the scent that is following you.
They will expect you to be blockading yourself in with all the magic you can
muster. The front door, however, is only visible to the key holder. They never
think you�ll just live as muggles in these situations. No Floo either.�

She handed the key to Ron who took it. �We need� I don�t
speak French; do you have any phrase books or something I can learn with? We�ll
never fit in if we don�t learn.�

Severus sat back listening to their conversation as though
he were underwater. Wherever Ron�s brain was getting its power from, Severus
would certainly have liked to have known, because his own was floundering.

�Here, these should do you,� she handed Ron several books of
different sizes. �Some of them have guides to the city attached, you�ll be here
long enough and you should get to know the culture. Have you ever been before?�

Tourism?! They�re talking about fucking tourism?!
Severus suddenly felt the need for a very stiff drink.

�We need muggle money� Severus� is in wizard tender.�

�No problem,� she shook her head. �Give me a few minutes to
get myself dressed, and I�ll pop up to the bureau de change on the second
floor. How much do you need changed?�

Ron finally turned around again to look at Severus and felt
worried at how pale his lover looked. �Severus, what should we do about the
money?�

�Change as much as they can,� Severus replied quietly.

Ron nodded and pulled out the shrunken pouch in his pocket
and made to pull out his wand but he stopped.

�Nobody will be able to tell you�re using magic in here,�
Bridgette explained. �How do you think we�ve survived so long, hiding?�

�Isn�t it� scary, wondering if they�ll find you?� Ron asked, voice husky.

�It is� but then we have nowhere else to go. And we live
happily enough here. If it all comes to an end, we�ll move on to somewhere
else.�

Ron enlarged the pouch to its normal size and handed it to
her.

�Merlin�s balls, Severus, how much money do you have?� She
gasped, taking it from him. �I might charge you rent after all.�

�That is a trust fund untouched for nearly thirty-nine
years,� Severus groaned, and closed his eyes, thinking of just what his grandfather
would say if he knew what his only grandchild was about to use his precious
trust fund for.

�Every time I see you I�m more upset you got away from me,�
Bridgette weighed up the pouch in her hands with a slight smile.

�Don�t start this in front of Ron,� Severus pleaded. �You
were never even close, Bridge, don�t torment him.�

�Should I torment you
instead then?� Bridgette asked. �By telling you how utterly delicious he smells?
How he smells of wine, leather and sex on the outside, and apples and cinnamon
on the inside, and how delicious I find that?�

Ron blushed and looked at the carpet, ready to pounce lest
Severus get angry.

�Yes, he does rather, doesn�t he?� Severus replied, and reached
forward to grab Ron�s hand, a possessive little move which, although they were
in a graver state than they had ever been before, made Ron�s heart absolutely
sing.

Bridgette looked over at them both and gave a visible sigh.
�I hope I can keep you safe long enough. If you�d turn him, Severus, I could
have you both in here, you realise? And you could join us like you were always
meant to; we�d guide him through his change and be fine.�

�Out of the question,� Severus shook his head. �I�m not
turning him.�

Her mouth drew into a thin line but Ron looked at her
beseechingly and she turned away, disappearing into the room through the door
she had shut. Ron turned back to Severus and looked at him warily.

�I�m sorry. You were going to get angry and I didn�t think
that would be a good move for our safety,� Ron set the books Bridgette had
given him down on the sofa next to the dark-haired man. �Sorry for disobeying
you.�

Severus looked at him and swallowed. �I need a drink.�

�Alcoholic or iron-ish?�
Ron breathed.

�Both actually.�

�Well, wait until we get to her place. Do you think it�s
safe for us to stay there?�

�I think so. If we don�t use magic then they won�t really
have a chance of tracking us. We�ll just lay low. I�ll only be able to go out in
the darkness, and I probably won�t bother.�

Bridgette came back then, fully dressed in a robe. �I�ll be
back in a few minutes. Don�t go in the bedroom,� she said casually to Severus.

�Why, what have you tied Christos up in now?� he shot at
her.

�Heh, wouldn�t you like to know?�
She smirked and headed to the front door.

�Bridgette?� Ron stood up from where he had crouched to talk
to Severus. �May I use your bathroom please?�

�What wonderfully polite manners you have,� she winked at
him. �Severus implied you were a bit of a rough one.�

�I�m dragging them out of my arse in the hope you�ll be kind
and help us,� Ron told her honestly and he heard Severus choke on his
disbelieving laughter.

�Of course, it�s that door there,� she indicated, and left.

Ron disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door, leaving
Severus completely drained on the sofa. Bridgette�s flat was quiet �whatever
sexual position her boyfriend was tied in, he was not making much noise, and
Severus was glad of the peace for a moment.

The underground Paris Coven was a remarkable place. The
vampires there had built up their own world over a course of two hundred years,
working hard to prevent discovery by the French magical authorities. Severus
wasn�t completely convinced that they didn�t know, and just chose to ignore it
as a problem successfully quite literally swept under the carpet. The muggles
certainly had no idea what lay beneath their feet.

Which
is a good thing. If they saw
the bondage rooms they�d probably have simultaneous heart attacks.

Five minutes passed and Severus felt as numb as he had
earlier that morning when he had flown through the castle to reach Ron before
he could walk into a trap. Everything since then had moved with indecent speed
and he wasn�t sure either of them was truly accepting what they had done.

Ron�s determination was both touching and terrifying, and
knowing that they both willingly walked into the flamey
abyss just for the sake of dignity�

And
your relationship� Severus reminded himself
of that with a wry scoff. No, this is a relationship� more than ever now,
because at some point it is going to hit him like a bludger just what he has
walked away from� and I am the only comfort he will have.

Severus jerked as he heard the front door open and Bridgette
swept through and looked down at him.

�Here�s your money,� she threw the pouch back down. �I had
no idea you were so rich. All those galleons exchanged into about �10,000 in English money� less in Euros,
though, which is what you�ve got. Where is he?�

�Still in the bathroom,� Severus replied, his dry throat making it hard to
speak.

�Still?� She frowned. �He�s been in there a long time�
maybe he�s killing himself so I can hide you away here forever and keep you
safe. Gods, though, I�d hate to think of that succulent blood dripping down a
drain or something terribly macabre like that� tragic waste��

Severus didn�t even
have to growl, his eyes said it all and she held up her hands in surrender.

�Okay, okay. I get
it. Love him yet?�

�It�s been just a
week since I last saw you,� he reminded her acidly.

�So? Things change. We live forever, why wait?� She
shrugged. �Oh, my��

Severus heard the
bathroom door finally open and he looked at Bridgette�s face, then whipped
round to look at Ron, and could have screamed.

�Now, that�s a Ron
I could get on board with,� Bridgette smirked, walking up and circling Ron, who
rolled his eyes with a slight blush.

�What have you done
to yourself?� Severus flew to his feet and his voice was several octaves too
high.

�Well� I was very
easy to spot,� Ron shrugged. �And we won�t be able to use much magic when we
move in, so I thought I�d do it here where nobody can tell I�m using it.�

Severus� mouth fell
open in horror at how Ron had altered his appearance. His beautiful red hair
was now a honey-ish blonde with no lingering trace of
auburn at all, cut shorter than Severus was used to in an overly fussy stylish
cut with a sweeping fringe. Ron had somehow managed to tone down his freckles,
dyed his eyebrows and lashes the same colour as his hair, and�

�Your eyes! What have you done?!� Severus snarled.

�I couldn�t go
brown, my mother�s eyes are brown,� Ron swallowed. �So I went for hazel.�

�A vast
improvement,� Bridgette grinned at him. �Sorry. Every redhead I�ve ever been
with ended badly��

�Won�t the charms
come off?� Severus asked, hoping they would. Ron looked so different and he
wasn�t sure he liked it.

�No, they�re
permanent until someone says the counter spell. I�ll have to shave like a
muggle if anything grows� not that I can grow a beard anyway.�

Severus was
speechless and for the first time in the drama of the day, and possibly in
three years, he felt like crying.

�I�m still me,
Severus�� Ron said worriedly. �Just looking different� unless you�re telling me
your attraction was all about looks��

�Severus doesn�t
deal with change well,� Bridgette informed Ron in a loud whisper. �He�s a
creature of habit.�

�Well then he�s not
going to like this very much,� Ron pulled out his wand again.

�Ooh!� Bridgette�s
eyes lit up. �Magical Cosmetic Surgery on Severus Snape.
To hell with bondage, this is far better entertainment.�

�If you presume to think you are putting your wand anywhere near my face,
you�ve got another thing coming,� Severus warned.

�Funny, first time
you�ve ever said that,� Ron smirked, voice heavy on innuendo.

�No,� Severus
pointed warningly at him.

�Sev, please�� Ron
sighed, the brief humour which had popped up vanishing completely. �We�ve got
to give this the best go we can.�

Severus knew he was
right. But that didn�t mean he had to accept it easily. �Nothing outlandish,
I�ll be thirty-nine soon.�

He watched as
Bridgette leaned close to Ron�s ear and whispered something, and he smiled. �I
think we�d best be something totally different to what the other was. Though
you�re right, it would be good,� Ron grinned. �No, I think that he�d look good
with this��

Narrowing his eyes
Ron stepped closer and traced his wand in arcing sweeps over Severus� head,
muttering incantations under his breath. Severus saw, as the wand moved past
his face that it was leaving a sparkling trail. Then Ron stopped, focussed
hard, flicked his wand, and the cage disappeared.

�Oh! Very nice!� Bridgette approved from where she had perched on
the back of the sofa. �Cut?�

�It doesn�t need cutting,� Severus said irritably. �I�ll tie it back if you
insist on me looking different. I do not want short hair.�

�I wasn�t going to
give you it,� Ron whispered, but sent a gentle trim around the ends, adding a
little feathering and shaping around Severus� cheekbones and chin before he
could protest.

�Right,
and now� your eyes��

�You are not changing my eyes, hair is enough,� Severus put his foot down.

�Fine,� Ron let it
slide, remembering how sad changing his own eye colour had made him. �Just�
Sev, don�t take this the wrong way but your��

Ron trailed off and
flushed. With his new hair and lessened freckles he looked somewhat angelic.

�What?� Severus
growled.

�Nose is pretty
distinguishable,� Ron muttered. �If I can�t change your eyes��

�This day just gets
better,� Severus closed his eyes. �Descending into a fugitative state and having facial reconstructive
surgery� anything else you have in store?�

�Um, that spell would have changed your body hair as well?�

Severus� eyes
snapped open and he glared. �Marvellous. Do what you have to do.�

***

It was odd stepping
out onto the streets of Paris
looking considerably different to how they had entered the coven. Severus
barely felt like himself as he kept Ron�s hand tight by his thigh, pulling him
through the busy streets.

Ron had hold of the
enlarged suitcase in his hand, as they had done it whilst still inside the
coven�s protection.

�Do you know where we�re going?� Ron asked him. �Or are you lost?�

�I am not lost,�
Severus growled with such venom that a Parisian threw him a startled look and
dived out of his way. Ron flashed the man an apologetic glance as they passed
and took a deep breath.

Since the
appearance modifications Severus� mood had taken an abrupt downturn and Ron was
worried what was going to happen when they reached Bridgette�s flat.
Route-marched through packed streets, he was starting to feel tired, his back
ached and his feet were sore from boots he never normally wore, but he was glad
of their warmth against the bitter wind whipping against them.

�Oh, you�ve got to
be joking,� Severus said suddenly, and looked down at the address in his hand. �Bloody woman. Apartment in the heart of the� I�ll kill
her.�

Severus pulled the
key out of his pocket and slid down the narrow alleyway to their right,
stopping in front of a nondescript blue door. He unlocked it and stepped back,
motioning Ron in before him.

�Okay. Bit busy
isn�t it?� Ron commented, eyes sliding back to the street.

Severus said
nothing and shut the door behind him, sliding across the muggle locks even though
they would be pointless against those who were looking for them and then climbed
the stairs behind Ron. They seemed to go up forever and they were both panting
with breath after six separate climbs.

�Least we�ll stay bloody fit,� Ron breathed, hoisting the suitcase with him.
�No chance of being anything but faced with this every day.�

Finally, the end
was in sight and Severus slid the other key into the new door and pushed it
open.

�Is your friend
Bridgette some kind of secret millionairess?� Ron gasped,
looking at how well they had apparently landed themselves.

At the top of the
building, the flat was wide open and spacious, decorated in white and black
colour scheme, with a striking accent wall covered in luxurious regency damask
wallpaper.

The living room and
kitchen were open to one another, and then there were doors leading off, which
Ron immediately pushed open to find a rather luxurious bathroom and a bedroom
with a massive bed. He dropped the suitcase and wandered to the window. The
view was spectacular.

�Is that the
tower?� He asked Severus, who drifted up to look over his shoulder.

�Yes� that will be
some view when it�s dark and it�s all lit up.�

Severus swallowed
hard and wrapped his arms around Ron from behind, setting his chin down on the
firm shoulder next to the now-blonde hair. Ron stayed rigid in his arms, not able
to relax because the fear-driven adrenalin was still pumping through him, and
he wasn�t entirely sure that Severus wasn�t going to go off the deep end.

�Relax,� Severus
whispered. �This will be a whole lot harder if we can�t act normally around
each other��

�Was there ever normal?� Ron chuckled. �You have to admit� we�re now faced with
living with each other and I think you might kill me.�

�We�ll manage.�
Severus said firmly.

�We should go and
find food and drink. I don�t want to leave here for a few days,� Ron commented,
eyes assessing the view.

�Okay,� Severus
agreed without protest. �I will have to drink from you, though, do you mind?�

�Of course not,�
Ron shook his head. �How much replenisher did you
bring?�

�Plenty.�

�Okay,� Ron
exhaled, and only then did Severus feel him start to tremble again.

�There�s no going
back now��

�Is that meant to
comfort me?� Ron laughed.

�No, but use the
words as a kick to your constitution.�

�My constitution is
just fine,� Ron said, his voice suddenly stony.

He turned and faced
Severus, taking in the now richly chocolate brown hair, cut more stylishly than
Severus would probably like. Ron realised he hadn�t seen himself yet.

�Aren�t you curious as to what you look like?� Ron raised an eyebrow.

�I�d not� is it
bad?� Severus closed his eyes resignedly.

�No, you don�t look
like you, and I miss that� but you�re still in there beneath the hair colour
and new nose. Go and have a look,� Ron motioned towards the bathroom.

With a fleeting,
nervous look, Severus turned and did as suggested, and Ron ambled over to the
sofa area, looking at the strange mechanical box sitting dead centre opposite
the largest one.

Ooh, she said it was muggle. Maybe that�s a
television?

There was a loud
bout of swearing from the bathroom and Ron flinched.

�You don�t like it
then?� he called out, walking over with his hands shoved in his pockets.

�I look�� Severus
was staring at himself in the mirror, very pale, his hands raised and touching
random bits of his hair.

�Good?� Ron
supplied.

�This is your idea
of age appropriate?� Severus rounded on him.

�Severus, please. I
barely did anything. The colour is rich and it suits you, it adds a little
warmth to your face� or it did, before you went all ghostly at seeing
yourself.�

�I notice you
didn�t change your own nose,� Severus shot before whirling round and looking at
his doctored bone structure.

�Do I need to?� Ron
asked self-consciously.

�What we need is for everything to go back to
normal,� Severus said desperately, gripping the sink with both of his hands.

�Well, it can�t,�
Ron sighed.

�I know that,�
Severus snarled and glared at him in the mirror.

Ron thought about
arguing, about fighting, but they were both so tightly wound that breaking at
that point might well prove catastrophic. He tilted his head back, took a deep
breath and said, �I�m going to take some money and go food shopping. I think I
saw some kind of market across the road, there has to be food there.�

He turned back into
the living room and picked the keys up from where Severus had dropped them onto
a table. He forced his mind to rush ahead to the supermarket, to think about
what he should buy based on his limited cooking skills. And, of course, based
on what Severus could eat, thinking that if he kept up a flow of human food his
need for blood wouldn�t be so prominent.

Fucking typical, I can make three types of
eggs and the bastard can�t eat them. His anger threatened to overpower him and Ron shuddered violently as he
tried to suppress it. The keys jangled in his hand and his neck crept alive
with fear.

�Ron?� Severus�
voice was worried.

�I�m fine,� Ron
said forcefully. �I�m fine, you�re fine, and we�ll be fine.�

Ron disappeared out
of the front door, letting it bang behind him, leaving Severus alone and
wishing he could at least drum up the energy with which to lie to himself, as
Ron was doing.

-----

A/N: �� Who are you
more annoyed with? Dumbledore for being stupid? Ron
for going blonde and turning Severus brunette, or me, for letting Severus get
bitch slapped, letting this happen at all and then running for the hills,
leaving the lads in Paris and you all hanging?

�. *legs it*

TBC�
next week. I�ll miss
you! (Don�t yell at me too much in the reviews ;)) x
- 9
- 10
- 11
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Invitation