Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

The Prize	By : Kvarta Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Het - Male/Female Views: 3468 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling. This story is purely for entertainment purposes, no money is being made from it.

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
- 22
TO TAME THE RAGING BEAST
Later that day he ventured to a living room. Katya was sitting, curled in armchair, staring at flames. Sensing his presence, she twitched, eyeing him warily. He sighed
- Miss Katya… - started, she straightened in her seat, ready to argue – K…Katya, I believe we do need to discuss our common predicament. –
The words sounded strange in his mouth, that emptiness in his chest still lingering. For one moment, he argued with himself was this a fight for self-preservation or surrendering. Feeling like all strength left him with no desire to fight, sole existence made him feel tired. The pool of acid in a pit of his stomach eating him away, but he could not put his finger why he was dealing with all of it. Katya watched him as if is going to attack her again; finally she motioned for him to sit.
- I am in a need of finely brewed tea, would you mind to join me in kitchen? –
- Tippy can make us tea. –
- I am certain I said “finely brewed”. This way M…. Katya. – he snipped, walking to the kitchen, noticing that she followed him reluctantly.
Katya was sitting silently, watching him as he made tea. This small act brought him unsuspecting sensation of peace. He placed two cups at the table and sat, inhaling deeply pungent aroma.
- What is this? –
- Tea. –
- I know that, this smells fantastic. What’s in it? –
- Green tea, lavender, chamomile and just a smidge of sage. It is quite bitter. – he warned her, she took a sip and closed her eyes
- You were right; Tippy never made tea that taste this good. –
- Thank you, I think. Tippy does, what most of others doo, she is boiling water before pouring it over blend. But if you remove water half a minute before it will boil you will draw maximum out of ingredients. Most plants lose their efficiency if you put them in boiling water. –
- Would you hex me if I ask you teach me how to properly make tea? –
- No, I would not hex you. I do not believe I ever hexed anyone for wanting to learn something. More than a few times I was tempted to hex those who perpetually refused to learn. –
- I can understand that. – she chuckled – Look, I’m sorry. –
- You should be more precise than that. – he raised eyebrow at her
- I don’t know, for all I guess. All but one thing, I am not sorry for saving you. And I won’t apologize for that. –
- Life is precious to you? –
- It is. And here, simple as it may seem to me, you have a nice life, fine conditions. –
- You are talking about that blue/red line again? –
- I can’t help it but compare. And what I learned from your history, more than a few of your purebloods could use a vacation in my world. –
- You mean the world that despises magic? –
- Just for the kicks. – she singsong with a sly smile – They don’t despise us, it is outright hatred toward magic-users. –
- Why? –
- Tale as old as time, fear of the unknown. We are able to tap in to something they can’t even comprehend. I don’t blame them, in a way I understand them. Need to destroy, to hurt, to torture. That I can’t understand. –
- And yet, you saved me? Why me? You had to be aware… -
- We all have blood on our hands it is not the measurement. What’s makes the difference is desire to do so. From all I understood from your file, you never wanted to harm anyone. –
- I am far from do-gooder. – he smirked – Ask my students. –
- I did. Hermione told me you were one of the best teachers she had. Strict, not always fair to her and her friends but she still harbors great deal of respect for you. –
- That conniving dunderhead. Have you any idea what nightmare they were as students? They all were. –
- Do you have idea what nightmare you were as a teacher? –
- I do. Did you manage to talk anyone else except Gryffindors’? –
- I can’t say I did. – she admitted and he nodded
- Mhm. - he suddenly narrowed his eyes – I do not appreciate being lied to. –
- I didn’t lie to you, I admit, concealing part of truth is fine threading next to lying. On the other hand, trust is a two-way street. Not to mention, it is pointless to say anything to a person dead set on mistrusting you. –
- It is not in my nature to trust. –
- Did you ever try? –
- That is how I ended up here. –
- Are you sure this is the conversation you want to have now? – she wrinkled her forehead questioningly. For second he felt a spark of anger and annoyance, before he realized that she was right, there were more pressing questions he wanted answers to
- Tell me about Revivescant. –
- About what? –
- The curse you used on me, for which you apparently do not even know the name. –
- Can you promise not to get angry or overly emotional? – she asked and he mulled over her question for a while. Finally, he nodded in full honesty, emptiness and acute lack of any emotion dominating him – Good. I’m not asking to tick you off, but spell I used had unpredicted repercussions, for which I am truly and honestly sorry about. I don’t know the name of the spell, they never told me. All I know is what it does. When I picked your file from pile of others, they told me I have to wait for you to die, and then save you. They thought me correct words, how to say them properly, they thought me what to do. And, finally explained how it works. I already explained that Prize is very specific; person of choice had to match the traits of person I submitted request for. Apparently, you fitted to the teeth. – he smirked darkly – What can I say, I have a soft spot for perpetual screw-ups with a chip on a shoulder and suicidal tendencies. –
- Is that why you evade questions about… -
- Same reason you don’t want to talk about… Like I said, we all have blood on our hands, one way or another. Anyway, back to my answer. This… curse…as you called it; they told me that I have to share my blood with you if I am to save you. They explained that it will form a blood bond that will prevent you to die if you try to harm yourself or someone else tries. The curse can be lifted only after my request from the Prize is fulfilled. The Prize is a binding contract. I wished for him to live the life he deserved. Now, the problem that appeared is something nobody warned me about. –
- The problem? –
- Yes. You see, testing can’t… it is not designed to activate receptivity to my type of magic, just measure your aptitude. But you already… -
- I had your blood, which is receptive. – he nodded – This is the reason why blood magic is considered Dark Magic. It is binding. –
- I didn’t know that. Spell I used, it is not common to my world. I am sorry. But now I have to teach you how to control it. Problem is, I have to figure out the way to do it without harming you. –
- Harming me? –
- Our magical training is violent. That barrier of mine…Ughhhh… I was more times at hospital than I can count on. It is not just teaching in the classroom. I was poisoned so many times until my body reacted by separating poison weather I realize it or not. I was attacked… oh the heck…. – he observed her as she stood up and pulled her sweatshirt over her head, staying just in a sports top. Her body was littered with scars – They do this to you until you develop instinctive defensive system. I can teach you easier techniques for now. Elemental magic is closely connected to emotions, I can teach you how to keep them under the lock and feel them at the same time. –
- What is the impact of the curse on me? –
- Save from this mishap, there should be none, as far as I know. – she shrugged, putting the sweatshirt on, he could not but notice that she was slim with sharply defined muscles – How did you figured out? -
“No wonder she has speed and strength.” – I have my sources. – he replied slyly – Tell me…Katya…what are the implication for you? –
- For me? – she blinked
- My source was, not forthcoming to explain it in detail, but did manage to find out that this is indeed curse that affects both caster and recipient. You are the caster. How it affects you? –
She lost the color from her face, and stuck a nose in already cold tea. He waited patiently, his gaze never left her face. For a long time, he sat quietly, in the end, she mumbled something incoherent
- Would you repeat that, in proper English this time and so I can understand? –
- Sharing a life force. – after that she jumped and rushed out of the kitchen, leaving her tea half drunken.
He leaned to the chair. Poppy had right; he could get desired information with some simple asked questions. Taking his tea to library, he took the tome again. This time, instruction didn’t give desired effect, book just opened in the same page. With growl, he started from the top, looking for explanation she obviously wasn’t willing to share. It took him almost whole night to find what he was looking for, and even then, information shied on details. He frowned reading a scant explanation about the effect.
It was four at morning when he padded to the living room, calling Poppy. After a while Matron appeared, clad in house robe with ruffled hair
- Tell me you are dying Severus, I do not see other reason for waking me in tis ungodly hour. – grumbled
- Sharing a life force, Poppy. You should have told me that. – he retorted, unfazed by her gruff greeting
- So, the girl told you, good for her. – yawned Matron – I’m glad she took my advice. –
- She did not tell me all, as usual I had to look on my own. What do you know about it? –
- What I know was passed to me in privacy, you know better than to ask me to disclose private information form my patient. –
- You had no problem disclosing information about me. – he hissed
- Nothing I stated about you was private, Severus, and you know it. –
- Books don’t say much about the spell, in fact they say so little is it tedious. –
- May I suggest to look for the answer on the walls of Hogwarts, perhaps? But try to choose better time. Minerva won’t be so forthcoming if you wake her up at time like this. Now if you don’t mind, I have wing full of kids with flue to take care off. – huffed Matron and closed the call. He decided to spend rest of the night in his laboratory, making some more basic healing potions. He was at desparate need of calming drought and pepper-me-up potion.
It was morning when Katya stalked in to the kitchen; he was sitting at the table with a mug of strong tea. Woman just mumbled her morning greeting, looking gruff. He watched her as she picked up her morning coffee, ashtray and lit a cigarette, sitting across him. This was the first time he had a chance to see her morning habits, deeming that she was not a morning person at all. Only after her mug was half-empty and two cigarettes later she looked at him.
- How annoying is a journalist we are about to see tomorrow? –
- Why? –
- Judging by your reaction to the first article, I don’t want to take any chances. I can teach you few techniques today. Also, the story you conjured up is ridiculous. –
- Is that so, Miss Katya? – he narrowed his eyes
- And we are back to Miss, again. – she grumbled – Yes. Can we just agree about me being a life-long friend of yours, living in foreign country, and that we reunited recently? -
- Pray tell, how you are going to explain your appearance in the Shack? –
- Easy, you just leave that to me. –
- I’d rather not. – he hissed
- Returning to your usual self I see. That is good I suppose. – she mumbled – Now, how about making a new schedule? –
- And why is that? –
- So, we could fit your classes with my classes and insane deadlines you are giving me. –
- As I recall, you had worse. Those were your words Miss Katya. –
- I stand by them. Worse for learning, teaching is another matter altogether. I’ll need time to figure out how to teach you, without harming you. Also, my words if you remember. –
- You will find that is not easy to harm me Miss Katya. – he replied dryly
- I told you how my training looked like. – she sighed – I highly doubt that you ending up in hospital on regular basis would go unnoticed or unpunished here. You didn’t answer me, how annoying is journalist we are about to meet? -
- The worst you can find, with penchant for dramatizing and bending the story to fit her needs. –
- Hmmmmm. All right I should finish essay about wizarding wars, can we meet after that in basement? I should really teach you at least basic, at this point you are danger for this community, much bigger than I am. – he nodded watching her leave and mumbled to his chin
- What else is new? –
~ S ~ S ~ S ~
Hours later they were standing in the basement. Katya choose her words carefully, giving her best not to provoke volatile wizard in front of her.
- Ok, for starters, you have to learn to hold your emotions in check. –
- May I remind you that I am skilled… -
- I know, and as you remember I was there. One thing I can tell you, behind that barrier of yours, nothing is controlled or in check. You don’t control your emotions; you push them under the rug. They are bound to leak in to your magic. – she sighed – That might have worked on your wand bound magic, but it will set your elemental magic in rampage. What did you do yesterday, what set it off? –
- Nothing. – she frowned, he sounded like a school boy asked what did he do to break a window. She glanced at him; he was standing in the center of a room with his arms crossed on his chest.
- You must have used some sort of spell. –
- I accioeoed my wand. – came a gruff reply
- You used wandless magic. Just like the last time. –
- Last time? – one eyebrow was raised and she wished to punch him, that habit of his annoyed her to no end
- In the prison, when you tried to pluck the trees in the park across the street. – she reminded him, half snapping at him
- Ah. – he replied and she curled her hand in to a fist. How anyone managed to teach him anything was beyond her, his attitude was irritating at best
- Do you remember what I told you about my magic, how it works? – he nodded shortly – We have no need for spells and incantations. We think of what we want to achieve and extend our arm. There are limitations, however. You have to have desired element in vicinity and aptitude for harnessing that elements power. Take off your boots and socks. –
- Beg your pardon? – he looked thrown out of balance
- You have to understand how elemental magic works, in order to control it; you can best learn that on example. – she explained, taking off her boots and socks. Observing him under the eye while fiddling with her shoelaces, he was still standing in the middle of the room, with unreadable expression on his face.
Katya stood up, feeling the chill of the stone floor tickle her feet. Deciding that the best course of action is to give him time, she just locked her eyes on him, not saying anything. Time passed slowly, finally and reluctantly he bended to remove his footwear. When he was standing barefooted she nodded.
- Right. Close your eyes. – seeing his expression, she snapped - I am not going to eat you. You need to focus on one sensation, and given the fact that you have low aptitude for earth element, you need to exclude all other senses. Now, close your eyes and focus on feeling of your feet pressing the ground. –
~ S ~ S ~ S ~
Wishing nothing more than to hex her, Severus tried to follow her instructions. He wagered her demand to teach him this morning, opting to comply with her request for the time being. Memory of her pinning him to the wall, for the second time, and doing that with ease, was still fresh in his mind. The only way he could stand up to her was for him to learn. Learn to fight her way.
Now, as he was standing barefooted on the icy cold floor, with his eyes closed, he started to question his decision.
“On what I am supposed to focus? If she does not refer to a cold I am certain we are going to catch.”
- Ignore the cold of the stone, try to feel the vibrations he emits. – her voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Clearing his mind, he focused on the connection of his feet with the cold stone floor. For some time, nothing was happening; then he felt a light vibration. He opened his eyes and met her bright gaze
- You felt it? That small vibrating feel, just close your eyes again and connect to that vibration. Try to feel it with the entire surface of your feet. - she closed her eyes, soft smile lingered on her lips, she looked like she was enjoying some pleasant sensation - The earth is strong in this place, live and vibrant. Just feel it. –
He closed his eyes again. This time, he felt the vibration instantly. Focusing on that sensation he allowed it to spread on his feet completely. Much to his surprise, he could feel vibration turning to warm energy, which started to rise through his body. His hands twitched, need to utilize this new gained rush of magical force was overwhelming. Her voice snapped him out of his trance like state
- Do not use it to do magic. Open your eyes. –
His eyes snapped open on command, almost against his wish. She was sitting on the floor putting her socks and boots on. He followed her example. Once they were standing again, she spoke softly
- How did it feel? –
- Powerful. – replied reluctantly
- Mhm. And earth is your weakest point. Imagine how other elements would feel. Earth is hardest element to connect. Each of elements connects to corresponding emotion. Earth is grounding, stability. Water is serenity but also strength. Fire is most commonly anger, rage, destructive part of us but also a strong sense of protectiveness. Air is emotional turmoil, pain commonly connects to air. In your case I think you get your wires crossed, you evoked air every time you are angry, but I might be wrong on that. Maybe you just have liking towards air so it is easy for you to connect with it. Essence is a soul; it is also a vibration produced by other elements and objects. Manipulating living tissue is connected to essence. – he realized that he is listen to her almost enchanted by her words – Each element is available to us, surrounding us. When you connect to it, you are harnessing its energy to create magic, to bend it and manipulate it at your will. There is no need for amplifiers, like wand, or complicated incantations. It is sufficed to wish for it. There are limitations to elemental magic. Elements connect to your ability to harness them, magical core as your books refer to it, and they drain your energy. Usually, draining is not aggressive, and simple rest is enough. But in chases you extend your magic to another person or attempt to restrain somebody’s magic, like I did with you yesterday, well you need full night rest and you are unlikely to be able to use your magic until you rest. –
- Interesting. – he mussed
- For tomorrow, I think it is for the best that you don’t use wandless magic. – she frowned – The same way I have problem saying incantation aloud and use my wand, you have problem using silent and wandless magic. –
- I must tell you Miss Katya that your sense of humor is not funny. – he growled at her
- I’m afraid, I’m not joking. Every time you are not using your wand, things start flying around you. –
- Fine Miss Katya. You have one week, one week to teach me or face the consequences. - he growled at her. His life suddenly just got complicated once more.
- 20
- 21
- 22
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

The Prize