Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Blood Quill Consequences	By : EarthandWater Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 31160 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: We have no claim on Harry Potter nor any characters or locations thereof. We make no money from the writing of this.

Chapter List
- 24
- 25
- 26
WARNING: MARAUDERS 2.0! Fluff. Horcrux talk.
Disclaimer: We have no claim on Harry Potter nor any characters or locations thereof. We gain only amusement from writing this.
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Sirius looked up from where he and Remus were sitting in the Room of Requirements, talking with the teens who’d joined the rescue for Snape, when Harry walked in. “Pup!” He lunged to his feet and went to grab Harry into a hug. “Good to see you out of that dismal ward. So the bat’s woken up huh?”
“Good to see you too Snuffles.” Harry hugged his godfather back. “He’s woken up and fallen back asleep, but a normal sleep this time. He’s still very weak though.” Harry looked over Sirius’ shoulder and waved to the rest of the people gathered in the room.
Neville lifted a hand. “Harry. Good to see things are going to be okay.”
Pansy nodded from where she was snuggled with Ron, having used his shoulder as a hankie when she’d let out a few relieved tears and not about to move out of his lap. “Normal sleep will heal him just fine.”
Sirius nodded and clapped his hands together. “Yup! The old dungeon bat will be back to flapping about and scaring students anytime n-OW!”
"Thank you." Harry said to Remus as the older man had hit Sirius across the head with a rolled up newspaper. He only smiled at Sirius put out expression and walked over to where the other's were sitting and sunk down on a soft pillow. "So what have you all been up to lately then?"
The dog animagus grinned and exchanged a look with Remus then suddenly moved to push Harry back up as Remus directed Neville and Hermione to stand before the big false fireplace. "Well we came to to conclusion that it was time to pass the torch. Oi Malfoy get up here." Sirius waved Draco along in front of himself and Harry as he pushed and prodded his godson to stand next to Hermione. Then Sirius went to stand next to Remus across from the four teens.
"Yes as Siri says it's time for a new era now, are you ready for it." Remus smile almost cracked his face in two.
"Um...Ready for what exactly?" Draco looked very confused where he stood alongside three Gryffindors.
Sirius grinned proudly, you'd have thought he was holding his firstborn for the first time or something. "Ready to become official Marauders of course. Not that the others here aren't Marauder material." He gave a salute to the other three teens still seated. "But the animagus form, or lycanthropy, is somewhat a requirement to becoming one. It was something we set down as a rare rule we wouldn't break as the roots of the Marauders were born in being there for Moony a animals."
The four new animagus standing in front of the fire straightened up a little in pride but Ron was practically rolling on the floor with mirth.
"Oh please tell me that they are going to get catchy nicknames like the ones you have too...I can picture it already. Malfoy as Whiskers...or Major Meowser or what about Fluffpurr?"
"Ron really." Remus scolded the redhead lightly but Ron only kept chuckling regardless of Draco's icy glares sent his way.
Pansy pinched her boyfriend in the side. "Behave. Though I am curious, do they get nicknames as well?"
Sirius grinned. "Well of course! Can't be a Marauder if you don't protect your identity now can you?"
Draco looked highly suspicious and excited at the same time at the thought of being named by someone else...Well two someone elses, old Gryffindors to boot. At the sight of Draco's expression Ron burst out in new chuckles.
"So are you all ready?" Remus chose to ignore the cackling redhead and let his girlfriend deal with him.
Neville nodded, somewhat nervously. Hermione just gave the two old reprobates a smile. "It's not like it'll be any harder than storming Malfoy Manor."
Sirius gave a bark of a laugh, "Are you sure little fox?" After getting confirming nods from Harry and Draco, Sirius summoned the Marauder's map and activated it. "Alright hands out all."
The four about to be initiated reached out their hands and placed it on the old parchment that made up the map.
Harry felt excited, he'd been carrying the map for several years now and it felt a bit special that he along with his friends would be a part of it. Even Ron sobered up, wanting to what would happen.
Sirius pulled out a thin dagger and pricked his finger, then pricked Remus', vanished the werewolf's blood from the dagger, and the both of them let a drop of blood fall onto the Map in the same spot. "The remaining Marauders, Messrs. Padfoot and Moony bring four more into our number. We welcome Mr. Quills, the son of Prongs to the Marauders." He quickly pricked Harry's finger and let the drop of blood fall onto the parchment.
The blood drop bloomed out on the parchment before in sunk in to the map and disappeared.
Remus and Sirius moved over and pricked Neville's finger. "We welcome Mr. Digger a brave soul and as true and loyal as they come."
Neville couldn't help but grin as they moved on over to Hermione. Sirius pricked her finger and as the drop fell he said, "We welcome Miss Swiftpaw, a lady sharp of mind and big of heart and courage."
She blushed as they moved to stand before Draco.
Sirius smiled. "This is a red-letter moment, the first Marauder not of Gryffindor House and I can honestly say I wouldn't want it to be anyone else."¨
Draco flashed him a grin, quite caught up in the moment.
They pricked Draco's finger. "We welcome Mr. Sphinx, cunning, regal, ambitious but with a bigger heart than maybe he himself knows."
Draco's grin widened and he tossed the ginger a look, Sphinx was definitely a nickname he could live with.
Sirius took out his wand, and motioned for the new additions to do the same as he a Remus touched the map with their wands. "Remember to remain loyal to each other," his gaze darkened a bit there, "and help out each other's causes. Stand proud together as Marauders and always have a sneaky little idea in your back pocket."
All four youths took out their wands and pointed it at the map too, feeling a slight tingle run through them as their wands connected with the paper. It was almost as if a part of the map became part of them and they a part of the map, it was a weird feeling.
Sirius grinned. "All together now. I solemnly-"
Hermione smiled as they all chorused along with the words to activate the map.
"-swear that I am up to no good!"
Ink swirled to life on the map and Harry watched the familiar words of how the Marauder's map welcomed Messrs. So and so...It was a bit surreal to see a Miss welcomed too and then to see his own name flare across the map. It was great. Harry couldn't help the huge grin that spread over his face. He felt closer to his godfather then ever and he loved that he got to share it with his friends.
Hermione had to smile wider. "Never thought I'd be proud to be included in a list of legendary troublemakers but I am."
"Me too." Harry nodded. "And I couldn't be happier about the company I'm in." He looked at his mates and at Sirius and Remus, hoping that they realized just how much this meant to him.
Remus turned to the trio left sitting. "We do consider you Marauders too you know, you are a very important part of the group."
Luna beamed at him, none of them felt left out and they were happy that they had gotten to witness the initiation.
Pansy chuckled. "Well of course we are. We provide the get-away distractions."
"Bloody right you are!" Ron cheered and placed a loud kiss on his girlfriend's cheek.
Neville laughed. "Fred and George will be heart-broken they missed this."
Ron nodded. "They will be but I'm glad, who knows what kind of weird things they would have done to that poor, innocent map.
"Um I don't know how innocent it is judging by the grin Snuffles is sporting." Harry said after looking at his godfather.
Sirius just shrugged and chuckled. "All that's been done is added your knowledge of the school to what we already had on the map. For example we never learned about the Room of Requirement so it was never on the map but now it is."
"It's an amazing map, no wonder I never managed to catch Potter sneaking around when I knew he was out after hours." Draco grumbled but smiled at the same time. It was still difficult to believe that it was only a short while ago that he spent most of his time trying to bring the Golden Boy and his cronies down.
Sirius smiled and tapped the map with a mischief managed again then ran his fingers over the parchment. "Yeah some of our better work let me tell you. And really all thanks to Moony," he sung his arm around his mate's shoulders, "he did hours of exhaustive research, spellwork, and other stuff to help us create it. Moony was sort of our Granger, only much manlier. Our enabler." He laid his head on Remus' shoulder. "But so much more to me."
"Enabler...You do realize how that sounds don't you?" Remus' voice was stern but his eyes were very soft when they locked on his mate.
"Awwww but you do enable me to be a better man Moony." Sirius' tone was teasing but his eyes were utterly serious. He did mean it. Remus was the reason he did over half of the 'good' things he did instead of the easy ones that would create a shitstorm. Without Remus there to 'keep a leash' on him, Sirius would easily go off the rails.
Remus didn't say anything but his eyes spoke volumes. He knew how Sirius felt and it was the same for him, Sirius was his whole world, the thing that kept him grounded and the thing that gave him wings. His mate was his other half...In every possible way. The years Sirius had been in Azkaban had been pure hell, each second agony.
Sirius reached out to bring Remus' lips to his, connecting them in a gentle chaste kiss.
Hermione looked away and herded the boys off to the side with the three other teens in the room to give the two men some measure of privacy. "So Harry are you prepared for tomorrow's classes?"
"Yes Mione, I solemnly swear that I have prepared and studied." Harry grinned with a slight roll of his eyes. He loved Hermione and he loved that she cared enough to nag him about schoolwork and taking care of himself. She was part of his family.
"Good. I know I went over you about everything just a little bit ago but I just wanted to make sure."
Pansy chuckled, "That and you're trying to give the snogging men some privacy to be mushy."
"Yeah, you weren't very stealthy there but I'm sure they appreciate the effort." Ron added with a grin.
"We did and it would have worked without you cheeky youngsters." Remus said, his hand clasped firmly in Sirius'.
Hermione grabbed a pillow and whacked Ron over the head with it. "You're still a complete dog."
"Ouch, watch it with those fists of steel." Ron grumbled and put his hand up to rub at the sore spot on his head. "I may be a dog but I am a loyal one." He fluttered his eyelashes wildly at Pansy.
"Really Pans...It had to be him?" Draco's voice was slow and drawling as he pointed at Ron.
"Shut it Whiskers, Pansy knows quality when she sees it." Ron replied easily and went back to flirting with his girl.
Pansy giggled just a bit as Ron kissed her knuckles and looked at her blond housemate. "It absolutely had to be him. I don't go for anything second rate and I've got the best Lion there is."
Draco looked somewhat queasy but bit his tongue. He didn't need to get on Pansy's bad side and as bad as Weasley was he did look at Pansy as if she was his whole world.
Harry watched all the couple-y things in silence, it made him want to return to the infirmary so much more and he started to wonder when he would be able to sneak back.
Sirius clapped his hands together. "Alright all. It's coming up late and I'd hate to get you in trouble before curfew, any decent Marauder knows you have to get in trouble after or it doesn't count. So off to bed with you crazy kids."
Luna got up from her seat and moved over to Neville. Ron groaned but got up too, he knew it was time to leave.
"Thank you for this." Harry stepped up to his godfather. "It means a lot that you thought us worthy of joining you as Marauders."
The dog animagus reached out and pulled Harry into a hug, ruffling his hair. "Don't thank us pup. No others could possibly do the Marauder name better." He whispered into Harry's ear, "Not even the Weasley twins but let's keep that to ourselves, it would break their hearts."
Chuckling Harry hugged Sirius back tightly. "No worries, my lips are sealed." He released his godfather and went to gather the map, he would need that during his sneakouts to stay with Severus. "Goodnight Snuffles, see you soon yeah?"
"Of course. Remus is around as long as Snape is laid up and where Remus goes so too shall I be. I'm not letting my mate out of my sight for a good long while." Sirius paused, tapped his foot, then seemed to come to a decision, "Give your bat my best when you see him tonight."
"I will." Harry smiled and gave in to his urge and hugged Sirius again. "Thank you for being good about this, it means more than I can say. I love you both." Harry grabbed his back and went to Hermione and Ron who were waiting for him by the door.
"I'm proud of you." Remus whispered in Sirius' ear.
Sirius tilted his head back with a grin. He hadn't done it for praise but it was nice to hear, plus he wasn't above capitalizing on it. "Does that mean I get a treat? Throw a dog a bone?"
"Bad dog." Remus chuckled low in his throat. "Let's just get back to our room and I will show you a bone."
The other man just whooped and transformed, giving a playful bark before galumphing out of the room, confident that Remus would be close on his heels.
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The problem, Snape decided, with being in the hospital wing was not so much the fussing or the visits or the occasional idiots who were brought in after doing something they should not. No it was the mind-numbing boredom. Two weeks since he'd woken and, aside from Harry's sneaking out and staying with him whenever possible, he was stuck staring at the wall or listening to pubescent twits come in for cure to their idiocy induced ailments. It half made him want to dive out the window, screaming for freedom.
"You alright there? You have a bit of a scary look on your face." Harry poked his head around the curtain set up around Snape's bed. For once he was visiting during Poppy's designated visiting hours. He walked closer, leaned down to kiss Snape and sunk down in his usual chair next to the bed.
"I am losing my mind from boredom. I swear every second I am here I can feel my intelligence quotient drop." He looked at his significant other, taking in the much healthier appearance as well as the ruffled wild mop of hair and the affection those bottle green eyes held only for him. "And how are things with the barbarian horde?"
"Even if your intelligence quotient would drop, and it's not, you would still be the smartest person here." Harry grinned and caught Severus' hand in his. "And the horde is fine, no trouble there."
"Good I would hate to think all our good work has been undone by the wolf softshoe. Speaking of the pair that induce fleas to hop about in mad delight at the prospect of lunch, how is your dogfather and his wolf?" The first three times Harry had come with messages giving him the two old Marauders' best, he'd wracked his brain for a trick, a trap door, something. Now it had become an odd part of the routine not only to hear that his old enemies wished him well but to inquire after their health. Strange things abound after one has a near death experience.
"Sirius and Remus are both doing well thank you for asking. Even having to be stuck in dog form most of the time Siri still have more freedom here, he doesn't have to be locked up and Grimmauld Place all the time. " Harry smiled gently. "They sent their regards as usual."
Severus hummed and tapped his finger on the arm of his chair, thinking over something. "Harry...you know that when you come into your inheritance you will assume the Potter Lordship yes?"
"I haven't really thought much about it but I suppose so yes." Harry furrowed his brow. "Does it mean anything?"
"It means you would have the political power to force the Wizengamot to hold an honest trial for Black. Testimony under veritaserum alone would clear him, to say nothing of Pensieve memories. There was no trial before."
"I-I'll be able to do that?" The thought of being able to give his godfather his freedom was exhilarating. It also made Harry more bitter towards the Ministry, everything they did was a farce, their only interest was their own gain and Harry despised it. "Thank you for telling me."
"I do not hold much...concern for the mutt but his happiness will make you happy." A faint mottling of Snape's cheeks could be seen and he looked away to hide his reaction to the fluffy sentiment before attempting to subvert any possible accusation of being more than a selfish Slytherin. "Besides if Black can not be allowed to live his life free what hope would I have?"
Harry saw straight through Snape's pretenses and if it was possible he loved the other even more. "You make me happy and I will see to it that you are free to do whatever you want to...Just know that where you'll go I will go with you." Harry bent over the bed and pressed another kiss to Snape's lips.
Severus grabbed the front of Harry's robes, holding him in place for a long and proper kiss. He slipped his tongue into the younger man's mouth and explored thoroughly, hungrily claiming the youth as his before pulling back. "No that, is better than any medication Pomfrey could force down my gullet."
"Then I suppose it's a good thing I am releasing you today isn't it Severus?"
Harry turned his head towards Madam Pomfrey's voice and a blush crawled up his cheekbones. Only a tiny bit of it was due to embarrassment, the rest was due to the want and longing he felt whenever Snape kissed him like that. "He gets to go home?" Harry asked just to make sure, hope shining through in his tone.
The medi-witch merely bustled in, checked the potion master's vitals, and nodded. "Yes Mr. Potter. As soon as I verify his reactions and vitals are all within normal parameters he is free to go and cease telling me how to do my job."
"I still say that tincture of pennyroyal would have been a better choice for her. A little bit of discomfort might prove to be a firmer reminder not to be so careless a second...or third time as the case might be."
Poppy sniffed. "Then it is a good thing you are not the medi-witch for all that you are a registered healer, isn't it?"
"Hm."
Harry grinned. He was aware that he probably looked like a loon but he didn't care. "Don't worry Madam Pomfrey, when he is released I will do my best to keep him out of your hair for a very long time." Harry's grin grew a little predatory as his eyes roamed over Severus.
The woman actually chuckled. "Oh I do not doubt that, just remember, he is not to be doing anything strenuous for another two weeks. Oh and Severus?"
The man known for striking terror into lesser people eyed her warily. "Yes Poppy?"
"I will remind you of something you are so fond of saying when a student in trouble shows up." She checked the dilation of his pupils, using the opportunity to lock eyes with him. "Termination is not a replacement for prevention."
His cheeks mottled brightly with red. "Poppy!"
Harry looked between the two of them, having a feeling that he had missed something important and then the coin dropped leaving him as red as Snape. "What?!?" His voice was a squawk, Harry had never even considered something like that possible.
Poppy tilted her head and pursed her lips. "Didn't you know that wizards are capable of getting pregnant?"
She moved away from Snape and began marking things down on his chart. "So long as the wizard is sufficiently powerful and old enough, natural pregnancy is very possible Mr. Potter. I get several muggle-raised wizards in here a year who didn't know it was possible and suddenly find themselves best friends with the chamber pot. Considering your and Severus' levels of power I would suggest you learn contraceptive charms, or there are always the muggle methods of prevention, which often times work even better."
Harry was gaping, giving his best impression of a fish as the words Poppy said sunk in. Once again he cursed the fact that there were no wizard studies for muggle borns, leaving people like him to stumble around blindly. At the same time Harry was excited too, he wanted children some day, a family to love and the knowledge that he could have that with Severus made him happy.
Snape's face felt as if it was flaming, a very rare occurrence, as he coughed into one hand. "I had intended to inform him myself. Later. Before things got quite that far."
"Mmmhmm I'm fairly certain you did dear but one thing you fail to take in to consideration." Poppy looked up, "You're a man, so is Potter. The Goddess only gave you dear creatures blood enough to operate one head at a time and the lower one trumps the upper more often than not."
Even Snape had to admit at that moment, that he would have been quite happy if a hole had opened up int the ground and swallowed him.
Harry was looking anywhere but at Pomfrey or Snape, he really didn't know what to say and he felt horrifyingly embarrassed.
"Am I disturbing anything? I just wanted to come and see Severus off." Dumbledore came in with his usual smile on his face, carrying a small basket of lemon drops in his hands that he handed to Snape.
The potions master took the basket gingerly with a small expression of mild disgust. "Thank you for your interest in my well-being Albus."
Poppy returned to her no-nonsense persona. "No headmaster you're not disturbing anything. I was just about to release our potions master into Mr. Potter's capable custody. I am certain he can keep Severus from doing anything too exercising for another two weeks. Yes Mr. Potter?"
"Yes Madam, I will keep him out of trouble and make sure he takes it easy." Harry answered, the blush finally starting to go down.
"Well, well I'm glad to hear it." Dumbledore twinkled. "It will be good to have you back in service Severus."
"Ah yes I am certain the carrier monkeys are positively clamoring for my return." The dry, sarcastic tone should have made the snark hall of fame. "I will restrain myself only to observation during the next two weeks however as I am certain actively teaching is something Poppy considers too exercising."
"Among other things." She signed off on his chart and gave a nod. "You are free to go. Mr. Potter take good care of him." Then she bustled off to another curtained area to deal with a student who'd been brewing an unsanctioned potion that had caused him to sprout donkey ears and a tail.
"I will leave you in Mr. Potter's hands then." Dumbledore nodded merrily and turned on his heel to walk back out of the infirmary, leaving Harry to shake his head.
"Come on then, let's get you home and settled alright?" Harry smiled.
"Please yes." Severus stood from the bed, taking a moment to examine his balance and stability, then changed into his robes that were draped over a nearby chair. "I do believe we have more than a few things to discuss beyond the ears of other as well."
I think we do yes." Harry agreed, carrying the small pack of Snape's belongings as they made their way down the many stairs to the dungeon, taking it slow so that Snape wouldn't get tired.
The portrait nearly whooped with joy at the sight of Severus and swung to the side with a loud welcome back.
"That, leads me to wonder how many have tried to slip into my quarters while I was gone. Which also leads me to wonder how many detentions I will be giving out once I return to my post." He moved quite gratefully into the sitting room and settled on the short sofa.
Harry hurriedly grabbed a soft blanket and wrapped it around the other before sitting down next to him. "Aw, maybe the portrait just missed you. As for detentions...I'm sure you can figure out reasons to give them to your heart's content." He grinned wickedly.
"Of course I will." He pulled Harry into sitting more comfortably against him. "Someone has to clean the cauldrons after all." He nosed Harry's soft shaggy black hair.
"Oh Merlin, cleaning your cauldrons is a disgusting job, I've certainly done it enough...I don't envy the poor bastard that annoys you enough to get stuck with that chore." Harry let out a content sigh and leaned more firmly against Snape. "I'm so glad you're well enough to go home, you scared me there for a while."
"I was rather scared myself." He lifted his hands, holding them in front of both of them and studied them over Harry's shoulder. He flexed his fingers. "They were the first part of me Lucius attacked. He knew exactly how important my hands are to my work and just how important my work is to me. I am very lucky Poppy is as skilled as she is." He curled his arms around Harry again and kissed the younger brunette's temple. "And I am grateful you are a recklessly brave and learn as quickly as you do else my hands would have been the least of my worries."
"I wanted to kill him." Harry's voice was just a whisper. "When I saw what he had done to you, how he had hurt you, I wanted to turn around and end his miserable life and I would have done it with a song in my heart. The only thing that stopped me was that you needed me more and that I didn't want to kill Lucius in front of Malfoy...I wanted to though...Gods I wanted to."
Severus closed his eyes and held Harry close. "There is nothing wrong with wanting to rid the world of a monster, pet. Voldemort may look the part but Lucius is just as much a monster as his master, if not more." He stroked a soothing line up and down Harry's side.
"But it makes me feel like a monster too, to realize how easy it would be to end a life, how little it would take to actually do it." Harry burrowed even closer seeking warmth and comfort from his loved one. He felt safe enough to tell these things to Severus, he was the only one he could completely be himself with. Others...Others saw him as the golden boy, the light to counter Voldemort's darkness but he was only human, he had his flaws and plenty of them.
The older man stroked the youth's hair. "But you're not a monster. You have never wanted to take a life solely for the purpose of taking one, nor have you sought to end an innocent life. True, it is all too easy to take a life but it is the reason behind the action that dictates a monster. You would only take a life to protect those you care for Harry. It's not in your nature to be a murderer. I would imagine that you would even offer Voldemort mercy if he were to ask for it and show remorse."
Harry clung to him and let himself be reassured. He had been more worried about this that he had realized and it felt really good to get it off his chest. "I love you, thank you for listening."
Snape stilled. Had Harry said that before? He couldn't recall, not clearly, and he wasn't certain he could pry the words off his own tongue. Not that he didn't feel them, he did. Deeper than he thought he could. But there remained a part of him, the terrified child, the rejected friend, that feared returning them, feared that they would one day be thrown back in his face. So he would not yet speak them in English while he was coherent, he honestly didn't think he could yet, but he could speak them in another language. "It is not a hardship to listen to you my merlin. Te amo."
Harry had been holding his breath since he said the L-word and Snape stilled, he had been afraid that he had misread things despite exchanging words of love when Severus was ill but now he exhaled softly, rubbing his nose along Snape's neck. "I'm still thankful, it's...not easy, talking about how you feel at times, the things that worry you. You make it easier." Harry startled when Fawkes came swooping in only to perch on a small lamp next to the couch. "I think he has adopted you." Harry said as he nodded towards the phoenix.
Snape turned to look at the bird, aware of the way it and Anguis, who'd slithered over to rest on the warm stones of the hearth, eyed each other for a few moments before they settled. "I can't imagine why, unless Dumbledore has been ignoring him in favor of his favorite game, playing chess with people's lives."
Fawkes gave a sad trill and flapped his wings before settling comfortably on the lamp.
"Maybe he just sees that you need looking after, everyone does no matter how strong or independent they are." Harry said softly and eyed both Fawkes and Anguis. "We are lucky to have those willing to look out for us."
The older man sighed and nestled his chin on Harry's shoulder. "I suppose I will have to invest in a perch for him then."
"I guess so." Harry replied with a small smile before going back to his favorite past time, nuzzling and kissing Severus.
Snape ran his fingers through the soft, fine black hair on his love's head. "Harry, when we first came back from Malfoy Manor do you remember Dumbledore trying to talk around 'objects' and I told him to call them as they were?"
Harry pulled away from mouthing at the small hollow behind Severus' ear and looked at him. "Now that you mention it I do yes. My brain was somewhat focused on you at that time but I do remember it. Horcruxes you said right?" Harry frowned as he tasted the word. "What are Horcruxes?"
"Darker magic than anything that should be fooled with. A Horcrux is an object that a wizard or witch has sealed half of his or her soul into. It is considered some of the darkest magic in existence because to split their soul a wizard must first perform the most heinous act of murdering an innocent. Also when a soul is split, the mind is affected. Most wizards who create even one Horcrux go mad. Voldemort has created seven." The professor met Harry's gaze, trailing his fingers along the youth's jawline.
Said jawline just clenched as Harry looked at him with a mortified expression. "Seven? So no matter if I would actually manage to bring the bloody bastard down he can come back seven times? Have I gotten that right?" Harry felt a chill run down his spine. It was no wonder that Voldemort seemed reckless and cocky, he knew that Harry had no chance to win.
Severus ran his hand down Harry's back. "Five actually. You destroyed one of the Horcruxes in your second year."
"I did?" Harry thought back trying to figure it out but his mind was blank, all he could think about was the horror of splitting your soul that many times willingly.
"The diary. It was his second Horcrux and held a full quarter of his soul. He was...highly displeased with Lucius for its loss."
"Good!" Harry had not forgiven Malfoy the elder and he didn't think he ever would. Of course, the diary of Tom Riddle, that made a hell of a lot sense when he thought about it.
Snape brushed a kiss over the bridge of Harry's nose. "Of the six others three once belonged to a founder, he got some perverse satisfaction in tainting the relics of great magic users, Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's diadem, and Slytherin's locket. One is part of a trio of objects known as the Deathly Hallows, it is called the Resurrection Stone. One he's always kept beside him, Nagini his familiar. Anguis took care of her."
"Did you hear that little one? You destroyed a Horcrux, well done." Harry sent the baby basilisk a loving look even as she preened. "No wonder Voldemort was so pissed at the manor." Harry felt a grim satisfaction about that. He counted the Horcruxes Snape had mentioned and the numbers didn't add up to him. "Even with the ones you have mentioned there is still one Horcrux left."
Severus grimaced. He did not want to be the one to impart this bit of news. "The last is one he himself doesn't know of. The night he killed your parents he unwittingly split his soul and when he tried to kill you and failed that fragment of his soul that was split off," he lifted a hand and brushed Harry's hair back from his forehead, "it embedded itself into your scar."
Harry stilled completely and he felt a new wave of loathing towards his scar that almost left him sick. "So I'm carrying a piece of the bastard inside me, he's part of me. To kill him forever all Horcruxes have to be destroyed...I have to be destroyed." He gave a humorless chuckle. "Well isn't that just bloody brilliant."
"No." Snape's arms closed firmly around Harry. "A Horcrux made from an object, such as the diary or the locket, must be destroyed for an object there is no other option. But for a living being there are options. They're ancient and often need special knowledge but there are options."
"Severus, it may be cowardly and un-heroic but I really don't want to die." Harry had always known that dying would be a possibility but not like this and not now, not when he had finally found something to really live for.
"You won't." Severus' voice was firm and unyielding. "I am not about to let you go, no matter how selfish it might be. There are two purification spells I know of, they both need special ingredients and use a combination of potion, ritual rune circle, and verbal spellwork but they would work. The spell ingredients are rare however."
"We'll just have to find them then." Harry said with confidence he didn't really feel. "But maybe we should concentrate on the other Horcruxes first, to see if there's even a point of a purification spell."
"That will certainly provide plenty of time to retrieve all the ingredients. No one knows for certain where the others are hidden. We have to find them before we can destroy them."
"One can only guess where a madman like Voldemort has hidden away the pieces of his twisted soul. I will find them though and I will destroy them all." Harry slowly relaxed and leaned back against Snape again, he had never had much luck and this was just one more obstacle, at least he wasn't alone anymore. He had Severus, his friends, Sirus and Remus...Maybe he was lucky after all.
Severus frowned and looked at the fire. "If we can, we might try and see if Black's house-elf knows anything. Regulus died under some rather dodgy circumstances, Voldemort claimed he'd betrayed him but even then traitors to his cause were dealt with publicly amongst the Death Eaters yet we never saw Regulus in the punishment circle."
"Punishment circle? Oh Voldemort just keep climbing the charm ladder doesn't he?" Harry made a face. "Kreacher isn't really the easiest to talk to but maybe Sirius can order him to speak. Since Sirius is lord of the house of Black Kreacher can't refuse him even if he doesn't like Sirius."
"Perhaps but Narcissa might be a better choice. Kreacher might like her as she has always been rather kind to him. He was almost obsessively loyal to Regulus, who also treated him well. Your Miss Granger is correct in her thoughts that house-elves should be better treated, if only because good treatment is more likely to inspire willing loyalty than cruelty."
Harry nodded. "I agree with you fully and I think you may be right that lady Malfoy could be a wiser choice. I love Sirius but he's not exactly tactful or patient. I feel bad for Kreacher, I don't think he has experienced much in the way of kindness."
"Not since the death of your dogfather's brother at least." He closed his eyes, feeling a bit tired. "It may be a dead end but it could lead us to something important as well. I'll have to meet with Albus soon as well as he said he had a lead on one of the Horcruxes."
"We can sort everything out later." Harry noticed the tired lines on Severus' face and felt a bit guilty, Severus was supposed to take it easy and not get upset. "For now you should just rest and concentrate on getting yourself stronger. Everything will work out sooner or later." Harry took a hold of Snape's hand and rubbed his knuckles with his thumb.
"I'll be fine. You worry too much." He moved to rest his face in the crook of Harry's neck, kissing the skin softly. "But yes everything will work itself out eventually."
Harry moved his hand to Snape's hair and stroked it gently. Content to lean his head against the backrest of the couch, feeling the comforting weight of Snape's head against his shoulder and watching the fire burn.
Fawkes gave a soft trill that somehow eased Snape into a deep, dreamless sleep.
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TW'S A/N: I am just going to say it now, I fucking LOVED writing Sirius. Gawds he's just so much fun.
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Blood Quill Consequences