Unpredictable Life

~ Chapter 12: Chaotic Monday ~

Monday, 19th August.

Sirius was having a dream similar to one that he’d had the day before. It felt exactly like the one that had helped him track Pettigrew — his vision obstructed by a light, hazy aureate mist. His muscles twitched but even in his subconscious state, he was aware of flinging one leg over Remus, effectively using his lover like a bolster pillow. Still, he dreamt. He had no form, rather, he felt like he was drifting like the wind.

Maybe my spirit is traveling, he said to himself. He continued to soar and dodged his way through the trees. He sucked in his breath as he passed by a Dementor. Oddly enough, their presence didn’t affect him the way they had used to. Why am I seeing Dementors? He noticed that he seemed to be flying in a circle and that the Dark Creatures were similarly arranged.

The subconscious wizard did not try to assert which way he wished to go. After circling the Dementors — from near the ground and high above in the air — several times, Sirius was pulled into the midst of the area the Dark Creatures were guarding.

“Someone has passed through the barrier!” a voice hissed dangerously close to Sirius’s ear. His astral body jumped a bit and moved out of the way so that he could see who had just spoken. It was Voldemort and he did not look pleased.

The change in scenery was slow and Sirius was unable to distinguish a word that had been said. It felt like an hour had passed before the space solidified into a room with gray walls, a lit fireplace, gleaming white flooring, and a black couch. Voldemort was hissing, carmine eyes flashing brightly in anger. Sirius’s astral self was drawn into the center of the living room, directly above where Nagini was curled, basking in the heat coming from the fireplace.

I thought Voldemort was going to let his snake eat Wormtail, he mused. They could have saved me the trouble. It would have been fitting for that rat to have been eaten by a snake. He felt a brief pang of regret. Oh well, it’s too late to bring him back. He was about to wonder why he had been drawn into that particular spot when something happened. He wasn’t quite certain what it was as he had not experienced such a thing when he had had the vision of Wormtail. I feel as though I’m a pond of water and something has dropped on my surface.

A loud bell-like tone resonated within his mind and he jolted out of bed, as did Remus. Azure eyes looked tiredly at the terribly pale tawny-haired man.

“What the hell was that?” Remus asked shakily and Sirius tugged at him so that he could embrace the stockier wizard.

“You saw him?” Sirius nuzzled at his neck and felt his lover nod.

“The snake and Dementors,” the werewolf whispered.

“I think it’s just a dream — a side-effect, from the crossover … I think.” Sirius leaned back and combed his hair with his fingers. “Time?” he asked aloud.

“A quarter to three in the morning,” replied the wall clock cheerfully.

“It’s still too early to bring my news to Dumbledore,” Sirius hinted and Remus smiled before settling down to resume his interrupted slumber. They had been too tired — and too busy with other things to call upon the Headmaster earlier.

The blue-eyed wizard had other plans in mind so whilst he was under the pretense of going to the washroom, he made use of the roll of blank parchment on the coffee table, summoning an ink bottle and a quill quietly. He chewed on the end of his writing instrument for a minute and thought quickly about what to write. His eyes lit up in mischief and he scribbled neatly, before cutting off the parchment. Once he had tied the parchment and Pettigrew’s wand together with a piece of string, he crept out of the house and changed into Padfoot.

Carefully picking up the parcel in his jaws, he ran to a hollowed tree not far from Moony’s house. He dropped his burden and sat beneath the tree waiting patiently for a bird to pass. As he waited in silence, he suddenly remembered that he owed his lover an apology for threatening him with a silver blade. Sirius was so filled with remorse that he barely held himself back from acting like a dog that had suddenly understood he had done something wrong.

Harry was good at making things disappear spontaneously and Remus could banish anything within line of sight when under emotional stress. Sirius had found that he was fairly good with animals. Crookshanks was the first feline he had ever attempted to manipulate. Most of his dealings had been with birds. It was how he had gotten to know James in the first place — via an eagle owl. His tongue lolled out as he grinned, remembering the loud verbal war between the eagle owl he had befriended, and James’s raven.

Something flew overhead and a soft hoot sounded above him. It was a tawny owl, and it was looking at him curiously. Oh damn … how do I go about it? A second owl appeared, much bigger than the first one. A pair? A small howl escaped from his throat and he slowly reverted to his human form. The raptors fluttered their wings in alarm at his sudden appearance. They calmed down somewhat, seeing that Sirius just stood there watching them.

Dark sapphire eyes looked thoughtfully at the first owl as the wizard concentrated hard to form a request, as simply as he could. Sirius’s brows creased with the effort and the owls started swiveling their heads. The larger of the tawny owls then gave a deep hoot while nodding its head. It was the human’s turn to be questioned. It was a little disconcerting trying to decipher the owl’s thoughts but the wizard in pajamas thought he got the gist of it.

This is going to be tougher than I had expected. Sirius didn’t know the exact location to direct the bird to. Then he got an idea. Maybe I can duplicate what I remember about the location into Wormtail’s wand like you would with a Pensieve. First, he held the thought that he would reward the birds in exchange for the errand before tapping Pettigrew’s wrapped-up wand lightly on his temple. He muttered the incantation softly and carefully raised his wand to meet the owl’s forehead. The creature jerked and its eyes were fearful.

“It is all right, I don’t have any intention of harming you. However, the place you are going is treacherous and I will understand if you choose to rescind the offer,” Sirius said as sincerely as he could. The owl stopped fidgeting and let the tip of the wand rest on its crown. The wizard pulled back when the owl nodded. To his amazement, the larger owl let out a sharp cry, and clamped her beak on the wand. Sirius repeated the process and she hooted, in approval.

“That’s good.” Sirius smiled. Being a wizard certainly had advantages since talking to birds like they were intelligent creatures didn’t feel abnormal. “I’m going to cast a spell on both of you so that you can reach the location speedily and get away from the place just as quickly too.” He stared at both the owls. “Just throw the wand when you see a window. Maybe, you,” he looked at the female owl, “could fire a stone at the window first, just in case.” A deep hoot emerge from the owl’s chest.

Sirius quickly performed the charm and handed the wand to the male owl. “Be careful and be swift. Come to the house when you return.” He stepped back and watch the owls launch from their perch. They quickly disappeared from view and the wizard went back to the house to sleep.

~*~

At Number Four…

Severus was kissing Harry passionately in their love nest and things were proceeding quite well when the Potions Master remembered that he was brewing the Wolfsbane potion. He pulled back and started swearing.

“Sev, calm down!” Harry hissed and looked around nervously. “What’s wrong?”

Long fingers withdrew from Harry’s trousers to reach for the wristwatch that was always on his Gryffindor lover’s arm. The older wizard’s jaw dropped when he realized that an hour had passed. It’s the third time I’ve ruined the batch!

“Oh …” It finally dawned on the young Gryffindor about the reason for his lover’s unhappiness. Harry looked up at Severus sheepishly.

The Potions Master gave a long sigh and looked deep into the bright emerald eyes gazing fondly up at him. His lips curved into a crooked smile. “I think it’s time for us to tell the Headmaster that this house is not conducive to concentration.”

“Maybe … I’ll lock myself in my bedroom and stay out of your hair long enough for you to brew the potion,” Harry responded in a small voice.

“And do you think I could restrain myself from blasting your door open?” he murmured and kissed the raven-haired wizard’s cheek affectionately.

“Well …” Harry grinned. He got up and pushed Severus onto the mattress, also managing to unbutton the man’s shirt. “Maybe you should try to make him agree that it’s time for us to move in to Headquarters until the new term starts.” Like a playful kitten, the Gryffindor started nibbling on the Slytherin’s earlobe and licking the side of the pale neck.

“That’s a good idea,” Severus answered around a mouthful of thick black hair. Then he gently pushed his lover away. He lay on his side and propped his head with an elbow, gently smoothing the mess of thick hair. “Can you stop smiling?” His tone was suffused with amusement rather than irritation.

Harry chuckled and grinned broadly. “Well, I think it’s better than putting on a grave expression, with my eyes exuding a great load of angst,” the emerald-eyed wizard replied impishly.

“Before we get down to another serious night of lovemaking,” Severus began and shook his head slightly when Harry began to purr, “I ought to clean up the cauldron.”

“Okay,” Harry said sulkily. “Just don’t try to make the potion and end up wasting your ingredients.”

“How amusing it is to hear those words coming from you, Mister Potter,” Severus drawled. Harry stuck his tongue at him and coal-black eyes shone brightly. The younger wizard squeaked when his lover descended and caught his tongue gently with his teeth. The man’s heart fluttered at the response he managed to elicit from the Gryffindor and reluctantly pulled away.

“The sooner I go down, the sooner I can finish clearing the kitchen and come back to you,” he said huskily and Harry nodded absently, still delivering wet kisses all over the Potions Master’s face. Leaving his lover, Severus quickly picked up his wand and went down. As he cleared up the mess he had made in the kitchen, he contacted Fawkes.

:Fawkes?: he called uncertainly.

:What?: the phoenix grumbled sleepily.

:Can you please ask your owner if it is possible for us to move to the Headquarters as soon as possible — because ... I have to admit I find it difficult to work with him … available,: the Potions Master said, sounding quite bashful.

:Perhaps Harry should go to the Weasleys,: Fawkes answered at once.

:No!: the wizard protested fiercely. :I still want to be with him.: The thought was so soft that Dumbledore’s familiar almost didn’t catch his words.

:I’ll talk to Albus about it. But not now. I need a few winks,: the phoenix replied. His presence disappeared and the Potions Master finished the task of cleaning his conjured cauldron and shrinking it. When he got to the guest bedroom, he found Harry asleep and unclothed. All mine to devour, a naughty thought crossed his mind and he smiled wickedly.

~*~

Sometime near dawn.

Moony gave a sigh and turned over, making his lover respond to the movements unconsciously. Sirius curled over the smaller man and their arms overlapped each other before they settled back into deep slumber.

I don’t want to dream, Remus grumbled silently. Once again, his dream state had brought him back to hover beside a cold-blooded reptile. There was a drastic change in the scenery. If he could blink his eyes, he would have. He couldn’t help but feel slightly tense as the living room was infested with a lot of Dementors. I didn’t know that there could be so many of them …. His thought trailed off as he caught sight of Voldemort.

The Dark Lord was talking quietly with someone whose voice the werewolf couldn’t recognize. The masked underling bowed respectfully as Voldemort dismissed him. A Dementor came to take the place of the underling and the two beings stared at each other for several minutes.

“Assault the fortress and help my followers to escape. Bring them here and make sure that Lucius comes back unharmed.” When Voldemort spoke, his voice was crystal clear and amplified so much so that Remus could even feel the vibrations of the voice on his skin. The horde of Dementors vanished.

So, even Voldemort himself won’t trust the creatures all that much, Remus mused. That’s really wise of him.

He heard the sound of shattered glass clattering noisily from another part of the house. The werewolf tried not to think about a leash on his neck but he felt as if he was attached to the Dark Lord as he was pulled along to investigate the crash. Two Death Eaters had arrived at the scene much quicker than Voldemort had.

While one handed him a wand that was wrapped with parchment and had talon marks all over it, the other underling examined the environs outside. He saw a blur of movement but before he could focus, it was gone. Voldemort’s eyes had narrowed down to slits as he untied the string. The wand fell out of his hands but he had a firm grip on the note. Remus drifted over to Voldemort’s side and peered at the parchment.

To the ‘Exalted’ One:

This wand once belonged to a very dear friend, Peter W. Pettigrew a.k.a. Wormtail. Since I knew you were going to feed him to a very dear friend of yours, I took it into my own hands to save my friend from a very horrible death. I killed him by non-magical means and I expect that the one who had been scouting along with him is dead as well. However, I am unwilling to bet that your underling died of the dagger wound — he was quite proficient in healing spells. You should be proud of that fellow. Please say ‘hi’ to my darling cousin Bellatrix for me. I’ll be coming for her soon.

PS: Found your den, haven’t I, O Lord of Darkness?

The piece of paper burst into flames and Remus fell back asleep.

~*~

Later…

The sun had nearly reached its zenith by the time Remus awoke. He stretched and looked over at his side. He’s awake. The werewolf washed up and put on a new set of clothes before he walked to the kitchen to see what his lover was doing. He stood in the doorway, transfixed by the way Sirius stalked the kitchen and prepared lunch for two.

The handsome Black looked serene as he fried chicken and went about preparing a sauce. It was then that Remus noticed something was amiss. It took him a while to pinpoint the problem and Sirius remained blissfully unaware that his lover was watching him.

He is preparing food — without the use of magic. His throat went dry. It was just a dream, right? Remus shifted and the rustle of his trousers attracted Sirius’s attention.

“Hello lover. Slept well?” Sirius asked gaily before kissing him deeply.

“Siri, where’s the wand?” Remus asked, his breath warming the side of his lover’s long neck.

Sapphire eyes blinked innocently. “Bloody hell. That was no dream,” Remus said tiredly. His lover only grinned and the werewolf groaned. “Wait — did it really happen?”

“Actually, I don’t know. I mean I don’t know if the scene already took place or not,” Sirius answered and went back to his sauce. Meanwhile, the werewolf filled the kettle with water to brew tea. “Honestly, Moony,” the azure-eyed wizard smiled crookedly, “don’t you drink anything else but tea?”

“Yes, I did have a dose of protein these last two nights,” Remus replied swiftly. Sirius gaped at him for a moment, not quite believing that his lover had actually said that.

“I just hope that the owls will come back soon,” Sirius mumbled to himself.

“What owls?” Remus asked sharply. His lover opened his mouth to answer but a chorus of incessant hooting stopped him. The werewolf was rendered speechless as he watched his lover fuss about the raptors.

“Moony, why don’t you contact Dumbledore?” Sirius asked absently. “Persuade him to come here in person.”

“Right,” Remus responded after he managed to get his voice working. He couldn’t remember how he had gotten into the living room and was already drawing the covers of a portrait before he had stopped dreaming. “Phineas, wake up.”

The stern-looking figure in the frame opened his eyes slowly. “What?”

“Can you please ask Professor Dumbledore to drop in? I believe I have some news that might be of interest,” Remus stated mildly.

“Very well.”

~*~

Dumbledore didn’t know what to expect as he turned up at Remus’s doorstep. He frowned when he noticed the recent scars on the door, evidence of it having been blasted open. He knocked on the door twice and it was opened by a worried-looking werewolf.

“Professor,” Remus greeted, looking very relieved. “Please, come in.”

“Remus, what happened?” Dumbledore asked sternly.

“Well …” the werewolf hesitated and stepped aside.

Dumbledore stared. He looked at the wizard, neatly dressed in a dark blue collared shirt and tight black trousers, in stunned silence. “How …?” He looked at Remus.

Sirius rose from his seat and smiled, one arm snaking around the werewolf’s waist as his other one reached over to clasp the Headmaster’s hand in a greeting. “I’ll explain everything when everyone is around,” the Animagus said lightly. “Any news about Dementors?”

The surprised expression on Dumbledore’s face immediately vanished at Black’s serious tone. “No.”

“Well, I hope it is not too late to warn you but they’re going to ambush the prison. Voldemort badly wants his second-in-command back by his side,” Sirius told him.

Dumbledore looked thoughtfully at him. “And how did you come by the information, Sirius?”

“A side-effect he suffered by coming back,” Remus said, as though quoting someone. The werewolf tilted his head and smiled fondly at his lover.

Another couple, Dumbledore mused. He was careful to hide the snicker that threatened to explode. “Maybe it’s time that all of us gather once more in the Headquarters,” the old wizard said thoughtfully. “How peculiar that I was compelled to bring the Portkey to Number Twelve earlier this morning.”

“I have absolutely nothing to pack,” Sirius said cheerfully. “I hope you didn’t clear out my belongings.”

“It was too early to ascertain if you were truly gone, Sirius,” Dumbledore said with aplomb.

As Dumbledore stood watching Sirius — who stared back — Remus went ahead to gather his things and pack them into his trunk. It gave the ancient wizard some time to brood. :Fawkes, do you mind scouting the Azkaban Fortress?:

:You’re slow, Albus. I’m already there. Nothing seems to be amiss though,: the phoenix replied. :I’m watching Lucius. The man’s lost too much weight. Why is that?:

Dumbledore’s frown deepened and he missed Sirius’s inquiring look. :What?:

:I think that someone has been treating the prisoner unprofessionally,: his familiar replied, sounding worried. :I don’t remember whipping and flogging being part of his punishment during his trial.:

People might think Dumbledore was too soft-hearted to administer proper punishment, but he was human, and he had seen too much in his long life. He had no qualms about ordering his phoenix to heal some of the wizard’s more serious wounds. The Headmaster’s business was with Lucius’s Master.

:Stay there and keep watch over him,: the ancient wizard instructed.

:I will.:

“Professor, we’re ready,” Sirius announced. His clear voice interrupted Dumbledore’s reverie. The old wizard nodded and took out a brass key. The two younger wizards pressed their fingertips on the key and the Headmaster activated the Portkey with a spell. As Dumbledore let himself be pulled into the key, Fawkes chose that moment to comment on something.

:Albus, how are you going to break it to Sirius that Harry has mated with Severus?:

Dumbledore felt his insides freeze. Bloody hell.

~*~

Inside a strongly-shielded cell.

Lucius Malfoy stirred and he whimpered. His body was wracked with pain and it was difficult for him to think because of the potion someone had forced down his throat. He felt liquid warmth run over his chest and he screamed. How it would amuse his enemies if they were to know that Lucius —known as the Ice-King among his peers —could not physically tolerate pain and torture.

They’re just wounds from flogging, a small voice spoke inside his mind. Getting the Dark Mark was even worse.

It took a lot of effort to open his eyes. He really wanted to know if his cell was leaking. However, his vision was blurred and he didn’t quite recognize the creature crying onto his body. The pain he was suffering from slowly ebbed away. I’m such a pathetic creature. He closed his eyes and let himself fall into slumber.

~*~

When the attack on the Azkaban fortress finally commenced, most of the wardens were killed and Dumbledore swore pungently in his office when members of the Order brought him the news. The Order retreated from the battle when it became evident that Voldemort was there, flinging the Killing Curse at most of them so effortlessly that he may as well have been casting a Disarming Spell instead.

The Dark Lord was having a field day as he retrieved his followers and collected subjects for future sacrifices. He laughed maniacally as he swept his way into the lower part of the fortress. He was keen to find his favorite subject. Lucius, in his own right, was quite a powerful wizard and Voldemort was adamant that he was extremely faithful to him. It was no secret to the others — those who were wise enough — that the silver-haired wizard with the cool temperament was his favorite subject.

The Dark Lord easily broke through the wards and the door swung open to his touch. He had expected to see his servant pacing the cell. It shocked him to find Lucius asleep, bloodied, sore and wearing nothing but thin cotton slacks. Voldemort’s reaction at seeing the wizard’s broken state was much like what one could expect from an owner who had just realized that his property had been vandalized.

That idiot of a Minister will pay. It was unlike the Dark Lord to show the slightest bit of compassion to anything, but cared he did. He gently cradled Lucius’s head and woke the wizard cautiously.

Stormy gray eyes looked into his in confusion. Then recognition seeped through the wizard in his arms. “My Lord,” came the hushed whisper.

“Rest,” Voldemort commanded softly. Gratitude shone from the gray eyes and the Dark Lord flinched, uncertain if he should be proud of it. Lucius fell back into unconsciousness and Voldemort lifted the limp body. With a sharp crack, Lord and Servant disappeared from the fortress and the rest followed suit.

~*~

At Number Four.

The Potions Master and The Boy Who Lived had closeted themselves in Harry’s bedroom, unaware that the Fortress was being assaulted. Harry nestled in the space between Severus’s legs, reading a page of his Potions textbook aloud. A few minutes later, the essay ended and the Gryffindor closed the book and set it aside.

Hedwig stared curiously at him from her perch. Poor Hedwig. I think she’s a little confused about Sev’s friendliness. He gave a bright smile at her and she hooted in reply. Harry squirmed in his seat until he was face to face with his lover. Severus gazed at him fondly and the Gryffindor looked into the infinite depth of sable eyes.

“Harry,” Severus whispered and embraced his emerald-eyed lover while kissing him gently.

The kisses never ceased to amaze Harry. Sometimes they were forceful, harsh and needy but there had been soft, gentle ones too. Each one of them seemed to make him breathless and boneless. And the Gryffindor knew that his lover was happy that Harry was left swooning after each of their kisses. He sighed, and rested his head against the Potions Master’s shoulder. His fingers traced the outline of Severus’s collar and he grinned to himself. Even in the Dursleys’, the older wizard strictly kept himself to his severe uniform.

Not that I don’t like his dress code. His grin didn’t go unnoticed as he felt, rather than saw, his lover rolling his eyes in exasperation. Before Severus could ask why he was impudently grinning, Harry told him, “It’s nothing, Sev. It's just that I find you and your black uniform extremely pleasurable to look at.” His calm tone was spoilt by the ever present smile on his face.

“It is so unexpected that you of all people seem to harbor fetishes,” Severus said with a crooked smile and his coal-black eyes drifted over to look at all the sketches in the small bedroom.

Harry watched his lover’s expression fondly. He had never seen the Potions Master look quite so relaxed and happy at the same time. Well, it’s good to have a vacation once in a while.

“Harry?” Severus’s voice brought him out of his musings.

“Yes?” Harry’s eyes were locked onto the delicate lips before him and he couldn’t resist kissing them.

“Are you all right?” The Potions Master pulled away and searched his face.

“I am —”

“I mean about Black,” Severus quickly added. Then in a softer voice, “Your godfather.”

Harry fell silent and buried his face into his lover’s chest. Severus drew him closer and held him in comfortable silence, his chin resting gently on the Gryffindor’s head. Absently, Harry drew invisible designs on his lover’s arms.

“I guess I am. I’m still sad that he’s gone but grieving and scolding myself that it is my fault that he died won’t get me anywhere,” Harry said, his voice slightly muffled by the expansive chest. “I was wrong — I had let my emotions get the better of me. I should have controlled and harnessed them instead.” He looked up to meet his lover’s eyes. “I lost one person whom I had considered as my family. One death is enough — I can’t let Hermione and the Weasleys — who are family to me, die too.”

He raised his arm to brush several strands of silky black hair away from the Potions Master’s face. “And I’m not going to do anything stupid now that you’re mine.”

A shadow seemed to pass through his lover’s eyes. “What if he takes me away?” Severus asked him softly.

“Which he are you referring to? Voldemort —” Severus flinched slightly as Harry said the Dark Lord’s name, “or Death?”

“They’re almost the same,” the Potions Master said dryly.

“There’s no way you’re going to die young and I won’t let Voldemort take you,” Harry said coldly.

“Harry, in case it is of any interest to you, I am thirty-nine years old,” Severus said almost grudgingly.

“That’s not old. You’re in the prime of your life. If you’re as old as Professor Dumbledore, then you are old,” the raven-haired Gryffindor smiled. “Stop trying to get me depressed. Depression does not suit me. I’m a stupid and thick Gryffindor when I’m depressed. You don’t want that, do you?”

“I’m not sure that I like the light-hearted and cunning Slytherin-Gryffindor Harry either,” Severus muttered and chuckled when Harry glared at him.

“Why did you mention Slytherin?” Green eyes looked questioningly at the Potions Master.

“It is no secret, Harry. Well, at least to the staff.” Severus scratched the bridge of his nose lightly. “We could hear the Hat’s ramblings quite well since Professor Dumbledore likes to hear every word the Sorting Hat says at each sorting.” The older wizard snickered.

“Really?” Harry tilted his head inquiringly. “Why?”

“The Headmaster ails from a hearing disorder. There are some times that he’ll pretend that he hasn’t heard the words spoken but in reality, he’s actually really deaf sometimes,” Severus’s voice shook with mirth. It took several minutes for the information to sink in but when it did, the Gryffindor burst out laughing.

Merlin! And I had pitied Fudge! He wheezed and his lover shut him up with another searing kiss. They were still locked in their embrace when they suddenly weren’t alone in the house anymore.

Severus withdrew sharply, his eyes strangely unfocused. He was looking in the direction of the hall. His eyes slowly rested on Harry’s. The silent gaze was all it took for the Gryffindor to realize that his relatives were home.

“Damn …” Harry took a deep breath and tightened his grip on his lover’s shoulders as he panicked. “Sev, what am I — how am I ...?” His eyes were wide open in fear.

“We’ll go down and see how your relatives react to my presence,” the soft silky voice murmured into his ear.

“They’ll explode,” the Gryffindor whispered, unable to stop trembling. He literally jumped when his uncle bellowed for him from the lounge. Severus grunted as Harry’s weight came down on his thigh. The young wizard scrambled out of his bed and adjusted his clothing. He finally calmed down and looked at his lover archly.

Harry could hear his uncle swearing quite clearly as he exited his bedroom. Dudley was trying to tell Uncle Vernon to calm down but Aunt Petunia was shrieking so loudly that her son’s pleas went unheard. When the Gryffindor finally came into sight, Uncle Vernon was quick to grab for his collar.

Before he could do so, Severus’s spell pushed the Muggle backwards. Harry watched his uncle’s expression and glanced at his lover. It seemed that the glare that had always worked on students evoked the same response from an adult. Aunt Petunia quickly scuttled away out of the living room and disappeared to some other part of the house.

“I was sent here by Professor Dumbledore,” Severus said without introducing himself.

“I do not believe this!” Uncle Vernon yelled. The Potions Master just snorted. “I demand that you leave now! And you may take the boy with you!” The huge man reached for the sleek black trunk half hidden by an armchair.

“Yes … hand that trunk over,” Severus said with a sickening smile. That immediately stopped Dursley.

“AAAAHHHHH!” Harry and Severus whirled at the shriek and watched as Aunt Petunia rushed down the staircase. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide, looking as though she had seen a ghost. She came to a stop before the Potions Master. “Abominable … right in the house …” she babbled.

Harry blanched, hoping he had misunderstood her.

“— Unholy, depraved, sickening monster of a nephew …”

“Petunia, what are you talking about?”

“The boy … and this … man …” The woman’s face contorted into a look of absolute disgust. Before Harry could swear, the Full-Body Bind curse had hit the Dursleys all at once.

Severus tucked his wand into his pocket and sighed deeply. “Now I know why I had that nagging feeling to clean up the guest room.” He stared at the frozen figures that had toppled to the floor. “Well, lover,” he sidled up to his stunned Gryffindor, “I think you ought to pack everything up.”

“What are you going to do?” Harry asked, puzzlement evident in his young face.

“First, I have to move your relatives to the kitchen, threaten them a bit for their own safety, and I have to contact the Headmaster,” Severus said and gently nudged his young lover toward the staircase.

“How will you do that?” Harry asked, walking backwards.

“I have my ways.” The Potions Master winked and the Gryffindor smiled warmly.

~*~

:Fawkes?: Severus called and waited for the phoenix to reply. He got the response almost immediately.

:Not now. We’re busy,: Fawkes answered brusquely.

:What happened?: The Potions Master’s back stiffened.

:A lot of things have happened. Now leave me alone so I can concentrate on healing Tonks,: the phoenix’s tone was strained with weariness as well as annoyance.

:We need to move away from Privet Drive now,: Severus said quickly. Overtones of surprise from the phoenix filled his mind.

:Why?:

:Harry’s relatives are back,: Severus replied as he verbally muttered, “Mobilicorpus.” Dudley’s body began to float and the wizard directed the Muggle teenager into the kitchen skillfully. :And his aunt has already ferreted out our relationship.:

:Oh dear…:

Severus worked without a reply for ten minutes. Since he knew that the victims could hear him, even in their spellbound state, he told them that if they knew what was good for them, they should forget that the Potions Master was even there at all. Harry came in and whispered that he needed help in the guest bedroom. Fawkes popped into the room while he was vanishing the mattress and perched on the computer chair, startling Harry greatly. Jammed between his beak was the brass key that Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore had used earlier.

:Hurry up,: the phoenix told the Potions Master and disappeared.

“Fawkes?” Harry turned to look at his lover.

Severus took his hand and held it as they went to Harry’s bedroom to collect his things. In a last minute decision, the emerald-eyed wizard chose to take all of his sketches and got his lover to compress the stack of papers so it would fit in Harry’s loaded trunk. They even found time for a quick kiss before they went down. Dumbledore’s phoenix was waiting on top of Severus’s trunk and the bird warned the Potions Master to take hold of the key instead of Harry.

:Why is that?: the older wizard asked curiously.

:His touch will activate it. Dumbledore is the only other who knows how to activate it,: Fawkes explained.

“You know,” Harry began, “I don’t think I can come back here for the next holiday.”

:He doesn’t need to,: Fawkes told Severus, his usual sarcastic cheer back. The Potions Master only raised an eyebrow at the statement while Harry was baffled by his expression. :You’ll understand soon enough.: Then the phoenix disappeared.

“Shall we go?” Severus put on his cloak and carried his trunk with one hand, the same one holding the key.

“Lets,” Harry nodded. Then he hesitated and looked back at the kitchen. “Sev? What about my relatives?”

The Slytherin glanced over his shoulder and smiled maniacally. “The spell will wear off in about an hour. And I'm not going to let them have it easy by altering their memories.”

“But …” Harry still looked uncertain.

The Potions Master sighed. “Don't worry about them. I'll get the Headmaster to send someone, who's merciful and hardworking enough to tamper with their memories. All right?”

“All right.”

~*~