Current mood:

accomplished

Divine Child Part 2
Title:Divine Child
Author: lilyseyes
Pairing: HP/SS
Rating: NC_17/Adult
Highlight for Warnings: *Wanking, fellatio, frottage, rimming, manipulative!Dumbledore*
Summary: In the aftermath of Chamber of Secrets, Harry gets help from the last person he would have ever expected.
Prompt: #125:Dumbledore tells Severus to mentor Harry. Severus interprets that according to an ancient practice that Muggles would never understand.
Word Count: 27,357
Disclaimer: JKR owns all that is the Potter Universe– I just play in it. No money is made from these amateur works.
Betas: rakina and jadzia7667, all my thanks and the_minx_17 and calanor thanks for the feedback!

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Severus carefully locked and warded the house before Apparating deep into the enchanted forest behind the cottage. The moon slid into position and Severus expertly harvested the necessary plant as quickly as he could. He didn’t worry about Harry waking up - the child had been more than tired that evening - but about Dumbledore Flooing in to check on his progress. The moonlight lit the glen with a silver glow but Severus had no eyes for the beauty of the setting, dismissing it as soon as his brain registered it. The large dragon-skin bag hanging from his shoulder filled rapidly as Severus concentrated on his task.

Back in his lab, the piles of meticulously prepared ingredients helped speed the process along and Severus was able to take detailed notes of his observations. Lost in the research that he had been waiting so long to do, the Potions master had no concept of time passing. It wasn’t until he cast a stasis shield over the third gently simmering cauldron and rechecked the flame beneath each of them, that Severus’ stomach gave a loud gurgle. A glance at his pocket watch showed him that he had been working for over half a day, making it well past the noon hour. Tiredness settled over him heavily, like a winter cloak as he trudged up the stairs. The boy must have managed all right as he had not interrupted Severus once.

The tingle of powerful magic washed over him as Severus stepped through the door, causing him to pause momentarily as he sorted it out. A low trilling melody vibrated through the air and Severus’ head snapped up. Hurrying into the sitting room, Severus found Harry lying on the floor in front of the fireplace still dressed in the long shirt Severus had given him to wear. The boy was unconscious, his back arched stiffly as if he were convulsing. A scarlet-and-gold phoenix was rubbing its head against Harry’s forehead.

“Fawkes?” Severus dropped to his knees beside them, “Harry!”

Severus reached down to pick the child up, only to have Dumbledore’s familiar place himself between them, causing Severus to lost what little patience he had left.

“He would not be here if I intended to harm him, you blasted bird!”

Fawkes tilted his head, but allowed Severus to reach around him and pick Harry up, cradling him to his chest. Deathly pale and burning with fever, the toddler’s body was stiff and Severus could feel the pulses of powerful magic ripple though him. He swore as he sat on the settee with Harry lying stiff and motionless in his arms, knowing he had to do something. The phoenix followed and began to rub his face across Harry’s forehead, directly over his scar. Severus’ sleep-deprived mind eyed the magical creature, a wild plan beginning to form.

“If your loyalties are only to Dumbledore, you can leave now!” Severus snarled at the phoenix “But I know you saved Harry with your tears when you rescued him from the Chamber of Secrets. I need Madame Pomfrey immediately as the boy is ill, but neither Harry, nor I, needs the complication of Albus knowing he is not at his miserable Muggle relatives.”

The bird’s dark eyes seemed to asses his very soul as they stared at him unblinking. With another inclination of his head, the Phoenix disappeared in a burst of flame just as Harry’s body arched in another convulsion. Severus gave a tired sigh of frustration. Stupid pigeon!

Shifting Harry in his arms, Severus was unnerved to find that the child was barely breathing, his back still rigid. A strong pulse of magic passed through him and scattered the books on the lower half of the bookshelves across the floor. Severus turned Harry and pressed the hot face into his shoulder, his fingers combing through the sweat-dampened hair. He began rocking back and forth as he had before, relieved when the small body began to relax. The waves of magic seemed to calm slightly, sliding along his skin with a prickly, irritated feeling.

Severus sighed with relief as he felt the three-year-old grow limp in his arms, until he realized that Harry had stopped breathing. Lurching to his feet, his heart in his throat, Severus ripped the oversized shirt over Harry’s head as he laid him down on the settee. Frantically he laid a hand on the still chest, only to be jolted by a discharge of magical energy. Dropping to his knees, Severus dredged up a long-forgotten skill his father had forced him to learn, cupping his other hand around Harry’s face, sealing his mouth over the child’s nose and mouth. He blew gently, the hand on the boy’s chest feeling it rise. Harry’s skin was still incredibly hot under his touch. Letting the air escape, Severus blew gently again.

A flash of golden light didn’t faze him as he continued his ministrations, but Severus did jump as a hand settled gently on his shoulder.

“Keep doing that until I can cast a diagnostic spell, Severus.”

Poppy Pomfrey’s brusque voice sent a wave of relief crashing through him. He might be forced to Obliviate her later, but for the moment Severus was intensely glad she was there. His head spun as he took and gave shallow, slow breaths, the waves of powerful magic coursing through him from where his hand touched Harry’s face contributing to the feeling of disorientation. Another barely discernable wave of a different magic swept over him and Severus knew the mediwitch had done of medical scan of the child.

“Severus!”

The note of panic in the witch’s voice startled him and Severus lifted his head. Her face was taut, her dark eyes fierce.

“It’s his magical core, Severus! His body was de-aged but his magical power wasn’t and Harry is much too powerful for this small body!” The mediwitch’s expression was grave.

“Harry’s magic is burning him up from the inside, Severus. He is dying.”

Her words seemed to trigger another seizure in the child. The hand still cupped around Harry’s face received a jolt of energy and Severus could not stifle his gasp as the magic flowed up his arm. Slipping his other hand down, Severus laid his hand on the boy’s abdomen where the exposed skin was burning with fever. The instant his hand settled on the heated flesh, Harry immediately calmed, his body relaxing even as the powerful magic continued to radiate off of him.

Remembering how the child had calmed during his nightmare the first night, Severus stood and swiftly began to unbutton his brewing robes. Harry began to spasm again the instant Severus’ hands left him as Poppy watched. She leaned down to stroke the toddler’s face with both hands. Severus frowned when her touch did nothing to calm Harry.

“Remove his clothing, please,” he told her, cursing the row of buttons at his cuff.

The witch quickly stripped off Harry’s trousers and the shirt as Severus pushed his robes and shirt off his shoulders. Lifting the child’s rigid body, Severus embraced him, pressing their chests together. His skin immediately seared with heat and magic, but there was an instant response as Harry stopped convulsing. The pulse of magical energy was staggering and sure hands guided him down to lay on the settee. He could feel the incredible power that disbursed across his chest, feeling it absorbed into his own flesh. Severus was relieved to feel a slow heart beat as he pressed a hand against the child’s back. He still could not feel Harry’s chest filling.

“Poppy, is he…”

“He’s not breathing, Severus!” The witch said as she franticly ran her wand over Harry. “Sweet Merlin, I warned Albus that this might happen! This boy is too powerful to allow him to naturally re-age!”

She cast several spells even as Severus watched the little boy’s lips turn blue. A wave of panic swept through him. He did not have access to any of his advanced potions here, ones that might be able to help breathe for Harry.

“Poppy, his magic seems to be under control at the moment, can’t you do something…”

“The pulses of uncontrolled magic are interfering with his normal bodily functions, Severus, his lungs are shutting down and his heart will be next, as they are closest to the core. The only hope is to control the magic, which would take someone with compatible magic to bind his magical core to. That way the magic can be shared and controlled until Harry has returned to his proper age.”

Closing his eyes tightly, Severus took a deep breath as he knew there was no question what needed to be done. He had tried so hard to hate James Potter’s son, despite the vow he’d made to both Dumbledore and Lily, but Severus had failed. He knew that he would do anything to keep her son alive.

“Then do it, Poppy, quickly!”

The older woman hesitated and Severus’ anger flared. “Lily Evans was my best friend and I have already sworn to protect her son with my very life! Allow me to do so now!”

The trill of phoenix song drowned out whatever the mediwitch might have said and reminded Severus of the magical creature’s presence. Fawkes swept over Severus’ shoulder to hover over them, as the song rose a flash of golden light seemed to enshroud them both, setting Harry’s pale face aglow. The warm feathers of one wing trailed over his fingers as they stroked the length of the toddler’s back and Severus gasped as heat seared through his chest.

It seemed an eternity as his chest tightened and his breathing stopped. Severus was burning up from the inside out, pain tearing deep into his heart as his awareness shrunk to himself and the child sprawled on his chest. The emerald eyes snapped open, boring into his, memories flowing between them as if Severus had cast ”Legilimens~”. Painful memories filled with loneliness and despair swirled past as Severus struggled to concentrate on them. With a super-human effort, Severus focused on the stream, slowing it and redirecting back into Harry’s mind.

As soon as he had the memories controlled, Severus became aware of the raw magic flowing from Harry in much the same way as the memories. Switching his focus, Severus was able to slow it and funnel it into his own magical core. The child gasped and drew in a deep, rattling breath and Severus found he could breathe again as well. Harry sagged onto his chest, face settling into the hollow of Severus’ throat and he was thankful to feel the child’s steady breath. Magical energy pulsed through him, gradually calming as the pain in his chest receded, Harry stirring slightly against him.

Slowly, Severus became aware of Poppy Pomfrey standing beside him, her wand running over them both. Fawkes continued to trill softly, floating down to lay his head on Harry’s back. As Severus watched, two pearly-white tears slid down onto the child’s skin, one overflowing down to splatter on Severus’ chest. A feeling of healing heat, as wonderful as a crackling fire on a winder’s day flooded through him.

The large bird pinned him with a beady-eyed stare and Severus nodded his thanks. Another tear began to form and Severus scowled before silently summoning a clean vial from the bedroom. He held it out towards the mediwitch.

“Poppy, if you would be so good as to collect the tear Fawkes is giving me; I might be able to construct an antidote for Harry’s condition.”

The witch moved forward and gingerly held the vial steady as the phoenix blinked the tear loose. Harry moved slightly, his head rising slightly from Severus’ chest and he lifted a hand.

“Fawkes?” Harry whispered hoarsely.

The phoenix butted his head against the questing fingers and allowed Harry to stroke his head briefly, before he disappeared in a flash of flame. The small, dark head lifted just enough for Severus to see the pain receding from the world-weary green eyes as they studied his face. His hand seemed to stroke down the child’s back of its own volition as a crooked smile turned up the corners of Harry’s lips.

“T’ank you.”

Severus had no idea what to say to the boy and was spared the need as Poppy pounced on them both. In a whirlwind of activity, Severus found himself disrobed and tucked into his bed, a silent Harry still clinging to him tightly. Propped up against the pillows, Severus welcomed the tray of tea and sandwiched that appeared on the table, but Harry whimpered when the mediwitch tried to gently move the child to the other side of the bed.

Awkwardly, Severus tried to extract himself only to feel the rising panic in the child as he did. Rubbing his hand up and down Harry’s back, Severus used the other to slip two fingers under Harry’s chin and tilt his head up until their eyes met.

“Harry, you need to let Madam Pomfrey check you, please. You were very ill when I found you this afternoon. I promise that you can stay right here with me, after you are checked and eat something, all right?”

Harry nodded slowly, moving to slide down Severus’ chest to his side, but never releasing his hand. He allowed Poppy to fuss over him, casting diagnostic spells, before swallowing several potions, at least one of which Severus recognized as a nutrition potion he made himself. A yellow ointment was spread across the bruised cheek and Severus nodded his approval. Muttering to herself about mad headmasters, Poppy stormed out of the bedroom and Harry immediately inched his way back to Severus, pressing against his side with a sigh.

“Feels better touchin’,” the child told him stifling a yawn, eyelids heavy.

Severus lifted his arm and settled Harry against his side, head pillowed on his shoulder. The soft skin still felt a little warm, Severus scowled and was about to pull the blankets up higher when Poppy swept back in, carrying a tray of food. Propping both of them up higher against the pillows, Severus hoped to eat enough to satisfy the woman quickly, so they could sleep.

The beef broth was delicious and Severus ate the entire bowl he was given, snickering softly at Harry’s discomfort as Poppy insisted on feeding him. The tea blend she gave him was unfamiliar, but full-flavored and Severus sipped it with a smirk as Poppy cajoled the little boy to drink his juice, both knowing it was laced with potion. The mediwitch had the last laugh, however, when Severus felt his eyes slide shut and realized, much to his disgust, she’d managed to douse him with a sleeping potion as well.

~~~*~*~~~

Warmth surrounded him as Severus struggled to wake up. His eyes opened slowly to the gray light that proceeded dawn, feeling sore and muzzy. His grogginess evaporated as a small head moved on his chest and a soft breath blew across his bare skin. Harry. Severus brought his hand up and gently settled it on the middle of the child’s back, relieved to find the skin warm, not hot. The boy stirred slightly and stiffened, telling Severus Harry was awake.

“We seem to be establishing a pattern, Mr. Potter, where as I serve as your pillow.”

It would have been much more effective if his voice had not been raspy and still clogged with sleep. Sleepy eyes blinked back at him as Harry slowly raised himself up and then did the last thing Severus expected, he giggled. Making the attempt to be irritated, Severus narrowed his eyes even as his hand stroked the child’s back. Still giggling madly, Harry lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Severus’ neck, taking him completely by surprise. Both arms came up reflexively to hold the little boy who buried his face in the hollow below Severus’ ear.

“Mr. Potter! What would your friends say if they could see you?”

The small arms tightened fractionally and Severus could have sworn he heard the child cheerfully mutter ‘git’ under his breath, before pulling back just enough to make eye contact. Bracing his hands on Severus’ chest, Harry looked down at him intently.

“You saved me again, ‘fessor. Fawkes told me during the night when I was hurting again and it was so dark.”

There was something different this morning, Severus thought, as he was held fast by emerald eyes. The child’s diction was more articulate, the face seemed just a little longer, and his eyes more aware. Reinforcing his hold, Severus sat them both up and knew instantly as Harry shifted in his lap that the boy had grown during the night. Although in no way an expert on early childhood development, Severus estimated Harry was at least four or five physically now. A jolt of relief went through him, and without knowing quite why, Severus hugged the child quickly.

“You do appear to have survived this latest ordeal, Harry,” Severus told him brusquely as he lifted the boy down. “Are you able to utilize the bathroom without assistance?”

“I think so,” the child seemed to pull back into himself at the loss of physical contact, and Severus frowned as he watched him shuffle towards the loo.

The child seemed to be stiff and Severus could see areas of bruising that were beginning to show across Harry’s back. A general healing potion and the bruise salve should not interfere with the phoenix tears that had obviously helped mitigate the damage done by the Shrinking Solution, if not the immense surges of magical power Harry had generated. If Severus could figure out which properties of the tears Fawkes had left behind was the solution, he could brew a potion that would safely return the boy to his normal stature, without the high drama of the previous night. Arching his back as he stood, Severus winced at the ache from lying in one spot all night.

Gathering his clothing, Severus followed Harry into the bathroom, only to find the child in a crouch, breathing heavily. It didn’t seem possible that the boy’s magical core was still in such flux, but Severus was very much aware of Harry’s weakened physical state. Reaching down, Severus looped a hand around his thin arm and tugged him to his feet, before picking Harry up. It was awkward at best to go through his morning ablutions with a small child clinging tightly to his chest, but Severus managed. Perhaps with some food and rest, Harry would be strong enough by afternoon for Severus to go down and make the needed observations of the various derivatives of the Wolfsbane potion.

Poppy had left a note and several potions in the kitchen, making Severus grateful for the witch’s help. The work of keeping Harry’s magical core stabilized was what Severus was doing, but the child was still trying to adjust to everything else and do so without the full power he was used to. He was obedient enough, taking the potions Severus handed him, but whimpered when the attempt was made to put him in another chair. For the first time, Severus wondered how much pain Harry was still suffering from during the time his core fluctuated. Poppy seemed to feel that the painful part was behind him, but the boy’s reluctance to be separated from him weighed heavily on his mind. Severus had no analgesic potion on hand that would dull the level of pain he had witnessed Harry going through the night before.

“Pr’fessor?” Harry asked quietly, pulling back to look at him from beneath his lashes. “Can I have toast?”

“I believe I can make some for us, if you feel you are able to sit at the table for a moment.”

The child nodded slowly, allowing Severus to put him down in a chair. Severus moved swiftly to make a pot of porridge and toast some bread. A teapot sat waiting under a warming charm, and he silently thanked Poppy for her thoughtfulness. His hands mechanical prepared the steaming bowls as his mind wandered to the ingredients he would need to start a potion to ease Harry’s painful growth. A nearly inaudible whimper spurred him on and Severus hurried to set the bowls down on the table. He had Harry back in his arms without conscious thought, simply holding him until the child relaxed.

“Better?” Severus asked, rubbing his hand up the small back.

Harry nodded and Severus sat in his chair, lifting the boy enough to turn him and press his back against his chest. Reaching across the table, Severus pulled their breakfast closer and poured himself a cup of tea. Leaning against him, Harry silently ate a slice of toast, but Severus was relieved to find that his skin temperature felt normal. With a little urging, Harry leaned over and began to eat the porridge slowly, but Severus was pleased that he was taking in some sustenance. The child would need to eat all he could just to gain some mass, Severus thought idly as he steadied the boy with an arm around his waist. He was rewarded with a shy smile from Harry and something unfamiliar tightened in his chest.

The food seemed to help bolster the child’s strength and they managed to make it through the remainder of the morning without incident. Down in his lab, Severus made notes as he observed the softly simmering cauldrons of Wolfsbane Potion, noting color, clarity, and viscosity, all with Harry leaning against his leg. There was no bruise ointment in the potions Poppy had left, and Severus started a small cauldron of it brewing. The potion itself was easy, most of the ingredients were within his reach and he quickly prepared them along with what he thought would work best in the potion to help Harry’s re-aging. The child was quieter than he had been the day before, but seemed content to read a picture book about Quidditch, his hand from time to time sliding under Severus’ trouser leg to grip his calf.

On these occasions, Severus became aware again of the intense magical energy flowing between them. That Harry was so powerful surprised Severus, who had always thought the boy’s talents were mediocre at best. In truth, the child’s power was raw, untrained, and seemed for the most part, untapped by Harry’s consciousness. Severus doubted that even Albus Dumbledore was completely aware of the depths of Harry’s power, but he had no doubt that the manipulative old wizard had an inkling. The Headmaster had his own plans for young Potter, convinced as he was that the Dark Lord had not truly been vanquished. That very fact had been part of the demand for Severus’ Unbreakable Vow of protection to Harry after the devastation of Lily’s death. Now, that oath seemed to have been supplanted by a deeper bond, one in which Harry had chosen him and a phoenix had been the bonder.

Arms wrapped around his thigh, pulling Severus from his thoughts. Luminous emerald eyes smiled up at him hesitantly, hope shining in them and Severus had to wonder just how deep the bond went. The memories they had exchanged flashed in his mind, startling him with their clarity as well as the emotions they carried. Fawkes had bound their magical cores as well as their very souls. His eyes narrowed at the youngster leaning so trustingly against his leg. Or had Harry had bound their souls? Either way, it seemed that he was well and truly caught, Severus reasoned, and wouldn’t the Headmaster be glad to hear this?

“Pr’fessor?” Harry’s voice sounded small in the harshness of his rumination.

“I believe at this point in our…situation, Harry,” he pinched the bridge of his nose to stave off the impending headache. “You may call me Severus.”

“Sev…Sev’rus,” Harry tried it out softly and a ridiculous thrill shot through Severus.

“Sweet Merlin, child, what have you done to me?”

~~~*~*~~~

A subtle color change in one of the cauldrons caught Severus’ eye and he cautiously leaned over it. The iridescent shimmer in the blue steam could only be caused by the Silver Agave variant that seemed to be the most promising and it was the first Severus had seen in the past ten days of watching. Summoning a crystal stirring rod from the workbench, Severus carefully tested the viscosity of the potion, please to note the gelatinous consistency was just as it should be for this stage of brewing. With a feeling of accomplishment, Severus noted down the observations he had made, before checking the other two cauldrons. Neither of them had progressed beyond what was regarded as normal for the standard brewing of Wolfsbane. These findings were just as carefully noted on the parchment as well.

A slight noise from the corner reminded him of Harry’s presence and Severus glanced over to check on him. In the last few days they had settled into a routine of sorts, with the little boy shadowing Severus as if scared to be out of his sight. Gradually Severus had found they could spend more and more time without touching, with the exception of the nights, when Harry slept quite contently draped across his chest. There had been no other seizures, but neither had Harry aged at all.

Suspecting the reprieve was temporary at best, Severus continued to work on a base for the potion that might help the boy. The precious vial of phoenix tears sat on the workbench, waiting for Severus to come up with the right combination of ingredients to work with the residual poisons in the small body. There were several standard potions to flush toxins, all of which were too harsh for Harry’s present condition. Complicating the matter was the limited amount of phoenix tears that Fawkes had left, as the phoenix had not made another appearance since that night.

Finishing his notes, Severus straightened and arched his back to stretch it. He moved toward where Harry sat and the child looked up with a smile. Severus found his own lips curving slightly in an involuntary response. Harry had been quiet and exceedingly easy to please, as if he was delighted just to have a safe place to sleep and food to eat. It was unnerving, really. Small children were noisy and demanding, much too coarse in their manners for Severus’ liking. But not this child, except for Harry’s unceasing demand concerning their sleeping arrangements, of course. It was unnerving at best.

“Sev’rus?” There was an anxious tone to the small voice as Harry took in his frown, hand crumpling the edge of the paper he had been drawing on.

“Come,” Severus extended his hand, still surprised when Harry climbed to his feet and slid his fingers trustingly into Severus’.

Shedding his brewing robes in the bedroom, Severus beckoned Harry and led the way outside. The child stepped into the warm sunlight, blinking rapidly and Severus wondered when he should start Harry wearing glasses again. The miniature school shoes on his feet and the black trousers both seemed a bit small, but there were no other clothes worth shrinking. That created another problem for him as Severus watched the boy shuffle out into the middle of the small patch of grass in the rear garden. A ball sat in the corner and Severus summoned it.

“Harry,” he called, throwing it towards the boy, only to frown as it bounced right by. “Well, go and get it!”

Obediently, Harry chased after the bouncing white and black ball, his path taking him to the edge of the enchanted forest. Ancient oaks lined the back of the garden, towering protectively over the path leading into the woods and it was against one of these that the ball stopped. As Severus watched it became obvious that at four or five years old, Harry didn’t know how to play with the ball and had probably never been allowed to do so. Anger burned in the pit of his stomach as he thought of the life they had subjected Lily’s son to when they left him in the hands of that vindictive bitch Petunia.

Harry bent down to pick up the ball as Severus watched, straightening up slowly as his eyes followed the lines of the tall oak in front of him. The oak seemed to twitch and Severus took a step forward before freezing in his tracks. The tree seemed to bow to the small child, as did each of the other oaks in the immediate vicinity and Severus blinked. The oak tree had been revered since ancient times and was closely associated with the Celtic gods and goddesses. The child, ball clasped tightly to his chest, seemed to feel the change in the atmosphere but did not appear frightened. Severus took another step forward, his body moving of its own accord whether beckoned or by unconscious compulsion, he couldn’t tell. Harry wrapped one arm around his thigh, his eyes still fixed on the oak.

“The tree says to use Dwale and murtlap,” Harry whispered, pressing against his leg.

Reaching down, Severus lifted Harry into his arms, swearing the largest of trees nodded its approval as the child settled comfortably against his chest. The anxiety Severus was feeling receded as inquisitive green eyes looked over the football at him. Severus backed away from the forest with a slight bow, his mind still shifting through old memories of lessons his mother had taught him when he was very young. The encounter had not frightened him as Severus had a firm belief in the old teachings, but it had been unsettling.

Determined not to frighten the child, Severus set Harry down on the grass and showed him how to kick the ball with the side of his foot. The boy broke into a run as he chased the ball and promptly kicked it under a shrub. Dropping to his hands and knees to retrieve it, Harry came up with a smear of dirt on his cheek and the first real smile Severus had seen in the past week. He felt his own lips curving upwards even as his heart lurched. Those eyes shone as the child ran towards him with his treasure, Harry’s cheeks flushed pink. Severus knew then that he was completely ensnared, bewitched by the little sorcerer.

Something clicked in the recesses of his mind. Harry was the Mabon, the Divine Child. The boy dropped the ball and kicked it at him. Stepping forward Severus kicked it back gently, his mind whirling. The Druids, the elite priests and priestesses of the ancient Celtics, believed that to become a god one had to be devoured by a god or goddess, regenerated in their womb and then reborn as a Divine Child. This child was a powerful creature, destined to become a savior of its people, people who put great faith in creativity, wisdom, and love.

These children were recognized as sorcerers; powerful magical beings and quickly secreted away for special training. The training spanned all manner of subjects given by a carefully chosen mentor, who educated their young charges on centuries of wisdom, a firm belief in justice, and the art of love. The Druids had a deep, abiding love of all things, including the body and sexuality, teaching these at a young age. Merlin had been a Divine Child, as was the Lady of Avalon, and it was believed the four Hogwarts Founders may have been as well. Severus also suspected Albus Dumbledore was a Divine Child. The most powerful wizard of their time, his strong sense of justice and deep love had defeated his own lover after Grindelwald had succumbed to Dark magic. Dumbledore had fulfilled the roll of savior for his generation, Severus thought grimly.

The football rebounded off his shin and Severus’ head jerked up at the odd sound Harry made. Eyes fired with an inner glow that showed some of the mischief of his Harry surfacing, the little boy giggled wildly behind the hand clasped over his mouth. His breath caught in his throat; it was the first time Harry had laughed since he’d come into Severus’ care and it did something strange to Severus’ chest. It was all Severus could do not to let his incredulous feeling pull his face into its more customary frown, one Harry was sure to misunderstand. Instead, Severus concentrated on allowing the smile he felt twitching at the corners of his mouth to surface as he used the toe of his boot to nudge the ball. Pulling back his foot in an exaggerated movement, a laugh escaped Severus as Harry squealed with delight and ran across the lawn in preparation for the ball that sailed his way.

This Harry was the one Severus had seen after catching the Snitch: carefree, joyous, and triumphant. This was the person behind the hurt, timid child. Severus only needed to know how to draw him out.

~~~*~*~~~

Altarnun was a small village in north Cornwall, comparable to Hogsmeade in size, but vastly different in make-up. A small magical population kept to itself on the outer edge of the commercial district, which suited Severus’ purposes just fine. Harry needed some clothing that actually fit him and that didn’t need to be transfigured every morning. Likewise, even though his pantry had been well-stocked, they could always use some fresh produce, Severus reasoned as he carried the child into the small shop. Since playing outside earlier Harry seemed drained of energy and that was very worrying for Severus, he was concerned about having the potion ready in time. The shop actually belonged to a wizard and his Muggle-born wife, containing a small but adequately stocked apothecary in the back room. There was murtlap among his potions ingredients, but Severus did not have the particular version of belladonna or Dwale that Harry had mentioned.

The child stayed beside him even when Severus told him he could look around. The fearful look that Severus had already come to detest was back in the emerald eyes and he quickly slipped the package into his pocket as they moved back to the front of the shop where the children’s clothing was. The owner quickly supplied Severus with what he needed, realizing that Severus didn’t suffer fools gladly and was willing to pay for the promptness. No one spared a second glance at Harry, quietly standing at his side. Severus couldn’t help but stroke a hand through the child’s soft hair when Harry tensed, letting him know everything was fine.

Harry fell asleep on the way back to the cottage, twin spot of red staining his cheeks. Severus laid his cheek against the scarred forehead and was not surprised to find it warmer than it should be. Summoning a fever-reducing potion from the bathroom, Severus roused the child enough to get half a vial down him before Harry was unconscious again. Carrying Harry down to the lab, Severus settled him onto a conjured cot as he automatically checked the Wolfsbane Potions.

After making the necessary notations in his journal, Severus stood in front of the shelving, trying to decide which medicinal base would work the best. The indecision was uncharacteristic and Severus berated himself for his hesitation, choosing the base he had been specifically working on for Harry. The combination of murtlap essences and Dwale, not an unusual combination for the ancients to use, was a new one to him. Separate, neither reacted negatively to the other ingredients in the base, but together they could be volatile if not handled precisely nor did he have any idea what the introduction of phoenix tears would do to the mixture. Harry whimpered softly from the cot and Severus knew time had become a luxury for them.
Stopping only to strip down to his shirt and trousers, Severus rolled up his sleeves and began to prepare the murtlap. Setting it to one side, he carefully opened the small vial of crushed Dwale berries. Belladonna was the genus name for the plants of the poisonous Nightshade family, all parts of which contained various levels of an alkaloid, Atropine, the root having the most concentration. For a child, the black berries should be more than adequate for what he was trying to accomplish. After adding the murtlap and then the pulverized belladonna to the rapidly simmering cauldron, Severus painstakingly cleaned the worktable and his hands of any traces of the poison.

“Severus!”

The voice he’d expected, but had hoped he would not hear boomed through the cottage and Severus closed his eyes tightly. Offering up a plea to any of the deities who watched over fools and Divine Children, Severus turned down the flame and glanced at Harry, before he made his way up the stairs.

Albus Dumbledore paced in front of the fireplace, clearly agitated. The royal blue robes snapped as he whipped around the moment Severus stepped into the room. Reinforcing his Occlumency shields, Severus braced himself as he met the concerned blue eyes.

“Ah, there you are my boy! Severus, I am sorry to interrupt your research, but I am afraid I need your help once again.” Dumbledore resumed his pacing.

“Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban and I know he will try and get to Harry. We will need to have provisions in place at Hogwarts to stop him.”

“Headmaster, I…” Severus began as hatred so intense that he felt like vomiting suffused him for the wizard had Dumbledore mentioned.

Dumbledore shook his head, cutting across Severus’ words. “Really, Severus, you need to let go of your adolescent dislikes Sirius…”

“Tried to kill me!” Severus hissed between clenched teeth, his blood boiling as it always did when this subject was brought up. “Then the bastard carelessly gambled with Lily’s life and lost – sacrificing her to the Dark Lord without a blink!”

The clear blue eyes flashed at him, but Severus didn’t back down. Sirius Black was a bastard to him in their school days and was as guilty of his best friend’s death as if he’d killed her with his own wand.

“I don’t believe Sirius Black would have betrayed James Potter, Severus, despite appearances…”

Severus took a step closer, his rage blinding him to any danger. “Is that why you allowed him to be thrown in Azkaban for over twelve years without a trial, Headmaster?”

The usually jovial face closed and Dumbledore’s eyes narrowed. Severus knew he had over-stepped his bounds, but nothing infuriated him so much as the reminder of Black. There was more, Severus could tell as the Headmaster drew himself to his full height.

“Remus Lupin will be returning to Hogwarts this term to take the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, Severus, and you will supply him with the improved Wolfsbane Potion you are researching. Once you have completed your work here, you will need to return to Hogwarts to assist in the new defensive measures we are putting in place to protect the students.”

“Protect the students?” Severus interrupted. “Or are all these precautions simply to protect Potter?”

“The boy is special, Severus, whether you will admit it or not.”

The condescension in Dumbledore’s tone just added to Severus’ ire. “If the boy is so special to you, Headmaster, how is it that you haven’t checked on him since you sent him home in such an altered condition?”

Dumbledore dismissed his concerns with a wave of his hand. “I am sure Harry is fine in the care of his aunt and uncle. Now…”

“And how would you know that, if you haven’t checked?” Severus was nearly shouting, knowing full well that this was not the wisest course of action.

“They may have seemed a tad harsh, Severus, but I am sure…”

“A tad harsh?” Severus literally saw red. “You sent me to deliver the child to those monsters because you believed I hated him enough to leave him in a situation where he was obviously abused!”

“I never…”

“No, you never did check on Harry in all the time he was growing up either, I suspect!” Severus spat out. “Is he nothing to you but the weapon of a drunken prophecy, Albus? Does he truly mean nothing more than a means to an end?”

The older man paled at his accusation, his white beard crackling with ambient magic as he opened his mouth to retort, but whatever the Headmaster had intended to say was forestalled when Severus felt a small hand slide into his. The skin on skin contact immediately calmed him, in much the same manner as it had Harry over the past week and Severus took a deep breath. Harry stood very close to him, but Severus did not look away from the enraged face in front of him.

“What have you done, Severus?” Albus Dumbledore’s voice was a flat monotone, frightening in its lack of inflection.

Drawing himself to his full height, Severus squared his shoulders. “I lived up to the Unbreakable Oath I swore before you a dozen years ago, Headmaster; the oath of protection I swore to Lily’s son. I did as you instructed me: I left the child on the doorstep and would been on my way had that fat pig of a Muggle just waited until I was out of earshot before attempting to throttle the child!”

“You have deprived Harry of the safety his mother’s sacrifice, Lily’s sacrifice was infused into the protective fields around her sister’s home!”

“The same home where he would have died had I left him there,” Severus told him flatly. “Harry stopped breathing during a seizure not long after we arrived here. I doubt his relations would have rendered any aid.”

Albus Dumbledore’s eyes bored into him, raking across Severus’ face and down to the boy at his side. Harry’s fingers tightened around his hand but he remained silent.

“So be it, Severus, you have made your choice evident, therefore you can assume all responsibility for Harry for the remainder of the holidays and you will continue by mentoring him through the coming year.” The headmaster announced with the gravity of an oath. “It will be decided then where he is to spend next summer.”

Then the powerful wizard was gone in a swirl of royal blue and Severus took his first real breath in minutes. Harry’s hand slipped from his, but it took a heartbeat for Severus to realize the child had slid to the floor, unconscious. With his heart in his throat, Severus scooped him up, pressing Harry to his chest. The telltale heat was there and he seemed to be breathing slowly. Severus quickly made his way down the stairs, settling Harry gently on the cot with a blanket wrapped around him. His fingers lingered, brushing the fringe back from Harry’s face.

Turning, Severus returned to his shimmering potion. The color was a deep violet and he carefully stirred it once clockwise and once anti-clockwise as he watched the reaction with a critical eye. The appearance was what Severus would expect for a potion with the combination of components that he had used, but there was no way of knowing whether it would truly work. Severus wasn’t sure enough of the balance of his proportions to call it complete or to risk the phoenix tears on it, but he left it simmering as he began to prepare a second cauldron.

“Sev’rus?” A thin voice interrupted his concentration. “I don’t feel good.”

Stirring twice more clockwise, Severus laid the stirring rod on the workbench and bent down to lay a hand on Harry’s forehead. He could feel the heat radiating off the skin as Harry shivered beneath the conjured blanket.

“M’thirsty,” Harry muttered, leaning into Severus’ palm.

Crouching down, Severus drew the blanket up higher and tucked it around the child’s shoulders. He wanted to comfort Harry, to show him that he did care, but his skills were sorely lacking. Remembering something that Lily used to do that always made him feel better Severus pressed his cheek lightly against Harry’s hot forehead. He stood quickly, before the boy pushed him away, his fear of rejection deeply engrained.

“I will fetch some water.” Severus’ voice was as rough as he felt.

Sweeping up the stairs, Severus thought of the tremendous responsibility he’d just been handed and smiled. He’d already been chosen by Harry, their magic tying them together in such a way that no one, Muggle or wizard, could ever force them apart. Albus Dumbledore had merely given him official sanction for the task he had willingly accepted. After all, it had been Harry’s trust in him initially that had saved the boy’s life and started them on this path.

Severus braced his hands against the edge of the sink. He had much to learn concerning the interpersonal interaction between two people so closely bound. Lily had been his best friend and Severus had learned for a time to accept her affection and chiding compliments, but he knew that his own insecurities, coupled with Harry’s could spell disaster for both of them if they weren’t put aside. Harry had already shown that he had the capacity to forgive and even trust in the absence of anything but the rudimentary concern Severus had shown.

Severus drew a deep breath; there was so much to think about, so many things that had to be accomplished prior to returning to Hogwarts. Harry would not be returning to that detestable household, ever! This meant Severus needed to determine the depth of the bond that joined their magical cores and to ensure that the mentorship bond of the Divine Child was firmly in place. The sexual component shouldn’t really be problematic once Harry was re-aged – Severus had never been attracted to boys, preferring tall, well-built young men to assuage his appetites. Perhaps they could work on Harry’s nutritional intake and add a bit of muscle to his form as he grew.

Returning to the lab, Severus’ heart stopped when he saw that Harry had his head flung back and his back was bowed in the throes of a seizure. Time had run out. Flying to the worktable, Severus grabbed the vial of phoenix tears only to have it slip from his fingertips and bounce off the wooden surface. Severus managed to summon it into his hand with a silent Accio. He took a calming breath, the feeling that he’d lost control was disconcerting and he needed all his faculties about him.

Carefully, Severus added the tears to the cooling violet potion. A flash of bright light startled him and Severus fell back a step, arms thrown up to cover his face. No explosion followed and he leaned back over the potion, stirring it very slowly in a neutral patterned. A glance at Harry showed he was still rigid and the cot was now floating off the floor. The core bond tugged at Severus urgently, a pulling sensation in the center of his body. He quickly ladled the shimmering potion into a large vial, slipping it into his trouser pocket as he turned to the cot, cautiously pressing it back down.

Ripping open his shirt, Severus picked up Harry’s stiff body up and pressed the child against him. Spasms wracked the thin form as Severus took the steps two at a time.

“Come on, Harry, focus on me.”

The magic flowed between them as Severus stumbled into the bedroom. With trembling hands, he laid Harry on the bed, kneeling beside him as he forced the small mouth open. If he could just get half of the vial into Harry, Severus knew that at least the phoenix tears in the potion might help ease the transformation.

“Swallow, Harry!” Severus massaged the slim neck, but groaned in frustration as precious drops trickled down Harry’s chin.

“Potter!”

The youngster twitched and gulped, swallowing the mouthful of liquid. Relieved, Severus leaned down and kissed the burning forehead.

“Good boy!”

Shedding the tattered remains of his shirt and stepping out of his trousers, Severus quickly stripped Harry. Sliding into bed, his wand and the rest of the vial of potion on the bedside table, Severus drew Harry to him and settled the child across his chest. While he was still burning up, the child had at least stopped seizing and Severus was thankful for that. He cradled his precious one close, a hand stroking through the soft hair, but at a loss for the words that would comfort Harry. Severus began to murmur the list of ingredients he had used in the Wolfsbane Potion hoping that hearing his voice would be enough for the boy.

Suddenly, Harry gasped and reared back, his green eyes filled with terror as heat exploded between them. A great flash of magical light exploded in the room and Severus knew only heat and darkness.

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Part 3