FIC: King of Swords - HP/SS Death Sentence Part 3
Title: Death Sentence
Author: Cyane Snape
Type: Fiction; Drama with tiny moments of humor.
Length: 27,207 words
Main Pairing: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Card: The King of Swords
Card Interpretation: "He is the power of life and death, by virtue
of his office." [Waite]
Rating: R - for violence and language
Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros, and anyone else with legitimate rights. No profit is being made by this site or the authors it houses, nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form. Due to the nature of this fic, this author will not be held responsible for any underage readers who may come across this. Please observe any warnings, ratings and any legal ages of consent for your part of the world.
Warnings: (DH spoilers, violence, language, sort of pre-slash, no dirty sex this time, characters exploring the dark side, AU - begins near the end of DH)
Summary: How far would you go to protect everything you believed in? And what if you had been deceived all along?
Author Notes: God bless Gavilan, my beta. She is the greatest sounding board and grammarian not to mention giving clarity to my visions. She has suffered through two vacations and many discussions in restaurants while I tried to make sense of this. Also, one section* at the beginning is based upon a scene in the forest at the end of DH. You’ll recognize it. And I use a line from the movie “Network” [I’m mad as hell…]**
Part 1
Part 2
Death Sentence
By Cyane Snape
The four wizards had feasted on Bindy’s food in the Great Hall while they also tried to digest all the information that they had learned. Harry had gotten an owl back from Remus who had promised, somewhat reluctantly, to meet him at Malfoy Manor the next day. Harry could just imagine how Remus felt when he was asked to meet him at the Malfoys, but Harry knew that once the werewolf saw his mate he would be fine. It might take a while for Remus to recover from Tonks’ death, but he knew that Sirius had been Remus’ true mate and they would take the time they needed to recover and live again.
As they departed the Hall to get some rest, Tom and Sirius split off to their private rooms, but when Harry and Severus tried to seek separate beds, the bond created a discomfort so great they were forced to at least share the same room.
Both wizards changed into the night clothes that the house elves had provided, silk sleep pants. The fire in the room kept it toasty and warm, so shirts were unnecessary and discarded as each man got to surreptitiously check out his partner’s body. Severus was lean and wiry with a few scattered dark hairs and more than a few scars running over his chest. Harry’s chest and back were muscular, like an athlete, and hairless except for the dark trail leading down below his navel and into the pants below. Severus jerked his eyes away before the thought of what lay below that waistband resulted in an obvious physical reaction.
Harry and Severus had been directed to the master suite in the castle at the elves’ insistence. It was a very large room with a sitting area, a connected library and bath, as well as a huge platform bed covered in royal purple velvet. There were sleeping portraits of Harry’s ancestors on the wall that the elves had said would eventually waken now that the heir was in residence.
There was a rounded turret area at one corner of the room and Harry stood by the deep windows staring up at the stars. It had been a really long day. In fact, Harry had been up for nearly 48 hours straight. The full moon was coming up in a few days and he wondered how Remus would react when he found out that Sirius was back. Harry had no doubts as to the depth of the relationship that his godfather had shared with the werewolf. Harry had experienced the Marauder’s intense grief when Remus’ true mate had fallen through that veil. He knew that Remus would grieve for Tonks, but Harry hoped that the two Marauders had a real chance at life now that Moony had his Padfoot back. Harry smiled to himself as he wondered how Sirius would react when he found out about baby Teddy. He sighed when he thought that Sirius would finally get to have a family to love. Well, at least they would be happy after Harry got rid of that bastard Dumbledore and proved that Sirius was innocent.
Severus quietly stepped behind the young man and carefully wrapped his arms around the young wizard’s waist. Harry very comfortably fell into the planes of the older man’s body. Everything about Severus just felt completely natural to Harry. It was very new and uncertain, but nothing was forced and he believed that he could allow himself to let down his barriers for a while. This amazing man was the one person who had always had Harry’s best interests at heart and had gone to Hell and back to protect him. Harry’s head dropped back to rest on Severus’ shoulder and the older man tightened his hold on his fiancé.
Warm lips found the pulse point on Harry’s throat and tasted the column of flesh that was offered freely. Severus nipped at the base of Harry’s neck causing the young man to gasp for air. The heady sensation of Severus’ lips against his neck stole all reasoning from Harry’s mind. As Severus continued to kiss the soft flesh, Harry turned in his arms and wrapped his arms around the taller man, his fingers digging into the muscles of Severus’ back.
Severus’ lips left Harry’s neck to nibble at the earlobe hidden in the long dark hair, hungrily sucking at the sensitive spot just under Harry’s ear. Harry’s husky moan was the sexiest thing Severus had ever heard. Parting his lips, Harry raised his eyes and kissed the velvety warmth of the man’s slender neck, and Severus nearly lost control. He tore himself away from the young Gryffindor. Harry’s flushed cheeks, combined with the unchecked passion found in Harry’s eyes, were Severus’ downfall. Harry was his own personal feast waiting to be devoured. Severus had waited so long for his intended to come of age and now the time was finally upon them.
“You are so incredibly beautiful, Harry. Do you know how much I want you? How long I’ve waited for you?” Severus murmured. The young wizard leaned into his body, eyes closed.
Soft lips touched Harry’s and just as quickly, released them. Harry’s eyes flashed open to see Severus closer than a sigh. He could feel the older man’s moist breath on his lips. Harry pulled Severus’s head down and recaptured his mouth, demanding a response from the man who then deepened the kiss. Severus’ tongue then traced the entrance to Harry’s mouth which opened under the gentle invasion. Harry was entranced by the velvety smoothness of Severus’ mouth. His skin and hair smelled fresh and clean - not at all as he expected. There was no lingering potions scent on the man. The dancing of the two tongues sent shivers of desire racing through their bodies. A throaty moan escaped the kiss- neither was sure who it came from.
Severus again plunged into the opening of Harry’s sweet mouth, devouring and sucking on his lower lip. Harry’s hands ran through the long dark hair to grab him by the back of the head and pull him even closer. The young wizard felt the passion rising in him as their magic danced around each other in a playful teasing game.
Severus dropped his forehead to rest on Harry’s while each man tried to control his breathing. The Potions Master noticed the single tear fall from Harry’s green eyes and felt the young wizard’s conflicting emotions coursing through the bond. He continued to hold Harry close as he whispered urgently in his ear, “Is there anything I can do to help you, Harry?”
As they embraced and stood looking at the moonlight together, Harry answered, “I want to kill something. I need to kill something before I accidentally hurt someone I care about.”
“Indeed.”
“I cannot believe that anyone can be that evil, Severus. My life … my life could have been normal. I would have never lived with the Dursleys, never been abused. I would have grown up as a wizard knowing everything that all the other kids knew when they entered Hogwarts. My parents…” Harry choked back a sob, “my parents would have been there, been with me and none of this Voldemort shit would have ever happened. I don’t have adequate words to express how much I hate Albus Dumbledore and how desperately I need to kill him. Even killing him is too good for him. If I thought that I could keep him a prisoner in Azkaban like he did my parents, I would send him into that Hell for the rest of his life. But that old bastard would just find a way to escape, so I just want to torture him into near-death, heal him and then make sure he suffers as long as possible while I kill him as slowly as I can. Does that make me evil?”
“Some will say that you are evil, but they won’t matter. Mostly, it makes you human, Harry. You have been betrayed in the worst way. We have all been betrayed. It is human to want revenge. It is my wish to harm everyone who has ever hurt you, but I do not consider myself evil. It is how you choose to go about doing things that will make people decide if you are evil or not.”
Harry pulled away from Severus and started to walk toward the bed. “I don’t give a fuck what other people think anymore. Fuck the Ministry! Fuck the Daily Prophet! And fuck the Order of the Phoenix, although they are probably just pawns and totally innocent in all of Dumbledore’s machinations. I want him dead, Severus, and I want to do the killing, as slowly and painfully as possible. I want to kill anyone who helped that old bastard too. No trial, nothing…just like he did to Sirius. If that makes me a dark wizard, then fuck them all.”
Severus placed his hand in the small of Harry’s back, trying to soothe the tense man. “Why don’t we go to bed? You need the rest and it’s been a long day for both of us.”
Harry crawled into his side of the large bed and Severus soon followed on his side. The older wizard turned to his mate and opened his arms to let Harry close to him, if he chose to. Harry snuggled into Severus’ side, resting his head on his lover’s shoulder.
“Severus?”
“Yes, Harry?”
“I would like to wait until my parents are freed before we have the wedding to formalize our bond. I would really like to have all this mess with Dumbledore finished before we finalize and celebrate that chapter of our lives.”
“That is agreeable to me, Harry.”
Harry lay very still and Severus could almost hear the wheels turning in Harry’s mind. It wasn’t long before he spoke again.
“Severus?”
Severus smiled slightly into Harry’s dark hair, “Yes, Harry?”
“Can we also hold off on the whole sexual bonding consummation thingy?”
“Are you having second thoughts? I know I am not the most attractive…”
“No, no, that’s not it. There’s nothing wrong with the way you look. It’s just that in the last 24 hours I’ve fought a battle at Hogwarts, watched Lucius torture you, found out it was Fudge and not you, confronted the Dark Lord, who was not really Dark at all, retrieved the stone, made the castle appear, learned I was the Heir of Merlin, Arthur, Morgan Le Fay AND the four founders, lost control of my magic several times, got you back, got Sirius back, found out my parents are alive… Well, you can see that it’s been the strangest day of my life and I don’t think I could handle anything more, much less get an erection. But just so you know, I have had fantasies about fucking you for over two years, ever since our Occlumency lessons. Gods, do you know that I couldn’t concentrate in any of our sessions or potions because your voice was making me hard as a rock? … Anyway, do you think we could make those fantasies a reality soon? Just not tonight?”
“Of course, Harry. It would be my pleasure… our greatest pleasure. You just let me know when you are ready and I will be glad to make your fantasies come true.”
The quartet of wizards arrived at Malfoy Manor before noon the next day. Bindy had bid them a tearful goodbye and only after extracting from Harry a promise to return, did the little elf agree to release Harry’s left leg.
The Manor had not changed a bit since the last time any of the four had visited. It remained an imposing edifice with its rare white peacocks strutting across a well-manicured lawn. Lord Malfoy loved his excesses and if Harry hadn’t seen the proof himself, he would have never placed the blond as the cold-blooded killer Harry knew him to be. It was good to have Lord Malfoy on his side.
It was unfortunate that Bellatrix Lestrange was visiting her sister that morning, unfortunate for her. Harry saw the witch and asked Tom if he could have her as a present. Voldemort thought for a moment, remembering that he had promised her to the younger wizard, and happily turned her over to Harry after snapping her wand. Draco, who had never liked the bitch, held her at wand point for Harry while Harry prepared a cell for her in the dungeons. With great pleasure Harry turned over the well-being and care of Bellatrix to her cousin Sirius and his mate Remus. The couple disappeared into the dungeons with their prisoner, for hours afterwards repaying her for all that they had suffered, and high-pitched female screams were heard late into the night.
After several hours of serious discussion, the group of seven wizards had formulated a plan for taking control of Azkaban. After a tearful and lustful reunion and dealing with Bella, Remus and Sirius assumed their pre-determined roles as Harry’s personal warrior guards and were assigned to take out the first line of defense at the prison. Lucius would also be joining the group as Tom’s right-hand man. Draco, as Tom’s official heir, would also be joining the group to stand beside his father and his mentor. Narcissa happily went into hiding in France until the upcoming unpleasantness had passed. After all, she was a Slytherin to the core.
Lord Malfoy hadn’t sat idle during his short stay in the wizards’ prison two years earlier. He had learned everything he possibly could during the time he was there. With a few well-spent galleons lining the pockets of corrupt prison officials, Lucius had learned the basic layout of the prison and that the Ministry held all high-profile political prisoners in the lowest depths of the ancient fortress. Lucius had heard a rumor that the lowest levels were only accessible by magic that was keyed into the wards. Since Harry was the Fae heir and held Merlin’s powers they were not anticipating any problem accessing the lowest level. The three Slytherins would be in charge of eliminating all Ministry officials on the premises as expeditiously as possible. Harry’s only request was that any Weasleys and his friend Kingsley should be spared if they were present. Other Ministry officials would have to plead their innocence at a later date. Sirius and Remus would act as guards at the main entrance once the way was clear for the others to complete the mission. They would all keep a keen eye out for the Dementors, not really knowing where their true loyalties lay. With the Ministry presence finally obliterated, that would leave Harry and Severus to take control of the prison and find Lily and James as quickly as they could.
~*~*~*~*~
The seven wizards apparated to the shore of the North Sea where prisoners traditionally met the boats to take them across the cold, churning waters to Azkaban. The two prison lackeys that were guarding the boats were dispensed with in the blink of an eye and soon the small group was riding in two long boats pulled by two giant sea serpents. Once Harry had explained to the serpents what the problem was and that he was taking over the prison, they were only too happy to cooperate. For their cooperation, Harry would be arranging for the serpents to inhabit a northern loch that would be unplottable to wizards and humans, thus guaranteeing them a safe long life.
As Harry and his party stepped out of the boats and faced the main gates of the prison, the angry young man stopped completely and reached out into the magic of the ancient walls. Harry struck the ground with his staff and a pure gold light shot out of the top, reaching high into the heavens like a beacon. The young wizard gathered his magic back into his core and pointed his staff at the gates and blasted them off their hinges. The complete collapse of the prison’s wards swiftly followed. Alarms went up all over the tower and a small army of Ministry personnel tried to force the determined party away. Tom, Lucius and Draco efficiently dispatched them magically to the dungeons of Malfoy Manor to be dealt with at a later time.
The layers of grime and the stench of death fell away from the fortress as Harry’s magic infiltrated and rebuilt the wards to his magical signature.
The Chosen One closed his eyes and stood completely still. Harry calmly spoke to the others, “He’s here.”
Severus stood next to his lover. “Who, Harry?”
Harry looked up at the highest point of the tower. “Dumbledore. He’s in the highest tower.” And with a sharp slash of his staff, an intense gold ball of magic completely encased the upper tower, sealing the old Headmaster, and anyone who might be with him, in.
Harry turned to the others, “That will hold him until I’m ready to deal with him.”
The other wizards almost felt sorry for the old man. Almost. But the most important thing at the moment was to find James and Lily Potter.
Deep down in his soul, Harry was afraid of what he would discover when he actually found his parents. They had been in Azkaban for much longer than Sirius had been, and Sirius was half-dead when he escaped. Would James and Lily be as incapacitated as the Longbottoms had been after being tortured? He knew that Severus had stockpiled a virtual pharmacy full of potions in his robes, but Harry didn’t know if it would be enough.
Harry and his followers determinedly walked through the front gates of the prison. Fragments of the doors littered their path as the powerful group of wizards freely took over the once impenetrable prison. The few authorities that remained on site easily surrendered when faced with such an intimidating force. If the Boy-Who-Lived wanted to march in with the Dark Lord, three Death Eaters, an escaped murderer and a werewolf, they weren’t going to stop him.
Sirius and Remus took the guard positions at the entrance to prevent anyone from entering the prison until Harry gave them permission. Lucius and Draco followed Voldemort into the Ministry offices to search for any kind of evidence or information on political prisoners. They needed to know where James and Lily were being held.
Harry stormed through the office area and out into the main courtyard with Severus by his side. A large army of Dementors met the pair and circled them, preparing to attack. Harry raised the staff so that all the floating bodies could see it and recognize its power.
As he held the staff high in his left hand, he held Excalibur in his right as he commanded the soulless creatures.
“Hear me now, Dementors of Azkaban, I, Harry James Potter and Heir of Magic, hereby banish you from this place. You shall no longer foul the skies or steal any more souls. By my right as the Chosen One, Lord of the Fae, I command you back to the pit of Hell that you came from. Never again shall you been seen in this land.”
Harry clashed the staff and sword together and a blade of magic poured out and opened a deep fissure in the foundation of Azkaban. He and Severus watched as every Dementor was captured by the earth magic and sucked into the pits of Hell. Once the last of the foul creatures had disappeared, the fracture in the earth closed completely.
Black clouds parted in the skies overhead and bright rays of sunshine burst forth to warm the formerly inhospitable prison. But Azkaban no longer looked as it had. It was still an imposing tower, built high with stone, but the stones gleamed bright and clean as if hundreds of years of pain and sickness had been removed from them. The courtyard glowed in the sun and the large tree in the center seemed to perk up and reach for the warmth. Small green leaves began to sprout from the end of the old gnarled branches and tiny white blossoms popped open in the fresh clean air. The old castle had come back to life after a thousand years.
As Harry and Severus stood in the middle of the courtyard a sudden flash of fire appeared just above their heads and a very familiar phoenix hovered in the air.
Harry smiled at his old friend, “Hello, Fawkes. I’ve missed you.”
Just as suddenly as its appearance, the phoenix’s feathered body changed its original form and in its place stood a tall woman with long red hair. Her clothing was reminiscent of a medieval dress in tones of gold, dark bronze and brown leaf patterns with a cloak made of dark red feathers, and a finely wrought circlet of gold rested upon her brow.
“Greetings, Chosen One and Lord Consort. It is my pleasure to welcome you both home to Aldland - that which is more commonly called Atlantis by humans. The Fae have been awaiting your return to the Old Land to free their ancestral home from the evil that has plagued it for far too long.”
The beautiful woman bowed low with her right arm held across her chest. As she lifted her head, she spoke again. “You know me as Fawkes, the phoenix, but my name is Freya. I am the goddess of love and fertility and I thank you for freeing me from my bird form. I was trapped by the evil one that I have been forced to serve and I am eternally grateful that you have finally captured him. I will watch over him, as I have done so for many years, and keep him safe for your judgment. When my services are no longer required, I shall return to Sessrumnir, my home. Until then, my life is yours - my oath given freely. ”
The oath was sealed with a flash of magical light and Fawkes once again took flight, soaring up into the highest tower to guard the captured Headmaster. In her place, left on the ground, was an ancient scroll. The three Slytherins entered the courtyard just in time to witness the encounter with the human phoenix.
Tom was the first to recover his voice, “Harry, am I correct in that a goddess just swore fealty to you?”
Harry wasn’t sure, so he looked to Severus for confirmation. At his slight nod, Harry replied, “I think so.”
Tom smirked, “I was never that good.”
Lucius then shook his head and asked, “What is it about you, Potter, that has had people vowing all your life to follow you, even to the death?”
Harry rolled his eyes and smirked, “Maybe it’s because I’m such a snappy dresser.”
“Dear goddess, NO, Potter,“ Draco jokingly shouted. “Only a blind man would follow your fashion regimen.”
“Hey, Malfoy, I look fine just the way I am!” Harry argued.
Draco argued back, “That’s because you’re wearing my clothes!”
Severus cleared his throat, “Boys… I believe we have a mission to complete. If we could wait until Harry’s parents have been rescued, I will be glad to referee a mud-slinging match at your convenience.”
Harry was immediately chastised, “You’re right, Severus. I lost my head for a moment. This is all still strange to me.”
~*~*~*~*~
Lucius moved to where Freya had stood and picked up the scroll. He opened it and began to read the old piece of parchment. “There may be a problem that we hadn’t encountered.”
The blond unrolled the scroll and showed what he had found. “It seems that the lower levels are nearly impenetrable. In fact they are only accessible through an ancient ritual.”
“What kind of ritual, Lucius?”
“A ritual of sacrifice.”
The group of wizards considered the weight of those words. Harry was afraid that he knew the answer, but asked anyway.
“What kind of sacrifice is needed?”
Lucius gave the answer that they had all already suspected, “The sacrifice of a life.”
~~*~*~*~~
They had argued for hours. The scroll had continued its bad news by stating that the sacrifice couldn’t be just anyone, like a Ministry prisoner, it had to be a true sacrifice, in other words, someone who meant something to Harry. The Gryffindor refused to listen to what anyone had to say about the sacrifice. He was not going to let anyone he cared about die for him or his parents.
Harry turned to confront the others, “What I don’t understand is this… what did Dumbledore sacrifice to allow him to imprison my parents? If he did the same ritual, who died then?”
No one spoke as they tried to find the answer. Severus finally remembered something.
“Just days after James and Lily died, the Order got word that one of its members had disappeared. It was a middle-aged witch named Honora Bagwell. There had been rumors that she had been involved with Dumbledore and when she disappeared he was grief-stricken, or appeared to be. What if he killed her that night so that he could capture James and Lily?”
Harry closed his eyes and shook his head, “That is just one more life to chalk up to the old bastard.”
Harry left the group and walked over to the blossoming tree. Severus stood at a discreet distance in order to watch his troubled mate. Lucius read over the words to the ritual, trying to find any kind of loophole in the wording.
Draco chatted quietly with Voldemort as the older man guided him through a set of instructions. Before the blond could argue, Tom touched his hands to the blond’s chest and Draco swayed on his feet, finally collapsing into the Dark Lord’s arms. Tom laid the young wizard down carefully behind a stone bench, hidden by a few re-awakened low bushes.
Voldemort then brushed his fingers through the silky blond locks, “Be forever mindful of these gifts, young Firestarter. I know you will be a fine heir. Remember these things and explain to them when I am gone that this is my fate.”
Tom slowly walked to the center of the courtyard near the tree. At the very center, inscribed into the stones, were runic symbols representing life and death. Tom stood on the darker symbol as he called Harry out to him.
“Harry, come here, please.”
Unsuspecting, Harry joined Tom at the center. Harry’s feet stood on the lighter symbol representing life.
The Dark Lord grasped Harry’s hands in his own. “I find it amazing that Dumbledore has been giving us the answer for all these years. Don’t you understand, Harry? That old fraud, Trelawney, actually had a real vision. Neither can live while the other survives. He told us all along what we had to do.”
Harry opened his mouth as if to argue.
“No, Harry. Hear me out. What the prophecy meant was this. I place myself in the hands of the Fates. I truly and willingly sacrifice my life to you for the freedom of James and Lily Potter.”
The words of the ritual were completed before they even registered in Harry’s mind. Tom Riddle’s magic left his body, arcing across the courtyard to the young, unconscious blond. The body of the Dark Lord withered to ashes and blew away in the wind. On the ground, where he had been standing was a golden key. Harry reached to pick it up, but Severus stopped him. The Potions master scanned the key with his wand.
“It is a Portkey, Harry. I believe that it will take you to your parents as soon as you touch it.”
Harry knelt down, staring at the key. “Why, Severus? Why did he do it?”
Severus knelt next to Harry, pulling him into his arms. “He did what needed to be done. It was his choice to make the sacrifice. It was his fated role in all of this. He knew that you would not complete the ritual freely nor would you let any of us choose to die for you. My guess was that he felt that he could die knowing that you would take care of Dumbledore for him.”
“I didn’t want anyone to else to die for me.”
“Perhaps this way, Tom could die at peace. No one would ever believe that he wasn’t an evil man trying to destroy their world. He would always be the Dark Lord. This way he knew that the truth would be revealed and he could die on his own terms.”
The couple glanced across the courtyard as they heard a soft groan and the young blond was wakened by his concerned father.
“What did Tom do to Draco?”
Severus had a slight smile for his godson, “I think we will discover that as Tom sacrificed his life for you, he released his heritage and that Draco is now the fire elemental. Tom passed his legacy onto his heir. I always thought he was talking about being the Dark Lord’s heir, but it seems that Draco was destined to be the fire elemental heir.”
“Will they be all right?”
“Malfoys are survivors, Harry. Do not worry about them. You could not find a more loyal family to follow you.”
“I don’t want anyone to follow me.”
“That is not your choice, Harry. We will all follow you. You are the Heir. You are the Chosen One. It is your destiny. And before you complain about not having any control over your life… understand that you will not be doing this alone. I shall be beside you at all times, loving you and protecting you. You can have no better financial advisor than Lucius Malfoy. You have Draco as a friend if you just open your heart to him. You will have the wolf and mutt to protect you and train you in ways that Dumbledore would never have allowed and you will have your parents to shower you with love. Things have a way of working out for the better, Harry. Trust the fates to know what they are doing.”
“After everything that I have learned in the last two days, it will be hard for me to trust anyone.”
“Even me, Harry?”
Harry looked up into the dark eyes of his beloved. “No, Severus. I have always trusted you. I haven’t always liked you, but you have never lied to me.”
~*~*~*~*~
Harry and Severus clasped their hands around the key at the same moment and vanished from the prison’s courtyard. Harry held on to Severus to prevent the nausea that always affected him, stumbling slightly as they landed in a dark chamber. A quick “Lumos!” revealed a small rectangular stone chamber with a lone pedestal in the center. Just as in the castle, the stone work on top held a hand print. As Harry placed his hand in the center of the indentation, the room lit up with magical lighting. The lighting revealed a long corridor on the opposite side of the room. Along the corridor were stone doors with small openings at the bottom. Harry guessed that food entered through the small openings.
“Severus, how can they get food if no one can get down here unless there’s a sacrifice.”
“My guess is that there is a designated house elf who can somehow enter long enough to provide the basic essentials of survival. There can’t be that many people down here to care for.”
The couple walked down the long hall, examining each cell and finding them all empty.
“Severus, what if they’re not here?” Harry began to panic.
“Hope said they were here, so they are here.”
At the very end of the hall, two stone doors faced each other. As Harry and Severus looked at the openings on the bottom, a small flicker of light could be seen on the other side. Harry stood back, ready to blast the doors down.
“Wait, Harry.”
Severus knelt down on the floor, tapping the small opening with his wand. Pushing it open he said, “Lily? James? Are you in there?”
A voice Harry had not heard in seventeen years spoke and it sounded like the most beautiful music in the world.
“Who’s there?” the soft feminine voice replied.
“Lily? Is that you? It’s Severus. Stand back as far as you can. We are going to blast the door.”
Harry waited a few moments to allow his mother time to stand back.
“Bombarda!” he shouted and the door burst into a million small pieces. Severus cast a quick shielding spell to prevent anyone from harm and rushed into the room to find his life-long friend. Lily Potter rushed toward the man she had known since childhood and fell into his embrace.
“Severus? It is you. How did you find me?”
At that moment, Lily Potter looked up from the comfort of Severus Snape’s shoulder to see the young man standing still in the backlight of the door way.
“James?”
Realization suddenly dawned on her as the young man stepped forward and she saw her own green eyes staring back at her. This was not her husband.
“Blessed be… Harry?”
The red-headed woman slowly walked, as if in a trance, toward the son that she had not seen since he was a toddler. She stopped in front of the quiet young man and touched his face to make sure that she wasn’t seeing things. She ran her hands up and down his arms, making sure that her baby was really there, alive and healthy.
“You’ve grown.”
Harry choked out only one word.
“Mum?”
Lily Potter embraced her son and surrounded him with all the love that she had. Harry hugged his mother and finally allowed the tears to fall. He let go of all the grief and pain he held in his heart and just allowed himself to be loved and comforted by the mother he had never truly known. As much as he realized that he loved Severus and looked forward to spending his life with the man, nothing could replace the love that a mother has for a son. Now, the world was almost perfect.
A soft noise across the corridor broke their reverie. Mother and son saw Severus tapping the other small opening with his wand.
“James? Is that you?”
A voice from within could be heard, “Dear gods, now I’m hearing voices. That sounded just like Severus.”
Lily rushed over to speak through the opening, “James, it’s Lily. Back away from the door.”
For the second time, Harry waited, allowing his father to reach safety and again he blasted the stone door, but this time it was Lily Potter who entered the cell first. Severus entered after, followed closely by Harry, and two wizards found Harry’s parents in the middle of an embarrassingly passionate kiss.
“Um…Dad?”
James Potter looked up from the wife he had not seen since he entered his cell to see a young man who looked remarkably like he did when he left Hogwarts.
It can’t be. He looked at Lily for some kind of confirmation. “Is that…?”
The witch nodded. James looked back at the young man. “Harry? Has it been that long?”
~*~*~*~*~
After some rudimentary examinations, Severus declared that Harry’s parents were in quite fair physical condition. They had been fed regularly and had even been given books to read. James explained that Dumbledore had to keep them alive and well to prevent Harry from reaching his inheritance too early. Harry insisted that they down some nourishment potions and general health potions before leaving the lowest level of the prison. Severus handed the couple a light snack to eat while Harry went around re-setting the wards to his magical signature. He was sure that he would need this place one day and didn’t necessarily want to kill someone to access it.
Harry apparated each one of them out of the cell and back into the courtyard where Lucius and Draco were waiting for them. Harry beckoned the Malfoys over.
“Draco Malfoy, meet James and Lily Potter, my parents. Lucius, I believe you’ve already met. Mum and Dad, you know Lucius and this is his son Draco.”
James Potter held out his hand, “Damn, Lucius, you’ve gotten old. What happened to you? Is that… grey hair I see?”
Lucius smiled at the teasing, “I have never had a grey hair. Have a look in a mirror, Jamie. You’re not a kid any more either.”
Still a prankster, Harry thought. “Lucius, if you would escort my parents to the front entrance, I believe there are a couple of wizards that would like to see them. Severus and I will join you soon, after we have taken care of some unfinished business.”
Harry’s eyes trailed up to the highest tower. It was time to deal with Dumbledore.
~*~*~*~*~
The wards surrounding the upper tower easily allowed the Chosen One access to his prisoner. Harry entered the turret tower with Severus by his side. The Headmaster sat in an overstuffed chair by the lone window as an angry phoenix dared him to move. His wand had been snapped in two by the bird’s strong beak.
Severus heard the sniveling whimper behind him and snatched Peter Pettigrew as he tried to escape in his rat form. It was a pleasant surprise to find the traitor trapped in the tower with the Headmaster. Now they wouldn’t have to go out of their way to find him. A small cage was conjured and the traitorous beast was contained for later punishment. Severus showed the cage to Harry.
The young man smiled wickedly, “Oh, Pettigrew, you are so going to die a slow and grisly death!”
Harry turned and approached the older man that he had once loved and respected. He looked at Dumbledore and found that he could not drum up one ounce of sympathy. His crimes were simply too malevolent to ever consider any kind of clemency. Harry needed to rid the world of the old man’s evil forever.
“Well, Headmaster, we finally meet face to face. That in itself is amazing since you are supposed to be dead. But at least this way when you finally die, no one can accuse me of murder. You can’t kill a dead man. That was a very nasty trick that you played on the Astronomy Tower. You immobilized me up against the wall under my invisibility cloak and pretended to die. Then you dared to Polyjuice a man I hated with a passion into the one man that I trusted with my life and let me believe that he murdered you. I GRIEVED for you, you son of a bitch, and you set me up for a life of pain and agony even before I was born so that I would buy into this whole fraud.”
Harry could not contain his anger. “You are the reason for every moment of pain that I have ever experienced. For that alone, you deserve to die. That doesn’t even begin to list the crimes you have committed on my friends and family. Perhaps I should let each person that you have harmed have a piece of you. How long do you think you would last? What you have done to the Wizarding world in general is absolutely unforgivable. Is there anything that you can say to me that will justify even one moment of your treachery?”
Harry turned away, too disgusted to be any where near his former mentor. Albus Dumbledore leaned over and tried to stand. As he lifted his body, he released a second hidden wand and pointed it at Harry’s back.
“Expelliarmus!” shouted Severus, and the old man’s second wand flew into his hand.
Harry was astounded. Even captured and defeated the old man wouldn’t give up. Something snapped in the young wizard’s mind as he turned to face the Headmaster. Harry’s magic filled the room and pressed against the old man.
“You DARE to attack me? Do you KNOW who I am?”
Dumbledore sneered, “You are a child playing an adult’s game, nothing more.”
Harry smirked, “You are quite wrong, old friend. I am your worst nightmare. I am that thing that you have tried to suppress and control for my entire life. I am the Heir of Merlin. I have reawakened the castle and seen the Tree of Knowledge. I KNOW what you have done. I have rescued both Severus and Sirius from the veil and my parents are celebrating their freedom with my Guardian Warriors, Remus and Sirius, in the courtyard below. Lucius and Draco Malfoy, two of the most influential wizards in England, now serve ME. The werewolves, goblins, veelas, vampires and all magical creatures will come together in brotherhood and serve me.“
“Your treachery will be exposed to the entire Wizarding world. I have your pet rat to prove Sirius’ innocence. I have Merlin’s staff. I have freed Freya from your unholy bond. I am Lord of the Fae and master of Atlantis. As leader of the Fae, I will carve this world into what it should have been all along. Magical creatures will no longer be shunned or treated as animals. I will close our world to Muggles and rebuild the magical powers of our people. I will be everything you ever feared. Some will call me a Dark Lord. If that’s what it takes to set things right, so be it. You, however, will NOT be there to see it.”
Harry pulled Excalibur from its sheath and plunged the long blade into the old man’s chest. Blue eyes widened in shock as Dumbledore looked at the long blade piercing his chest.
Harry began to chant an ancient ritual, “I am Lord of the Fae and Heir of Magic. I have the power of life and death by virtue of this office and I hereby strip you of all magical powers and rights as designated by my Council of Magic.”
Albus Dumbledore’s magic was siphoned into the broadsword and up through the hilt into Harry’s hands. The raven-haired wizard closed his eyes and leaned back into his mate, breathing deeply of the new magic filling his core. And then, it was over.
Harry looked at the powerless man and smiled. “That felt good.”
As Harry removed the broadsword, massive amounts of blood began to pour out of the wound. Not in the least bit distressed, Harry turned to his consort and kissed him squarely on the mouth. The excess power running through Harry’s body was a potent aphrodisiac. Harry removed his tongue from Severus’ throat and pulled away slowly. The fire in his green eyes could light the fires of Hell if he wanted to. His hand brushed against the bulge in his consort’s trousers and Severus stifled a weak groan.
“Soon, love.” Harry whispered in his ear.
The younger wizard threw open the door to the room and turned as he was leaving.
“Heal him. He doesn’t get to die yet. He hasn’t suffered enough.” He placed his hand on Severus’ arm and said, “Bring the rat and follow me. And thank you, Severus. I never should have turned my back on him. You have saved my life once again.”
The old man was none-too-gently bound and gagged magically and taken to a holding cell to await punishment. Fawkes disappeared through the window and returned home until the next time the Chosen One called.
~*~*~*~*~
It took only a few days of very public executions taking place at Azkaban for the Wizarding world to realize that there was a new order controlling the world. The Wizarding Press and Ministry officials began arriving at the fortress shortly after the first dead body arrived in the Atrium of the Ministry. That first dead body to arrive belonged to Delores Umbridge whom Harry had thoroughly enjoyed torturing before sending her back to the Ministry in several pieces. Her head now adorned the end of the wand of the wizard in the Fountain of Magical Brethren and would stay there, preserved in perpetuity. Harry and his immediate circle, now called the Council of Magic, had been hearing prisoners attempt to defend their actions for several days. Most had already been executed for crimes against the Wizarding world and one high-ranking prisoner awaited his very public execution.
Harry was very pleased that his immediate circle of friends at Hogwarts had been found innocent of any crimes. Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna as well as the others had been just as much victims of Dumbledore’s as Harry. The Weasleys had also been cleared of all charges, including Percy. Most of those condemned had come directly from the Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot. Dumbledore’s influence had been very broad indeed. But none of those executed had been a part of his most heinous betrayal. No one but Dumbledore and Pettigrew betrayed Lily and James Potter.
The courtyard had been prepared for this momentous event. Bleachers had been placed around three sides for the press and curious bystanders. Harry and his party had built a platform in front of the reborn Tree of Life. This was the original tree that had been mirrored in the portal in Merlin’s castle. Now alive and thriving, every leaf, branch and twig held the name of someone in the vast magical community - past and present. The mighty branches fanned out over the crowd and spectators happily pointed to the names above their heads.
A simple stone throne was centered on the platform with a smaller one to its right. Harry sat on his throne, his staff in his left hand and the great broadsword in his right hand was resting on his lap. He was fully dressed in battle armor made from Romanian Longhorn dragon scales. The deep, dark green of the scales was enhanced by even greener eyes. No one present would dare question the power or authority of the young wizard sitting before them. Next to him, a tall dark-haired wizard was dressed in a similar fashion but instead wore a dark blue mask etched in water runes and battle armor of black Norwegian Ridgeback - the Lord Consort’s symbol of office hung from a thick gold chain around his neck.
Behind the thrones stood four masked figures. The two warriors - one wearing the mask of a grim, the other a werewolf - stood on each side of the Chosen One and Lord Consort keeping a watchful eye on the crowd, making sure there was no threat to their cub and his mate. More than a few mumblings expressed concern about their identities, but none dared to express them in more than a whisper. There was no doubt about the identity of the two blonds on the platform. The distinctive Malfoy hair and attitude was enough to identify them. The elder Malfoy was dressed in gold silk robes and wore the Chain of Office as Lord Chancellor of the Fae Lord’s new world. The medallion attached to the chain was etched with the images of all the wizards and magical creatures represented equally. The younger Malfoy wore red Chinese Fireball battle armor and a mask of red flames. The group on the platform all waited patiently for what they knew would come.
The day had finally arrived that Harry and his circle had been waiting for. Through Percy Weasley, Harry had been informed that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would be arriving that day to attempt to re-take control of Azkaban. Everything had been prepared for this final confrontation and Harry was relieved when he saw that Kingsley Shacklebolt was leading the Ministry delegation.
This might not end as a total blood bath after all.
The Aurors entered the courtyard in military formation. Kingsley stood at the front, cautiously examining the situation. He was an astute man and not one to make snap judgments. There was obviously more here than he was told.
Harry stood up and crossed to the front of the platform. He waved back any attempts for Severus or the others to stand beside him.
“Kingsley, I’m afraid that you are wasting your time. This castle has been returned to its rightful owner and the violators will be eliminated.”
Kingsley stood his ground, “By what right do you claim this castle?”
Harry smirked. His friend had played right into his hands. Harry scanned the crowd to make sure that nothing would be missed. Reporters had quills poised over their parchments, eager for Harry to speak.
“I am Harry James Potter, the Lord of the Fae and Heir of Magic. I am the Chosen One. I am the master of the elements. In my left hand I hold Merlin’s staff which contains the Stone of the Heir. I have reclaimed Merlin’s castle and his legacy as my own. In my right hand I hold Excalibur, the sword of the Fae that was handed down through Arthur Pendragon and into my hands. Is there anyone here who dares to challenge my heritage or my authority?”
Harry scanned the crowd once more. Not one sound was uttered.
Harry continued, “I have no plans to destroy our world, only to destroy those who would threaten its continued existence. Today you are to witness an execution for the most heinous crimes. Today, the new world begins.”
Harry turned to Draco and instructed, “Tell them to bring in the prisoner.”
Draco exited through a side entrance and soon returned, followed by three cloaked figures. The one in the center was stooped over with a hood covering his head and he walked clumsily as if in pain. The two masked figures on his side held him up by his arms. One wore a white mask etched with air runes. The other wore a mask streaked in browns and gold containing earth runes.
Someone in the bleachers cried out, “Death Eaters!” and the crowd began to panic.
“Silence!” Harry shouted. “You know nothing of which you speak.”
Harry turned to the Aurors. “You are here to witness an execution for High Treason.”
He grabbed the prisoner by the base of his neck. “This wizard will pay for his treachery. At this very moment, I have followers taking control of every department in the Ministry as well as dissolving the Wizengamot. You have no power here. I suggest that you allow this to proceed without disruption.”
Kingsley looked at the hooded figure. “I would like to hear the charges and proof of his guilt before I make my decision.”
Harry yanked the hood off his prisoner and the crowd let out a loud uproar. Harry pulled the long silver hair back exposing the prisoner’s neck.
“I see that you all recognize our friend here. Albus Dumbledore has played us all as fools. Obviously, he is not dead.”
Harry raised his staff and began to list the charges against the former Headmaster. As he wrote in the air, fire-writing listed the many crimes that had been committed.
“The charges are as follow: Falsifying a prophecy for personal gain …”
The crowd became silent.
“… destruction of the Founder’s relics…”
A gasp was heard in the crowd.
“…attempted murder of the Fae Lord…”
Draco Malfoy removed his mask.
“… the intentional physical and emotional abuse of Harry James Potter…”
Remus Lupin removed his mask.
“… the false conviction for murder of Sirius Orion Black…”
Sirius Black removed his mask.
“… the attempted murder of Severus Tobias Snape…”
Severus removed his mask.
Harry paused momentarily for the crowd to become silent once more. He stared directly into the dark eyes of the only Ministry official that he still trusted.
“…and finally, the wrongful imprisonment of James Peverell Potter and Lily Eileen Evans Potter in Azkaban for the last seventeen years.”
The two masked figures standing to either side of Harry and the prisoner stripped off their masks, revealing the faces of James and Lily Potter.
Harry addressed the crowd once more. “Albus Dumbledore manipulated our world for nearly fifty years. He imprisoned my parents in order to control my future. He placed charms and magic blockers on me to prevent my true heritage from manifesting. The many crimes that he blamed on the Dark Lord were actually his own. The man accused of all this evil, Tom Marvolo Riddle, sacrificed his life so that the world would know the truth. In light of the truth that stands before you, is there anyone here who wishes to challenge the execution of this man?”
Not one person stood to defend the former leader of the Light. The Aurors backed off and blended into the anxious crowd.
“I have seen the proof of your charges and offer no resistance. My Lord, I am ever your servant.” Kingsley bowed to the new Lord and waited at the side of the platform.
~*~*~*~*~
“You, the condemned, by order of the Council of Magic and my rights as the Chosen One, Heir of Magic and Lord of the Fae, I hereby banish you to the everlasting torments of Hades.
“In the name of Helga Hufflepuff, I condemn you to Hell for betraying the loyalty of generations of magical folk.
“In the name of Rowena Ravenclaw, I condemn you to Hell for using the gift of knowledge to further your platitudes of evil.
“In the name of Godric Gryffindor, I condemn you to Hell for sacrificing the brave and courageous in your never-ending desires for total domination of the Wizarding world.
“In the name of Salazar Slytherin, I condemn you to Hell for the lies and propaganda that you have spread about this noble house and the people who refused to follow your warped ideals.
“In the name of Merlin, I hereby strip you of all magical powers and return your stolen powers to those to whom they rightfully belong.
“And in the name of Morgan Le Fay, my ancestress, I condemn you to the eternal fires of Hell for the lies, pain and deceit which you have inflicted upon me and my family for our entire lives.”
“I place my honor as your judge and executioner in the hands of the Fates. I truly and willingly sacrifice your life for the freedom of all magical folk throughout the world.”
The beautiful broadsword of unknown origins was held high above the wizard’s head, its hilt encrusted with rare and ancient gemstones and its blade etched with runes. In later years, it was rumored to have actually been the sword of Arthur Pendragon, Excalibur, but its master laughed and merely hinted that everyone knew that Sir Percival had returned Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake centuries earlier.
One swift downward thrust into the neck of the prisoner severed his spinal cord. Six broad strokes severed the body into six large pieces, each one delivered to members of the Council of Magic to be buried in a secret and distant location. The head remained with the executioner as a grisly souvenir. As the six members who represented the Veela, Vampires, Werewolves, Goblins, Fae and Wizards in the Council of Magic received their bloody gift, each knelt to the ground in obedience with bowed head in homage to their new ruler, the Chosen One.
The new Dark Lord was born.
Epilogue
Later that very day, Harry Potter stood in the center of the cell that held his last and most-hated prisoner. He leaned against the wall as the powerless wizard sat silently on the stone bench, eyes glaring with malice. He was no physical match for the powerful wizard who stood before him.
A small Pensieve was embedded in the far wall and surrounded by a permanent shielding spell. The continuously running memory replayed that most recent execution over and over, never stopping its grisly scene.
Harry watched the scene with undisguised amusement. He turned to the angry prisoner.
“So how does it feel to watch the execution of the greatest wizard of our time? Does it make you feel small and useless? That is what you are, you know. You have no purpose. You are dead to the world. That scene will run continuously for the rest of your life and should you think to try and stop it, you will experience every single moment of my pain that you directly caused. No one, not even Severus, knows that you are down here in my father’s former cell. No elves will come to feed you. There will be no water to slake your thirst. I do not choose to prolong your life by any artificial means and you are not important enough for me to torture for any significant length of time.”
The new Dark Lord opened the cell door and paused to look back at the memory of the execution.
He tilted his head and smirked, “Polyjuice is an amazing thing, isn’t it? I did to you what you did to me. I still have trouble believing that Peter chose to die in your place.”
Just before leaving the cell to join the celebration in the main hall of the castle, Harry Potter closed the stone door for the last time and whispered to the prisoner held within.
“Goodbye, Albus.”
The End
Author: Cyane Snape
Type: Fiction; Drama with tiny moments of humor.
Length: 27,207 words
Main Pairing: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Card: The King of Swords
Card Interpretation: "He is the power of life and death, by virtue
of his office." [Waite]
Rating: R - for violence and language
Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros, and anyone else with legitimate rights. No profit is being made by this site or the authors it houses, nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form. Due to the nature of this fic, this author will not be held responsible for any underage readers who may come across this. Please observe any warnings, ratings and any legal ages of consent for your part of the world.
Warnings: (DH spoilers, violence, language, sort of pre-slash, no dirty sex this time, characters exploring the dark side, AU - begins near the end of DH)
Summary: How far would you go to protect everything you believed in? And what if you had been deceived all along?
Author Notes: God bless Gavilan, my beta. She is the greatest sounding board and grammarian not to mention giving clarity to my visions. She has suffered through two vacations and many discussions in restaurants while I tried to make sense of this. Also, one section* at the beginning is based upon a scene in the forest at the end of DH. You’ll recognize it. And I use a line from the movie “Network” [I’m mad as hell…]**
Part 1
Part 2
Death Sentence
By Cyane Snape
The four wizards had feasted on Bindy’s food in the Great Hall while they also tried to digest all the information that they had learned. Harry had gotten an owl back from Remus who had promised, somewhat reluctantly, to meet him at Malfoy Manor the next day. Harry could just imagine how Remus felt when he was asked to meet him at the Malfoys, but Harry knew that once the werewolf saw his mate he would be fine. It might take a while for Remus to recover from Tonks’ death, but he knew that Sirius had been Remus’ true mate and they would take the time they needed to recover and live again.
As they departed the Hall to get some rest, Tom and Sirius split off to their private rooms, but when Harry and Severus tried to seek separate beds, the bond created a discomfort so great they were forced to at least share the same room.
Both wizards changed into the night clothes that the house elves had provided, silk sleep pants. The fire in the room kept it toasty and warm, so shirts were unnecessary and discarded as each man got to surreptitiously check out his partner’s body. Severus was lean and wiry with a few scattered dark hairs and more than a few scars running over his chest. Harry’s chest and back were muscular, like an athlete, and hairless except for the dark trail leading down below his navel and into the pants below. Severus jerked his eyes away before the thought of what lay below that waistband resulted in an obvious physical reaction.
Harry and Severus had been directed to the master suite in the castle at the elves’ insistence. It was a very large room with a sitting area, a connected library and bath, as well as a huge platform bed covered in royal purple velvet. There were sleeping portraits of Harry’s ancestors on the wall that the elves had said would eventually waken now that the heir was in residence.
There was a rounded turret area at one corner of the room and Harry stood by the deep windows staring up at the stars. It had been a really long day. In fact, Harry had been up for nearly 48 hours straight. The full moon was coming up in a few days and he wondered how Remus would react when he found out that Sirius was back. Harry had no doubts as to the depth of the relationship that his godfather had shared with the werewolf. Harry had experienced the Marauder’s intense grief when Remus’ true mate had fallen through that veil. He knew that Remus would grieve for Tonks, but Harry hoped that the two Marauders had a real chance at life now that Moony had his Padfoot back. Harry smiled to himself as he wondered how Sirius would react when he found out about baby Teddy. He sighed when he thought that Sirius would finally get to have a family to love. Well, at least they would be happy after Harry got rid of that bastard Dumbledore and proved that Sirius was innocent.
Severus quietly stepped behind the young man and carefully wrapped his arms around the young wizard’s waist. Harry very comfortably fell into the planes of the older man’s body. Everything about Severus just felt completely natural to Harry. It was very new and uncertain, but nothing was forced and he believed that he could allow himself to let down his barriers for a while. This amazing man was the one person who had always had Harry’s best interests at heart and had gone to Hell and back to protect him. Harry’s head dropped back to rest on Severus’ shoulder and the older man tightened his hold on his fiancé.
Warm lips found the pulse point on Harry’s throat and tasted the column of flesh that was offered freely. Severus nipped at the base of Harry’s neck causing the young man to gasp for air. The heady sensation of Severus’ lips against his neck stole all reasoning from Harry’s mind. As Severus continued to kiss the soft flesh, Harry turned in his arms and wrapped his arms around the taller man, his fingers digging into the muscles of Severus’ back.
Severus’ lips left Harry’s neck to nibble at the earlobe hidden in the long dark hair, hungrily sucking at the sensitive spot just under Harry’s ear. Harry’s husky moan was the sexiest thing Severus had ever heard. Parting his lips, Harry raised his eyes and kissed the velvety warmth of the man’s slender neck, and Severus nearly lost control. He tore himself away from the young Gryffindor. Harry’s flushed cheeks, combined with the unchecked passion found in Harry’s eyes, were Severus’ downfall. Harry was his own personal feast waiting to be devoured. Severus had waited so long for his intended to come of age and now the time was finally upon them.
“You are so incredibly beautiful, Harry. Do you know how much I want you? How long I’ve waited for you?” Severus murmured. The young wizard leaned into his body, eyes closed.
Soft lips touched Harry’s and just as quickly, released them. Harry’s eyes flashed open to see Severus closer than a sigh. He could feel the older man’s moist breath on his lips. Harry pulled Severus’s head down and recaptured his mouth, demanding a response from the man who then deepened the kiss. Severus’ tongue then traced the entrance to Harry’s mouth which opened under the gentle invasion. Harry was entranced by the velvety smoothness of Severus’ mouth. His skin and hair smelled fresh and clean - not at all as he expected. There was no lingering potions scent on the man. The dancing of the two tongues sent shivers of desire racing through their bodies. A throaty moan escaped the kiss- neither was sure who it came from.
Severus again plunged into the opening of Harry’s sweet mouth, devouring and sucking on his lower lip. Harry’s hands ran through the long dark hair to grab him by the back of the head and pull him even closer. The young wizard felt the passion rising in him as their magic danced around each other in a playful teasing game.
Severus dropped his forehead to rest on Harry’s while each man tried to control his breathing. The Potions Master noticed the single tear fall from Harry’s green eyes and felt the young wizard’s conflicting emotions coursing through the bond. He continued to hold Harry close as he whispered urgently in his ear, “Is there anything I can do to help you, Harry?”
As they embraced and stood looking at the moonlight together, Harry answered, “I want to kill something. I need to kill something before I accidentally hurt someone I care about.”
“Indeed.”
“I cannot believe that anyone can be that evil, Severus. My life … my life could have been normal. I would have never lived with the Dursleys, never been abused. I would have grown up as a wizard knowing everything that all the other kids knew when they entered Hogwarts. My parents…” Harry choked back a sob, “my parents would have been there, been with me and none of this Voldemort shit would have ever happened. I don’t have adequate words to express how much I hate Albus Dumbledore and how desperately I need to kill him. Even killing him is too good for him. If I thought that I could keep him a prisoner in Azkaban like he did my parents, I would send him into that Hell for the rest of his life. But that old bastard would just find a way to escape, so I just want to torture him into near-death, heal him and then make sure he suffers as long as possible while I kill him as slowly as I can. Does that make me evil?”
“Some will say that you are evil, but they won’t matter. Mostly, it makes you human, Harry. You have been betrayed in the worst way. We have all been betrayed. It is human to want revenge. It is my wish to harm everyone who has ever hurt you, but I do not consider myself evil. It is how you choose to go about doing things that will make people decide if you are evil or not.”
Harry pulled away from Severus and started to walk toward the bed. “I don’t give a fuck what other people think anymore. Fuck the Ministry! Fuck the Daily Prophet! And fuck the Order of the Phoenix, although they are probably just pawns and totally innocent in all of Dumbledore’s machinations. I want him dead, Severus, and I want to do the killing, as slowly and painfully as possible. I want to kill anyone who helped that old bastard too. No trial, nothing…just like he did to Sirius. If that makes me a dark wizard, then fuck them all.”
Severus placed his hand in the small of Harry’s back, trying to soothe the tense man. “Why don’t we go to bed? You need the rest and it’s been a long day for both of us.”
Harry crawled into his side of the large bed and Severus soon followed on his side. The older wizard turned to his mate and opened his arms to let Harry close to him, if he chose to. Harry snuggled into Severus’ side, resting his head on his lover’s shoulder.
“Severus?”
“Yes, Harry?”
“I would like to wait until my parents are freed before we have the wedding to formalize our bond. I would really like to have all this mess with Dumbledore finished before we finalize and celebrate that chapter of our lives.”
“That is agreeable to me, Harry.”
Harry lay very still and Severus could almost hear the wheels turning in Harry’s mind. It wasn’t long before he spoke again.
“Severus?”
Severus smiled slightly into Harry’s dark hair, “Yes, Harry?”
“Can we also hold off on the whole sexual bonding consummation thingy?”
“Are you having second thoughts? I know I am not the most attractive…”
“No, no, that’s not it. There’s nothing wrong with the way you look. It’s just that in the last 24 hours I’ve fought a battle at Hogwarts, watched Lucius torture you, found out it was Fudge and not you, confronted the Dark Lord, who was not really Dark at all, retrieved the stone, made the castle appear, learned I was the Heir of Merlin, Arthur, Morgan Le Fay AND the four founders, lost control of my magic several times, got you back, got Sirius back, found out my parents are alive… Well, you can see that it’s been the strangest day of my life and I don’t think I could handle anything more, much less get an erection. But just so you know, I have had fantasies about fucking you for over two years, ever since our Occlumency lessons. Gods, do you know that I couldn’t concentrate in any of our sessions or potions because your voice was making me hard as a rock? … Anyway, do you think we could make those fantasies a reality soon? Just not tonight?”
“Of course, Harry. It would be my pleasure… our greatest pleasure. You just let me know when you are ready and I will be glad to make your fantasies come true.”
The quartet of wizards arrived at Malfoy Manor before noon the next day. Bindy had bid them a tearful goodbye and only after extracting from Harry a promise to return, did the little elf agree to release Harry’s left leg.
The Manor had not changed a bit since the last time any of the four had visited. It remained an imposing edifice with its rare white peacocks strutting across a well-manicured lawn. Lord Malfoy loved his excesses and if Harry hadn’t seen the proof himself, he would have never placed the blond as the cold-blooded killer Harry knew him to be. It was good to have Lord Malfoy on his side.
It was unfortunate that Bellatrix Lestrange was visiting her sister that morning, unfortunate for her. Harry saw the witch and asked Tom if he could have her as a present. Voldemort thought for a moment, remembering that he had promised her to the younger wizard, and happily turned her over to Harry after snapping her wand. Draco, who had never liked the bitch, held her at wand point for Harry while Harry prepared a cell for her in the dungeons. With great pleasure Harry turned over the well-being and care of Bellatrix to her cousin Sirius and his mate Remus. The couple disappeared into the dungeons with their prisoner, for hours afterwards repaying her for all that they had suffered, and high-pitched female screams were heard late into the night.
After several hours of serious discussion, the group of seven wizards had formulated a plan for taking control of Azkaban. After a tearful and lustful reunion and dealing with Bella, Remus and Sirius assumed their pre-determined roles as Harry’s personal warrior guards and were assigned to take out the first line of defense at the prison. Lucius would also be joining the group as Tom’s right-hand man. Draco, as Tom’s official heir, would also be joining the group to stand beside his father and his mentor. Narcissa happily went into hiding in France until the upcoming unpleasantness had passed. After all, she was a Slytherin to the core.
Lord Malfoy hadn’t sat idle during his short stay in the wizards’ prison two years earlier. He had learned everything he possibly could during the time he was there. With a few well-spent galleons lining the pockets of corrupt prison officials, Lucius had learned the basic layout of the prison and that the Ministry held all high-profile political prisoners in the lowest depths of the ancient fortress. Lucius had heard a rumor that the lowest levels were only accessible by magic that was keyed into the wards. Since Harry was the Fae heir and held Merlin’s powers they were not anticipating any problem accessing the lowest level. The three Slytherins would be in charge of eliminating all Ministry officials on the premises as expeditiously as possible. Harry’s only request was that any Weasleys and his friend Kingsley should be spared if they were present. Other Ministry officials would have to plead their innocence at a later date. Sirius and Remus would act as guards at the main entrance once the way was clear for the others to complete the mission. They would all keep a keen eye out for the Dementors, not really knowing where their true loyalties lay. With the Ministry presence finally obliterated, that would leave Harry and Severus to take control of the prison and find Lily and James as quickly as they could.
~*~*~*~*~
The seven wizards apparated to the shore of the North Sea where prisoners traditionally met the boats to take them across the cold, churning waters to Azkaban. The two prison lackeys that were guarding the boats were dispensed with in the blink of an eye and soon the small group was riding in two long boats pulled by two giant sea serpents. Once Harry had explained to the serpents what the problem was and that he was taking over the prison, they were only too happy to cooperate. For their cooperation, Harry would be arranging for the serpents to inhabit a northern loch that would be unplottable to wizards and humans, thus guaranteeing them a safe long life.
As Harry and his party stepped out of the boats and faced the main gates of the prison, the angry young man stopped completely and reached out into the magic of the ancient walls. Harry struck the ground with his staff and a pure gold light shot out of the top, reaching high into the heavens like a beacon. The young wizard gathered his magic back into his core and pointed his staff at the gates and blasted them off their hinges. The complete collapse of the prison’s wards swiftly followed. Alarms went up all over the tower and a small army of Ministry personnel tried to force the determined party away. Tom, Lucius and Draco efficiently dispatched them magically to the dungeons of Malfoy Manor to be dealt with at a later time.
The layers of grime and the stench of death fell away from the fortress as Harry’s magic infiltrated and rebuilt the wards to his magical signature.
The Chosen One closed his eyes and stood completely still. Harry calmly spoke to the others, “He’s here.”
Severus stood next to his lover. “Who, Harry?”
Harry looked up at the highest point of the tower. “Dumbledore. He’s in the highest tower.” And with a sharp slash of his staff, an intense gold ball of magic completely encased the upper tower, sealing the old Headmaster, and anyone who might be with him, in.
Harry turned to the others, “That will hold him until I’m ready to deal with him.”
The other wizards almost felt sorry for the old man. Almost. But the most important thing at the moment was to find James and Lily Potter.
Deep down in his soul, Harry was afraid of what he would discover when he actually found his parents. They had been in Azkaban for much longer than Sirius had been, and Sirius was half-dead when he escaped. Would James and Lily be as incapacitated as the Longbottoms had been after being tortured? He knew that Severus had stockpiled a virtual pharmacy full of potions in his robes, but Harry didn’t know if it would be enough.
Harry and his followers determinedly walked through the front gates of the prison. Fragments of the doors littered their path as the powerful group of wizards freely took over the once impenetrable prison. The few authorities that remained on site easily surrendered when faced with such an intimidating force. If the Boy-Who-Lived wanted to march in with the Dark Lord, three Death Eaters, an escaped murderer and a werewolf, they weren’t going to stop him.
Sirius and Remus took the guard positions at the entrance to prevent anyone from entering the prison until Harry gave them permission. Lucius and Draco followed Voldemort into the Ministry offices to search for any kind of evidence or information on political prisoners. They needed to know where James and Lily were being held.
Harry stormed through the office area and out into the main courtyard with Severus by his side. A large army of Dementors met the pair and circled them, preparing to attack. Harry raised the staff so that all the floating bodies could see it and recognize its power.
As he held the staff high in his left hand, he held Excalibur in his right as he commanded the soulless creatures.
“Hear me now, Dementors of Azkaban, I, Harry James Potter and Heir of Magic, hereby banish you from this place. You shall no longer foul the skies or steal any more souls. By my right as the Chosen One, Lord of the Fae, I command you back to the pit of Hell that you came from. Never again shall you been seen in this land.”
Harry clashed the staff and sword together and a blade of magic poured out and opened a deep fissure in the foundation of Azkaban. He and Severus watched as every Dementor was captured by the earth magic and sucked into the pits of Hell. Once the last of the foul creatures had disappeared, the fracture in the earth closed completely.
Black clouds parted in the skies overhead and bright rays of sunshine burst forth to warm the formerly inhospitable prison. But Azkaban no longer looked as it had. It was still an imposing tower, built high with stone, but the stones gleamed bright and clean as if hundreds of years of pain and sickness had been removed from them. The courtyard glowed in the sun and the large tree in the center seemed to perk up and reach for the warmth. Small green leaves began to sprout from the end of the old gnarled branches and tiny white blossoms popped open in the fresh clean air. The old castle had come back to life after a thousand years.
As Harry and Severus stood in the middle of the courtyard a sudden flash of fire appeared just above their heads and a very familiar phoenix hovered in the air.
Harry smiled at his old friend, “Hello, Fawkes. I’ve missed you.”
Just as suddenly as its appearance, the phoenix’s feathered body changed its original form and in its place stood a tall woman with long red hair. Her clothing was reminiscent of a medieval dress in tones of gold, dark bronze and brown leaf patterns with a cloak made of dark red feathers, and a finely wrought circlet of gold rested upon her brow.
“Greetings, Chosen One and Lord Consort. It is my pleasure to welcome you both home to Aldland - that which is more commonly called Atlantis by humans. The Fae have been awaiting your return to the Old Land to free their ancestral home from the evil that has plagued it for far too long.”
The beautiful woman bowed low with her right arm held across her chest. As she lifted her head, she spoke again. “You know me as Fawkes, the phoenix, but my name is Freya. I am the goddess of love and fertility and I thank you for freeing me from my bird form. I was trapped by the evil one that I have been forced to serve and I am eternally grateful that you have finally captured him. I will watch over him, as I have done so for many years, and keep him safe for your judgment. When my services are no longer required, I shall return to Sessrumnir, my home. Until then, my life is yours - my oath given freely. ”
The oath was sealed with a flash of magical light and Fawkes once again took flight, soaring up into the highest tower to guard the captured Headmaster. In her place, left on the ground, was an ancient scroll. The three Slytherins entered the courtyard just in time to witness the encounter with the human phoenix.
Tom was the first to recover his voice, “Harry, am I correct in that a goddess just swore fealty to you?”
Harry wasn’t sure, so he looked to Severus for confirmation. At his slight nod, Harry replied, “I think so.”
Tom smirked, “I was never that good.”
Lucius then shook his head and asked, “What is it about you, Potter, that has had people vowing all your life to follow you, even to the death?”
Harry rolled his eyes and smirked, “Maybe it’s because I’m such a snappy dresser.”
“Dear goddess, NO, Potter,“ Draco jokingly shouted. “Only a blind man would follow your fashion regimen.”
“Hey, Malfoy, I look fine just the way I am!” Harry argued.
Draco argued back, “That’s because you’re wearing my clothes!”
Severus cleared his throat, “Boys… I believe we have a mission to complete. If we could wait until Harry’s parents have been rescued, I will be glad to referee a mud-slinging match at your convenience.”
Harry was immediately chastised, “You’re right, Severus. I lost my head for a moment. This is all still strange to me.”
~*~*~*~*~
Lucius moved to where Freya had stood and picked up the scroll. He opened it and began to read the old piece of parchment. “There may be a problem that we hadn’t encountered.”
The blond unrolled the scroll and showed what he had found. “It seems that the lower levels are nearly impenetrable. In fact they are only accessible through an ancient ritual.”
“What kind of ritual, Lucius?”
“A ritual of sacrifice.”
The group of wizards considered the weight of those words. Harry was afraid that he knew the answer, but asked anyway.
“What kind of sacrifice is needed?”
Lucius gave the answer that they had all already suspected, “The sacrifice of a life.”
~~*~*~*~~
They had argued for hours. The scroll had continued its bad news by stating that the sacrifice couldn’t be just anyone, like a Ministry prisoner, it had to be a true sacrifice, in other words, someone who meant something to Harry. The Gryffindor refused to listen to what anyone had to say about the sacrifice. He was not going to let anyone he cared about die for him or his parents.
Harry turned to confront the others, “What I don’t understand is this… what did Dumbledore sacrifice to allow him to imprison my parents? If he did the same ritual, who died then?”
No one spoke as they tried to find the answer. Severus finally remembered something.
“Just days after James and Lily died, the Order got word that one of its members had disappeared. It was a middle-aged witch named Honora Bagwell. There had been rumors that she had been involved with Dumbledore and when she disappeared he was grief-stricken, or appeared to be. What if he killed her that night so that he could capture James and Lily?”
Harry closed his eyes and shook his head, “That is just one more life to chalk up to the old bastard.”
Harry left the group and walked over to the blossoming tree. Severus stood at a discreet distance in order to watch his troubled mate. Lucius read over the words to the ritual, trying to find any kind of loophole in the wording.
Draco chatted quietly with Voldemort as the older man guided him through a set of instructions. Before the blond could argue, Tom touched his hands to the blond’s chest and Draco swayed on his feet, finally collapsing into the Dark Lord’s arms. Tom laid the young wizard down carefully behind a stone bench, hidden by a few re-awakened low bushes.
Voldemort then brushed his fingers through the silky blond locks, “Be forever mindful of these gifts, young Firestarter. I know you will be a fine heir. Remember these things and explain to them when I am gone that this is my fate.”
Tom slowly walked to the center of the courtyard near the tree. At the very center, inscribed into the stones, were runic symbols representing life and death. Tom stood on the darker symbol as he called Harry out to him.
“Harry, come here, please.”
Unsuspecting, Harry joined Tom at the center. Harry’s feet stood on the lighter symbol representing life.
The Dark Lord grasped Harry’s hands in his own. “I find it amazing that Dumbledore has been giving us the answer for all these years. Don’t you understand, Harry? That old fraud, Trelawney, actually had a real vision. Neither can live while the other survives. He told us all along what we had to do.”
Harry opened his mouth as if to argue.
“No, Harry. Hear me out. What the prophecy meant was this. I place myself in the hands of the Fates. I truly and willingly sacrifice my life to you for the freedom of James and Lily Potter.”
The words of the ritual were completed before they even registered in Harry’s mind. Tom Riddle’s magic left his body, arcing across the courtyard to the young, unconscious blond. The body of the Dark Lord withered to ashes and blew away in the wind. On the ground, where he had been standing was a golden key. Harry reached to pick it up, but Severus stopped him. The Potions master scanned the key with his wand.
“It is a Portkey, Harry. I believe that it will take you to your parents as soon as you touch it.”
Harry knelt down, staring at the key. “Why, Severus? Why did he do it?”
Severus knelt next to Harry, pulling him into his arms. “He did what needed to be done. It was his choice to make the sacrifice. It was his fated role in all of this. He knew that you would not complete the ritual freely nor would you let any of us choose to die for you. My guess was that he felt that he could die knowing that you would take care of Dumbledore for him.”
“I didn’t want anyone to else to die for me.”
“Perhaps this way, Tom could die at peace. No one would ever believe that he wasn’t an evil man trying to destroy their world. He would always be the Dark Lord. This way he knew that the truth would be revealed and he could die on his own terms.”
The couple glanced across the courtyard as they heard a soft groan and the young blond was wakened by his concerned father.
“What did Tom do to Draco?”
Severus had a slight smile for his godson, “I think we will discover that as Tom sacrificed his life for you, he released his heritage and that Draco is now the fire elemental. Tom passed his legacy onto his heir. I always thought he was talking about being the Dark Lord’s heir, but it seems that Draco was destined to be the fire elemental heir.”
“Will they be all right?”
“Malfoys are survivors, Harry. Do not worry about them. You could not find a more loyal family to follow you.”
“I don’t want anyone to follow me.”
“That is not your choice, Harry. We will all follow you. You are the Heir. You are the Chosen One. It is your destiny. And before you complain about not having any control over your life… understand that you will not be doing this alone. I shall be beside you at all times, loving you and protecting you. You can have no better financial advisor than Lucius Malfoy. You have Draco as a friend if you just open your heart to him. You will have the wolf and mutt to protect you and train you in ways that Dumbledore would never have allowed and you will have your parents to shower you with love. Things have a way of working out for the better, Harry. Trust the fates to know what they are doing.”
“After everything that I have learned in the last two days, it will be hard for me to trust anyone.”
“Even me, Harry?”
Harry looked up into the dark eyes of his beloved. “No, Severus. I have always trusted you. I haven’t always liked you, but you have never lied to me.”
~*~*~*~*~
Harry and Severus clasped their hands around the key at the same moment and vanished from the prison’s courtyard. Harry held on to Severus to prevent the nausea that always affected him, stumbling slightly as they landed in a dark chamber. A quick “Lumos!” revealed a small rectangular stone chamber with a lone pedestal in the center. Just as in the castle, the stone work on top held a hand print. As Harry placed his hand in the center of the indentation, the room lit up with magical lighting. The lighting revealed a long corridor on the opposite side of the room. Along the corridor were stone doors with small openings at the bottom. Harry guessed that food entered through the small openings.
“Severus, how can they get food if no one can get down here unless there’s a sacrifice.”
“My guess is that there is a designated house elf who can somehow enter long enough to provide the basic essentials of survival. There can’t be that many people down here to care for.”
The couple walked down the long hall, examining each cell and finding them all empty.
“Severus, what if they’re not here?” Harry began to panic.
“Hope said they were here, so they are here.”
At the very end of the hall, two stone doors faced each other. As Harry and Severus looked at the openings on the bottom, a small flicker of light could be seen on the other side. Harry stood back, ready to blast the doors down.
“Wait, Harry.”
Severus knelt down on the floor, tapping the small opening with his wand. Pushing it open he said, “Lily? James? Are you in there?”
A voice Harry had not heard in seventeen years spoke and it sounded like the most beautiful music in the world.
“Who’s there?” the soft feminine voice replied.
“Lily? Is that you? It’s Severus. Stand back as far as you can. We are going to blast the door.”
Harry waited a few moments to allow his mother time to stand back.
“Bombarda!” he shouted and the door burst into a million small pieces. Severus cast a quick shielding spell to prevent anyone from harm and rushed into the room to find his life-long friend. Lily Potter rushed toward the man she had known since childhood and fell into his embrace.
“Severus? It is you. How did you find me?”
At that moment, Lily Potter looked up from the comfort of Severus Snape’s shoulder to see the young man standing still in the backlight of the door way.
“James?”
Realization suddenly dawned on her as the young man stepped forward and she saw her own green eyes staring back at her. This was not her husband.
“Blessed be… Harry?”
The red-headed woman slowly walked, as if in a trance, toward the son that she had not seen since he was a toddler. She stopped in front of the quiet young man and touched his face to make sure that she wasn’t seeing things. She ran her hands up and down his arms, making sure that her baby was really there, alive and healthy.
“You’ve grown.”
Harry choked out only one word.
“Mum?”
Lily Potter embraced her son and surrounded him with all the love that she had. Harry hugged his mother and finally allowed the tears to fall. He let go of all the grief and pain he held in his heart and just allowed himself to be loved and comforted by the mother he had never truly known. As much as he realized that he loved Severus and looked forward to spending his life with the man, nothing could replace the love that a mother has for a son. Now, the world was almost perfect.
A soft noise across the corridor broke their reverie. Mother and son saw Severus tapping the other small opening with his wand.
“James? Is that you?”
A voice from within could be heard, “Dear gods, now I’m hearing voices. That sounded just like Severus.”
Lily rushed over to speak through the opening, “James, it’s Lily. Back away from the door.”
For the second time, Harry waited, allowing his father to reach safety and again he blasted the stone door, but this time it was Lily Potter who entered the cell first. Severus entered after, followed closely by Harry, and two wizards found Harry’s parents in the middle of an embarrassingly passionate kiss.
“Um…Dad?”
James Potter looked up from the wife he had not seen since he entered his cell to see a young man who looked remarkably like he did when he left Hogwarts.
It can’t be. He looked at Lily for some kind of confirmation. “Is that…?”
The witch nodded. James looked back at the young man. “Harry? Has it been that long?”
~*~*~*~*~
After some rudimentary examinations, Severus declared that Harry’s parents were in quite fair physical condition. They had been fed regularly and had even been given books to read. James explained that Dumbledore had to keep them alive and well to prevent Harry from reaching his inheritance too early. Harry insisted that they down some nourishment potions and general health potions before leaving the lowest level of the prison. Severus handed the couple a light snack to eat while Harry went around re-setting the wards to his magical signature. He was sure that he would need this place one day and didn’t necessarily want to kill someone to access it.
Harry apparated each one of them out of the cell and back into the courtyard where Lucius and Draco were waiting for them. Harry beckoned the Malfoys over.
“Draco Malfoy, meet James and Lily Potter, my parents. Lucius, I believe you’ve already met. Mum and Dad, you know Lucius and this is his son Draco.”
James Potter held out his hand, “Damn, Lucius, you’ve gotten old. What happened to you? Is that… grey hair I see?”
Lucius smiled at the teasing, “I have never had a grey hair. Have a look in a mirror, Jamie. You’re not a kid any more either.”
Still a prankster, Harry thought. “Lucius, if you would escort my parents to the front entrance, I believe there are a couple of wizards that would like to see them. Severus and I will join you soon, after we have taken care of some unfinished business.”
Harry’s eyes trailed up to the highest tower. It was time to deal with Dumbledore.
~*~*~*~*~
The wards surrounding the upper tower easily allowed the Chosen One access to his prisoner. Harry entered the turret tower with Severus by his side. The Headmaster sat in an overstuffed chair by the lone window as an angry phoenix dared him to move. His wand had been snapped in two by the bird’s strong beak.
Severus heard the sniveling whimper behind him and snatched Peter Pettigrew as he tried to escape in his rat form. It was a pleasant surprise to find the traitor trapped in the tower with the Headmaster. Now they wouldn’t have to go out of their way to find him. A small cage was conjured and the traitorous beast was contained for later punishment. Severus showed the cage to Harry.
The young man smiled wickedly, “Oh, Pettigrew, you are so going to die a slow and grisly death!”
Harry turned and approached the older man that he had once loved and respected. He looked at Dumbledore and found that he could not drum up one ounce of sympathy. His crimes were simply too malevolent to ever consider any kind of clemency. Harry needed to rid the world of the old man’s evil forever.
“Well, Headmaster, we finally meet face to face. That in itself is amazing since you are supposed to be dead. But at least this way when you finally die, no one can accuse me of murder. You can’t kill a dead man. That was a very nasty trick that you played on the Astronomy Tower. You immobilized me up against the wall under my invisibility cloak and pretended to die. Then you dared to Polyjuice a man I hated with a passion into the one man that I trusted with my life and let me believe that he murdered you. I GRIEVED for you, you son of a bitch, and you set me up for a life of pain and agony even before I was born so that I would buy into this whole fraud.”
Harry could not contain his anger. “You are the reason for every moment of pain that I have ever experienced. For that alone, you deserve to die. That doesn’t even begin to list the crimes you have committed on my friends and family. Perhaps I should let each person that you have harmed have a piece of you. How long do you think you would last? What you have done to the Wizarding world in general is absolutely unforgivable. Is there anything that you can say to me that will justify even one moment of your treachery?”
Harry turned away, too disgusted to be any where near his former mentor. Albus Dumbledore leaned over and tried to stand. As he lifted his body, he released a second hidden wand and pointed it at Harry’s back.
“Expelliarmus!” shouted Severus, and the old man’s second wand flew into his hand.
Harry was astounded. Even captured and defeated the old man wouldn’t give up. Something snapped in the young wizard’s mind as he turned to face the Headmaster. Harry’s magic filled the room and pressed against the old man.
“You DARE to attack me? Do you KNOW who I am?”
Dumbledore sneered, “You are a child playing an adult’s game, nothing more.”
Harry smirked, “You are quite wrong, old friend. I am your worst nightmare. I am that thing that you have tried to suppress and control for my entire life. I am the Heir of Merlin. I have reawakened the castle and seen the Tree of Knowledge. I KNOW what you have done. I have rescued both Severus and Sirius from the veil and my parents are celebrating their freedom with my Guardian Warriors, Remus and Sirius, in the courtyard below. Lucius and Draco Malfoy, two of the most influential wizards in England, now serve ME. The werewolves, goblins, veelas, vampires and all magical creatures will come together in brotherhood and serve me.“
“Your treachery will be exposed to the entire Wizarding world. I have your pet rat to prove Sirius’ innocence. I have Merlin’s staff. I have freed Freya from your unholy bond. I am Lord of the Fae and master of Atlantis. As leader of the Fae, I will carve this world into what it should have been all along. Magical creatures will no longer be shunned or treated as animals. I will close our world to Muggles and rebuild the magical powers of our people. I will be everything you ever feared. Some will call me a Dark Lord. If that’s what it takes to set things right, so be it. You, however, will NOT be there to see it.”
Harry pulled Excalibur from its sheath and plunged the long blade into the old man’s chest. Blue eyes widened in shock as Dumbledore looked at the long blade piercing his chest.
Harry began to chant an ancient ritual, “I am Lord of the Fae and Heir of Magic. I have the power of life and death by virtue of this office and I hereby strip you of all magical powers and rights as designated by my Council of Magic.”
Albus Dumbledore’s magic was siphoned into the broadsword and up through the hilt into Harry’s hands. The raven-haired wizard closed his eyes and leaned back into his mate, breathing deeply of the new magic filling his core. And then, it was over.
Harry looked at the powerless man and smiled. “That felt good.”
As Harry removed the broadsword, massive amounts of blood began to pour out of the wound. Not in the least bit distressed, Harry turned to his consort and kissed him squarely on the mouth. The excess power running through Harry’s body was a potent aphrodisiac. Harry removed his tongue from Severus’ throat and pulled away slowly. The fire in his green eyes could light the fires of Hell if he wanted to. His hand brushed against the bulge in his consort’s trousers and Severus stifled a weak groan.
“Soon, love.” Harry whispered in his ear.
The younger wizard threw open the door to the room and turned as he was leaving.
“Heal him. He doesn’t get to die yet. He hasn’t suffered enough.” He placed his hand on Severus’ arm and said, “Bring the rat and follow me. And thank you, Severus. I never should have turned my back on him. You have saved my life once again.”
The old man was none-too-gently bound and gagged magically and taken to a holding cell to await punishment. Fawkes disappeared through the window and returned home until the next time the Chosen One called.
~*~*~*~*~
It took only a few days of very public executions taking place at Azkaban for the Wizarding world to realize that there was a new order controlling the world. The Wizarding Press and Ministry officials began arriving at the fortress shortly after the first dead body arrived in the Atrium of the Ministry. That first dead body to arrive belonged to Delores Umbridge whom Harry had thoroughly enjoyed torturing before sending her back to the Ministry in several pieces. Her head now adorned the end of the wand of the wizard in the Fountain of Magical Brethren and would stay there, preserved in perpetuity. Harry and his immediate circle, now called the Council of Magic, had been hearing prisoners attempt to defend their actions for several days. Most had already been executed for crimes against the Wizarding world and one high-ranking prisoner awaited his very public execution.
Harry was very pleased that his immediate circle of friends at Hogwarts had been found innocent of any crimes. Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna as well as the others had been just as much victims of Dumbledore’s as Harry. The Weasleys had also been cleared of all charges, including Percy. Most of those condemned had come directly from the Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot. Dumbledore’s influence had been very broad indeed. But none of those executed had been a part of his most heinous betrayal. No one but Dumbledore and Pettigrew betrayed Lily and James Potter.
The courtyard had been prepared for this momentous event. Bleachers had been placed around three sides for the press and curious bystanders. Harry and his party had built a platform in front of the reborn Tree of Life. This was the original tree that had been mirrored in the portal in Merlin’s castle. Now alive and thriving, every leaf, branch and twig held the name of someone in the vast magical community - past and present. The mighty branches fanned out over the crowd and spectators happily pointed to the names above their heads.
A simple stone throne was centered on the platform with a smaller one to its right. Harry sat on his throne, his staff in his left hand and the great broadsword in his right hand was resting on his lap. He was fully dressed in battle armor made from Romanian Longhorn dragon scales. The deep, dark green of the scales was enhanced by even greener eyes. No one present would dare question the power or authority of the young wizard sitting before them. Next to him, a tall dark-haired wizard was dressed in a similar fashion but instead wore a dark blue mask etched in water runes and battle armor of black Norwegian Ridgeback - the Lord Consort’s symbol of office hung from a thick gold chain around his neck.
Behind the thrones stood four masked figures. The two warriors - one wearing the mask of a grim, the other a werewolf - stood on each side of the Chosen One and Lord Consort keeping a watchful eye on the crowd, making sure there was no threat to their cub and his mate. More than a few mumblings expressed concern about their identities, but none dared to express them in more than a whisper. There was no doubt about the identity of the two blonds on the platform. The distinctive Malfoy hair and attitude was enough to identify them. The elder Malfoy was dressed in gold silk robes and wore the Chain of Office as Lord Chancellor of the Fae Lord’s new world. The medallion attached to the chain was etched with the images of all the wizards and magical creatures represented equally. The younger Malfoy wore red Chinese Fireball battle armor and a mask of red flames. The group on the platform all waited patiently for what they knew would come.
The day had finally arrived that Harry and his circle had been waiting for. Through Percy Weasley, Harry had been informed that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would be arriving that day to attempt to re-take control of Azkaban. Everything had been prepared for this final confrontation and Harry was relieved when he saw that Kingsley Shacklebolt was leading the Ministry delegation.
This might not end as a total blood bath after all.
The Aurors entered the courtyard in military formation. Kingsley stood at the front, cautiously examining the situation. He was an astute man and not one to make snap judgments. There was obviously more here than he was told.
Harry stood up and crossed to the front of the platform. He waved back any attempts for Severus or the others to stand beside him.
“Kingsley, I’m afraid that you are wasting your time. This castle has been returned to its rightful owner and the violators will be eliminated.”
Kingsley stood his ground, “By what right do you claim this castle?”
Harry smirked. His friend had played right into his hands. Harry scanned the crowd to make sure that nothing would be missed. Reporters had quills poised over their parchments, eager for Harry to speak.
“I am Harry James Potter, the Lord of the Fae and Heir of Magic. I am the Chosen One. I am the master of the elements. In my left hand I hold Merlin’s staff which contains the Stone of the Heir. I have reclaimed Merlin’s castle and his legacy as my own. In my right hand I hold Excalibur, the sword of the Fae that was handed down through Arthur Pendragon and into my hands. Is there anyone here who dares to challenge my heritage or my authority?”
Harry scanned the crowd once more. Not one sound was uttered.
Harry continued, “I have no plans to destroy our world, only to destroy those who would threaten its continued existence. Today you are to witness an execution for the most heinous crimes. Today, the new world begins.”
Harry turned to Draco and instructed, “Tell them to bring in the prisoner.”
Draco exited through a side entrance and soon returned, followed by three cloaked figures. The one in the center was stooped over with a hood covering his head and he walked clumsily as if in pain. The two masked figures on his side held him up by his arms. One wore a white mask etched with air runes. The other wore a mask streaked in browns and gold containing earth runes.
Someone in the bleachers cried out, “Death Eaters!” and the crowd began to panic.
“Silence!” Harry shouted. “You know nothing of which you speak.”
Harry turned to the Aurors. “You are here to witness an execution for High Treason.”
He grabbed the prisoner by the base of his neck. “This wizard will pay for his treachery. At this very moment, I have followers taking control of every department in the Ministry as well as dissolving the Wizengamot. You have no power here. I suggest that you allow this to proceed without disruption.”
Kingsley looked at the hooded figure. “I would like to hear the charges and proof of his guilt before I make my decision.”
Harry yanked the hood off his prisoner and the crowd let out a loud uproar. Harry pulled the long silver hair back exposing the prisoner’s neck.
“I see that you all recognize our friend here. Albus Dumbledore has played us all as fools. Obviously, he is not dead.”
Harry raised his staff and began to list the charges against the former Headmaster. As he wrote in the air, fire-writing listed the many crimes that had been committed.
“The charges are as follow: Falsifying a prophecy for personal gain …”
The crowd became silent.
“… destruction of the Founder’s relics…”
A gasp was heard in the crowd.
“…attempted murder of the Fae Lord…”
Draco Malfoy removed his mask.
“… the intentional physical and emotional abuse of Harry James Potter…”
Remus Lupin removed his mask.
“… the false conviction for murder of Sirius Orion Black…”
Sirius Black removed his mask.
“… the attempted murder of Severus Tobias Snape…”
Severus removed his mask.
Harry paused momentarily for the crowd to become silent once more. He stared directly into the dark eyes of the only Ministry official that he still trusted.
“…and finally, the wrongful imprisonment of James Peverell Potter and Lily Eileen Evans Potter in Azkaban for the last seventeen years.”
The two masked figures standing to either side of Harry and the prisoner stripped off their masks, revealing the faces of James and Lily Potter.
Harry addressed the crowd once more. “Albus Dumbledore manipulated our world for nearly fifty years. He imprisoned my parents in order to control my future. He placed charms and magic blockers on me to prevent my true heritage from manifesting. The many crimes that he blamed on the Dark Lord were actually his own. The man accused of all this evil, Tom Marvolo Riddle, sacrificed his life so that the world would know the truth. In light of the truth that stands before you, is there anyone here who wishes to challenge the execution of this man?”
Not one person stood to defend the former leader of the Light. The Aurors backed off and blended into the anxious crowd.
“I have seen the proof of your charges and offer no resistance. My Lord, I am ever your servant.” Kingsley bowed to the new Lord and waited at the side of the platform.
~*~*~*~*~
“You, the condemned, by order of the Council of Magic and my rights as the Chosen One, Heir of Magic and Lord of the Fae, I hereby banish you to the everlasting torments of Hades.
“In the name of Helga Hufflepuff, I condemn you to Hell for betraying the loyalty of generations of magical folk.
“In the name of Rowena Ravenclaw, I condemn you to Hell for using the gift of knowledge to further your platitudes of evil.
“In the name of Godric Gryffindor, I condemn you to Hell for sacrificing the brave and courageous in your never-ending desires for total domination of the Wizarding world.
“In the name of Salazar Slytherin, I condemn you to Hell for the lies and propaganda that you have spread about this noble house and the people who refused to follow your warped ideals.
“In the name of Merlin, I hereby strip you of all magical powers and return your stolen powers to those to whom they rightfully belong.
“And in the name of Morgan Le Fay, my ancestress, I condemn you to the eternal fires of Hell for the lies, pain and deceit which you have inflicted upon me and my family for our entire lives.”
“I place my honor as your judge and executioner in the hands of the Fates. I truly and willingly sacrifice your life for the freedom of all magical folk throughout the world.”
The beautiful broadsword of unknown origins was held high above the wizard’s head, its hilt encrusted with rare and ancient gemstones and its blade etched with runes. In later years, it was rumored to have actually been the sword of Arthur Pendragon, Excalibur, but its master laughed and merely hinted that everyone knew that Sir Percival had returned Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake centuries earlier.
One swift downward thrust into the neck of the prisoner severed his spinal cord. Six broad strokes severed the body into six large pieces, each one delivered to members of the Council of Magic to be buried in a secret and distant location. The head remained with the executioner as a grisly souvenir. As the six members who represented the Veela, Vampires, Werewolves, Goblins, Fae and Wizards in the Council of Magic received their bloody gift, each knelt to the ground in obedience with bowed head in homage to their new ruler, the Chosen One.
The new Dark Lord was born.
Epilogue
Later that very day, Harry Potter stood in the center of the cell that held his last and most-hated prisoner. He leaned against the wall as the powerless wizard sat silently on the stone bench, eyes glaring with malice. He was no physical match for the powerful wizard who stood before him.
A small Pensieve was embedded in the far wall and surrounded by a permanent shielding spell. The continuously running memory replayed that most recent execution over and over, never stopping its grisly scene.
Harry watched the scene with undisguised amusement. He turned to the angry prisoner.
“So how does it feel to watch the execution of the greatest wizard of our time? Does it make you feel small and useless? That is what you are, you know. You have no purpose. You are dead to the world. That scene will run continuously for the rest of your life and should you think to try and stop it, you will experience every single moment of my pain that you directly caused. No one, not even Severus, knows that you are down here in my father’s former cell. No elves will come to feed you. There will be no water to slake your thirst. I do not choose to prolong your life by any artificial means and you are not important enough for me to torture for any significant length of time.”
The new Dark Lord opened the cell door and paused to look back at the memory of the execution.
He tilted his head and smirked, “Polyjuice is an amazing thing, isn’t it? I did to you what you did to me. I still have trouble believing that Peter chose to die in your place.”
Just before leaving the cell to join the celebration in the main hall of the castle, Harry Potter closed the stone door for the last time and whispered to the prisoner held within.
“Goodbye, Albus.”
The End