On Heather Moor

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o 31 o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Heather Moor

~S~

Severus woke up from a very vivid dream of making love to Hermione, so similar to their spell induced couplings that it had seemed real. He felt furious and frustrated when he'd realized he was alone. Not that he'd expected to wake up and find her in his bed. No, the witch was still being obstinate about that. And he was sticky, apparently from having ejaculated in his sleep, again. Yet he was so stiff; he was rock hard and his testicles so tight they throbbed. He reached down and stroked himself.

The dream, much like Hermione's kiss the night before, was so vivid in his mind still that he could see her if he closed his eyes. Her heavy-lidded, lust-filled eyes in the throes of passion, her mouth slightly parted, her lips moist and swollen from his kiss, her skin aglow in the moonlight, the way her breasts strained and rose with each quick, deep breath when she was aroused... His back arched as the tension in his body reached its peak, and with a feral groan, he came, his semen shooting up and landing on his chest, the strength of the ejaculation even hitting his own chin.

Growling with annoyance, he rolled out of bed and went into the bathroom to clean himself up.

As he sat in his tub, washing off his mess, he couldn't help but think about their kiss – kisses – from the night before. The way she'd melted in his arms, responded passionately and ardently, and then swayed on her feet when he'd stopped, demonstrated to him that Hermione was still absolutely and unequivocally attracted to him. At least physically – pure animal magnetism, he scoffed. Her responsiveness had made him want to take her right there on the Malfoy lawn, but his inner voice had warned him not to.

However, his patience was wearing thin, and he didn't know how long he could endure this game of hers. His mood darkened as he toweled off. He wanted her. He wanted what was his: his wife in his life, and not this gallivanting around as if they were courting. He threw his towel in the corner of the room and walked over to the wardrobe to dress.

To get Hermione off his mind he focused instead on the house Gibbon and Foulkes had shown him, albeit reluctantly, during their interrogations. The house sat on a heather moor, of that he was certain. Severus wanted to figure out where the house he'd seen in both Gibbon's and Foulkes' memories was located. The old house with the rough-hewn doorway... the memories only showed a parcel of the land near the house – and the inside – much too dangerous to simply Apparate to.

The heather on the rolling hills and the rocks made him think it was Scotland. He didn't know Scotland well, having only explored the sites he knew where certain potion ingredients could be found. He preferred to use fresh or liked to prepare his ingredients himself to his own exacting standard. This made him familiar with much of the countryside, but nowhere he'd been, that he could recall, looked like the landscape in the memory.

The Pensieve sat on a stand next to his desk. The memories of the house and surrounds swirling in the mist within the bowl seemed to taunt him. Even if he were to start Apparating around Scotland to every known field of heather, it would be a waste of time. Not that he hadn't considered it once – well, twice. Aurors Maurice Duncan and Robert MacNaughton hadn't recognized the surrounds either, and both claimed to know the landscapes of Scotland well.

Severus also wanted to know the identity of the stocky, blue-eyed, ash-blond wizard with Miss Priswell. He knew he had to be a wizard because of his association with Ludwick Graven and Gibbon eliminated the possibility of him being Muggle-born. Therefore, the Muggle-born Registration records from the war wouldn't be helpful. In addition, the school records wouldn't help, as there were no photos of the individual students.

Searching through the Daily Prophets would require a lot of time, time he wasn't sure that Talfryn had, especially in a publication that came out daily. However, since the wizard didn't look old, maybe in his forties or fifties, he'd only have to look at every Prophet for the last fifty to sixty years. About twenty-one thousand plus issues, he thought with a moan. And that is assuming the guy ever did anything to warrant notice of the paper's reporters. It was a huge long shot for so much effort that could, in the end, be fruitless.

He arrived in the corridor of the fourth floor on his way to the library just as some of the staff were walking down for breakfast.

"Ah, Headmaster, you join us today?" Tigran asked, walking in his direction.

Normally, Severus enjoyed talking with Tigran, but this morning he was going to try and solve the mystery of the ash-blond's identity. "I'm not hungry this morning," he managed to say cordially enough.

"Ah, then you'll join us for coffee? I have excellent African blend," Tigran suggested.

Maybe he'd been too cordial.

Reginald apparently noticed Severus' sour mood and quietly warned Kenneth to go on down for breakfast. "I'll have that cup," he said, walking over to Tigran. He looked at Severus with a grin. "Come on, mate, you're always grouchy in the mornings, and a cuppa might suit you. What do you say?"

Severus knew that Reginald was immune to his moods and the last thing he wanted to do was make Reginald curious. "Fine." With a scowl he allowed Reginald to usher him to the Great Hall. "But when school starts, just remember that I'm your boss."

"Sure, mate. So what are your plans today?" Reginald asked. "I don't have my final shipment of ingredients yet, so my day's free."

"I was hoping to get some reading done in the library," Severus lied, "or my office."

"Well, if you need a second set of eyes on your reading project, let me know," Reginald stated.

Severus cursed himself; Reginald knew him to well, and knew that he liked reading in quiet corners and alcoves. He had since he was a kid – and he only read in the library when researching something. He asked Reginald about his current paper for the Potioneers Society to distract him until they reached the Great Hall.

He was serving himself eggs when he overheard Reginald and Tigran talking about the highlands of Scotland with Minerva.

Severus' curiosity perked up. Minerva... She claims to know the Scottish Highlands better than most – even told me of a few hard to get to places for potion ingredients. "Minerva, you're from the Highlands..."

She looked at him as if he was a dunderhead first-year. "Yes, you know I am."

"Are you familiar with old stone houses of the Highlands?" he asked, wondering if maybe she'd be able to shed a light on his mystery house.

"Severus, there are many old stone houses in Scotland," she said, her brow furrowed.

"And, on your summers off, you travel the Highlands with your family." He knew she did, she loved the Highlands. The house was in the highlands, of that he was certain.

"... Geoff and I enjoy the outdoors and with the great-grandkids..."

"I would like to show you something in my office." He rose and led the way, telling her why the house was so important. "Kingsley said we didn't see enough in the memory to organize a raid, and Apparating inside the house could cause unnecessary loss of life," he stated as he stood beside Dumbledore's Pensieve.

"All right," she said, looking troubled. "But why ask me? Surely the Aurors can ascertain where this house is."

"No one in the office who saw the memory recognized the surroundings. I need to find Ludwick Graven, and I know he is associated with the rogue Death Eaters." He indicated the fragment of memory of the house with the rough-hewn doorway that still swirled in the mist in the Pensieve. "It's only a fragment of a memory, but if you view it a few times it might help. Oh, and just like in the days of the Order, keep what you see only between us for now. I don't need you connected to this."

She nodded and bent forward, submerging her face in the basin, and he followed her. "The beams of the house, plaster-coated lime-washed walls, definitely a croft house..." she said, and the memory faded. They reentered to look again, and Minerva turned to take in her surroundings. "The butt-end of the dwelling, I'd say." The third time she walked to the door and peered at the landscape. "Familiar," she repeated, her lips pursed in concentration. "A typical heather moor, but these rocks... and the house from this side blends into them. If I'm not mistaken, there are spells to conceal the house from view."

He didn't follow her in the fourth time. When she stood up, she stared out of the window. "It's so familiar... but not Scotland. It doesn't feel like Scotland. I think... The rocks look familiar." She turned to look at him. "I'm sorry Severus, but if it comes to me, I'll let you know."

"Thank you," he said, resigning himself to waiting until the Aurors figured out the location of the house and spending his time perusing twenty-one thousand old Prophets for the remainder of his day.

~H~

Hermione woke slowly, staring at the pale blue painted on the ceiling of her room. She'd tried to copy the magic used on the ceiling in the Great Hall, but unlike the magical duplication of the weather outside, the ceiling only changed from day to night, but the sun, moon, planets and stars did rotate like the real ones did, so she was happy with that. However, today her mind was in turmoil, again, over Severus Snape.

Last night had been fantastic. She'd lost all sense of time. Harry had been pacing by the time she'd Apparated home, but when she'd tried to apologize he'd only huffed at her and ran up to bed. She didn't know what to make of his moods lately. Nor did she know what she was going to do about Severus. He wasn't clingy – but he wasn't possessive either. He wanted her around, but she wished she knew if he could love her. Her mum always said sex doesn't equal love.

Crookshanks looked up, slowly uncurled himself, stretched and gingerly made his way up to her for some attention. She buried her fingers in his fur and scratched him behind his ears, listening to him purr. He was getting old, and moved much slower these days. "Are you hungry, boy?" she asked, and he looked up at her and closed his eyes when she started scratching one of his favorite spots. She was debating bringing him to Hogwarts. All those stairs, and he wasn't able to climb them like he used to.

Hermione heard movement outside her door and decided she had to get up. She pulled on jeans and a light jumper and headed downstairs. Harry sat at the table, reading the Prophet over a hot mug of cocoa. "Hi," she said, accepting a mug from Kreacher.

"Hi," he said, not even looking up.

Hermione thanked Kreacher when the elf placed a plate with two sunny-side-up eggs, three bacon strips, and two pieces of toast in front of her. "So what are your plans today?''

Harry shrugged again, turning the page.

"What's in the paper this morning, anything good?" she asked trying to draw him out of his apparent slump.

"They have another article about our raid and said that Rowle and Gibbon were captured. That means we can't have Blume impersonate Rowle again," he said. "Kingsley isn't going to be happy about that."

"I bet; you lose a valuable subterfuge of having the opportunity of impersonating him again," Hermione agreed. "Anything else?"

"Quidditch scores," Harry said and rattled off the latest preseason scores and team stats. "The Cannons have three new players. It looks like they may have a good team this year. MacEwen and Guthrie have signed on as new Chasers and Sumersby is going to fly as Seeker. Remember him? He flew for Hufflepuff our sixth year."

"Yeah, small boy, really agile on his broom, wasn't he?" she asked, vaguely remembering the guy.

"He was all right. Ginny still beat him to the Snitch," Harry said with a smirk.

"His first year playing, right?" Hermione asked, smirking back. And they all thought I never paid attention. "It's good then, the Cannons getting new players. Ron will be pleased if they have a good season." She finished up her eggs. "Well, I'll be in the library. I want to read up on..."

Harry sighed heavily. Later in the library, Harry walked in and looked around as if lost. She looked up and smiled at him, and he gave her a half smile in return. She tried to concentrate on The Transfigurative Science of Converting Shape and Form, but was distracted by Harry fingering the bindings of the books as he read the titles. "There is a really good book on Human Transfiguration on the fifth shelf to your right," she suggested. "Might come in handy."

"Er, thanks," he said, moving over.

After some clarifying on which book she'd meant, he found the book and came to sit next to her on the sofa. After a while she looked over at him and noticed he was still only on page four.

She nudged his shoulder. "What's gotten into you lately?" she asked, opting for the direct approach. He opened his mouth the same time she added, "And don't say nothing. You've been acting strange, and I really want to know why. It's not about the attack, is it?"

"No, Ron and I, well, we talked," Harry said. "I was madder at him than you, anyway."

"Then what's wrong?" she asked, holding her mug in two hands. "You've been moping around a lot lately."

He stared at the pages of the book. "You're leaving."

"And you're going to miss me," she finished for him. "Harry, I'm not leaving you, I'm going back to school. And in case you've forgotten, you'll be taking a full schedule of Auror training courses. You can Apparate to see me on weekends at Hogsmeade, and we'll be together over Christmas."

He looked up and tried to smile. "It's not the same. It used to be the three of us, all the time. I always hated summer because I would be separated from you and Ron, but now it's the whole year. You're my family, Hermione, like my sister."

She put an arm around his shoulders. "And you're like a brother to me. But you will always have me in your life. You will also have Ginny, and Ron is going to be with you in training."

"Ginny will be with you," he said with a sigh. "We're finally together again, and she'll be gone, too."

"And we'll write you every day if you want, even if you won't write back," she said, giving him a squeeze. "You know, it's Saturday. I don't have to work and you are off, right?"

He looked up and nodded.

"Wanna play a board game with me, and then go somewhere fun for lunch?"

She was glad to see him smile.

~S~

Severus pulled the thick book of the school charter and bylaws off the shelf, hoping to find a loophole to his problem. After several fruitless hours searching through the old Daily Prophets for the mysterious wizard, he'd sought the solitude of his office, portraits notwithstanding, so he could find a loophole to his 'Hermione problem' in the school bylaws. He wanted Hermione in his room, not in Gryffindor tower, even if he had to insist that she stay with him. However, like Minerva, the portraits were nosey in regard to his situation as well.

"There is no way around it, it's the girl's choice," Everard stated.

"He has every right to expect his Bonded mate to reside with him," Phineas Black snapped.

"But he isn't officially Bonded," Dexter Fortescue argued.

"We're Bonded. We just haven't signed the Ministry's bloody forms," Severus said, wishing the portraits would shut up so he could read the damn book.

"It's a magical Bonding; of course it's legitimate," Dilys Derwent stated.

"Magical Plight-Trothed spells are binding; even the Ministry cannot deny it," Christopher Wren, a wizard sporting a sixteenth-century ruff, stated factually. "All magical pure-blood families know this."

"So if I understand you correctly, Miss Granger had been considering filing for an annulment, of a magical Bonding, but hasn't followed through with it? But then neither of you have signed your confirmation of the Bonding either, is that right?" the image of Dumbledore asked from over Severus' shoulder. "What have you been doing, my boy?"

Severus sat up straighter in his chair, turned and glared at the image in the painting. "What have I done?"

"To upset her so. Didn't you bring her here to have her read up on this spell?" Dumbledore asked with a sigh. "Surely she is under the impression –"

"The girl used the Moon-Song Curse to ensnare me, and I've decided that I will try and make things work with the girl! The fact is that the Ministry has told her they can give her annulment papers saying she is free, but you and I know that a true Pairing Charm cannot be broken in such a matter if it is consummated. I cannot deny that, although I was unhappy about the pairing, truth is, I was matched to her by a spell that unites soul mates – one's magical complement."

"So you want to remain Bonded," Dumbledore said stating the obvious. That damnable twinkle appeared in the ex-Headmaster's eyes.

"It's not a matter of wanting to – it's a matter of the fact that we are," Severus said as he leaned back in the armchair and glared at the charter lying open on his desk.

"Yet you now plan on enticing her to remain Bonded and to move into the Headmaster tower with you instead of sharing a dorm with her friends?"

"That's the gist of it," Severus stated for the second time. "But I'm not allowed to make overt advances toward my wife! At least not where any portrait can see... She is my wife, damn it!"

"It's a bloody fiasco if you ask me. A past Head of Slytherin, Headmaster of Hogwarts forcibly Bonded to a Muggle-born," Phineas Black scoffed from his frame. "She could do no better than you, that's for sure."

Dumbledore glared in the direction of his frame, and then turned back to Severus. "Severus, I don't know what more I can add. Since your Bonding is unofficial, due to the fact that neither of you have signed the official forms, you are held by the restraints of the charter. On the other hand, Hermione is eighteen and you are magically Bonded and have consummated your union prior to your reacceptance of the Headmaster's post," Dumbledore's image stated. "In other words it is forbidden, but the school governors can't dismiss you for continuing your relationship with your legally adult, Bonded wife."

"It's such a shame really, they make a cute couple," Dilys said, patting her curls.

Phineas scowled at her. "You're not helping the matter."

Severus turned to face Dumbledore's portrait. "Minerva is most insistent that I can't be seen consorting intimately with Hermione in the corridors or in empty classrooms like a hormonal teenager, as if I'd stoop that low," he stated, with a sneer. However, what Minerva had said wasn't to his liking, and he'd be damned if he was going to heed her. He knew every hidden nook and cranny in the castle – and a few secret rooms as well. I cannot order Hermione to come to me in my bedchamber, but I'll be damned if I won't try to coerce her. "She will have to want to do so on her own accord, and the portraits will all know if she did."

"Precisely, although we portraits here are honor-bound to keep your affairs a secret. However, should you do anything against the school charter, such confidences can be broken if a student is put in grave peril or put in physical or mental harm," Fortescue stated as if quoting the bylaw at him..

Headmaster Christopher Wren scoffed at him. "Like he'd do anything to put a student in grave peril – after everything he did to protect them his first term."

"In other words you are not telling me anything Minerva hasn't already told me," Severus said, closing the book. Regardless of every conceivable angle he could come up with, Severus was going to have to work around the school charter. If he was going to woo his witch back, Severus was going to have to court her without making a public spectacle of himself. This was going to take every skill he had at persuasion, manipulation, and stealth that he could muster. And in every corridor, every office, half the classrooms, and even the bloody library there were portraits, human portraits with eyes, and several of them he knew to be incessant gossips. Winning Hermione back would be a challenge. Well, a Slytherin rarely failed at a challenge once he made up his mind to accept and conquer it, although winning the affections of this particular witch could prove to really test that theory.

"So you intend to pursue her?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," Severus stated firmly.

"I certainly wish you had taken a different approach to your union, Severus, but if you are truly meant for each other, I assume things will work out for the both of you," Dumbledore stated. "She is strong willed and, once her mind is made up, not easily swayed. But I do wish you luck."

"I won't need luck, I'll need perseverance." As he rose to go, his gaze fell to the three packages on his desk. He'd looked in Hermione's records and had discovered that her birthday was the nineteenth of September, so he'd Apparated to a rare bookstore to find her an appropriate gift. What he'd found was an old copy of a rare book, a lucky find actually, and it was even a second edition.

He knew that the only six first editions known to be in existence were in private collections of three of the wealthiest wizards, the vaults in the Department of Historical Records and Artifacts in the Ministry of Magic, The Alexandria Library Museum of Magical Masters in Cairo, and the Great Wizards and Masters wing of the Louvre. Even Lucius Malfoy only had a fifth edition. Of course, he knew that in time he'd be able to read the book, too, which was really an ulterior motive for buying such an expensive gift. But it would impress Hermione. That's what really counted.

The other two were a revision journal and a very fine swan quill. He contemplated giving the quill and revision journal as a start of term gift, instead of her birthday. She might appreciate the gesture toward her studies.

Giving up on the charter and bylaws, he sat down to sort out the papers from the school governors and sign off on the final curriculums of his new professors, saving Hagrid's for last.

At dinner, Minerva handed him a photograph of her and her husband, arm in arm next to a large snow-capped rock. He looked at her, not comprehending the photos significance.

"I remember now why the moor looked so familiar. Geoff and I took the boys here on one of my Christmas holidays. It's a lovely spot, where the moor drops steeply down towards the village of Ben Rhydding, near the town of Ilkley," she said, pointing at the picture.

He was still baffled by the relevance of her outburst.

She pointed at the picture again. "It's Ilkley Moor, between Ilkley and Keighley in West Yorkshire. The rock is what made me think of it." She pulled another picture from her pocket, this time larger in a wood frame, of herself, Geoff, and their three sons standing by some large rocks on a heather moor. "I think it's the same area as the house you are looking for."

"You think so?" he repeated amazedly. The larger picture didn't look like the landscape from the memory, and he couldn't tell from the smaller one due to the snow in the background.

Minerva nodded. "Yes. Ilkley Quarry is the site of the famous rock formation called the 'Cow and Calf,'" she said, indicating the larger picture. "My son, Gregory, said the rocks are made of millstone grit. The landscape is littered with these rock piles and formations. I don't know if a croft house had ever been built in the area, but the landscape is quite lovely and unforgettable. Gregory could tell you more about the place."

"Thank you, Minerva," he said, looking more closely at the background of the picture. It was a rocky heather moor like the memory.

Unfortunately, Minerva tried asking him about Hermione's living arrangement, and he snapped at her, "I'll inform you when she and I decide, and not sooner." He left the table and strode to his office.

A snowy owl appeared on his windowsill, hooted, flew toward him and extended a leg, brandishing a letter with Hermione's handwriting. Severus took the letter, and gave the owl a treat, wondering what, if anything, Hermione had to say to him that she couldn't say in person that night.

Severus,

Please don't be mad, but I want to spend my weekend with my friends.

I'll be seeing you on Tuesday anyway.

Hermione

Oh, no you don't. "Before you go, I have a response," he told the owl just as she was spreading her wings. She settled back down and waited. He quickly drafted a note.

Hermione,

As per our arrangement, you may live at Potter's only if you keep to your agreement and meet with me nightly. I have not forced myself on you nor insisted that this be every night, giving you allowances. However, you did agree that you would spend your evenings with me in order for us to get to know each other.

Thus, I will be seeing you tomorrow night.

I will be by at seven.

Severus

After giving the reply to the owl, he sat down and pinched the bridge of his nose. Why her of all witches? She still thinks like a bloody teenager!

He slapped his hands on his desk, picked up his quill, and drafted a note to Kingsley.

~H~

Kingsley turned to face the room, holding his pointing stick with both hands. A huge image of large rocks on the slant of a hill appeared behind him. "Now where exactly the house is located is simply a hunch. Mr. Phillip Bradford, our wizard representative in the Muggle Ministry of Forestry, and a magical geologist, Gregory McGonagall, have both given us the locations of the most likely spots for the croft house as described by Severus. This is one of them."

Harry watched as more than a few heads turned to look in Severus' direction. Severus was creating the images from his memory by using an obscure spell Unspeakable Harvey Fink had taught Severus that morning. The image resembled a photograph slide projected onto the white wall, much like Uncle Vernon's boring vacation photos. But the effect was useful. The down side was that the image was removed from Severus' mind each time he cast it on the wall – so this was their only shot to see it. Harry was trying to remember every detail of the images so he'd never forget them. Next to him, Ron was concentrating equally as hard, staring intently at the pictures.

The image changed, drawing everyone's attention back to the front of the room. "This is another." The detailed picture now showed the inside of the house with more clarity than the other images, as if the camera was actually better in focus this time. "The house itself is one large open area, with crude furnishings. It has small windows and at least two doors, though we only saw one in the memory," Kingsley stated. "There is a hiking trail through the landscape, so two teams will approach on foot as Muggle hikers." He indicated to his left, where both Harry and Ron stood, wearing Muggle attire, suitable for a day hike. Harry smiled at Ron, excitement at the prospect of leading the raid kept firmly in check. "Others will swoop down by air once the site has been located. No one is to Apparate until the signal is given."

Harry watched the faces of the Aurors, smiling at those who'd be in his team. He was leading one of the two front groups that was going to scout along one of the hiking trails on the map. He saw Severus, dressed in black jeans and shirt, sigh as Kingsley went over the attack plans again. Maurice Duncan and Robert MacNaughton were both in Muggle jeans, t-shirts with lightweight jackets, and hiking boots, next to him, listening with rapt attention.

"So you all know your assignments; I suggest the front teams prepare to go," Kingsley finally said.

Six people approached Harry to have their outfits checked, and get their backpacks Phillip Bradford had made up for them. When Severus had called a meeting late the night before, announcing that he knew the general location of the Death Eaters' hide out, Harry had stressed the necessity for the hikers to be properly dressed in order to blend in and not raise suspicions. Therefore, having been raised Muggle, he and Phillip Bradford had been assigned the task of teaching wizards how to look like ordinary Muggle day hikers.

Harry had taken the nine going as hikers to the Gap on London's Oxford Street first thing in the morning, and he'd tried to keep everyone together in the large store as he pointed out what was proper hiking attire. Ironically, Ron had been a huge help in assisting Loraine Matsuno and Mathilde Wells in their selections while Maurice and Robert helped the others in the men's department. And, because Aurors often had to go into rugged landscapes, they already had good sturdy dragon-hide hiking boots.

Thankfully, everyone looked all right to him: Rivas and Perkinson had on shorts and polo shirts, Galvin Darthmyer in jeans and a jersey shirt, Loraine in shorts and a T-shirt and Mathilde wore jeans and a cotton blouse. Severus was eyeing everyone's footwear as Ron handed out the backpacks.

"Okay. Now be careful out there. They might detect us, or might not. There will be spells protecting the place, but since we have seen the house and the surrounds, you should be able to see through a Fidelius Charm if there is one. But be alert and vigilant. These men are killers and will kill first and run."

Hayward Blume squeezed in through the group as he tried to approach Harry. "You got everything you wanted?"

Harry looked up. "Yeah, thanks." He turned his attention back to the Aurors surrounding him.

"Okay, we have beef jerky, granola bars, water bottles, light jackets, first aid kits, moleskin if you get a blister, Sunscreen Potion, Insect-Repelling Potion, penknife, a battery operated torch, binoculars, and a map," Phillip said, pulling each item out as he named them. "If you need to, there is a side pocket for your wand and a compass on the zipper." Everyone was checking through their bags as he spoke.

Harry picked up the tree branch and handed Ron the flashlight. "We have two Portkeys; Ron and Robert MacNaughton's team will use the battery operated torch to get there, my team the branch," he said, nodding to Maurice Duncan. Maurice had insisted that Harry take lead, saying it'd be good for him. Harry hadn't minded in the least.

Maurice Duncan, Loraine Matsuno and Mathilde Wells reached out to grasp the branch in Harry's hand as the others divided in to two teams. Darthmyer glared calculatingly at Severus, as Severus grasped the branch, pointedly ignoring Darthmyer. Harry wondered what Darthmyer was perturbed about, still hovering with his group since he was supposed to be on Ron's team. Darthmyer grasped the branch just as it started to glow. "Oi, you're on –"

Harry was cut off when he felt the tug at his navel. They landed between some bush and some rocks, not far from the trail. "... on Ron's team!"

Darthmyer was still glaring at Severus. "I don't trust him," he said with a sneer in Severus' direction.

Harry brandished the branch at him, snarling softly in a controlled rage, "Yeah, well I do. And now you've shorted Ron's team a wand, and you can't Apparate now. So, you've best decide right now if you can work with him, because I don't want trouble from you."

Thankfully, Severus kept his expression neutral, although he crossed his arms, his gaze flicking from Harry to Darthmyer.

Darthmyer's expression turned stony. "He's one of them."

Harry was about to retort when Loraine stepped forward. "What's your problem? You know very well that Severus has been on our side since his trial. You should've seen him fighting at the Rose and Thorns raid, and he's been assisting us in our interrogations each time we capture one of them."

"Enough," Maurice said in a loud hiss. "We're drawing attention. Darthmyer, we can't send you back, and you can't go to your team. I hope they stay smart now that they're a wizard short – thanks to this immature stunt – so you'll follow Potter's lead and do whatever he tells you. But after this, you and I will have words. For now, focus people!"

"Okay, keep the chatter down," Harry instructed as he tossed the branch aside. He checked his compass against the map that Loraine pulled out of her pack. The town of Ben Rhydding lay to his left. "Okay, we go this way," he said, walking off to his right.

Everyone followed him, most chatting softly. Severus stayed behind Harry and Maurice with Darthmyer on his heels and Mathilde and Loraine taking up the rear. Loraine tapped Darthmyer's shoulder and tried to engage him in conversation.

Harry slowed down so he could walk next to Severus. "I'm sorry about that; he was supposed to be in Ron's group," he said softly, jerking his head in Darthmyer's direction. Severus was being very quiet, and he hoped it wasn't because of Darthmyer.

"It's of no consequence," Severus stated softly. "Why the binoculars?"

"They are magically enhanced, and will also make us look like tourists," Harry stated with a grin. "Ron's idea."

Severus rolled his eyes.

"So how are things between you and Hermione?" Harry asked, knowing that Severus wouldn't confide in him, but they were supposed to look like day hikers and appear like a small group of friends.

He wasn't disappointed. Severus scowled and turned his head. "Are you asking me about my love life or inquiring if I'm mistreating your friend?"

Harry suppressed a smile. "I know you are not mistreating her. I just wondered if you are getting along all right."

"I'm sure she's told you everything you need to know," Severus stated coolly. "Change the subject – or better yet, be silent."

"She tells me where you take her, and I know she's still willing to give the Bonding a go, but she doesn't tell me everything," Harry stated. The look on Severus' face, the twitch of the eyebrow followed by a sneer made Harry laugh softly. "She's my best mate. If you are going to stay Bonded, you and I will have to deal with each other."

"Is that why you requested me on your team?" Severus asked.

"No, I wanted you because you're a capable wizard, and you can help me break down any of the protection spells that your ex-associates might've used to keep us out," Harry stated firmly. It was the truth. Harry had the sneaking suspicion that the house would be protected by the same spell that Draco had set on the stairs to the Astronomy Tower in their sixth year.

The team stopped to survey the landscape and check the map. At a fork in the trail, Harry chose to go right, deeper into the moor, since the town wouldn't be in view anymore if they did. Each time they entered a field of dense heather growth, they left the trail, spanning out to scout for any magical signatures or anything that resembled the location they were seeking. Harry paired Maurice with Darthmyer each time, ignoring the older wizard's glares, and signaled Severus to follow him.

As the terrain started to give way to a gentle decline, Severus reached out and grasped Harry's arm. "Hold up a minute." He pulled out his wand, aiming for the ground. Harry signaled everyone to squat or sit, watching Severus carefully. Bending low, Severus strode forward, scanning the plants. He came back, but kept his wand out.

"What?" Maurice asked.

"A very faint magical trace pointing north," Severus replied. "I think it's to deceive an intruder, placed here merely as a distraction from the house."

Maurice nodded in agreement, saying softly, "We should proceed with caution in case there are sensory charms," as he swept the area with detection charms.

Loraine was scanning the area with her binoculars. "I – I think I see a Jack Russell Terrier?" she said questioningly, staring at a point in the distance.

Mathilde quickly confirmed the find. "Two, with bobbed tails," she informed the group. "They could be Crups."

"Concealment Charms, now," Harry ordered softly, casting the spells on himself, "and don't forget to add Heat-Sensing and Locating Charms. I don't want us hitting each other." The landscape remained the same, but from his perspective each member of his team now appeared to him as a red, orange, and yellow shape. He leaned over to the Snape-like shape beside him. "Does this look familiar?"

"Somewhat," the figure responded in Severus' voice, then pointed down the trail. "I want to get down to that grouping of brush."

Harry nodded, then mentally chastised himself. The spells made small and simple gestures, like nodding, almost unreadable. "Maurice, you, Darthmyer and Mathilde aim for that ridge of rock on that slope; Loraine, Severus, and I are going down to that brush. Use the Protean disks if you see anything."

He followed Severus, Loraine at his back. The closer they got to the brush, the more tension Harry felt. Severus stopped occasionally, kneeling down, and they copied him. Each pulled out their binoculars and Disillusioned them.

"There is definitely something there," Loraine said hesitantly and just above a whisper, "but I can't see it if I look at it directly."

"Fidelius Charm," Severus stated. "We've seen the house and the inside so we know it's there, but we won't be able to look directly at it until we are inside the ward."

They moved forward carefully, the tension mounting as they edged their way through the low foliage. Severus held out an arm to block Harry's progress. "The Crups, we're getting too close." He aimed his wand in the direction of the distortion, sending a curse and then a spell pulse that rippled the air.

Severus leaned toward Harry. "That should confuse the Crups. They're now unable to smell anything and they should be confounded," he said, and Harry could hear the smirk in his voice. "I also detect a Stealth-Censoring Spell."

"Well, we're in the right place." Harry turned to scan the ridge with his binoculars, spotting Ron and Rivas. "Loraine, send a message to Ron that we've found the house and to Disillusion themselves."

"Already sending the message," Loraine stated, as Ron faded from view.

In a few heartbeats Harry could see three glowing human-shapes proceeding to the location of the house.

"He says that the dogs are Confounded... and they're dividing... Rivas and Perk – I assume Perkinson – are moving to the other side..." she read off her coin. "He'll send word when they're in place."

"I want the Crups stunned when we get close enough," Harry stated, and Loraine indicated that she'd relayed the order. "No," he said turning to face her, "I want us to do it. We'll move forward and try and draw them out of the house. Have Ron and his team move in from the back. If there is a door, great, if not, have them come around the house and attack from the sides."

"You're doing good kid," Maurice murmured, leaning over his shoulder. "Silence your boots, in case them dogs hear us."

Harry chastised himself for forgetting, casting a Silencing Charm as he moved forward. He could feel Severus smirking beside him. As they moved down the slope toward the bushes, Loraine whispered to him that three members of Ron's team were still waiting on the ridge.

Two jets of spell-light shot from the location of the house, one purple, the other red as Harry and Severus dived away from each other just before the spells hit the ground. The red one had been close, but Harry surmised that it had been nothing but a lucky shot as it had landed short from where they'd been.

"Bombarda," the girls shouted, aiming for the house, shattering glass and making rocks explode in the air. Darthmyer sent a ball of fire soaring in the air toward the house, but dissipated into water before it hit.

Three spells burst forward from the house, responded to by spells from his team. Another set of spells were fired on them, apparently aiming blindly at the sources of the attack, one catching one of his team on the arm. "I'm good. It's my left," Maurice shouted, firing a Body-Lock at the place where one of the shots came from.

Twin shouts of "Patere manifesto," and "Manifestare," could be heard from the house as what looked like globs turned into puffs of smoke. "It's to reveal our location," Maurice said, as puce smoke billowed in the air. "If it touches us, our Concealment Charms will fail."

Harry shouted, "Expelliarmus," the same time Maurice shouted, "Obtorpescere," as more explosion of puce smoke filled the air around them.

"You can't disarm them, Potter, if you can't see them," Severus shouted, sending three fireballs through the air in quick succession. One of the fireballs landed a few feet off the ground, caught on something flammable, and spread quickly. Another seemed to curve, passed too far to their right, and shouts could be heard, possibly from the side of the house. A scrawny, scruffy blond wizard appeared, followed by a wiry-looking, dark-haired wizard with a goatee. "Mulciber and MacTavish," Severus and Maurice said in unison.

"Deflagratio," Mulciber shouted, setting the ground near them on fire.

Mathilde and Maurice immediately responded with, "Aqua-riguum," to put out the flames as MacTavish sent two green jets of light at them. Darthmyer erected a deflection shield as he shoved Philip out of the way and shouted at Mathilde to duck. Meanwhile, Ron, Phillip, and Robert were sliding down the slope firing spells at the house.

More dust kicked up and part of the roof collapsed.

Two more wizards left the house, while one stayed in the doorway sporting a Bubble-Head Charm.

"Stupefy," Harry said, echoed by the girls on his left. "That's Dolohov," he shouted. "Get him!" The puce smoke was settling on them now, and breaking down their protective charms.

"They can see us now!" Harry warned his team. A spell grazed his shoulder as he turned, sending a wave of cold down his arm and spine, but adrenaline helped him shake off the chill.

Mathilde made a forceful flick of her wrist as she growled, "Conglacio intransit," at Mulciber as Loraine hissed, "Petrificus Totalus," aiming for MacTavish. Both wizards fired consecutive curses in response while ducking.

A whip-like burst of purple light shot at Harry from Antonin Dolohov's wand but missed, cracking on the ground instead. Ron ducked and rolled, firing a Body-Bind. Dolohov fired at him, making Ron rollout of the way. Robert quickly cast a Shield Charm and Harry fired a Stunner to defend his friend. "Ron, get up!"

A flash of red whizzed by Harry's head. "Stupefy," Mathilde yelled, as MacTavish fired a spell back handed, then swung, wildly, snarling, "Cinefactus."

MacTavish fired an Entrail-Expelling Curse at Darthmyer that hit his side. Blood gushed from the cut, the major impact of the curse hopefully having missed, but he was down. Ron and Robert fired, both their spells, unfortunately, blocked by MacTavish.

Mulciber shouted, "Lapidonis," at Harry as the wizard in grey robes, yelped, "Stupefy," barely having time to dodge another spell.

Harry managed to roll out of the way, landing on his knees, and fired back. He blocked a sickly burst of light headed for him, but heard Loraine curse loudly. Dolohov aimed at him, but Harry shouted, "Expelliarmus," as Ron shouted, "Levicorpus."

Not far from him, a shout of "Diffino atroxis" was answered by Phillip's "Expelliarmus," and Robert's "Stupefy."

To his far left Harry heard Ron shout, "Conglacio intransit."

Dolohov fired widely, snarling, "Viscerum lanio," as MacTavish yelled "Mutilus interrorsus" with a sharp pointing jab of his wand.

Rocks exploded not far from Harry's feet, making him roll and fire again to defend himself.

Both girls took aim at the wizard in the doorway, who took aim at them, Mathilde's face going pale as her wand snapped in her hand. Loraine started running over to her firing spells wildly at the house. Phillip tried to cover for her, firing on the wizard, drawing his attention, but missed and hit the house.

The wizard at the doorway shouted, "Cinefactus," hitting Phillip's shoulder, making his shirt and part of his shoulder disintegrate into dust.

Meanwhile, Dolohov raised his arm, saying "Avada Kedavra," as he took aim. Harry tied to disarm him, but was knocked out of the way by Severus. Harry struggled to get up, ignoring the shooting pain in his ankle. He saw MacTavish fire at Mathilde, making her scream, but it cut off short. He turned and saw her fall. Loraine fired the same time Robert did, their spells colliding next to Mulciber.

Dolohov tried the kill Harry again, but Severus' arm slashed the air as he snarled, "Sectumsempra," the same time Harry shouted, "Levicorpus." Dolohov was flung upside down in the air by his ankle, blood spurting from his body as he tried the Killing Curse again. Harry jerked his arm, shouting, "Expelliarmus," to disarm him as Ron shouted, "Conglacio intransit."

Maurice barely had time to shield himself as Dolohov aimed at him, snarling, "Viscerum lanio," again.

Meanwhile, MacTavish made another sharp-pointing jab of his wand at Harry, but he was thrown off balance from dodging a spell from Ron, and his spell flew well past Harry's location. Ron tried to Stun MacTavish, only succeeding on hitting the wizard's arm.

Perkinson, looking rather singed, stumbled from around the house and fired. The wizard standing in the doorway panicked, fired a spell off wildly, and ran from the house, stopping to turn on his heel.

MacNaughton fired again and again to try and stop the grey-robed wizard.

"That's William Holabird!" Perkinson shouted, just as the wizard in grey Apparated away.

Mulicber turned and aimed at Harry, enraged, snarling, "Avada Kedavra," as Dolohov turned into a human icicle. Harry managed to dodge out of the way as Mulciber's curse bounced off a rock.

Loraine and Ron both shouted "Expelliarmus," as Phillip shouted, "Conglacio intransit," sending MacTavish flying and crashing against the burning house. Ron hit him with a Stunner, and he fell onto his face, stiff as a frozen board.

Harry sat on a rock as the dust settled around them. His ankle throbbed and he couldn't stand on it any longer. His left arm felt bone cold, and his left hand was numb. Not far from him, Loraine was trying to help stop the curse from eating away at Phillip's shoulder. From where he sat, he could see she favored one leg. Maurice told her to take Phillip to St. Mungo's as he picked up Mathilde's limp body. Ron approached him, looking worried. "I'm fine, Ron. See who's hurt and help get them to hospital."

"Sure, mate," Ron replied and turned.

Several yards away Harry saw something black sprawled on the ground. Forgetting his pain, he hobbled and hopped to where the body lay, stumbling faster when he realized it was Severus. He managed to turn the man over and checked for a pulse. He knew that he couldn't Apparate with him in his condition. "Ron, I need help!" he shouted.

~ T B C ~>

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Author's notes:

I know, I know... but I had to stop somewhere. You know that he's not dead, right? Otherwise the story would just end here, and this isn't the ending I have planned.

I want to thank my betas, EverMystique and to DuchessOfArcadia, for giving this a read and helping me clean up all my mistakes. I really appreciate it very much.

TPP: Thank you also to Jay for my beautiful banner. I really love it!

The Latin used came from: http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/lookdown.pl? Any mistakes in my choice of which Latin words to use are totally my own.

Obrigesco: to become stiff, to freeze

Deflagration: burning, destruction by fire

Riguum: watering, well watered, irrigated. – I figured this would put out a fire.

Patere: exposed; to be revealed, disclosed, clear

Manifesto and Manifestare: to show clearly, reveal

Cinefactus: turned to ashes

Conglacio intransit: to freeze, be inert, to turn to ice

Mutilus: maimed or mutilated

Introrsus: inwards, inwardly, internally

Viscerum: pertaining to the flesh; also internal organs, entrails; inmost part or heart of anything

Lanio: to tear to pieces, mangle, lacerate