Vows

Chapter 13 Skin

Hermione heard Harry moving around the cottage but she just stayed in the other bedroom with a blanket over her head. She felt ashamed of herself. All she had to do was to tell Harry that she saw Snape’s face when she looked at him.
But in her emotional state, she messed up and she was trying to gather her courage as the morning light filled the room.
Hermione got very concerned when she started to hear voices besides Harry’s. Her worries were put to rest when she heard a knock at the bedroom door and Remus’s head peeked in.
“Remus!” Hermione said with relief as she got out of the bed and put her arms around him.
He hugged her warmly and rocked her saying,

“Oh my dear girl. Now, tell me,” he broke the hug, “ what is going on?”

“ I keep seeing Archbishop Snape. I see him and not Harry’s face.” Hermione told him.

“The Archbishop’s a wizard and knows a great many ways to work his magic; most of it dark I imagine.” Remus said to her.
They sat down on the bed.

“Can you tell me more. You’ve had dreams?”

“Yes. They started first then the archbishop’s face appeared on Harry.”

“Did Snape ever give you something? A necklace? A ring?”

“He gave me letter, right before I left the convent. I didn’t open it until a few days ago.”

“No, I was thinking of something that would be on your person like jewelry. Did he ever give you oil or perfume?”
Hermione shook her head.

“Did he ever say anything strange to you?”

“I don’t know, ... I don’t remember.”
There was a knock at the door and there was Sirius and Snape; or Harry with Snape’s face peeking in.
It took a moment for Hermione to hide her reaction. Harry had a pained look on his face,
“It’s me, Harry.”

Hermione had to force herself to hesitantly go to him and embrace him.

“You still see him, don’t you?” Harry asked .

Nodding her head, she closed her eyes, feeling fresh tears pooling in them .

“ Close your eyes and hear me,” and he took her hand and held it to his face and she felt his face, his cheeks, his lips, his nose, his eye brows and his messy hair.
Hermione nuzzled in the crook of his neck and could smell him, her Harry.

“What could he have of your’s Hermione?” Remus asked.

“I don’t know,” She said.

Hermione felt Harry move and said,
“Hey Moody, he scarred her. He put a witch’s mark on her back.”

“Where?”

“Hermione…show him the mark.”

Hermione blushed and undid the fasteners on her dress and slowly lowered the top, trying to keep some level of modesty.
Hermione felt hands on her back, feeling the scar, making it tingle and sting.

“Hermione, when did he do this to you?”

“I think the night I saw you, the night I saw you in the vision.”

“What happen that night?” 

“ He was trying.. he was trying ..to,” Hermione stammered out,

“Have his way, but I stopped him, I put my hand up and he flew across the room. He got up and asked me,
‘Did you know that pain can bring on a spiritual experience?’and then he said something like ‘this will mark you well’ ..then I passed out after the fourth lash.”

At the Abby, he said, “I marked you as my own, your flesh is mine to do with as I please and if I so desire, I will possess it.” Harry reminded her.

Hermione heard a gasp from behind her and turned.

Remus had a fearful look on his face and spun her around and probed the scar, “ Dear God in Heaven. That devil’s son he is. He’s marked you as his, by putting a bit of his flesh into yours and he must have taken some of yours into his. It’s a dark, dark magic he’s working.”

Hermione turned around and looked at Remus,
“Can you stop it? Can you remove it? I don’t want to live this way.”

“I can try. I can try to cut it out of you…”

“Then do it, do it right now.. do itplease.” Hermione begged feeling totally tainted.

“NO!” Harry protested, “No one’s going to carve into you Hermione, there’s got to be another way.”

“Yes, but I don’t think you’ld like that much … Hermione goes to the Archbishop and askshim to remove it,” Remus announced to them all.

“What?”

“You go up to him, in the middle of a service and ask him to forgive you and asked to be blessed and cleansed; in front of the crowd. He’ll have to do it, he’ll have to do it, if you’re in front of all his congregation.” Remus told her.

“I never want to see him again.”

“You’ll be seeing him for the rest of your life if you don’t.” Remus snapped, looking over at Harry.
She looked towards Harry whose face looked pained.

“All right what do we do?”

“Simple. We go to church as soon as we land and we find out when the Archbishop will be doing his service. We’ll stay at the back of the church just in case. You go forward and admit you’re a witch but you renounce your power and want to be blessed.”

“He can’t take away my magic, can he?”
Remus and Sirius laughed and shook their heads,

“No and he knows it, which will make him on his guard. He can murmur a spell to sound like a prayer so you’ll have to be very careful.”
Hermione looked over at Harry and still saw Snape’s face and asked,

“How soon can we leave?”

“Now!” Sirius announced.
~ ~ ~ ~
Hermione looked back at the island as it shrank away in the distance. It was like leaving the promise of a happy future with Harry, even though he was standing there next to her. Hermione could feel his tension and his weariness as he put his hands on her shoulders to comfort her.
At least she didn’t flinch this time or cringe and move away from him.

She had to face the real Archbishop in a few hours and she had to look him in the eye without fear and revulsion. She had to control her emotions and her actions.

Hermione turned to Harry, the archbishop looking at her. She stared into his face and stared into his black eyes.
She forced herself to put her hand on his cheek and say,
“I miss your face Harry.” She closed her eyes and her fingers touched his face, Harry’s cheek was warm and smooth. She tried not to think if this doesn’t work, she might never see Harry’s face again. He kissed her hand with such tenderness and longing Hermione wanted to cry,

“Oh Harry, I’m so sorry for all this.”

“It’s not your fault and it will be over soon. How are you feeling?”

“Ok right now.”
Harry caressed her hips and her belly,
“And how is our little one doing?”

“Good,” as she leaned up toward his face smiling, her eyes still closed and Harry shyly kissed her.

“I love you, you know.” Harry said hugging her.

“I know. I love you too.” Hermione told him.

“But you’re afraid?”

Nodded against his shoulder.
“Afraid you’ll never see my face again?”

She nodded.

“Anything else?”

“ I’m afraid he might not let me out, he won’t remove it from me,” Hermione admitted.

“Then we will pursuade him to let you go,” Harry told her kissing her forehead.

Hermione looked up into Harry’s Snape face and said,
“ If it doesn’t work I shall learn to love this face,” she informed him stroking his cheek.
Remus came up to them and said,
“Hermione I should tell you something. When the Archbishop starts the blessing he may want to take his revenge out on you there, he might just expose your back to show everyone your mark… or he might do worse and tear off your top… or your whole dress.”

“But he will do the blessing? If we are in front of everyone.” Hermione asked.

“If he doesn’t, we will start yelling at him for being an unholy man, that it is his duty to save a tortured soul,” Remus told her.
Remus looked at Hermione and said,
“Come with me Hermione you look tired, a nap will do you good,” and he extended his hand to her and she took it.

He led her down to her cabin and asked to come in.
Hermione noticed her bag, in the old bag on the bed and opened it up.
Her old habit was in it.

“That’s funny, I didn’t bring this on board.” She said, aloud.

“NO! I did. Just in case you have to …. Just in case he doesn’t help you, I thought maybe you could sneak in to his room and find the book that has the spell in it,” Remus explained.

“You don’t think he is going to do it?”

“I’m not sure. He’s evil and clever. So I’m just trying to be cautious.”

Hermione nodded and sat on her bed. Remus gave her a kiss on her forehead, and said,
“Try to rest. That’s the best you can do right now.”
~ ~ ~

The ship was pulling into the port and Hermione could hear the bell of the church ring out.
Her stomach churned.
She and Harry made their way toward the ringing bell, Remus, Sirius and the rest of the crew walking behind them.

The doors of the church were just closing as they got there.
Harry and Hermione sat in the last pew.

Hermione blessed herself and prayed. The mass began as the archbishop marched down the aisle. Hermione was growing more and more nervous with each passing moment.
She could swear Snape could see her in the back row even with her veil pulled down to conceal her face.
She took several deep breaths to calm her nerves. Remus put his hand on her shoulder and whispered,
“ Get ready.”

Hermione rose as did Harry and the walked around the pew toward the aisle.

“Okay now go Hermione and don’t be afraid,” Remus whispered,

“We’ll be here just in case.”
She pulled back the veil with one hand.
Hermione felt Harry’s hand on hers and she looked back at Harry as she started walking down the aisle her heart pounding. There was Harry standing there, he was Harry. His black messy hair, his green eyes and warm smile.
“Harry?” she whispered.

He looked at her and smiled seeing that she saw a HIM.
She stepped back to her husband and kissed him passionately for a moment, hoping no one noticed.
The kiss gave her the strength to face the archbishop.

She was half way down the aisle when he saw her.
He looked at her curiously and then stood up straighter,
“Why are you interrupting my serve?” he sounded annoyed.

It took a moment to find her voice as she shook with anxiety and fear,
“I’ve the mark of the witch. I renounced the practice and want to blessed. Please sir, help me.”

“This is not the time or place for such at thing, come back after mass,” the archbishop instructed her.

“I may not have the courage to do so Archbishop. Do you deny me help?” Hermione asked.

He looked at her and with a half smirk on his lips, he waved her up to the alter and said aloud “Show me this mark you have and I shall get rid of it for you,” he boasted, acting all high and mighty.

She walked up to him and he signaled her to turn and show him the mark.

As Hermione did so she her heard him say,
“Very clever girl. I will remove the mark from you, but you will meet me afterwards in my bedchamber. I will feel all of your flesh under me as I posses you fully.”

She unhooked her dress and pulled the dress over her shoulders showing him the mark.
“No, it ends here and now. Remove the mark and your flesh,” Hermione demanded.

“Spells and prayer can fail you, meet me after or the mark remains,” he softly said.
Hermione thought for a moment,
“Remove it and we will talk later in the hallway,” Hermione bargained.

“Fair enough, in the hallway,” The archbishop agreed,

“Now kneel at my feet.”
Hermione did as he said and he started to pray over her. She recognized
The prayer he was saying, it was to cleanse of witchcraft and its sins.

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved”

Hermione felt water being sprinkled on her, as he shouted at the top of his lungs

“IN JESUS NAME, I CUT AND BURN ALL UNGODLY SILVER CORDS AND LAY LINES.
Hermione felt a burning stinging sensation on her back.
“AS YOUR WAR CLUB AND WEAPONS OF WAR I BREAK DOWN, UNDAM, AND BLOW UP ALL WALLS OF PROTECTION AROUND THIS WITCH, AND I BREAK THE POWER OF ALL CURSES, HEXES, VEXES, SPELLS, CHARMS, FETISHES, PSYCHIC PRAYERS, PSYCHIC THOUGHTS, ALL WITCHCRAFT, SORCERY, MAGIC, VOODOO, ALL MIND CONTROL, JINXES, POTIONS, BEWITCHMENTS, DEATH, DESTRUCTION, SICKNESS, PAIN, TORMENT, PRAYER CHAINS, INCENSE AND CANDLE BURNING, INCANTATIONS, CHANTING, UNGODLY BLESSINGS, CRYSTALS BALLS, ROOTWORKS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN YOUR BEING
ANY DELIVERANCE MINISTRIES WAY, AND I RETURN IT, AND THE DEMONS TO THE SENDER, SEVENFOLD, AND I BIND IT TO THEM BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.

Hermione felt her limbs constricting as though she was being hugged tightly and slowly being squeezed. She couldn’t move.

“IN THE NAME OF GOD, I COME AGAINST THE PRINCE-RULING SPIRIT. I COME THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE LORD, IN THE NAME OF JESUS. I PARALYZE YOU AND SILENCE YOU, FORBIDDING YOU FROM INFLUENCING OR STRENGTHENING THIS WITCH IN THE NAME OF JESUS, HERE AND RIGHT NOW!”
Hermione tried to move but just fell over onto her side. The burning got worse and she started to sob openly.
“WE ARE DESTROYING YOUR VERY WORKS: THE SPIRITS OF HATE, BITTERNESS AND MURDER, SPIRITS OF ENVY AND JEALOUSY, SPIRITS OF WIZARDRY, SORCERY, YOUR WORKS, YOUR POWERS, YOUR INFLUENCES ARE DESTROYED IN THE NAME OF JESUS!”

Her skin stung and tingled.

“I PARALYZE YOU, RIGHT NOW. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THIS SOUL ANY LONGER AGAINST THE CHURCH IN THE NAME OF GOD.”

Hermione lay there waiting when she felt very sleepy and drifted into blackness.
She felt her body being moved and lay out on a settee. She could hear but not open her eyes.
She waited for a while she could hear people talking.
Hermione heard two priests talking,

“ The archbishop wants her to stay here. He has to make sure the mark is truly gone from her flesh. He must be alone with her just in case she is still possessed no one but he will be taken over by the entity.”

“What a brave man he is, so good so righteous. I’m sure he can save her soul,” the other said.
Hermione heard nothing for a while. She tried to open her eyes and finally she could see some light then shadows. The tightness around her body eased and she could move her head.

She heard footsteps and knew it was the archbishop.
“Your Eminence the young woman is resting. We made her a comfortable as we could,” one of the priests whispered.

“Thank you both for looking after her. I need to continue my blessing and anoint her. Then I think she will be saved.” Archbishop said softly.
Hermione heard the two other men leave.
She felt her body relax and she could move freely once more. Her eyes open and she felt revived and ready to face the man before her.

She sat looking at Archbishop Snape. He gave her a half smile and strolled over to her.
“I was wondering what took you so long to come to me my dear,” stroking her cheek with the hand Harry had cut his finger off of, but they weren’t off. Hermione could see the scars of the re-attached fingers.

“You’ve removed the mark and your flesh?”

“The mark is gone. To remove the flesh I need something from you.”

“What?”

He stroked her cheek again and gliding over her neck and down to her cleavage caressing one breast in his hand. She shoved it away, annoyed at his touch, but not frightened.
“One night.”

“No,”

“Afraid?”

“NO! I’m married and I’m not an adulteress. How could you even ask that.

“I could annul the marriage if you want.”

“No. You took a vow of celibacy.”

“Celibacy meaning not being married, as well as not having sexual relations. But there are times when an archbishop is allowed to do so as to save another’s soul. I am willing to do that for you.”

“You lust for something you can’t have,” Hermione told him.

“ I can and will.”

“Why do you want me? I’m not a nun, I’m not pure as I once was.”

“You still have that light, that glow that I want.” He said, grabbing her, forcing her into an embrace,

“God has touched you and so will I,” grabbing her chin and forcing Hermione to look at him.
His lips pressed down on hers. Hermione put her hands on his chest to push him away. She felt his crucifix on his chest the same one with the dagger. He was too strong and his hold was tight on her. His tongue parted her lips and she could taste the wine from mass service and rotten taste of his teeth and decay in his flesh. She broke away from the foul kiss.

“If you want me to remove my flesh from yours, let me have you for a night and I will remove it and … give you back your flesh that I’ve embedded in me.” He unbutton his robes and shirt to show her his left side of his chest, his ribs. There were several strips of flesh that looked odd. Her flesh, from her back. She wanted to burn them out of him and cut the ones on her back out.

“Why would you do such a thing?”

“To make sure you were protected. So that I could keep you safe from wrong doings,” Archbishop said,

“You’re a part of me. We are closer than just a man and woman, closer that man and wife. We ARE ONE but split. God sent you to me and NOW you are mine.” and he started to rip off her dress.

A rage boiled over in Hermione,
“Get off me. You have no right touching me.”

“ I have more right then that boy husband of yours. Tell me how was it looking at him and seeing me?”
Hermione saw that he wanted her to be afraid so he could take charge of the situation but anger was her friend now.

“He was a much better lover without your face attached to it, what did you do give him your impotence?” Hermione shot at him.
His eyes filled with fury and he brought his hand into the air as if to slap her, but Hermione stepped even closer.

“Oh starting foreplay, begin to warm up on me?” she glanced him up and down shaking her head with disapproval,

“You’re not a man. Real men don’t strike women. And I’m sure I’m too much woman for you.”

“ A woman? A demon is more like it, if I beat you like any other man would beat a woman it is for your own good, to teach you your place. I guided you once, I will rule you soon enough,” he boasted.

“I rather be dead than have you rule over me,” Hermione snapped.
He was staring in to her eyes and smiled,
“ Then do it.”

“What?”

“Go on kill yourself.”
Hermione stood there shaking her head,
“That’s a sin that would condemn me to hell,” Hermione argued.

“So I guess you’ll be around for a while and will need a place to stay?”

“Remove the flesh,” Hermione said.

“My bedchamber is big enough for us both,” Archbishop Snape said.

“Remove the flesh,” Hermione repeated.

“It will be good to have a warm body in my bed tonight,”

“Fine,” and she turned and started for the door.

“Going to remove it yourself? But what will it do to the child?”

Hermione frozen in mid-step and whipped around.

“Yes what would that do to the child you are carrying?”

“Why? What would it do?” Hermione asked wondering if he was trying to trap her.
He stood there laughing softly.

She had two thoughts at that moment, where was the book he used to do this black magic on her? And, would removing his flesh endanger their baby?

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