Highly Spirited

Summary: Chapter 13: Search for Love --------- Something is in the Air
Warning(s): See Chapter 1 for warnings and disclaimer. I still don’t own anything.


Chapter 13 – Search for Love

Harry was setting champagne to chill as Severus approached the room. The ghost watched, amused, as Harry slicked his hair back and nervously adjusted his shirt and then the champagne again. Harry backed up to survey the romantic setting he had created for this special night and leaned against the stone wall. Severus reached through the stone wall and put his hands on Harry’s face. Startled, Harry jumped and turned around.

Severus stepped through the wall completely and stopped just short of Harry.

“Good evening,*” he greeted Harry.

“Hello,” Harry answered, looking up at him slightly dreamily. He reached up hesitantly to touch Severus’s face. The skin was solid beneath his fingers, if a bit cool. “Oh, Merlin, you’re real,*” Harry said in amazement. He gingerly stroked the side of the man’s face. Severus’s eyes watched him intently, but he leaned into Harry’s slightly calloused hand then kissed his thumb as it brushed lightly over his lips.

Severus took Harry’s hand in his and brought it up to his mouth. Very gently, he began to lick and suck each digit gently. Harry was almost frozen is surprise, but it felt good. As Severus reached the pinky and opened his eyes again, Harry stepped up and put his hand behind Severus’ head and pulled him down into a kiss.

The touch of lips was tentative to start. Severus’s lips were unaccountably soft for as thin as they were. He opened eagerly to Harry as he began to explore Severus’s mouth with his tongue. He licked just behind his teeth and then slid out a bit and pulled Severus’s top lip away with him, then came in and repeated the same on the bottom lip. Severus responded and began to direct Harry towards the bed, champagne ignored and forgotten. As each kiss deepened, Severus attempted to take control, pushing Harry onto the bed. Harry reached up to grab him for another kiss as Severus bent over him, but they misjudged each other and Harry clonked Severus’s nose with his forehead.

“Ow,” Harry said. He looked up at Severus sheepishly while rubbing his forehead. “Did I hurt you?” Harry asked, reaching out to Severus’s large nose.

Severus took his hand and smirked. “It would take more than that to hurt this nose,” he chuckled.

Harry grinned at him and then looked serious a moment. “We haven’t gone too far, have we?*”

“No, I don’t believe this qualifies as too far, Sir Harry,” Severus said with a smirk as he backed up a bit. “Although I can see where we very well might. Perhaps we should slow it down.” He stood up.

Harry sat up too. “How about some champagne? You know, to celebrate?*” He sprung out of bed and went to get the glasses. “And to get our minds off the old ‘you know what’,*” he added, almost too quiet to be heard.

But Severus had heard, kind of. “Off of Tom? Why are you thinking of him?” Severus asked.

“Not ‘You Know Who’.” Harry said, “‘You know ’what’.” And he waggled his eyebrows at Severus.

“Oh – that. Very mature way of putting it,” Severus said.

Harry laughed and popped the cork. With just a little bit of spillage, he began to pour.

“By the way, why is this called 'The Chamber'?” Harry asked as he handed a glass to Severus.

“Originally it was known as the 'Bridal Chamber' as every newly married couple in the family consummated their union in this room.”

“Huh? That’s odd,” Harry remarked.

“Not really. It had to do with adding to the magic of the bonds.”

“You said ‘originally,’” Harry prompted.

“Ah, well. After the um...incident, with ‘You-Know-Who’,” he said with a smirk, "it became known as the Chamber of Secrets as the family wanted to hide the gory events. Both Tom and I were buried quietly and no one outside the family was ever told. In fact, the school side of the castle was closed as a young girl also died around the same time in one of the bathrooms.”

“That’s horrible!” Harry said.

“It was a good excuse to close the school. An enormous amount of dark energy was released upon Tom’s death.”

“Is that why our magic doesn’t quite work right?” Harry asked.

“Yes, partially. The amount of excess Dark Magic prevented Light Magic from being performed properly, so the school shut down and the property once again became only the ancestral home of the Dumbledores. The castle itself seemed to decide the students weren’t safe. It closed off rooms, shrunk spaces, eliminated some areas altogether. The Great Hall used to be able to fit hundreds of people.”

Harry blinked. “The Great Hall. The one still in use?” Severus nodded. “But, it probably wouldn’t fit more than fifty people now.”

“Yes. Most of the rooms that were still in use shrunk: the library, the baths, the kitchen. Other rooms, like the dorms and the dungeons were closed off entirely. The school portion of the building has almost completely disappeared. The Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Towers became turrets. Even the family side has diminished over the years. It seems to be the only magic Hogwarts allows is its own since my untimely demise.”

Both men were silent for a moment.

“Can we now please change the subject? Discussing my death does not put me in a romantic mood.”

“Oh, right,” Harry said and finished pouring his own glass of champagne. “Perhaps a toast?*"

Severus raised his glass to Harry and, in a deep voice, recited, “Drink to me only with thine eyes, and I will pledge with mine; or leave a kiss within a cup, and I’ll not ask for wine.”*^ They both took a small sip from their glasses.

“Wow. That was beautiful. Who wrote it?*”

Severus sighed. “Ben Jonson, the poet.*”

“Of course, Ben Jonson. Good old Ben. Quite the writer,”* Harry said, covering his nervousness. “Whenever I hear old Ben’s stuff, it just makes me think about ‘you know what’.*” Harry leaned forward to kiss Severus. He could taste the champagne on Severus’ lips, and he swore he felt little effervescent bubbles as well.

Before they got going too far, Harry pushed back. “Sorry, sorry. I’m really sorry,*” he apologized as he put some space between them.

“Perhaps you’d like to recite some poetry as well?*” Severus suggested. Harry stared at him blankly. “As a way to keep our minds off of other things we could be doing,” Severus explained.

“Oh...oh yeah.” Harry stood, brows furrowed in concentration as he tried to think of anything.
Severus sat in a chair by the fire waiting to hear what Harry had to say.

In desperation, Harry squared his shoulders, raised his glass and recited the only thing he could remember at that moment.

“There ain’t nothing in the world liked a brown eyed girl* – er...guy – but that doesn’t rhyme.
Hm...hmn…” Harry shook his head and continued as he slowly inched his way over to Severus. “To make me act so funny, make me spend my money, make me feel real loose, like a long-necked goose. Dah dah...oh, baby that’s what I like.”**

Severus looked at him in disbelief. “Really? You have the whole world of fine poetry at your hands and all you can think of is the Big Bopper?”

“Er...sorry. Maybe you know him? He’s dead too.*” Harry shrugged his shoulders and Severus laughed. “Hey, how come you know his music anyway?” Harry asked.

“Just because I’m dead doesn’t mean I can’t hear music. Much as he dislikes other American fads, Albus Dumbledore has a penchant for American sweets and American music from the fifties. I mean, have you heard those obnoxious robes of his?” Severus explained and then he leaned forward to kiss Harry yet again.

---

“Having fun?” Albus laughed as he almost skipped into the Great Hall to see a group of disheveled, excited guests gathered there.

“Bill and Miss Trelawney have decided to do an investigation of the place,” Ginny said as the group watched Bill wander around with odd looking equipment and Miss Trelawney chant Latin and dance in circles.

“Although, not together,” Neville added, seeing the disgusted looks Bill kept shooting at the psychic. The group huddled together as the Headless Hunt made another trip through the Great Hall. Bill suggested they look outside, so they headed for the front door.

---

Severus was lying in the bed, the empty champagne bottle in his hand. “I believe I may be somewhat inebriated,” he said, looking up at Harry who had a silly grin on his face.

“That’s nothing. I’m plastered,” Harry replied as he leaned down to kiss Severus.

After several long moments of tonguing each other, Severus pushed up against Harry. “We mustn’t do this,*” he said.

“Oh, right. We should just be friends,*” Harry agreed before leaning down and kissing him again. The kisses were getting sloppier and deeper each time. Finally, Harry just lie on top of Severus, and he felt the man’s arms reach around and grab onto him tightly. Slowly, they began to grind against each each as Harry kissed Severus neck.

---

The crowd stumbled down the outside steps that led off a steep hill. Several of them were quite drunk and singing loudly. A few brought the bottles with them. Bill was waving his tool around exclaiming, “It’s clear! Move forward!”

Draco had grabbed a hold of Albus' arm to steady himself as he walked down the stairs. Albus winked at him. “I hope you’re not too disappointed there are actual ghosts,*” he said.

Draco grinned broadly. “I’m having the bloody time of my life!*”

They were making their way down to the lake. It was pitch black with the exception of a few ever-burning torches charmed to light up at dusk which had been added for safety reasons years before. Neville and Ginny were in the rear of the group and gradually kept slowing down and getting further behind. Neville was aiding her through a deep thicket of weeds when she looked up into the night sky and whispered, “Isn’t it beautiful?*”

Softly he said, "Yes, but not as beautiful as you.*” He smiled shyly at her, and she smiled back and took his hand.

They caught up to the rest of the group a few minutes later on the pier which Hagrid had managed to repair the previous day. Bill stood proudly and announced, “I declare this a spirit-free zone!*” The group cheered, except for Luna, who was gazing at the water, her blond hair brightly visible in the dark. She was peering off into the distance.

“Except for the Erumpents,” she stated. “They are quite peeved tonight.”

Everyone ignored her. A nasally voice familiar to Bill Weasley broke in, "Looney, loopy Lovegood! Looney, Luna Lovegood!"

“Oh, shut up, Peeves!” Bill yelled, seemingly annoyed that the poltergeist had just made a mockery of his declaration. The rest of the group looked at him oddly.

---

Harry was naked, grinding against the still mostly dressed Severus who was grinding back in return. “We…haven’t…done…too…much…yet, have…we?*” Harry kept asking in between thrusts. Severus nodded in assurance, unable to verbalize much in the haze of lust he was experiencing.

----

Peeves had disappeared after Bill’s admonishment. Draco laughed and began singing “It’s Close to Midnight…and something evil’s lurking in the dark. Under the moonlight…”

Luna joined in. “You see a sight that almost stops your heart.”*** They laughed and began singing louder. Each guest joined in as they realized what song it was. They began to really laugh as a few folks attempted the zombie dance from “Thriller”.

As they all sang and danced, they didn’t notice the waterlogged carriage that had originally brought them to the castle was rising out of the lake behind them.

Suddenly, the headlights were turned on, illuminating the crowd and they, en masse, turned to gape at the hovering transport dripping with lake water and plant life.

“Ah no,” Bill said, “This cannot be happening.*”

A throaty voice came from the carriage, “Draco!” Tom Riddle was in the driver’s seat, a crazed grin on his face. Draco’s eyes widened and he slowly backed away. Tom called out to him again.

The group ran. Neville tried to help Draco and Ginny off the pier.

---
“Harry, Harry…we must stop now.*” Severus had felt his robes slide up and they were skin to skin. Skin within skin, really. He wasn’t quite sure how Harry had managed the feat of wandless lubrication and stretching, but they were – 'tupping', to use a quaint turn of phrase. It felt amazing. But he knew they should stop. But he couldn’t. Harry didn’t seem to hear him either when he managed to whisper, “Harry, stop.*”

“What?*” Harry murmured, apparently lost in sensation as he shifted his hips and found a sweet spot.

Severus felt a particular tightening in his own groin and a rush of blood surged south from his brain. Severus couldn’t think clearly anymore. “Nevermind. Keep going. A little to the right, please.*”

This is not going to end well.

---

Draco was running as fast as he could away from the bus flying behind him. He could hear Tom laughing and yelling. “Come on. I love thee, Draco. And tonight’s Bahogie night! Oh, Draco…I do love thee.”*

Draco turned right and ended up separated from the rest of the group, running through the darkness and tripping over branches and rocks. Tom followed draco, but the other spirits emerged from the carriage to chase other people.

Sir Nicholas went after Trelawney and lifted her into one of the trees and left her hanging on a branch.

Ginny had tripped and hit her head on the ground. Neville stopped and knelt by her. She seemed fine, but was out cold. He watched in fear as the spirits whipped around the woods. He prayed for their safety. Stroking her hair, he offered himself up. “Please, Lord, save this woman from these demons. If a life must be taken, take mine,”* he offered solemnly.

Peeves overheard him and snickered. Neville cried a second time, “Take mine!” Peeves picked him up from behind and spun him into the air. Without seeing the poltergeist behind him, Neville began praying even more fervently. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” he began as looked down on Ginny and reached out to her unconscious form. “Goodbye, my love! I shall fear no evil for thou art with me!”*

---
Luna had stopped by the water just as Moaning Myrtle popped up out of it. “Hurry, hide with me!” Myrtle said. “If I’m with you, the other ghosts won’t bother you,” she explained.

Luna smiled at her. “Oh, that’s nice. It would be nice to see the other ghosts though.”

Myrtle made a face. “You really don’t want to. The Hufflepuff Friar is a big fat pervert and the Bloody Baron, well, he’s just rude. The rest have all found someone to pick on. Come on. I’ll show you where the Erumpents are.”

Luna eagerly followed.

---
END CHAPTER


* Verbatim dialogue from the movie 'High Spirits'. * inside the quotation marks means just that sentence. Outside the quotation marks would indicate everything inside the quotation mark, not just the individual sentence.

^ From 'Song to Celia', written by Ben Jonson, 1616
** From 'Chantilly Lace',written by The Big Bopper aka J.P Richardson, 1958
*** From 'Thriller', written by Rod Temperton (performed by Michael Jackson), 1984