The Journey Cycle: pt 3: Australia *pt 3 complete*

Hi all,

Thank you for reading and keeping up as I post....

As ever, reviews are good and I thank both Stepmnstr and Bella-the-Dark for theirs.

'Mnstr - I love Jed and Sammy so much, I have started to write them their own novel - I'm glad you like them too.

Bella - You do NOT suck at reviews, hon, you write them and I enjoy all reviews - so thank you.

Now on with some major plotting and scheming......

enjoy!

The Squig xxx

15

The girls had long since retired to bed leaving the men sitting up waiting for two of their party to return. Tonight, Jed and Sammy were at a Lodge meeting somewhere in Perth city, well outside the magical district. Harry and Severus had briefed them on the man they sought’s appearance, it was highly unlikely that he would use glamours if he was operating under his own name: he obviously felt safe enough to do so. Harry had asked that Jed wear a wire before going in but Jed had refused point blank. “Look, you guys may laugh at our rituals”, he had said, spots of righteous anger dotting his cheeks, “But I have lived according to these tenets for many a year and I believe in them. I will help you bring this guy to justice but I will not compromise the secrets of my brothers”.

They had to respect this even though Harry was sorely tempted to follow them under his Cloak. But one of them wasn’t so sure and as the evening progressed and the faint strains of talk reached them, they realised that Sammy at least had his phone line open so they could hear as much as possible. At one point he had whisperingly enquired if he could be heard to hear Ron’s affirmation.

This caution was for nought as it turned out as Sammy was ejected from he meeting in fairly short order being of nowhere near the same rank as his lover. He had to wait in a nearby pub until the meeting was finished before the two of them made their way back to the villa.

They found the others still up and awaiting them anxiously. Jed flopped onto the sofa as Harry passed him a cold beer, “Well, for starters, there was no-one named Lestrange in my degree of the Lodge. I haven’t managed to take a look at their rolls yet but I will make the request at the next meeting in two days time. I’m spinning a story of a secrets-seller in the ranks somewhere but I have sod all to back it up with and another of infiltration at the highest levels. The others have heard rumblings of this from other Lodges so I have this on my side, plus, as a high-ranking mason in my own right, I will have access to their files and databases eventually, so not much of any use so far”.

Severus murmured, “On the contrary. At the very least, this shows that our man is not of your advanced standing at any rate. Is not your degree one of the highest?” Jed nodded. Sammy said as an aside, “We never even got to find out who the lodge sergeant is either. I got tossed from the meeting before I could ascertain the sergeant’s identity. It doesn’t do for a mere visitor and a lowly member at that to go enquiring into such things”. Jed sighed, “And I forgot, truth to tell”, sinking his head in his hands. Ollie patted his shoulder, “You both did well for a first visit, ‘specially as you don’t even know who it is you seek. I wish we had pictures of the bastard”.

Harry shrugged, “We do actually know where he lives, you know. If you are impatient for results, we could just drive back out there and snatch him away from his wife and kids”, to receive shocked looks from all but his husband. Ron’s hand flew to his mouth, “Shit, no! We can’t do that, Harry, not without causing an international incident or something as we have had no permission to extradite. Damn the politics of all this, but we need this guy. He’s a lynchpin, I can feel it in my water. He’s a major connection, I’m so sure of it, I can almost taste it. It sticks in my gut to be so cautious but I really don’t want to start World War Three here, just get Lestrange out of the picture so this connection is broken”.

Harry sat on the edge of the sofa, his legs spread and his elbows planted firmly on his knees, “What exactly are we trying to achieve here? Only I seem to be losing the bigger picture”. Ron leaned forward too and squeezed Harry’s shoulder, “We need to break up this little cartel of evil that has established itself within the masons. We know not what it is they plan, nor yet what they want, but placing themselves so close to muggle power factions we can only wonder at what it is these folk plan on doing next. Are they planning on world domination? Who knows, but they are brilliantly well placed if this is the plan. It was you who told us, Harry, how deeply embedded the masons are at all levels of official muggle society and the institutions that the masons have virtual control over by dint of their involvement at all levels, there is real power here and that power, however benign on the surface, is ripe to be abused by power-mad evil magicals. If the ex-Death Eaters get a hold on all of this, there’s no saying what else they may be planning. I’m scared at the extent of it, to be honest. These people have been hiding in plain sight for many years by the looks of things, since the last War, and it needs to be stopped”.

No-one could gainsay the Ministry’s lofty ideals but here on the ground, it felt bigger than any of them could contemplate comfortably. Just a few against potentially so many, the thought alone was terrifying. Severus thought back to Hermione’s words in Spain. He could clearly see her troubled face in his mind’s eye. She really did seem to have a grasp of the larger picture and how far this canchre had spread. The world looked bleak for the magicals.

They all retired to their beds with heavy hearts. Strangely enough, Harry was the only one of the company that didn’t have nightmares. He was awoken, though, in the dead of night with his husband thrashing about in their bed, his arms flailing before Harry held him and soothed him. Where murmured words of love failed to stop him tossing then plain old physical restraint did the trick and they passed the rest of the night in relative peace.

Hermione wanted the full story at breakfast time, drilling her new friends in the manner to which they had become accustomed before leading the two outside to test their charms abilities for the rest of the morning. By lunchtime, she declared that the two new wizards were coming along very well indeed, all things considered. Sammy, as everyone suspected was good at casting and all other areas of wand-work. Jed’s weaknesses showed again but it wasn’t for the want of trying. The man was diligent indeed and showed a strong grasp of his subject even though it took him more than one go to cast the spells that Hermione barked out to them. At the end of the session, she declared them fit to start on curse-work, which pleased both of them as they were fascinated by the darker spells.

Severus once more showed his displeasure at matters of such import being left to the weakest member of their small troupe but was argued down by Ron and Hermione. “We want to avoid the torture thing, Severus, at your request, if you recall”, Ron snapped before apologising profusely to the dark brooding man.

Severus retreated into himself and Harry sensed his reticence through the bond. {What troubles you. lover?}, to hear the brusque reply, {They still want me to torture the bastard. I was unwilling to because of how I felt and because of the pregnancy, but now I am no longer in that position, it would seem that the pressure is back and I. Do. Not. Want. To. Torture......anybody. Not now, nor ever again. My very nature rebels against such a thing, but how am I to ever get away from it? I hated to do it the first time around. I felt as if bits of my very soul died when such was required of me, and then I didn’t care, but now I do. How could I ever tell a child of mine just what Daddy did in the war? This one or the last one? Help me here, Harry, please}.

Harry took a troubled Severus into his arms and held him. The others looked on nervously. Ron bit his lower lip, knowing he had caused the older man pain and could have kicked himself at the hurt he saw in the black eyes, not directed at him, to be sure, but inwardly, as if the man was re-living the hurts he had visited on others and he cursed himself for his runaway tongue. He reached out and laid a hand on Severus’ arm cautiously. “Severus, I never meant you to go against your nature or anything. I thought that this sort of came naturally to you”, but he was digging a deeper hole for himself as the man sat upright before upbraiding him.

“Do you think that this is natural to me?”, he exploded. Ron sank back in his seat, the old fear and loathing of the man surfacing briefly. Severus Snape was not a man to be trifled with, especially not on a matter of such importance and Ron quailed before the outburst but he sat straight and replied to the best of his ability.

“No, not even a little bit. But we need everyone’s best here. We are few against so many. We need all the skills we can deploy, whatever they are and in whatever capacity they can be used, that’s all. Let’s face it, you were always one of the best”. Severus looked at him with a loaded glance full of loathing that Ron felt was directed inwards rather than at him personally and quaked, Severus and torture was not going to happen and he may as well get used to the idea. He sighed and deflated, defeated for now, with the angry glares of the others upon him.

The air was thick with tension as they stood and stretched. Time for bed for everybody. Harry held up a stumbling Severus as they made their way back to their wee bungalow, not knowing quite what to say, so he supported his husband wordlessly as the taller man stumbled in the dark. He felt stuck between a rock and a hard place here. He could see the sense in Ron’s approach while fully understanding his husband’s reluctance and he was, frankly, torn between the factions. His head ached with it all and they were both grumpy as they made ready for bed.

It was when Severus turned to him in bed and buried his head on Harry’s chest, his shoulders heaving with unshed sobs, that Harry held on tight to the love of his life. He could see Ron’s reasoning for sure, but he wasn’t about to let his friends ride roughshod over his husband, and he was determined as he held his sobbing man in the dark of their room, that Severus would never have to torture again. He knew through the bond that Severus would never hold up like he had in the old days, there was too much at stake these days, not least the tales Severus would tell a son or daughter of theirs. This made Harry grit his teeth in determination. They could ask many things of them but not this.

A slow smile crept over his face as he carded his fingers through the dark shining mass of his husband’s hair. {I’ll never let them make you do anything that you aren’t comfortable with, my love}, his send was dark with intent and determination and Severus held on tight, {I can’t do this any more, Harry. What would I tell our children?}. Harry understood fully and held tighter, rocking his man as he cried, loving the fact that Severus was thinking ahead to the days when they would be a real family and relishing the changes that had taken place in the love of his life. He gently stroked the black hair until he felt Severus relax against him in sleep. {I’ll never let anybody hurt you again}, he promised as he followed Severus into dreamland.

Harry awoke to two things the following morning: his husband’s thick erect cock begging entry to his body and his husband’s apologies through their mind link for waking him thus. Harry laughed and spread himself wider. Giving tacit permission before he was plumbed urgently and gave himself up to kisses and anything else his beloved desired, arching his back, throwing a leg over Severus’ back as he was invaded. willingly, before he came in thick gouts between the pair of them, his eyes barely open to feel Severus fill him totally, with seed and love, before his sleep-encrusted eyes were fully opened. Ah, what a way to start a day. He grinned satedly as his gasps stilled to normal breaths, {Fuck, Sev, you do my head in, in the nicest possible way}, he mind-murmured as Severus rolled to the side and held him tight, his breathing still ragged, {Love you so much, Mrs S}, the dark mind mumbled before Harry was bundled up in loving arms and they slept again.

****

Two days passed and the three couples were waiting for Jed and Sammy to return to the house. They were antsy, on edge. Finally, they hoped, they were going to get a lead on this man. Everyone perked up at the sound of the small rental car as it pulled into the drive, the engine died and the doors slammed.

The frowns on the faces of the two men as they entered did not bode well. Jed stalked into the kitchen, retrieved two beers and came back into the lounge, collapsing in a huff beside his lover, handing him a beer, “Well, sorry guys, but nothin’ doing. Had a look at their ledgers, the guys are a nice crowd, not as racist as the bunch back home, and they went out of their way to be helpful. They’d even had word about the Marks and had had the Lodge members inspected. It was voluntary but no-one dipped out. Oh, and the sergeant’s name is Andrew McClintock, a tenth degree whose been there over forty years. We did have a nice meal in the dining room though, and they keep a fine cellar, too, but as regards your Lestrange guy, I’m afraid we’ve got bugger all”.

He took a long swig, “I’m afraid, as well, that we’re gonna have to get back soon. Sammy’s got to be in court in four days and I’ve exams this week, so we can’t stick around for long, ‘specially with an extra salary to pay out for this time”.

Ron shrugged, “If the money’s a problem, we can all help out. Hey, thanks for all the effort you’ve put in. It had to be worth a try”. No-one said anything for a long minute while they all digested this with varying degrees of frustration.

Sammy, who, up to now, hadn’t uttered a word, blurted, “Severus, you’d prob’ly know better’n anyone. How long’s this guy been out here, would ya say?” Severus glanced at him, surprised at the abruptness of the question, “Well, he went missing immediately after the war, though he could have laid low for a while, but at least twenty years, I’d say”.

Sammy’s eyes narrowed, “And he lives out in the boondocks. Erm, middle of nowhere?” Harry frowned slightly, “Yeah, couple of days drive away at the least”. The blond bit his lip, “How easy is it to apparate over time zones?” This one floored the lot of them, but in the absence of any other things to say, they let Sammy ask his questions without comment, though all wondered where this was going.

Ginny spoke up, “Not easy. An apparation like that, you usually do in stages. It would take longer and I’m told it’s very unsettling. Er, why do you ask?”

Sammy sat up straight and looked round at all of them. “This guy lives a time zone away. He’s simply too far away to be a member of a Lodge here in Perth. Have any of you lot done much apparating over time zones?”

Come to think of it, actually none of them had. They had all travelled but not like this over vast distances. Sammy cast his eyes about again, “So, if the most powerful wizards in the world haven’t done it, it’s unlikely that this guy is operating here, and if the Lodge is clean anyway”, he shrugged and let his voice trail off, then snapped back to himself, “I wonder how much contact he’s had with the magical world at all, if he’s living like a muggle? Still in hiding. In the middle of nowhere. Was his house grand? You guys saw it didn’t you?”

Harry nodded, “We did, and it was very modest, by no means was it a mansion. He drove a normal looking car, too. Where’s this going?” They were all curious. Sammy shrugged again, “Sounds to me as if he’s left the magical world behind. I wonder if he gets owls with the paper in their feet? Highly unlikely in nowheresville, not without strong magic, as odd behaviour is noticed right away, so how much news will he be getting from the magical world?”, his tone had grown soft and he stood slowly and walked out into the hallway.

The others exchanged looks. Jed was clearly as mystified as the rest of them. Then they heard the incantations for glamours, then....shaving?.......Short hair?

It was Hermione who gasped first, “My god, Sammy! You can’t do this. He was a member of the family for God’s sake. He has to know......”, and she stopped short at the sight before them all as Sammy stepped back into the room. Harry dropped his cup of tea, his hand flying to his mouth.

Sammy chuckled, “Well, it must be good if it can provoke that reaction”, he said, into a dead silence. “Good enough to fool someone that hasn’t seen me since I was eighteen or so, right?”

Severus glared, “Sammy, you bloody idiot, how do you think you will get away with this?” Sammy sighed, “I am the distraction, we lure him away from the house and you dose him up with the truth stuff and do your thing. Come on, it’s got to be worth a try, if you really want this guy then we’re not getting very far otherwise. It’s time for the mountain to go to Mahomet, mates.

It’s time that Uncle Rodolphus had a visit from his nephew, Draco”.

There was a silence that one could taste, and then everyone started shouting at once. “You’re bloody mad”, was the mildest thing. Harry turned away, “I can’t stand to look, he’s so alike”. Severus pulled him to his chest, “It’s a bit damned strange for me too, love. Though, as an idea, strangely enough, it could work. Though I’m still not going to torture him. Fuck it, there’s eight of us against him”.

Severus pushed them apart slightly and kissed Harry lightly, {How do you feel about this?}, he gazed into Harry’s green depths. Harry gulped but held the look, {I hate it, but you’re right. Let’s shut the others up. Sammy’s only trying to help and he’s right, if it can get a reaction like that from me!! As far as I know, in all the years Drae and I were together, I never heard him mention the man except as part of a tale or something, certainly not hanging around the manor on his visits to see the lads}. {It’s quite likely that they had no contact at all. Bellatrix was the connection and the sisters hated each other at the end}, Severus replied. Harry nodded.

As one they turned back to the arguments flying around the room and Severus bellowed at everyone to “SHUT UP”. Quiet instantly fell to the voice that had silenced most of them at one time or another and those who hadn’t experienced Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts in full roar. Sammy actually flinched.

Severus smirked, ‘Ah, I still have it sometimes, young Black reacted beautifully’, he thought as he apologised civilly for bringing them to order like recalcitrant twittering Gryffindors and suggested that the idea had it’s merits after the initial shock.

Oliver was the first to laugh at the man’s outburst, “Whoa, Sev, once a teacher and all that”. Severus just continued to look smug and said, “It worked, didn’t it? Now. Please, Sammy, could you transform back, the disguise is excellent but it’s disturbing Harry and I then we can all sit down and discuss it calmly”.

Sammy nodded and left again. Harry was actually quite astonished at the likeness now that he had seen what a few charms could do. He shuddered at the thought. He was still shivering as he felt arms go about him, {You’re in shock aren’t you?} Harry leaned back in the arms’ comfort and nodded, {Bloody hell, they look so alike. When you look again, Sammy can’t disguise his wider jaw and bigger neck but a lot can happen when boy becomes man that hopefully Lestrange has never seen but it’s enough to take you aback, certainly at first}. Harry huffed out a long breath letting himself relax. Severus just planted a kiss in his hair.

Sammy saw Harry’s white face as he returned and was instantly apologetic, “Shit, dude, I should have warned you at least. You musta thought you were seein’ a ghost, but I remember being told of the Black sisters and the mad one that was married to this Rodolphus, so even as me then this guy’s still a relative, right, so the deception ain’t that deep”.

Severus smiled, “Indeed, you even bear ancient Black forenames, but you know little of your family’s ancient history and Lestrange was always quite the historian. If we have no time to prepare you for this then whatever we do you will have to steer your conversation away from lineage”. Sammy grinned, “Actually, that ratty ol’ tapestry is still in Grimmauld Place. I’ve studied it quite a bit and Hermione told me about the cig-like burns and showed me which one was my father. I’ve never seen the Manor, true, nor met Draco’s family, but let’s not wait too long, eh, before you come and rescue me.....or whatever. How do we pull a stunt like this anyway?”

It was Ron’s turn to speak. “Well, first of all, we have to decide what we’re doing with the guy. What do we want? Do we want to stupefy him and smuggle him back to stand trial? Yup, I’d love to see the bastard rot in Azkaban for the rest of his days but that’s a bit impractical. For now, I’d like to pour some veritaserum down him and find out what he knows and how deeply entrenched are the Death-Eaters throughout the masons”.

Jed spoke up, “You know, it only takes a couple of high-level masons to leave a Lodge to set up one of their own. Supposing there’s a lodge somewhere nearer to this guy, where loads of these folk are gathered together? Maybe one of ‘em was already a member of the ‘parent’ lodge, maybe with a couple of his mates; opened a kind of gateway after the War letting in all the bad guys, who, when they fled formed a sort of underground.

If you have a bit of cash then you could be disappeared quite effectively in this empty corner of the continent and if they were masons for some years already, they would have perfect credentials from a fellow Lodge. I only say this because the two Lodges you have had any dealings with so far, are clean and showing no signs of infiltration”.

Then he dropped his bombshell, “Guys, there are only a few such in the whole of Aus and New Zealand, eight at best, from the info I dug up and Lodges that ours is affiliated to directly. What gave me the idea is that there’s a very esoteric lodge nearer to his hometown in Albany south along the coast. Very select, very old-fashioned. They have nothing to do with the more ‘active’ Lodges and purportedly report directly to Spain. The members are more like a think-tank for Lodge policy and the like. I believe they’re all Royal Arch or above”.

Jed saw the shudders that passed over the rest of them, “You think this is a whole nest of Death-Eaters, don’t you?” Severus turned to him and arched a brow, “Indeed. It is possible. If, as you say, it is relatively easy for another branch to be opened at the higher levels then the extreme secrecy coupled with the esotericism would rather lead one to surmise such and perhaps make it rather easier for them to infiltrate the movement at large. I wonder who the first few were then”. Jed frowned, “They would have had to be high degree masons to begin a new Lodge altogether. There was only the list of Lodges. The names and degrees of the members are not shared files on the computers and are only known to the individual’s Lodge, although there are a few who are more, for want of a better word, famous. Those that travel about and give talks for example although some still adopt aliases”.

Harry spoke up, “It all seems frightfully cloak and dagger”. Jed raised a brow, “And I suppose wearing a disguise every time you venture amongst magicals isn’t?”, he growled. Harry snorted, “Point taken. We all have our secrets to protect, our security to maintain”. Jed sighed, “You know, the more I find out about the wizarding traditions, the more alike wizarddom and the masons appear, but then the similarities come to an abrupt end when I can levitate a chair on the end of my wand”.

There were assorted snickers and chuckles at this. Ron gently called all back to order again. “So, we need the information that he has, if any, then what do we do with him?” Harry shrugged, “Obliviate all the memories of our recent visit and send him back to wifey and the kids”. Oliver spluttered, “And we just let the scourge of the wizarding world just get away with it? This guy has killed many people, he must pay for his crimes!!!”

Severus interjected, “That all depends on the approach. If we do not cause him to run, then he’ll still be here to mop up should that day ever arrive. With a settled family and a reliable job, no other means of support visible to him, he’s far more likely to stay put than run. More to the point, we will know where he is for future reference, will we not?”

Hermione chewed the inside of her cheek, “Severus has a point. If we do anything serious now, then it may alert others still in contact with him, however infrequently and the muggle police will always search more assiduously for one of their own. Like the masons, I imagine their ranks close around something like that and it would behoove us not to make any waves at this point, not until we are well ready to break the whole ring. If there is a rogue unit out there, then his disappearance will alert them at the very least and we would have no chance with the rest of them, best to take a softly-softly approach at this time”.

Although not pleased at the idea, Ron had to cede the point, spare the leaf to go after the root. He had to admit that if all this came together, it would be a real feather in his career cap too. He nodded, “Okay. So how do we go about this? Harry, you said a two-day drive, yeah?”. Harry nodded, “Quite a hard drive too, but we did stop for lunch and stuff but there was an overnight stop. We’d look quite conspicuous turning up as a posse in a teeny place like that, he lives a good way out of the town but there’s other houses around, he’s not isolated or anything, it was quite suburban”, Harry recited from memory, his eyes closing. Ron knew that Harry was ‘re-running’ the memory behind his eyelids.

“There’s a fence on one side of the property and a shared drive with the other neighbour to the right, the drive’s not that long, maybe a couple of car-lengths. Couldn’t see the security arrangements from there but there was an obvious yellow alarm box on the front under the eaves. The property was fairly open all round, not much in the way of shrubbery or anything, nothing over eighteen inches or so tall. There was a passage down the side of the house to the back yard but we couldn’t see the back of the property”. Harry stopped and opened his eyes, blinking.

Severus noted how intently Ron, Oliver and Hermione were listening. It was the old Auror team at work again. He knew that the four had cracked many cases together, particularly in their first few years at the Ministry before they had moved into different departments. From nowhere, Hermione reached out and produced a pen and paper and started to make swift notes along with questions as to likely places to apparate in to. “Well, chaps, we get to try apparating over a time zone. What fun”, she rolled her eyes.

Severus smiled, “There’s a potion that can help with that, unfortunately, it also has a soporific effect for a few minutes after you stop travelling. It also helps to leave a few minutes between jumps but I think we need to spend some more time considering our next move, and not before we have a night’s sleep under our belts. I, for one, am not willing to go gallivanting about in the middle of the night after several beers”.

“How long will this potion take to brew, Severus?”, enquired Ginny, “It’s not one I’ve ever made before”. The man turned to her, “If I set it up tonight and set it on a low light, it’ll be reduced enough by morning to complete by about lunchtime, so we couldn’t all go haring off in any case. I would also advise against the consumption of food tomorrow, if that’s when we plan on going. Otherwise, take no food for the entire day. There are ingredients in it that quell hunger pangs for the duration so the effect is not too bad. Jed?”, the man looked up from his quiet conversation with his lover, “Yeah?”. “There are a few ingredients that I need and I know that you purchased them....would you mind?”

Jed grinned, “On one condition, that you let me assist you”. Severus’ smile was completely genuine, “A pleasure. And some assistance would be appreciated. We’ll leave these people to their plotting and go and make ourselves useful in other ways. Come on, lead me to your stores”. He stood and held out a hand to the younger man, helping him from the depths of the sofa and off they went discussing the recipe eagerly, almost but not quite ignored by the rest. Harry and Sammy noticed, and shared a grin before attending once more to the planning session.

“So, Sammy, if you really do intend pulling this stunt, what are your ideas on how to approach him? Out of the blue? Oh, hi, Uncle Rudy, long time, no see?” Hermione snickered. “Well, I hadn’t thought that far ahead, but yeah, something like that. You guys are going to be right behind me, yeah? You do the messy stuff. I’m just the one who gets you into the house or wherever”.

Hermione winced and glanced at him, “Well, if we’re trying not to ruffle his feathers, then it may be better if you are the one getting the information we need. I mean, we don’t actually storm in there at all. It’d be a lot more believable, you turning up out of the blue and you’ll either be hexed into next century or invited in for dinner. We will be on hand if it turns nasty, like, and we can do the bursting in thing then, but I think he’s far more likely to open up to a long-lost relative than to us, however strong the veritaserum”.

Sammy was puzzled, “I thought that stuff worked on everyone?”, he declared rather than asked, though he clearly expected an answer. Harry shook his head, “Nope. Some of the more seasoned fighters have learned ways to fight it, like you can learn to fight the Unforgiveables, well, all but the Avada, of course, that one’s a bit final, but most of us in this room can fight off veritaserum to some degree”.

Coming back from Jed’s room on the way to the kitchen, his arms full of brown paper bags, Severus joined in with a sigh, “Indeed. And Lestrange is an old soldier, not unfamiliar with these methods. We would all be a little rusty, myself more than some of you, but we don’t want to rattle his cage too much. Bugger, I wish we had a drop of the old polyjuice somewhere. I’d rather one of us confront him, Sammy. No disrespect intended, but he’s bound to ask things that only Draco or a Malfoy would know, for security reasons if for no other. Ah, what a shame. I really don’t want to torture the man, and especially as this could lead to the capture of a cadre, but a friendly cup of tea and a chat about old times?”, his grin was feral, “I could do that”.

One or two of them gulped and squirmed in the silence. Harry turned a considering gaze on his beloved as he left, Jed in tow, a small smile playing with the corner of his mouth before turning back, “Oh, well, no time to brew that one. We’ll just have to tutor you a bit, Sammy. In the possible things to avoid as much as the permissible things and hope it’s all okay”.

Sammy looked distinctly uncomfortable with all this. “I’m not sure I can do it like this, guys, he’s bound to suss that I’m not really Draco if the charade has to go on too long, that’s not what I meant when I offered. I can’t do anything else but be a shock at the front door, enough to open it fully and then you guys steam in behind me, he’d be on to me in seconds otherwise”.

This made them all glum again. The idea of a snatch wasn’t a good one and they didn’t have enough time to set up surveillance, on the off chance that Mrs spent an appreciable time out of the house while he stayed home. Such a mission would take weeks and time was too short.

Various ideas were put forth, from a robbery with masked raiders to throw suspicion off the masonic angle, making it look like something more random and allowing the company to rifle the house, to a vigorous questioning which the man was likely to resist, and back to the idea of Sammy taking afternoon tea with him having appeared from nowhere and having to extensively coach him beforehand, with the possibility of the mission still turning into a raid if anything went wrong, but it would immediately raise the suspicion of the host and who knew how quickly he could Summon his cohorts in such a situation.

They were going round and round, getting nowhere, each solution presenting more and more minuses until Hermione cleared her throat and sat up, her face a little pink.

“I’ve got some Polyjuice potion. ..........I have enough for about four hours in all”.

This was a difficult potion to make and as all of them knew, it took four weeks, it wasn’t a potion one usually carried about casually as it didn’t keep beyond a few weeks. Harry suddenly remembered her request and smirked, lowering his head. She saw from the corner of her eye and could feel her face redden.

As usual, Ron blundered in, “Why have you got Polyjuice, ‘Mione? And why are you bright red? Hmm, I see, and who were you going to be for a while? And why is Harry smirking?” Hermione wanted the ground to open up, “It’s not what you think. It was in case I had to don a full disguise while we’re here. I thought if I just picked off random hair from a stranger on a train or a bus....that sort of thing”.

Ron didn’t look very convinced. Neither did his lover. But they let it go. Perhaps one of the girls had a stranger fetish or something. Ginny was looking equally pink by this stage and Ron was determined to worm the information out of her at some point but he got back to the matter in hand.

“So. Now we have the potion, who gets to take it? Severus offered. Perhaps we’d better tell him”. Harry rose, “I will, though I don’t like him going in there like this, but I agree, Sammy, he’s more suitable for this. We’d need your hair though, for the potion. Oh, I should have asked, do you know about Polyjuice? Shit. I forget you guys are still learners”.

Sammy grinned at the compliment, “Yeah, Jed read me out a bit of some book. I’ve heard of it all right. It sounds disgusting. I read some of the ingredients. Ugh”. There was general laughter at this and Harry stood up, “Back in a minute”, and went into the kitchen.

Severus was transfiguring pans into cauldrons and Jed was scrubbing the centre island when Harry entered. He stood just inside the doorway and watched the light in his husband’s eyes as he prepared his space. He mind-called his beloved and Severus looked up, somewhat startled, so lost was he in his work. Harry came into the room and took his hands, “Hermione has some polyjuice, don’t ask me why, but she has enough for about four hours, she says”, he kept a perfectly straight face as he said this.

Severus threaded his arms around Harry’s neck and pulled him close, “I’ll do it, love, I’ll be the one to emulate Sammy, emulating Draco. We’ll have to invent a story to go along with it all but right now, I need to get brewing or I won’t be in bed this side of midnight”. They exchanged a sweet chaste kiss and Harry left the room, his mind a whirl. His husband was going to turn into his previous lover, the thought was too weird for now and Harry shelved it as he returned to the others. “He’ll do it”, was all he said, before slumping down on a couch burying his head in his hands.

Sammy was the first one over to him. He crouched down, his hands on Harry’s knees and waited until Harry looked at him, “Dude”, he whispered, “I’m really sorry mate, but this does seem to be the best route unless you can think up anything else”. Harry nodded numbly, “I know. That’s the worst part of it. I really loved that guy, Sammy, and to see him again.....well, you know. Ah, fuck, it’s complicated. I’m married now and I love Sev more than life, but it gave me a real turn. I think I’m still in shock. Actually, I think that I should be the one to go and do this. After all, I knew the man better than anyone, we shared eighteen years. Eighteen bloody good years.....”, his voice quieted gradually and he blinked back tears.

Something must have unconsciously transmitted itself through their bond, for in a moment, Severus was by his side and gathering him into his arms, {Sorry, Harry, all this bald talk and I’m sorry lover, you only lost him less than three years ago}. He pressed Harry against him. The younger man allowed the shakes to come then and hung on tight while he rode it out.

There were several significant looks passed about while he buried himself in Severus’ chest, he knew it but he didn’t care. All he wanted was to be surrounded by his beloved and root himself back in his world again. Eventually, his shaky mind-voice spilled across the gap between them, {This is such a barmy idea that it may just get us what we need, but I don’t have to like it do I? Most of the work involved in war isn’t pretty but this was a shock. I didn’t realise how much it would affect me, although I’ll try and weather it}.

Severus nosed Harry’s hair, {Don’t you dare play the bloody martyr, Harry. If this is too much for you, then we don’t do it, or at the very least, you never have to see that again}. Harry smiled weakly and moved enough to look up into Severus’ face looking down, {I really love you: you know that don’t you?} Severus nodded slightly and a slow smile started to spread, but he paused when he saw the anguish on Harry’s face. “{But I really did love Drae too. I spent eighteen years with the man. F’fuck’s sake, if he was still alive, then.....oh, I dunno. Did I kill him, just to be with you?. Is a bond that fucking vitally important?}

Harry wished fervently that he could re-swallow the words as soon as they had entered the air, watching the play of pain across his lover’s face, but to his credit, Severus didn’t freeze and back off as once he might have done. He knew how Harry had felt about Draco and Sammy pulling such a stunt without warning made his blood boil, but he still smarted at the comments before mentally biting the retorts back. Harry was upset. More than that, Severus saw the logic in that last question and sighed, {I don’t know, Harry. I just know that we somehow have one. This situation is as alien to me as to you and that somehow we have simply stumbled upon it}.

Severus felt the snort through the bond, {It was ever thus with me, love}, Harry mentally frowned and Severus tightened his hold crushing them together again. {Come back to me, Harry}, Harry heard the gentle entreaty and felt guilty as hell. Severus backed off enough to grip Harry’s face in his hand and lift it to his, {Don’t you dare, Mrs S}, his mind-tone was dark. {Draco’s gone. He’s with Remus, you told me so. It’s a disguise for Sammy, nothing more, albeit a good one. We didn’t kill them, Harry. An idea that’s been plaguing me is that because of the strength of the bond, supposing that is what made us resistant to the disease that took them?}.

This stopped Harry in his mental tracks, and certainly stopped him feeling sorry for himself. His eyes widened and he blinked severally, {Shit, never thought of it like that}, his mind whispered. Severus gazed into his eyes, {Nor I until relatively recently, but then the idea wouldn’t let me go. Considering the amount of travelling that we have done, for instance, by the law of averages, we should have suffered at least one dose of something fairly horrible by now, but we haven’t, we have enjoyed extraordinarily rude health despite the on-the-road living, the strange water, etc, etc}. Harry arched a brow and cocked his head, {Interesting}.

Then his expression softened from the curious to the loving, {We should be tested, you know}. Severus sensed the change in mood and kissed Harry’s nose, {Does it really matter? We’re not exactly planning on sleeping around, now, are we?}. Harry held his beloved’s dark gaze and shook his head slightly, {No. It’s just you and me from now on but Sammy’s disguise is eerily good}.

They were quiet in each other’s arms for a moment before Harry tensed again, {I think I should do it, if anyone should. I knew Drae better than any of you, no disrespect meant, hon, but, well, you know, it should be me}. It was Severus’ turn to tense and their eyes met again. Instead of the scoffing and censure Harry expected, instead Severus smiled down at him, his look full of the love he felt and sent, {Bloody Gryffindor. I love you, and you’re probably right, you’re the one who could really pull this off. Shall we put it to the others?}

Harry nodded once and their lips met and opened around a searing kiss. They came back, a little dazed, and faced back into the room to see the others all looking on, stunned.

Oliver was the first to break the silence, “Wow, telepathy looks so cool”, and everyone laughed, the tension broken. Ginny asked, “May the rest of us hear some of that conversation, only there looked like something fairly momentous being decided and the rest of us aren’t privy to it”.

Severus smiled at her, “Well put, but we have talked, and far from myself doing the deed, Harry has suggested that maybe he is the best person for the task”. Sammy bristled at this, “Hey, what’s going on?” Harry turned to him and reached out, “Look, Sammy, whoever tries to pull this one has to be fairly knowledgeable about the Malfoy family. You know some stuff and some magic, but this guy was a major Death-Eater in his day, may even be still if what we suspect is true, he’s not the guy you want to go up against for your first duel. Trust me. This guy will be for real if it all goes tits-up and he’ll kill you as soon as look at you”.

Sammy backed down fractionally, “How much did this guy have to do with my father’s death? It was his wife, the first wife, that did it, wasn’t it?” Harry nodded, “There was a battle in the Ministry in London. I was in fifth year at school. He died before me at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange, her husband was in the pack we were fighting. It was one of the many battles we fought before the Final one”.

Sammy thought long and hard, his brow creased with his efforts. “I still want to do it. I can do it without the potion for a start, so if I have to stay more than four hours, then no problemo.......and that guy helped in the fight that killed my dad”, he finished in a low voice.

Severus snorted, “Well said. You would have almost certainly been a Gryffindor along with said parent, but I fear that the man we hope to dupe is a Slytherin...was a Slytherin, and we have to tread more gently, think more deviously”.

Harry could tell that his lover was keeping a stopper in his temper but then again, Sammy was no dolt, he was just angry and he had a point, if the visit lasted a while, he wouldn’t mysteriously morph back. But the other side of this was that the others were far more powerful wizards and had much more knowledge in such a dangerous situation.

Sammy breathed in and out deeply then his brow cleared, “Okay. You need my hair for the potion, yeah?” Ginny murmured assent. “Okay, but this one’s for my dad. I know you hated him, Severus, but whoever does this, it’s for my dad, and if I’d known more or had the proper education from bein’ a kid, then it’d be me doin’ this, and I wish it was me doin’ this”, he subsided, bent over himself. Oliver slipped off to the kitchen to fetch Jed.

Jed was wiping his hands on a teatowel as he emerged and, seeing the state of his lover, he rushed to his side, murmuring to Severus, “The base ingredients are nearly ready”, before he dropped to his knees beside the love of his life, wrapping his arms around him.

Harry grinned as he looked into Severus’ eyes as he allowed himself to be distracted, {Go. Make your potion. It’ll probably taste disgusting but as usual, it will do the job. I’ll be all right}. Severus shot him a highly personal look. A look that told of his deep love, {Will it be you or I that does this?} dropped into Harry’s mind and Harry reeled somewhat. {What do you think?} came the reply.

Severus sighed and smiled, {You, of course, but we will all be there. You did know him best, and if you are willing......}. Harry thought hard, {We’ll have to think up a bloody good tale as cover and who knows who these others are in the cadre. I don’t want to rush into this but I feel my hand is being forced a bit. I’m happy for the lads to go back to New Zealand and maybe come back later when we’ve had a chance to explore all this a bit more. I know Lestrange is a known quantity to you, love, but we don’t know anything of the rest of them. Perhaps some research into the missing wouldn’t hurt first, to give us some idea of what we’re up against. I really don’t want to involve the ‘newbies’ much in something like this: this is for the seasoned fighters amongst us}.

Pushing his husband away a little, Severus rose again, {I’ll go and get this started so we are prepared for the travel part at any rate. You look all done in. Go to bed and I’ll be there as quickly as I can. If Ginny will lend a hand too, then we could be finished with this stage in less than an hour}. Harry kissed him, {Okay, but I won’t be able to sleep without you there, I’ll wait for you}.

Severus had a word with Ginny and the two went off into the kitchen. After reassuring Sammy, Jed followed them. Harry rose and stretched, “I’m not deciding anything more tonight, I need to sleep and clear my head. I’ll see you all in the morning”. He said his goodnights and left.

He was deep in thought all the way back to the smaller of the two houses and he made ready for bed on automatic pilot. It was after a quick shower, while he was cleaning his teeth, that he looked in the mirror and had an idea. Maybe it was about time to introduce the newest scion of the ancient house of Black and Malfoy to the goings-on here in Australia but as possible recruits. Sammy, after all, was a mason, albeit not as higher echelon as his lover but that he could be coached in pretty quickly as he lived with one and probably already knew some stuff from the higher degrees anyway.

Harry chewed on this a bit longer as he climbed into bed and sipped on a glass of water before putting out the lamp. He lay in the dark with his hands laced behind his head. Maybe there was a way that their new friends could help. Send Jed and Sammy in as themselves, no disguises at all to begin with, just fellow high degree masons on a quest. Surely even an esoteric Lodge such as this purported to be would welcome in a scholar of Jed’s calibre from what seemed to be a highly respected Lodge. Hmmmmm, go at it from the masonic angle. But then there was the question of the mens’ work.

Harry sighed in the dark, they couldn’t keep them from their lives for too long and by introducing them as themselves to such a dangerous cadre could be putting them in danger, but, damn, it was an excellent way in and the others in the cell were more likely to welcome in fellow masons if that was their cover than a Polyjuiced impostor that many could already know was dead. He wished he had some idea of who had survived after the war and just how isolated from the doings of the magical world they were. He could get Jed to look up that database thingy, he obviously had pretty good access to the more hidden areas of their websites.

He wrestled with this a while longer until he heard the door of the cottage open quietly. As Severus crept into the bedroom, Harry snickered in the dark, “I could smell you the moment you walked in. Bloody hell, what’s in this wretched potion?”

Severus chuckled and came towards the bed, his wand lit before him, “So, you’re still awake? Humph, there’s wormwood in this one but it’s the mix with the common stinkhorn fungus that produces the whiff. That’s why it needs the long simmer, to neutralise it. The girls’ll take care of it through the night. Give me a moment, I need to bathe. I’m fully aware that my aroma is less than pleasing”.

Harry lay back listening to the running water and his husband’s off-key humming, grinning in the dark, if his beloved smelled like that, then the other house must really pong! He was glad they were more isolated. He lost himself in his thoughts again and only came back to himself when he felt the bed dip beside him.

{I’ve been thinking}, he began, to hear the usual amused snort from his husband before he was kissed and asked for those thoughts, he knew his husband was just teasing him. He revealed his ideas, {We still send those two in but we need to persuade them to take more time off work}, he concluded.

{No, Harry, that’s extremely dangerous. What would be their backup?} They were lying side by side and Harry leaned up on his elbow to look into his husband’s face even though the darkness was fairly dense, {We Mark them. They are fully fledged Knights of Malta after all, Jed’s high up and Sammy could be coached, I bet he knows loads anyway. They stay away from the magical angle for as long as they can, then reveal the Mark. I bet that gets them straight into the inner sanctum} Severus blew out a long breath, {It’s either that or dead. These people are dangerous, Harry. They’re Death Eaters after all}.

Harry leaned down and kissed him, {I know that and we keep that schtum for as long as we can. We don’t need Jed and Sammy’s magic testing if we can avoid it, just let them go in as seekers-after-truth, high level masons. Leave it to them if they want to reveal their magic, but my guess is, that once they get a look at Sammy someone is going to become very curious indeed. Let’s face it, if there was a ‘Black look’ then Sammy has it to a tee, only I think we need to make him Regulus’ son rather than Sirius’. Reg was a Death-Eater too, wasn’t he?}

Severus scowled in the dark, {But he was very young when he died, and surely could not have produced a son}. Harry made a face, {True. How old was he? Wasn’t he only eighteen or so? Quite old enough for a little schoolboy dabbling and when the poor unfortunate witch hears of his demise, she went into hiding, something along those lines. If such a child had existed then he or she would be only a couple of years younger than Sammy already is, so the age is right. Hmmm, we’ll put it to him in the morning and save the polyjuice for if we need it. I dunno, use it as Lestrange himself for instance, depends how this thing will play itself out}.

Harry’s sendings were sleep-tinged now until his husband’s next send brought him round a bit, {What was Hermione doing with readily made Polyjuice potion anyway? }. Harry was glad of the dark and the fact that Severus hadn’t seen the initial exchange, {She mentioned the possibility of needing disguise at some point so was ready for all eventualities. Glamours can only do so much for most people, for a real disguise, Poly is still best}.

{Fair enough. She always did think ahead, that one}, mumbled Severus before yawning and curling up. Harry breathed an inward sigh of relief and was determined that the potion would be used somehow in the coming endeavour, all of a sudden, he didn’t want her and Ginny playing with his and his husband’s body any more and wound himself around the warm bulk of his beloved. Severus turned slightly to kiss Harry goodnight and lay back down, he was asleep in moments. Harry tried to rouse him again but Severus was deeply asleep.

Harry lay there with a racing mind and a raging stiffie now he was so close to his man. Huffing, he rolled onto his back and took care of himself, one hand pumping his cock, the other stroking his lover’s body as he slept. Harry came on Severus’ back planting a soft kiss on his sleeping lover’s neck as he did so, then cleaned them both and cuddled up kissing whatever he could reach. He was snoring in moments, his face squashed up against Severus’ upper back.

The soft knock woke Harry the next morning. He flung on his gown and went to the door. A tired looking Ginny stood there, “Tell Severus, he has an hour before the fun starts. ‘Mione’s watching it now and I’m off to bed, see you later”, and she departed across the grass. Harry smiled, “And good morning to you, too”, he muttered at her retreating back before wondering how come it was that Ginny had been watching the thing all night. He sighed and closed the door.

Carrying a tray full of tea and breakfast, he nudged open the bedroom door with his toe and wandlessly cleared a space on his bedside table for it. Severus woke, rumpled and delicious to Harry’s eyes and peered about him at the smell of food. He pushed himself up and cleared the hair away from his face, smiling dozily as Harry leaned down to kiss him. {Mornin’ gorgeous}, Harry’s mind purred as he sat on the bed and swung the tray over Severus’ lap, {You have about half an hour to eat and get over to the other house to see to your potion, so, dig in}.

They arrived at the larger house with a few minutes to spare and Severus shot straight into the kitchen. Harry looked around the lounge, spotting Oliver in the pool and Ron on a lounger at it’s edge. He followed his husband into the kitchen, smiling slightly when he saw Severus and Jed with their heads bent over the cauldrons conferring in low voices. He watched Jed cock his head slightly to the side as he listened to Severus’ instructions then merely nodded and meticulously set about them.

{The man is a joy to work with}, came Severus’ pleased voice over their link as he spotted Harry at one of the countertops making coffee. All the doors and windows stood wide all over the house. The stink had modified to the point that only small pockets hung in airless zones in a couple of the rooms. Harry presumed Ginny to be in bed and of Hermione and Sammy there was no sign. He left Severus and Jed to their work and wandered out onto the terrace with his brew.

Ron looked up from admiring his lover in the water and grinned, waving Harry over. Harry returned the smile and pulled up a lounger beside his friend. Ron adjusted the umbrella above him so he didn’t squint when he turned to Harry and greeted him, “G’mornin’. Had any more thoughts on the way to do this. I keep wracking my brains but every idea has too many possible pitfalls. We don’t know who these others are and we don’t know how quickly they could appear if Lestrange wanted them there”.

Harry had to agree, they were his main concerns, “I still think that Jed and Sammy are our best hopes here. The magical stuff will have them running for the hills if we show our hands too early. We still go at this from the masonic standpoint and Jed is superbly positioned for that, and, given the time we don’t have, then Sammy will be easier to coach in masonic matters as he already knows them. I think, though, if they are willing, we may have to have something to tempt this rogue cadre with, something magical without magic. Sammy tells ‘em he’s a Black, but Regulus’ son, not Sirius’”.

“Bloody hell, Harry”. Ron murmured breathily as he sank back onto his lounger, “Do you think it will work?” Harry shrugged and looked out over the pool, “Dunno, but it’s probably our best shot. but if they do go in, then I want them to be Marked. Remember, they are in the same branch of the masons as de Santos. We cover ‘em in my invisible tracking charms and stay close by, follow them if necessary, but I think it might buy them a bit of time and credibility if they are Marked”.

Harry cleared his mind and closed his eyes, ‘calling’ Severus over their link. Severus replied instantaneously, {Harry, are you all right? Is anything the matter?} Harry calmed him, {No, I just wanted to share this latest idea if you are able to ‘talk’}. Severus snickered in his head, {I have a minute}, so Harry sent the idea to him. Severus pulled up with a start that made Jed look at him curiously. The younger man watched the potions master as he ‘talked’ with his husband, watched the play of surprise, the frown and other expressions as they fleeted across the sharp face. He tried to rein in the feelings he had for the man oblivious before him and attended to the potion instead. As he stirred, he grinned to himself, he was pretty sure that Hermione had a crush on the man herself and he quite saw why. His train of thought was rudely interrupted when Severus barked out the next set of directions.

Harry could tell that his beloved was less than happy about the whole idea, but he had to see Harry’s point when he argued that the Mark may actually afford some spurious protection when amongst folk such as these, {We’ll be right there behind them and I’ll slather them in trackers in case they are removed anywhere. We’ll keep them safe. Jed is a very powerful mason after all and Sammy has the makings of a powerful wizard. Jed’s no slouch but he has less power}.

Severus still wasn’t sure, he still professed that this job should really be done by seasoned magicals. Harry argued back, {No. Don’t you see, the masonic angle will keep the others off their guard for a while. I think that they would expect magicals to have found them, not masons, but then, show them the Mark, and, WHAM, instant buddies. Well, that’s the idea. Hopefully we can even send them in wired but we’ll need proper kit for this, tiny tranceivers and the like. If this cadre are old-fashioned then they probably share the pureblood magicals Luddism. Hurrah for our side on that one. Let’s at least put it to the lads and see what they think}. Severus grudgingly agreed and went back to his brewing.

Over lunch, when all but Ginny were present, Harry put his idea to the rest of them. He knew Sammy would be pleased that he was to take a larger role after all. Jed looked more reserved but running under the cool exterior was a thread of excitement, “This would just be us in our masonic capacity, right?” Jed pressed.

Harry winced slightly and told them the rest of it, “I think you should go in Marked and wired”. Sammy grabbed his lower left arm instinctively, “Marked? Like Severus is Marked?” Harry nodded, “But not the Dark Mark. We suspect these guys of being Death-Eaters as you know. But Marked as in de Santos Marked, one of the new vanguard, reaching out to the elders for direction and guidance”. Harry didn’t elaborate for now letting the men work it out themselves. A slow smile spread over Jed’s face as he got it and Severus sighed and shook his head. He said nothing, however. Harry and the others had been Aurors for years and were more comfortable in these situations.

Hermione turned to Jed and Sammy and smiled lopsidedly, “This is the best idea yet and there’s a real chance that you might be admitted to the inner sanctum. Harry’ll place all sorts of charms on you that I doubt anyone else can read. You’ll be quite safe, really. We’ll get you some proper technology to do this with, which means we won’t be going today. I need to do some shopping with you both. I’ll show you why I am one of the most feared witches at the British Ministry”

Oliver spoke up next, “Is there any way you guys can delay your return a bit longer? I know Kingsley’s on the clock, but as Hermione said, we’ll all help, if it’s a problem”. Sammy shook his head, “Have you any idea how long it takes a case to finally get to court?”. Oliver and others shook their heads and Sammy carried on, a bit tight-lipped, “Fuckin’ months. That’s how long, and I’ve an important court date next Monday. I have to be there. I have no choice. I have to go back home”.

Ron sat up, “So that gives us six days, not four?” Sammy rolled his eyes, “I’d quite like to prepare first in the quiet of my own home”. Oliver grinned, “Oh, no, how about in the quiet of this villa, then you can go back two days later, every bit of extra time we can squeeze out the better at this moment. Jed?” The dark man looked up. “Can you coach Sammy in the more advanced degrees? We need you to be more equal as regards your qualifications”. Jed glanced at an anxious Sammy then back at Oliver, “Yeah, don’t see why not, he knows most of it anyway, even though he shouldn’t”. He turned to his fiance, “Try and stay a bit longer, love. This is a big chance to prove ourselves. Me as a mason and you as a Black”. Sammy grinned at him and leaned towards him, capturing his lover’s mouth in a long passionate kiss, “Sod them, we’ll stay as long as it takes. I’ll plead illness if I have to, but I’d like to get back if I can”.

There was a shared buzz running around the group that Ginny walked into, clad in a short nightshirt and rubbing her eyes. Harry watched the hungry look in Hermione’s eyes as she watched her leggy girlfriend almost revealing her charms as she stretched. Ginny wandered over to Hermione and kissed her casually, much as she would have done to any of her family, but Hermione had other ideas, pulling her girlfriend across her lap and kissing her senseless. Ginny eventually unwound herself and stood, sashaying across the kitchen to make a late breakfast. Harry almost-but-not-quite sniggered. If Hermione was hoping to Domme Ginny then she was in for a hard time. Ginny was as tough as any of her brothers, more so in fact to survive amongst so many males. Harry found himself amused trying to decipher their interplay.

When he snapped back to the conference they were making arrangements to apparate to the tiny town the following day and he was being asked for his opinion. He sighed, “Well, all things considered, this should be a complete washout. But. I have this feeling that the least likely thing is going to work for us. Sev, I know of your reservations but I really think this is a way not to ruffle feathers and we have to try something, anything, at this point”. Severus threw his hands up, “You know these scenarios better than I do, Harry. I’ll go with the plans. I did once before and it worked. I trust you. All of you. You have looked after my life before and I trust you will again. That’s all I wish to say on the matter”. His face shuttered itself and Harry snuggled up to him, causing the stoniness to relax. {I do trust you, Harry, even though I think you’re bloody mad sending those two in there, I trust that your old team will get us through this}. Harry raised his mouth for a kiss and wasn’t disappointed, his mouth thoroughly claimed, owned, possessed by the passionate man he had married.

They drew back to a low cheer from the others. Harry turned towards the room, held tight in sheltering arms. “This time you have bondees on your side”, he murmured, his kiss-swollen lips parting in a smile. Ginny grinned back, “Well, that’ll take a while, surely? To have the children that’ll make the bond complete?” Harry shrugged, holding tight to his Sev, “Dunno. Feels pretty damn strong from here already. We may not have completed it....”, he let his voice tail off. Ron asked, “Is your magic stronger?” Harry shook his head, “No, that’s for when we complete it, but we are telepaths anyway, which apparently doesn’t happen until we complete, according to the lore, so fuck knows what we are already”.

Oliver sniggered, “You’re bloody Harry Potter, that’s what. I always knew you’d somehow be bigger than you were painted and come back to be truly huge, bigger than anyone or anything that had come before”. Harry coughed and choked on this revelation, Severus patting his back, but he noticed that no-one gainsaid Oliver, so this was his true destiny. Bigger than them all and as small as the most insignificant ant. If his travels had taught him nothing else, then it was this. He felt so small then, in the face of this cosmic shift, but Severus’ arms going about him steadied him and he relaxed easily into their familiar warmth, feeling the love surround him, wrap him up, and press him down, subsumed under it’s weight, stopping him flying apart at the seams. He welcomed it in.

The party split up after the meal and went their separate ways. The households were tense. Ginny and Severus completed the travel potion, Jed and Sammy retired to do some training and Ron along with his lover wandered off down to the beach leaving Harry alone to meander back to the cottage. He sidetracked to Bessie to dig a few books out from their library and soon sprawled out on the familiar bed lying on his stomach to immerse himself in the tome on tracking spells; it never hurt to brush up.

Severus found him a little while later after a search of the cottage revealed no Harry. He smiled as he climbed aboard the van to see Harry fast asleep, his glasses askew and his face pressed into the open pages. He carefully removed the book and rolled Harry onto his back without waking him. Gently, he took off Harry’s glasses, folding them onto the tiny night table and lay out beside his husband.

He took a moment to lean on an elbow and contemplate the man he had married running a spare hand through Harry’s messy long locks before kissing his brow and lying down fully, taking Harry into his arms. He lay with Harry’s head cradled on his chest staring at the ceiling letting his mind wander over the last day or so. He had a bad feeling about the coming escapade, it seemed so ill-conceived but he sighed resignedly. He knew that Harry had been on many missions knowing even less than they did about this one. He planted kisses in Harry’s hair and let his eyes close, sending up a fervent hope that they would all come out of this. It was unspoken amongst the Aurors that any mission they took part in could be their last but Severus doubted that Jed and Sammy were of the same mindset. He drifted to sleep murmuring, “I hope you bloody lot know what you’re doing”.



There we go!

Last chappie of book 3 next week!

Please, please, read and review/leave stars. See you next week. S2 xxxx