The Journey Cycle pt 1: Europe *pt 1 now complete*

Still got the Internet, hurrah,so here's my latest post.

Here are the last three chapters of this novel.

Enjoy and please, please review.

Thanx, the Squig xxx

18

They had another fortnight booked at the villa and took it easy heading off for excursions around the island and enjoying just being the two of them again. One morning, Harry was sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen with the atlases spread before him while Severus cooked. “Where next, lover of mine?”, he enquired, and there was a silence as they both thought.

Harry sank his head in his hands, pushing the atlas away from him. Severus was curious and leaned in taking Harry in his arms, “What is it, Mrs S?” Harry’s arms snaked slowly around his lover’s neck and he pulled them close, “Wanna marry you, Mrs P. Want you so much”, he mumbled against the broad chest as he was gathered in. Severus released a long breath that he wasn’t aware he even held, “What, now, Harry?”, he asked softly. Harry sunk his face away, but Severus wouldn’t let him get away with it, he needed to see Harry’s eyes, Harry’s true intentions, so lifted his lover’s face. “I wanna go home and marry you, then go travelling again for the rest of our lives, or until we’re too exhausted or old to wander anymore. I want to marry you and make you mine forever but for that we need to go back to England and I’m not sure I’m ready to go back yet. I’m so fucking confused right now. It was that quilt of Ginny’s. One of the remaining squares I want to make of our wedding, the moment I tie our fates together for the rest of our natural lives. I love you so much, Sev, and I want the world to know it or at least our close friends”.

Severus was still silent for a while and Harry felt panic rise in his throat like bile. Had he just said the worst thing ever? Would Sev hate him again for wanting to cut the idyll short? Troubled malachite met equally troubled black, then Severus smiled slowly and kissed Harry tenderly. “If we go back to England, will we ever leave again?” Harry nodded vehemently, “Damn right. There’s loads of things I want to see in the world and I want to see them with you. We can get somewhere to live on a short six month let: the standard muggle letting contract. We don’t have to get all our stuff out of storage or anything, just park ourselves somewhere until we have fulfilled the minimum requirements for residence, wed, and fuck off out of there again. We have promised each other all these places that we want to see and I have every intention of making good on those promises”. Harry let the suggestions hang and Severus could feel the excitement tug at his gut. “So, what you are saying, is that you want us to go back to England, marry and set out again straight away?” Harry grinned and nodded slowly, “But I want to do it from the basis of being married to you”, Harry’s face was so serious, the wet plain in his eyes.

The moment was broken up by the trilling of Harry’s mobile. He glanced at the screen. Hermione. He pressed the green button and answered. “Hi, so you all got back okay?”, and they chatted for a while, Harry’s face becoming more and more animated as the conversation continued. “Is that so? So little time? Are you sure?”, before the biggest grin spread over Harry’s face. He thanked his friend, blew her a kiss over the phone and ended the call.

He turned to Severus, his face incandescent, “Three weeks!! That’s all it takes. Three weeks. ‘Mione says we can kip on her floor if we need somewhere to crash or park up in their drive if we want to live in Bessie”. Severus tried hard to look serious, he really did, but couldn’t help a grin as it stole over his face, “Should I surmise from this that you have already discussed this with Hermione?” Harry blushed, “Well, I just asked her to make some initial enquiries, that’s all, but she sussed me out as usual. She may have no Legilimency skills per se, but she always could read my damned mind, bless her bones”.

They gazed at each other for a long moment until Severus grabbed Harry to him in an exuberant hug. “Shall we do it then, Harry?” and the idea took wings in their minds. Harry blushed and nodded, “I want us to be joined. I want our passports changed to reflect this. I want this to be legal. I want you, lover, for ever and ever ‘til death us do part”. Severus couldn’t doubt Harry’s sincerity and stammered out, “When? How soon?” Harry blushed like a besotted schoolgirl, “Well, you did say I’d make a lovely Spring bride. How about at Easter? We could take our time heading north, perhaps make our way to Holland for the tulips in the early spring and back to London for the end of March. Easter is towards the end of April this year. What say you?” Severus was overcome. This wasn’t an abstract idea any more but was about to become a reality and in a heartbeat, he realised that he wanted this more than anything else. His eyes teared as he took Harry into his arms, “Yes, yes, yes. Let’s do it. Marry me, Harry. Make me well and truly yours”.

They dived on each other and grabbed each other for the biggest breath-stealing hug and drew away slightly to look deeply into the other’s eyes and each saw the joy there, and each knew that this was what they truly wanted. They laughed and hugged and wiped away tears then kissed for Queen and country, and so the decision was made. They would head back to Blighty. It would have to be for six weeks at least in order to arrange everything. This time there would be no secrecy, no discretion, no hiding. They would invite everyone they knew. Perhaps it was time that the Zabinis saw England again. They were giddy with it all and before they realised what was happening, Harry was splayed over the breakfast counter and he was being fucked to oblivion by his husband-to-be and they both came simultaneously shouting their ecstasy to the rafters of the villa.

They were going to have to leave the sun behind for the time being and head north into the cold and the Winter to fulfil their plans, but packing up Bessie never felt so purposeful as they handed the keys back to the villa.

They tried to see their friends again but they were busy back at work until Mr Nikolides called them all to the house for lunch and they explained to their six new friends what was going on and extended the first provisional invites to their wedding, to be confirmed. Julia was overjoyed, particularly as she told them of the first parcel she had received from England packed to the gills with books about all manner of magical creatures plus the photo she had taken from her Aunt’s album, returned as pristine as the day she had given it over. The gang were delighted and gave their assurances that they would travel to England to be present at the nuptials. She knew that magicals kept their word now and looked forward to receiving the date to travel to England, pencilling in the possible dates into her diary. Her and Jon had always intended to travel to England in any case. Stacey hugged them both and cried, “Oh, God, this is so fab”, she exclaimed. Heike slipped them a bit of the weed to see them on their travels north with a grin and their hands were shaken by the men.

Teary-eyed, they took their leave and headed back across the island to Iraklion and the ferry, loud music accompanying them all the way, by no means all classical, Severus making various requests for tunes that he liked. “Go on, Harry, put on that Primal Scream album. It’s the sound of summer. Reminds me of the late sixties”, and Harry happily complied, the music of ‘Screamadelica’ accompanying them across the mountains to the ferry. This time, they hunkered down in the van and hid as the bow doors were shut, and didn’t leave Bessie all the way across the straits, enjoying peace from the crowds, soft music to not alert the steward patrolling and each other in the comfort of their own bed on the seven hour sailing to the mainland. No need for ‘Titanic’ moments this time. They were already floating on air.

****

They were laid up in a small off-road car park. They had spent an untroubled night there but had seen a police car pass several times already and Harry divined quickly that it was time to move on and they swiftly made their way across the land bridge separating Athens from Corinth. It was a long and busy drive so they pulled into a likely site that had all the electricity off for the winter and Harry just collapsed.

Severus was glad that they had laid in a small store of fuel and set about lighting a cooking fire and making them a meal. He knew by now how much driving on busy roads exhausted his beloved and let him sleep a while as he prepared them some food. Harry ate with his usual detachment after a trying drive then swiftly slept again.

Severus was laid out on the bed beside him with the atlases spread around him, facing the inevitable. There was a great deal of driving to do before they reached northern France again, and he didn’t want Harry arriving back in England and needing weeks to recover. He fished the crumpled advert again from where it was stashed within the pages of his new journal and regarded it with a frown. ‘Accelerated Driving School’, then the details of learning to drive within three weeks that included the written part of the test. He hadn’t mentioned any of this to Harry yet, but he was seriously considering it. It didn’t seem fair that Harry did all the driving, and it didn’t look that difficult after all.....

This wasn’t the only thing to consider as he let his left hand stroke slowly over Harry’s side. The quickest way overland to their next destination of Holland led directly through Germany and he really wasn’t keen on passing through that country, still mindful of the Spanish Minister’s words of warning, but any alternatives meant even more driving. As Severus totted up the mileages he was truly stunned at the miles they had already covered. Then he spotted the little boats on the map. He turned to the legend and discovered that they meant ferry routes. Of course, it may be a longer way round but it entailed a lot less driving for Harry and maybe more interludes such as they had naughtily experienced on the ferry from Crete, but even if not, then they could surely book ahead with the phone or Internet and have cabins and things. That was the solution, then, some driving and some ferries, and avoid Germany all together. Feeling immensely satisfied with his evening’s work, Severus closed all the books, removed his reading glasses and curled up next to his lover, taking his sleeping warm weight into his arms and pulling Harry’s back against his chest. Remus and he had never particularly been close sleepers but he had to admit that feeling a warm body pressed that near in sleep was......wonderful.

Harry had different thoughts on the ideas however. “I would really like to meet Frau Drescher and the de Santos girl”, he mused. Severus was horrified, “Did she not say that you would put yourself in danger if you communicated with her again?” Harry was thoughtful, “Well, yes, but we can get info on the Beauxbatons setup in advance from Hogwarts and meet secretly, surely. France is a big place after all”. Severus let out a long breath, “Sorry, Harry, I thought you were proposing for us to travel into Germany”. Harry smiled, “No bloody way. I’m not that stupid. I’m not some bloody spawny schoolkid after all, but I think I should at least meet this girl and as soon as possible. Anyway”, he shot a smouldering look at his affianced, “You missed France out altogether on your way out here and I’d love to see more of it on the way back. Wouldn’t you?” Severus shut him up by kissing him, “Gods, yes. Greece and Rome may be the centres of ancient civilisation but for many years the ideas for living came from France, the Reformation and the great early acts of science. This crucible of the northern Mediterranean countries that spawned the modern world. Every royal court in the Western world aped the grandeur of the French courts”.

Harry grinned, “That’s a definite ‘yes’ then. I’m more than happy to take all these ferries as you suggest as a way to minimise the hours I spend driving and I thank you for the consideration, but I warn you, I’m not that great a sailor either. When the seas are calm and glassy then I’m fine but if they are rough then I fear I will not be so good a seaman, so if the sea may prove to be so then I would ultimately far rather drive even though it knackers me more”. Severus couldn’t help but agree as he had a sneaking feeling that in a heaving sea with a boat pitching and yawing on it, he may not prove to be that good a sailor himself, indeed the very idea made him a little green around the gills. The sea really was bigger than they were and he thanked Merlin for Harry’s caution on the matter. But for now the decision was made. They would drive to the other side of the Greek mainland where quickly enough Harry had made them a suite-reservation from Patra to Venice after stepping into the travel office in Piraeus.

Chuckling, Harry declared as he looked at the map, “Well, there’s two ways to do this. Either the horrible main road which unfortunately hugs the shore, or we head inland a bit on the b-roads. It’s not really a decision as far as I’m concerned”. Severus shrugged and accepted the wisdom of his driver. Of course they would take the roads less travelled. He expected it of Harry by now and loved the idea. Harry intoned softly, “We will have to travel up into the mountains and it’s bloody cold up there although we may make it out the other side before the snows get too bad if my info is to be believed. I thought that we could take the top roads if we can”, he pointed out the route and it seemed much more exciting than the coast road at this point, so Severus shrugged and agreed. One day, he too would be a driver and have some say in the routes.

They actually had to travel more than half way along the dreaded coast road but as soon as they could Harry was turning them off and leading them into the backwaters once again. Quickly they found themselves climbing to higher ground, Bessie slow but steady. Harry laughed as he patted the steering wheel, “She could pull a couple of tons in a trailer up frigging Mount Everest but she’ll do it at her own stately pace, thank you very much”, he laughed as he heard the honk of horns, more impatient drivers behind him as Severus left his seat and peered through the window on the old rear door, “The bloke behind you is building up a fine head of steam, Harry”, he glanced at his lover, who shrugged daintily, “Bessie’s a workhorse not a speed queen, she’ll take her time”. Severus sat back down and buckled himself in before reaching a hand out to Harry to have it gripped briefly before Harry’s hands were needed for the steering wheel once again as he navigated them up steep roads and around twisty bends.

Severus started as they were forced to the other side of the road for a moment and he got a chance to look down for an instant. He saw tiny spots of bright colour far, far below at the base of the steep drop and realised, with a sinking heart that they were vehicles, laying a mere thousand feet or so directly below them and realised the reasons for Harry’s single-minded concentration. Each one of those vehicles hadn’t fallen on it’s own, they had all had people inside. He shuddered and kept his eyes on the road ahead.

They were above the snowline now but only just, the road had been cleared to a certain extent and the running was easy although Severus seemed a bit nervous. Harry spotted it, “Don’t worry, love, Bessie’s kitted out for winter. I’ve got more blankets for our bed, all the anti-freeze I’ll need, not to mention chains for the tyres should we run into serious snow, so don’t worry. I think we’ll spend the night up here and there’s a layby up ahead with woods adjacent so...?” Severus liked the idea and smiled, “Sounds good”, he murmured as they pulled in and Harry killed the engine.

The wagon ticked as she cooled but the two of them wrapped up warm in the kagoules that Harry had stowed aboard, then stepped outside into perfect unadulterated white and looked around. Harry grinned, “Oh, yes, Real snow”, and then ran off into the whiteness away from the road, stomping his feet to make deep impressions as he went. Severus shook his head at the childishness of Harry’s antics but felt a grin pull his lips up and, despite himself, he laughed as Harry threw himself onto his back and made a snow angel. He stood, his cheeks bright red, “Used to make them at Hogwarts every year during the Christmas holidays when I was stuck at school. The snow was always so deep at Hogwarts. It was the best part of the Christmas holidays for me ....... apart from Molly Weasley’s jumpers”, his tone lowered but he still smiled as his eyes drifted off.

Severus placed his arm around Harry’s shoulders and pulled him into a hug. “This year, though, you received the Weasley binding quilt, making you truly family. I was stunned at that gift, Harry”.

Harry sighed, “This is one of those, I-wish-I-knew-more-about-Magic sort of moments, isn’t it?”. Severus, instead of the annoyance that he had felt for his lover in the first seven or so years of knowing him, reached for him and held him close, “Harry, if you ever wanted proof that the Weasleys accept us as family then that quilt is the absolute proof. And the fact that she has put all four of us on there...I was stunned, Harry. I had no idea that anyone was building you such a ...strong magical item.....especially with myself depicted as such”. Harry was thoroughly confused and his brows knit together. “What does it mean then?”, he ventured after a silence. He tried not to let his voice tremble but the result was more of a squawk than not.

“Ginny has stitched us a very powerful set of spells in making that quilt. It is the realm of household magic, Harry. A branch, that I will admit, has never greatly impinged on my life before now, but after the quilt.....”, his voice trailed off. Harry was more confused than ever, “I know it is beautiful, but I didn’t read that much in the way of magic from it. I mean, Ginny made a beautiful job of it, and if there was any gesture that she could make to show me that I am truly, er, forgiven, then that was it. She stitched my other lovers, and for that alone I know that all bad blood is behind us now. It’s brilliant. You will recall her mentioning that I was expected to be her future intended?” Severus shuddered slightly, “Yes, I recollect it plainly, but she seems to be truly past the fascinating Harry Potter”. Harry glanced to see the trademark ‘Harry only’ smirk. “She is, prat! She’s my baby sister, just like Hermione is my big sister, not to mention they are the best girl friends a gay guy could ever have, either of them. So Ginny definitely counts as family now, but, anyway, what are all these spells?”

Severus smiled, “There’s nothing remotely dark or mischievous, so she hasn’t let her twin brothers near the thing. There are just what appear to be heartfelt wishes within, but there’s a tiny strand I’m not sure I grasp the meaning of. I think there’s a strand of magic woven in that only you were to understand”. Harry passed his wand over it randomly, then as he read his sister’s signature, he slowed and absorbed it before flicking his wand and watching as a message spun itself in small red flames before him. He recognised Ginny’s signature straight away, “You two are HOT!!! In ways neither of you were before. I hope this doesn’t do your head in or anything, but I noticed that you two were special a while back. I’m not a chief seer for nothing you know”, then the image blanked out and left the two of them at a loss for words.

They enjoyed the moonlit view before them, down into the valleys spread out below, arms around each other, then Harry turned to Severus and tilted his head up, his intention plain. Severus smiled as he angled his head down and they started to kiss, slow...just a brush of lips, that brought Harry’s head back, made his lips part slightly, before a far from shy tongue pressed home and Harry opened around it, meeting it with his own. Both groaned at the intensity of the contact and let it wash over them as it took them up into a cloud of lust that was all-encompassing, all-consuming....., in both of their minds was Ginny’s comment. They weren’t the only ones who had realised it. They stood together a moment longer, then Harry shivered slightly, and, Severus, all solicitous, bundled them back into Bessie’s warmth.

The quilt hadn’t yet been allowed onto their bed, too many memories tied up within. But tonight was really cold. Even Bessie’s stove didn’t warm the whole van. They sat for the evening on the sofa before the flames but the bed end was cool to say the least. They huddled under the blankets as the temperature dropped below the zero line and Bessie’s fire died and the real cold began to seep in. They moved together and realised that body heat was the best way to stay warm and relished in it, buried beneath so many covers. Kissing to start with, the light blocked out with the weight of blankets then they burrowed deeper and Harry felt Severus roll on top of him in the dark as their mouths joined again in heated kisses and he folded his arms and legs around his lover, pulling him in, closer....closer still.

Until he felt the swiftly uttered Lubricus charm, the blunt tip of his beloved’s cock seeking entry. He moaned and capitulated. To being filled, to being completed, to being loved, hanging on, he felt each deep thrust, crying out at each incursion into his depths, encouraging and assisting where he could until he started to lose it, squirming under the man who filled him all up, using his feet to pull further in then hands hot on arse as he pulled harder, as he was fucked and ploughed to the point of joyful pain as he arched his head, balls tightening, a sharp bite to his collar bone as Severus grunted his coming after many frantic thrusts then Harry exploded between them, holding tight and owning the man who made him feel like this.

They sank into sleep with a white blanket all around them, thickening and deepening as the night progressed. When they surfaced the next day they were hemmed in a bit by the snow but they bundled into warm clothes and dug themselves out of the layby to find the road quite clear below them. Feeling energised, Harry nosed them down the hillside and below the snow line and they were on their way once again. By the end of the day they were rolling down the hill into Patra on the coast and towards their billet of the following eve, the ship between Patra and Venice.

They lazed around that day. Harry sent some mail and eyed an Internet cafe in this small but cosmopolitan city. Severus nudged him, “Have you told them we’re on our way home?” Harry shook his head, “I don’t want a reception committee, just to turn up there at ‘Mione’s, hopefully in time for dinner, Neville’s a great cook”. Severus was surprised, “If his cooking is anything like his mastery of the art of Potions....” he snided until Harry whacked his arm, “Give over. The reason that man is shit at Potions is due to the teaching he received at the hands of a certain sadistic git that liked at least one scapegoat in each class”. Severus spun round at this, “Balderdash!!, he was simply not a Potions Master”. Harry rolled his eyes, “He brews potions on a regular basis now, remember, he is a very accomplished medi-wizard now and no thanks to you. He failed his Potions OWL but he was still taken on for his training and he made up all his NEWT level stuff in his own time. He scored an ‘Outstanding’ the second time around”. This did surprise Severus this time.

He stared into Harry’s eyes. “Is this true? That I actually hampered a student’s learning?”, his voice was soft and he seemed genuinely surprised. Harry sniggered, “Yes, of course you did. Neville is a highly intelligent guy and you just barrelled right over him with insults and the like. Did you know that he used to throw up before your classes?”. Severus frowned, “Actually, no, I didn’t”, he sighed, “I wasn’t much of a teacher, was I?” Harry looked at his slumped shoulders and reached out for him. Severus folded in Harry’s arms, “No, teaching isn’t your forte, not classroom teaching at any rate. You were brilliant at teaching Drae and I, though. Maybe you should have taught at University level or something. Maybe adult ed. But not kids, Sev. You have never had a particular affinity with youngsters, maybe your skills were wasted on a bunch of snot-nosed kids like us”.

Severus remained quiet as they entered and Harry paid for a couple of hours then unpacked the laptop and hooked everything together. Severus’ brows were knitted together as Harry opened their e-mail account and proceeded to upload their latest chapter and typed his mail fast. They were on their way back to England. The older man said barely a word until Harry called him on it. “I never realised that I was that bad of a teacher, Harry”. Harry frowned, “’Cos of Neville?” Severus looked at him, “I know I used terror to cow you as children, but you know now what I was facing on a regular basis?” Harry nodded, “Well we do now. Why do you think that Neville has forgiven you now? Why you are even friends?”. Severus ventured carefully, “Because I am your lover now, and you are best friends with his wife, not to mention godfather to their children?”

Harry shook his head, “You may seem all-wise sometimes, Sev, but other times you are a complete dunderhead. It’s because he likes you now, idiot. You and Neville will never be best buddies or anything but he definitely respects you now. How else could he spend best part of two weeks in the same house as you?” Severus shut up in the face of this and let Harry complete his mail session, once again thanking any deity that existed for delivering him from a life of teaching.

Harry re-packed the laptop after the latest download and they left the cafe in search of lunch. There were many things that he remembered bludgeoning Harry about during his years as a teacher but the lad had come through them okay, but the shy quiet ones….. He sighed again and was glad to be as far away from teaching as it was possible to get.

The day passed agreeably enough with them both poking about in the local gallery and amongst the local ruins until it was time to return to Bessie and drive her onto the ship, by far the biggest they had been on so far. They parked up and Bessie was fastened in. They leapt off her and were shown to their first-class cabin. A luxurious double for the eighteen hour crossing.

They watched from the stern as she cast off, then stayed hanging over the rails as she navigated through the outlying islands and out into the open sea. There was movement on the water but nothing too choppy as they sailed in stately style between Greece and Italy. They were never entirely out of sight of land as they cruised up the ‘zip fastener’ at the back of Italy’s ‘boot’. Eventually they turned in, to a lumpy and uncomfortable mattress in the bland room wishing they were still aboard Bessie but made the best of it, making love and stepping out on to their balcony, their arms around each other, waving as they imagined passing the Zabinis in the dark. There was a feeling between them that went unspoken, they were on their way to England and both were a bit nervous at this.

Severus looked at Harry; suppose this was just an infatuation born of the wildness of travel. Once they were back on home ground, this would all fade like a spectacular sunset into the dark of reality?

Harry found himself casting odd glances Severus’ way, suppose all this was just a romance that they had concocted as a result of ttravelling. Was he really the love of Sev’s life or would reality assert itself and tell his man anything different. He felt his heart start to sink as the boat speeded back the way that they had come.

As she docked and they climbed back into their accustomed seats, both felt the cloud on their hearts, a feeling of coming down, of coming back to a harsh reality that neither of them relished but both seemed to accept as an unavoidable necessity. But here they were, back in Venice again and neither could shake the joyful associations with the place as they wandered once again through the slightly rank-smelling streets feeling as if their experiences were a lifetime ago, not a mere few months.

****

As the mood took them, they drifted through Switzerland and back into France, crossing hither and yon over the borders taking several days. Harry’s exhaustion hit on the Swiss side on the far side of Bern and they stayed high up in the mountains for a few days, Harry fitting the tyre chains and emptying his bottles of anti-freeze into the diesel tank, but, still, each morning, they had to light a small fire under the engine to unfreeze it much to Severus’ consternation until Harry laughed, “Diesel isn’t half as flammable as petrol, that’s partly why we are in a diesel, not to mention that the fuel prices are significantly less over here for diesel. I’ve run her on red diesel too and she’s sturdy enough to cope, bless her”. Severus was a bit lost in all this but carried on listening. “If she stalls, she’s a lot easier to bump-start. Not like a petrol engine”.

Severus was keeping an eye on their progress by using the map. “Harry, we’re getting awfully close to the German border”, he warned. Harry turned and grinned, “I’m going to enter Germany just for this portion. Most of the ‘activity’ has been spotted in the south-east and we will be skimming the north-west. Otherwise I will be driving for considerably longer. I want to get to Holland by the quickest route possible at this point. I can see the road even while I sleep and I just want to frickin’ get there”.

Severus could hear the exhaustion in Harry’s voice and relented. They stayed for their final night in France before crossing the following day onto a more direct route, driving around Luxembourg and heading for Bonn.

They crossed the German border near Nancy and headed more or less due north, Luxembourg to their left as they drove. The weather closed in on them and became colder to the point where Severus was maintaining a low level fire in Bessie’s stove as they drove. They pulled in near some extensive woodlands and gathered small logs for the stove that they stockpiled. The route that they had chosen led them through some high ground before they were due to drop to the plain that was Holland.

Tired as he was, Harry didn’t ignore the signs from Bessie but wasn’t sure what the problem was as he started the long slow upwards climb. He felt a catch in the steering now and again that righted itself to the point where he ceased to think of it again. They stayed that night high above Kaiserslautern deep in the hills below Mainz.

The snowfall was thick and sticky. They woke that morning to find themselves six inches deeper than they had the night before. They pressed on into the hills taking one of Harry’s famous back routes only Severus had difficulty navigating them and it was soon obvious that they were both lost. The hilly district they were in was simple enough or so the map seemed to think, but it was badly signposted and they were still lost for another night after fruitlessly trying to negotiate their way through thick fog. Severus was profoundly unsettled as they lay down for another night lost in the snow. Harry didn’t seem to mind, snuggling into Severus’ arms and letting the older man spoon behind his back as he slept.

They re-oriented themselves the following day via the GPS system which Harry had not used that much yet, to find themselves further off course than they had at first thought. He frowned and peered at the map a lot, keeping it on his lap as he drove but the roads that seemed to lead in the direction they wanted always seemed to turn and lead them off in ways that they didn’t want. They were still above the snow line, which was dropping all the time, along with the temperature. As Harry drove, Severus noticed him being rougher with the steering wheel, hauling it around with a frown until the wheels turned.

Another steep turn and there was a distinct grinding sound as Harry turned the wheel sharply to one side. It was as they crested the steep hill that they were on and were beginning to barrel down the other side that Severus caught the wave of panic that flowed from Harry as he desperately tried to hold on to Bessie as he steered them down the steep slope. He yelped and cursed as he spun the steering wheel wildly until something caught and he managed to stop them taking a header over the precipitous edge and taking the short way down into the valley below.

Harry was working at full strength over the wheel having to stand to manipulate it hard enough to make the rack beneath respond and the direction be passed to the wheels. It was then that Severus realised something was very wrong. “Do you need help, Harry?” Harry kept his eye on the road, the sweat running down his face, “Help me with this, the steering’s gone fucking random on me”, he said in a tight voice. Severus stood and was beside Harry in a heartbeat. “Tell me what to do”, he said, curtly. Harry breathed out, “Hang on to the wheel and keep wiggling it until you can feel something catch, only then can we change direction. Something has gone very wrong with the steering and it doesn’t always catch”. They were travelling at a snail’s pace by now, Harry and Severus manipulated the steering wheel until Harry felt something engage below him before they could attempt the next bend. They saw a lay-by up ahead with a sign leading to a nearby climber’s bothy. They turned down the hill and slid as gracefully to a halt as possible.

Harry slumped in the driver’s seat. “Steerin’s fucked, Sev. I’ve got the bits in the back. It’s the column bushes that have finally gone. That’s why there’s so much play in the column and why we have to twist the wheel the way we do. I can fix it, but not up here, it’s too fuckin’ cold. I may have to call the AA tomorrow”. He didn’t seem too bothered but Severus was quite upset, “You mean we are without means to get off this mountain tonight?”, he kept his voice level, but he could feel something akin to panic crawl in his chest. Harry paused in his present task and turned to his lover, “Does that bother you? We’ll be found by morning when I send the signal via the GPS that we’re stuck”. Severus breathed in deeply and closed his eyes, “Yes. It does bother me a bit. I have always been averse to the idea of being stranded”.

Harry stepped outside with his mobile and quickly realised that he couldn’t get a signal. He grinned, “We just have to wait for a satellite to pass over and receive our signal. I bet someone comes before dawn”. He pointed through the windscreen at a swiftly moving heavenly body, “Look. There. That’s a muggle satellite. It could be picking up my GPS signal as well as my position as we speak, transmitting it to a rescue station and sending someone out to us”. Severus raised a brow and looked extremely dubious. He enquired, “Shall I light a small fire and cook?” Harry took him in his arms and kissed him, “Yes, that would be lovely. Don’t worry. Someone will look for us and if they haven’t by morning, then I have a registered radio on board that I haven’t used yet that I can use to send a distress call from, so don’t worry, okay? We’re not stuck up here”. Severus frowned as he turned to the range, opening the door and cleaning out the ash preparatory to building a cooking fire.

Severus managed to make them a slow-cooked risotto and still no-one had come. He spied through the side window the snow coming down. He sat beside Harry on the sofa and pushed his food around while Harry partook wholeheartedly. Harry saw and took Severus’ plate from him. He wrapped his arms around him, “Come on, you, these countries are the most highly populated, not to mention, way up there as far as technology is concerned. Relax, Sev. Someone will turn up. This is as much a part of the travelling experience, love, particularly as we travel in a vehicle. I’ve got the bits. I just need to be somewhere over freezing temperatures and I can fix her. I know. I hold my hands up. I should have fixed her at Christmas, but she wasn’t giving any problems then, and why fix it if she ain’t broke?”

Severus leaned into Harry’s side and fretted. He watched the snow come down and fretted. He eventually stood again and paced about, then fretted some more. Harry divined it was about being hemmed in in some way. Stuck and unable to move. It didn’t bother him over much at this stage but he could see the effect it was having on his lover. He was off his guard for a moment as Severus gnashed his teeth, gripped his wand and flung the door open, stepping outside.

Harry took a moment or two to process this then was right behind him but couldn’t stop him.....as Severus raised his wand....Harry watched as if in slow motion....saw the red sparks shoot out....the International wizarding distress call, the SOS of the wizarding world, before the world speeded up and Harry threw himself at his lover and they both had their faces buried in the snow as Harry landed hard on Severus who struggled beneath him.

Harry raised himself a few inches, enough to look down into Severus’ face. He was livid. “You fucking IDIOT”, he screamed, “We’re in fucking GERMANY for fuck’s sake, trying to be incognito and you send up a fucking WIZARD’S distress call”. Harry raised himself up and ran to Bessie’s rear rummaged about in the spares locker withdrawing a muggle flare. “I’d better fire this and draw the attention off”, he muttered, clearly still incensed. Severus, in a breath, had realised the depth of his gaffe and shut up, watching Harry as he let go the flare, firing the bright red light over the valleys around them.

The response was not long in coming. They were tensely sipping mugs of tea when the first knock sounded on Bessie’s door. Both felt malevolent magic outside but neither drew their wands at Harry’s insistence. “We just crack daft for this one”, he muttered and Severus was content to go along with it. Harry answered the door and acted completely oblivious to the questioning from the strange men in black. He had sent up a standard distress flare and hadn’t seen any red sparks at all. Did this mean there was a fire or something close by? His flare was red. No sparks, just the rocket. He shook his head as the contingent moved off leaving them there. Harry sighed as he closed the door and leaned against it. “They’ll be back. Let’s hope the AA get here before they do”. Severus was deeply impressed by Harry’s ad-libbing and said so, “And I’m sorry for leading them here. I panicked”. Harry regarded his lover thoughtfully, “It’s not like you to panic, Sev. What’s up?” Severus carded a hand through his hair, “I hate feeling so stuck, so helpless. Sorry, Harry, if I’ve put us in danger but I did take a note of the registration number of their car”. Harry grinned, “So did I, and saw beneath the glamour to see the real number”. Severus humphed in annoyance. Harry was the better wizard and the better Auror. “They were a hotchpotch of muggles and de Santos’ new lot, weren’t they?” Harry asked into the silence that had grown between them. Severus nodded, “Did you feel a Death-Eater there amongst them?” Harry nodded, “Yes, but not very strong. My scar itches rather than burns like it did with Nott”, they lapsed into silence.

All they could hear around the outside of Bessie was the wail of the wind. Harry asked, “Could you ‘read’ them at all?”. Severus acted like he hadn’t heard for a moment but Harry knew the man to be deep in thought and didn’t disturb him, merely watching the subtle play of expressions across his face until Severus nodded, “Couldn’t ‘hear’ much, they were all pretty well Occluded. Whether they were acting on de Santos’ orders was hard to divine. I never saw their forearms after all”, he glared at Harry.

Harry started back, “What was I supposed to do? A Death-Eater and a bunch of other goons appear in response to your signal and I have to deal with them, act like a muggle. Thanks a lot, Sev. Not!!”, he exclaimed, rolling his eyes. “I can’t let them get me, after all this time, Sev”, he whispered hoarsely and Severus was instantly chagrined, wrapping his arms around his Harry. “Sorry I panicked, love”, he murmured, rocking them both. Harry recognised the signs that Severus was truly sorry and felt tears on his face, “They’ll come back”, he hiccoughed and sniffled. Severus held him tighter and intoned, “Let’s hope the AA get here first”.

They held each other and faced the cold night keeping each other awake. There was a noise that made them both start, enough for them to realise that they had both dropped asleep from pure exhaustion. A chugging and churning sound that gradually revealed a rescue truck. Both grinned at this before climbing out with the essentials and climbing into the relay wagon of the German branch of the AA and being transported to somewhere where they could fix Bessie then get the hell out of this country.

On their way, Harry had texted Hermione with what little he had divined of the Death-Eater and his little cadre who had approached them. The vehicle type and the licence number. Then he fell asleep to be woken up in Koblenz. They pitched out into a motel as Bessie was driven away with the details of where to find her the next day relayed to Harry before he found solace in clean cotton and fell onto their bed fully clothed and let sleep claim him.