What Dreams May Come

J. K. Rowling owns the Potterverse. I am only borrowing her characters for my own amusement.

Unbeta’d.


Chapter 2 Receiving Redemption

Severus watched in despair as the vital signs of his beloved began to falter. Troubled onyx eyes sought out the kind and competent eyes of the medi-witch. Understanding the silent question, Poppy patted the arm of the distraught potions master. “Severus, we are doing everything we can. Harry is a strong man and a powerful wizard. He will hang in long enough for the headmaster to find a counter to the curse affecting your mate.”

All they had been able to find out thus far was that the curse was designed to turn the victim’s fears and insecurities against them. Unable to escape the tormenting thoughts, the victim would ultimately succumb to the unrelieved anguish and just simply die.

Closing his eyes, Severus knew better than most what demons haunted Harry’s mind. A childhood full of neglect and vitriol. Those horrid muggles had hated and feared the young wizard and had done their best to destroy his sense of self-worth. A teenager who was thrown blindly into the fray as he entered the wizarding world. Harry had been expected to be everyone’s hero and savior without being given the proper tools, knowledge or support necessary. A young man who had carried the fate of the wizarding, and indeed the entire world upon his slim shoulders.

And now here Harry lay, under the influence of a spell that was tearing his mind, heart and soul apart. And all of his abilities, all of his immense knowledge was absolutely useless as Severus was unable to help his young lover. No one could reach Harry now. No one could assure him that what he was thinking and feeling was not real, not true.

Running a soothing hand across the clenched fist of his beloved, Severus could only wait in silence for his mentor to find a counter curse to this wretched curse that was destroying his love. Not for the first time Severus replayed the events of that morning, trying to find any piece of information that might give them a clue as to how to fight the curse Harry had been hit with.

It was late August and he and Harry had walked down to Hogsmeade to pick up some supplies for the upcoming school year. They had just exited the post office and shrunk their packages when a shrill scream met their ears. Turning quickly, they came face to face with Bellatrix Lestrange. A twisted grimace turned her heavy features into a mask of hatred and anger. With a swift wave of her wand, the Death Eater muttered a single word before laughing once more and Disapparating from sight. Neither man had even had the time to hex the crazed witch before she disappeared.

Severus had just begun to relax when he heard Harry’s scream of agony. He had barely caught his mate before the young man had fallen to the ground. A crowd of curious witches and wizards had gathered around the two men as Severus tried unsuccessfully to rouse Harry. In desperation, the potions master had scooped up his lover and rushed to ‘The Three Broomsticks’ to reach a floo connection. Hurriedly explaining the situation to Madame Rosmerta, Severus had stepped through the floo to the Hogwarts infirmary, his precious cargo safely ensconced in his arms. Immediately Madame Pomfrey set to work, trying without success to rouse the tortured young man from his mind. While Poppy tended to her patient, Severus fire-called the headmaster to inform him of the attack. Upon hearing the curse that the witch had uttered, Albus promised to begin looking for a counter curse.

After an hour of ineffective potions and charms, his young lover was losing the battle against the curse and his vital signs were faltering. Brushing a tendril of hair out of his beloved’s face, Severus tried to ignore the icy grip that fear had laid heavily on his heart and soul. He didn’t think he could survive if anything happened to his Harry. The young man had come to mean so much to him during the long, hard war. They had both lost so much, so many friends to the Dark Lord and his followers and in their grief had turned to one another. It was in the loneliest and dimmest of times that they had discovered their feelings for one another. Indeed, Severus often thought that it was only their love that had saved them and kept them going through the darkness. And now, having survived the war and the defeat of the Dark Lord, the thought that his Harry could be taken away from him by one of his former master’s insane followers was too much for the normally stoic man. A single tear began its long, slow descent down a chiseled cheek as the potions master gave into his misery.


That was how Albus found them a few minutes later. His brightly colored robes swishing around him, the headmaster gently touched the arm of his protégé. “Severus, I have found the counter for the curse Bellatrix used, but we must act quickly. It was a simple curse, but the counter must be stronger than the original curse. Therefore, we three will need to cast the counter at the same time in order to overcome the curse.”

Severus lifted his head tiredly as he listened to his mentor and long-time friend. Nodding his understanding, the potions master stood and reached for his wand.

Poppy had come back over to the bed when she heard the headmaster enter the infirmary. Having also heard the explanation, she pulled out her wand and waited for further instruction.

Seeing that both were ready, Albus continued, “The original curse was ‘Addubito,’ which means to doubt. Now all of Harry’s doubts and insecurities are destroying his mind and soul. He will die very soon if we are not successful. We are fortunate in that there is a counter curse, but as I said we all three need to cast it together. Now that counter is ‘Accredo,’ which means to believe. Now, on my signal, we all cast it.”

The medi-witch and the potions master raised their wands and waited for the silent signal. On seeing it, three strong voices rang out and a vibrant green light enveloped the supine form of the cursed young man.


Severus felt his heart race as he watched for signs that the counter curse had worked. Emerald eyes slowly opened and gazed about in confusion. Sighing, Severus went over to his love and gathered the bewildered young man into his arms.

Harry blinked as he tried to process what had happened. He remembered leaving the post office when they were confronted by Bella – pulling back from his mate, Harry looked at the now crying older man. “Sev, what happened? What did Bellatrix do? And why are you crying, love?”

“Love, that bitch cursed you and I thought we were going to lose you. Albus found a counter curse, and it…” Severus’ voice gave out as he felt all the fear and grief wash over him. Strong arms wrapped around his body and held him closely.

A small voice broke through the potions master’s tears, “I remember being alone and unwanted and unloved. I thought you had rejected me and I remember just wanting to die. Oh, Sev. It hurt so much.”

With an effort, Severus pulled himself together and wiped the remaining tears from his face. “Hush, my love. It was only the curse making you feel that way. I could never stop loving you, Harry.” As proof, Severus dipped his head and brought his mouth down to his mate’s. The pair melted into the kiss and the affirmation both needed.


Poppy placed a hand on her old friend’s arm and led the bemused headmaster away from the lovers. Their part was done, now it was time for the two lovers to reassure one another and continue the healing process.

~The End~