Darkened Lust

Darkened Lust
Part Twenty-one

By Ami E. Bowen and Rebecca (Becca) Middleton

Disclaimer thing: All Harry Potter characters and likenesses belong to J.K. Rowling. All Stephen King references belong to Teh Master of Horror himself; Stephen King. We borrow with love and adoration from both!

"How can I explain this?" Ami muttered, mainly to herself.

"You and Becca did quite well explaining it to me," Snape encouraged her. "Just tell it in your own words, my loves."

The younger trio once again exchanged wondering looks at the endearment. To them, it sounded very strange coming from Snape's lips. He seemed like a different man with these two muggles, but the sneer that crossed his face as he glanced at Harry was all too familiar.

Ami took a deep breath and began. "There's an author in this world called J.K. Rowling. She's the one who created your entire world. Becca and I have been reading the books for years. Well, and watching the movies. And Severus has always been our favorite character from both."

Harry gave a snort of disgust at this but didn’t reply. Hermione shot him an impatient glance before turning back to the women. "Movies?" she asked. Having muggle parents meant that Hermione was familiar with such things.

"Yeah, movies. Four of them so far and the fifth one is being made now." Becca answered her.

"So, that should mean that at least a couple of them are on dvd," Hermione stated. "Do you have them?"

"Three of them, actually," Ami replied. "But I don't know if any of them are in this house."

"There are, the first one and the third one," Becca said. "I bought extra copies to leave here for my son when he comes with me to visit."

"Can we watch them?" Hermione asked with a mixture of eagerness and fear. Both women hesitated, neither sure if this was a good idea or not. "Please," Hermione said. "It's a bit hard to believe, all this."

"What is a movie?" Ron spoke up.

"It will be easier to show you, Ron," Hermione said absently, still staring at Becca and Ami.

Giving in to the pleading in those dark brown eyes, Becca nodded. Damn maternal instincts! She had spent so much time reading about Hermione and the others that she had developed protective feelings about some of the kids. "OK, I guess. But, later, all right?"

Hermione looked disappointed but nodded her assent. "Well, then, how did you find our world, and Professor Snape, if here we're nothing more than fiction?"

"And why him?" Harry asked contemptuously.

Becca and Ami gave him identical dark looks. Severus's lips twitched at the sight. How alike they are, he thought.

"Excuse me," Becca said before getting up and disappearing down the hallway. They heard her rummaging in her brother's room for a few minutes, and then she reappeared carrying a stack of books in her arms.

"This is how we found out that a doorway to your world could be created. Especially from this one," she said, holding one of the books out to Hermione, who took it eagerly.

"Song of Susannah" she read. "Pretty."

"An author named Stephen King wrote these. Look..." she took the book back from Hermione and flipped through it, looking for something. "Read this," she told the younger girl, handing the open book back to her.

Hermione read, "And then came the man of the house, then came he. He saw them and stopped. He saw Roland and stopped...Then the man turned and ran. Not, however, before Eddie saw the terrible...recognition on his face... And then, as Becca got up and pointed out another passage to her..."Sai King said...Mister, I don’t know who your friend is, but you...man I made you!" Hermione fell silent as she scanned the following pages quickly, reading King’s conversation with his own creations. "Gan," she murmured, and raised awestruck eyes to Becca's. "Some people do say that Gan created the universe. So, this Rowling woman...is our Gan?"

"We think so," Ami answered her, and sighed. "It was a bit of a joke at first. Becca and I were such fans of Snape's, and then she started telling me about The Dark Tower books, playing the audio books for me. We started joking about creating a doorway to the wizard world so we could meet Snape." She shrugged. "So one day, just goofing off, I tried a spell I found in one of my books. We never thought it would work, but then...there the door was. And we went through it, and found ourselves in Spinner’s End."

"We did it twice," Becca said as she sat back down next to Snape. He placed a hand on her leg and squeezed it. "Both times we met Severus." She stopped as a wide grin spread across her face. Leaning forward to look at Ami on the other side of Snape, she said, "He wasn't too pleased to meet us at first, was he?"

Laughing, Ami could only shake her head.

"Would you have been pleased, my pets? Opening your door to find two strange women standing there, who at first only gaped like two fish out of water, and then practically launched themselves at you?" Snape's voice held a hint of amusement, and the two women leaned against him, laughing helplessly at the memory. Snape's arms went around them and he smiled indulgently. He was becoming used to their occasional lapses into silliness. The "Golden Trio" looked at each other in astonishment at the sight of Snape openly showing affection.

"We were a bit enthusiastic," Ami finally admitted.

"Just a bit." Snape agreed.

"We never thought he would come looking for us after that," Becca put in.

"And just why did you?" Harry snarled at Snape. "Don't you two know that he'll kill you if he gets half a chance? Once he's finished using your bodies, he'll get rid of you one way or another! But here you are, playing his sluts!"

Ami and Becca gasped in outrage, but before they could react, Snape shot to his feet, his wand pointed at Potter. "Apologize to my ladies, Potter," he hissed.

"Harry!" Hermione said urgently, her eyes wide with fear for him.

Harry looked at his friends, then slumped back in his seat. "I'm sorry for calling you sluts," he gritted out, "but I stand by what I said about Snape."

Severus lowered his wand. "You're wrong, Potter." He looked toward Becca, and she felt the familiar crawling sensation in her skull as he searched her mind for something. "For these are mine, sure, as I am theirs. We are round, and roll as we do." he said. Becca's eyes widened and tears suddenly rolled down her cheeks. Her favorite line that Stephen King had ever written, and said in Severus's velvety voice made it even more beautiful. She smiled at him and Ami, then whispered, "We are ka-tet. We are one from many." finishing the quote.

"Don't you see?" Ami stepped to Severus' right and grasped his arm, at the same moment, as though they shared the same thought, which, of course they did, Becca clasped her own hand about his left arm, "We are bound together. By a power stronger than anything magic could conjure..."

"I don't see how..." Harry interrupted, but Becca said, still overcome with emotion, tears glistened on her cheeks, and Ami felt the lump in her own throat at her friend's emotions washed over her. "We know what is in our hearts...our minds...our souls. Neither Ami nor I..."

"...have seen any reason to distrust Severus..." Ami finished, and Hermione glanced at Ron over Harry's head again. An expression of bewildered fear mingled with interest flashed across her features. Ami, always the one to peace-make, broke away from Snape. Becca reached a hand towards her but lowered it as she realized her friend's intent.

Kneeling before the young wizard, Ami placed her hands upon his knees and looked up into his angry, distrusting face. She spoke clearly, but her own dark brown eyes were filled with the desire to make him understand...and forgive.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Ron cried, protective, as always, of his good friend. Hermione hushed him though with a sharp shake of her head.

"Harry, please. This hurt and anger you've been harboring..." she reached up and traced a hand across his cheek.

He finched away and glared, "Is not you. This is not the Harry Potter that I...we..." she glanced back at Becca and Snape. The former nodding slighly, the latter waiting paitently, trusting Ami, "...have come to love...Please..."

"Ami," Becca said, at once at her side, pulling her up, "I don't think this is helping... words aren't getting through to him. Can't you see that?" Ami nodded and looked away, pained that she could not get through to the young man. "There is another way...isn't there, Severus?" Becca turned towards Snape, who raised a brow and nodded slowly.

Stepping forward, Snape beckoned Ami and Becca to him and together they approached the Golden Trio. Standing in front of them, Snape said; "I don't doubt this will be painful,"

"Big surprise, there," Harry mumbled, Snape choice to ignore this and went on; "We must be in physical contact with each other. Since my ladies and are bound we no longer need the aide of being in direct contact to share our thoughts, memories and emotions. With you three it is different."

"Don't you touch me!" Harry snarled, but Ami took Hermione's hand and she grasped Harry's, before he could protest more. Becca, holding Severus' other hand, once he'd pocketed his wand for the time-being, and with her other she took Ron's. Ron, after a moment's hesitation, clasped Harry's free hand on his other side. "It's okay, Harry..." Hermione said, "I don't know why...but I have a feeling about these two..."

"Spoken words are not enough to show you," Becca said, "There is only one way, then, to make you see..."

"...Only one way..." Becca and Snape said, together, and suddenly their world was upside-down, turned inside-out and topsy-turvy. They knew that the one they needed to focus on most was Harry. That the other two would, pretty much, come along for the ride and learn everything he learned, second-hand. But it was Harry they needed to set their attention towards.

It all happened in the blink of an eye, yet seemed to go on forever. Emotion, feelings, memories, deeds, ideas, love, trust, longing, desire, everything that they had they flung into him, attempting to make him understand... make him see... to realize. As a single voice within his swirling mind, Severus,

Becca and Ami spoke; **You see? Do you, Harry? Look! We've opened ourselves to you! Every part! All of us... Even the Professor you feared and hated. There is darkness there... yes... Yes, We are not denying that... but, look! See! Beyond the darkness... Can you not understand! Dumbledore trusted Severus Snape! There was no treachery. No treachery. You know we speak the truth. You must feel this... FEEL THIS! **

An implosion of light, blinding, searing in it's purity and the group was flung apart. Panting, Harry's eyes were still squeezed tight, he was shaking violently and tears were seeping from beneath his glasses. Hermione and Ron were no less shaken.

"Oh..." Hermione mananged, her hands shook as she placed them to her head, "I could feel...I mean...I've never..."

"W-what did you do?" Ron gulped, "I...felt like I was...inside...of everyone's heads..."

"Chocolate," Becca whispered, from where she'd fallen to the floor beside Severus and Ami, recalling what she'd read from the books and seen in the movies. Ami nodded and Severus drew his wand, summoning a block from the ether.

He handed it to Harry. A moment passed before the boy did nothing but stare at Snape.

Then, hesitantly, he took the proffered candy and bit into it. He conjured more Becca and Ami and Harry split his chocolate with Hermione and Ron, who were still sitting on the sofa, stunned.

"It hurts..." Becca said, nodding as she righted herself, yet didn't stand up. Too weak yet to do much more than sit on the floor. Ami crawled over and wrapped her arms around her. She wasn't speaking of a physical pain. Severus was doing a good job of not showing his own reaction. But, a bead of sweat dripped down his brow.

As one, Becca and Ami went to him and enveloped him within their small circle. It was painful to be opened like that and to allow somone within...to be raked completely raw and left as if blown away by a strong wind.

"But it was the only way we could show you," Becca said, "The only way you'd believe us..."

"What makes you think..." Harry said, slowly, though his voice didn't hold the confidence it held before, "That...I believe you now?"

"Because, Mr. Potter," Snape said, looking up through his dark hair, his eyes bright, "Don't you know anything at all? What we've just showed you... Is a place within myself...within all of us... where any kind of deceit cannot gain a foothold."

"It's true, Harry," Hermione said, "While connected in such a way none of us could lie...I..."

"Yeah, I know," Harry said, shaking his head, "You read about it somewhere..."

"Harry..." Ami and Becca said at once, "Please..."

"Okay! Okay!" Harry cried, holding his hands out in front of his face as though to fend them off, "Just...let me alone! Let me have time to think, all right?!"

"It seems that every time you think, you come to the wrong conclusion, though, Potter," Snape said, and Harry glared at him. "You do much better when you listen to Miss Granger." Even after the powerful mind link they had just shared, the old enmity between the two was still strong.

Ami placed a placating hand on Severus's arm. "Severus, please. Lay off him for a while."

The younger trio half expected him to strike her for saying something like that to him. Instead, his expression softened slightly as he turned to her and took her hands. "Very well, love. As a matter of fact, I do believe it is time for you to work your magick once more."

Ami was astounded. "Again? After everything that has happened? Do you really think it will do any good?"

Severus nodded. "I think it has done a great deal of good so far. None of us has been permanently injured or killed, have we?"

"Oh, but that was due to you...wasn’t it?"

He shook his head. "I am by no means certain of that. I prefer not to take the chance. Come. Let's go gather your tools and begin." He took her hand and led her toward the kitchen, but stopped for a moment. He looked at Becca and said, "If you need me, I will know. Though you should be quite safe." Becca nodded and smiled at her friends before they continued on their way.

"Magic?" Hermione said. "But I thought you two are muggles."

"This isn't your world," Becca answered. "Severus said that he doesn't think things are as strictly defined here. I think he's right. I mean, it was Ami and I who created the first doorway, not him."

Hermione nodded, glancing at Harry as if to check on him. He was again slumped down on the couch, seeming to brood. Ron spoke up then, almost blurting out his question. "So, both of you are, um, sleeping…with Snape?"

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded. "That's so rude!"

"It's all right," Becca said. "Yes, Ron, both of us are...sleeping...with Snape. For the time being. And Ami and I are lovers as well. Does that answer all your questions?"

Ron’s face was doing a credible job of trying to match his hair. He nodded and looked down at his feet, unable to meet Becca's cool amused gaze. "Sickening," she heard Harry whisper. Instead of being angry, she laughed.

"Not in the least, Harry. It's not sick, it’s not wrong...it's ka."

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"To put it simply...fate. Destiny. Something that is meant to happen and cannot be stopped or changed. It's hard to explain any more than that."

"Like a prophecy?" Hermione asked, and Harry winced.

Becca shook her head. "No, not exactly. It's..." As always when trying to explain something that she herself understood so easily, Becca felt the words catch in her throat. After a few moments of trying to force them out, she gave up and shook her head. "I can't explain," she said in frustration.

Unexpectedly, it was Ron who spoke up, though still staring at his feet. "Like death." he said.

"What!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Like death," he repeated. "Death is something that's supposed to happen to everyone, right? So I reckon that would be ka. We just don't know how or when. Knowing that would be a prophecy."

Becca stared at him in admiration. "Exactly," she said, and the redhead looked up and gave her a small, embarrassed smile.

Harry let out a short, harsh laugh. "Yeah. Sleeping with Snape, that would be like death!"

"Ye know somethin'? Yer really lucky that I ain't a witch rite now!" Becca snapped at him. His eyes widened in surprise both at her harsh tone and the sudden emergence of her accent. They stared at each other, but it was Harry who dropped his eyes first.

"Well!" Becca said. "I'm starving, I'm fixing us all something to eat." She got up and went into the kitchen. She went to the back door first, gazing out into the darkness. She saw the flicker of the candle flame toward the woods, and the vague shadows of Ami and Severus. Satisfied that they were all right, she turned around, and saw Hermione standing there.

"I'd like to help, if you don’t mind," the girl said. "My parents are muggles, I'm used to cooking without magic."

"I know," Becca said, smiling at her.

"Yeah...yeah, I guess you do after all," Hermione grinned ruefully. "That and more."

To Be Continued...