The Guardian

Disclaimer- The only character I own is Rhi... but she still likes playing with the boys of HP whom all belong to JKR. I make no money off this.

A/N- okay I have no excuses I am just a lazy writers block having bum. But maybe I've gotten past the worst of it. I hope.

Chapter 22
Love consists in this...

“Gods couldn't you two have found someplace more comfortable than the kitchen table?” Severus' snarky voice woke the sleeping pair. He was actually grateful to them but it was just too good an opportunity to see them both jump and fall out of the chair they shared.
“Severus?” Rhiannon scrambled up to his side, “You're awake.” she smacked a huge kiss right on his forehead.
“Eww witch, get off.” He grimaced.
Sirius leaned over him next, Severus had actually seen him doze off a few minutes ago and knew he'd been up for a while. The man looked like crap with his long hair tangled and dark circles under his gray eyes.
“You bastard. You scared the hell out of us.” He helped Severus to sit up, checking the bandage over the pale man's chest. “What the hell happened to you?”
“I don't recall. Last thing I remember is being strung up for another bout of whipping.”
“That explains this. If I remember correctly Voldemort favors a cat o' nine tails.” She dropped the small hunk of metal they'd pulled out of his chest into his pale hand.
“Yeah, he likes to tie ball bearings to the strips.” He hissed. “Says it makes more of a lasting impression. How did I get here?”
“We were hoping you could tell us. You just showed up in the middle of the night and pounded on the door until we let you in.” Sirius helped him off the table, and settled him in the softer arm chair he'd transfigured out of one of the dining room chairs. “You then preceded to bleed all over everything while complaining you couldn't breathe before passing out.”
“We almost lost you Severus.” Rhiannon dropped her gaze, hating to be seen crying. She moved to the stove, pulling out pans, busying herself with breakfast.
“I'm sorry Rhiannon, it's not like I planned on getting tortured.” He stood carefully and crossed the room, raising an unsure hand and laying it on her shoulder. When she started sobbing in earnest he turned, horrified to Sirius who just shrugged.
Sirius watched his wife sob over Severus and felt jealous, but only a bit as he had no idea what to do with a sobbing wife. He shook his head and moved to take her in his arms, she was his wife after all and he knew he should do something to make her stop. She cried a puddle on his bare shoulder before turning, still hiccuping to break the eggs she waved over from the fridge, embarrassed that they'd witnessed her falling apart. With one last sniff she decided to pretend the last couple of minutes hadn't happened.
“Do you want bacon or sausage?” She asked.
“Um sausage?” Both men asked looking bewildered at each other, both wondering how women changed gears so fast.
“Well go get dressed, clean up the table. Get busy you two. The order will be here soon enough.” She waved them out, ignoring her own state of undress.
“Your wife is barmy.” Severus hissed as he mounted the stairs, holding his chest. Magic may speed up the healing but there was still some suffering to be done.
“Hey, she saved your life.” Sirius grumbled, silently agreeing with the injured wizard, but then weren't most women a bit barmy when it came to those they loved?
Sirius froze, remembering the first time Lily had found the marauders after a full moon. She'd bandaged and healed the numerous injuries they inevitably had from frolicking with a werewolf and, once they'd been safely locked in the infirmary, she'd sobbed like some one had just died. Lily had loved the group, she'd told them often enough as she browbeat them into studying. He'd seen that same motherly love shinning in her eyes for Harry and Severus that Lily had had for them. He envied them her love, and found himself wishing she would fall in love with him. Passion they had in abundance, and friendship but could they love each other?
“Mutt, you better get moving, she's likely to hex us into next week.” Severus hissed, sounding out of breath.
“Me probably, but not you.” Sirius pouted. If only she would tell him who she was bound to. He shook his head, pushing the door to their room open. “Did you take all of your clothes with you when you returned to Hogwarts yesterday?”
“Unfortunately yes. Guess I'll have to make due with my bloody ones.” He attempted to Scourgify the bundle of shredded cloth that had once been his frock coat and robes. They still reeked of blood and too many potions to identify.
“Those are disgusting.” Sirius jerked back from the bundle of cloth, his heightened senses making the smell overpowering. He turned and yanked a black button up from his wardrobe tossing it to Severus. “Wear this.”
“Thanks.” Severus slid the shirt on carefully.
“Grab some pants too.” Sirius waved to his wardrobe. His mind had already gone back to his wife. The tattoo on her arm looked an awful lot like a werewolf, he wondered again if she could be bound to Remus.
“She's not.” Severus' voice was muffled by the wardrobe.
“She's not what?” Sirius asked.
“Not bound to Remus.” He was pulling clothes out, looking at them disgustedly and shoving them back in the crammed wardrobe.
“Well if you know so much who is it then?” Sirius demanded more than a bit annoyed that everyone seemed to know but him. She was his wife damn it, he should have been told who she had been forced into giving her life to.
“I can't tell you. If it bothers you that much why don't you ask her? Or just wait a few days, at the rate that tattoo on her arm is clearing it should become apparent soon enough.”
Sirius gave a growl of frustration, no one would tell him anything. He grabbed a clean t-shirt, yanking it on followed by a pair of tattered jeans.
“For the love of Nimune man, do you wear anything but jeans and leather?” Severus growled, slamming the wardrobe shut.
“In the dresser.” Sirius was tugging on a pair of boots.
Severus dug out a pair of black trousers, looking infinitely more comfortable as he dressed.
“You know she loves you right?” Sirius asked turning his gray gaze on the other man.
“Who?”
“Rhiannon, she loves you like a brother.”
“She can hardly stand me, it's been like that since she was in school.” Severus sat down to put his own boots on.
“Ah, she likes to antagonize you.” Sirius corrected. “thats what siblings do.”
“Yes well, I believe she is falling for you. Why else would she put up with that wet dog smell.” Severus asked sardonically.
“You're funny. Really.” Sirius shook his head feeling a small flare of hope that what Severus said was true. He wondered what it would be like to have a woman truly love him, not his family name or money or his reputation.
“If you two are done making out, I need to get dressed.” Rhiannon spoke from the door, a smirk that mirrored Severus at his snarkiest was gracing her beautiful lips.
“Merlin, I married a female Snape.” Sirius muttered with sudden clarity.
“Hey.” The other two hissed at the same time making them all grin.
“Go on guys, breakfast is on the table. Dumbledore and a few of the others will be here in thirty minutes.” She shooed them out, and waited until she heard their footsteps and arguing as they went into the kitchen. When they were well away she sat on the end of the bed and cried again. It had been so long since she'd had any sort of family and in the past month she'd grown to think of Severus as a brother. She had been alright until she realized just how easy it would be to lose all the people that had come to mean anything to her. She had pictured Sirius lying on that table for a moment and felt a sickening twist in her stomach. The tattoo on her arm had burned, the lines rearranging forming a simple scripted name and an image that was now easily recognizable. She sighed, knowing he would see the thing before the night was done with and then he would know just what she had been ordered to do. She just hoped he wouldn't be too upset.
She rubbed at the tears on her cheeks annoyed at herself for crying so much it was such a feminine thing to do. She knew her eyes were puffy and her cheeks tear stained but there was no hope for it, she cast a simple glamor to take away the worst of it and turned her mind to figuring out just how to tell her husband who she was bound to.
Ten minutes later she entered the kitchen wearing a long sleeve shirt and jeans to find Severus and Sirius glaring at each other. Both had their forks stuck in the last sausage, and were arguing over who had eaten more.
“It's mine mutt.”
“No you greasy git, this one is mine.”
Rhiannon shook her head and leaned over the table grabbing the sausage from the plate. “No, it's mine you greedy little brats.” Her gaze flicked to Severus, slipping gently into his mind wanting only to make sure he wasn't in too much pain. He raised one eyebrow in question but didn't do anything more. She shrugged apologetically before turning to kiss Sirius.
Sirius turned his gaze to his wife, giving her the best wounded puppy look he could muster, “We're still hungry, love.”
Rhiannon shook her head finding the begging adorable but knowing it could quickly become annoying, still she gave in this time and pulled another plate of sausages out of the oven.
“I've married a goddess.” Sirius exclaimed as both he and Severus fell on the plate.
“And I've married a glutton. Severus, you have jam on your chin.” She pulled her own plate of eggs out grinning at them when they looked hopefully at the plate. “Albus wants to talk to you about what happened last night.” She divided her eggs between them before slathering some strawberry jam on her toast. He nodded but said nothing, his eyes saying there was something on his mind.

Albus and Minerva showed up soon after breakfast, along with Remus, Bill and Charlie Weasley, Kingsley and Tonks. They gathered around the kitchen table with Severus at the head.
“I was summoned yesterday, The Dark Lord was angry.” Severus started, “Someone had broken into the potions stores I keep in the meeting place. Everything was contaminated, the vials shattered.”
He closed his eyes, recalling the feeling of the small chest of potions hitting him in the middle as he rose from Voldemort's feet.
“What's this Severus?” Voldemort hissed, his wretched familiar slithering her way around Severus's feet.
“The potions stores My Lord.” Severus answered keeping his head lowered.
“Was the potions stores. Why were there no wards on this?”
“There were wards My Lord.” just not very strong ones he thought.
“You could have fooled me. That bitch Guardian got in here and ruined my elixir. You were supposed to be keeping an eye on her, you have failed again Severus.” He'd been striped down to his shirt and trousers, the dark lord liked to leave some clothes on when he whipped his victims. “It will hurt worse to peel the bits of fabric off when I'm done, making a lasting impression.”

“That was sometime yesterday afternoon.” Severus came back from his memories and looked around the table. Minerva looked teary eyed while everyone else looked downright pissed.
“I didn't do that Severus.” Rhiannon whispered her mind racing with questions.
“I know that.” Severus nodded to her. “Between whippings I was able to examine the chest. There were a few potions missing.”
“What potions?” Dumbledore asked quietly.
“Um a blood replenisher, a deflating draught, amortincia, and polyjuice potion.”
“Thats an odd assortment.” Sirius spoke.
“Yes, I have a feeling someone is up to something, they wanted Voldemort mad enough to go after you in a more direct manner than he is currently.”
Rhiannon stared at the potions master, she wasn't in his mind just looking at his eyes, the way he stared at the wall behind her instead of at her. She could feel his apprehension and knew he had been ordered to do something he didn't like. “What is it Severus? What do you have to do?”
“Besides replace everything in the stores and actually put worth while wards on them this time.” He shifted just a bit, dropping his head to hide his face behind the dark curtain of his hair. They could all hear the anger in his voice when he continued, “I was ordered to find a way to seal your powers, make you unable to fight back when the Dark Lord gets a hold of you...”
Rhiannon sighed well there could be worse things she supposed. He hadn't been ordered to kill her, that was something. The assembled order members were talking all at once, arguing and yelling about how he couldn't do that.
“Quiet. Everyone, please be quiet.” Dumbledore stood, gaining everyone's attention. “Severus what were your exact orders?”
Severus sighed, remembering the exact words “The orders are to find a way to shut off the Guardian's powers. 'I don't want her able to fight back when I punish her for her silly little display of anger.'”
Rhiannon and Dumbledore looked at each other, a twinkle in the headmasters eyes alerting them all to a plan taking form.
“Those were his exact words Severus?” Rhiannon asked.
“Yes.”
“He referred to me as the guardian, not as Rhiannon?”
“Yes.”
Rhiannon smirked, “Is it that simple?” She asked Dumbledore.
“Often the simplest answer is the correct one.” He grinned.
Remus seemed to understand first, followed by Sirius and Severus, the others just sat looking confused.
“Care to let the rest of us in?” Tonks spoke up.
Rhiannon stood up and paced the length of the table as she spoke. “It's the wording of the order that is important. Voldemort didn't say to bind my powers, he said to bind the powers of the guardian. My mother's death made me a Guardian. I was in my third year at Hogwarts, already a witch.”
“And a damn powerful one at that.” Dumbledore nodded.
Severus nodded, “I just have to be very careful with the wording of the spell, you're name can't be in it, it has to seal only the powers of a Guardian.” He scowled already going over how this could possibly be done.
“What exactly are the powers that he'll be sealing?” Sirius grasped her hand as she paced in front of him, tugging her down to sit on his lap. He found he needed to feel her just to assure himself that Voldemort hadn't done anything yet.
“Um not much really, I wont be able to collect souls. I'll need my wand and my Legimancy skills will be slightly diminished. And I'll appairate like anyone else.” She shrugged.
“You will need to carry your wand with you at all times when Severus completes his orders. I believe that we all have things we need to be working on. Tonks, Kingsley please keep an eye out for anything that may be involved with Polyjuice or any of the other potions that were stolen, it sounds like someone is up to something within the ranks that even Tom doesn't know about.” Dumbledore stood indicating the meeting was over.
“Albus, Sirius and I need to talk to you.” Rhiannon stood up, kissed the Weasley boys good bye and ordered Remus and Severus to return for dinner, knowing that neither of them would eat if they were left to their own devices.
When they were alone with the Headmaster they got straight to the point.
“Rhiannon and I want to move.” Sirius told the older man. “We were hoping you had some suggestion for a home.”
Dumbledore looked thoughtful, before examining Rhianon over his half moon glasses. “I had hoped to wait but, it seems Hogwarts is in need of another Defense against the Dark Arts Professor, would you be interested Rhianon?”
She stared open mouthed for a long moment before nodding. This was something she hadn't been expected. She'd never even thought about teaching.
“Good, then you two will have quarters set up at Hogwarts, a cabin like Hagrid's will be placed on grounds before the start of the next term.” Dumbledore grinned as he stepped through the floo to inform Minerva of the good news, perhaps they'd break the curse on that position yet.
“That was surprisingly simple.” Sirius grinned, wrapping his wife in a tight embrace.
“That it was.” She snuggled against his chest. “What do you think they are planning?” She asked thinking about the potions Severus said had been stolen.
“I don't know, but it can't be anything good.” Sirius turned for the door, tugging her behind him. “Come on, lets get some sleep before Remus and Severus get here.”


Dinner that night was quiet, the small group eating in relative silence as they considered what the death eaters could be planning for Rhiannon.
“Besides my death?” She mumbled, “They want revenge for hurting their precious Draco, they want me to kill Harry, oh yes and my personal favorite, Lucius wants me as a pet.” To say she was disgusted at the thought would be a gross understatement.
“You must avoid that at all costs.” Severus hissed, glaring down at his plate of pheasant before shoving it away. “His last pet only made it out alive by the grace of Narcissa Malfoy.” There was a strange glitter of remembrance in his eyes as he said this.
“So the plan is more than likely to capture and torture me. Oh joy.” She too shoved her plate from her, knowing she wouldn't be able to choke down another bite.
Sirius and Remus stood, collecting the dishes and setting them to clean in the sink, they had both been unnaturally quiet all evening, seemingly lost in their own thoughts. She'd avoided looking into their eyes, not wanting to see what they were thinking. She had a pretty good idea as she had seen the mangled bodies of many of Lucius's playthings herself. Still she watched them as they stacked the plates and put them away, how unalike the men in her life were. Remus was all light, he was quietly self doubting and always seemed to be desperate for friendship and acceptance. Sirius was darker, his upbringing leaving a self assuredness that even his years in Azkaban hadn't been able to break but the time in prison had left him balancing a fine line between light and dark that he had only nudged as a child. Then there was Severus, as dark as his neatly pressed robes, he bore the weight of the world on his shoulders and rarely complained and could with out a second thought slip a knife between anyone's ribs. White, gray and black she mused as they sat back around the table, the shades of morality.
“I worked out the spell.” Severus spoke suddenly breaking her from her musings, “I don't know how well it will work.”
“Lets test it.” Sirius growled, if it rendered Rhiannon completely powerless he would rather know it now.
“Yeah come on Severus.” Rhiannon agreed.
“Alright. Do you have your wand?” Severus pulled his from his sleeve.
“It's upstairs.” She stood and dragged herself up the steps.
The three men watched her go, worry etched in their features. They all had the same thought, what would they do without her meddling in their lives?
“What if this completely stops her powers?” Sirius asked breaking the silence.
“Then I stall rewrite it until I can figure out a spell that doesn't.” Severus answered already working out a spell that might work if this one failed.
“What if you can't find one, how will we protect her?” Remus spoke for the first time that evening, his amber eyes boring into a set of black ones.
“We will have to figure it out. I would give my life for hers.” Severus answered honestly.
“I've loved her from the moment Athena introduced us. After a while I realized she is the little sister I never had.” Remus admitted looking miserable at the thought of anything happening to Rhiannon.
“I love her.” Sirius mumbled, the feelings were all too new for him to admit it as freely as Remus but he felt the need to tell them.
“So it's agreed we will lock her in the closet and barricade the door until the Dark Lord is gone if the spell doesn't work out?” Severus whispered, hearing the paintings mumbling as she came back down the stairs.
“Agreed.” Both men nodded, attempting to look innocent.
“Okay boys, ready?” Rhiannon bounded back into the kitchen, carrying her wand. Sirius eyed her, She looked nervous, her face slightly flushed and breathing hitched.
“Are you okay love?” He asked wrapping her in his arms.
“I'm alright, just,” She bit down on her bottom lip and shrugged, “Nervous.”
“Lets get this done, if it doesn't work I still have to think of something else.” Severus shifted, pulling his wand out and with a flick moved the table and chairs across the room.
The stoic potions master looked disturbed as he motioned with his wand for her to move away from Sirius.
“Whats wrong Severus? Don't trust your own calculations?” Rhiannon smirked feeling slightly better for poking a bit at Severus.
“My calculations I trust, The elders are something completely different.” He smirked in response.
Rhiannon could see the logic there, they may not be too thrilled with mortals medaling with their magic.
“That's a good point.” She moved a bit further from Sirius and Remus. “Do your worst.”
She closed her eyes tight and braced herself.
Severus took a deep breath, glanced at the other two men and flicked his wand twice at her. The room went cold, the lights flickering wildly for a few moments. Rhiannon hissed feeling like the light was being sucked out of her, she felt like someone had poured ice down her back and was trying to shove it into her body. It wasn't the cool chill of a disillusionment charm but something more. The ice seemed to settle in her chest, right under her heart.

Sirius stared at her, his eyes wide and full of worry, she'd changed. Her skin looked colder, and her eyes were slate gray when she looked up.
“Rhi, love, are you okay?” He moved to take her hand, gasping when she gazed at him blankly.
He dropped her hand in surprise when she answered.
“I'm fine Sirius.” Her voice was hollow and cold.
“How do you feel Rhiannon?” Remus moved to her side studying her carefully.
“Alright I suppose.” She tilted her head as if searching herself for the answer. Sirius didn't like this, it was like something had disappeared from her, some inner light that left her looking drab.
“You don't seem alright.” He ran a hand down her back.
Severus stepped up to her, holding his wand out and waving it over her. “Physically you are okay, how are your powers?”
Rhiannon held her hand out and stared at the bottle of butterbeer she'd been drinking at dinner. It didn't move. She held out her wand, flicked it at the bottle and nodded when it floated easily across the room.
“I can still do silent spells.”
“Thats a plus.” Severus mumbled checking her once again.
Remus was staring at her he didn't like the lack of light in her eyes. “Rhi, can you feel anything?”
“Like what?”
“What do you feel when you look at Sirius?”
She turned to look at Sirius, although she recognized him, and knew he was her husband she felt nothing. “Nothing.”
“Ouch, that was low.” Sirius's eyes flashed with hurt.
Remus shook his head, “Don't be hurt. What do you feel when you look at me?”
“Nothing. I don't feel anything, just cold inside.” She answered.
Sirius turned to Severus, “Is that normal?”
“I don't know, I've never done this before.” Severus answered honestly.
“Remove it, I don't like what it does to her.”
Severus nodded his agreement and waved his wand over her, removing the spell.
Sirius sighed in relief when Rhiannon's eyes flashed with light and she seemed to warm quickly.
“Can you feel anything now?”
“Yes.” She nodded enthusiastically, “That's one hell of a spell Severus. I felt like my insides were frozen, I must admit, I don't like the feeling I got.” She shivered. “It was worse than when I have to take a marked soul.”
Sirius moved to wrap his arms around her, he loved her, he knew it from the bottom of his toes. He rubbed his cheek across her head, nuzzling her and breathing in her scent. He wasn't sure what would happen to him if he ever lost her but he had a feeling it wouldn't be pleasant.
“Maybe we should go Severus.” Remus recognized the look in Sirius's eyes.
The two men departed quickly, leaving the pair alone.
“Rhiannon,” Sirius started, he had never been so tongue tied in all his life. “I love you.” There he'd said it, best to take the straight forward approach. He watched her eyes darken and her lush lips turn up into a smile.
“I love you too.” She flinched obviously in pain, wrapping her hand around her wrist and glared down at the covered tattoo. Sirius glared and before he could stop himself he grabbed her hand and shoved her sleeve to her elbow. He stared at the glimmering lines of her tattoo, mouth hanging slightly open in amazement.

A/N sorry for the cliffie, I will try my hardest to get the next chapter out quicker. The title of this chapter comes from a quote by Rainer Maria Rilke, “Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other.”