Bond of Love

Chapter 2
Conversations with the Dead

As Harry’s eyes closed, he slipped into a healing coma. At first, Severus panicked but Poppy assured him that the coma would not harm him as long as he had the will to continue on existing. Severus knew that Harry would never allow himself to die while Voldemort was still reigning terror around the world. Madame Pomfrey came in several times during the night to feed him several vials of different healing potions. Albus and Severus took their places on either side of the bed and settled in for a very long night. Severus sat at his bedside, watching Harry’s face. The boy looked so peaceful and serene lying there, that no one would believe that he was near death a short while ago. Severus held his smaller, more calloused hand in his thinner and shapely hand, and he was whispering words of love and comfort to the younger man that he has always pretended to hate. Sometime during the long night, Remus arrived looking more like he had when Sirius had died then the happier, easygoing man who had been helping Severus train Harry. Remus took a seat next to Severus and settled in to watch the last of his family through the night.

All of this went on unknown to Harry, he didn’t know where he was, but he knew it wasn’t the hospital wing. Looking around he could see bright sunlight and what looked like the lake out on the castle grounds. Glancing around, he saw three figures walking towards him. He let out a surprised cry as he recognized Sirius, his Godfather had been dead for a year now and though Moony and Professor Snape had managed to persuade him that it was not his fault, but he still felt he should’ve been able to save him. Harry felt that he was responsible for every death in this war. Sirius opened his arms, and Harry ran to him hugging him tightly as he began to cry.

Watching their son cry on Sirius’ shoulder, James and Lily exchanged a sad look. They did not begrudge their son this closeness with his godfather, but they wanted to be the ones he could run to for comfort. Still they had thought at least the boy was finally crying, from what Sirius had said, Harry never cried.

Sirius held him close for several minutes, whispering words of comfort as the boy cried saying he was sorry over and over. Finally Sirius pulled back, his hand gripping Harry gently by the chin, so that their eyes met.
“Harry, what happened to me was not your fault. Voldemort is the only one you should blame. For that matter, I was more to blame for what happened then you. After all, I knew Dumbledore would get you. It is not your fault Harry.”

For a moment, Harry gazed sadly at Sirius, before nodding and giving him a small, sad smile. Stepping back, he saw his parents and gave them a hesitant, shy smile. His Mum opened her arms and after moment’s hesitation, he hugged her. Although it was something he had always wanted, it felt odd being hugged by this stranger who was his mum. Sirius smiled, knowing how strange this must be for one who is so unused to affection, but glad that Harry had not pulled away.
“So am I dead, or is this just another one of my usual Boy Who Lived things?” Harry asked, flashing Sirius a crooked, little smile to show he was joking about the title now.

Sirius smirked and shook his head at his godson, knowing how much Harry had always hated that title. James looked a bit confused at why they would both be grinning at the question, but rather then ask, he stepped forward and put a hand on his son’s shoulder, calling the boy’s attention to him. Harry grinned and hugged his dad, before stepping back so that he could talk to all three of them.
“So honestly, where am I and why am I here?”
“Well Harry, this is somewhere in your mind where you feel safe and happy. For the three of us, it is the house in Godric’s Hollow, where you were born. Since we are here with you, we see whatever you do. My guess would be that Hogwarts is the only place you feel safe because it is full of people that you know and care about.”

Harry looked at his father thoughtfully for a second, before nodding his head in agreement. His Mother’s family may have raised him, but Hogwarts was his home. He looked at his Godfather and his Mother with a sad sort of smile on his face.
“Hogwarts is home to me, I know I am safe there even if an old, Moldy-shorts manages to reach me there every year. Though I must admit, last year was rather fun. You should have seen it Siri. Sev and Remus had been training me and Moldy-shorts decided to attack on Halloween, which happened to be the full moon last year. He marched right into the Great Hall, only to find Sev standing next to me both of us already firing curses. Then, naturally the DA joined in and Remus, who of course is as tame as a lapdog when he takes his potion, came running in and bit him in the ass. All the Death Eaters were running for their lives and Moldy-shorts was pissed. He left and Remus spent the majority of the next week washing his mouth out to get rid of the taste.”
As Harry finished talking, he looked over at his Godfather whom was now rolling on the ground laughing with tears streaming down his face. James and Lily looked slightly puzzled, only having understood half of what he had said. Finally, James had to ask he couldn’t stand not knowing why his son had a nickname for Voldemort or why he and Sirius thought an attack on Hogwarts was so funny.
“Um…. Harry? Why do you call him Moldy-shorts?”
Sirius let out another howl of laughter, as he could already guess that one of the Weasley’s was behind it.
“Well one night all of the 6th years were sitting around sampling some of the twins’ creations, and Ron ended up eating one that was a combination of cheering charm and bravery boost. Now you have to understand that the Weasley’s can’t even stand hearing the name Voldemort, let alone saying it. So I dared Ron to say it. He did and then started laughing and bragging about all the times I had beat him and the next thing I know, Ron is practically howling and tells everyone that he has a new name for him. Now the entire house and most of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs call him Moldy-shorts. Someone even made up a song about how Moldy-shorts got beaten by a bunch of kids and a werewolf. You have to understand Ron isn’t quite right in the head after the incident in the Department of Mysteries with the attacking brains. By the way, Sirius, how come you never told me you and Remus were a couple. You never even told me you were gay, Remus nearly laughed his ass off when he found out I was worried he wouldn’t like me anymore; if he found out I was gay. Honestly, did you forget who raised me? I thought it made me more of a freak.”
As he finished speaking he looked over at his godfather who had gone from laughing to wearing an overly sheepish expression. Sirius blushed and looked at his godson with an apologetic smile.
“Actually, that is one of the things we brought you here to talk about. Well not about Remmy and me, but about you. Tell me something, Harry, have you been attracted to anyone recently?”
“Well yeah and don’t get angry, but I kind of have a liking for Severus. I know he has never been exactly nice to me, well that is before last year, now he is all I can think of. It is a bit odd. I know Ron is going to have kittens, I haven’t even told him and Mione I’m gay, let alone that I find our Potions Master attractive. Ron is going to have me sent to Mungo’s.”
Sirius couldn’t help but laugh at his godson, even if the boy was right. If anyone had told him before his death that his godson would fall in love with Snape, he would have locked them up and consumed the key. That was one of the things about being dead; he now understood so many things he hadn’t known before. Not to mention, Lily and James had never mentioned that Harry had a soul mate. He still wasn’t happy that Remus knew and had kept it a secret from him. No matter how much he hated Snape, though he had to admit, the man was perfect for Harry in every single way.

“Actually son, we knew it would be Severus. Tell me Harry, do you know what a soul mate is?”

Harry looked at his Mum for a moment, wondering what soul mates had to do with this before he answered. “Hermione and Luna are always talking about soul mates and how romantic they think it is. According to Hermione, soul mates are people who are born to be together; at least that is the muggle view on it. Luna says it has an even more powerful effect in the wizarding world. She couldn’t remember what, but then Luna is a bit on the crazy side. Most people call her Loony Luna. So what do soul-mates have to do with anything?”
James decided it was his turn, and motioned everyone to sit beneath the willow at the edge of the lake. “Well Harry, in the wizarding world soul mates are usually bound to each other as soon as they find one another. Soul mates are normally very powerful witches and wizards. When the powers of the two combine their powers rival the power of that of Merlin. Now I am sure you know that Severus was once a Death Eater, before he switched sides. What you don’t know is that about 4 hours after you were born, Severus switched. I remember at the time that none of us believed he was really switching, but then a nurse walked into the room with you. You began kicking and screaming. I remember Sirius and I drew our wands as Severus walked over to the nurse and picked you up. The moment he touched you, you stopped crying and started snuggling into his robes. Albus had one of those funny I don’t really know what happened looks, but I will allow you to think I do know looks, and then he then cast a spell directly at you. A light shot out of you and wrapped around Severus. I don’t think I have ever seen such a peaceful expression on his face. Sirius was sent away; on a so-called mission that was not really necessary. You see, you and Severus were soul mates. Albus bound you to each other, and cast a special spell at you to make your part of the bond go dormant. From what he told us, had he not closed it you and Severus would have lost your minds from the separation. The spell blocking the bond was set to slowly dissolve when you reached 16, and now it is almost fully gone. Truthfully the only way to get over the constant contact thing is to first learn to open the telepathic part of the bond. However that will only last so long. Technically, you are married to him and like most bonds of marriage the only thing that will allow you some distance is to…”
“Shag likes a couple of dogs, at the least once a week. Bonds will do anything to preserve themselves.”
Harry couldn’t help but laugh at the stern look on his mother’s face, followed by the little, lost puppy dog looks Sirius gave her; that he knew would melt her anger. As Harry laughed, his parents noticed he was fading into the background. It was time for him to wake up. James and Lily hugged him tight, while Sirius whispered in his ear to tell Remmy he loved him and was watching over him still. Just as he was about to fade completely James called out to him.
“Tell Albus I said he needs to tell you, and don’t be angry with him for it, he had no way of knowing what they would do to you. We love you son. Give our love to Remmy and Albus, and tell Severus I said to take good care of my baby.”
With the words of his father still ringing in his ears, he slipped back into his body. He could hear the soft whispering voice that he knew was Severus’ and he felt the hands holding on to his. Soft voices surrounded him, and he knew he was safe where he belonged. With a small smile, he opened his emerald eyes looking straight into onyx eyes filled with love.