Deserving (Final Chapter)

Title: Deserving
Author: Moon of the Sea
Beta: Ellie
Technical Writing Beta Luminosa

Chapter 47

Kreacher entered with a POP! “Severus, Sir, must come. The Marked One is needing Sir, now,” cried Kreacher.


Harry rolled his eyes. “The never ending night,” he said with a huff that rattled his fringe.


“Who needs me?” asked Severus walking towards Kreacher and kneeling by his side.


“Mr. Creevey is needing Severus Sir. He is saying that the new saved snake will not take the potion,” answered the elf.


“Potion? I don’t understand. Is Carl Petri ill?” asked Severus, trying to understand the urgency of the situation before leaving his husband’s side.


“Mr. Creevey is saying to Kreacher: Get the Professor before one of his little snakes is dying. Please, Severus, Sir, you is coming with Kreacher.”


“Funny how he says please to you yet I get transported with little ceremony than a yank on my neck. Which by the way, I hate,” complained Harry.


Severus had no idea what Harry was talking about, not being aware of how much Harry detested side-along apparating. Harry looked at him. “Go on then. Who is going to keep you from one of your little snakes? We can celebrate your birthday any old day.”


Severus got up and looked at his husband. “Will you come with me?”


“To the secret location? Do you trust me with that kind of info?”


Severus did not like his husband’s innuendo and made it clear with a stone face that showed Harry he had over stepped the line.


“Listen, I know you trust me, but isn’t it Neville’s call who he lets in?”


“Mr. Longbottom knows that I would never put “my snakes” as you call them, in jeopardy,” said Severus, still with a tense face.


“And I guess there are no two ways about it; I would have to side-along with Kreacher to get there,” said Harry resignedly.


Severus finally looked human again. He figured out that Harry disliked side-along apparition but there was no way around it. Not even Severus knew of the exact location of the campsite. He nodded.


Harry let out a puff of air and said: “Let’s go then. I have to be at work in three hours.”


It HAD been a long night.

***


Kreacher left Severus and Harry at the entrance of the cave to go back and take care of the children. Severus entered in a hurry and Harry followed. They found the right tent in the cave by all the commotion.


“Professor! Thank the heavens that you came! He won’t listen to reason,” said Izzy smacking them with the information as soon as they walked in.


Severus saw Carl Petri in a corner guarding his two children with his body. Severus approached him carefully and when Carl raised his head to see who was approaching him he smiled with hope.


“Professor! Is it really you? But… you look so… they said that you were being tortured. That Harry Potter himself was making sure you suffered every day in your life.”


Harry looked at the floor and let a puff of air out. He could not bring himself to argue with the statement.


“As you can well see, you have been misinformed,” said Severus in his most comforting voice, knowing that the Marked One was scared of his new surroundings.


“Then you escaped? These people help you escape? Is that it?”


Severus gave him a little smile. “No Mr. Petri, I have not escaped from my Guide. In fact he is my husband and the father of my two children. Who, for what I can see, are more or less the same age as yours,” still displaying a tender smile.


Carl seemed to remember that he was guarding his children and why he was putting up a fight.


“Professor, they have taken me away from MY husband. And he is sure to be very upset. When he doesn’t see his children he is going to get very cross.”


Severus lifted a hand to silence the frantic Marked One. “We need to get you and your children to good health then we will worry about their father. You are in good hands…”


“No, Professor, you don’t understand. He loves his children and he cannot lose them again,” Carl looked around trying to find words that would help him explain. “He lost his first child and if he thinks he has lost Anthony and Sharon also, there is no saying what he will do,” pleaded the emaciated young man.


Severus took stock of his former student’s frail body. “Did my potion have no effect on you?”


“I haven’t accepted any potions. I won’t take them until they promise to take us back,” said the frail looking man.


Severus shook his head. “No, I was talking about the potion that the elves distributed to all the Marked Ones over a year ago,” cleared the Professor.

By the look on Carl’s face Severus could tell that Carl had no idea what he was talking about. Severus turned to look at Neville.


“There has been some kind of a mix up. Apparently no elf was sent to the Roger’s household,” said Neville as a poor means of an excuse.


“But how is it that you are still alive?” asked Severus turning to Carl.


“My husband took me to an old hag known by his family. She gives me a potion every month, sometimes twice when I am feeling very weak.”


As he spoke an elf had approached Severus and given him a vial.


“Will you please take this? You will be in no more need of the witch’s potion if you take this once,” said Severus handing Carl the potion but Carl did not take it.


“Professor” he whined “I can’t. If I take it they will not send me back where I belong. Please understand.”


“Mr. Petri I can see that you care for your children…”


“I love them!”


“Yes, well, you do want to be healthy in order to be with them. I can tell by your appearance that you are very weak. If you faint who will protect your children?”


Carl considered his Professor’s words. He slowly lifted his hand and grabbed the vial. He swallowed it in one shot giving the empty flask back to his professor.


“Now you will allow Madam Pomfrey to take care of you and your children,” said Severus, taking the vial.


“Professor, please, I have to get back to my Guide. Please listen to me,” pleaded the young man.


Harry approached Severus carefully, not wanting the scare the young father.


“I need to get to work. I will see you this evening. Good luck with this,” he said giving Severus a peck in the cheek.


“But you have not slept,” protested Severus.


“It won’t be the first time I pull an all-nighter. Don’t worry about me. I think you have your hands full with this one,” said Harry, giving his spouse an encouraging smile.


***


When Harry got to work he could hear a wizard pleading in Kingsley’s office. Ron looked at him with raised eyebrows.


“What’s going on?” asked Harry, trying to look into King’s office from his booth.


“Nothing, just another Guide who has “lost” his Marked One. We know he will not get any sympathy from Kings,” chuckled Ron. “So have you read the today’s Daily Prophet?”


“He seems very upset,” said Harry craning his neck to try to see the face that went with the worried voice. “No, I haven’t. What is it barking about now?”


“Some rubbish about Sprout turning over to the Dark Side and helping the Marked Ones escape their punishment. They even mention the fact that she allowed the Professor to divorce you. And get this: they are alleging that she is trying to find a way to give the Marked Ones’ children their magic back. Hermione thinks that is very telling because according to her the Prophet all but admitted that innocent children have been punished by taking away their magic. She thinks this can… Are you paying attention?”


“He seems very upset,” said Harry, now standing on his toes to get a better view.


“Well wouldn’t you if you lost your sex slave?” answered Ron, regretting his words as soon as they left his mouth. But Harry wasn’t paying attention; he was moving towards the open door. Ron followed.


“Potter! Weasley!” bellowed Kingsley, “Escort Mr. Rogers to the floo.”


“Potter? Harry Potter?” said Mr. Rogers, turning to see Harry and Ron at the door. He walked towards Harry with a plea. “Please, Mr. Potter, help me. They have taken my family.”


That was all it took for Harry to realize that he was dealing with the counterpart of what Severus was facing in the cave.


“You must file a missing wizard report,” was Harry’s sterile response to such a plea.


“I already told him that!” yelled Kingsley.


“Please, Mr. Potter, no Marked One has ever been found once taken from their Guide. Carl is very ill and if he doesn’t get his potion soon…” the wizard looked desperate as he carted his fingers through his hair not wanting to voice the feared outcome.


Harry looked at Ron who seemed as puzzled as he was. Was this Guide really worried about his Marked One?


“Mr. Rogers we will keep an eye out for your family and let you know as soon as…” Harry tried.


“Mr. Potter, Carl… He… You wouldn’t understand; would you?” said the desperate man pacing the office. “He is my responsibility. I have to make sure nothing happens to him. I took an oath.”


“He’s your husband?” asked Ron.


“And the father of my two children,” explained the overwhelmed man.


“Funny how you haven’t even mention them till now,” said Kingsley with a scoff.


“They are with Carl. He wouldn’t let anything happen to them,” said Mr. Rogers as if that were the most logical thing in the world.


Kingsley looked at his Aurors, who looked away. This was truly a strange case. Usually the Guides came in demanding that their property, “the Marked Ones,” be found and given back, dead or alive. But Mr. Rogers seemed… concerned.


“Look, Mr. Rogers, why don’t you go home and I assure you we will do our best…” but again Harry’s words were cut off.


“He is going to die! Don’t you people get it? My children will be fatherless. They need him. He is a good dad to them and he always makes them laugh and he… he…” Mr. Rogers let his shoulders slump in defeat. “No, you wouldn’t understand,” he said to himself. “You don’t know Carl. You don’t know his soul. You can only see his mark. The mark of that foul creature,” he looked up at Harry and Ron as if to let them in on the conversation he was having alone. “The mark is foul. The horrid wizard was foul; not Carl. Can’t you see? You are going to let an innocent man die while you’re here talking to me instead of trying to save him just because of that mark,” he said as he left the office of his own free will.


The three Aurors stood there not knowing what to say or what to make of Mark Rogers. Finally Kingsley broke the silence.


“Carl Petri is all bruised and withered. You can tell he has been abused,” said Kingsley, justifying his unwillingness to help the man.


“Carl is emaciated because he never took Severus’ potion. The elves messed up,” corrected Harry.


“Yeah, well, what do you make of his bruises?”


Harry simply shook his head. He had no answer for that. But he did know what his instinct was telling him and without a word he ran after Mr. Rogers.


“Hold on,” he yelled as Mark Rogers was about to enter the floo.


Mark turned around and looked at Harry with a puzzled look on his face.

“Can I ask you some questions?” said Harry as Ron was catching up to him.


Rogers simply nodded.


“Do you beat him?”


“Smooth, Harry, very smooth,” Ron chastised.


“I punish him as is my duty,” answered the wizard without any visible emotion showing on his face.


“So, you want him back so you can continue your revenge against Voldemort?”


Mark closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. “You are not listening, are you? I am responsible for him. I make sure you lot don’t hurt him just because he bears the mark.”


“So you can have the exclusive right on his pain,” prodded Ron.


“You wouldn’t understand. I would never bring harm to him.”


“You just said you beat him,” said Harry.


“I have to. He needs to know that I… He needs it but I have never caused him as much as a bruise.”


Harry had to be very careful. He could not let the wizard know that he had seen his Marked One.


“So if I find him, he will have no bruises,” questioned Harry.


The man closed his eyes and let his head fall. “Yes, he will have bruises but none inflicted by me. He is weak and sometimes he loses his balance… Look this is why I must get to him. He needs his potion. He gets hurt when I am around; I can only imagine in the state he will be without me.”

Ron looked at Harry then he turned to the Guide. “Do you love your husband?”


The man looked shocked by the words. “NO, of course not. I could never love him. Why would you ask a question like that? My heart belonged only to one and she is gone.”


“Because of Carl?” Ron continued his prodding.


“NO, why don’t you people get it? Carl didn’t even know my wife. He was a child when that happened. Carl wouldn’t hurt a fly. If only you could see him around the farm with the animals. He never gets cross. Not even when Gilbert finds himself a way into the kitchen tracking mud through the house.”


“Gilbert?”


“Our pig,” said the wizard annoyed that he had to clarify that to these two ignorant Aurors.


Harry and Ron looked at each other not knowing what to make of the man. They guided him back to their office and gave him a glass of water, then went outside to discuss the matter out of the man’s earshot.


Ron looked at Harry. “I have never seen a Guide so worried about his Marked One. Usually they come in demanding their heads, not their safe return.”


Harry was not listening. He did not understand why he was affected by the man’s words.


“So I guess it is settled; we send him on his way,” said Ron interrupting Harry’s train of thought.


“What? Why?” said the started Chosen One.


“Didn’t you hear him? He doesn’t love his husband. No one should live with a person that doesn’t love them,” said the strategic master of the trio.


“They have children,” was Harry’s response.


“Come on Harry you know better than that. No child should grow up in an unloving home,” said Ron trying to keep a straight face.


“If they both love their children they could come to some kind of understanding for their children,” continued Harry trying to make his best friend understand that some situations merited breaking tradition.


Ron looked at Harry. He really looked at Harry. “Do you really think that two people that don’t love each other can fool their children into believing that they live in a loving home? Do you Harry?” Ron looked absentmindedly to no particular point in space, “huh” he uttered with a half amazed and half questioning look.

Harry could not look Ron in the eyes. “If they loved their children enough,” said Harry almost in a whisper. Ron looked at Harry again. Harry couldn’t help but feel that it was a look that Dumbledore would have given him during one of their many odd conversations. “Look, I think Severus would know what to do. I mean he knows what is best for the Marked Ones. Why don’t we let him decide?”

“Yeah, the Professor would know best, wouldn’t he?”


***


“So you are telling me that Mark Rogers seemed genuinely concerned about Carl Petri,” asked Severus, trying to analyze what the Aurors were telling him. “Was he equally concerned about his children?”


“That’s the thing, Severus, he barely mentioned the children. He seemed to be convinced that no harm could come to them while they were with Carl,” explained Harry.


“Well, obviously he is not mistaken. We saw how Mr. Petri shielded the children with his own body,” Severus continued to think it through in an audible voice. “So he seemed to be a caring Guide?”


“That’s what we don’t know. You see, Professor, Rogers admitted that he hits Petri and that he hates him,” said Ron throwing his bait and pleased when he saw Harry go for it.


“He did not say he hated his husband,” said an outraged Harry.


“He didn’t?” asked an innocent looking Ron.


“No, he simply said that he did not love him. There is a difference, you know.” Harry felt the need to clarify Ron’s misconception.


“It’s not the same thing?” ask Ron still feigning ignorance.


“Sir, if I may interrupt, why exactly do you believe that Mr. Rogers cares for his husband’s well being?” asked Snape interrupting Ron’s little word game.


“Look, I have never met a Guide who hasn’t been open about hurting and degrading his Marked One, after all let’s face it, that’s what it’s all about. The Ministry couldn’t lock up people who did not commit a crime so they found this little tactic to punish all who took the Mark,” said Harry, analyzing and hearing the words for the first time. “So the Guides go around very proud of the fact that they have achieved this punishment. I don’t think it would make sense for Rogers to be here at the Ministry accusing us of being barbaric killers if he were like the rest of them,” Harry shrugged. “At least that’s how I see it.”


Severus looked at his Guide and knew that Harry had come a long way from the young man that walked into the Ministry Office full of hatred and pain so many years ago.


“Where is Mr. Rogers?” asked Severus.


“We have him in another room. Will you go speak to him and see what you think?” asked Harry.


“Sir, I have confidence in your judgment,” said a very calm Severus.


“So… then… what do we do now?”


“I believe the right thing to do is to reunite two people who obviously want to be together,” was Severus’ determination of the situation.


“And you are alright with that?” asked Harry tentatively.


Severus didn’t understand why that was important to his husband.


“You think your little snake and his children will be alright?” Harry asked, unsure of the answer.


Severus nodded. “Yes Sir, after speaking with Mr. Petri I believe that he would be miserable kept away from his Guide.”


“Professor, isn’t that how you felt when they try to keep you away from Harry?” said Ron trying to get back into the game.


Severus and Harry looked into each other eyes and looked away immediately as if the act had burned them. Harry decided it was best to ignore Ron’s question.


“Let’s reunite this family then,” he announced.

***


“No, absolutely not. You are barking mad if you think I am going to give back a Marked One after he has been rescued,” shouted Neville.


“Severus, you can’t be alright with this. For Merlin’s sake he was one of your students. Don’t you care about what happens to Carl?” asked a confused Kingsley.


“I take offence at your words, Mr. Shacklebolt, I DO care about what happens to Mr. Petri, therefore I have taken the time to ask him what he wants; not what I believe is best for him,” said Severus, remembering what he had to go through because of other people’s assumption that he was unhappy with his own Guide.


“Professor, he can’t know what he wants. He has been starved and abused…” said Neville.


“We have gone over this,” said Harry. “He has not been starved, remember, he was skipped when Severus’ potion was handed out and Poppy confirmed that his bruises were caused by falls, not by beatings.”


“Rogers is a Guide. His sole purpose in life is to make the Marked Ones suffer just like he suffered when You Know Who killed his family,” said Neville stressing each and every word.


“Wow, Kings, did you know that was our purpose in life? I don’t know about you but I think I have been slacking lately. And no offence but you have never seen to your purpose in life,” said Harry, looking at Kings and trying to bring his message home.


There was an awkward silence. “Look we all know that Kings has never, ever, had any animosity towards Draco. But besides him all the other Guides have had nothing but one thing in their mind: vengeance,” said Neville hoping to hurt and achieving his goal.


Harry bowed his head in shame and Severus gave Neville a murderous glare.


“I deserve that and I know that if I live to be as old as Dumbledore I will never be able to undo all the harm I have caused Severus,” said Harry, still hanging his head in shame. “But Kingsley is proof that not all Guides are as wretched as I.”


Now Severus wasn’t even looking at Neville; he was staring out the window with a very uncomfortable knot in his throat. No one spoke for a long while. It was up to Ron to break the silence.


“The thing is, we already tried to break up a couple that didn’t want to be apart and we all know how that went. We are talking about adults here; aren’t we?”


Kingsley looked at the Potion Master. “Severus?” he said tentatively “Do you really think that Mark Rogers will not hurt Carl if we hand him over.”


Severus looked down at his lap, took a deep breath, and then looked at Kingsley. “I believe that there is no place where Carl Petri would rather be than by his husband and children. I firmly believe that we have no right to judge, condemn, and separate two adults that want to be together. I for one will take no part in such actions,” said Severus as he resumed his scrutiny of the charmed window.

***


Harry and Ron watched from the farm gate as the children ran to the farm house and knocked on the door. When Mark came out he was shocked to find his arms full of his loving children. He immediately looked for his husband and let out a sigh of relief when he saw Carl standing by Harry and Ron. Rogers walked towards Carl with his children in arms, sizing him up from head to toe.


“Are you alright?” he asked before even reaching the gate.


Carl nodded and smiled. “Yes, Sir, I am fine.”


Rogers looked at his husband and could not believe the transformation. “You look… well,” he said with a look of disbelief.


“The Professor gave me a potion. He says I will not need any other potion, ever.”


Rogers looked at him again from head to toe. “You’re cured?”


Carl nodded and Rogers smiled, closing his eyes as to give thanks to whatever deity he prayed to. Carl turned to look at the two Aurors who had brought him back to his home.


“I don’t know how to thank you; both of you,” he said looking at Harry and Ron.


“No need, just doing our job,” said Ron with a grin.


Carl turned to be reunited with his family when all of a sudden he stopped and turned again and looked at Harry. “Thank you,” he said, not knowing how to word what was in his mind. “Thank you for not hurting the professor. I know he is not an easy person to deal with but he has always protected and provided for his students. We Slytherins would not want it known that we are all not well off as the Malfoys were but the professor always strove to even out the playing field. Of course he didn’t want anyone to know about his generosity but things would show up in our rooms. A book, quill, and even robes that someone could not afford would just appear in our dorms. We all knew it was him although no one would dare voice it,” he said with a sheepish smile. “Look, I know he was You Know Who’s right hand but I have often wondered about that. The Prophet once said that the Professor was really a hero who had spied for the light and that made a lot more sense but then it was never mentioned again and he ended up like the rest of us,” Carl bowed his head, not knowing if he had overstepped his boundaries.


Harry raised his chin with a finger and looked into his eyes. “Don’t ever doubt that Severus Snape was and continues to be a hero. He saved my own hide more times than I care to confess.”


“Yeah, and trying to keep Harry’s hide out of trouble is like trying to keep the gnomes out of mom’s garden,” jested Ron.


Harry smiled trying to make Carl smile also. “He’s right you know,” said Harry taking Anthony from Roger’s arms and into his own. “How would you and your little sister like to spend the day with me and my kids tomorrow? We could go flying. Would you like that?” asked Harry with a smile that was mimicked by Anthony.


“Can we?” asked Anthony turning to his birthing father which Harry and Ron both thought very telling.


“I…” began Carl when Harry interrupted.


“I was thinking you and Mr. Rogers here could take the day to go clothes shopping,” suggested Harry.


“He won’t let me,” complained Mark. “He says I am not to spend my money on him. I have tried to convince him. I even got him some for his birthday but he traded them for chicken feed.”


“We had a very rough year on the farm,” said Carl, trying to justify his actions.


Harry turned to the little girl in her father’s arms. “Wouldn’t you like to see your dad in nice clothing?”


The little girl smiled and nodded. Anthony turned to his birthing dad and said: “You said I have to go to school next fall. Please, dad, you can’t take me to school looking like that.”


“Your father will take you,” contested Carl.


Anthony looked scared beyond hope. Harry smiled and said: “If someone were to tell my Richard that his Papa wasn’t going to be the one taking him to school there would be hell to pay,” he said with a chuckle.


Mark looked at Harry. “He clings to his dad. It’s like there is a special connection between them.”


Harry recognized his own feelings echoed in the man’s words and smiled.


“What do you say, Carl? Are you really not going to be there for your son on his first day of school?”


Carl seemed to search in the air that surrounded him for a way out. “We can’t go shopping,” and he held out his hand to show his Mark.

“Oh, I don’t think that will be a problem,” said Ron, “Especially when you will have your own private Auror as a body guard,” he said with a smile from ear to ear. “And believe me I can be very intimidating when I am wearing my official Auror uniform.”


“Yeah, red is really his color,” Harry teased.

***

Harry and Ron walked to the gate in order to apparate respectfully. Everyone knew that it was disrespectful to apparate in and out of people’s homes. When they got to the gate Ron noticed that Harry was smiling to himself.


“What’s up with you?” Ron said with a contorted face.


“Ah come off it. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice? It was as clear as water.”


Ron didn’t dare hope. “What exactly was clear as water?”


“Arrrr, you are kidding me right? They are crazy about each other. Sure Rogers was happy to see his children, but let’s face it: he would have been devastated if Carl wasn’t right there behind them. And he has no clue how much he really does care for his husband,” said Harry shaking his head.

“Yeah, some blokes can’t see what’s right under their nose,” said Ron, trying not to laugh at his friend.


“You’re one to speak. It took you seven years to realize you were crazy about Hermione,” said Harry with a raised eyebrow.


Ron thought about these words for a minute and turning to Harry said: “So that means you have three more years before your aha moment.”

It took Harry a moment to digest Ron’s words, but by the time he reacted, Ron was apparating away with a wicked smile on his face.


A/N Chapter 48 is already by Ellie so it should be up by Monday. Thanks for your reviews and please do not forget to rate my story. It only takes a click at the bottom right side of your screen.

Thanks,

Moon of the Sea
Luna del Mar