What Must Be Done

Chapter 7: Dreaming In Chaos

Hatred bubbled from his lips as a putrid, burning liquid. He spat the last remnants of the vomit out then banished the mess with a wave of his hand. No use in giving them anything to work with. He sighed and flopped back on his bed. It was a nice bed, he supposed. But it squeaked. Just another way to follow his movements.

Cold hands were on his face, fingernails in his mouth. His throat was torn apart by those nails. Nails in his skin. Under the flesh. In his wrists and ankles. Strapped to the bed. It was almost like being Christ himself. But he wasn’t Jesus. He wasn’t even important. So why was this happening to him?

Breath slow. Just breath slow. The time had almost come. It was almost here. He would move at sunset. The others wouldn’t have time to react. He was going to make sure of it. He was almost there. The full potential he had been seeking was in reach. He only had one more thing to do yet. One more thing and he was free of mortal restraints. But he had to keep a clear head. He had to keep his focus. The time was almost here.

Moren screamed. She couldn’t stop the screams, she never could. They fell from her lips like dirty pearls. She tried to gather them up and shove them back into her mouth, to keep them inside. But they wouldn’t be gathered, they weren’t pearls at all. They were liquid, sliding through her fingers. She needed to stop it. Clamp her teeth tight. But that didn’t make them stop, they bubbled out.

“Like blood…like blood. It bubbles, vomit from his lips. Vomit and wait. The bed squeaks. Their watching him. Waiting for him.”

Moren gasped. She hadn’t meant to let that spill. But the water of her words was slippery and wouldn’t be held. She had to hold it in. swallow the drops and it would stop.

“Stopping it. Never able to stop it. Like Christ himself he feels. Gathered like a lamb to slaughter. Nails and blood. Fill the room with mighty shrieks. Laughing, laughing. Won’t they give it up, who is he to be so important as Christ?”

No. Moren must stop this. The end was coming. Like the time waiting. Waiting for time. Liquid words and ticking time and a sun was setting. Like a dream becoming reality. She must stop now. Before the clock struck eight and it all ended without her. Time.

“Time. Almost. He’s waiting for the time. Seven, he waits. Eight and now the time is ripe. Plum upon the tree he snatches and feasts. Red juice falls from his lips. Time almost time. He will be free of mortal restraints. He says it’s true. Time restrains. He’s almost free. Almost time…time…time for…darkness…death…save…SAVE ME!”

“Hush child,” Severus whispered and Moren stared up at him. Sevy had been there. He wouldn’t let the liquid words escape to the others. He would keep them safe. In a veil under his desk and Moren could sleep while he worked.

“Make a potion?” she whispered, unsure of what she was saying.

“Yes, I’m making a potion. The dreams will stop soon child, I promise,” Severus told her and kissed her head. Moren relaxed into the show of affection.

“Make a potion with the liquid words,” she mumbled, her eyes fighting sleep. “Make a potion and stop the chaos. All of it’s going to fall…Sevy…it’s all…going…to fall…save my papa…before…be…bef….or…”

Severus sighed and lay her back against the sheets. The potion would be done by morning, and he could hardly stand to wait that long. The child was suffering so much and still her dreams were little more than disjointed memories, scrying, and prophecies.

He poured over Elly’s notes whenever he wasn’t working on the potion. But he could never piece it together. Only small glimpses. And they weren’t enough. It was all only pain and suffering. He just wanted to make it stop. To give Moren a bit of peace.

He took the notes Elly had written and tucked the girls in before leaving. He would look these new notes over that night, and hope they brought some new light.

~~~~

Harry turned in his chair so he could see out the window. He was growing restless again. Blaise kept saying they hadn’t found the place Harry described yet but…Blaise was a bad liar.

It wasn’t as though Harry didn’t understand why the boy was lying to him. He understood completely. Blaise and Pansy were afraid that if they told Harry what they had found Harry would run off and get himself killed. He had to admit that it was a possibility.

With a sigh he turned away from the sight of the dark night sky and back to the book he had been reading. The research was definitely helping but he still couldn’t decide if it would be worth it to follow through with the half formed plan.

It seemed like a bad idea, all things considered. But still… ‘it could be the key,’ Harry thought. Slamming the book shut in a sudden fit of anger Harry stood from his chair, knocking it over in his haste. There was an angered shout from bellow but he knew Vernon wouldn’t come up to see what the racket was. Harry had done a fine job in terrifying his relatives.

He moved to his bed and pried up the loose floorboard. Snatching the two books hidden there he threw them on his desk. Righting his chair he settled back to do yet more reading. There just had to be a way to get what he wanted without all the drawbacks. He just needed to find it.

~~~

“Hello Harry.”

Harry turned his head. His eye’s felt as though they had been glued shut.

“It’s okay,” Moren told him and he could feel her small hand running through his hair. “It’s better if you don’t look.”

Harry tried to open his mouth. To ask what there was to see. But his lips were shut as tightly as his eyes and try as he might he could not open either.

“Hush, Daddy,” Moren whispered. He could feel her hair brush against his forehead then her lips. “I’ve missed you…but there’s a reason you’re here now. I need to tell you…it’s very important,” Moren paused, as through to gather her thoughts.

“I think, maybe you haven’t realized yet, what’s going on, Papa,” she said slowly, as though unsure of her words. Harry could do nothing to answer her. “You see it’s coming to the climax of things. Time’s not quite right yet and the prince isn’t all there. He’s dying in his own way. But I know you’ll help.”

Questions boiled in Harry’s mind and he wished he could ask. Even just one question would help to sate his mental thirst. But he could do nothing more than listen.

“It’s not the vampires, Daddy. Don’t go to them. They’ll turn on you and make you all twisted up inside. Don’t go to them. Promise me,” Moren paused as though to hear Harry’s promise.

“Good,” she said. “And don’t try for the others either. They’ll only hate you like they do everyone else. My people might seem the best bet now…but they’ll demand a price. You have to pay. Always paying the price for power. But you have the power. Don’t forget that. The fae won’t take as much, but they are frightened, their help is misguided. Follow my path, to my people. Tell them of me and who we are. They’ll listen. But never forget what the price may end up being. Pay only if you know it’s worth it, Daddy. Only if it’s worth the price. Goodbye, Daddy. I love you…and I miss you. Don’t make me wait forever, okay?”

~~~~

Harry woke with a start. He felt relief fill him as his eye’s opened and a groan escaped his parched throat.

With a few hard blinks to clear the sleep from his mind and a sigh he turned back to his books.

“Thank you Moren.”
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A/N: Review please