The Artifact

Beta - The Goblet

Part - 9


Neither of the new lovers really wanted to return to the Great Hall to the Ministry men, or the confused staff and students that awaited them. Each felt better as they felt the comforting presence of their wands that they felt return to them the moment that they stepped into the Great Hall.

Severus could not help but wonder if they had made a mistake in returning to face everyone.

His suspicions were confirmed when someone yelled, \'There he is!\' and several spells struck him at once. Albus moved, his wand in hand to stand in his lover\'s defense. As the spells struck him, Severus began to emit a bright blue glow, and a thin red cord appeared linking Severus\' belly to Dumbledore\'s crotch. With a frown the Headmaster used his wand to banish the spells immediately.

\"Oh, for Merlin\'s sake give him a little space. If you must know, yes, Severus is pregnant, and yes, I am the father.\" Albus Dumbledore announced a little testily to the stunned crowd.

\"The victor of this contest was to be the strongest and most cunning, not the one who knew the castle,\" Lucius Malfoy growled, absently rubbing the very large bruise on his pale cheek. If his hands beneath his white gloves were just as white with the grip he held on his cane.

\"Dumbledore won, you lost, that is all that counts,\" noted Severus smugly.

Malfoy stepped towards him, his anger evident on his face, but the sudden reappearance of the Spirit of the Vessel stopped him in his tracks and sent the room into silence.

The tall, exquisitely beautiful blond woman smiled as she strode over to stand before the two men. She ignored Malfoy altogether, while her shining presence drove him back away from the pair. He almost cowered away, her searing purity shone over him, piercing to his dark ugly heart.

\"It pleases me that the Chosen has been claimed by one who loves him.\" She said glancing from one to the other.

\"Albus Dumbledore, I name you to all present, Consort of the Chosen. It is your task, and I hope, your joy, to love and protect him. You are charged with the responsibility to show him understanding; to guide him gently when you can, and with patience when you cannot. You shall be his shield, and his mirror, his lover, and father to the children that he will bare.\" Severus stiffened at the word \'children\', but said nothing.

The shining woman held out her hand and with a delicate gesture a plain silver chalice appeared. She offered the cup to Dumbledore. \"Drink, Consort of the Chosen.\"

Dumbledore accepted the cup with a bow and drank from it. A visible shudder ran through his frame, as the cup vanished. At first he only stood and blinked, confused. Then he looked down at his empty hands, which like the rest of him, had begun to glow red. As it faded, he still felt something burning through his veins.

\"You have partaken of the power of the Vessel. Your strength and stamina will be redoubled, as will your magic. For the Chosen and the Avatar in his womb will have many dangerous enemies. Until the Avatar comes into his own, you are the most powerful wizard in the world. Then you shall be the second most powerful.\" There were gasps from those who watched. Some from anger others of surprise or even fear.

\"Severus Snape, you are the Chosen. In the womb, you have been given, rests the hope of this world. The Avatar will be a child of great power, but a child none the less. With Albus\' help, you must guide that child to be both wise, and compassionate, to be strong, yet gentle. It is your duty, to raise that child and his siblings to be good and honorable. And, I ask one more thing, the most difficult thing that you shall ever do Severus. I ask that you allow Albus to love and protect you. To let him shield you from harm, and to guide you with the wisdom he brings.\"

\"Hold out your left arm Albus Dumbledore. Severus, hold out your right.\" Unsure what was happening, both men complied. The spirit held out a white ribbon and used it to tie their wrists together loosely. \"Albus, I bind your left hand to Severus, for your right will hold your wand in his defense. Severus, I bind your right hand to Albus, for your wand will be his to guide.\"

\"\'I will not submit to anyone,\" Severus whispered under his breath, but he looked the spirit in the eye.

\"No one will ask you to. One of the reasons that you were chosen, is your strength of will. But Albus has the hard won wisdom of one, over one hundred years older than yourself Severus.\"

The Slytherin was quiet, but when he looked shyly at his lover, the bright smile that was only for him pierced the anger that he was trying to hold. A rough, callused hand closed over his. \"All I ask, is that you listen.\"

\"I will try.\" Severus blushed, he felt a little foolish.

\"I leave you in good hands.\" The spirit grew brighter, until it became painful to look upon her, and then, in a flash, she was gone.

Everything was very still. No one dared speak or move, at first. Then the staff and Ministry men all began to speak all at once.

All save Lucius Malfoy, who had quickly slunk out of the hall. He dreaded giving this news to his Lord. Perhaps since Dumbledore was now without doubt the most powerful wizard in the world, he should seriously consider changing sides.

Amidst the chaos of the moment, Severus turned to Dumbledore and said softly. \"Are we married?\"

\"Yes Severus, I do believe that we are.\"

Severus swallowed. He was really married to Albus Dumbledore. And the great wizard looked happy about it. \"You do not mind being married to, someone like me?\"

\"My darling, I am ecstatic to be married to you. The man that I love.\" Albus took his hand and pulled him into a kiss. Severus melted into his embrace, responding to the sweet kiss. But blushed brightly as he heard applause.

\"Oh, Merlin!\" he gasped as he saw the rest of the Hogwarts staff, including Hagrid, most of the Unspeakbles, and a number of students cheering.

Fortunately for Severus, at that moment there was a distraction from him and Albus. A rather annoyed looking Unspeakable was leading in Abner Davenport, who was kissing the other man\'s hand.

\"What is wrong with him?\" asked another of the Unspeakables.

\"I do not know,\" said the first man, sighing as his superior fell to his knees and began to kiss his feet. \"I just found him in a room in one of the towers and he was all over me.\"

For some reason, every eye turned back to Severus. \"Davenport did it too himself. He brought a potion to enslave the Chosen to his will. When we fought he must have fallen where the vial of potion broke.\" Severus wanted to laugh, but managed to keep his composure. \"Since there is not an antidote, nor will it wear off, Mr. Davenport now belongs to you.\"

The poor man looked down at his submissive superior. \"The Minister is going to kill me,\" he mumbled. \"Come on!\" He turned and headed for the door with Davenport crawling after.

Severus savored the sight with a smirk, then turned to Dumbledore. \"What now?\"

\"We eat breakfast.\"

\"That is not what I meant!\" Severus growled.

\"Severus, do you recall what the Spirit said to you?\"

\"Yes but...\"

\"Then, accept my wisdom in this one thing. We will have plenty of time to discuss our situation later once the excitement dies down. Right now, you need breakfast. You are eating for two after all.\"

\"You are correct I am sure,\" Severus sighed. \"But one thing we will discuss is contraception. I do not know if I can handle one child, let alone several children. I do not really like children.\"


\"We can discuss it my love, but the spirit did specify children Severus. Besides, I believe that you will find that there is a large difference between your own children and someone else\'s.\"

\"Be that as it may, I would prefer to delay having to worry about any other children indefinitely,\" said Severus coldly.

\"If it makes you feel better my love, when the times comes, we shall have however many contraceptive products you need on hand to feel secure \" Albus assured gently, kissing his cheek. He looked at his lover with a little smile.

Albus decided that he probably should not mention the fact that the living spirit of the most powerful artifact in the Wizarding World had specifically said that he would be fathering children, plural, with Severus.

Dumbledore seriously doubted that in the end any contraceptive, all the way up to and including him getting a vasectomy would make the slightest difference.

End