Harry Potter and the Secret Promise by SaimheofAvalon
Summary: At the end of GoF, Harry is sent home for a very specific reason – it is time for the secrets of Harry’s past to end, for a new journey to begin and for old friendships to be tested, new friendships to be formed. And, as always, Dumbledore is right, only through friendship, trust and love will the treat of Voldemort be ended.
Categories: Parental Snape > Biological Father Snape > Severitus Challenge Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Draco, Hermione, Original Character, Ron, Sirius
Snape Flavour: None
Genres: Drama, General
Media Type: None
Tags: None
Takes Place: 5th summer
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 39 Completed: No Word count: 124421 Read: 94746 Published: 02 Feb 2005 Updated: 05 Nov 2005
A Light In the Dark by SaimheofAvalon
Author's Notes:
As always, comments and constructive criticism are appreciated. _Saimhe

October 31, 1982

Severus stood at the front of his classroom, glaring after the second year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs as they rushed out the door muttering under their breaths. He really didn’t care if they were miserable in his class. He wasn’t particularly happy and he saw no reason to play act for or coddle a bunch of sniveling children.

As the last student filed out, he moved over toward his desk and methodically began straightening the turned-in papers and vials of potions. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a flash of movement and red hair. Irritated, he looked up to see one lone Gryffindor standing sheepishly by the door, his attention fixed on his shoes.

“What do you want, Mr. Weasley?” Severus inquired, his cold voice revealing his displeasure. The young boy flinched and looked around nervously; he hoped the boy would just leave. He wasn’t quite so lucky.

“Professor, I was, well, um…” The boy stammered, much to Severus’ annoyance.

“Spit. It. Out. Mr. Weasley, or leave.” Severus replied menacingly.

The boy gathered enough of the famous Gryffindor courage and stepped across the threshold back into the classroom. “I miss Ms. Figg, sir.” He began in a rush, “She was kind to me last year, helped me adjust to being at Hogwarts and I really miss her.”

Severus barely noticed when boy paused for a minute, breathing deeply. His thoughts were in turmoil at the unexpected mention of his wife. It was the boy’s next sentences that forced a realization upon Severus that he was not prepared to handle.

“I can’t quite picture what she looked like anymore, Professor and I was hoping…um,” the boy stammered, fidgeting a bit. “I was hoping, Professor, that you might have a picture of her that I could have?”

Immediately at the boy’s words, Severus had called on his own mental image of Arabella, only to find it was not as clear as he wanted it to be. It was like a fog had descended, obscuring her from his sight. His body tensed and his breathing held as the awareness that he was losing his last connection to Arabella sent a wave of misery through him nearly caused his knees to buckle. Only sheer willpower kept him standing.

“Leave, Mr. Weasley. Never mention my wife to me again.” He managed to bite out, forcing a disgusted sneer onto his face before he turned his back and left the room for his office. He did not wait to see the boy leave. Slamming the door behind him, he moved briskly to cabinet unlocking the door and removing the black leather book that sat half-hidden on a bottom self.

Walking back to his desk, he dropped down into the chair and opened the book. Staring up at him from the front page was his beautiful Arabella. He took a deep, steadying breath as one long finger reached out to stroke along her waist-length, dark brown hair that glowed a deep red, reflecting the light of the fire behind her. Her pale blue eyes danced happily as she looked up at him. Occasionally, the woman in the picture would chuckle slightly, shaking her head.

Silently and slowly, he turned the pages, barely noticing the tears falling from his eyes. It had been a year since he lost Arabella. Her absence had been a festering wound during his long months of convalescence and trial on charges related to his former status as a Death Eater. For the first few months, he had expected to see her around every corner or hear her voice teasing him from a sour mood. Every once in a while his mind would conjure soft, phantom touches. He would feel her fingers caressing his cheek, or her arms were wrapping around his waist from behind. Those occasions were all but gone now and it terrified him. The only thing that terrified him more was the idea that Arabella might be moving on with her life without him.

Several of the other professors had tried to help him through his grief, encouraging him to accept Arabella’s death and start moving on with his life. Each well-intentioned attempt only made him scared, angry and resentful. He knew Arabella was out there alone somewhere, grieving for a husband she thought was dead, scared for the future of one small, helpless little boy. For the millionth time, Severus wondered why he just didn’t ignore Dumbledore and go to her. His place was with his wife, his job was to comfort her, help her through her dark days.

“Going to Arabella and Harry would only increase the danger to them, Severus.”

Severus looked up from the photos to see Albus Dumbledore standing in the threshold between the Potions classroom and his office. Unable to handle the compassion and empathy in the elder wizard’s pale, blue eyes, he glanced down again to the photos.

“It was not an easy decision for her to make, Severus.” Dumbledore said in a soft voice, as he walked further into the room. “She left her brother in Azkaban. She left Remus to face his grief alone.” He paused, moving to just the other side of the desk, then said is an even gentler voice, “And she while you reputation, your good name, was being destroyed. But it was the best, the only, decision she could have made.”

Severus clenched his hands as he listened to the Headmaster. He knew, better than anyone save Arabella herself, how difficult it had been for her to make that choice. All it did was make his desire to find her and Harry stronger. He wanted to bring them home, take care of them, and make up for all the times he had failed them.

“You know, as well as I, that Voldemort and several of his followers are still out there.”

When the headmaster paused Severus felt compelled to look up.

“If you go to them now, you risk Harry’s life and everything Arabella, Lily and James sacrificed for him. The Ministry will not give Arabella custody. She will be forced to choose between you both,” he said in that stern by soothing voice he sometimes used. “Think hard, Severus, before you make your choice. I would suggest, perhaps, visiting that tower you are so fond of. I believe Arabella spent a good amount of time there while making her decision.”

Much to Severus annoyance, Albus had that twinkle back in his eye for a mere moment as he flicked a hand toward the book of photos causing several pages to turn. Albus glanced down to the photo on the page and smiled. “Yes, I do believe that one is my favorite.”

With those words, Albus smiled and left Severus alone in the dark office. Glancing down, Severus examined the picture the older man had chosen. Gingerly, he lifted the picture from the page. Closing his eyes, he could almost visualize the moment; even hear the sound of Arabella’s and Harry’s laughs.

He had taken it two years earlier and been mercilessly teased by Arabella for such a show of sentimentality. But the sound of his wife laughing in such a carefree way had been a rarity in that tumultuous year. As he watched her, lying on their bed, one hand supporting her head as the other tickled a giggling three month-old Harry, the infant’s arms and legs punching and kicking out excitedly, he felt compelled to capture the moment. Her laugh had been full and contagious, even now he found himself smiling at the memory.

Taking the picture, he left his office, his feet leading him without thought to the stairwell that led to the tower’s rooftop. Memories and confusing emotions assailed him with each step. He wondered if Arabella was happy or if she was sitting somewhere alone grieving for him and her family the way he was grieved for her. Was she hiding in some textbook, trying to keep her mind from wandering to the pain the last three Halloweens had brought? Or was she despairing for her damnable brother who was trapped in Azkaban and quite likely insane by now?

Pushing open the stairwell door, he concentrated on climbing step by step, trying to keep the fresh waves of grief and loneliness at bay. Reaching the top, he walked to the edge and gazed out across the black waters of the lake. He wanted to lose himself in the darkness, in the dredged up memories, both good and bad. He could accept the anguish so long as the memories didn’t fade away, as long as he didn’t lose that last piece of her.

Walking along the wall, he ran his hand over the stones, trying to conjure up memories from his school days and from his more recent times with Arabella. He tried to remember the way she would stand so close to him, the feel of her body leaning into his side as they stood facing the lake. Eventually, his fingers found the slightly loose stone in the wall. As children, they had used it as a safe place to leave messages.

Unconsciously, his fingers pried the stone further from the wall. Kneeling down, he looked inside the small hole, remembering the secret notes often left there. He felt his heart begin to race at the sight of a simple parchment envelope with his name written in bold, elegant script on the front.

With shaking hands, he retrieved the letter. Fumbling slightly, he flipped the letter over to look at the seal, immediately recognizing Arabella’s personal coat of arms. Breaking the seal, he pulled out the letter and heard a soft ‘clink’ as a shiny ring fell from within the folded paper to the stone floor. Reaching down, he picked up the ring, running his finger over the distinctive carvings in the gold and platinum band. Tilting it slightly, he read the interior inscription – Arabella & Severus – Tryw’r Amser1

Slumping against the wall, he let his body slide to the floor. His eyes never left the band he held reverently in his fingers. He felt the slight warm tingling in the tips of his fingers, and closed his eyes as relief washed through him. The tingling warmth could mean only one thing; the binding charm still actively tied the set of wedding rings together.

Binding charms were used most commonly on wedding bands, the more powerful the wizard pair, the stronger the bond between the rings. The charm drew its power from the mind and emotions of the wearer. The live connection between the rings meant that not only did Arabella still wear her ring, in her heart and mind she still thought of herself as his wife; she was still in love with him. By some miracle, even after a year apart, he hadn’t lost her.

Slipping the ring on the proper finger, he let down all his emotional barriers and concentrated on Arabella and his love for her. It seemed like forever before the bond was fully re-established and the answering warmth of his ring told him she was well.

For several hours, Severus simply sat, relishing in the soothing sensation the ring sent through his body. He knew from experience that his body would eventually adjust to the sensation; it would become normal and unnoticeable. He was determined to burn the feeling into his mind while he had the chance.

The sky began to redden with the dawn, and ironically, it reminded him of the young boy whose simple question had set him on the path that led him here. A small smile curled his lips as he remembered the box of photos he found in Arabella’s quarters while closing up the room. He was pretty sure there were several of Arabella, Harry and Bill Weasley enjoying an early September day down by the lake. If he hurried, he could find them in time for delivery by the morning post.

To be continued...
End Notes:
1 Tryw'r Amser is Welsh for Always (according to an online English to Welsh dictionary. )


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