Harry and Draco glanced at each other as they entered the Room of Requirement and found both Leif and Alexei. The two immortals were talking quietly, making a variety of hand gestures as they discussed. Harry and Draco dropped their bags by the door and approached their mentors.

“Excellent,” Leif said, turning to them. “Are you ready for today’s training?”

“Sure, but why are we both here?” Harry said.

“It would seem you are ready to begin joint training,” Alexei said. “That shield you created after the Quidditch match means your magic has taken the next step and can now fully connect.”

“I thought we always could?” Draco said. “I’ve been interacting with his since summer.”

“Interacting, yes, and becoming familiar,” Leif said. “Magic reacts to emotion and intent. Your magic has recognized a change between you and is responding.”

“Is that what happened with you two?” Harry asked.

“Yes, but without the Life Bond influence,” Alexei said.

“How did you two even meet?” Draco asked, realizing they had never learned that part of their past.

“Wasn’t it in Italy when you met Snape?” Harry said.

“Actually, no,” Alexei said. “We were in Italy with Severus a year apart. Just missed each other there.”

“We technically met years earlier, though it was still in Italy,” Leif said and the look he gave Alexei was questioning.

Draco frowned when Alexei sighed as though resigned and nodded.

“I was recruited after World War Two and Grindelwald’s war due to my skill at fighting and hunting specific targets, skills I had demonstrated during the wars,” Leif said and Draco noticed how tight the man’s face had become. “The vampire populations in Europe had skyrocketed during the wars. Turning people was used as a method of torture and a punishment for prisoners of war with many becoming weapons for the war effort.”

The way Leif spoke and the way a shadow came over his normally light green eyes made Draco wonder what role Leif seemed to have played in this vampire strategy.

“I was recruited by the Italian Ministry of Magic and ended up on a task force that hunted feral vampire clans in Italy,” Leif said.

“I was a part of one of those clans,” Alexei said and Draco looked at the vampire in surprise, as did Harry. Alexei had been feral? It was hard to believe. He was so calm and kind. “It was a dark world then and I was lost for a long time after Grigori’s death.”

“I hunted down his clan and we fought. Had I not been immortal, I surely would have died,” Leif said. “Then, decades later, we met again.”

“This time with us on the same side,” Alexei said. “I decided to change my ways after that fight with Leif in Italy, and eventually worked my way through various countries and ministries and institutions. I ended up in Germany at the same time as Leif. We were both working for the German Creature Control Department in nineteen eighty-five. We hunted vampire clans together and wrote legislation. We became friends there once we recognized each other and I apologized profusely for nearly killing him back in Italy. I explained myself and offered to leave, not only the Ministry, but Germany entirely. He convinced me to stay.”

Draco was stunned at the story and the progression of the immortals’ interactions. Glancing at Harry, the Gryffindor seemed to be just as surprised at what they’d learned.

“So, how did your magic end up connecting then?” Harry asked.

“When we saved each other during a raid that went terribly wrong,” Leif said. “Our magic recognized each other then and allowed us to save each other.”

Draco glanced at Harry again, remembering the couple of times their magic had connected had been to help and protect.

“The shield the two of you made was remarkable, especially as it was done on pure instinct,” Alexei said. “That is your Life Bond, guiding your combined magic to automatically protect.”

“Though, of course, protection magic is not all you can do,” Leif said. “You can fight as well. Coordination becomes key.”

“Which we will teach you once we begin duelling,” Alexei said.

“For now, the beginning,” Leif said. “Ready?”

Draco and Harry nodded, moving to join their respective mentors on opposite sides of the training room. Alexei immediately began talking to Harry, but too quietly for Draco to hear so he turned to Leif.

“You are going to do just what we’ve been practicing. Connect to Harry’s magic and use it,” Leif said. “Go by instinct. This is what both your magic wants.”

Draco nodded in understanding. He wasn’t sure what it would be like to connect fully and purposely to Harry’s magic, but he could tell already it would be easier. Their magic was always tangling together just from being in proximity to each other. So, he turned to Harry, who was still getting instruction from Alexei, and focused. He didn’t close his eyes, but focused enough to see the magic floating on the air around them. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to the sight, the coloured threads dancing on the air and tangling with others. The majority were gold, swimming around the thick coloured cords he knew were the Founders’ combined magic that powered Hogwarts. Many gold strings had black spots, much like Snape’s magic. Here and there he spotted a different structure to threads or a different colour, and he was astonished at just how varied and personal magic actually was. Magic had become fascinating to him, an entire world opened up that he’d never known about. He’d taken magic for granted as something that just was, never really considering it anything special. Now, he knew it was so much more and it was truly amazing.

“Alright,” Alexei said, removing his hands from Harry’s shoulders and stepping away to stand next to Leif. “Ready, boys?”

Draco and Harry nodded, and looked at each other. Draco kept his focus more on Harry’s magic than Harry himself. He watched as the multicoloured braids began to swirl around Harry, being gathered and ready to use. Draco reached out with his own magic, pushing his silvery-white strands into the coloured mass that was Harry’s core. It was, as he anticipated, easy to connect and draw Harry’s magic to himself. Having Harry’s magic mix with his filled him with emotions he could hardly identify.

He pushed through his emotions and the emotions he began to feel from Harry, already glad for the Occlumency lessons Snape had resumed with him despite having had only one lesson so far, and focused fully on the magic. He saw red strands be gathered into a small ball on Harry’s hand, making the core of the fireball the Gryffindor held. Draco pushed Fire Magic mixed with his at the fireball and it instantly doubled in size. He then created a fireball in his own palm, matching Harry’s grin.

After that, it was as though they were testing or challenging each other. Harry would use an element or elements and Draco would respond with more power, another element, or by changing what was happening. At one point, Harry had a rope of fire and water twisting together and racing through the air around them like a snake. Draco added a stream of leaves, making them circle the fire-water twist before making them all larger and faster, spinning them until they looked like a colourful tornado between them. In response, Harry made it explode, sending fire, water, and leaves to zip around them like darting Snitches. Chuckling, Draco brought them together, engulfing leaves in fire and water balls, engulfing fire in water, and water in fire. He danced the orbs around, both of them watching.

“Let’s get them,” Harry’s voice suddenly said in his ear and he saw the mischievous grin the Gryffindor sported.

Giving a small nod, they began to work in tandem, weaving together water and vines. Leif and Alexei, while watching them closely, also had their heads together as they whispered to each other. They both took control of the Water-Earth mixtures and sent them at their respective mentor. Leif and Alexei were jolted from their conversation by water pouring down over them and vines wrapping around their legs, tripping them. Beds of leaves caught them so they didn’t hit the hard floor.

“Harry!”

“Draco!”

Draco laughed with Harry at their soaked, sputtering mentors with leaves in their now fly-away hair. They almost didn’t see Leif’s and Alexei’s smirks, followed up by a ball of fire and water morphed into a dragon. When its mouth opened, there was a ball of silvery-white light, a blast of Aether Magic ready to be sent at them. Just as Leif had said, Draco acted on instinct. He sent power into Harry’s ball of water, making it grow and then, in a move he hadn’t known he could do, he connected to the mixture that was Leif’s and Alexei’s magic. He removed the water from the dragon, leaving only fire for Harry to extinguish, and then pulled at the Aether Magic, sending it up in the air to explode into a glittery firework above them.

Once Harry had the fire dragon extinguished, he pulled back his Elemental Magic and Draco broke the connections he’d made with his Aether Magic. Draco watched as Leif and Alexei used a Fire-Air Magic mix to dry them off and Leif banished the piles of leaves.

“That was amazing, boys,” Alexei said, both of them smiling proudly at Harry and Draco.

“Very impressive,” Leif said. “It would seem the ease of your connection has been bolstered by your Life Bond. To work so seamlessly together is remarkable.”

“How did it feel?” Alexei asked and Draco looked at Harry, curious what it was like for the Gryffindor.

“Powerful, but…natural,” Harry said. “It felt like a whole new type of magic, but still us. It felt like I could anticipate what Draco needed or was going to do. I could pull on his magic, too, when it felt like I was running out of power.”

“Draco?” Leif said. “You connected to us at the same time, yes?”

Draco nodded. “I didn’t know I could. It was just instinct, like you said.”

“Quite frankly, I did not realize it was possible myself,” Leif said and Draco blinked at him in surprise. “I have only ever been able to connect to one signature at a time and I have never read of it being done.”

“I imagine it is due to your bond and the strength of your magic,” Alexei said.

“But you’re stronger than me,” Draco said to Leif.

“No, paidí, I’m not,” Leif said with a small smile. “For I have never required a Ground.”

“Is that why the prophecy was never about you two even though you’re an Elemental and Aetherion?” Harry said.

“Yes.” Leif nodded. “We had the connection, but no Ground.”

“Why did it become us?” Harry asked.

“Because you each need something only the others can give,” Alexei said with a smile.

Draco glanced over at Harry, eyes meeting and magic casually drifting together.

“Speaking of things we need,” Harry said, changing the subject.

“We wanted to talk to you about something,” Draco said.

“Oh?” Alexei said, raising an eyebrow as Harry ran to their bags at the door, pulling a few parchments out. Returning, Harry handed them to the vampire, Leif looking over his shoulder.

“What is this?” Leif asked, curiously taking the first page from Alexei.

“A group,” Draco said, “to learn Defense.”

“We don’t really know what to call it,” Harry said. “A study group, a duelling club…whatever it is, we thought you could help.”

Alexei and Leif looked at them with raised eyebrows while still perusing their notes with partial attention.

“You want to start a group to study banned magic after we told you Umbridge is looking for any reason to target you?” Alexei said.

“We actually had the idea before you told us about all that,” Draco pointed out.

“Besides, you’ve complained about her banning us from learning Defense too,” Harry added, just as pointedly.

“If she were to learn about this, it would give her the perfect opportunity to investigate the two of you even further,” Leif said.

“Not to mention anyone helping you,” Alexei added.

“That’s why we’re asking you,” Harry said. “She can’t do anything to the two of you, not like Snape.”

“We don’t want to put him at any more risk than we already have,” Draco said.

“But we need to learn or we’re done the next time Voldemort or Death Eaters attack,” Harry said.

Leif and Alexei glanced at each other, whispering in Russian as they rifled through Harry and Draco’s plans. Draco looked at Harry who gave him a shrug as they waited. Finally, the Russian stopped and both men looked at Draco and Harry.

“This is likely a bad idea and Severus is not going to be happy,” Alexei said with a sigh.

“But, we would much rather the bad idea have supervision rather than left to you alone,” Leif said and Draco looked at Harry again in growing excitement. “Come, tell us your plans.”

“Harry.”

Harry and Draco came to a stop, their excited chatter about their training session ceasing at the sound of Dumbledore’s voice. They both turned to look at the headmaster standing in the corridor that led to his office.

“Mr. Malfoy,” Dumbledore said with a cursory nod at Draco. Harry frowned at the aloof greeting. “Harry, might you come to my office for a moment?”

Harry’s frown deepened and he glanced at Draco, seeing matching confusion in the blonde’s face. Dumbledore had been ignoring him since the summer. Why did he want to speak to Harry now?

“Uh, sure,” Harry said. “I’ll see you later,” he added to Draco who nodded.

Dumbledore gave him a smile that Harry was sure was meant to be comforting and, once, it would have been. However, after all the man had done and said in the summer, Harry found he trusted Dumbledore less and less. He followed the headmaster in tense silence. Inside the office, he couldn’t help but glance at the cabinet he knew held the Pensieve, remembering how enticingly it had been left out the previous year. He still didn’t know why, why Dumbledore had so clearly wanted him to see that memory. Whatever the reason, Harry knew, at the very least, it had been an engineered moment for Dumbledore to get something from Harry while keeping him in the dark. He was realizing that that was the basis of all his interactions with the man. None of them had been sincere.

He sat in front of Dumbledore’s desk stiffly, waiting as the headmaster sat across from him.

“How have your first couple months been, my boy?” Dumbledore asked and Harry frowned.

“Fine, Professor,” Harry said shortly.

“Am I correct in saying that you and Mr. Malfoy seem to have…put aside your differences?” Dumbledore said, tenting his fingers under his chin.

“Yeah, we’ve gotten to know each other,” Harry said guardedly, feeling uneasy.

“And Professor Snape?” Dumbledore said. “You seem to be spending quite a lot of time in his office.”

“He started teaching me Occlumency again,” Harry said. “I’m sorry, sir, but is there a problem?”

“I’m afraid there is,” Dumbledore said. “It has to do with the prophecy and your Elemental Magic.”

Harry tensed.

“As you know, the prophecy spoke of a boy with the power to defeat Voldemort,” Dumbledore said. “When Voldemort tried to kill you, a connection was created. You know of compatible magic?”

Harry nodded. “Draco, Snape, and I have compatible magic.”

“Indeed, you do. You also have a Life Bond that connects you,” Dumbledore said and Harry couldn’t help but feel the man’s tone was unhappy with that fact. “When Voldemort attacked on Halloween, your magic became compatible. When he used your blood to come back, it created a Blood Bond. Between these two connections, there are some things I believe can occur between you and I believe it is time you knew about them.”

Harry perked up at finally being told something while simultaneously terrified at what he was about to learn. Something told him he wasn’t going to like it.

“It is my belief that, along with the visions he has sent you, Voldemort can also see through you and may be able to possess you if you were to come into proximity.”

Harry’s eyes widened.

“Additionally, I do believe he can drain your magic and any magic connected to yours,” Dumbledore said. “Do you understand?”

Harry nodded, his heart pounding as his mind raced.

“I trust you also understand the danger you risk putting Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy in by continuing to associate so closely with them,” Dumbledore said and Harry’s eyebrows furrowed. “I’m afraid I must insist you cease your interactions with them.”

Harry blinked, eyebrows dipping further. “What?” A pain began pulsing in his chest.

“Voldemort is after the prophecy and if he learns it, he will likely try to take your magic. If Professor Snape’s and Mr. Malfoy’s magic remains connected to yours, Voldemort could take theirs as well,” Dumbledore said. “You do not wish to put them in danger, do you?”

“No, of course not,” Harry said, hurt at the implication that he could hurt Draco and Snape.

“I am glad you understand, my boy,” Dumbledore said. “I can help you learn to use your magic against Voldemort and stop him from taking your magic.”

“Oh, uh, I’ll…I’ll think about it, Professor,” Harry said, frowning.

Dumbledore smiled. “Excellent. I am glad you understand the seriousness of your situation. Off you go now, my boy.”

Harry gave a small nod and left the office, hitching his bag onto his shoulder. He wandered through the castle absently, mind whirling with what he’d learned and what Dumbledore had implied. It was terrifying that Voldemort could possibly see through him, possess him, and drain his magic. How long until Voldemort figured out he could do those things? Could he do anything to protect himself and those around him?

He frowned at the thought and as he replayed Dumbledore’s words and warnings.

Maybe the headmaster was right and he should stay away from Draco and Snape. They were both already in so much danger. Could he justify putting them in more just because he was too weak to be alone? He didn’t want them hurt, so maybe he should step out of their lives. He’d been alone all his life; he could do it again.

He actually winced at the sharp pain in his heart. He was surprised at how impossible it felt to even think of stepping away from Draco and Snape. He wasn’t sure he could go back to what his life had been before that summer, especially not now Snape was actually trying to be like he was in the summer. It had only been a couple weeks since his breakdown during Occlumency, but it seemed to have changed everything. Snape had helped him and Draco with their hands from Umbridge, had comforted Harry during his breakdown, had offered to spend time with them as though they were still at Prince Manor, had admitted, in a fashion, that he did care about Harry and Draco. It had only been a week since the Quidditch match where they had both agreed to the new arrangement and they’d only had dinner with the professor, Leif, and Alexei once, but it had been just like Prince Manor.

Harry could see how hard Snape was trying and he truly appreciated the man’s effort. Considering how rough their relationship had been before that summer, it made Harry feel worth something for once that someone was willing to try and be something for him. Yet, as Dumbledore’s words whirled inside his head, he couldn’t help but wonder if, in his desperation to be wanted for once in his life, he wasn’t going to cause harm to those he swore he was coming to care for most. Wasn’t it similar to what Snape had said? How could he claim to care about Draco and Snape—even Leif and Alexei—if his choices put them in danger?

Harry looked at his watch and frowned, finding it was time for dinner with the very people he was now conflicted over thanks to Dumbledore. He chewed his lip, considering skipping the dinner all together. He blew out a breath as he realized he didn’t want to do such a thing, at least not yet. If he was going to have to cut them all off, he wanted one more dinner. He would just have to find a way to step back otherwise they would all be suspicious.

He headed down the Grand Staircase and slipped into an alcove hidden behind a chimera statue, ducking under the tail with its snake head. At the back of the alcove, the wall was made of a dark black marble, hidden by the darkness of the alcove. He pressed his palm to the cool marble, thinking of Snape’s rooms. The marble rippled under his hand and eventually the marble turned into an image of the door to Snape’s rooms. Taking a deep breath to try and settle his still warring thoughts and emotions, he pushed on the image and the door swung open. His hand sunk into the wall and he stepped through, feeling the magic tingle around him as he passed through the enchanted wall. There was a second of darkness and then he was stepping into Snape’s rooms as though he’d walked through the door, only it had remained closed and warded behind him.

“Harry.”

He looked up to see Draco coming out of the kitchen and moved to meet the blonde halfway, dropping his bag with Draco’s by the door.

“Everything okay?” Draco asked. “What did Dumbledore want?”

“Uh, nothing,” Harry said evasively.

Draco frowned. “It had to be something. He’s been ignoring you since summer.”

A part of him was screaming to tell Draco the truth, but he stamped it down. He tried to make his shrug convincingly casual and disinterested. He looked away awkwardly when Draco’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, but was saved from more interrogation by Alexei stepping just out of the kitchen.

“Dinner’s ready, boys,” the vampire said.

“You sure everything’s okay?” Draco said quietly, his look of suspicion turning to one of concern.

Harry saw Alexei cock his head to the side, giving the two of them a curious glance, and he cursed the vampire’s hearing.

“Yeah, fine,” Harry said and he brushed past Draco to follow Alexei into the kitchen, ignoring the piercing stare he was receiving. As he slipped into the spot at the table that mirrored his spot at Prince Manor, he glanced at Leif and Snape who were talking quietly as Snape finished dishing up the food and Leif poured the drinks. Their faces were tight and Harry wondered what was going on. They wrapped up their conversation and proceeded to serve dinner, joining Harry, Draco, and Alexei at the table. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes as they dug into their roasted chicken, though, for Harry, it was also a slightly despondent silence, knowing it would be the last time he’d be able to enjoy such a dinner.

“So, how was the first joint training session?” Snape asked, looking between Harry and Draco.

“Quite exceptional,” Alexei said, pride filling his voice.

“As the boys continue to be with their magic,” Leif said, smiling at Harry and Draco.

Harry couldn’t help his small frown, looking down at his plate where he poked at his green beans. He listened as Leif and Alexei detailed the session, feeling far away. A part of him was regretting coming to dinner. Sitting there with all of them, hearing the conversations that got more casual with every bit of time they spent together, it felt so right, it felt like home and it hurt to think he could cause it harm. He could feel the wrinkles in his forehead as his frown deepened and he stabbed at his chicken with unintentional aggression.

“Rebenok?”

Harry blinked at the Russian endearment and looked up from his dinner, realizing the conversation had stopped. Breaking his stare, he found all the others looking at him with a mix of concern and confusion.

“Something on your mind, Potter?” Snape asked, seeming to be casual as he sipped his wine, but Harry could see the knowing spark in the dark eyes.

“No, nothing,” Harry said, fighting to be convincingly casual. The narrowed black, blue, and green eyes told him he’d failed.

“Harry, tell them,” Draco said quietly.

“Shut up,” Harry snapped, avoiding the adults’ eyes.

“He obviously said something to you,” Draco said and Harry glared at the blonde, throwing a foot under the table to catch Draco’s shin. “Ow!”

“Harry!” Alexei exclaimed.

“Mr. Potter!” Snape admonished.

“What is going on?” Leif asked.

Harry resolved to stay quiet, but Draco had made no such decision.

“Dumbledore asked to talk to Harry and he won’t tell me what Dumbledore wanted,” Draco said.

“Traitor,” Harry muttered, receiving a small glare from the blonde.

“Harry, what’s going on?” Alexei asked.

“It’s nothing, really,” Harry said. “He just asked about school.”

“Try again, Mr. Potter,” Snape said, giving Harry a hard, pointed look.

Harry sighed and sat back heavily, still pushing his food around half-heartedly. “He told me some stuff about my scar and Voldemort.” He looked up when Leif devolved into angry Greek muttering and found angry expressions on the adults’ faces.

“What did he tell you?” Alexei asked, glancing across at Leif whose Greek had yet to cease.

“He said Voldemort and I have compatible magic and a Blood Bond,” Harry said. “He said Voldemort could see through me, possess me, and also drain my magic and any magic connected to mine. He told me I have to stay away from all of you or I’ll get you hurt or killed.”

He shrunk at the rage that appeared on Snape’s, Alexei’s, and Leif’s faces.

“I will, I’ll stay away, I promise. I can’t kill someone else,” Harry said. “I just wanted one more dinner.”

A heavy silence fell. Harry kept his eyes on his dinner, trying to ignore the way they were burning and the way his heart was pounding painfully against his ribs. He wished he could take it all back, that dinner had remained happy and comfortable. His last night with all of them and he’d screwed it up. He dropped his fork.

“I’ll go,” Harry said, hoping his despair wasn’t evident in his voice. Before he could stand, however, Snape did so swiftly instead, nearly knocking over his chair and making Harry jump.

“Stay with them,” Snape said to Leif and Alexei.

Harry frowned at how hard Snape’s voice was, confused at the adults’ reactions to the revelation he could get them killed.

“Severus, what are you going to do?” Leif asked.

Harry was startled when Snape looked directly at him, an odd but very clear softness and determination in the man’s eyes.

“For once, the right thing,” Snape said and Harry watched him sweep from the kitchen. When he heard the door open and shut, he turned back to Draco, Leif, and Alexei, anxious about what he’d just caused.

“How dare you, you manipulative bastard!” Severus growled as he threw the door open and stormed into the office.

“What seems to be the problem, my boy?” Dumbledore said, and the serene tone and expression only served to make Severus more furious.

“Don’t! Don’t you do that!” Severus snapped. “Do not even dare pretend you don’t know what you’ve done, what you’ve tried to do, what you’ve been trying to do since July.”

“And what is it I’ve been doing?” Dumbledore asked, clasping his hands on his desk.

“Trying to take Harry and Draco away from me so you can keep us all alone and hurting so we’ll do anything you say,” Severus said.

“Harry and Draco, is it?” Dumbledore said lightly, eyebrows rising.

Severus froze for a second, having not realized what he’d called the boys. He was surprised he’d apparently begun to think of them by their first names and hadn’t noticed. He refused to show his surprise, though, and simply glared at the headmaster.

“I’m still not sure I understand what you are referring to,” Dumbledore said.

“What you’ve told Harry,” Severus said. “Telling him he would be to blame if we got hurt, using his guilt to force him to stay away. Has he not suffered enough? Has he not earned some joy in his life? Has he not earned safety?”

“Certainly, but he cannot have them with you,” Dumbledore said and Severus nearly flinched at his coldness. “It is unfortunate, but Harry and Voldemort are connected and you are all at risk by continuing to build this relationship. You could be discovered or have your magic drained. I cannot condone these risks simply because he is a little lonely.”

“He isn’t lonely. He is alone and lost and hurt,” Severus said. “You would ignore what a child needs and wants yet again? You would condemn them to their lives of pain as you did me?”

“I do believe you made your own choices, Severus, and I am the one that has allowed you to try and fix your mistakes,” Dumbledore said and Severus tensed as his life was thrown at him, not for the first time.

“Harry and Draco did not choose what’s happened to them and I will not allow you to hurt them further,” Severus said stiffly.

“We must do everything necessary to stop Voldemort,” Dumbledore said. “You, of all people, should understand.”

“Using a child is not the way!” Severus shouted.

“I have no choice, Severus,” Dumbledore said. “Harry was chosen by Voldemort and their connection is real and Voldemort will continue to pursue Harry. I cannot allow you and Harry to continue this relationship. If you do, Voldemort will discover you and could take all your and Draco’s magic. With such magic, Voldemort will be too powerful to defeat.”

“Did you ever consider the bond between us could help us fight him?” Severus said.

“I cannot take that risk and neither can you,” Dumbledore said.

“That is not your decision,” Severus said. “I will take the risk for them.”

“Severus, I am telling you to step aside. You have a job to do and so does Harry,” Dumbledore said. “I will do what I have to in order to stop this relationship.”

“If you do anything to them, you will no longer have a spy,” Severus threatened.

“You act as though they are yours,” Dumbledore said, his tone one of light surprise.

Severus' eyes narrowed. “They became mine the moment they entered my home, the moment you appointed me to them.”

“You may feel they are, but, unfortunately, you can do nothing for them for, legally, they are not yours, and they never will be. I will not allow it. Stand aside, Severus,” Dumbledore said, his voice becoming hard.

Severus shook his head. “No, you will not harm them.”

“I will do what I must,” Dumbledore said and Severus could almost hear the shrug in the tone.

“Then I am done,” Severus said, more than ready to walk away from all Dumbledore had tied him to through his manipulations, manipulations Severus had been far too ready to accept in his grief and guilt.

“If you interfere, you will never see Harry or Draco again,” Dumbledore said, his face firmly set and his blue eyes lacking any sparkle they normally had.

Severus glared, filled with a hate he’d never thought he would feel towards the headmaster.

“Step aside,” Dumbledore said. “It is for the best for all of you.”

Unable to form coherent words or thoughts in his anger, Severus stormed from the office and back down to the dungeons. Rage was hot inside him and he could hardly contain his shaking. He couldn’t believe Dumbledore, that the man was willing to hurt the boys so they could play the roles he wanted. Then, the threat that he would never see the boys again…it caused such pain and fear in him. The lengths Dumbledore would apparently go to were terrifying and he knew the man was more than capable of following through. He had to protect Harry and Draco. He couldn’t let them be hurt by anyone, not anymore, not after all they’d already been through.

He walked into his rooms, slamming the door behind him.

“Severus?”

He looked up, finding Leif and Alexei on the sofa with glasses of wine and obviously having been talking quietly. They were looking at him with concern.

“Where are the boys?” Severus asked, seeing the look that passed between the two.

“The spare bedroom,” Alexei said, gesturing to the door that had been magically sealed since its appearance.

Severus frowned, confused. “How did you open it?”

“It was open,” Leif said. “Did you not have the room added for the boys?”

“No. It appeared on its own and was sealed,” Severus said.

“Enough about that,” Alexei interrupted. “You need to talk to Harry. He is still convinced he will get all of us hurt and is threatening to run away.”

“What did Dumbledore say?” Leif asked.

“He’s threatening to take them away if I stop him from breaking the Life Bond and magical compatibility,” Severus said monotonously, fighting to keep as calm as possible despite his fury.

“He can’t!” Alexei said, aghast.

“Except he can because I have no legal claim or ties to them,” Severus said with a sigh. “Excuse me. I need to speak with them.”