She was nothing more than a silhouette in the blinding white light. Royal purple glittering threads danced around her form, swirling around the glowing blue orb in her cupped hands. Her voice echoed melodically around.

"A bond for the ages ... Together, a light will be forged ... A love found between once bitter enemies ... A bond for the ages ... The lost will be found ... Trials of pain, trials of loss will solidify their bond ... A family created from the power to protect and the desire to have ... A family the Dark can never understand, created from pure love ... A bond for the ages ... The Dark will be vanquished for they will have powers the Dark cannot possess ... In the end, a power beyond any the world has seen before for Pure Magic will live again."

As they woke, her voice became a ghost of a whisper, the words settling in their minds and a warmth, a welcome, a feeling of home and belonging growing within them.

Severus let out a slow, deep breath as he woke, feeling the things that surrounded him before opening his eyes. Pain was radiating through his body, a burning in his forearm and a hypersensitivity in his nerves that made even the lightest brush on his skin sear. It didn't stop the comfort around him from registering though. He felt the soft mattress below him, the fluffy pillows under his head, and the light blanket covering him. He felt the light against his closed eyelids and the slight warmth of sunlight on his blanket-clad legs. He felt the brush of magic against his, not as strong as it typically was, but it was there.

He released another slow breath and his eyes slid open, blinking at the light he hadn't seen in...hours? Days?

He heard the softest of breathing and rolled his head to the left, finding the greatest sight...finding them.

A cushy grey loveseat had been conjured to sit between the door and bed, arranged to face him. Draco was tucked into a corner with his legs extended in front of him on the loveseat's matching ottoman. His head was leaning back and tilted to the side, lightly resting against the head propped on his shoulder. Harry was laying across the rest of the loveseat, one leg bent and leaning against the sofa back while his other was draped over the sofa arm, socked foot dangling. Both boys were partially covered by one throw blanket, some covering Harry's torso and some covering Draco's legs. Severus recognized it as the knitted blanket that typically hung on the library sofa. Both were dressed in simple cotton sleep clothes, keeping them comfortable. He could see the bandages and still healing wounds not fully covered by the pajamas along with the occasional tremour, but they seemed to, thankfully, be sleeping peacefully regardless.

His gaze finally moved from the boys to the doorway as Alexei came to lean on the frame, arms crossed over his chest. The vampire looked drawn and exhausted, but his face softened as he gazed at the boys and Severus.

"I couldn't get them to stay in their rooms," Alexei told him quietly. "Decided this was the best solution rather than finding them asleep on the floor."

"How are they?"

He watched Alexei push away from the doorframe and walk to the back of the loveseat. The vampire brushed Harry's hair aside to reveal a large bandage with a spot of red on his forehead and touched the back of his hand to Draco's cheek. Completing his brief check-up, Alexei moved to sit on the edge of Severus' bed.

"Stubborn and reckless, and far too much like someone else I know," Alexei replied with a sidelong grin at Severus. "Ah, I suppose you mean physically."

Severus just gave a withering look that made Alexei chuckle.

"They're better," Alexei told him. "Both have a fair bit more healing to do and will have acquired a few new scars, but it's their magic that requires the most time. They both depleted their cores quite severely, though Draco's is in a worse state."

"Seizures?" Severus guessed, realizing the tremours he was seeing were not quite the same as Cruciatus after-effects.

Alexei nodded. "They've lessened in quantity and severity, and, yes, I've been giving them both the necessary potions. I'm afraid some brewing is in our future this break."

"There already was in mine," Severus said. "How long?"

"Since the boys retrieved you at the expense of my sanity and blood pressure, two days. Since this entire nightmare began, technically almost four if we're counting the hours and minutes," Alexei explained.

Severus sighed. "What exactly happened?"

"I, too, would like to know," Alexei said. "All I know is Draco managed Magic Running twice and they got you back, alive. I will be happy to learn what happened, but all I really care about is that the three of you are here, alive, as is Leif. By some miracle, I have not lost any of you."

Severus looked away from the sleeping boys, moving his gaze to his friend, seeing the relief and joy and underlying agony in the vampire's face. He'd truly believed he would never see any of them again and Alexei had clearly felt the same, forced to deal with it all alone as Leif remained incapacitated. "Thank you," he whispered heartfully.

Alexei responded with a gentle smile. "Anything for you, frater, anything," he impressed. "Though, I'm not sure I can ever accept such a promise ever again."

"I don't intend on there being a next time," Severus assured.

"There better not be," Alexei said. "I've honestly aged a hundred years from this entire affair."

"You don't age," Severus pointed out.

"Which should be quite telling, shouldn't it, that you've all managed such a feat?"

Severus gave a little laugh.

"Now, how are you feeling?" Alexei asked. "And don't even bother telling me you're fine. I'm not only a vampire, I'm your friend and I know you far better than you think."

Severus rolled his eyes. "There is some pain, but nothing unbearable. A couple days' rest and I'm sure I will be fine."

"I imagine this is going to get worse," Alexei said, reaching over to pull the bandages down that were covering Severus' left forearm. "It's been like this since the boys rescued you."

Severus lifted his arm to look at his Mark. It was as deep of a black as he'd ever seen. It was raised on his skin and writhing as though alive. The normally pale skin was an inflamed red while along the Mark's edges were spots of weeping blood. He sighed quietly as Alexei replaced the lightly blood-spotted bandage.

"Yes, it will get worse," Severus agreed.

"Can he kill you with it?"

"Not directly, but with enough time."

Alexei nodded. "We'll find a way to deal with it."

Both of their eyes flicked to Harry and Draco as they began to stir.

"Later," Severus said and Alexei smiled.

"Later," Alexei agreed and stood. "I'm going to check on Leif and make some dinner."

The vampire left and Severus watched fondly as the two teens slowly woke.

"Get a pillow, Potter," Draco grumbled, half-heartedly pushing at the Gryffindor.

"Why when I have you?" Harry quipped and Severus smiled in amusement.

"Bloody hell, get off," Draco griped, clearly a bit cranky in the midst of his healing.

"Oh, shut up," Harry sniped back as he sat up, chucking the portion of the blanket covering him at the blonde. "You were laying on me yesterday."

"Not like you're good for anything else and you weren't even comfy," Draco argued. "All skin and bones."

"Right, and you're a fluffy feather pillow."

"Better than you."

"Shove off."

"Boys," Severus interjected and both heads swung to him, eyes wide. He gave them a gentle smile.

"You're awake!" they exclaimed together and, before he could respond, they devolved into overlapping rambles.

"-I'm sorry-"

"-all my fault-"

"-I didn't know-"

"-wanted me-"

"-I wasn't strong enough-"

"-never wanted you to be discovered-"

"-you should have left-"

"Enough, both of you," Severus interrupted, unable to hear anymore. He sat up a little more and motioned at the boys. "Come here."

Harry and Draco were in sync as they hesitated, glancing at each other anxiously. Severus wondered what they looked for and what they saw when they gave each other those glances. Once they found whatever it was they searched for, Harry and Draco did as Severus requested, coming to sit on either side of him.

"I will only say this once because, not only have I said it before, I would also like to enjoy this holiday that I did not expect to see with as little guilt as possible," Severus began, holding both their eyes. "None of what happened is your fault and the only actions I regret of mine is what I did to you." He looked at Harry.

"I don't blame you," Harry told him. "You didn't even cause damage, just made it seem like you did. Illusion Magic, Alexei said."

Severus nodded. "If you do not blame me, then you cannot blame yourselves either. We had no way of knowing the missing students would be sent to Hogsmeade. It was meant to be and should have been a simple hour. We likely should have considered the possibility of the students returning given they are able to pass through the wards."

Draco shook his head. "I should never have gone to the village. You were right."

"No, you were. I cannot keep you locked away, not if I claim to trust you and want you happy." Severus turned to Harry again. "As for you, we never could have known that Occlumency wouldn't work against Voldemort. I would have been discovered one day, no matter what. It is not your fault I was discovered. It was unavoidable."

Neither teen spoke, dropping their eyes to Severus' blanket.

"Finally, there is absolutely nothing that would have convinced me to leave you there. I would not change my decisions. I was never going to lose you. I couldn't."

"We couldn't lose you either," Draco replied quietly.

"We'd do it again too," Harry added.

Severus' lips curved into a smile at their quiet words and light flushing in embarrassment. "I know you would and, for as much as I want to admonish you for being so reckless, I cannot admonish your intentions."

Harry and Draco moved, then, stretching out on either side of him and resting their heads on his chest. They hugged his torso together and he draped his arms around them, holding them close and revelling in their presence, in the life pressed against him.

"Can we call you ‘Severus'?" Harry asked.

"We did before," Draco admitted.

Severus laughed lightly, brushing his fingers through both boys' hair. "I think you have earned the privilege, don't you?" Two heads nodded on his chest enthusiastically and he couldn't stop himself from pressing his lips to the top of both heads. "Not in class."

Harry and Draco snickered.

"Unless we want detention for the rest of our lives," Harry pointed out. "Or sent to an asylum."

"Maybe even a permanent Silencing Charm," Draco added.

"Tempting," Severus murmured and the boys laughed again. He leaned his head back, relaxing into the moment in a way he'd never experienced before. He'd never believed this could be his life in several ways: no longer a spy, alive, old friends back in his life, and two teenage boys that had become his own, all in time for a Christmas that would be happy for the first time in his thirty-five years.

"Oi! Watch the magic," Harry suddenly exclaimed.

"Oh, shut up," Draco grumbled. "What the - did you just flick me?"

"You flicked me!"

"Did not!"

"You did with your magic!"

"Not my fault!"

As Harry and Draco continued bickering, Severus just held them and let his eyes close, a small smile curving his lips as he relished his boys.

Harry's scream was cut off as he jerked awake as Severus' torture ravaged him once again and as Voldemort tore viciously at his core. He rubbed at his chest, wincing at the phantom pain washing over him. He frowned. What had happened didn't bother him much during the day, but in sleep, it continued to find him. The fear he'd felt - fear of Voldemort, of the pain, of Severus - haunted him, compounded by his guilt over having any fear of Severus. He just didn't understand. He knew Severus didn't mean it, had done it to try and protect him, hadn't even caused much real damage. Severus had saved them and he had the gall to be afraid of the man for something he hadn't meant, hadn't wanted to do, and had apologized for?

He jumped, startled, when the bed began to shake. He looked down to find Draco seizing next to him, not for the first time, though it was still distressing to witness.

"Alexei!" he shouted, leaving the bed and pulling the blanket off so there were no obstructions for Draco to harm himself on or with as he'd been instructed.

The door to his bedroom - currently shared between him and Draco for comfort and health reasons - opened and Alexei hurried over. Harry stepped to the side and watched Alexei help. Draco's seizures from his magical depletion had lessened and Alexei had become expert at treating them. Harry had been terrified the first time it had happened, but had been assured they were temporary, that Draco would be alright in time.

"Go get a potion, rebenok."

"Huh?" Harry blinked at the vampire who was gently holding Draco on his side as they waited out the seizure, the only thing that could be done until it was over.

"You're shaking," Alexei clarified. "Go get a Calming Draught. Get a Dreamless Sleep as well, if you need."

Harry started to shake his head and deny his need, but Alexei pinned him with a look, rolling Draco carefully onto his back as the seizure ended.

"Harry, you are still healing and nightmares are to be expected," Alexei told him firmly. "Take the potions."

Harry sighed and nodded, leaving the room reluctantly. He headed into the lavatory and opened the glass potions cabinet that hung on the wall next to the double-sink vanity. Only a few key and common potions were stored there, all low in terms of potential dangers. He pulled out a Calming Draught, frowning at the trembling of his hand that he hadn't noticed, but Alexei clearly had, and then grabbed a Dreamless Sleep. He stared at the vials, seriously considering not taking them. He shouldn't need them. He shouldn't be weak. He should be fine because everything was fine. There was no reason he should still be reacting this way, not when they were all alive and Severus had saved them. Feeling this way, having the nightmares, needing the potions was insulting to everyone else in the manor, to all they'd done for him and all they'd been through...all they'd been through because of him.

He made to put the potions back, determining he didn't deserve them.

"Take the potions, Harry."

Harry jumped at the voice and the vials slipped from his grasp, shattering on the tiled floor around his bare feet. He winced at the glass burying into his feet. He began to crouch down to clean the glass and spilt liquid only to notice a hand coming towards him, and he flinched, taking a few pained steps back. For a few seconds, he was back in Malfoy Manor, suspended with Severus in front of him and invisible thorns piercing into his body.

"Calm down, child. You're alright."

The gentle voice brought him back to Prince Manor and he found Severus watching him with a mixture of concern and regret. Harry flushed with embarrassment and his eyes dropped with guilt. His periphery saw Severus wave his wand and clean up the broken, spilt potions, including pulling the glass slivers from his feet, before the man reached in to take a couple replacements from the cabinet.

"Come on," Severus said quietly and, with a nervous glance at the man, Harry was guided into the library where they sat on either end of the sofa. Harry tucked himself into the corner, pulling his knees to his chest and tucking his arms in between. "Take this."

Harry looked up from his knees and at the Calming Draught being held out to him. He stared at it, eyebrows furrowing, and shook his head. The professor sighed and dropped the potion.

"Why not?"

"I don't need it, I'm fine," Harry told him.

"It has only been five days since you and Draco were taken," Severus said. "I would be concerned if you didn't need it."

Harry stayed silent, picking at a chipped fingernail as Severus gave him a searching look.

"You are allowed to be afraid."

"Not of you," Harry argued quickly, eyes falling to the cushion between him and Severus. "I shouldn't be afraid of you. I know you won't hurt me."

"Except, the reality is, I did hurt you."

"You didn't want to. You didn't mean it."

"That doesn't erase the fact that it still happened, that I still hurt you."

Harry's eyes flickered to Severus, his heart stinging at the sadness he saw in the dark eyes.

"You are allowed to be afraid. You are allowed to be angry. You are allowed to blame me."

Harry's brow crinkled again as he frowned deeply. "I shouldn't, not after everything you've done for us. You saved us. You've taken care of us. How can I blame you when you've done nothing but help me the last six months even when you hated me?"

"Because, no matter what has happened the last six months and no matter what you know intellectually, what you went through at Malfoy Manor was horrific and I was a part of that. Regardless of what we want, a part of the trust between us has been fractured," Severus replied.

Harry's eyes stung. "I don't want that."

"Nor do I," Severus agreed. "You simply need time, we all do, and I will ensure I prove that there will be no repeat of what I did to you."

"I know that," Harry muttered. 

"You will," Severus said and leaned forward, holding out the Calming Draught again. "Drink. You deserve to heal and to be taken care of. I will ensure both happen."

Harry gazed at the man, only noticing the tear that fell when Severus reached out to gently brush it away. Giving a tiny smile at the gesture and affection replacing Severus' sadness, Harry took the potion and his shaking stopped almost immediately.

"Back to bed now," Severus said, standing from the sofa. "You need sleep."

Harry nodded and let Severus' hand settle on his back to guide him back to his bedroom. Alexei was gone and Draco seemed to be sleeping peacefully again, allowing Harry to slide back into bed next to the Slytherin. Severus sat next to Harry's legs, leaning over to brush Draco's messy hair back and cup his cheek, likely to both feel for Draco's temperature and offer comfort. As Harry settled, Severus turned to him and held up the Dreamless Sleep.

"You need sleep," Severus repeated before Harry could start to refuse.

Harry sighed and nodded, downing the potion. He grew drowsy quickly, sinking into his pillow. He fell asleep to fingers carding through his hair and the softest of strokes across his cheek.

"You are safe with me," were the final gentle words he heard and he allowed himself to feel, just maybe, he had more than just a guardian.

Draco stared at the brooch, tracing the snake wound through the ‘M', as snow fell in front of his protected place on the charmed back porch, keeping him dry and warm. It had been a long four days since they'd rescued Severus, filled with an inner conflict he couldn't seem to figure out. He just didn't understand what had happened; to them, to Voldemort, to their magic...to him. What he'd done or almost done...it terrified him because a part of him had enjoyed it, and he had no idea what that meant for him.

"So, are you ready to tell me what's going on?"

Draco looked up and over his shoulder at Leif's voice, surprised to see the immortal behind him. Leif had been in Prince Manor since Winter Break started - since the day he and Harry were kidnapped - but he hadn't left his room, too weak through the initial phase of his healing. Draco hadn't thought Leif could get any more casual, but he was dressed in a plain, dark blue T-shirt and white and grey striped sleep pants. The man's hair was loose and bandages peeked out of the shirt on his neck and bicep, his arm in a sling. He was pale and dark circles sat under his eyes, but some of the sparkling life that typically resided in the light green eyes had returned. The man would be okay, but it would take time. Draco found it difficult to find and feel Leif's magic, telling him the restoration of his immortal cycle was a gradual process.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked as Leif carefully sat next to him, shaking lightly with the effort and energy expended. "Should you be out of bed?"

Leif gave him an amused and pointed look. "Don't change the subject and you know perfectly well what I mean. I've noticed how withdrawn you've been."

Draco shrugged a shoulder, turning back to the brooch he held. "Guess I'm just dealing with what happened."

"And what did happen?"

Draco looked at Leif again, this time confused. Leif's expression gentled.

"Something happened with your magic, didn't it?" Leif pushed.

Draco's eyes dropped and he looked back at the falling snow as he remembered everything that had happened. He fought not to shudder as he remembered what had been done to him and what he had done to...

"Tell me, paidí."

"Tell you what, exactly?" Draco sniped defensively. "A lot happened."

"Tell me whatever you like, but you need to talk about it. I won't let you hurt yourself over what happened."

Draco watched the snow, watched it slowly collect on the grass as he turned the brooch over in his hands repeatedly, absently. He didn't know what to say. He knew Leif was right, he needed to talk about Malfoy Manor, but he was afraid to admit what he'd seen and felt and done. He didn't want Leif or anyone else in Prince Manor to hate him; he couldn't lose them.

But...maybe he deserved to lose them after what he'd nearly done.

"Voldemort drained our magic, at least some of it," Draco finally said, deciding to start with the least awful thing. "It hurt so much. We couldn't do anything. Our magic had been blocked all this time, apparently by Dumbledore somehow. We couldn't...but, then, Harry did something, I think. The block was gone and all our magic connected and exploded."

"And when you went back for Severus?"

Draco frowned. "I...I don't know what happened. I was connected to Harry, but Lucius was..." he trailed off. "Our magic was connecting with Severus', but it was all weak until..."

He stopped, remembering the purple magic and jumping instantly to what he'd done.

"Draco?"

Draco swallowed thickly. "There was this purple magic that helped. It made ours connect, but it was different."

"Purple?" Leif repeated and Draco nodded.

"I've never seen it before. I don't know where it came from," Draco told him. "It multiplied our magic, like it needed us to have more, and then it combined our magic into this...rope. It wasn't like it normally is though. It was like..."

"Your magic had melted together?" Leif offered and Draco looked at him, puzzled.

"Yeah, exactly like that."

"Remarkable," Leif murmured and Draco frowned. "The purple magic you saw was the magic of Lady Magic herself and what she did was act on the bond between the three of you. The depth of your bond and your compatible magic has created a new type of magic."

Draco's eyes widened.

"Well, technically, it is an old magic. A magic found only in myth, in fact," Leif explained. "The three of you now possess Pure Magic."

"The prophecy," Draco muttered and Leif nodded.

"Now, what's bothering you?" Leif asked, moving on.

Draco moved his gaze to his brooch, to the symbol of who he was and where he came from. What did it say about what he was? What did it say about what he was capable of, what he deserved?

"Do you remember the day we met?" Draco asked, torn between all manner of memories that were in conflict with each other.

"Of course I do."

"You said I'm not like him," Draco said. "Everyone says I'm not like him, but everyone's wrong."

"Tell me what happened," Leif encouraged gently and Draco felt tears sting his eyes at the care he'd done nothing to earn.

"I hurt him," Draco whispered brokenly. "I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to kill him and I would have."

"But you didn't."

"I would have!" Draco shot back. "I...I connected to his core and I...I don't know what I was doing. His magic was burning and dissolving, and I was doing it and I didn't care."

"Is this why you are suppressing your magic?"

Draco looked at Leif sharply. Leif let out a quiet sigh.

"Wanting Lucius to hurt is understandable given everything he has done to you and put you through. Wanting him gone so he is no longer a threat is also understandable," Leif told him. "What you did is called Magical Evanescence or Magical Diffusion. Yes, it is harmful and can be used to extinguish a person's core, ultimately killing them."

Draco turned away from the man, staring hard at his Malfoy brooch as tears brimmed in his eyes, beginning to blur his vision.

"You may have wanted to do just that, but, the important thing is you didn't," Leif said. "You stopped. You spared him in a way he never did you."

"I only stopped because Harry asked me to," Draco admitted.

"Would Lucius have stopped if anyone asked him to?" Leif asked and Draco shook his head. "And that is what makes you different from him, better than him. You may want to hurt him, even kill him, but you stopped because Harry asked you to."

"I'm scared," Draco whispered, agonized. "I'm scared of what he's made me."

"Paidí," Leif murmured and Draco looked at him when the immortal brushed away the tear that had fallen down his cheek. "You are Draco. You are a Malfoy. You are an Aetherion. You are Harry's friend, his brother, if I've heard correctly. You are one of two dear and beloved and remarkable children in this house. And you deserve all of these things."

Another tear fell and Leif's hand cupped his face, thumb stroking across his cheek to catch the tear.

"We are all capable of terrible things and you deserve to feel safe," Leif told him. "You are not alone and there is no need to fear yourself. We know who and what you are, and it is not what Lucius Malfoy tried to make you."

"How can you believe that after what I did?"

"Because somewhere in the darkness he tried to keep you in, you found something that has led you here," Leif said. "There is something he couldn't take from you."

"What?"

"Your heart."

Draco's tears stopped trickling and poured out. He choked on a sob and folded himself into Leif's chest, the man's arm wrapping around his shoulders.

"Do not fear who you are because who you are is so loved."

Draco shifted his head to look at the brooch, the symbol of his life. Feeling Leif's arm around him and the man's heart beating beneath him and the magic in the manor that wanted his, he recognized the brooch for what it was; the symbol of Lucius Malfoy's son. That wasn't who he was, not anymore. He belonged to someone else now.

He released the brooch and watched it bounce off the porch, landing in the building snow. Moulding himself into Leif's embrace, he watched the brooch, that life, disappear.