Siberia

A couple hours later, they reached the New Asgard. It was a small village nestled within the frozen tundra of Siberia. Not far from their safe haven, in the frozen outback, the chill wind blew soft strips of cloth, two and fro as the various linens hung on the line. Or at least that's what the primitive people believed they did.

It was a desolate place for the wizards to thrive in, but thrive they did, far from the prying eyes of the Ministry, and everyone else. To mask their whereabouts, the wizards within used magic only for their most basic needs.

This was what greeted the trio as the steeds carried them to the entrance of their little settlement. As they approached, a tall figure watched them, at her side a rather large husky stood alert with ears perked up and sharp blue eyes searching for her beloved master. The furry tale started wagging in excitement but stopped sensing Severus' anxious mood.

Her mistress frowned in concern as the horses stopped. She walked calmly to them and peered into the potion's master eyes.

"It is as you feared."

Severus could only nod. "He's severely injured. I did what I could, but if we don't hurry, the effects could linger long enough to permanently damage him."

Remembering herself once again, she took Onyx's lead and led the horse into the safety and warmth of the only big cave.

When they were safely inside, she held out her hands and gently accepted the still unconscious teenager in her arms, carefully cradling his head. A moment later she inhaled sharply.

"He's so light, he can't weigh more than 8 stone. What did they do to him?"

"After all I saw tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if they starved him. I knew he looked far too skinny these past two years. He barely ate anything at the Beginning of the Year Feasts and practically gorged himself at the end of the year. It's as if he were storing fat for the winter."

The woman, known to all as Angelica, nodded and laid him out on the animal skin- lined table.

Severus' wife was tall and powerful looking, with curves in all the right places. Her black hair reached the middle of her back and was currently braided out of the way. Her eyes were rich brown and held an intense gaze.

"Mind his head, I know he's got to at least have a concussion. That fat uncle of his really laid into him. I should have reacted quicker." Came the frustrated reply.

The woman nodded as she stood at the head of the exam table and gently probed Harry's skull. A moment later, she whispered a soft incantation and then went quiet.

While she attended the head injury, Severus carefully removed his oversized clothing leaving only his underpants. He hissed a moment later when he saw the numerous bruises. They were everywhere all in various stages of healing.

Being mindful of his beloved's ministrations, he lifted up the leg to get a glimpse of his backside, however minimal his sight was, and cursed softly. He could all but see square like ridges that told him that at least once, a belt buckle had been used on him.

The only relief he had was that the Muggles hadn't gone as far as cutting or burning him. Other than being underweight and malnourished, he could see no other injuries. They were all easy to treat. He laid Harry's leg back down and walked to the cabinet.

A moment later, Thordred walked in with three other people. These people were Eileen and Hakon, and Keld, who was Thordred's wife.

Eileen, who also bore the same sort of hair as her son though thicker and longer and with a healthier glow, walked up to her son and hugged him. Hakon was thicker of build then his own son and his hair was already graying in some areas. He still looked quite powerful even at his almost- advanced age of 50.

Keld was thicker in the waist and sported a rounded belly as she was carrying her own miracle inside her and also sported the telling motherly glow. Her hair was a chestnut brown and curled down to her waist and she was no taller than Eileen herself. Her green eyes met her husband's as he led her to the cot.

Eileen was the first to the table and in her arms she held a set of clothing with the thickest socks she could find. It was just at that moment that Angelica went rigid and started speaking words in old Norse and then stood up dragging something that looked like a sickly colored sprit out of the boy who convulsed and then went still. Severus' eyes widened and he cast a powerful Incendio curse at the soul fragment and it burst into flames. Then it started screaming and flying around.

Thordred covered his wife's ears and sent a silencing charm.

Within moments, it was gone. Silence reigned and then Severus scooped up his wife and settled her into a thickly padded cot off to the side. Small streams of tears were seeping from her eyes. Severus kissed her forehead and then with her permission, deftly touched his fingertips to the same spot and closed his eyes.

They stood motionless for a long while and while they did Eileen picked up the container of balm and took over where her son left off. "Tell me everything son, what happened tonight?"

Thordred canceled the charm and once again the couple approached the table. With a calm voice, he told his parents everything.

Eileen was tight lipped and became tense. "That Muggle is no worse than Tobias...it was bad enough that I let him anywhere near Severus and now before my eyes is another poor boy in the same position."

Hakon shushed her gently and rubbed her back. "Hush my love, the important thing is that he's here and out of harm's way. I wager that within a few weeks, with our care and regular meals, that he'll be a normal rambunctious teenager, causing mischief for everyone."

"We can only hope, though we may have to curb it to avoid giving my dear brother a coronary."

Severus kissed his wife again after the sharing of memories ended. "I should never have let you-"

"Hush beloved." Angelica interrupted. "If I hadn't intervened, he would still be afflicted. In the end he would have had to be put down like a sickly pig all for the sake of winning that blasted war against that wretched Dark Lord."

"But-" Severus protested placing a hand on her abdomen.

"She's fine, Sev. She's only the size of my fist. Do you think I would let anything so evil near our daughter?"

"Or our son?"

"Keep dreaming Handsome. It's a girl."

Severus was about to answer when a massive head bumped against his shoulder. Severus looked at the beautiful dog who licked his face.

Miska woofed at him and rested a paw on her mistress' bed before barking again. Angelica laughed softly. "She says it's a girl too."

Severus frowned at the dog who was wagging her tail. "Traitor." Then he looked at his wife again. "You'd better rest for a while, sweetling. I'll see to Harry."

While his wife rested, Severus returned to the exam table. The others looked at him with questions in their eyes.

"We're more alike then I realized. Even though his body will heal within the week, I can't say the same for his mental stability. He suffers nightly terrors: Lily and...her husband dying...a blinding green light coming at him every time. And that night he was attacked in the forbidden forest also effects him...as well as random memories of his blasted uncle beating on him."

"Severus, what was that thing that attacked Angelica?" Theodred asked.

"A piece of the Dark Lord's soul. I had a suspicion all along that he was creating Horcruxes. He's obsessed with immortality. During my troubles, I researched all manner of Dark Arts. Tonight, it seems that I've been proven right."

"How many do you think there are?" Hakon asked as he slipped the socks on Harry's feet.

"I don't know. It could be any number of items. As much as I hate it, I'll need to talk to Dumbledore."

"I don't trust that man," Hakon interjected. "He sure didn't give a damn when he let that incident with Remus and those 'Marauders' go unchecked. You could have been bitten that night, or worse, killed!"

"I know that, Father. But he knows more about Riddle then any of us. Perhaps if I had agreed to spy for him, I'd know more."

Eileen, having finished with Harry's front, motioned for the men to turn him over.

"Well, I don't regret it one bit," she said as she began to apply the balm to his backside. "It would only be a matter of time before you were found out and then killed. I will not lose my son for the sake of that old man's bloody war."

"So what now?" Keld asked as she handed her father-in-law the soft clothing.

"We let him rest." Severus answered. "I don't know how long it will take for him to come around. I shall keep vigil on him till he wakes up. Then we'll let him take a turn in the hot spring. I'm going to make sure he's up to the others' levels. I wouldn't put it past the old fool to try and place him back with his relatives, all that blood wards nonsense he believes so strongly in."

"Surely he'd know that blood wards only work if Harry calls that place home." Eileen said as she capped the bottle off and went to work on the bandages. "From these scars, I would bet anything that he doesn't."

Thordred nodded in agreement.

"How could anyone call that glorified prison a home. I saw all those locks on the door frame. I can only assume that they kept him in there for days on end. Not to mention that cat flap I saw...no doubt it's what they used to feed him his food, if they fed him at all."

Eileen looked incredibly tense now. Hakon wrapped an arm around her. "He's safe now, dear. I think you need some space. Let's retire for now, our boys have things well in hand."

Eileen looked at him with fire in her eyes. "You expect me to let those Muggles go unpunished? They could have killed him tonight!"

Hakon didn't even bat an eye. "But they didn't. He's a strong boy. I know you, My Love, you try and avenge him tonight and it'll be a murder. Can you honestly say you want such filthy blood on your hands?"

Eileen met his eyes in a non verbal battle wills for several moments. Finally she sighed and lowered her eyes. Hakon held her close to him. "I never said there'd be no revenge at all. But we'll be able to come up with much better punishment when our heads are clear. Just think how much more satisfying it will be."

Eileen gave him a skeptical look. Hakon gave her an amused smile and then whispered in her ear and she shook her head before walking out of the door.

"And I don't even want to know what that was about." Thordred said as their parents walked out.

Keld walked over to him and looked him in the eye. "Oh I think you know. Isn't that how we got like this?"

Thordred looked at his wife in surprise. She'd never spoke so freely of their love life. Keld was such a shy maiden when they met. Now a fierce lover was confronting him...even in a playful manner such as this.

"Ugh. You two. Go before that wife of yours jumps your bones. Thordred, I'll be expecting you back here by noon." Severus spoke with a sarcastic tone and a roll of his eyes.

Thordred laughed out loud and led his wife from the cave.

Severus sighed again as he carefully moved the teenager to a nearby cot and checked the warmly clothed teenager over, and satisfied that he'd be asleep for some time, stoked the fire and added a few more thick logs. With the fire burning anew, he picked up some more thick fur blankets and sat on the cot with his wife's head in his lap, before draping the pelts on her and then sat back, as the vigil began.

For several minutes, they heard nothing but soft snores coming from Harry and the crackling of wood.

"Sev?"

"Yes angel?"

"I think we should adopt him."

"Are you sure that's wise? We have our son on the way...and you want to add a teenager to the stress?"

"Our daughter, my handsome husband. And who better to take care of him then a potion's master of such epic skills?"

"Flattery will get you nowhere, my adoring wife."

"It got me into your bed, did it not?"

"That's not what got you into my bed. It was your personality. I can't resist females of your caliber. Such a strong and wild spirit with a heart of such intense passion. Your eyes alone captured my very soul."

"Funny, I thought it was the wine."

"It only weakened my resolve and inhibitions."

"The way I'm weakening your resolve now?"

Severus sighed. "You are an incorrigible seductress...fine. Harry needs a strong supportive family now anyways and who better than us."

"It's not so hard to seduce such a willing husband, darling. But I'm glad you see my point. He'll never be in want of love again," she promised fiercely.

Severus chuckled again and nodded. "One more word out of you my love and I'll-"

Angelica yawned. "Yeah, you can do whatever you want in the morning, if Thordred can find the strength to leave his wife's embrace."

Severus smirked evilly. "I'll hold you to that."

When he didn't receive a reply, he looked down to see his wife, fast asleep.

He just shook his head. "Good night, sweetheart."