"You are to stay within Alexei's sight at all times, understood?" Snape instructed as he walked behind Harry and Draco as they led the way to the Entrance Hall. "If I hear a single word from Alexei that you disobeyed, I promise you will not leave the castle walls until June."

Harry glanced at Draco, wary of the fact that it was not an empty threat.

"Boys," Snape said warningly behind them.

"Yes, sir," they echoed together.

As they reached the stairs that would take them up to the Entrance Hall, a hand landed lightly on his shoulder and Harry turned around with Draco. They looked up at Snape as the man glanced around to ensure they were alone.

"I want you to enjoy yourselves, but I also want you safe," Snape implored. "Just, for once, spare my sanity and don't be reckless."

Harry and Draco laughed quietly and nodded.

"Yes, sir," they repeated.

Snape sighed, clearly regretting agreeing to let them go to the village and wanting to retract his permission.

"Very well. Go, before I change my mind," Snape told them.

"Bye!" Harry and Draco chorused with large smiles, and they dashed up the stairs.

At the top, they found the crowd of students heading to the village milling around excitedly as McGonagall, Flitwick, Sinistra, and Alexei scanned through their list of permissions. Harry spotted Ron and Hermione, staring at them awkwardly. It had been three weeks since he spoke to them last when he accidentally revealed his situation with Snape. He refused to make the first move at reconciliation. If they couldn't accept what he had with Snape and Draco, then they obviously didn't care about him as much as he'd thought. If they could deny him the one thing he'd always wanted simply because they didn't understand...

He turned away from them and followed Draco over to Luna, Blaise, and Daphne. It was only a few minutes later that McGonagall called for everyone to being making their way to Hogsmeade, and Harry followed the crowd with the others. They chatted enthusiastically as they walked, wrapping cloaks and scarves around themselves tightly as a sharp winter wind blew. Harry could feel Alexei following behind them, close enough to keep them in view, but still at enough of a distance to not be hovering. While he couldn't forget the vampire was there, the distance allowed Harry to push the fact aside and just enjoy being in Hogsmeade with his friends like a normal student.

Harry, Draco, and the others ducked into various shops, sometimes purchasing something, sometimes not. A lot of last-minute Christmas shopping seemed to be taking place amongst the students since Winter Break had, technically, officially started. The previous day had been the last day of classes and any students returning home would be on the train tomorrow. With Christmas in a week, that last Hogsmeade trip was the last chance to get missing gifts.

Eventually, Blaise and Daphne split off to Tomes and Scrolls while Harry, Draco, and Luna headed to Crystallized, Alexei still trailing behind. Inside was like stepping into a diamond cave, glittery and sparkly with the gems and crystals. Strange and ethereal instruments dotted shelves and a small fountain with a unicorn sat in the center of the shop's foyer, water glittering with what seemed to be magical threads pouring from the tip of its horn.

"I would not expect this to be a shop either of you would frequent," Luna said as they circled the fountain to head into the shelves.

"We're looking for something," Harry told her. "We don't even know if it's here."

"What is it?" Luna asked. "Maybe I can help."

"It's called a Core of All Hourglass or sometimes a Centrum Omnium Hourglass," Draco explained, glancing at items as they passed. "It's made of emerald with two crystals in it."

Luna nodded. "I've heard of it. Typically used by parents to combine the magic of their children to allow for status tracking," she said, looking at them knowingly. "It is often seen as a representation of the familial bond."

Harry's eyes darted to Draco who had turned the slightest shade of pink. While also somewhat embarrassed at someone else knowing how he felt about Snape, he also wasn't surprised. Luna probably knew without the mention of the hourglass; she always just seemed to know.

"Follow me," Luna said with a smile and they followed her to a back shelf. She pointed to a higher shelf and Harry was stunned to see the very hourglass they were looking for. Draco reached up and carefully pulled the hourglass from the shelf, holding it for them to examine.

The frame was a deep, shining emerald and wrapped around the glass cylinders looking like frozen magic threads, thin and wispy and twisted together. The glass was clear, allowing for easy viewing of the sparkling white crystals that sat on the top and bottom of the hourglass. Where the two halves met, there was a tiny ball of black tourmaline. It was beautiful and delicate, and had a weight to it that had nothing to do with its physicality.

"Come on," Harry said. "Let's get it before Alexei storms the shop."

Draco chuckled and they returned to the front of the shop, using all the money Snape had given the both of them to pay for the hourglass. They still weren't sure how they were going to complete the gift since both of their magic was still unexplainably blocked, but Harry was determined. This really meant something.

He rubbed his chest absently, wincing at the sharp pain that never seemed to leave anymore. It had been a dull ache immediately after his attack and had steadily evolved into this stabbing pain. He glanced at Draco, finding the blonde doing the same thing, having been suffering from the same strange pain since waking up.

Choosing to do his best to ignore the pain, he watched as Draco took their wrapped purchase and they left the shop with Luna.

"Where's Alexei?" Draco wondered.

As much as he was instantly concerned at the vampire's absence and despite his resolve, Harry found himself unable to focus on anything else other than the pain in his chest. It was getting worse, stealing his breaths and preventing him from moving. He heard his gasps being echoed and looked over at Draco who was hunched over. It was clearly getting worse for both of them.

Harry made to reach out for Draco only to collapse to his knees in the snow with a cry as excruciating pain exploded in his chest. It felt like white hot knives were carving at his heart and the inside of his chest. He could hardly catch a breath, his eyes were screwed shut, and his fingers curled into the snow and icy ground below his hands. He lifted his head and forced his eyes open when he heard Draco also cry out and felt a body fall next to him. Draco had also collapsed, hand clutching his chest and package falling away. Luna was knelt next to the blonde, worry clear in her face.

"What's happening?" Luna asked.

"Some...something's wrong," Harry gasped out as Draco continued groaning in pain.

Luna didn't get a chance to respond as she was suddenly hit with two spells, a Blasting Spell and a Stunning Spell. Harry watched her fall in a heap in the snow a few meters away, seeing the white instantly begin to turn red beneath her. He looked around as he heard students begin screaming and saw them running. It didn't take long to find the source of the chaos as he spotted a few Slytherins walking down the street, cursing anyone who passed, and another group of Slytherins stepped out from behind the crystal shop. All of them approached Harry and Draco with twisted grins, and Avery cast a barrier around them, preventing anyone else from getting in the area. Harry saw Ron and Hermione run up to the barrier, Ron pounding on it as he yelled and Hermione casting all manner of spells to try and dismantle the shield. He turned away from them and to the Slytherins, glaring as the Carrow girls, MacNair, Avery, and Nott circled them.

"Don't bother calling for your vampire," Nott said. "He's dealing with a little...spill of liquid silver."

Harry's heart stuttered. Liquid silver wouldn't kill Alexei, but it would be excruciating and incapacitate him until it was expelled from his body which could only be done through extreme bloodletting.

"Seems like the Dark Lord was correct," Avery drawled, looking at Harry and Draco as though they were some curiosity to examine.

"The old man has confined their magic," MacNair added knowingly and making Harry confused. What did they think Dumbledore had done?

"How very helpful for us and the Dark Lord," Nott said.

Harry tried to pull at his Elemental Magic despite knowing it wouldn't work. His magic fluttered, wanting to respond, but it was stuck, sinking. It was further from his reach and it was like he could feel something dying inside of him, his magic at the center.

"Can we have a little fun first?" Flora asked, dragging her wand down Draco's cheek.

"We had so much fun last time," Hestia taunted, dragging her wand down Draco's sternum in reminder of what they'd done just weeks before.

"We had our fun," Nott replied. "It's the Dark Lord's turn."

Harry glared at Nott as the Slytherin knelt down and sneered at him just before Avery and MacNair descended. Harry tried to fight them off as they grabbed at him, but the pain of whatever was wrong with his magic made him unable to respond adequately. He was soon pinned to the ground, Draco beside him having been pinned by the Carrows.

"Happy Christmas, Potter," Nott sneered and Harry struggled to get away as something was wrapped tightly around his neck.

The result was immediate, before he could react or process, the now-too-familiar tug of a Portkey pulling him away from Hogsmeade. Less than a minute later, he was dropped to a hard marble floor, Draco appearing next to him.

"Ah, finally," a voice drawled. "Let the celebration begin."

Harry was filled with fear as he gazed up at Voldemort and as a chain slithered out of the floor, reaching up to attach to what Harry realized was a collar around his neck. Other chains joined, wrapping around his wrists and ankles, securing him to the floor on his hands and knees. He watched as Voldemort pressed his wand to his own bare arm, clearly putting out the call to his Death Eaters, before the red eyes flickered open and stared at Harry and Draco.

"A preview to get us in the mood as we await our company," Voldemort said.

Harry screamed as agony tore up and down his spine, Draco screaming and trembling next to him.

Severus was in Dumbledore's office with Pomfrey, the three of them going over the infirmary inventory to determine what needed replenishment. He didn't want to spend his entire break brewing, not now he would have the boys and Leif to take care of, but he knew he'd have to do some. It was his responsibility as the Potions Master to brew the school's potions, after all.

"If things continue as they have been, we'll need twice as many Pain Relievers," Pomfrey said as they moved on from the Headache Reliever.

"Harry and Draco will not be in need of them, if I can help it," Severus said.

"Best brew at least a double batch regardless," Pomfrey said. "I know Harry too well at this point to plan any other way."

Severus desperately wished he could argue. He just sighed and scribbled down ‘Pain Reliever - double minimum'.

They were in the middle of discussing Fever Reducer numbers when the office door flew open. Severus turned around in his chair only to jump to his feet at the sight of Alexei. The vampire was pale, paler than normal, and thin grey lines were visible in his face though they seemed to be slowly receding. His sleeve on his left arm was torn and drenched in his blood like his forearm and hand. Under the blood, Severus could just barely see a healing wound that looked like a rip made by teeth. His blue eyes had a red ring around the irises, normally a black ring with gold flecks, indicating an increasing need for blood, and they were blazing in a way Severus had never seen before, not even after Leif's attack.

"Severus, they're gone," Alexei said. "Harry and Draco were taken from Hogsmeade."

Severus felt his heart stop, fear turning his blood to ice. "How?" he breathed. This couldn't be happening. The boys had just healed and it was supposed to be one hour of safe normalcy. Death Eaters couldn't get into the village. How had they been taken? Was he truly destined to lose these boys-his boys-no matter what he did? Was that his true punishment, his true penance for all he'd done? To find boys he wanted as his own and then lose them? It would track with the rest of his life...find something or someone dear, and then lose them.

"I...it's my fault," Alexei confessed brokenly. "I was waiting for them. I didn't notice...it was just a regular student...they used liquid silver."

Severus' eyes drifted shut just as pain exploded in his arm as he was summoned. Voldemort was pouring power into the summons, a clear sign of excitement, telling him exactly where the boys had been taken. Dread filled him as he realized Voldemort was finally acting on having the prophecy transcripts. Whatever he had planned for Harry and Draco was happening now.

"He has them," Severus said, clutching his arm and turning back to Dumbledore.

"We will call on the Order-" Dumbledore said, but Severus shook his head.

"There's no time," Severus argued. "I can get them out."

"You'll be risking-"

Severus slammed his hands on the desk, knocking over trinkets with the force and interrupting Dumbledore. "I do not care! I cannot leave them there nor should you even be insinuating I do!"

"Severus, I was not-"

Severus just turned away from the headmaster, not interested in anything he had to say. All he could think about was Harry and Draco. He looked at Alexei.

"I will get them my emergency Portkey," he told the vampire. "It will bring them to a clearing in the Forbidden Forest not far from the centaur village. Wait for them there."

"How?" Alexei asked.

"I will find a way," Severus replied.

"What about you?" Alexei asked.

Severus hesitated, knowing there were no assurances he could give. There were only two options and the one where he turned his back on the boys was inconceivable.

"I rewrote the guardianship papers to include you and Leif in the event I could not care for them," Severus said. "They stay with you. No one else gets them ever again."

"Severus..."

"Promise me."

He saw the conflict in the vampire's eyes, the despair as he understood what was going to happen. Only two would be returning from Voldemort's company. His job had finally come to an end.

"They will be okay if they at least have you and Leif," Severus continued. "Take care of my boys."

Alexei shook his head. "They cannot lose you."

"I cannot lose them, not anymore," Severus returned. "I will not repeat my mistakes."

They stared at each other, desperately waiting for the other to give in.

"Promise me, Alexei," Severus implored. "Take them. Care for them like they are your own. Do not let them go."

"You know we would never, but they are yours. They belong with you." Alexei paused. "I will make this promise if you promise to try and return to us. Do not give up. They are not the only ones your loss will break."

Severus had experienced his share of pain and could be driven mad by the agony burning on his arm, yet none of it rivalled the sheer despair he felt then. To consider losing Harry and Draco was incomprehensible. To consider losing Leif and Alexei was torture. To leave them all behind was emptying. Once, he would have willingly embraced death, had known he had limited time playing the game as he was. He'd always known he would die by Voldemort's hand, had, in many ways, eagerly awaited that day to escape his black, empty life and the world that had offered him nothing but torment. Once, he would have happily died to pay for all he'd done, but, once, he'd been alone.

He wasn't alone any longer.

He'd found his dear friends again and came to-he stumbled internally over the word despite having felt it for weeks-came to love two lost boys as though they were his own. He'd found a light he hadn't believed could exist and, now, he had to give it up so they could live and continue to bring that light to a darkening world. He'd found his redemption after all, in the form of two boys he would protect until his dying breath so they could have the lives denied them for fifteen years.

How he wished he could have seen what they would become...his boys.

Despite Alexei's demand for a return promise, the reality hung heavy between them. He would not be escaping with his life. Alexei pulled him into a tight hug and, for the first time in over a decade, he had to fight back tears.

"Come back," Alexei whispered. "Come back, frater. Do not make us say goodbye."

Severus squeezed his eyes shut to force the tears down. "Take care of them," he said quietly and he pulled away, sweeping from the office without another look or response.

Nearly running through the castle, he sent a silent ‘goodbye' to Leif in St. Mungo's, and summoned his robe and mask once outside. He magically donned them as he dashed across the grounds. Outside the wards, he gazed up at Hogwarts one last time before feeling for his Portkey and touching his Dark Mark, allowing it to pull him away to Malfoy Manor.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself for whatever he was about to witness, he walked swiftly through the tall gates and regal, ostentatious manor. He slowed to a more natural and expected speed as he came upon other Death Eaters. In a moving wall of black, he and the other Death Eaters poured into the great hall that had been transformed into a throne room.

It was a dark room, the floor a dark grey marble and the walls black with thick, heavy, black curtains over the tall windows. Tall, black iron candle holders lined the walls, the twisted red candles on top burning a lime-green. At the far end of the hall, in front of a huge marble and quartz fireplace also blazing with a green fire, the floor had been raised into a platform. On it, a large, black throne with snakes carved into it to wrap around the arms and the top of the backrest. Emeralds had been set into the snakes' eyes, glittering with the firelight. Above them hung a huge chandelier made of crystals, diamonds, emeralds, and obsidian.

As Severus joined the rest of the Inner Circle in taking their places around the room, he had to force himself not to react at the sight of Harry and Draco. Every inch of his being was screaming at him to run to the boys and fight his way out, but he remained still and stoic. He would only act when he was certain he could get them out without risking their lives. It was their lives he had to protect, not his.

Both had been stripped of their outer winter clothing, leaving them in shirts and trousers. They were chained to the floor, shackles around their ankles and wrists, and a chain attached to collars around their necks. Both were trembling violently, telling him Voldemort had had some fun before his followers arrived. He realized then, as well, that their magic, the magic he had felt steadily slipping away somewhere deep inside of them, was no longer within reach.

Another jolt of fear hit him at the realization and implication.

He was unable to ruminate further as Voldemort rose, causing every silver mask to turn towards him in eerie unison.

"Welcome, my friends," Voldemort greeted gleefully. "Today, we celebrate, for good news and gifts have been delivered. Say hello to our most honoured of guests."

He flicked his wand and the boys' bonds moved. Their hands were released only to be brought behind their backs and connected to their ankles while the chain at their necks also moved behind them. They were forced to their knees with arched backs as the new position threatened to strangle them. The Death Eaters murmured and jeered quietly, but excitedly, and Harry and Draco glowered through their pain.

As proud as Severus was of them for holding onto their strength and defiance in the face of such a situation, he also hoped they would hold back. Voldemort and the Death Eaters would take great pleasure in ripping that defiance from them, and Severus wasn't sure he could handle watching that happen. He was there to get Harry and Draco out, but he still had to be smart about how and when, and he very likely was going to have to watch the torture of the boys.

"The boy fated to be my downfall and the traitor that was to be my best," Voldemort drawled as he walked up to Harry and Draco, gazing down at them. "Finally, in my grasp."

Severus tensed as Voldemort ran a fingertip down Harry's cheek, making the boy flinch and his jaw clench, likely from the pain the touch caused in his scar. The look Harry gave Voldemort was full of rage and disgust.

"I will bleed you dry," Voldemort threatened lowly as he held Harry's jaw tightly, "but, first, the news responsible for this joyous occasion!"

Voldemort released Harry roughly and began to circle the boys slowly, speaking to his Inner Circle who listened, enraptured. Severus had never been so thankful for Voldemort's penchant for monologuing, giving him time to think, and keeping Harry and Draco from harm for at least a little longer.

"Fifteen years ago, I was delivered a prophecy that spoke of a boy with the power to destroy me," Voldemort began. "Imagine. A boy, a boy of a filthy Mudblood, fated to defeat me, the great Dark Lord."

As a rumble of condescending laughter ran around the circle, Severus set his own jaw in response to Voldemort's reference to Lily using that word.

"However, there is something I never could have anticipated," Voldemort continued. "This prophecy was one of a pair, and this second prophecy speaks of the power destined to destroy me."

Voldemort continued his slow circle, gazing down at the backs of Harry and Draco.

"A power shared due to love," Voldemort sneered and low, jeering snickers ran through the Death Eaters again. Voldemort finished his walk, ending up in front of the boys again, meeting their glares with a look of satisfaction. "Do not fret, my friends. This destiny will not come to pass for, you see, this power can destroy me, but it can also be mine."

Severus looked at Voldemort sharply.

"And mine it shall be. You may be the key to my downfall, but you are also the key to my immortality," Voldemort murmured. "This will be the day's ultimate celebration, but, first, there are a couple of rewards to give."

Muted, but excited chatter cycled through the Death Eaters. Severus watched with narrowed eyes as Voldemort leaned in close to the boys, looking at Draco specifically.

"I believe there are some consequences for you," Voldemort said. "What do you think, Draco? Do you remember your training?"

Severus clenched his hands into fists to force himself to remain still as Voldemort ran a finger down Draco's cheek, just as he'd done to Harry.

"Don't touch him," Harry spat, bringing Voldemort's eyes to him.

"Don't you worry, Harry, you'll have your turn," Voldemort leered and stood up straight. "Lucius."

Severus' eyes snapped to the Death Eater that stepped forward from the circle.

"As a reward for bringing me such valuable information," Voldemort said, turning to Lucius, "your son."

Lucius bowed his head. "Thank you, my lord. You are too kind."

And as Lucius stepped forward and Voldemort returned to his throne, Severus' eyes drifted shut behind his mask in dread over what was to come.