Title: Seer Divine
Author: Shadowess
Team: Cauldron
Genre(s): Crossdressing, Historical
Prompt(s): Seeking Knowledge
Rating:
Warning/Kinks: *Major Character Death – Not Snape/Harry, AU, Attempted Rape, Violence*
Word Count: 11, 357
Summary: In Viking-Age Sweden, Seidhr magic was usually passed down from mother to daughter but since Harry was an only child he became his mother's apprentice. Harry must now raise power for a ritual and turns to his other tutor, Severus Snape, to help him.
A/N: Ketsurui is my love – for being my beta and helping me at 5am in the morning. Thanks to all my wonderful team mates who helped and encouraged me. A huge thank you to the mods of the Snarry Games all your hard work and dedication to the love of Snarry is always inspirational.
This story takes place in approximately 9th century in Sweden, during the Viking Age.
Harry sighed as he adjusted his mother’s smock over his chest; he was looking forward to the day when he would have his own. If all went well on his journey today, then surely his mother would sew him his own smock and apron-dress. Taking up his mother’s apron-dress, he affixed the shoulders by paired brooches hooked through narrow looped straps, and then opened his jewellery box. He carefully removed the glass beaded necklace and reverently placed it over his head. Next a necklace of trinkets; glass beads from Rus, amber from Gotland, antler beads from Alba, and two precious stones from the far south.
His father had collected them for Harry while on his travels when Harry was a young boy. Harry had reached his manhood three summers ago and at that point his father had left the settlement and joined the other men on their quest. Harry feverently hoped that his father’s ship had found a safe harbour, and maybe even reached the Byzantine Empire. His father always was a good warrior and would make an excellent Varangian guard for the Byzantine emperor; Harry wished him well.
Shaking his head of his maudlin thoughts, Harry placed his three gold rings on his fingers. The smoothly twisted metal quickly warmed as Harry pulled out the last remaining pieces of his ceremonial garb. He aligned the small bells along the table beside his cot. He swiftly affixed the bells to the hem of his mother’s smock and then tied off his leather slippers. Taking a fortifying breath, he again smoothed his hands over his chest and moved to the door of their dwelling. As he walked, the soft tinkle of bells sounded. At the door he took up his staff and stepped over the threshold and out into the warm afternoon sun.
As he entered the sacred grove, Harry saw that his mother, Lily, had already set up the High Seat, a rough hewed wood chair that sat atop a raised dais. This would be Harry’s first time taking the High Seat. His mother was the current seidhr-woman of the settlement. As the traditions and magic were usually passed down from mother to daughter, when Harry’s parents could not produce a female heir, Harry became his mother’s apprentice. Most folk saw seidhr as a woman’s magic, passed down from the great Goddess Freya, a magic that involved trances, spell craft, spirit journeys, healing, and divination. The few seidhr-men often never took wives or had children; they often dressed in women’s clothing for ritual and trance work. Harry’s mother explained that the seidhr-men wore women’s clothing to help them get in touch with their feminine magics. Seidhr magic required the practitioner to be willing to relinquish their connection to their earthly bodies, a trait that usually comes easier to women. In the settlement, as well as around the countryside, the folks often whispered behind their hands, ergi, when a seidhr-man passed.
One day, after a group of fellow youths harassed Harry, pushing him into the mud and hissing ergi at him, he asked his mother what it meant. His mother sat him down and lovingly wiped the mud from his face and explained that ergi was a term that folks used to insult seidhr-men and other men who have no wives or don’t take women to their beds. Harry asked if that meant that meant that Old Man Dumbledore was an ergi. His mother laughed and smiled at him, her green eyes sparkling.
“Harry, do you know how a man lays with a woman?” she asked him. A healthy blush crept its way under the mud.
“Yes, I think so. Uncle Sirius once told me about how he likes to keep warm at night after a flagon of mead.” Lily patted Harry’s hand.
“Well, there are times when a man will lay with another man.”
Harry’s eyes got wide and his mouth slowly dropped open. “They can? But-” Lily smiled at her son once more.
“Yes, son, they can. Now, when men lay together, there is one who is the stag and the other who is the doe. Folks feel that as long as a man is the stag, then he doesn’t lose any of his masculinity. I’ve heard tell of some men who, when they go a-viking, will force themselves on other men. This is a horrible thing, and we are fortunate that our settlement has remained safe from those men who raid. But there are times when two men will lay together out of love for one another, or as in the case of a seidhr-man, for the purpose of sex magic.
“When a man and a woman lay together there is the potential of conceiving a child, so the magical energies can be depleted. Though, when two men lay together, all their energies can go forth into the magical working. The seidhr-man is the doe in the coupling, as he must accept the other man into himself and therefore control the magical working.”
Harry fought down his blush as he tried to absorb all the knowledge his mother was passing on to him. He knew this was another lesson to him becoming a seidhr-man and following in his mother’s footsteps. He wanted to make her proud. “So a man who lies with another man and is the doe in the coupling is an ergi?”
Lily finished wiping the mud from her son’s face. “Yes, Harry. It is sad that other folks don’t see the power in being the doe, but when you are a seidhr-man, you will have great powers, and someday you may wish to tap into the well of passion, of sex magic. But for now, I think you are still too young to fret about such things.” Lily ruffled Harry’s hair.
Harry laughed. “But Mother, Ron is the same age as me and Hermione and he are getting married next spring!”
Harry approached his mother and kissed her cheek in greeting. Lily stepped back from her son and looked over his preparations. She noted that her clothing was starting to strain a bit over her son’s shoulders. She resolved that if her son’s journey to the spirit realm went well today she would start sewing Harry his own smock and apron-dress.
“Are you ready, Harry?” Harry took a cleansing breath and nodded. Lily helped him to the High Seat and Harry slowly sat. Lily took up a veil as Harry settled himself into the High Seat. Harry accepted the veil from his mother, affixed it in his hair and over his face. Taking another deep breath, Harry nodded to his mother. She passed him his staff and afterward she moved to the altar and collected a necklace. The necklace represented the Brisingamen necklace that the goddess Freya wore and would be the power object to focus the protective circle.
Starting in the north, his mother called to the goddess and raised the necklace; she continued to the three other cardinal directions and then returned the necklace to the altar. She took up a small drum and then stood at Harry’s feet. Starting a slow pulsing beat and then working the drum into a rolling heartbeat, Lily raised her voice and began singing the vardlokkur. The vardlokkur was a song passed down from her mother and her mother before her. The song assisted the person on the High Seat in slipping into a trance.
Harry closed his eyes and allowed the pulsing heartbeat of the drum and the low chanting voice of his mother carry him. His limbs became heavy, his breath slowed, and his chin came to rest on his chest. The drum and the vardlokkur faded in his awareness and Harry felt that he was floating. After floating for a while, the smell of pine trees engulfed Harry and he saw that he was in a pine forest. It was dusk, and up ahead, between the trees, Harry spied a fire in a pit. Carefully moving forward, Harry noted he could feel the forest floor beneath his feet; his shoes were missing. Once he breached the forest and stepped into the clearing, Harry noticed that there was a man sitting before the fire. A shock of white hair caught in the wind and the man turned to face Harry.
The man’s face was younger than his white hair would warrant; he looked the same age as Harry’s mother. His face was handsome and when he smiled at Harry, it became more so. The man waved Harry to join him at the fire. As Harry sat, the man greeted him.
“Greetings, travelling son. It pleases me to see you here.”
Harry bowed his head. “Greetings.” The man waved away Harry’s bowed head.
“Now, no need for that, traveller. I don’t stand by ceremony. I’m here to greet you and help you along in your journey. Before I allow you across the Brifrost Bridge, you must find your fetch.” Harry looked up at the guardian of the rainbow bridge that would allow him to travel to the realms of the Gods and Light Elves, and smiled. The man pointed towards the other side of the clearing and into the forest beyond.
“Traveller, you will find your fetch that way. Your fetch will help you find your way back to this place and then ensure that you return to your earthly body and do not become shadow lost.” Harry nodded. He knew that his mother would ward his body, and she would assist him in finding his way back, but his fetch was his companion while travelling. His fetch would save him from becoming shadow lost, a wanderer unable to return to his body. The bodies of those who become shadow lost continue to live, but are empty of the essence of the person and can sometimes become possessed by spirits.
Once when Harry was warding his mother during her travelling, he witnessed an instance when the body of the seidhr-worker was used as a vessel. His mother was answering the questions of the folk in attendance in the hall. One of the folk was disrespectful to his mother and her voice changed. One moment his mother’s soft tones were speaking and the next a booming curt man’s voice emanated from his mother’s mouth to chastise the impertinent man in the hall. Harry gently touched his mother’s bare foot at that point, and she came back to herself. Harry knew that the voice belonged to someone his mother met during her travels. Once his mother returned and was grounded, she explained to Harry that sometimes the Gods themselves will choose to speak through the seidhr-worker. She explained that during that trance she was in Vanaheim, the home of the Vanic Gods. She was speaking with Njord, the father of Freya and she believed that it was Njord who spoke through her.
Harry felt gooseflesh rise on his arms in remembrance; the brief moment of his mother’s possession was unsettling to Harry. His mother had brushed it away, but the sound of a man’s voice coming from his mother had disturbed Harry. Rubbing his arms, Harry stood and looked towards the forest where his fetch was to be found. He knew that his fetch would be an animal, and that he would instinctually know it when he saw his fetch.
The white haired man offered his hand. “Now once you’ve found your fetch, return to this clearing.” Harry grasped the man’s forearm. He had a moment of astonishment, realizing he was clasping arms with a God: Heimdall guardian of the Brifrost Bridge. Breaking contact, Harry moved to the forest and entered the darkening wood.
Wiping a hand across his sweaty forehead, Severus glared up at the sun. It was just past its zenith and Severus felt the heat of it penetrating his dark linen tunic. Severus retrieved the last clipping of feverfew and placed in the basket beside him. Sheathing his dagger at his hip, he took up the basket of herbs and returned to the settlement. Once home, Severus set about hanging the plants to dry and then took up some previously dried feverfew and set to work. He used a grindstone to powder the herb, then combined it with some white willow bark and skullcap and then placed it in a pouch. The lady wife of his friend Lucius was suffering from intense aches in her head. Severus would use the herbs to brew a tea for her and it would help ease her pain. Severus collected his rune staff and then made his way across the settlement to Lucius’ hall. He administered the tea to Lady Malfoy, as well as weaved a blessing of healing with his runes.
As Severus was returning home, he crossed the path that lead to the sacred grove. He paused at the head of the path; today his friend’s son was attempting his first journey on his own. Lily and the boy were most likely already in the midst of the working. Curious, Severus made his way slowly down the path and paused as it opened to the grove.
Leaning against a tree, Severus took in the view before him. Lily stood at her son’s feet, her long fiery hair flowing free in the breeze.
They had been friends since childhood, both of their families being the holders of magic and healing within the settlement. Severus’ ancestors had been practitioners of Galdor, rune magic, the masculine form of magic. Lily’s family was the holder of the feminine side of magic, Seidhr. Lily and Severus had trained together in herb lore and other healing arts. Once Severus had offered to wed Lily, shortly after he reached his manhood. He was crushed when she had refused him, claiming she was in love with another man. The other man was James Potter, a man whose family had arrived to the settlement from Alba a few generations before. Severus was upset and had left the settlement for a time. He searched out a man who was rumoured to know great magics and could fulfill every wish. The man had offered to create a love binding spell to enchant Lily; the cost was still seared into Severus’ flesh. When Severus returned to the settlement and prepared to place the charm on Lily, she told him that she was with child. She had glowed and Severus found himself enchanted. He destroyed the charm and resolved that he would always be there for his friend, regardless of his feelings.
Years passed and her boy grew. When Lily could not have another child, her son became her apprentice. The boy sometimes had lessons with Severus to learn his herb lore. Every now and then Severus would feel a pang in his heart when the boy looked at him with his eyes that were so much like his mother’s.
Severus now looked to the boy; he was seated on the High Seat. His head was bowed, a black veil covering his face, his body still. Severus shifted; it was unnatural to see the boy so still. During lessons the boy fidgets and is always doing something. Dusk had begun to fall, and Severus continued to watch. Eventually the boy’s fingers twitched. Lily began chanting to help her son return from his journey. The boy’s head rose from his chest and slowly pulled back the veil; he caught his mother’s eyes.
“Welcome back, sweetheart.” Harry’s face split with a giant grin.
“I did it, Mother! I made it to the crossroads; I saw Heimdall there. He helped me find my fetch.” Lily chuckled at his son’s enthusiasm. “A stag, Mother, my fetch is a stag.”
Lily patted her son’s hand. “I expected something like that. My fetch is a doe; my mother’s was a reindeer. Oh Harry, I’m so proud of you!” She helped her son down from the High Seat and embraced him. Severus found himself shifting once more as he noted how Lily’s smock strained over the boy’s shoulders. It seems that the boy is no longer a boy; he has grown into a man. Severus’ insides gave a twist at the thought. Lily looked up from her embrace with her son and noticed Severus. She smiled at him and beckoned him over.
Harry returned his mother’s embrace with great emotion. He had successfully completed his first unguided journey and he found his fetch. Heimdall informed him that the next time he travelled he would be granted passage across the Brifrost Bridge. Harry couldn’t wait; he wanted to tell the whole settlement that he had succeeded. Ron and Hermione would be so happy for Harry. Harry smiled to himself; to be truthful he also couldn’t wait to tell Master Snape.
“I suppose congratulations are in order.”
As if Harry’s thoughts had conjured him, he released his mother and turned to face Master Snape. A huge grin broke across Harry’s face.
“Oh Master Snape, it was wonderful.” Severus nodded to Harry, placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a squeeze. Harry’s smile became impossibly larger.
“I’m sure it was. Your mother must be very proud of you.” Harry’s smiled dropped a bit.
“Yes, Severus, I am very proud of Harry. He has been a most excellent apprentice, wouldn’t you agree?” Lily’s gaze met Severus’.
“Indeed, Lily, your boy has shown promise in his herb lore. It seems that you have a worthy apprentice.” Harry’s smile returned to full force. Severus’ hand still rested on his shoulder, warm and comforting.
“Have you still not found a suitable apprentice for yourself, Severus?”
“Not in so far, Lily. I’ve no children of my own, nor a wife to have them with.” A faint brush rose on Lily’s cheeks. “There are no boys in the settlement who have the gift. Mayhap once some of the babes in the settlement are older, they may show some talents.”
Lily placed a hand on Severus’ arm. “I’m sure you will find someone; the Gods will see to it that you have someone to pass your knowledge on to. Now, Harry, why don’t you go and find your friends? I’m sure you’re bursting to tell them.” Harry looked between his mother and Master Snape, and then he nodded and reluctantly turned away. Master Snape’s hand fell from his shoulder. Harry’s felt its absence and he made his way to the settlement to tell his friends how his journey went. As he was leaving the grove, he turned and noticed his mother and Master Snape still standing close to each other, his mother’s hand on Snape’s arm. An unfamiliar emotion surged in Harry’s chest seeing the two of them together. Harry shook himself of the feeling and turned back up the path and returned to the settlement.
Harry hissed as a branch whipped him in the face. In front of him, Master Snape stopped with an impatient air.
“What is the matter, Harry?”
Harry hurried up beside Snape. “Sorry, a branch hit me.”
Snape sighed, “I swear, with your clumsiness you may be destined to be one-eyed like the All Father Odin.” A blush covered Harry’s face and he looked to his feet. “Now come along, boy, we will reach the clearing soon. I will show you how to harvest the angelica plant, and then we can break our fast.” Snape turned and continued gracefully through the bush. Harry envied how Snape moved with hardly a sound.
When Harry crouched down next to Snape, their shoulders touched.
“Now you need to cup the plant’s leaves and expose the stem. Then you take your dagger and cut away from yourself and pull up on the stem. Mind that you only take the whole plant when it is truly needed. If you must make an infusion with only the berries from a plant, then do not kill it needlessly. Some of the plant’s healing properties reside in the roots of the plant. If this is the case, then you should only take a few full plants from one area.” Snape motioned to Harry to try collecting the plant. Harry removed his dagger from his belt and cupped the plant’s leaves. With a quick slashing motion towards himself, Harry yelped and dropped the plant. Harry cradled his cut palm to his chest.
Snape muttered, “It appears that you are firm in your belief that you must mangle yourself. Are you determined to take off your hand like Tyr? At least if you wish to look like the God of Justice, ensure that you sacrifice your hand to a more worthy adversary, such as a wolf, rather than a sprig of arnica.” Snape pulled his satchel towards himself and pulled out some supplies. He made to take Harry’s hand, but Harry flinched backwards. Snape sighed.
“Harry, I don’t wish to hurt you; please allow me to treat your wound.” Harry slowly extended his hand to Snape. Snape gently took Harry’s hand and placed it in his lap. As Snape cleaned the wound, Harry shifted on the grass. Snape’s hands were finely boned, but strong. He did not have the callused hands of a warrior, but the soft stained skin of a healer. Harry felt a stirring low in his belly as Snape slowly smoothed the poultice over his palm. Harry looked up at Snape’s bowed head, swallowed slowly and willed his suddenly madly beating heart to calm. Snape then wrapped some linen around Harry’s hand and secured it at the start of his wrist. Harry’s breath caught when Snape brushed his thumb across Harry’s wrist. Snape looked up and met Harry’s eyes, then quickly released Harry’s hand.
“You should ensure that your mother cleans that cut again tomorrow. I think we are finished for today.”
Harry’s head snapped up. “No!” Snape paused as he was rising.
“What?”
Harry blushed. “I’m sorry, but I really wish to continue. I want to learn as much as I can; please don’t let my foolishness end our lesson today. Mother told me that you are very gifted in your knowledge of herb lore. Please continue to share your knowledge with me.” Snape looked at Harry for an intense moment, and then slowly nodded.
“Very well, though I believe that I shall not let you attempt to use a dagger again today.” Harry felt a blush of embarrassment creep up his neck and nodded with his eyes firmly locked on his bandaged hand.
“Yes, Master Snape.”
Dark figures with long blades flashing in the night jumped from the long boat. There was fire and screaming, people running and there was blood. Fire spread quickly through the settlement, the thatched roofs helping, the wind howling and stoking the flames. The ground was liberally spotted with dark crimson, with a body, a hand full of silver coins. Men rushing with their blades to protect their families, women screaming and children crying. A man loomed out of the darkness and stuck Harry on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword.
“Well aren’t you a pretty one?” The man gripped Harry’s hair in his fist and Harry clumsily fought the man. Harry willed his muscle to move, to fight off the man but it required all his effort just to keep conscious. The man flipped Harry onto his stomach and smashed Harry’s face into the ground. Harry lost his fight against unconsciousness as the world went black.
Severus looked down at the runes before him and frowned. The reading was for the settlement and the runes drawn meant that great misfortune was to befall the settlement. Today Harry would be taking his mother’s place on the High Seat and would use Seidhr to divine what the next season held for the settlement. Severus, as the Rune Master, would practice his art as well and serve a fellow prediction of what the next season would hold. The runes Severus pulled, Thurisaz, Isa, Nauthiz, all meant that some ill was to happen.
Severus hoped that the vision Harry would receive would not corroborate what the runes were spelling. The boy was seated on the High Seat at this very moment, his head bowed and body still. Severus looked across the sacred grove and watched as Lily continued to monitor her son. The boy had showed much promise and had an unwavering thirst for knowledge. He would sometimes seek Severus out, even on days that no lesson was planned and ask to just watch Severus work. A small smile passed Severus’ lips at the thought of the boy sitting in his house watching Severus chopping and grinding herbs.
“NO!” Severus started as Harry suddenly yelled from the High Seat. Lily gasped and then firmly took hold of Harry’s ankle. Harry stood from the High Seat and ripped off the veil, his whole body shaking. The boy leaped off the raised dais and collapsed in the grass. Lily crouched down next to her son.
“My son, are you alright?” Harry’s fingers clenched in the grass; as Severus moved closer he noticed that tears were dropping onto the boy’s hands.
“Harry?” Lily brushed her hand slowly down the boy’s back. Harry shuddered.
“Mother, I, it, it can’t be true!”
“My heart, what did you see?”
Harry choked on a sob and shook his head. “I can’t, I can’t.” Severus kneeled next to Harry; he placed a firm hand on the boy’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Harry’s head snapped up, his panicked eyes meeting Severus’. The boy reached up and grasped Severus’ tunic. “Please, you must tell me, the runes, what did they say?” Severus looked up at Lily. Her eyes widened as she read the answer in his eyes.
“Harry, the runes, they, they spelt out misfortune. Harry, what did you see?” Harry dropped his hands from Severus’ tunic and appeared to crumple in on himself. The boy’s head fell forward to rest on Severus’ chest.
“Invaders. Fire, blood and bodies.” Lily sucked in a breath and placed a warm hand on her son’s back. Severus wrapped his arms around Harry. To see this in the runes was hard enough, but to see it in a vision, Severus could only imagine the horror. Severus looked up at Lily once more.
“We must warn the people of the settlement.” Lily nodded and helped Severus with Harry. Severus half carried the boy to his home, and placed him on his cot. Lily moved about the house and prepared a calming tea. Severus made to stand, but Harry caught his hand and pulled him back.
“Please don’t let them get me.” Severus had to lean closer to hear Harry’s whisper.
“Harry, what happened in your vision?” Harry’s hand tightened over Severus’. “Please, Harry.” Harry took a few calming breaths.
“One of the invaders attacked me, he was going to, to, he wanted to-.” Severus placed his free hand on Harry’s chest.
“Harry, I promise you, I will never let anyone have you against your will.” Harry closed his eyes and shakily nodded. Lily returned with the calming tea and after Harry was resting comfortably, she and Severus went to warn the people of the settlement.
Harry hugged himself as he watched the people of the settlement ready themselves for the invaders. Some simply left for the countryside; others began to fortify their houses. Everyone in the settlement ensured that any available weapon was put into the hands of a warrior, hunter or the most suiting men. All the horse troughs were filled with water; buckets were kept full of water. Sentries were posted on the outskirts of the settlement, keeping an eye on the harbour. Groups of men met in the Mead Hall and discussed strategy, though no one knew for certain when the invaders would come. Harry’s mother wanted to go into hiding; since his father left they had no suitable man to protect their home. Harry’s uncle Sirius had left the settlement on a trade mission two moons ago and was not expected to return. Harry had not spent any of his time learning how to wield any weapons, and felt helpless. Master Snape offered to help Harry and his mother find a place to wait out the raid, but Harry felt that they had to stay. He explained to his mother and Snape that it was his vision that the people were preparing for. He couldn’t take the cowardly route and hide in the hills with the women and children. Both Snape and his mother were hard to convince, but Harry’s will won out in the end.
Harry had spent the whole day with his mother. They both woke at dawn and dressed in their ceremonial smocks and apron-dresses. Lily had sewed a brand new smock and apron-dress for Harry as a Spring Equinox gift and today was the first day he would wear it for ritual. As Harry attached the twined brooches at his shoulders, Lily came over and smoothed the apron-dress in the back.
“It fits you perfectly. Mind you don’t go and keep growing on me, or I’ll show you how to sew and you will have to make your own.”
“Mother, if I learn to sew then I might as well find myself a husband.” Lily laughed with her son.
“Now son, you’re sure you wish to learn how to perform the ritual blessings for the seasons? Are you’re sure you wouldn’t rather wait until after the raid?” Harry finished donning his jewellery.
“Mother, I can’t just sit in this house and wait for them to come. I keep seeing the vision. I want to keep busy to keep my mind off it. Anyways, I want to learn how lead the seasonal rituals. Please, Mother, teach me?” Lily sighed at her son but agreed, which lead to them spending the majority of the day in the sacred grove.
Lily explained that for each seasonal ritual a different God or Goddess was called to oversee the working. With that, each ritual had a different power object that was associated with the deity: the necklace for Freya, a sword for Frey, a staff for Odin, a hammer for Thor. Lily explained how each of the eight seasonal rituals was preformed, and the purpose of the working.
“The next ritual is May Day. This is to ensure fertility for the whole settlement. This is one of the rituals that requires a large amount of powerful magic. Do you remember, Harry, when I explained ergi to you?” Harry blushed and nodded. “This ritual often uses sex magic to help along the working. Sex magic raises a lot of power and when applied to a magical working, it is extremely potent. When your father was still in the settlement, he and I would lie with each other to raise power for the working.”
“But what do you do now, Mother? Father has been gone for years.” Lily smiled at Harry.
“My son, did you know that I conceived you on the eve of the Winter Nights? Your father and I coupled for the seasonal ritual and we were additionally blessed by you. After I birthed you, I have had plenty of power at my disposal. I haven’t had the need to raise power by the use of sex magic since you were born.”
“But then I’ll have to raise power then? I need to find a man to lay with me?” Harry’s face was hot, his palms sweaty.
“Harry, you can still perform these rituals without the sex magic. It just helps the working along; don’t feel that you must, for you must lay willingly with the man.”
“But Mother, who would, I mean if I wanted to, who in the settlement would lie with me? I haven’t many friends, and most of them are married.” Lily patted her son’s arm.
“I’m sure you will find someone. Is there anyone that you fancy in the settlement?” If possible, Harry’s blush became darker as an image of Master Snape flashed through his mind. Lily’s smile deepened at her son. “Do not worry, Harry, when the time comes, you will know.”
They were joined by Severus for lunch and afterward they went for a walk in the woods. Severus departed as the sun was setting, claiming that he was to visit Lady Malfoy to check after her. Lily and Harry had a quick dinner of pickled herring, bread and fresh water. Harry continued to ask questions of his mother, soaking in the knowledge she shared with him.
As the moon rose in the sky, Harry and his mother prepared to return to their home and retire. Harry helped his mother gather up the ritual implements and placed them in a basket. As he placed Freya’s necklace into the basket, a sound carried to him on the wind. Harry slowly straightened and strained his ears; the sound came again: a horn blowing. The sound was abruptly cut off and fear clenched Harry’s heart. He turned to his mother, her face ashen. “The raid, they are here. Hurry, Harry we must go.” Harry grabbed the basket and followed his mother up the trail towards the settlement.
The people of the settlement were awake; men stood outside their homes with swords and shields. Women shushed their babies, and children hid behind their mother’s skirts. Harry and Lily made their way towards their home when they heard the first bout of screams. Harry turned and saw the flash of armour in the flickering flames. The homes closest to the harbour had flames licking up the sides of the walls. The invaders swarmed the settlement, their superior weapons, armour and training making quick work of those who stood to oppose them. Harry stood transfixed at the horror in front of him. Lily’s hand clenched around his arm and she dragged Harry towards their home. Once inside, they moved the table to bar the door and then Lily made Harry hide under his cot. She rushed to her own cot and lifted the skins to unveil a sword. Harry recognized the sword as one of his father’s. Lily stood in the middle of the room with the sword held before her.
The screams came closer to their home; the crackling sound of fire seemed closer yet. Suddenly a pounding came at the door. Lily widened her stance and raised the sword. The door gave after a number of blows and a beast of a man pushed his way into the house. Around his shoulders was a wolf pelt and in his hand, an axe. The man grabbed the table and flipped it out of his way. Lily stood solid, even as the man let loose a bark of laughter.
“Now they have women defending their homes? Come now, Pretty, put down that sword and I will treat you real nice.”
Lily took a small step forward. “Never.”
The man rushed towards Lily with his axe raised; Lily managed to parry the blow but was brought to her knees with the strength behind it. She slashed at the man’s thigh and the sword struck home. The man roared and back handed Lily across the face. She lay sprawled on the floor, dazed for a moment, then rolled onto her back and struck out with the sword once more. The tip of the sword skidded off the breastplate and wedged into the man’s shoulder. The man yelled, and then using his axe, he knocked the sword out of Lily’s hands and across the room. He grabbed Lily’s hair and wrenched her up.
“You’ll pay for that, Pretty.” He shoved her to the floor and then grabbed her apron dress and ripped it away. Lily kicked at the man and tried to shove him away.
Under his cot Harry moved to help his mother when she turned her head to look at him. “NO! Don’t!” Lily screamed. Her eyes pleaded with him not to move but Harry shook his head. The man above Lily laughed and tore at her smock; Lily reached her hand up and pushed it into the man’s shoulder wound. The man shouted and knocked Lily’s hand away. He grabbed her hair and brought her head down on the packed earth floor. Lily’s head lolled to the side, her eyelids fluttering. Harry moved out from under his cot and made his way to the discarded sword. The sword made a scraping noise as Harry lifted it and the man turned to face him.
“Oh look, Pretty has a daughter, aren’t I lucky.” The man stepped over a dazed Lily and moved towards Harry. Harry raised the sword; the man’s head cocked to the side.
“By the Gods, you are a boy. Well aren’t you a pretty one? All dressed up in girl’s clothing.” Lily stirred behind him.
“Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead.” The man rushed Harry, grabbed him around the throat and tossed Harry down onto his cot. Harry choked, pushing against the man. The sword slipped from his grip and fell to the floor.
“Not Harry! Please have mercy!” The man laughed and pressed harder against Harry’s neck. Harry’s vision began to dim, his limbs felt heavy and his arms dropped down beside him. The man released his hold on Harry and then ripped at the apron dress. The beaded necklace around Harry’s neck snapped and beads skidded across the floor.
Suddenly the man gasped and warmth started to pool on Harry’s chest. As if in a dream, Harry moved to touch his chest and his hand came away wet with blood. Harry scrambled back and kicked the man away. His mother stood at his feet, the sword clenched in her hands. Harry looked up at his mother and it all happened in an instant.
The man lurched from the cot, grabbed the sword from Lily and turned it on her. Harry watched as her eyes grew wide for a moment, and then she bowed over the sword. The man staggered back with her weight and Lily fell off to the floor. Dark red blood pooled around her, blossoming out on her white linen smock and Harry screamed. The man took a step towards Harry, stumbled and then collapsed and did not move anymore. Harry shook as he crawled his way to his mother and reached out a trembling hand to touch her hair. Lily winced and brought her hand up to touch Harry’s wrist.
“I love you, Harry.”
“No, you can’t! Please, I’ll go fetch Master Snape, he will fix you.” Lily weakly squeezed Harry’s wrist.
“My son, it’s too late. I love you.” Coughs racked Lily’s form and blood painted her lips a vibrant red.
“Mother, I love you, you can’t leave me.”
Lily choked, then gasped, “Harry.” Her hand fell from Harry’s wrist and her eyes closed.
Harry sat next to his mother, willing her eyes to open. She was still. Harry stood and stumbled over to the laundry pile and took a sheet of linen and returned to his mother’s side. He wiped the blood from her lips and arms, then folded the linen and rested it across the red stain on her smock. He adjusted the tear in the front of his mother’s smock and apron-dress so that her modesty was preserved. He hand combed her hair to lie smoothly around her head. Harry sat next to his mother, the screams and crackling of fire from outside barely registering to him. The sounds of the raid eventually began to fade. Harry leaned over to protect his mother’s body as he heard someone enter the house. Harry flinched as a hand came to rest on his back.
“Harry, are you alright?” Severus crouched down next to Harry. “Lily, are you hurt?” Harry turned to Severus and threw his arms around him. Severus looked down at Lily and then tightened his hold on Harry. Severus gasped. Lily, beautiful Lily was lying still, too still. He reached out a hand to touch her wrist and quickly withdrew it; her skin was cold. Severus looked around Harry, at the upturned table, at the beads scattered on the floor. A man lay on his stomach in a pool of his blood at the foot of Harry’s cot. Severus felt an overwhelming desire to mangle the man’s body, but Harry needed him now. Severus helped Harry to stand.
“Harry, are you hurt? Did that animal do anything to you?” Severus noted the matching rips on the front of both Lily’s and Harry’s smocks. There was no question on what the man’s intentions had been. Severus cursed himself for not demanding that Lily and Harry go into hiding. Failing that, he should have been here with them, maybe, just maybe, if he was, then Lily wouldn’t be dead.
Harry just stood with his head bowed. “No, he didn’t, he didn’t, Mother, she, she protected me. Oh my god, she’s, she’s.” Harry’s voice was raspy and Severus could see the finger marks colouring on Harry’s neck. Severus hugged Harry to him and held him tightly.
Once the fires were extinguished, the bodies of the few invaders killed were piled together and burned. The bodies of those who were felled by the invaders were taken to the sacred grove. Some of the people of the settlement erected pyres to burn the bodies of their loved ones. Severus offered prayers to the Gods to see all their sons and daughters home safely. A few families piled a stone cairn over their kin; again Severus saw to his duties and sent more blessings to those lost and those yet still living. He saw to those who were injured while defending the settlement. As the sun began to rise Severus felt bone weary and heart sick. He went in search of Harry, who he had left in the care of Ron and Hermione. When he found that they had allowed Harry to leave their sight, he was furious. The boy had almost been raped, and he saw his mother murdered before his eyes. Severus rushed though the settlement calling for Harry. He entered Lily’s home and saw her body was no longer resting on the cot he had arranged her on.
He rushed down to the sacred grove and into the woods beyond. There he came across Harry; the boy was standing in a wide hole in the earth. Beside the boy was a large pile of earth and beside that, Lily’s body. Severus watched as Harry carried his mother and placed her in the hole. Harry then collected items from a basket that was hidden by the pile of earth. He placed these items in with his mother and then knelt beside the grave. Severus offered up his own blessing to the Gods to guide their daughter safely on her final journey. Harry then stood and began to fill up the grave. He created a burial mound over his mother, then collected medium sized rocks and made a ring around the mound. Severus went to join Harry. There were tear stains across the boy’s cheeks. Severus looked down to the boy’s hands and found they had angry blisters and were bleeding. Severus knelt before Harry, took up his hands and cleaned and bandaged the wounds.
Harry finished the final stitch on his apron-dress, and smiled sadly down at it. The set of clothing his mother made for him could not be mended. Harry was secretly happy that Hermione wasn’t able to fix them; he couldn’t bear wearing them knowing they once had his mother’s blood on them.
A moon had passed since the raid and the settlement was starting to rebuilt and the loss of love ones not so sharp. Harry visited his mother’s burial mound almost every day. Grass had already grown over the packed dirt and Harry would leave offerings of bread and mead once a week. Harry held up the apron-dress and tossed it over his tunic. The bottom helm line was slightly crooked, but Harry was still proud of his work. Harry looked up as Severus entered the house. Since the raid Harry could not bear to sleep in his mother’s house, so Severus offered for Harry to stay with him.
“That looks very good, Harry.” Harry beamed at the praise from Severus. Severus set down the basket he carried on the table and motioned for Harry to join him. Harry set aside his apron-dress and sewing supplies and sat at the table with Severus.
“Harry, I have a gift for you.” Severus reached into the basket and removed a pouch and handed it to Harry. Harry smiled up at Severus and shook out the contents of the pouch. He dropped the contents to the table as if burnt. Severus reached over and placed a hand over Harry’s.
“I know it’s hard, Harry, but you are expected to take up your mother’s role of seidhr-worker of this settlement.” Harry stared down at the necklace on the table before him. It was the necklace that the invader had torn from Harry’s neck. Severus must have returned to Harry’s old home and collected the beads and reworked the necklace. The beads were a part of Harry’s history, beads collected by his father, beads created by his mother. Harry noted that there were new beads added to the necklace. Hesitantly, Harry took up the necklace and ran his fingers over the multitude of beads. Scattered between the older beads were eight new ones. They were wooden beads and carved into each bead was a set of three runes. Harry looked up at Severus.
“Did you make these runic beads, Master Snape?” Severus softly squeezed Harry’s hand.
“Yes, Harry, and now that you are the seidhr-man of the settlement and living with me, I think you should call me Severus.”
Harry closed his eyes, nodded at Severus and whispered, “Thank you, Severus.”
Harry slowly came back to himself. Severus stood at the foot of the High Seat. He softly touched Harry’s knee to help ground him. After his mother’s death, Harry had taken up his mother’s position in the settlement. He travelled into the realm of the Gods and answered the questions of the people of the settlement. When Harry travelled, his fetch had a companion: a doe. Harry felt his mother’s presence when the doe was around and he took great comfort from it.
Severus had taken the role as Harry’s warder while he was in trance. The Warder had to be someone the seidhr-worker trusted and felt comfortable with. Severus fit seamlessly into the role. While his magic was different, his relationship with Harry made it easy for them to work magic together. A kinship was shared between them; their magics were complementary to each other. Harry moved the veil back and smiled at Severus. Severus still had his hand resting on Harry’s knee and Harry felt it keenly.
“What have the Gods shared with you?”
“They say that the May Day ritual must be powerful. The lives lost during the raid must be countered by an insurgence of new life. They say that if the May Day ritual is powerful enough, then many women in the settlement will find their wombs quickened with new life. The beasts shall also have great fertility this May Day.” Severus noted a blush was starting to creep up Harry’s neck. He felt that Harry was a powerful seidhr-man, and he would do the settlement proud.
“I’m sure you will lead a powerful ritual. The settlement will be blessed with great fertility.”
“But Severus, I need-” Severus patted his hand on Harry’s knee.
“You will be able to raise up the required power. I’ll help you.” Harry’s face flushed a darker red. “Why are you so flushed, Harry? You needn’t feel frightened; I’ve raised power for a working before, and it doesn’t hurt.” Harry’s eyes boggled and he covered his face with his hands. Harry couldn’t believe how frank Severus was being. He looked through his fingers at Severus. Maybe, just maybe, the man returned his affections? He was offering to lay with Harry on May Day. A smile slowly spread over Harry’s face. Severus met his eyes and smiled in return.
Severus added the last flower to his basket and made his way back to the settlement. The May Day ritual was fast approaching and Severus was concerned for Harry. The boy had been acting strangely around Severus since he offered to help him with the ritual. Severus would note that Harry would watch him intently and when noticed, he would turn away blushing.
Entering his home, Severus’ greeting died on his lips at the sight before him. Harry stood next to Severus’ cot wearing nothing but a pair of ill fitting trousers. Harry’s back was to the door and Severus saw that he had one of Severus’ shirts in his hand. As Severus watched, Harry brought the shirt to his face and breathed in deeply. A sigh passed Harry’s lips and Severus stood transfixed by the sight. Harry had indeed grown into a man; the muscles on his back were sleek. Severus felt a stirring low in his belly as he watched Harry and a soft groan forced its way past his lips.
Harry dropped Severus’ shirt and whipped around. Severus barely managed to smother the gasp as Harry’s trim front was revealed to him. Harry’s chest only had a sparse sprinkling of hair, the nipples a dark brown. Severus felt his mouth water. The trim waist slightly tapered down to small hips, the bones barely holding up the boy’s trousers. Between those hip bones, a trail of dark hair lead from Harry’s belly button down past the line of the trousers. Severus staggered back; the stirring became a rushing torrent of desire. He had never felt such a need towards any man, towards any woman, even towards Lily.
“I’m sorry, Severus, I was just-“A blush suffused Harry’s face. Severus felt his own blood rushing. Severus held up his hand to stop Harry.
“No, it’s alright, Harry. Go and finish getting ready.” Harry nodded and moved over to his cot. Severus shifted his stance when, against his will, he watched Harry bend over to collect his tunic.
The morning of May Day was a promising one; the sun was bright, the sky blue and the birds sang. Harry affixed the twin brooches on his apron-dress and then put on his jewellery.
When the sun was at its highest point, the ritual would start. The ritual would end once the sun set and the great bonfire was lit. Severus had already left the house to ensure the sacred grove was prepared. Harry took up his brush and ran it over his hair; it continued to stick up in the back, and Harry gave up trying. He made sure that his clothing was cleaned yesterday and that he bathed this morning. Harry ran a nervous hand over his chest. Today was the day. He was equal parts scared and excited.
In the months since his mother’s passing, Harry had forged a close relationship with Severus. He was forever finding his attention captured by the man. Harry felt that the Gods themselves were blessing their relationship. They had told Harry to lead a powerful May Day ritual, and who better to raise the required power with than Severus. The man was powerful in his own right and the joining of the two of them would certainly be powerful. Harry felt something twist in his belly at the thought of joining with Severus today. While embarrassed that the whole of the settlement will be there for his deflowering, Harry was still excited. He was sure that Severus would be gentle with him and help him forget about the people around them. A healthy blush suffused Harry’s face and he needed to take a moment to compose himself. Something pleasant squirmed in his belly whenever he thought of the ritual to come. It was time for him to join Severus in the sacred grove and help with the final preparations. Harry took up his staff and walked out into the sunny morning.
As Harry entered the sacred grove, he noted that Severus had almost completed the set up for the bonfire. He joined the man and they worked together in companionable silence until all the preparations were complete. As the sun reached towards its zenith, the people of the settlement began to make their way to the grove. The people of the settlement were in a festive mood; already mead was flowing, food was liberally shared. Flowers were taken up and fashioned into crowns for the young women. The men told stories of their deeds to impress. Couples sat close to one another, kissing, and merry making.
The sun reached its highest point and Severus and Harry began the ritual. They created a powerful circle around the grove and then blessed a barrel of mead. Couples approached and drank from the mead horn and received the blessing of the Goddess Freya. The women of the settlement of child bearing years received an additional blessing to help quicken their wombs. Severus anointed them using oil with the rune Berkana, for ease of child bearing and fertility. Harry whispered spells to them to ensure they conceived. After the women, the men came forth and accepted spells and runes to increase their virility. Harry then took to the High Seat and the people of the settlement took turns asking Harry what was foreseen for them and their family.
The merry making continued for the remainder of the day. The tables in the grove groaned under the smorgasbord served on it. The mead flowed freely and the people of the settlement truly rejoiced for the first time since the raid. Mead horns were raised in the memory of those fallen, great stories were told of their deeds. Harry spent most of the day near Severus. The people of the settlement would approach him and tell him how like his mother he was. They would say how proud she would be of her son; he had truly grown into the seidhr-man his mother knew he could be. Harry felt his mother’s presence and was pleased that he had done well in her honour.
As the sun began to fall, Harry’s nervousness began to rise. The moment was fast approaching when he and Severus would need to gather the power needed to complete the day long ritual. Severus led Harry towards the altar and they turned to face each other. Severus reached out a hand and placed it on Harry’s cheek.
“Harry, did you avail yourself of the mead too much? Your face is flushed.” Severus’ observation made Harry’s face hotter.
“No, Severus, I’m just nervous about this.” Severus’ hand moved to rest on Harry’s shoulder.
“Harry, I’ll be right here.” Harry attempted to bolster his courage. The people of the settlement were taking seats around the grove. Harry scanned the people and he felt faint thinking that they would all be watching. Severus’ other hand came up to steady Harry as he wavered. “There’s no need to be frightened, Harry.”
Harry looked back to Severus. “But I’ve never done this before.” Severus patted Harry’s shoulder and motioned his head to the gathered people.
“They will support you, I will support you. You mother told you how to do this, didn’t she?”
“Yes, but she never told me the details of it.” A look of confusion flitted across Severus’ face.
“But surely she had you assist her?”
Harry’s eyes boggled. “What? No, of course not, she was my mother.” Severus shot a quick look at the expectant crowd and then pulled Harry aside between a set of oak trees.
“What do you mean your mother never showed you how? I thought she had taught you how to lead a ritual.” Harry looked up at Severus.
“She did, but she only told me about how to raise the power. She told me how she used to lay with my father to raise the energy for the ritual.” Harry looked down at the grass beneath him and continued on, oblivious to Severus’ stricken expression. “She said that one day I would find a man that I could use sex magic with. It’s just that I’ve never been with anyone before, so I’m scared.” As Harry looked up Severus stepped back with a shocked look on his face. Suddenly it dawned on Harry that Severus had no idea. A crushing feeling rushed over Harry. He felt so stupid. He clenched a hand to his chest as an intense pain shot through his heart. Harry felt the world tilt and he collapsed back against the sturdy oak tree behind him. He opened his mouth to apologize to Severus, but nothing came out. Harry’s eyes started to well up with tears and he kept attempting to blink them away.
Severus stood across from Harry, he saw the moment Harry realized the error of their communication. He watched as Harry slowly began to shatter in front of him. He took a step towards Harry and raised a hand up to cup his cheek. Using his thumb he wiped away a tear as it escaped from Harry’s eye. Harry looked up at him and Severus felt horrible for the misunderstanding.
“Harry, I care for you, and I’m sorry that you misunderstood me when I told you that I would help you with this ritual.” Harry appeared to shrink as Severus spoke.
“It’s alright, Severus, this was my entire fault. I’m so silly to think that you could have wanted to be with me like that.” Severus’ hand pressed against Harry’s chest.
“No, Harry, you’re wrong. Anyone would be lucky if you were interested in them.”
“But you’re not interested in me.”
Severus tilted Harry’s face up. “Who said I’m not?” Harry looked startled.
“But you don’t want to, er, do the ritual with me.”
“I never said that I didn’t. I told you I would help you raise the power for this ritual, and I am a man of my word.”
Harry wavered. “Severus, you don’t have to do this.”
Severus stepped flush with Harry. “Trust me, Harry, I want to.” He leaned down and captured Harry’s lips which quickly fanned itself into a passionate kiss. When they broke away from each other, they were both flushed and aroused.
“I think it’s time that we completed this ritual, Harry.” Severus held out his hand to Harry. They walked back into the grove and noted that all the people of the settlement were ready for the end of the ritual.
Harry stared out at the crowded grove and at the pile of wood that would become the bonfire between him and the people of the settlement. Severus stood beside him. Harry felt light headed at the thought that Severus wanted him, truly wanted him. He smiled remembering the heated kiss they shared; he felt a powerful longing for Severus.
Severus raised his hand and the crowd became silent. He addressed them and told them that he and Harry would be raising the power for the conclusion of the ritual. Sweat started to bead at Harry’s hairline. All the eyes of the settlement were on him. How was he going to be able to be intimate with Severus with all those people watching? What if he did something wrong? What if it hurts? Harry’s thoughts ran around his head until he felt Severus take his hand. He looked over to Severus and then noticed that the people of the settlement were making their way out of the sacred grove.
“I’ve asked the folk to leave the grove for us to gather the power for the ritual. While I’m pleased to have this time with you, I don’t relish the idea of the whole settlement sharing it with me.” A huge smile lit on Harry’s face.
“Thank you, Severus. I was afraid I would do something to ruin it in front of them.”
“Harry, I will take care of you. I will ensure that everything goes well.” Severus took up Harry’s hand and led him to the front of the altar. Severus removed his cape and placed it on the grass. Severus motioned for Harry to sit on the cape and after a deep breath Harry sank to the ground.
“Harry, try not to be scared, I won’t hurt you.” Harry smiled.
“I know, Severus, but it’s my first time. I don’t know what to expect.” Severus felt a stirring in his blood; Harry was untouched, his alone.
“Harry, I will take good care of you.” Severus sat next to Harry and leaned over to kiss him. As their lips met, a shock of heat rushed through both their bodies. Harry opened his mouth under Severus’ and their tongues met. Harry’s hands clenched in Severus’ tunic as the kiss continued. Harry had never felt anything like this in his life. Severus’ hand came up to knot in Harry’s hair. He pulled back on the dark locks and tipped back Harry’s head. Severus licked from Harry’s collar bone to his ear and then started to kiss the soft skin.
Harry groaned when Severus began to nibble and suck on the sensitive flesh of his neck. He didn’t know what to do with his hands; he wanted to touch Severus all over. He tugged up on the hem of Severus’ tunic and Severus broke away from his neck. He made quick work of the tunic and tossed it to the side. Harry surged his chest towards Severus. He clasped his hands under his shoulders and pulled Severus down on top of him. Harry felt a hardness that matched his own press down against his thigh. Harry lifted his thigh and pressed it up against Severus’ erection. Severus moaned and bit down on Harry’s neck as he ground himself against Harry’s thigh. Harry dug his fingers into Severus’ back and sought to press his hardness up against Severus.
Severus released Harry and pressed down on the boy’s hips to still his movement. He felt he would burst at any moment. Harry was amazingly passionate and very eager. Harry was also wearing too many clothes. Severus backed off Harry and flipped up the apron-dress. He then grabbed the hem of the smock and pulled it up Harry’s legs. Harry lifted his hips and Severus pulled the smock over to bunch at Harry’s waist. Underneath, Severus slowly pulled the bows on the loose linen braies. He pulled down the cloth and unveiled Harry’s hardness. He tossed the undergarment to join his tunic and ran his hands up Harry’s legs. Harry’s legs trembled as he stroked up then over his hips.
Severus leaned down and pressed open mouth kisses to Harry’s hip bones. Fluid began to well at the tip of Harry’s hardness and Severus couldn’t stop himself from flattening his tongue over the slit. A gurgle sounded from above and Severus smiled. He continued to run his tongue over Harry’s erection as Harry thrashed under him.
“Please, Severus, I need more.”
Harry was coming undone by Severus’ ministrations. He felt that if he didn’t receive his release soon he would surely die. Severus lifted his head and cast about for something. He stood up and slowly untied his trousers and pulled them off. He turned to the altar and took up the bowl of oil he used to anoint the people of the settlement with their runes. He joined Harry and placed the bowl of oil beside him. Harry’s toes curled as Severus moved in for another passionate kiss. Harry pulled away with a hiss as Severus’ now oil slick hand wrapped around his manhood. Severus pumped him lazily as he kissed, licked and bit his way down Harry’s neck. Harry moaned at the loss as Severus’ hand left him. The hand dipped into the bowl of oil and Severus began to trace runes on Harry’s thighs and belly. The runes were of power, magic, and of love. Harry whispered the spells that went along with each rune as Severus drew them.
After the runes were drawn and the spells spoken, Severus’ hand delved down between Harry’s legs. Severus’ long finger came to rest on Harry’s puckered entrance. He circled it and then slowly pushed the tip of his finger inside. Harry gasped as he felt the first finger enter him; it slightly burned at first but it quickly dimmed to a simmering pleasure. Severus gently added another two fingers and stretched Harry’s opening. Harry squirmed as each finger was added, then started to rock on the digits inside him. He wanted something more; he needed to be connected to Severus. When Severus removed his fingers Harry arched after them.
“No, please, more.”
Severus leaned down to kiss Harry again. He dipped his hand in the oil once more and stroked it over his erect member. He nudged Harry’s legs further apart and positioned his aching length at Harry’s entrance. He met Harry’s eyes and slowly pushed against the guardian muscle. After a moment it yielded to his pressure and the head of his manhood breached the ring of muscle. Harry sucked in a breath and winced at the penetration as tears leaked from the corners of his eyes. Severus stayed still, waiting for Harry to adjust to the intrusion. He kissed away the tears and whispered encouragement to Harry. After a few moments Harry nodded and Severus pushed in a little further. Severus continued to give Harry the time he needed to adjust until he was fully sheathed in Harry. Harry let loose a shuddered breath and smiled up at Severus.
Severus slowly pulled himself back and then pushed back in. He reached his hand between them and took hold of Harry’s wilted manhood. He gently stroked it back to hardness as Harry moaned and writhed under him. Severus continued to slide in and out. Harry’s hands came around his back and dug into the flesh. Harry brought his legs up to wrap around Severus’ waist and then gasped and shuddered around him. Now with every few thrusts, Harry would keen, his ring of muscles tightening around Severus’ member.
Severus’ thrusts started to speed up, Harry rocking against him. Severus pumped Harry’s erection in time with his movements and Harry soon spilled his seed over Severus’ hand. Severus continued to drive into Harry as he felt Harry’s inner muscles clamping down on him. With one final push, he impaled himself deeply in Harry and released his seed.
They stay locked together, both breathing heavily, and Harry slowly lowered his legs. He pulled Severus down into a languid kiss. Eventually, Severus’ softened member slipped from Harry and Severus rolled off to lie beside him. They lay there looking at each other and watched as the sun set.
“It’s time to finish the ritual.”
Harry nodded and sat up. He collected his seed from his belly and then took up a handful of dirt in his other hand. He stood before the wood set out for the bonfire. Severus stood at his back with his hands on Harry’s shoulders. Harry called out a blessing and tossed the dirt onto the wood. Then he tipped his hand over the wood and allowed some of his seed to mingle with it. They donned their clothing and then went to summon the people of the settlement.
Once the whole settlement sat before the pile of wood, Harry called out into the dusk, “Though season past was filled with strife, may we be blessed with new life.” Severus stepped forward and handed a torch to Harry. Together they lit the fire and it rose into the night sky. The people of the settlement cheered, started to sing and stood up to dance around the fire. Couples held each other’s hands as they danced; new life was soon to be upon the settlement. Harry and Severus joined in the dancing and merry making, all the while holding hands.
THE END
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