Severus & Lucius

Perdurabo explains that when the entrance to the chamber was finally found and breached, Escellion was long-dead, but the Master Stone and the Stone of Amon Sûl were hidden safely in her bones. "So much time had passed," he says, "and the stones had been a part of her for so long, that they had absorbed some--well, a great deal, actually--of her magic and added it to their own. But what was truly astounding was that they upheld her vow." The Elder wizard tells them that a great altar was made in the very center of the chamber, and upon it was placed the Master Stone. At that time it became...

"Until we were ready..." Therion echoes, then stretches and rubs his neck. "This is a lot to have to be ready for. And there's something I don't understand." He looks around at the gathered Silhouettes. "You've said that you came here a thousand years ago, but--" there is soft laughter and guilty glances around the study, and the answer comes from behind them. "That is because we still count the passage of time in our years. In yours," Bea chuckles softly as she takes Malfoy into her arms in a loving embrace, and Therion shakes his head. "I don't think I want to know what the conversion is...I...

Thirty years?" Layne and Therion ask, almost in unison. Perdurabo nods, his grin far less disturbing now, and sighs. "It...I think of the stone as he, for certainly the stone possesses a sense of identity, you can't exit as long as he has without developing a kind of awareness, and even the One Ring--" the elder wizard realizes he's rambling and stops. Elsbet giggles and kisses his forehead, and he laughs at himself. "Sorry, it's just that...so few understand. He was alone for so long. He knows this place, Perethil. This city was founded by Elves and Half-Elves, and was already thriving when...

Laughing almost like small children caught sneaking cookies, Snape and his family go up the stairs quickly. The birds play a game with each other as they follow them back up, squawking and cawing loudly as they go, with no clear winner decided once they're up. "They've got the sillies," one of the younger Silhouettes says as she picks up Anubis and gives him a gentle snuggle. Thelonius, Capadocius' first mate, asks them where 'The Rook' has gone off to and Layne opens his jacket. The crow has managed to settle himself into the breast pocket of the shirt quite comfortably, and he peers up at...

The Heir of Aragorn.

All eyes are on Snape, and Tonks moves closer to her husband. "Then..." she begins to speak but can't finish, and Elsbet, bright eyes filled with tears of joy, smiles at him radiantly. "I told you that you are King." He takes her into his arms, his own eyes filling with tears, and he holds her tightly to him. He shakes his head once, and the Chronicler smiles softly. "Good sir," he says in a gentle tone, "the living, indesputable proof is there, warm in your embrace." Malfoy lays his hand gently on the Dark wizard's shoulder as Layne and Therion usher the birds over to the...

Snape steels himself as the Chronicler pulls down a fresh parchment, and silently he glances at his loved ones. These people have come to mean everything to him; now, it is clear to him that they truly are meant to be together, and he wonders how much darker his life would have been if he had never met Elsbet, or if he had turned away from her...

There is strength in unity, he knows. He feels stronger now than he has ever felt before in his life. How much stronger will he become?

He steps up to the parchment and takes a deep breath; Malfoy comes to his side and takes his hand, pricks it gently,...

Layne holds Johnny Rook closely to him, and the crow tugs at the lapel of his jacket. Me knew wen me saw you, he thinks as Layne tucks him inside that jacket, you be my Da. Therion puts his arm around Layne's waist as the fair wizard asks the crow, "when you first saw me, how did you see me? I mean, how did I look to you?" Johnny Rook pulls the jacket closed and snuggles close to Layne's heart. You furry. Layne looks down at the lump on his chest. "I looked furry to you?" There's a muffled caw from inside Layne's jacket, and Johnny Rook thinks, you furry wen me first see! Me know you long time!...

The Chronicler pulls down a fresh parchment as Layne prepares himself. "This is so exciting," Tonks says, "I want to go after him." Remus smiles softly at her and sits down on the bench between Malfoy and Snape. Are you sure you're safe here, Lupin? Snape thinks to him, and the werewolf glances at them almost shyly. What? Between the two of you? He grins, thinking, well, there's not much either of you can do to me here in the Hall of Chronicles, now, is there? Malfoy sighs, grey eyes twinkling, and leans forward slightly. He's right, Severus...I don't suppose there's many places here we could,...

They are greeted by darkness, but that darkness is quickly banished as flames on candles set into empty spaces on the walls flicker to life. The air is suddenly tinged with a fragrance that none of them can identify, though on some level, they each recognize it, and are put at ease. There is a slight chill to the air, but the chill gives way as their warmth fills the enormous chamber they've entered. Everywhere they look there are books, books, scrolls, skeletons of various creatures in protective cases, weapons and shields, and all manner of incredible things. Things, Snape notes, that feel...

The copper-maned wizard reaches up a gentle hand and tugs playfully on Layne's sleeve. "It's a comfortable bed...but not as warm as I would like." Layne smiles almost shyly and takes off his boots, then turns and reaches down to take off Therion's. They hit the floor with a muffled thud, and Therion chuckles. "That hasn't happened in a while," he says, and Layne sits up, looking at him quizzically. Therion grins and tells him, "no one has taken off my shoes for me in a very long time." Layne nods, a crooked half-grin brightening his face. "Well, I haven't worn shoes in a very long time, so...

So...

107 installments, and nearly a year of writing. I didn't think it would last this long, but I have to say that it's been a pleasant, and frequently erotic, journey.

I've had a lot of fun writing this, and it's made me rethink how I feel about a couple of characters, which is a very good thing.

You're probably asking what this is, so I'll just come to it. I'm going to have to wrap the story up, much to my regret. It's been almost ten days since the last installment, and I wasn't happy with the installment as I posted it, but there wasn't anything else I could do with it. My life is changing,...

As they reach the main level of the house, the birds are discovering that they have a new place to explore, and nearly fly right into the two wizards. "We may have to make a play room for them," Malfoy says as he slides their bedroom door closed. Once alone together they are silent, and the silence is surprisingly awkward. "I felt you pass through the barrier when you returned..." Malfoy says softly after several minutes pass, and a smile plays across Snape's lips. "You're getting stronger, your senses are expanding. That is very good." Malfoy nods as if he knows Snape is not telling him something....

Snape finds part of his family in the kitchen prepairing supper, and the other part sitting in the dining room waiting for him. He is warmly greeted, with kisses and pats on the back, and his appetite is stirred by the aroma of the cooking food. He wasn't hungry when he arrived, but now, he is ravenous. "What is that?" he asks Therion, who is crushing chilies, and the wizard flashes a wicked grin. "I hope you like it hot, Severus. It's Szechuan chicken, Master Han gave Remus the recipe this afternoon." He watches Therion, Malfoy and Layne deftly and gracefully working together, Malfoy cutting...

Snape walks the halls of the school in the early morning hours, his mind full of racing thoughts, most of which are difficult to pin down. He knows where most of his allies are; Ginny, Luna, Neville, and Draco are in their safe place. Ginny, Luna and Neville will be waking soon to start their classes. Peeves is patrolling high above the Death Eaters, watching their every move. Minerva is preparing for her first class of the morning. Only Dobby's location is unknown; he has yet to return from his mission.

This concerns Snape greatly, but not quite enough for him to risk asking Kreacher where...

Elsbet takes her wand out of her pocket and slips it behind her ear, lets the robe slip from her shoulders and drapes it over a stone bench nearby, then ties back her hair. No one here will be shocked or surprised to see her as she truly is. She is sure now that the Silhouettes have always known that she is Quendi, they must have always known about her aunt's charm and enchantment, and she realizes now that must have been the reason they took her in the way they did, without her having to go through the Ordeal. They knew. Padfoot...Sirius...must have as well, somehow. All these people who love...

As Elsbet lay sleeping soundly at last, Snape slips quietly out of her bedroom, through the dining room and into the living room. Everyone is asleep. Everyone but Loki and Cambion...He gives them little scratches on their heads and asks them when Andromeda and Ted arrived. Hour'go, Cambion tells him, then Snape looks at the timepiece on the wall. It's later than he though; Dro and Ted must have been awoken by the commotion in the park. On the loveseat to his right are Therion and Malfoy, sound asleep, Malfoy's frosty-maned head on Therion's shoulder; on the couch (far end), are Dro and Ted,...

Once in, he encounters only blackness.

To say that this disturbes him would be an understatement.

All of their hard work...all of the information she risked herself to bring him...the very stability of her mind...he is afraid, for her, for himself, and for all that might have been.

But then, something in the blackness stirs. He sees movement in the apparent distance, and as it approaches, he tries to ready himself for the worst. It's a figure with a human shape, draped in a thin, wispy darkness different from the blackness that surrounds them. And then, when the figure stops before him, it waves...

The cool breeze feels so good on Elsbet's face that she thinks it would feel good all over. So as she runs she strips off the first layer of clothing leaving it where it falls. She doesn't know where she is, but she knows somehow that she is safe. She laughs because she feels good, she feels free, she feels like...like...like she needs to find something. But what? What could she need to find? She doesn't know, and at the moment she doesn't care...she hears someone calling her name, but she doesn't answer. Instead, she hides, covering her mouth so she doesn't giggle as they run passed her hiding...

After the lovely lunch, all the chatting and a little crying, they finally get to the reason Elsbet had wanted to see Remus.

"Ellie," he says in a fatherly tone as everyone settles into the living room, "I don't think that's such a good idea. Severus worked very hard to protect your mind against assault and invasion, I don't think we will be able to get very far." He reaches forward and touches her hand gently. "Besides, Ellie, we don't know what kind of damage we could do." She nods, sits quietly for a moment, then looks up at him. "But what if something has changed? What if there's something...