Left Behind 3: Curses

Phoenix Tears

So This chapter is Double-length. I debated for a while having it as two chapters, but it honestly (I feel ) works better as just one big long one. I hope you enjoy.

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The weight of the past felt heavy on Snape's shoulders as he returned to the Malfoy manner a few hours later. He had scoured every source in his library to no avail. He knew, the same as Narcissa that there was no hope. It was a curse that fed off the dark Lords power in order to destroy those who would seek to increase it through bearing his mark.

The site of Narcissa haggard, and bent over her son, ragged from exertion was one that Snape knew would never leave him. He did not know what it was like to have a son...at the same time...Draco was the closest thing to a son that he had ever had. 

He had watched the child grow up, seen his talents grow with each passing year, and while he had a habit of being pig-headed at times and stubborn, it did not change the fact that Snape was proud of his star pupil. Only one student had surpassed him and that student was currently in the cellar as a so-called prisoner.

They had feelings for each other.

Feelings that would never be accepted by Draco's pure-blood family.

Feelings which Snape recognized.

Narcissa looked up at Snape as he moved towards Draco's prone body and cast a quick spell checking the young man's vitals. 

Lucius, who had been lingering near the door waiting for Snape's arrival slunk in behind him and watched from a distance.

Snape knew what they both wanted, but were afraid to, ask.

"He has hours at most," said Severus answering her unspoken question.

"Are you sure?" asked Narcissa, he could hear in her voice that she had already known the answer and had been holding on to the delusion that maybe it wasn't the case.

"Yes," Snape nodded. "He has lasted much longer than most already." It was surprising how much it hurt to say the words out loud. Snape felt a tightness in his throat at he cleared it before continuing. "Most succumb within the first twenty four hours, by my count he is close to forty eight. He is strong."

"Not strong enough..." Lucius whispered depressively.

"No one would be," Snape answered back.

-

Narcissa looked down at her son. If she looked long enough she could see the small incremental growth of the veins darkening and climbing through his body. The pink swelling around them made Draco's skin seem puffy and swollen even though he himself looked thin and frail.

While she cast spells she could halt their progress, but she could not work around the clock and every breath between spells gave seconds for the curse to grow.

And she could not remove the dark mark.

"And if we took the arm?" asked Lucius from the coroner.

"It wouldn't work," answered Snape. "The mark would re-appear on his other arm and I suspect that it would continue to shift with each attempt of removal-though I do not know anyone personally who took a second limb while trying to remove it."

"What about a stasis spell?" asked Narcissa, the idea coming to her out of the blue.

Snape shook his head.

"That was tried in the past, only prolongs the agony for the cursed."

"I don't want him to be in pain," Narcissa half mumbled.