Survival Bonds

Chapter 55: The elves

It was almost overnight.

Nearly half of the students at Hogwarts were taken back to their homes. The school didn't know what to do but couldn't very well keep them against the parents wishes.

True to her oath, Rita printed the interview word for word. The pages of evidence against the headmaster were paraphrased at the end and there was information on where the pages could be read at length. Even if only a third was true, that would be enough to send him to Azkaban.

And the number of people that came forth against him was astronomical.

With squibs alone there were nearly a dozen that claimed that Albus Dumbledore stole their magic. All of them were males. Males who magic would not come forth even though they claim that they had magic as infants. Their parents were visited by the headmaster and he informed them that their child must not be allowed to use their magic lest it taint them the same way it did to you know who. And because Dumbledore is respected, and because he informed the parents that he was 'protecting' their child and the wizarding world by not allowing another child to turn to the dark side, they agreed believing an alive magicless child was better than an evil dead one.

The magical world is searching for me. Asking questions.

Niffy lightly taps my head.

"You need to focus." She says. "Sevy is already in the snake's den and we just aggravated the snake. Focus on your bond to him." I don't know how to do that. "Even if you can give him a moment of relief that is good enough." She breathes evenly and deeply. "Think only of him right now. Think of the burdens that he is going through and think of a shield around him."

I'm trying.

"Niffy, I don't know how." She taps my head a bit harder.

"It may be difficult at first. But do not put doubt in your head. The bond will hear the doubt. It will be physically and mentally taxing to hold the bond. If you cannot hold it for long then that is fine.

The room is quiet until all I can hear is my breathing. My breathing and something pounding in my ears. My own heart is thrumming almost silently, but this sound. This heart beat is sporadic and stressed. The more I listen to that sound the more my body ache. My shoulders are stiff. My left arm burns. My back feels like knives are shooting up throughout it.

I feel like I'm about to puke. I feel like I'm about to puke but there is nothing in my stomach. My legs will not move no matter how much I tell them too.

It's my own scream that breaks me from the trance.

Niffy smiles at me. It isn't a happy look.

"Very good." She says.

"That... did I do it?" She nods slowly.

"Yes. As much as you can handle. No one can tell you what your limits are, but every moment you suffer, he isn't. I am not afraid that mad man will kill Severus. But the torture he is undergoing may make Severus wish for death.

A knock on my door is the warning I get before Zend comes in.

It is Zend's turn after all. Before Niffy, Brux was in here meditating. He was telling me outcomes that may or may not happen. The way he explained to me is:

Nothing is certain only probable. I have a ten percent chance of being fully victorious in this war. Meaning, Severus, myself, my friends will all live. Ten percent. He says there are ways to improve that, but alone I am not likely to be victorious. He said learning wandless magic and healing can increase those odds. Having loyal people fight on my side of the war will increase those odds. That doesn't make it a guarantee, but nothing is ever a guarantee. Brux looked at the wall with his unseeing eyes. He told me that he sees everything with different sight. He said that there is less than a one percent chance that Voldemort could turn himself in, but there is a reality where that could happen. He said there is a reality where I join Voldemort and torture Severus the same way he does. Brux smiles grimly. He says that he's seen everyone as good and everyone as evil and to not put to much stake into what could happen and to just do what I feel I must.

He said there was nothing his powers could teach me except to be less trusting. Maybe he could sense my unease and he smiled gently. He said there was also a reality where Severus was infatuated with Voldemort and killed Wendy and all the rest of his house elves. Brux told me to just follow my instincts because he wasted so much time not trusting Severus because there was such a high chance that he would betray them. Still he ran through scenarios. Things I could reasonably expect. He didn't stay long. Instead he said that him going through probabilities wasn't increasing my chances of success, but he was wasting my time when I could be practicing something that could. And now Zend is here.

" I... I am h.. he... here to  help wi... with your mending." Zend helps his adoptive mother up and she leaves us to our training. There is still a dull ache, and Zend seems to already know. "S...Sevy is stro... Sto...St..." His face scrunches in anger. "STRONG!" He shouts to get the word out.

"That doesn't mean that he's okay." Zend nods. He holds out his small hands palm up. There is a faint white glowing. Then he touches me and all the aches shooting up my spine vanish almost immediately.

"T..This is all I... I can d...do." He looks at his palms. "My magic is w.. w.. weak. But But But i.. it is steady. You  n...ne..need to to to have st.. steady magic."

I watch him with little thought take out a dagger and slice his shoulder. The cut is very small and only a few drops of blood trickle out. He nods to me silently telling me to attempt to heal him. I'm not sure where to start or even what to do. He just showed me his palms and they were glowing. He just touched me and the pain was gone. At my hesitance he sighs.

"It is is is hard for m..me t...to to to talk. You have to to want to heal. You you you you have to to to to to..." He stops talking and grimaces. Taking a few deep breaths he starts again. "You have to care." He says quickly to hurry and get the words out.

"I do care, but that doesn't mean that I know how." He grabs my palms and lays his flat on top of mine. I can feel the stream of magic. It's a constant flow that doesn't sputter or lurch. It is consistent. Likewise I feel my own magic trying to match his and while my own is much stronger, it raises and falls like a heart beat. I cannot maintain a steady amount.

"S...Sevy's magic is v... very steady. H... H...He c...could could could b..be a good h....healer. Sevy just d...doesn't care." The words are said very coldly. I know it's not his contempt for Severus. All of the elves love him. "He doesn't c...care about him.. him ..himself." Zend breaths slowly in and out and his magic still trickles like a stream. "He is numb. Hurt to much." Zend's eyes stare into mine and although he's not speaking I understand. Severus isn't a bad person. Anyone that truly knows him knows that. But how much does someone have to be hurt before they stop caring about themselves. I understand of course. It's difficult to be hurt in the way he has and still cherish yourself and others. It's easier... safer to lock yourself away from compassion.

"Severus cares. About us." Zend nods.

"Yes." He agrees one worded. "If... if... if you do not v...v...value y..your own safety then you will will will will never be a good healer. A... healers job is t... to heal. A healing dying kills count... count...count...countless. Sevy is content to to to die." The words are said with disgust. He smiles weakly. "I.. I.. I.. cannot heal sadness. I.. I.. I.. cannot heal a fractured mind like like like like I c...can a fractured arm." Zend is so young to be forced to feel these things. "Mm..mmm...maybe because I..I am not not not not strong enough." He looks at me hopefully. "You are strong." He says clearly. "Maybe you can."