Survival Bonds

Chapter 74: Hand

"Sectumsempra !" I cast again. He's laughing while easily blocking it.

"I have the power of three founders. You cannot win against me. How long will you let your lover suffer? Give me your inheritance, and I will let you both go free."

"Hold on a little longer Severus!" He's going hoarse from screaming and I know he cannot handle this for much longer. There is a pool of his blood leaking from his nose. Be strong Severus.

"You are not my equal!" Dumbledore shouts sending an especially strong curse at me. It throws me back and knocks my breath away.

I have the upper hand. I still have the upper hand. He cannot kill me if he wants my inheritance. But Rowena Ravenclaw gave me the ability to take his power if I kill him. I have the upper hand. He may break my bones or cut me up beyond recognition, but he cannot kill me. He's stamping closer to me and I'm shaking the pain away.

Before he can take another step though, Severus is gripping his ankle with all his strength.

"Leave him alone. Please. He's just a child." Severus pleads. I hear a crack when Dumbledore kicks Severus's weak restraint away.

"Don't touch me with your dirty unworthy blood." Before the words have died in the room Dumbledore is screaming. Severus is gasping as he crawls away. Under Dumbledore's left leg is a symbol drawn in blood. Burns marks are scorched around him and traveling up his leg.

I run to grab Severus up.

"We can't win." He says a bit more clearer. Dumbledore's spell on him must be weakening without the continual concentration. "We have to leave now." He's trying to push me towards the exit, but I don't budge.

"We can't leave. We can win." Tears are pricking his eyes.

"I don't want you dying." He says collapsing in my arms. It's to late to run anyway. He's coming again.

"Dabbling in blood magic. That's dark even for you." Dumbledore is limping, but otherwise unharmed. He waves his hand and the elder wand flies to the open palm. "You had your chance. Now he dies. Av..." Before he can say the spell he drops the wand in pain. He looks at his burned hand in shock. "What did you do to my wand." He growls at me.

Nothing. I did nothing.

Severus is next to me chanting.

"How." Dumbledore says. "How could you have the strength to stand up against me! I am unstoppable and you are just...."

"Protecting my bond mate. You should have never made us bond. You knew he would fall for me. But you didn't expect me to fall in love with him." Severus is weak. He's struggling to stand, but his focused eyes never leave the man across from us. "If Harry says we are going to defeat you, then we will." I'm not sure if he believes his words, but he hands me his wand. It pulses comfortingly in my hand. It feels more comfortable than any wand I've ever held. Like it belongs to me.

And of course it does. Because it belongs to Severus, and he belongs to me.

"You don't have the stomach to kill me boy."

"I have no problem killing vermin." The killing curse goes flying into the older mans chest. I refuse to look away as his body crumbles as if he were only a pile of dust. I refuse to look away as a man that I once respected above all overs dies at my hand.

"You did it." Severus says, but all I hear is the pounding of my heart as fire courses through my veins. My blood is on fire and all of my senses are pulsing. I'm breathing to fast to actually get any oxygen into my lungs and the overwhelming intoxication is blocking even Severus's voice. He's shaking me. I can feel his fingers digging into my arms as my body is thrashed back and forth. I can see his mouth moving but I hear nothing over the sound of blood rushing through me.