enchantement - SOULBOUND I̲̅ || SS/HG ✔️

58. Sacrifice

A/N: This chapter and the next are extremely important in understanding what has been going on in this book, therefore I suggest you read everything and no skipping, as you might later be confused. ⚠️🌹😲🧐🌟😻

Enjoy.

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"Have I turned a Weasley speechless?"Joked Severus as he sipped his tea, his eyes dark as a hawk analysing his gaping student, "there are things thought-," he continued, " – that I know she is keeping from me, consciously or not."

Although he had seen through her memories – witnessing the death of his older self -, there had been one in particular to which her mind had blocked him away from. It wasn't the first time he came across someone who would shield a memory from prying eyes, yet it seemed that her own unconscious mind forged an unbreakable barrier, as if scared of it being remembered. So many sudden accidents, too many improbable discoveries had placed him on edge. Deep down he knew that through his caresses, kisses and powerful love-making he conveyed his growing love for her, yet Severus had – deep down – wondered what halted his desires to vocalise them. Many mornings, especially those that were welcomed with a soft mumbling from his sleeping lover, he was overtaken by jealousy. The urge to seal his soul with hers had challenged his ability to focus on the now, his heart troubled by his witches' devotion to her late husband. Countless times he tried – in vain – to convince himself that she loved him, Severus Snape, no matter what timeline he lived in, yet whenever his lips graced her body, worshipping every single one of her curves, he knew she was never entirely his.

While Harry was explaining what had happened in the restricted section with Hermione – or at least what he remembered from that evening – Severus mind vagabonded to this morning. It had frozen his blood when in the middle of the night Hermione called out to her husband. The nightmare had wounded her being, twisting in the bed, her hands frantically searching for something yet unable to grasp it. Severus had tried to soothe her, moving circles on her back and exposed belly hoping to bring warmth in contrast to the cold sweating forehead. Yet it didn't stop. Tears were soon welling down her rosy cheeks, words of pardon ripping through her lips as she quivered beside him. It seemed she wasn't responsive to his forgiving words, as if her anxiousness was not directed at him but to her husband. It had tormented him greatly, keeping him awake until tiredness overcame him. He had wanted to question her in the morning, yet her lips had been welcomingly busy torturing his hardened shaft.

Severus was never one for the dramatics, but as he sat in the middle of his small living room in presence of Lily's son and his side-kick, he couldn't help but grown in a disapproving matter. He hated being oblivious to whatever danger threatened his lover and seeing how now the whole trio knew about the menace, it only made him realise how little time he had until the worst could happen.

"What happened to our Hermione then?" Ron's voice rang in the potion master's ear, stirring him away from his own thoughts, "does it mean there are two types of time travelling? One with full body apparition and limited time, and another with soul possession?"

Scowling in response, Severus stood up and walked towards a cupboard and took out a small box before handing it to the young wizards. "She came with this time turner. We never spoke about it with Hermione, yet this is an accident dark artefact that should have been burned along with the Sibila Inferni."

Ron instantly shivered, "I remember father talking to Percy about it one evening. Isn't the 'Whispers of Hell' the parchment written by Jesus before his death?"

"What parchment?"

"There is a reason Mr Potter why we do not cover this subject in Dark Arts in Hogwarts or any magical education establishment. The Sibila Inferni, or 'Whispers of Hell' is an ancient parchment that was written by the hand of God's first muggle son, Jesus, who was said to have heard the voice of Lucifer. Once discovered, its immense power was sought out by many, yet all died of immense pain or suffered permanent psychological damage. Years later the second Minister of Magic ordered its destruction, leaving dust as a reminder of evil's words." Explained Severus, whose eyes had drifted towards a window overlooking the Black Lake, leaving his mind to wander back in time when he was a novice death eater and Tom Riddle had told the story to his followers – awestruck. "No one has ever managed to cast anyone of these spells, until a few days ago."

"It's Hermione isn't it?" Spoke Harry, his eyes reflecting the fright that crawled its way up his spine, "when she heard from an impossible distance the conversation between the two wizards in the forbidden forest."

In response Severus nodded while Ron pale face appeared sickly, his hand gripping the sofa's armrest, holding onto it for dear life, "I think I'm going to get sick," he cried, the seriousness of his Potion teacher and the secret relationship between his childhood best friend and the 'greasy git' constricting his intestines around. "And here I thought we were going to drink tea and get our house points deducted."

"You will Mr Weasley if you vomit on my Chesterfield sofa," smirked Severus, the twisted expression on the redhead's face lessening his mood, "when I was working with the Dark Lord he told us about a wooden box carved with a fragmented ruby stone where inside hid an accident artefact which had the capacity to transport one soul to another."

Raising the box in his hand, Ron squeaked when the description of the container was identical to the one he was holding, "Harry," he whimpered nearly throwing the box away from his grasp as if it could possess him in an instant. Ron jumped out of the sofa and went to sit in front of the extinguished fire, shuddering frantically.

"I can assure you Mr Weasley the box in itself isn't evil, and neither is the time-turner," reassured Severus, cringing at the knowledge that he tried to sympathise with one of this student. "When Hermione appeared with this," he went on, pointing at the golden artefact, "Dumbledore told me later that the box was concealed in her robes as if it had travelled with her."

Taking the time-turner in his hands, Harry meticulously inspected it – remembering how one looked like, having experienced time travelling in his third year. "Soul lost in an eternal time of misery," he read before looking back in forth between his potion master and frightened friend, "was this added to the time-turner?"

"Hermione believes it is a message from her husband, but it isn't a certainty."

"Farther said that time-turners engravings can vary depending on the wizard that owns it, a bit like a wand," revealed Ron who slowly stood up, trying to regain his composure before walking back towards Harry and looking down on the golden object, "it can be that if you-no her husband, gave it to her, it must have created a message to illustrate his or their relationship."

"I'm not following," frowned Harry, mirroring Severus' expression who – like him – appeared confused.

Taking a deep breath, Ron scratched his neck before continuing, "you said their soul was bonded, right? And that one of the conditions of this Anima...whatever... is to never separate the bonded souls or else they will meet their death. Now Snape senior gave it to 'Mione in hopes to get her back in time, knowing you," his eyes fixed on the potion master who listened silently to his student, "there must have been a plan. What if you had found the artefact, decided to use it to send her away but whilst in your possession the time turner engraved the main emotion you were feeling when your dying self gave it to her."

"Sacrifice," whispered Severus, his lip curving downward, a feeling of dread and sadness consuming him.

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A/N: Confusion is normal, everything will get clearer in the next chapter, ☀️❄️💗🌸

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