(140,000+ words) In the aftermath of war, Harry tries to pull his life back together. Guilty of all the blood on his hands, he seeks a way to deal with his grief.
He begins to write letters to the late Severus Snape, wishing he was able to reconcil...
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"Are you nervous?" Snape questioned, standing across the living room from Harry.
The bond required them to start out approximately six feet away from each other while Snape began the first step.
He pulled out his wand and glanced up expectantly at Harry. He wanted to wait for an answer before he began to create the bond. Harry gave him a small smile in response, his green eyes wide and unblinking.
"Maybe a little, but I trust you." He finally replied.
Snape gave him a slight nod, his pupils dilating a little at the thrill of doing something so.... permanent.
"And you're sure you want to do this?" He asked, carefully eyeing Harry. "Once I begin to enchant the rings, we can't go back."
Harry nodded firmly, his expression one of confidence.
"I'm sure." He stated.
Snape took a deep breath, and aimed his wand at the pair of rings.
"Then we shall begin."
*****
Harry stared at Snape in a mixture of fascination and amazement as the older wizard began to chant something under his breath. The rings glowed a light blue, and a white light blossomed and hummed around Snape.
"Join us simul miscere nostris magicae." Snape murmured, and Harry felt an odd sort of tugging sensation at the bottom of his navel.
Dark blue wisps of light began flowing from his body, gently intertwining with Snape's pure white light, and Harry gasped as he felt a strange tingling sensation run up his fingers and into his chest.
The light danced around the room a moment longer before disappearing. Snape nodded, seemingly satisfied.
"The first part of the bonding ceremony is complete. It is time for us to move onto the second step."
Harry could only stare at him, feeling slightly dazed. Snape knelt down to pick up the glowing rings, then took a step closer to Harry.
Tension cracked through the air, almost as though the magic was warning Snape not to move any closer.
"The magic will not allow me to come any closer until I say my vows." Snape explained. "After I say my part, I will slide one of the rings onto your left ring finger. You will repeat the vow and then mirror my movements. Do you understand?"
Harry could only nod, unable to speak. Magic swirled around them, causing Snape's hair to float gently above his shoulders. His dark robes whipped back and forth from the rush of magic, and Harry was fairly certain that the same thing was happening to him.
With one last reassuring nod towards Harry, Snape closed his eyes and began to whisper his vow.
"I, Severus Tobias Snape, promise to protect you with all of my being. I promise to never use your powers against you, to never willingly hurt you. I promise to stand by you, and to acknowledge this bond for the rest of my life. With this ring, I offer you my life, my protection, and my entire being."
