A/N: I think mentioning that this chapter is LONG overdue is a huge understatement. As I had posted before, this story has been on hiatus because I just couldn't figure out what to do with it. Well, thanks to a very helpful review, a spark has been lit under my arse, and I am now revamping the story. The plot is going to be different than I had originally anticipated, but obviously the old plan was just not working out. I hope all of you who have been waiting so long find this chapter worth the horribly long wait, and though I cannot promise that I'll post the next chapter all too soon, I can say that I am trying very hard to continue this story now that I have been inspired to do so.

You can all give a HUGE thanks to bookivore for the helpful tips and inspiration that finally allowed me to complete this chapter and write a bit more beyond for chapter 13. THANK YOU!

Ch 12.
Promotion

"Oh – for the love Merlin!"

"Now, now, Severus, calm down. They're just teenagers after all."

"Yes, they're teenagers who are stark naked together in bed, curled up like kittens around each other! Have you forgotten one of them is also my godson?"

"How could I? You won't bloody let me forget. Now, stop avoiding confrontation and wake them up!"

Draco shifted under the blanket and opened his eyes to glare at the two arguing men, who paused and blushed under his gaze. "Too late for that, Professor; I'm wide awake," he snapped in a sleepy sort of voice.

"Hmm…? What – Oh shit!" Harry exclaimed as he rolled over and saw both Snape and Remus standing beside the bed, their arms crossed comically in the same way over their chests. He had hoped to wake Draco and send him off to his own room before they had to wake up, but apparently it was much too early to be awake, or they had slept in too long.

"I distinctly remember there being a rule against sleeping in each other's rooms. This is not a holiday; you still must follow the rules set in place by your Professors. If it happens again, I will ward the rooms from allowing you both entry into each other's completely. Is that understood?" Severus snapped, ignoring the side-long glance that Remus was sending him. He had no time for his games; they had lessons to begin.

"Yes, it's understood," Harry grumbled as he smoothed his hair out of his face and made sure his important bits were covered with the blanket.

"No, it's not! We're nearly adults; we should be able to make our own decisions!" Draco snapped, crossing his arms over his chest and meetings his Potions Professor's glare with one of his own.

"Sixteen is not nearly old enough to make decisions such as the ones you are. Aside from being your Professor, Draco, I am your godfather, and you will obey me."

"Get out."

"Now, Draco – ," Remus began, but was cut off by a sharp gesture from the young blonde. Remus was starting to get highly annoyed with the teen as well.

"We need to get dressed, or would you two prefer to stand there and perve over our young naked bodies?"

Severus stepped forward, his wand raised and pointed straight at the Slytherin's chest, his teeth bared as the last of his patience snapped. "Draco Abraxas Malfoy, you will watch your tongue or I will cut it out!"

"Come on, Severus, let them get dressed. We'll have a longer discussion during breakfast," Remus said with a pointed look at Harry, who was blushing enough for the both of them.

After the two adults left, Harry turned to Draco, who was breathing heavily and trying to control his anger. "Draco, what are you thinking? You can't talk to them like that!"

Draco turned his glare on Harry, who held his gaze with an angry expression of his own. Draco backed off a little bit, but he was still highly annoyed.

"He thinks he can control every aspect of my life just because he's my godfather. Well, he's wrong! My mother is the only one who can rightfully boss me around."

"And just who do you think Snape is going to go tell, probably as we speak? Your mum is going to have a fit. If it's going to cause so much trouble in the house, then we'll just have to learn to sleep in our own beds. We did it at Hogwarts, we can manage here. I know it's going to be hard, but it'll be much harder if everyone in the house is at each other's throats. We need to stay focused on what we're supposed to do, and we're distractions to each other," Harry sighed, shrugging as he got out of bed and pulled on his boxers. He wasn't any happier with the situation than Draco was, but it was better than having the blonde at Voldemort's mercy, waiting at Hogwarts like a sitting duck.

"So what are you saying? I distract you?" Draco asked, his expression scandalized as he put on his silk pyjama bottoms and looked for his dressing gown amongst the sheets and blankets.

"We distract each other, but I'm not saying anything by it other than we should just listen to them and keep to our own beds. We'll find time to be together. There's always the shower, you know," Harry replied, walking up behind Draco and wrapping his arms around the blonde.

Draco couldn't help but laugh as he leaned back against Harry's strong chest. "Shower sex, eh? That's one we haven't tried yet."

"Which is sacrilege, in my opinion, so we will have to see to that very soon," Harry quipped, grinning as Draco laughed and turned to kiss him firmly on the lips.

"You're incorrigible, but I love you anyways."

The kiss went on for a good while, until Harry pushed the blonde away reluctantly. "That shower sex will have to wait. I have a feeling Snape will burst into the bathroom and physically tear us apart if we keep them waiting. This talk Remus has planned sounds unpleasant enough as it is."

Draco frowned and stole another kiss, rubbing the Gryffindor's neck in an extremely tender gesture. "I still think it's unfair, but since you asked, I guess I can deal with it. I just figured we'd have a bit more freedom here, is all."

"Snape is right though; this isn't a holiday, and we can't afford to slack off. We should still technically be in school. I know you'd never let your grades drop for sex while at Hogwarts, so you shouldn't do so here either," said Harry, returning the kiss with a gentle smile. It was hard to read the Slytherin's emotions most of the time, but his body language often gave away what his words tried to hide.

Draco smirked, his expression going immediately from sulky to sultry. He pressed himself extremely close to Harry, teasingly alternating between licking and kissing Harry's already kiss-swollen lips. "I dunno, I might if it was with you."

"Just might?" Harry asked, his eyebrows raised at the blonde. He sometimes felt like he was being tossed about in ocean waves, the way Draco's moods went from one extreme to the other in seconds.

"I do have to consider my grades, after all…" Draco drawled, earning a mock glare and a cuff to the back of the head. "Ow! Ok, ok; just taking the piss, love. Come on, before Severus really does cut my tongue out."

"Such a charming godfather," Harry said, rolling his eyes as he watched Draco go across the corridor to get a change of clothes. Harry dressed quickly in the first clothes that he found, meeting Draco in the hall to head for breakfast.

The tension in the basement kitchen was palpable as Harry and Draco entered. Snape was seated at the head with Remus across at the other end, leaving only one seat on each side of the table. Clearly, it had been arranged on purpose so that the teens could not sit together. Harry tried to battle his annoyance away, even as Draco banged his chair back from the table and dropped in it with a glare to melt ice. Harry gave him a look that said, 'cool it', then turned to Remus as the man passed a cup of tea to each of them. The smell of bacon and eggs was coming from the range behind them.

"Before we let you eat breakfast, a talk is most definitely in order. Trust me when I say I know how it is to be young and in love. Every second of the day together never feels long enough, and any time apart seems like an eternity. That's fresh love for you. But we're at war here, and you both are major players," Remus paused as Draco made a sceptical noise, "Yes, including you, Draco. The mission that You-Know-Who set for you was meant as punishment. He'll know already that you've betrayed him, and he'll be after you just as much as your father is. Like it or not, you've become a main target as well. However, we are doing everything we can to make sure both of you are kept safe and trained properly for when the time comes."

Severus leaned forward, his own cup of tea pushed off to the side. He looked caught between exasperation and anger. "This insistence that you keep things platonic while here is not meant as punishment. You will both of course have some free time, and be it beyond me to dictate what you do then, but it is imperative that you both stay focused on the task at hand. As melodramatic as it all sounds, Harry is the only hope we have of winning this war, and rampaging hormones will have to be set aside for now. Believe you me; I know it is unfair that the both of you have been stripped of the normal childhood you should have been entitled to, but there is nothing for it now; the Prophecy has been told, and there is no ignoring it."

Both boys looked properly chastened, though Draco still looked resentful rather than understanding. Deciding he would have another talk with Draco later, Harry finally plucked up the courage to respond for the both of them.

"We've talked and decided that we'll stay in our separate rooms. We know what's at stake, but like you said, we're being denied our adolescence, and it's hard. We'll do better, though. That being said, we are nearly adults, and we'd liked to be treated as such. If we're going to be trained as soldiers, than everyone, not just both of you, needs to stop treating us like children. We stopped being children long ago," Harry said quietly, meeting Draco's saddened eyes across the table. He felt so much older than sixteen, and knew Draco felt the same way.

"It will be worth it in the end, Harry. You'll see. Thank you for being responsible. The more you act like the adults you claim to be, the more we'll treat you as such," Remus reassured the boys. Before another word could escape his mouth, there was a bright flash of flame and Fawkes hovered above the table, dropping a note in front of the Potions Professor.

Severus read the note quickly, his eyes growing wide as he read. He was up and out of his seat in a flash, sending a serious look towards the werewolf. "I need to return to Hogwarts immediately. I should be back sometime tonight, but if not, I'll be here Monday morning."

Remus looked very much like he wanted to ask what was going on, but thought better of it. He nodded and stood to collect the floo powder, offering a pinch to Severus so he could floo straight to the school. "Be careful, Severus."

Severus took the offered powder and tossed it into the grate, the orange and red flames flaring acid green. "You too. Be good, boys. Do not give Remus any trouble. I shall hear about it if you do."

"Bloody hell, you sound like our father or something," Draco said, rolling his eyes. Harry was not fooled, however; he could tell that Draco was worried for his godfather.

"Trust me, I feel like I am most of the time. Be good," he repeated. He turned to the flames and spoke clearly, "Headmaster's office, Hogwarts," and was then swept away in a flash of green.

Remus busied himself serving the two teens breakfast, and only paused long enough to smile at the woman as Narcissa entered, dressed in beautiful silk white robes. She leaned down to kiss both Harry and Draco on the cheek.

"Where is Severus? He's usually not one to sleep in," she directed at Remus, who was serving up another plate for the gorgeous and elegant blonde woman.

"He was called away to Hogwarts just minutes ago. I'm sure everything is fine," Remus said, though the slight waver in his voice gave away his own worry. The tension at the breakfast table was thick with concern, and it was all they could do to eat breakfast and try not to dwell on things too much.

DHDHDHDH

"The curse should not be spreading, Albus. The stasis spell I applied is the strongest there is, to my knowledge. I…there's nothing more I can do," Severus said quietly, examining the blackened skin trailing from the Headmaster's thin finger tips, up passed his elbow. It was dry and paper-like, feeling as though it would turn to ash if Severus wasn't gentle enough.

The Headmaster was slumped slightly sideways in his chair, his face screwed up in slight pain as his Potions Master examined his injury once more. He knew that this would happen, even after Severus had treated the curse that summer. "I know, dear boy. There is no use fretting over it. We'll just have to use my time wisely, is all."

Severus stood up abruptly, glaring half-heartedly at the old man. He had never seen his mentor look so broken and ancient before. It was terrifying. "What is that supposed to mean, Albus? I've no idea what you've been planning for the boy, but clearly it is important. After all, you've essentially set up your own death because of it," he snapped, feeling safe in using his anger at the situation to replace his agonizing fear.

"It is of the utmost importance, Severus. So much so, in fact, that Harry cannot possibly hope to win without knowing this information. I have already begun to archive my memories; things he will need to know. There are a few things I cannot reveal to him just yet, however, and so I must trust you with them. Can I, Severus? Can I trust you to be the one who tells Harry what he needs to know when the time comes?"

"What are you hiding, old man?" Severus asked, his own voice sounding foreign in its fear and disbelief. What was so important that it would affect the entire outcome of the war? He had felt secure in his knowledge that the Headmaster had been forthright with him about everything, and yet, here were more secrets? The possibilities were endless, he realized.

"I am promoting you, Severus, to the Defence Against the Dark Arts position. It is more important now than ever that the students learn to adequately defend themselves. Things will come to a head soon, and they must be prepared."

Severus stood rooted to the spot for a good minute before finally finding his voice to speak. "You know I have never truly coveted the position, that it was only a cover to appease the Dark Lord. What are you up to, Albus?"

"Your old Professor and Head of House, Horace Slughorn, has contacted me. He has proposed a trade; information that is needed for Harry to succeed, for his old position and protection from the Death Eaters, who have been trying in vain to convince him to join, or force him, I should say. This is not a punishment, Severus. It is – "

" – for the greater good, I know. What is it that is so damn important, Albus? Stop stalling and just get on with it," Severus snapped irritably. If truth be told, he was more frightened than ever before, but he would not let his mentor see that; not now, when he needed to be strong for the old man.

Dumbledore let out a bone-weary sigh, a testament to how old and tired the man really was. He looked directly into the dark, glittering eyes of the Potions Master and said, "What do you know about Horcruxes, my boy?"

DHDHDHDH

Severus could not believe what he had just learned. All of the details seemed jumbled in his brain, so much so that he was unsure if he had imagined half of it. But no, Albus had been quite clear and clinical as he explained it all. The Horcruxes; what they might be, where they might be, how to destroy them, and why Harry had to do it all. Severus felt numb, almost as if he was seeing it all happen from outside of himself, a spectator in his own life. He had taken the box of memories, been assigned a new classroom – though he had been allowed to keep his dungeon office and quarters – and been told that on no account was he to reveal to anyone the Headmaster's dwindling condition. Thankfully, the man had trusted him enough to forego an oath.

Severus could not remember the last time he had actually stumbled, but as he flooed back into the basement kitchen at Grimmauld Place much later that night, he fell forward and had to catch himself on the long kitchen table. It was a minute before he realized that someone was trying to take the box out of his hands and help him to stand straight once more.

"Severus? Are you alright? You're very pale. Come, sit down. I'll make some tea."

Severus allowed himself to be steered into a chair by the werewolf, looking dully at the lacquered box that sat innocently on the table before him. He hardly registered the sound of the kettle boiling, or being asked if he wanted cream or sugar.

"Severus, please talk to me," Remus said quietly, leaning across the table to gently squeeze the other man's hand. He was clearly in shock, and that terrified Remus more than he cared to admit. Anything that could shake this man was grounds for great worry. The most shocking of all was when his hand was squeezed tightly in return.

"Dumbledore is dying. There is much more to do than we ever anticipated. Remus…do you know anything about Horcruxes?" Severus asked, barely above a whisper. He had already sent a wandless silencing spell and locking spell at the door to the kitchen, assuring their privacy.

Remus reeled from shock, glad that he was still be anchored by Severus' grip on his hand. "Dying? What – how? I know very little, only that they are of the darkest magic known to wizardkind. Immortality."

Severus sighed and finally let go of the other man's hand, taking a large sip of tea to stall for just a bit of time to gather himself. He was starting to feel the shock subside, and the sense of duty to do as his mentor asked take over. He could not allow himself to fall into despair now; not when so many people were counting on him, whether they were aware of it or not. "Yes, essentially. The soul is fragmented when one commits a murder. With the proper spell and motives, these fragments can be stored and kept, keeping small pieces of the soul earthbound, despite any attack on the corporeal body."

"You're not saying that You-Know-Who – ?"

"That is precisely what I am saying, Lupin."

Remus felt the world fall from under his feet. Voldemort had made himself immortal by splitting his soul in two? Well, he supposed he shouldn't be surprised. Of course the bastard had found a way. One thing to be said for Voldemort was that he was determined. Insane, but determined. "If Dumbledore knew all of this, why did he keep it from the Order, from Harry? What the hell does that mean for Harry, Severus? Is he going to die?"

Severus looked up and met the worried amber gaze of his colleague, and suddenly hated the Headmaster for leaving him to carry this burden by himself. Without the constraints of an oath, however, Severus had options. He could share the load, so as not to bear the burden of this information alone. But did he want to be the one to tell Remus? The pleading, fear and worry in the werewolf's eyes made his decision for him, and Severus took a deep breath.

"Remus, Harry must die in order for the Dark Lord to die as well."

"No."

A/N: And of course, after all this wait, I leave you with a cliffhanger. Sorry about that; that's just how it ended up. I really hope to have the next chapter out MUCH sooner than a year from now, but one never knows what life will throw at them next. Thanks for reading, and PLEASE REVIEW. I could use all of the encouragement, ideas, tips, etc. that you can give!