A Bond for the Ages

Chapter 21

Translations:
[English text] Paidí = [Greek text] Παιδί = Child

[English text] Rebenok = [Russian text] Ребенок = Child

[English text] Moy drug = [Russian text] Мой друг = My friend

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The tension in the manor in the following days was even more palpable than it had been when he and Potter had first gotten there. The only time any of them spoke was when they were talking to Leif and Alexei. They only saw Snape at meals and even those seemed to be becoming sporadic. Despite their conversation, Potter refused to interact with him, only leaving his room for meals and training with Alexei. Occlumency lessons were no longer happening, nor was brewing. Potter had abandoned their daily walks and chess, and, if the boy was being woken by visions and nightmares, they never heard and Potter never left his room. Snape seemed to be ignoring everything to do with both of them, never even bothering to give them a glare, let alone a comment.

Whatever had been happening that summer, if anything, had clearly ended. They were all taking steps back, returning to what they used to be, doing as he'd heard Dumbledore tell Snape. He never thought he'd agree with the headmaster, but he did. Nothing could ever truly change between him, Potter, and Snape. They hated each other too much, had too much history, and they were a danger to each other.

Associating with him kept Snape in a risky position given his role. It would be well known among the Slytherins that he had turned his back on Voldemort and the Death Eaters. If Lucius didn't find a way to get to him at Hogwarts, the Slytherins would do the job fine. Anyone that associated with him would be at risk of whatever the Slytherins would likely do to him. It would be best for him to deal with it alone. It was his decision to leave, after all. He would bear the consequences.

He studiously ignored the growing loneliness and fear inside him, kept them hidden behind the person he'd pretended to be all his life. He had a week and a half to get that person back. He'd been too lax that summer.

Foolish.

He glanced out the kitchen window when he saw a flash of light. Alexei was putting out the relatively large fire that was consuming the grass between him and Potter. It seemed like Potter was struggling to control his Elemental Magic again.

He frowned at his scone, knowing he was no better. He had been training with Leif every day despite believing it to be pointless with their fast approaching return to Hogwarts, and he was struggling as well. He could barely get his magic to leave his body and, when he did, he fought not to drain the first signature he found. His magic was reacting to something, but he didn't know what, or, maybe he did know, but refused to admit it.

"Draco?"

He looked up at Leif. He and Alexei had been acting odd as well, and Draco assumed they were readying themselves to leave...and forget. He may have only known the two immortals for going on three weeks, but he was going to miss them. They'd brought something to the manor and it would be hard to let it go. Everything about that summer would be hard to let go.

"Time for training," Leif said and, abandoning his scone, Draco followed him upstairs. "Severus has told me you have a magical tracker."

"I suppose," Draco said. "I never knew about it."

"We are going to get rid of it. Well, you are," Leif said.

Draco frowned. "How?"

"You can use your magic to cancel any other magic," Leif said. "Somewhere within you is your father's magic. You will get rid of it."