Chapter 161 : A Shimmer of Hope

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Adrian had passed out, laying on the pebbles by the frozen lake while James was standing over him, conjuring a patronus over and over; the silver stag that erupted from his wand only worked for a while before it wavered and disappeared, hitting the seemingly unbreakable wall of Dementors. Because gliding over the lake and slowly approaching the two men were dozens of the dark creatures, coming closer to the two forms menacingly.

Severus cursed as yet another of James spells flickered out of existence and the man fell on his knees, his breath coming out short; facing so many Dementors alone was practically suicide even when one wasn't in emotional turmoil and frightened for their son's life and trying to do just that had already taken its toll on James who cast one last patronus and then fell on the ground next to his son. Severus watched as the silver stag flickered and fainted; one suicide attempt coming up, he thought mock cheeringly and stepped out from the trees where he was standing.

The Dementors were still heading for the two prone forms on the shore, quite unaware of a third wizard approaching the scene; it had been ages since Severus had cast a patronus. It had been on the grounds of the school again, but he was still a student back then. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't do it; Harry had trusted him and he would never let his son down. Focusing just on that, he called his patronus and had it charge towards the Dementors; it cast a silver light over the frozen lake, making it look almost beautiful as it went. But that wasn't what had caught Severus's attention.

Everything is turning into wolves tonight, he thought numbly as he observed the silver creature carefully; there was no mistaking that for a doe. It was a wolf, tall and proud, abut the same size as Harry's patronus but not quite identical. It was a little leaner and maybe just a tick shorter, just as Harry was when he transformed into a wolf. That sudden realisation brought along a much greater internal change than what Severus had expected. At that very moment he felt… free.

It was as if his axis had tipped over and he finally realised that he didn't have to keep on going ruled by his past. A ripple of joy shimmered through him and the silver wolf shone brighter, taking down the screeching Dementors one by one. That patronus was his future, shining bright and promising; he could never forget his past, that was certain. But he wasn't ruled by it anymore; unconsciously he had understood that already, it seemed, as the silver wolf chased away the last of the Dementors from the lake. It was time he made a conscious decision to let go too.

The patronus approached him, having finished its work; it was taller than he was but bowed its head, gently leaning into Severus's touch as the potions master ruffled its fur. It spared him one last look and disappeared, leaving a smiling Severus in its wake. He looked at the two prone forms by the lake and approached them speedily, coming up with a viable alternative story of what had happened that could tone down his involvement; he hoped that James was really out cold by the time he summoned his last patronus. The potions master chuckled once again as he made sure both Potters were breathing and cast a rain of green sparks from his wand for the rest of the teams to spot them. He just couldn't wait to tell Harry what had happened, he thought, as he waited for the search groups to arrive.

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