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hp_goldenage2024-03-06 10:58 am
hpgoldenage_mod) wrote in hp_goldenage2024-03-06 10:58 am
Entry tags:
Salt and Pepper Fest: 'Til Eternity Passes
Title: 'Til Eternity Passes
Author:![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
torino10154
Pairing: Severus/Harry
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,020
Content: Memory loss/senility
Summary: Harry is taken aback when he realises Severus's memory isn't what it used to be.
A/N: Thanks to S for the beta and Jim Croce for the title.
Read on AO3 or below:
Harry stumbled out of the Floo—long resigned to the fact that he would not ever master travelling by Floo—and frowned when he saw Severus dozing in his chair by the fire.
"Severus," Harry said, giving his shoulder a gentle shake. "You need to get ready."
"Ready for what?" Severus said, blinking. He took off his reading glasses and rubbed his eyes.
"Supper at the Minister's house."
"That's tonight? I thought it was Thursday."
"Today is Thursday." Harry exhaled slowly. "Let's go get changed. Hopefully, we won't be more than a few minutes late."
~*~
"Will you please tell Percy's daughter to stop shouting," Severus grumbled. They were sitting in the garden behind the Burrow, their great-nieces and nephews running between the orchard and the house, chasing each other, laughing and screaming.
Severus was all in black, of course, on a hot summer day and was even more short-tempered than usual.
"That's Molly's daughter," Harry said. It was true that Percy's daughter, Molly, and her daughter, Lysandra, looked a lot alike but that Severus had skipped a generation was concerning.
"There are far too many Weasleys for me to keep track of," Severus said dismissively and took a sip of his Pimms. "Whose birthday are we celebrating today anyway?"
Harry finished the last of his own Pimms before answering. "Mine."
~*~
Harry was about ready to tear his hair out with worry. Severus had left him a note that he was going to run a few errands and would be back for lunch. It was nearly suppertime and he still hadn't returned.
Harry thought about Apparating to Diagon Alley but then he started thinking of all the places Severus might have gone and didn't think it would be worth the trouble, jumping from shop to shop all over Great Britain.
What if he'd gone to Hogsmeade for a drink with Aberforth? He could be visiting Draco and his new grandson. Hell, he might have walked to Tesco.
"Where have you been?" Harry asked when Severus walked in the front door. "I've been waiting for you."
"I thought you knew how to tie your shoes by yourself by now," Severus said, snidely.
"You arse!" Harry shouted. "I was worried about you."
"Enough histrionics, Potter." Severus hung his cloak on the hook behind the door. "What did you need so urgently?"
"You were supposed to be back hours ago." Harry took a deep breath. It wouldn't do to lash out. "You missed lunch."
"I ate at the Leaky Cauldron while I was out." Severus turned and walked down the corridor to the toilet, shutting the door behind him.
This was more than just Severus being the difficult grouch he'd always been. There was something wrong.
~*~
"I think his memory is starting to go, Hermione."
Hermione looked up from her desk then and furrowed her brow. "What makes you think so?"
Harry looked around the Headmistress's office, noting the small things Hermione had added to make it her own including a very Muggle Encyclopædia Britannica, probably printed the year she was born.
"We've always had a very busy schedule but I have to remind him on a daily basis what our plans are for the day. He used to remind me where I had to be on any given day of the week."
"That's understandable, Harry," Hermione said. "You know he can't be bothered with your social calendar these days. He put up with it far better than I ever imagined he would."
"He said something the other day as if Kingsley was still the Minster of Magic."
Hermione's eyes widened. "He retired over twenty years ago."
Harry nodded. "He can still brew Wolfsbane with his eyes closed but that new Spattergroit preventative potion? He's blown it up three times."
"Oh my."
Harry rubbed his hands over his face. "What am I going to do?"
Hermione stood up and rounded the desk, then leaned down to hug Harry. "I'll send a note to Rose at St Mungo's, see if she has any suggestions. In the meantime, you might have to take away some of the volatile ingredients to keep you both safe."
"That will go over well."
She kissed the top of his head and he clung to her, finding comfort with one of his oldest and dearest friends.
"Just keep loving him, Harry."
Harry couldn't imagine stopping.
~*~
Harry lay in bed staring at the ceiling, trying—and failing—to fall asleep, too much on his mind to settle. "Severus?"
"Hmm?"
Harry rolled to his side and looked at Severus. "Do you remember our first kiss?"
"How could I not? That is something I would never forget," Severus replied softly. "It was the third anniversary of the end of the war. Neither of us wanted to be at the event."
Harry snorted. "We never did, did we?"
"No." Severus reached beneath the blanket and took Harry's hand, lacing their fingers together. "After the speeches ended, I intended to Apparate away as soon as I reached the Hogwarts gates. But you asked if I wanted to have a drink with you."
Harry squeezed his hand then continued where Severus had left off. "We walked to the Hog's Head where we shared an entire bottle of Ogden's Old and talked about the Ministry wankers who came to the ceremony to be seen but didn't know a damn thing about the war."
"Aberforth told us to get a room if we were going to continue making nuisances of ourselves." Severus snorted. "You nearly fell off the barstool you were laughing so hard but I caught you and then kissed you."
"I fell in love with you that day," Harry whispered.
Severus's other hand came up and caressed Harry's cheek. "I was already in love with you."
Harry closed the distance between them, melting into the tender kiss. He lay his head against Severus's chest, sighing contentedly as Severus wrapped his arms around him.
First thing in the morning, Harry would begin his research into memory loss and ageing, using every tool at his disposal to keep Severus with him—mind and body—for as long as possible.
Author:
Pairing: Severus/Harry
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,020
Content: Memory loss/senility
Summary: Harry is taken aback when he realises Severus's memory isn't what it used to be.
A/N: Thanks to S for the beta and Jim Croce for the title.
Read on AO3 or below:
Harry stumbled out of the Floo—long resigned to the fact that he would not ever master travelling by Floo—and frowned when he saw Severus dozing in his chair by the fire.
"Severus," Harry said, giving his shoulder a gentle shake. "You need to get ready."
"Ready for what?" Severus said, blinking. He took off his reading glasses and rubbed his eyes.
"Supper at the Minister's house."
"That's tonight? I thought it was Thursday."
"Today is Thursday." Harry exhaled slowly. "Let's go get changed. Hopefully, we won't be more than a few minutes late."
"Will you please tell Percy's daughter to stop shouting," Severus grumbled. They were sitting in the garden behind the Burrow, their great-nieces and nephews running between the orchard and the house, chasing each other, laughing and screaming.
Severus was all in black, of course, on a hot summer day and was even more short-tempered than usual.
"That's Molly's daughter," Harry said. It was true that Percy's daughter, Molly, and her daughter, Lysandra, looked a lot alike but that Severus had skipped a generation was concerning.
"There are far too many Weasleys for me to keep track of," Severus said dismissively and took a sip of his Pimms. "Whose birthday are we celebrating today anyway?"
Harry finished the last of his own Pimms before answering. "Mine."
Harry was about ready to tear his hair out with worry. Severus had left him a note that he was going to run a few errands and would be back for lunch. It was nearly suppertime and he still hadn't returned.
Harry thought about Apparating to Diagon Alley but then he started thinking of all the places Severus might have gone and didn't think it would be worth the trouble, jumping from shop to shop all over Great Britain.
What if he'd gone to Hogsmeade for a drink with Aberforth? He could be visiting Draco and his new grandson. Hell, he might have walked to Tesco.
"Where have you been?" Harry asked when Severus walked in the front door. "I've been waiting for you."
"I thought you knew how to tie your shoes by yourself by now," Severus said, snidely.
"You arse!" Harry shouted. "I was worried about you."
"Enough histrionics, Potter." Severus hung his cloak on the hook behind the door. "What did you need so urgently?"
"You were supposed to be back hours ago." Harry took a deep breath. It wouldn't do to lash out. "You missed lunch."
"I ate at the Leaky Cauldron while I was out." Severus turned and walked down the corridor to the toilet, shutting the door behind him.
This was more than just Severus being the difficult grouch he'd always been. There was something wrong.
"I think his memory is starting to go, Hermione."
Hermione looked up from her desk then and furrowed her brow. "What makes you think so?"
Harry looked around the Headmistress's office, noting the small things Hermione had added to make it her own including a very Muggle Encyclopædia Britannica, probably printed the year she was born.
"We've always had a very busy schedule but I have to remind him on a daily basis what our plans are for the day. He used to remind me where I had to be on any given day of the week."
"That's understandable, Harry," Hermione said. "You know he can't be bothered with your social calendar these days. He put up with it far better than I ever imagined he would."
"He said something the other day as if Kingsley was still the Minster of Magic."
Hermione's eyes widened. "He retired over twenty years ago."
Harry nodded. "He can still brew Wolfsbane with his eyes closed but that new Spattergroit preventative potion? He's blown it up three times."
"Oh my."
Harry rubbed his hands over his face. "What am I going to do?"
Hermione stood up and rounded the desk, then leaned down to hug Harry. "I'll send a note to Rose at St Mungo's, see if she has any suggestions. In the meantime, you might have to take away some of the volatile ingredients to keep you both safe."
"That will go over well."
She kissed the top of his head and he clung to her, finding comfort with one of his oldest and dearest friends.
"Just keep loving him, Harry."
Harry couldn't imagine stopping.
Harry lay in bed staring at the ceiling, trying—and failing—to fall asleep, too much on his mind to settle. "Severus?"
"Hmm?"
Harry rolled to his side and looked at Severus. "Do you remember our first kiss?"
"How could I not? That is something I would never forget," Severus replied softly. "It was the third anniversary of the end of the war. Neither of us wanted to be at the event."
Harry snorted. "We never did, did we?"
"No." Severus reached beneath the blanket and took Harry's hand, lacing their fingers together. "After the speeches ended, I intended to Apparate away as soon as I reached the Hogwarts gates. But you asked if I wanted to have a drink with you."
Harry squeezed his hand then continued where Severus had left off. "We walked to the Hog's Head where we shared an entire bottle of Ogden's Old and talked about the Ministry wankers who came to the ceremony to be seen but didn't know a damn thing about the war."
"Aberforth told us to get a room if we were going to continue making nuisances of ourselves." Severus snorted. "You nearly fell off the barstool you were laughing so hard but I caught you and then kissed you."
"I fell in love with you that day," Harry whispered.
Severus's other hand came up and caressed Harry's cheek. "I was already in love with you."
Harry closed the distance between them, melting into the tender kiss. He lay his head against Severus's chest, sighing contentedly as Severus wrapped his arms around him.
First thing in the morning, Harry would begin his research into memory loss and ageing, using every tool at his disposal to keep Severus with him—mind and body—for as long as possible.