Chapter 14 - The Ritual

Steve, Glart, Johnny and Memmi followed Harry and the other Slytherins through Hogwarts until Harry reached a corridor that had no doors along the walls.

"Wait here for a second," whispered Harry as he started walking down the hallway before turning around and walking back towards them. But before he reached the group again, he turned back around and walked away from them again.

To all of them, apart from Draco, it just looked like Harry was pacing. Some of them shared a look with each other while some sniggered.

But that was shortly replaced by amazement as two big doors took form on the wall where Harry had finally stopped pacing. Harry opened the door, quickly looked at the room and then stood back for everyone to go in quickly.

Draco, was of course, the first to move and dragged along James. Then the rest started to walk into the room and stop just inside the door as they looked around in amazement before getting pushed along by other people.

Eventually, everyone was in and Harry could close the door.

The room was decorated in a soft grey colour with darker colour furniture. A fireplace was lit and cushions were everywhere. Everyone settled down around the fireplace on a cushion of their own, Harry sitting in between Johnny and Pansy.

"So," Theodore asked. "What's this place called?"

"The Room Of Requirements or ROR for a short title," Harry answered, looking distractedly at the fire.

"How did you find this place? What else can you do with it?" Blaise asked next.

"Neville found it for us to use as the DA's training grounds and this is what we used as our base during our seventh year. We had a all the DA here while Ron, Hermione and I were horcux hunting and this place can do anything," Harry answered once again distractedly.

Everyone shared a glance with someone and all turned worried eyes to Harry. He sat with his legs to his chest, arms wrapped tightly around them and his bright green eyes looked as if they didn't have any life in them.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Johnny asked, moving closer to Harry, but not touching him.

"Nothing," Harry said straight away.

"Something is obviously wrong. You seem to have something on your mind," Draco hissed sarcastically.

"I'm just worried about him. What happens if I can't control myself in front of others? If I hurt him? What if I hurt someone else?" whispered Harry, running his hands through his hair and grasping it at the back.

"You will be fine!" exclaimed Memmi a few seats over. "Once the bond is complete, you will have a lot more control over what happens. You will be able to calm yourself easier, especially with the Royal blood being added to the bonding."

Harry nodded and whispered a quiet thanks. Dobby appeared after a few moments of silence with Henry, some food and drinks for everyone. As Harry fed Henry, he slowly relaxed more and enjoyed the company of his friends, but Severus was never far from his mind.

As the afternoon went on, dinner time was close approaching. Dobby had come back to retrieve the dishes and Henry a while later and come back once again to inform them dinner would be shortly starting. So the group made their way out of the Room Of Requirements and down to the Great Hall.

"Dinner time!" Draco shouted as he stretched his arms and legs before grabbing onto James's hand. "Food, food, food... Is about to go into my mouth!" He sung quietly to himself.

"Shut up, darling," James retracted his hand. "You know I hate it when you do that."

"Just because I love food that extra tiny bit doesn't mean you have to get all jealous and stuff," Draco responded, placing an arm around his waist and refusing to let go of him.

"I also ship them," Pansy whispered to the rest of the group as James struggled to get out of Draco's grasp and failing badly.

Dinner was a quiet affair for Harry. No one talked to him, sensing he just wanted to think, and Harry didn't join in any conversations. After dinner was done, Harry split off from the group of Slytherin's with the promise of catching up the next day.

Leading the way to his and Severus's chamber was quiet, the four vampires respecting his need of quiet. They entered and sat around the lounge room, awaiting Severus and Xavier to come back from dinner.

They didn't have to wait long for the two to arrive. Harry got up so Severus could seat down before getting comfortable on his lap. Xavier stood in the middle of the carpet facing the two mates.

"The ritual will begin shortly. In the mean time, I will be preparing all the necessary items for the ritual," Xavier said firmly and confidently, summoning a small table with items, empty jars and vials on it.

He picked up a small knife and cut his palm, dripping the blood into an empty jar until the bottom was covered in his blood. He then picked up a vial with purple liquid in it and poured that into another jar and adding some other little ingredients into it.

"We are now ready to begin. Please stand," Xavier commanded of the people present. "Harry, Severus, please step forwards," Harry and Severus did as they were told. "By completing this ritual you are taking full responsibility of you and your submissive mate. You will help him and he will help you. But you will also be taking on responsibilities of becoming the Lord of this clan when time comes. You will have your submissive mate by your side to help you. Do you accept and welcome your mate into you future?"

"I do," Harry whispered, although they were all vampires so it didn't matter.

"I do," Severus whispered as well.

Xavier picked up the jar with purple liquid that had been mixed with other stuff and dabbed some onto a cloth and held it in one hand. He then picked up the jar with his blood and turned back to face the two mates.

"Hold hands please. I will pass you, Harry, the jar of Royal blood which you will drink two sips of while I dab Severus's head with this cloth. Then you will pass the jar over and I will dab your head while Severus has two sips of my blood. It is important that you two do not break contact through your hands," Xavier told them what was going to happen. They both nodded and Xavier passed Harry the jar.

After Xavier finished dabbing Harry's head and received the jar back from Severus, he whispered two words and both Harry and Severus dropped to the floor. Luckily, being vampires, Steve and Glart were able to catch them before they fell to the floor.

Xavier placed the jar and cloth on the table and sent it back to wherever it came from. He looked at the two and smiled softly.

"Steve, Glart, we need to move them to their room without using magic and without breaking their contact. Be careful please. After they are safely in their rooms, I will set up the spells to alert us of anything and then we will retreat to our chambers to rest for a bit," Xavier instructed as he watched the two move Harry and Severus.

Steve and Glart came out of the room and closed the door softly behind them. Xavier cast some spells and all five of them left without another word. Xavier wished them luck and good rest in his head before closing the door to the chambers and making his way to his room for the night.

A/N: Thank you for being patient! I can't say when I'll next update but let's hope it will be soonish! I hope you like this chapter, please leave a comment so I know what you think!