Akumanie Devil

Chapter 31: Above The Abbys Author: Alice O'Really

***

"Do you need anything, sir?" Granger asked uncertainly, pity creeping into her expression whenever she looked at him. Severus was indifferent. So many things were already indifferent.

"If you would be so kind," he murmured, "as to bring me Mr. Potter."

The compassion on her face deepened.

"I'll try," she whispered, the Fat Lady letting her back into the tower.

Severus waited.

Finally, the portrait swung open again, and Potter came out into the corridor. He was no longer avoiding Severus' gaze. Instead, he stared straight at him; were those eyes even green anymore? Had they turned grey, or was it just the colour of the whole world?

Severus silently held out the vial of Life Potion. You must be strong; you have yet to fight the battle of your life.

Potter gazed at the vial intently. Looking up, he placed his eyes on Severus.

"You didn't say please."

"Why would I do that?" Severus argued quietly. "You are deaf to my pleas."

And Potter raised his hand then, accepted the potion, and drank it before returning the empty vial.

"You haven't listened to mine for sixteen years," he announced.

"That's right," Severus said. He let the vial slide into the deep pocket of his robes. "Thank you for not being so cruel." He nodded before turning to leave.

***

Read the first chapter here:

Thank you so much, @maphy-art, for this amazing artwork!!! I love how you can capture so many emotions in the eyes! This is one woman, named Sarah, in the span of five minutes. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you can see the last moments of her life captured perfectly. Your talent never ceases to amaze me. Keep up the fantastic work! ❤️❤️❤️ Read the first chapter here:

Chapter 30: Innocent Author: Alice O'Really

***

"I was terribly worried about you," Severus said.

Harry's throat tightened sharply.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry... I'll try to do better, I promise!"

Severus barely shrugged. "Try to stay alive. That's all I want."

Harry pressed his lips together, overcome by a rush of something scorching hot.

"You too," he said.

Severus nodded. "Deal."

"Deal."

Severus leaned down then, the tip of his tongue sliding softly over Harry's throat in a long, wet caress.

"May I pleasure you?" he asked, his deep, velvety voice so seductive, every hair on Harry's body stood on end.

"I'd rather the pleasure be mutual," he groaned. And it certainly wasn't a rejection.

"I assure you it will be," Severus said seriously.

***

Read the first chapter here:

I hope you're all doing well. I wanted to take a moment to explain why there hasn't been a sneak peek from the upcoming chapter posted last Saturday, and why the chapter isn't ready to be posted today as usual.

These past couple of weeks have been incredibly hectic for me at work. With several of my coworkers falling ill, I've had to pick up the slack and put in extra hours. Unfortunately, this left me exhausted and with little energy to dedicate to translating or engaging with your comments.

Additionally, because there wasn't anything translated, my amazing editors Sarah and Yurama weren't able to work their magic and edit the upcoming chapter in their usual speedy manner. Despite their incredible skills, they need a bit more time to ensure the upcoming chapter meets our high standards.

I want to sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Your support means the world to me, and I'm truly grateful for your patience and understanding during times like these.

As we all navigate through busy and demanding times, it's important to remember to take care of ourselves. Please remember to drink water, nourish your body with a good balanced meal, and perhaps indulge in something sweet to treat yourself once in a while. Don't forget to hug your loved ones—whether it's your mother, lover, or beloved pet—and to get a good night's rest, because that's what your body needs and you deserve.

Rest assured, the chapter is in the works and will be posted as soon as it's ready. Thank you all for your continued support and for being such amazing readers.

Take care,

Chapter 27: Sarah Author: Alice O'Really

***

Harry stands in the living room, unmoving, simply staring around him. Severus is everywhere; the strands of dark hair as they fall across his face; the ironic glint in his black eyes; the rustle of his robes as he hurries about the room; the scrape of quills, the bubbling of the cauldron, the clinking of bottles. His laughter — deep, velvety laughter — like a fluffy blanket you can wrap yourself in. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The strength of his arms.

Lily comes out of the bedroom and stops, tilting her head to the side.

Harry looks at her and finally — finally — here comes the pain, chewing him up with her toothless gums.

Lily is silent, then her eyes well with tears, and she shakes her head. Oh, no, please, don't...

And Harry wants to tell her; Severus is gone, Lily. He's not coming back. He opens his mouth, but he can't speak, his body refuses. Don't say it. If you don’t say it, it's not true — don't!

"Is he dead?" Lily asks, crying.

"Tomorrow," says someone through Harry's mouth; no, be silent, for all the saints' sake; don't speak!

Lily covers her mouth with her hand, choking back a sob. She jerks her head defiantly.

"What are you going to do?"

"Dumbledore..."

"I’m not asking Dumbledore!" Lily shouts. "I'm asking, Harry James Potter, what the hell are you going to do about it?!"

Harry looks at his hands. Small. Empty.

"What will I do," he whispers, shrugging. "I'll go get him."

***

Read the first chapter here:

***

They stepped into the gloom, surrounded by the chill of stone and the damp scent of soil and decaying wood. Dumbledore and Draco were standing to the side; bloody, dirty, exhausted. Snape was with them in two steps, providing potions and casting healing spells.

"Thanks to Merlin," Dumbledore breathed as they both drank it all.

"What happened?" Snape asked as he showered them with diagnostic spells; Episkey, Sano Purifico.

"We have acquired the Trillium Amar," Dumbledore grunted, touching the bulging pocket of his robes, "but in doing so have, unfortunately, awakened its guardian."

"That's my fault," Draco muttered, Dumbledore stopped him.

"Completely irrelevant."

Snape was obviously thinking the same thing. "Who is it?" he asked.

Dumbledore sighed. "Lamia."

"Excellent," said Snape.

"I was hoping the invisibility cloak would be sufficient," Dumbledore remarked heavily, glancing at Harry. "I borrowed it. I hope you don't mind."

Harry shook his head; he really didn't care. What's Lamia?

"A primordial demon," Snape announced tartly. "Sort of immortal."

"She moves through the Interspace faster than we do, so she always finds us. I can't lose her. All my magic is ineffective against her. Severus. I do not dare to enter Hogwarts."

Draco nodded mutely, deathly pale. A deep gash on his cheek was slowly healing.

"Where is she now?" Snape asked curtly.

Dumbledore simply pointed into the darkness before him, sending a beam of light from his wand. Harry swallowed hard.

There was something in the encirclement of dozens of magical barriers. Half-woman, half-snake, with a large strong body covered in black scales that glistened dully, she had an eerily graceful face, yet there was something almost inhuman about it—perhaps the mouth with the snake's teeth. Or maybe the eyes, too big—poison yellow—with a vertical line of pupils. Her long hair flowed around her; no, not hair. It was like black smoke, billowing, fluffy, like a lazy cloud over a burning house. Concentrating, she was destroying one barrier after another, all falling without resistance, as if they were mere mounds of snow.

***

Chapter 26: For a moment Author: Alice O'Really

***

"Take the jug," Snape urged, whilst transferring the finely chopped mixture to a stone bowl. Harry grabbed the glass pitcher of clear liquid.

"Smell it."

Harry sniffed obediently. He coughed, his face contorting in disgust.

"What the hell is this?!"

"Broth of the Eternal Deathstench," Snape announced with satisfied mischief. "It’s a natural antibiotic and excellent at fighting infection."

"Well, the name fits."

The professor's long fingers disappeared into the stone bowl, scooping up a pinch,  and he shoved his hand in front of Harry's mouth.

"Taste."

Harry sniffed cautiously. "Am I going to throw up?"

"If so, please get away from the table so you don't ruin my potion."

Harry grinned. Gathering his courage, he opened his mouth in surrender, letting the mixture pour onto his tongue. He quickly closed his mouth before Snape could escape, licking his fingers thoroughly; at least let me have something of it. Amusement bubbled up inside the professor.

The mixture tasted bitter. At first. But then, on the back of his tongue, the taste dissolved and slowly turned into a rich sweetness.

"Yummy," Harry appreciated. "More!"

"Dark holly. It can bind harmful substances in the blood and then expel them from the body."

Snape grabbed Harry’s right hand, dipping it, along with his own, into a nearby tub of water that smelt distinctly of disinfectant. He washed them, dried them with a spell and put them into a bowl with the holly.

"Now pour in the broth. Slowly. Right, yes... More. More. That's enough. And stir."

"Wow, that's disgusting," Harry groaned. "Yuck, it's like troll excrement. What a stink!"

"What, haven't you already put your hands in?" remarked Snape in amazement.

Harry giggled, turning his face away and burying it against Snape's shoulder in a vain attempt to escape the stench struggling to rise from the liquid mixture. "I’ll die!"

"Do you still want a taste?"

"No!"

"Then continue. Give it a good stir. You have to grind it between your fingers. That way, yes. The holly must be perfectly dissolved and interwoven with the Deathstench until the mixture is perfectly smooth. No lumps, no grains. That's it."

"How can you stand it?" wailed Harry. "I'm going to die!"

Snape fumbled with his other hand, then shoved it under Harry's nose, smearing something there. As if by magic, the stench disappeared, leaving a faintly floral scent behind.

"Oh," Harry remarked, "and you couldn't do that right away, could you?"

"I assumed you wouldn't let me smear your face with centaur urine before."

"Centaur urine," Harry repeated darkly. "Well, that's just great. I need a bath. Help!"

Snape laughed.

***

Read the first chapter here:

***

Harry leaned down sharply and kissed him. He took his lower lip between his own, sucked it into his mouth, stole it away and swallowed all its taste. Snape's fingers, hooked into his body, momentarily intensified their grip, almost as if he was trying to break Harry in half. And then they relaxed, sliding down his sides and pressing against his hips. Such — pleasure...! Harry snuggled closer, tight, no space between them. Running his left hand into the black hair, he carded his fingers through it, soft at first, then clenched the strands into his fist; his other hand moved down Snape's cheek, over the edge of his chin, to his throat and the back of his neck, hungrily touching every bit of exposed skin, his fingers digging under the collar of his shirt; more! I want more... Snape exhaled hotly, and the searing heat brought Harry to his knees. He's has completely given up on sanity.

***

Author: Alice O'Really Chapter 25: Almost

***

The Drink of Desire was one of the most powerfully intoxicating aphrodisiacs in the world. If you mixed it in gradually, drop by drop, its effects came on slowly and lasted a long time. If, however, it was poured in all at once, then it was short-acting with devastating force.

Harry reached out and caressed Snape's cheek with his fingers, running the tips tenderly over the expressive features. He pressed his entire palm against his cheek as he absorbed the cool smoothness of his skin, the shimmering of his eyebrows and eyelashes. Harry still couldn't breathe, but oxygen was so overrated anyway. He slid his fingers to touch Snape’s lips. How - delicately - soft they were; how wonderfully, irresistibly seductive when Snape helplessly parted them! Stunned, Harry looked up then, daring for the first time to look directly into Snape's eyes, into their perfect blackness clouded with passion. They were on fire. Unreal! The image made his head spin, and Harry moaned. There was no going back. He wanted this. Burn down tomorrow, or pass me by! I don't care about anything else...

***

Check out the first chapter here:

Chapter 24: Ally

Author: Alice O'Really

***

"Mr. Potter, are you angry with me?"

Potter clenched his jaw and said nothing.

"Why?"

Silence.

"Is this about the intimate thing?"

Potter let out a hissing breath. So, yes...?

"While I am not at all pleased that you have witnessed something so private, I do not understand your anger."

"No?!" Potter's unfocused pupils dilated furiously. "You're... you're a professor! You just don't do things like that!"

"Mr. Potter... Did you really believe that, even in my most turbulent youth, I lived with complete acetism?" Severus uttered in amusement.

"Yeah! Yes, that's exactly what I thought! And it was fine. I liked it! I'd love to die with that idea!"

Amusement bubbled up inside of Severus.

"Don't laugh at me," Potter growled warningly.

"Then don't be ridiculous," Severus objected. "I must disappoint you. I am a mere human, with all my vices and weaknesses. Just to be on the safe side, and to avoid any more terrible disappointments, you are aware that I use the toilet, I hope? And sometimes I have hiccups. Or are professors not allowed to do that?"

An inarticulate sound came from Potter. He was raging, and Severus was amused.

"What exactly was so shocking about this discovery?"

"What? Well I guess he’s your type, then?" Potter snapped furiously. "Ugly and slimy?!"

Severus leaned back in his chair. Is Potter jealous?

"Igor Karkaroff has his charm."

"Really?! Well, he's not supposed to! He's ugly. And... And slimy. And ugly!"

"I'll lend you a thesaurus, Mr Potter. You really need to work on your vocabulary."

Potter, mutteringing something indecipherable, turned wildly and remained lying with his back to Severus. Do all rampaging Gryffindors hiss like a cat? I'm beginning to understand Minerva's animagus form.

"This has been a tough night for you, and you must be tired. Try to get some sleep," Severus said gently. He sat forward, leaning towards Potter.

"You still like him?" Potter growled.

"As I said. He has his charm."

"He's ugly!"

"And slimy," Severus whispered, kissing the puppy's hair. "Good night."

***

Read the first chapter here:

I have fantastic news: "Elysian Key" by Alice O'Really is getting a Chinese translation! The talented Juspion has taken the initiative to translate this story for others to enjoy in her language. I'm beyond thrilled! 😭❤️

Please, everyone, if you can, go show her some love! Kudos or any comments are greatly appreciated.

Thank you, everyone! Remember to stay hydrated, sleep well, and spread some love to the people around you. ❤️

Author: Alice O'Really

Chapter 23: Blessed

***

"What would you like to know?"

"Everything?"

"Then ask."

"Okay. So... Why is he alone? You know what I mean."

"Sure." She nodded, shrugging. "Living a double life is hard. He couldn't afford to like anyone."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Bullshit. Uh, sorry."

Lily laughed. "That's okay... Severus fell in love a long time ago. Very much so. He'd have died for him." Her smile disappeared. Lily suddenly looked terribly sad. "Actually, I think that's exactly what happened."

"What?"

"That he died without him."

"...It didn't work out?"

Lily shook her head. "It didn't. Not the way it was supposed to."

"And he hasn't met anyone since?"

"You know what's really sad? Everybody says he betrayed them all, yet Severus is the most loyal person ever born. Once he loves, he loves for life."

***

Read the first chapter here:

Thank you so much @insidiouspen for creating Little Lily Evans. She looks amazingly cute and I love her so much. 😍🥰❤️If you want to check out the story she belongs in here is the first chapter:

Chapter 22: Severus' memory

Author: Alice O'Really

***

"Lucius, what a lovely coincidence. How are you?" Severus said amiably.

"I'm not complaining, thank you for asking. Although, I must admit that you've made life rather difficult... for all of us, I suppose." Lucius motioned to his companions, Nott and Rookwood, who both maintained a professionally blank expression. Mulciber, on the other hand, was seething with hatred. The Dark Lord did not seem to be in a good mood lately.

Lucius smiled as he waved his manicured hand. "But let's leave it at that. Please accept my invitation, Severus. Mr. Potter? It would be a great pleasure if you would join us. I promise you will not be disappointed. Newgrange is a fascinating place... You'll love it there."

A sound escaped Potter then, terror surging through every pore of his body as he stood, crumbling before their eyes, yet he kept his footing. Quiet, Harry!

"I'm sorry, Lucius, but we have other plans for today."

"I dare insist," Lucius said lightly. He tilted his head slightly to the side, squinted his eyes, and laughed softly. "Oh, come on, Severus! Don't make me beg. Can't you see? Our friend is literally trembling with impatience."

***

Check out the first chapter here: