The Tales Of Prince

❤️ Another beautiful commission from the talented @thetalesofprince, capturing my beloved OTP in a tender moment by themselves❤️ Thank you so much for this lovely piece!

"I wasn’t the most pleasant of men when we first crossed paths, that of which I can not deny. Returning to Hogwarts as if nothing had changed was a difficult thing for me to face. Because everything had changed. People now knew of my task and what I sacrificed to see it through. I didn’t want to be seen in that way, least of all by the people I had no choice but to betray. It hurt to return. It was…agony. I felt you knew that already, and you were patient, even when everyone else demanded something of me. And you…you were the only one who didn’t. Coming back to Hogwarts was something I never intended to do, and yet much reflection had me reiterating a new goal. Why Hogwarts? Of all places to condemn myself back to? Eventually, I knew running away from the damage I caused would not help matters, so instead I chose to face them. Even despite the mistrustfulness still upon me, and the snide remarks thrown my way. 

My time away in hiding made me realise how much I was hurting myself, and it took Harry bloody Potter to help me realise that I had a chance to fix things. I had a chance to be…better. Do better. 

Despite my struggles in my return, you remained patient with me, despite my forked tongue and harshness against your attempts to talk. You were someone I didn’t realise I needed at the time. A listening ear. No judgement. Someone to pull me away from that self-destruct again. Someone to show me how to….live…How to love.

How could an ex-Death Eater develop a closeness with an Auror? Both fighting in death on opposite sides. I know it had been years before the Second War when I relinquished my loyalty to the Dark Lord. The one known as Riddle. A fool, I was, to follow so blindly for a cause that gave me nothing but pain. Nightmares whispering their torment on nights I only wished to shut the world away, begging for my end as I succumbed to the darkness that I once considered my shield.

But it left me empty. Devoured of a new purpose.

Instead, Hogwarts became that purpose. And it was Hogwarts where we found solace in the other. I found solace in you, Dawn. It is agony to me to think what would have happened if I never took this leap of faith. I would have drowned myself in pity, and sever the morsels of life I tried to salvage. In knowing you, you’ve opened up a future I didn’t think I’d ever live to see. And with you, now…I have a reason to live."

Once more @thetalesofprince outdid themselves with these three amazing illustrations for Loten’s Post Tenebras, Lux

The first one is no scene related but just to emphasise on the healing journey of Severus and his romance with Hermione.

It will be the cover of the bookbind I working on, I can now finish the typeset.

The other two illustrate moments in chapters 24&33.

A beautiful commission by @thetalesofprince depicts a snapshot of a chapter awaiting to be published. I'm in awe of how stunning this piece is, capturing the deep, raw emotions so well.

A sneak peek of the scene below -

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"Don't talk, just breathe. Calm yourself. Focus on now, here, with me..."

Severus clutched onto her arms to steady himself as he allowed his head to rest upon her shoulder. His head felt like it was filled with stones - heavy, and too much weight to bear for his shoulders. His mind became hazy as flashes of his past painful memories bubbled to the surface. He tried to contain it, but it was like trying to catch water with your hands. But her touch, the softness in her voice, her patience with him...He had never felt so safe with anyone before.

He could feel her other hand resting on his upper back in comfort as he melted further into her warm embrace. Her calming voice was soothing to his erratic senses, and he could feel himself slowly centring. His heart was no longer racing, and he sat there with his wary head upon her shoulder whilst her fingers ran circles in comfort. Oh, what he'd give to stay that way for eternity. Her kindness was the bandage to his wounded soul. His heart was full of old pain, but there she was still holding him and soothing him during his panicked distress.

The tension in his shoulders eventually loosened and the tears that had since streamed down his gaunt face were no longer cascading down but slowed. He felt his cheeks grow hot in shame, but he knew she would not mock him for it. She knew. The unspoken pain that Severus could not bear to voice, but she knew.

She just...knew.

"No one else has to know, alright?" She whispered.

But he could only muster a shaky nod, trying to settle himself between gasps of breath for dear life.

"I am nothing, “ His voice croaked in a shaky whisper.

"You've never been nothing to me, Severus. Merlin forbid, you allow anyone to speak kindly about you, " Dawn's warm hands rested on the sides of his soaked, gaunt face. Severus' eyes drooped in sadness, his iris' endless pools of black, "I am here, and I won't leave you."

"I-I don't know how to live, Dawn. Endless….It never seems to end. How could anyone love a miserable, broken man like me? I can't - I can't bear it anymore - "

"Shhh. I will not love you any less. You're important to me and that will never change. I will help you through this."

Severus gave a pathetic, choked sob, feeling more tears drip endlessly down his cheek and over the bridge of his nose. They released so quickly again, that he hardly noticed and had time or energy to stop them. He was so afraid to break down completely, that he knew he wouldn't be able to stop if he did. But it now seemed far too late, "I'm tired - so tired - "

Commissioned art by @thetalesofprince for the Paperback bookbinding edition of Chasing The Sun by Loten.