Exhibit A

Chapter 20 - Precious One

Close your eyes

Precious on

And you will see

Your life has only just begun

Never more

Be afraid

I embrace you

And I'll take you

All the way through

Endless time to your new life

The destruction of the other Order members, the ones Harry had no real memory of, but who helped Dumbledore blindly, was disappointingly swift. A disease the Wizarding World had never encountered before demolished the Order ranks rather well, leaving behind only a handful of their already dwindling number.

No one knew how it had started and there was no cure. Molly Weasley, her husband, Tonks, Minerva and Dumbledore were all that remained. Molly's oldest three had died in the Sickness. She was much thinner now, barely responded to anything other than a major twitch and manic look to her eyes whenever Harry was mentioned. It was rather odd, until one looked into the positively glacial gaze of the headmaster. As the months since the Twin's bodies had turned up, had passed, and Harry and Severus had mingled with the school again, the older wizard had noticed how close the new kid and the abomination really were.

Reaper. Those knowing eyes that glared at him, HIM, like he was scum beneath their feet. The smirks and crazed grins that the former Potter child and this...nobody with teal eyes shared when they thought no one noticed. But he had. He the Great Albus Percival Wulfic Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Grand Sorcerer, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamont.

He gazed hatefully at the pair of wizards who appeared unaware of his existence as they read a book together. It was such a human thing for nobody and an abomination to be doing. And he knew that Harry Potter was behind the attacks on his followers. He couldn't prove it. Yet. A snarl reached his throat, countenance momentarily cast in ominous shadows. Because of that child he had lost valuable magic. He'd lost a bedwarmer and even a friend. He had to find a way to trap the monstrosity before the last of his pawns were demolished. Like he had done with Grindewald. Trying to trick him with his unnatural desires. But he didn't fool him. He was one step ahead of that boy. And when they had dueled, it had been entirely one sided, particularly when Dumbledore had played on those feelings. Grindewald had just smiled and turned to give him something from his pack and the headmaster had struck. He focused back on the pair of wizards in front of him and scowled. He would end them. He was the greatest wizard alive. No one would take that from him.

Tom , once more disguised as Reaper, carded a hand through Harry's hair. The young Snape and he had settled down to read a Dark Arts book they'd managed to procure from Dolohov before they'd left the most recent meeting. Everything was going swimmingly when it came to tearing down the Order. Only a few more on the list before he came to the last two. Tom felt his blood boil at the thought and his eyes bled red. A wicked grin crept across his face causing Harry to race a brow in curiosity.

"What has you so amused?" remarked the lad, abandoning his book in favour of finding the answer.

The older wizard felt heat bubble from within him. Unable to help himself, he leaned forward and plundered the mouth of his mate, delighting in the moan of appreciation he extracted from the slighter male. Deeper and deeper the kiss became, until Tom growled and covered his body over Harry's , the latter hissing in pleasure when their groins brushed against each other. He distantly was glad he had insisted they adjourn to the grounds. He was entirely too possessive of this morsel beneath him and every gasp or flash of wanton desire that flared in those green eyes sent jolts of need into his veins. He didn't feel like sharing such moments with anyone.