Little seer

Chapter 22

"I would appreciate it, if you stopped avoiding me and instead stayed here long enough to have a talk." Harry, who had stopped mid-step, placed his food down on the floor and turned around to face the speaker with a slightly strained smile.

"Good morning, Severus. I didn't think that you would be up yet." Seeing that Severus was still dressed in his black pyjamas, it was clear that he hadn't just come back from brewing the whole night. A nicking in the back of his mind told Harry that Severus might have cast a spell that would alert him should Harry try and pull a stunt like this.

Harry took a step back, body tense. Perhaps he would be lucky and Severus would be too tired to notice him moving before he was already out of the door. It was after all rather early, he had chosen this time in hope that Severus would be in a too deep state of sleep to notice what was going on. "Indeed. You mistakenly believed that you could sneak out like you did yesterday, but it seems that the two of us are in need of a talk."

Wincing Harry let Severus step around him and followed Severus to the Potions laboratory, Severus having transformed his nightclothes into black robes before they even left their quarters.

By the time Harry was pointed towards a worktable with the ingredients he needed to prepare for the potion Severus had in mind, he was sweating profoundly.

Whipping his hands dry on his robes, Harry grabbed a knife and started slicing the fire salamander hearts. He knew that Severus would speak what was on his mind when the man was ready for it, and not a moment sooner. So, trying to get the words out of him and asking questions would only prolong the waiting time.

"How long have you and the Dark lord been having an intimate relationship?" Severus' question made Harry tighten his grip on the knife, bowing his head so Severus wouldn't be able to see the unnatural shade of red his face had gained.

That cleared away any doubts Harry might have allowed to linger about whether or not Severus had heard anything. "That night was when it started, it was the first time." Both his first time with Voldemort, and the first time at all.

He cut through the salamander heart with unnecessary strength, sending one half of it flying and disappearing into the shadows by the walls. Blinking in surprise, Harry looked down at the cutting board, where the other half laid innocently. He just knew that the other part would be a pain to find later.

Harry shifted, and couldn't keep a wince off of his face. Though the pain hadn't been quite so dominating this morning, he had still drowned another Pain reliever to ensure that no sign of his late night activities lingered for anyone to see.

Severus and Draco already knew, and Harry didn't want the word to spread further. Though he supposed that it wasn't to be avoided when Draco handed Blaise the wining money from their bet. Sometimes he really didn't understand his friends.

Needing to do something Harry dumped the hearts into a bowl before picking up the next ingredients he needed to prepare, chimera eggshells, which had to be crushed to dust if they should be useable in any kind of potion. "A recent development." A brief touch of relief could be heard in Severus' voice, making Harry lift his head, frowning.

"You're against it?" He asked, regretting not having taken Severus into account before things had gone this far. It was bound to be awkward for Severus. His ward being bound with his master. It was bound to raise Severus' standing, but it would probably also put Severus in a predicament. After all, Voldemort had already proven that he cared very little when it came to others' opinions on matters.

"I trust you enough to hope that you are grown up enough to not let yourself be pressured into situations that you do not feel safe with. However, should something happen, I fully expect you to come to me and I will help you to the best of my abilities." Severus promised solemnly.