Harry lifted his hand up then hesitated. He sighed and knocked on Albert's door and waited for the gruff call. He opened the door and shut it firmly behind him. He silently cast a silencing charm around the room. The thin man looked up from a report on his desk at his use of magic. Harry held up the file in his hand before placing it down. Albert just scowled at him.
"Horcrux?" Albert demanded. "You write that in the middle of a meeting?"
"That is what we are facing," Harry said as he threw himself into the chair before the desk. "That is how low that this man has gone for power and a chance at immortality."
"I was reading up on your file," Albert mentioned as he tapped the table. "You haven't even been born yet."
"And may not even be born," Harry added. "So many problems could happen between now and the thirty first of July 1980."
Albert's hand stilled at his words and there was an odd look in his eyes.
"But don't feel sorry for me," Harry continued with a smirk. "I'm here now and I doubt that I'll be leaving your office undisturbed for a while."
"You're just lucky that I am the only person that can read this file, beside yourself."
"I'm sure if you did say anything about that file then you would be carted off to St Mungo's.
Albert snorted at that and reached for the file that Harry had placed down.
"I was concerned about what side of this conflict that you would fall on," Albert admitted.
"Many people always do," Harry sighed. "Just because I am cursed by dark magic doesn't mean that it rules me."
"That's not what I was referring to," Albert disagreed. "Taking on Severus Snape has not helped enlighten many people to where you stand. You're a walking contradictory since you wear muggles clothes and yet are a powerful wizard and you don't hide that."
"The Dark Lord contacted me," Harry admitted and Albert looked at him sharply. "He would share your sentiment."
"I shouldn't be surprised-"
"But you are," Harry finished. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"You are a very powerful wizard," Albert stated. "If it comes out just how dark that magic is-"
"Which won't be happening."
"You hold the Deathly Hallows," Albert exclaimed. "You defy death!"
"Many would say that I did that from the age of eighteen months."
"What?"
"Never mind," Harry sighed and stood. "Read the file. I have to get back to the school."
xXx
"Hey, Severus." Narcissa greeted as she sat down next to him at the Slytherin table. "We don't have any time to talk anymore."
"Apologises, Narcissa." Severus offered. "It was not intentional."
"Professor Swift is working you too hard," Narcissa remarked with sniff.
"I'll be sure to pass that on to him."
Narcissa laughed lightly at that and Severus gave her a smile.
"How about you pass on a message from Lucius," Narcissa broached. "He was very taken with Swift and wishes to speak with him again. Could you pass that along?"
"I could," Severus agreed, but felt his gut clench.
"Perfect," Narcissa cried with a smile. "What does he have you learning at the moment?"
xXx
Harry sprawled out on his lounge as he stared into the fire before him. He glanced over when the wall rumbled to the side and Severus walked in. The teen had his own room beside his but liked to spend his nights with Harry before retiring.
"How were the other snakes?" Harry asked over his shoulder.
"Very well," Severus replied as he walked towards the kitchen.
"I hope that I'm not over working you," Harry called. "Can you get me a whiskey?"
"Ice?"
"Yes, please."
Severus walked back into the room with a glass of whiskey and a butterbeer. Harry took the glass in his hand before Severus settled next to him. He'd gotten used to this at night. He had gotten used to Severus in general. He could even start to read his mood.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked while he sipped on his drink.
"Narcissa mentioned that Lucius wants to see you again," Severus sulked.
"You mean the Dark Lord," Harry countered.
"Yes," Severus whispered.
"We'll deal with that problem tomorrow," Harry sighed and knocked back his drink. "Should have asked you to bring the bottle."
"Bad day at the Ministry?"
"You could say that," Harry groaned as he stood. "Do you want another butterbeer?"
"Yes, please."
Harry grabbed up the bottle of whiskey and two butterbeers. He walked back to the lounge and handed Severus one of the beers. He sat down and poured a little butterbeer into his glass then some whiskey. He placed the bottle down as he leaned back in his seat. Severus leaned forward and picked up the whiskey.
"You drink muggle alcohol," Severus remarked.
"They do it very well," Harry said as finished off the drink and held his glass out.
Severus tipped more into his glass with a look to his eyes that Harry hadn't seen before.
"What?" Harry asked.
"It's a Wednesday night," Severus pointed out.
Harry laughed at that statement and gave Severus a grin as the boy blushed. Severus placed the bottle back on the table and picked up his own drink.
"What are you concerned about?" Harry questioned as he made and half and half drink with the butterbeer.
"Nothing," Severus muttered.
Harry frowned and looked at Severus and the guarded look on his face. Then it clicked in his mind. Harry reached out and placed his hand on Severus's arm and the teen jumped.
"I'm not your father, Severus." Harry said, gently.
"Of course not," Severus sneered.
"Too short?"
Severus looked away and Harry rubbed his arm until he looked back at him.
"My parents died when I was a child," Harry confessed, softly. "I went to live with my Aunt and Uncle...my Uncle was a violent man with a short temper...and I was his favourite target."
Harry finished his drink and even after all this time the wounds still felt raw. Harry eyed off the whiskey before grabbing the butterbeer instead.
"What happened?" Severus prompted.
"Nothing," Harry answered. "Started my sixth year at school and never saw them again."
"Is my father still alive?"
"What?" Harry uttered with frown. "He was when I got him to sign the papers."
Severus looked down at the rug and Harry felt a bolt go through him.
"Did you think that I killed your father?" Harry spluttered. "He's an asshole and deserves more than what I gave him but he's still alive."
"What did you do?"
Harry gave Severus a smirk before sipping on his drink.
"You'll never have to go back there," Harry mentioned. "And you don't have to worry about him letting his frustrations out on your mother."
Harry placed his empty bottle on the coffee table as the alcohol settled in his stomach. He almost jumped out of his skin when Severus placed a hand on his leg. His eyes darted over to the teen.
"Thank you," Severus offered.
Harry just placed his hand over Severus's as he leaned back and stared at the fire before him.
xXx
Harry stumbled out of his bedroom in just his boxers then froze when he noticed Severus on his lounge. Severus stared at him with wide eyes in surprise.
"Um," Harry muttered and turned on his heels. "Pants."
Harry walked back into his bedroom and picked up a pair of jeans and pulled them on. He snagged up a shirt as he walked back out into the main room. He tugged the shirt on as he took in the image of Severus. He could tell that the teen had been there for a while.
"What's brought you here so early?" Harry asked as he attempted to button his shirt.
"Hangover cure," Severus said and held up a vial. "I thought you might need one."
"Nah," Harry said and left the top two buttons of his shirt undone. "All good."
"Do you have to be at the Ministry today?"
"Hadn't heard anything," Harry answered. "Hopping they will come to some kind of decision soon about me casting those spells."
"They still haven't?"
"Takes them a while," Harry said as he walked over to his dining table and tapped it twice with his wand. "Are you happy to start Legilimency classes again?"
"Yes," Severus answered.
"We'll start that tonight," Harry remarked as food appeared on his table. "Food, Severus?"
Harry sat down and grabbed up a few sausages. He piled his plate up before he dug in while Severus sat down and buttered some toast. Harry felt like a pig as he finished off his plate and grabbed a couple more sausages.
"What should I tell Narcissa?" Severus asked when Harry sat back in his seat.
"That you haven't asked me yet," Harry answered. "I need a few days before I can answer that question. I want you to be careful for he will be coming after you for your support."
"Why?"
"For you are connected to me and the Department. That is also why we need to build up the barriers in your mind."
Harry then stood and looked around for his jacket. Severus pointed towards the lounge and he gave the teen a grin. He snagged up his jacket.
"I'll see you tonight," Harry told him. "Have to face the Headmaster now."
xXx
Harry stood before Severus that night with his wand in his hand. He had a pounding headache after being called into the Ministry after all and it had been a long day. He fingered his wand as he eyed off Severus before him. The boy hadn't kept up his training and he'd slipped easily into his mind.
"Perhaps we should continue this next week," Harry suggested.
"No," Severus snarled as his eyes flashed.
Harry raised his wand then hesitated. Severus gave him a level stare and Harry sighed.
"legiliums," Harry intoned.
He pushed into Severus's mind as images flashed before him. He picked one at random then froze as he was looking at himself. The image was from this morning of him in his boxers. He was seeing himself through someone's eyes then the feelings that Severus had felt kicked in. Harry ripped himself away from the memory. He stumbled back and his knees gave way. He hit the ground as his head spun from the backlash of magic.
He braced a hand on the ground as he tried to calm his breathing. To see yourself through Legilimancy was bad enough, it was the feelings that unsettled him. He reached up and rubbed his temple. Just what Severus had been feeling had thrown him. He'd felt lust, interest and fantasies that were linked to what he'd felt. Severus's eyes had taken in everything about him and Harry didn't know what to think about that. He could tell that they weren't new feelings for Severus for there had been no doubt or conflict.
"Harry?"
Harry squeezed his eyes closed as he tried to set the memories and feeling right in his mind and failed. He sat down on the floor before he looked up. Severus stood before him with a concerned look on his face.
"Are you okay?" Severus asked.
"No," Harry said, his voice rough. "I'm calling it a night."
"Was it something you saw?"
Harry pinched his nose.
"You should have said something," Harry muttered.
"About what?"
Harry glanced up at Severus to see the confusion. He knew that it could be hard to see just the memories that someone was viewing.
"How you feel about me," Harry said and Severus paled. "We'll be working very close together for many years and this could complicate some issues."
"You won't cancel the apprenticeship, will you?" Severus whispered.
"No," Harry said as he sat there. "Just a shock to the system."
Severus stepped back as he closed his expression off.
"Indeed," Severus intoned.
"Not for the reason that you are thinking, Severus." Harry remarked as he placed his hands behind him on the ground. "It just threw me."
Severus looked at him as a frown came to his brow, "can you get up?"
"No," Harry sighed. "Not without landing on my ass again. I cancelled the spell too quickly and the magic backlashed onto me."
"I'll get you a pain potion," Severus offered and headed over to the box that Harry kept his potions in.
Harry laid back on the cool stone floor as he rested his arm over his eyes. That image and those feeling ran through his head again as he laid there. Then other images that he'd seen in Severus's mind crowded around. He could feel himself getting lost to those images and feelings and had to pull himself back.
"Harry."
Harry started and moved his arm to see Severus crouched beside him. He held the potion out and Harry grabbed it. He knocked the potion back and handed the vial out. He rested his arm over his eyes again as the potion worked slowly. His body grew heavy as the pain eased off. He started when Severus's rested a hand on his arm then relaxed back.
"What happens now?" Severus asked after a few minutes. "Where do we go from here?"
"I don't know," Harry slurred. "I think we'll deal with that tomorrow."
"Didn't you say that yesterday?"
"Different issue," Harry grumbled and Severus chuckled.
Severus rubbed his arm and Harry let him. He was unsure about his own feeling on the matter, he could be a bit thick on matters of the heart. What had surprised him was how clear Severus's thoughts had been. There was no doubt in Severus's mind and he was surprised that the teen had been able to hide that from him. However, at the same time, he was proud that Severus had built up some barriers in his mind.
"How long?" Harry grunted. "Have you felt this way?"
"That first night," Severus confessed. "You drew my attention then."
Harry shifted his arm up so that he could look at Severus. The teen wasn't looking at him and Harry reached his other hand over and placed it over Severus's. He smiled when Severus looked at him and returned his smile.
"Give me a hand up," Harry requested as he rolled over.
Severus grabbed his arm and helped him to his feet. Harry stumbled on the first step as his head pounded and he had to brace himself on the table beside him while Severus held his other arm. He grabbed his head and was almost sure he was going to end up on the ground again. He'd pushed himself too far. Severus waited him out.
He nodded and Severus helped him over to his room and pushed the door open. Harry gently eased himself down and sprawled out on his back.
"Are you okay?" Severus inquired. "You look really pale."
"Hogwarts house elf," Harry called and a house elf appeared in the room. "Please tell Albus that I will not be able to attend morning classes tomorrow, please."
The house elf nodded her head and disappeared.
"Good night, Severus." Harry uttered.
"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" Severus countered.
"I need to sleep this off, Severus."
Harry opened his eyes and took in the teen beside him. He had a concerned expression on his pale face. His dark eyes were intense as they took in everything about him. Severus had always been a contained fire and Harry took that in.
"Good night, Severus." Harry repeated and Severus nodded.
"Good night, sir." Severus whispered and left the room.
Harry just groaned as he turned over in the bed and let the potion take him down.
xXx
Severus gently eased Harry's door open early the next morning. He felt nervous and on edge as he closed the door behind him softly. He knew that he was stepping over a line here and now that Harry was aware of his feelings. He wasn't sure if his concern would be welcomed or rejected. He wasn't even sure if Harry's preference ran the same way.
Severus pushed those thoughts to the side and placed his hand on the handle to Harry's bedroom. Before he could rethink his actions, Severus opened the door. Harry laid sprawled out over the bed on his stomach and still wearing the clothes that he'd worn last night. The room was warm and Severus's eye caught on the smooth skin from where Harry's shirt had ridden up. His short black hair was a mess as he snored softly. Severus stepped around the bed and reached into his robe's pocket and pulled out two vials and placed them on the bedside table. They were from his own supply since he'd noticed that Harry had only had one more pain potion in his supplies.
He flicked his eyes over to Harry again. The man had a presence around him, and in his sleep, he could still feel that danger. He was like a fire, energy, threat and yet warmth all wrapped up into one. Severus knew that this could burn him but he felt like he was already lost to those flames.