One Crazy Long Day

by Lizzy0305

When a Muggle family arrives to the town of Mull, which is inhabited only by witches and wizards, Severus and Harry are forced to put aside their enmity to prevent the Wizarding World from exposure. HPSS Slash

This one came out of nowhere. Dont blame me.. it was the bunny. Blame the bunny.

The story is canon compliant but (obviously) disregards the epilogue. The war or Voldemort's downfall isnt really mentioned, Severus didnt die, he just disappeared in the end.

Hope you will like it :]

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One Crazy Long Day

o.O.o

The town of Mull was a very small place somewhere north from Tobermory, south from Broadford, east from Fort William and west to the Island of Rúm. It was so small in fact with its couple hundred residents that some people would barely call it a town. These people however would have suffered some rather bad injuries, because the folks of Mull were rather proud people and they liked their little town and frowned upon anyone who belittled it. Unless, it was an inhabitant. In that case, they just agreed.

Mull was named after one of the rocks on top of the hill nearby, which looked like a dragon, carved out of stone, mulling over life. The legend of the Stone Dragon was known to everyone in Mull and even in the towns around it. It was an old legend about friendship, death, Merlin and curses. Not even the wizards believed it to be true, though some secretly thought, the Stone Dragon on the cliff provided enough evidence.

As we already mentioned, Mull was small. Besides being small it didn't really have any remarkable features. It was beautiful, of course it was, after all Mull was in Scotland and everyone knows of the solemn beauty of the bare hills, the high, brown grass and the mist covered ground. Even the folks of Mull stopped sometimes during a quiet morning and looked over the high hills and adored the view, they had loved since they were children. It was something old, and never changing and yet never twice the same. The people of Mull knew that there was a bigger, brighter, faster world not far from them, but they never wished to partake in that. In every generation there was of course one or two youngsters who travelled away but most often than not, they returned when they were old enough and the promises of the bright new world faded.

The inhabitants of this little town grew what they ate, traded what was a surplus, and helped each other with anything their neighbours might have needed. They stuck together like outcasts of that bright world and maybe they indeed were outcasts, but they never looked at themselves as such. The people of Mull were happy where they were. They honoured their ancestors and the fields they worked on. They feared the sea and valued a good pint over anything.

Oh and why might one consider them outcasts? Because the people of Mull were wizards and witches to the last of their hairbreadth. Not a single Muggle or even a Squib lived in Mull. Squibs were welcomed but in a town that was driven by magic, they usually couldn't find their home. Mull was a place where magic was as common as water or air. Everyone used it instinctively, after all these were all magical people, taught by the greatest professors of Hogwarts, and Mull gave them a place where they could freely practice their true nature.

Some people would say they were harsh folks like the wind in the valleys around little Mull, but these people would be wrong again. Well, partly. These people were happy as long as they were left undisturbed by Muggles and Ministry Wizards all the way from London and other nonsensical people. They simply didn't like the change that a newcomer brought upon their harmony. You see, they did like change when it was a long progress, which it generally wasn't. They didn't have a problem when the warm summer turned into fall or when the fishers returned with less and less fish year after year. They didn't get upset when after long months of regular visits, Daisy the common welsh dragon finally settled with her three little baby dragons in the nearby forest. They managed with these kinds of problems. No, what they couldn't handle was swift changes that required fast thinking. The people of Mull weren't thick or dim-witted, they were simply used to a slow, comfortable life and they generally had time to mull over their problems.

The first time they had to face a sudden change after decades of peacefulness, happened when one morning an old sign disappeared from a window. Old Emerson Mondragon noticed the missing sign first and rushed as fast as his lumbago let him to Miss Betty Hill, who ran the only grocery shop in the town, providing always fresh fruits, vegetables and even fresher gossips.

This time however Emerson was the one with the fresh gossip. By eight o'clock that day he had became a sort of celebrity among the town folks. He was asked to tell and retell the story of the missing sign, however he or anyone else in his audience did not know more about it other than it was missing.

Most of the town had hoped that the sign simply fell off and Mr Mondragon didn't wish to go against most of town with admitting aloud that he had a different theory. His theory took into account what the little sign said, not just that it was missing.

For rent.

That was written on the little sign. Emerson had lived enough with his ninety-two years, some of which he had spent in a much bigger and brighter town, that he knew that when a 'for rent' sign went missing, it didn't just fall off. It was taken down.

Which meant only one thing. Someone had rented the old apothecary.

As one of the people of Mull who did not like sudden changes, he wasn't happy about that. But as someone with a chronic lumbago, he was rather ecstatic to even mull over the idea of having an apothecary just two houses from his own little place.

As the evening darkness fell, the folks gathered in the Sleeping Doe, the local pub, for much needed pints and of course gossip. It was then, with half of the town crowding at the bar, poor old George Selkirk swimming in orders of "One more, Georgie!", when a dark stranger walked into the pub. Every pair of eyes looked up at the noise of the squeaking door, eager for news, but all they got was a stranger, tall and lean, black clothed, black haired, black eyed and soaking wet.

Faye Soucey pulled in the man and pushed him down on a chair. He let himself, as he was rather intimidated by the sudden silence. She then motioned to George, who poured a good pint for the dark man. The pitcher went from hand to hand until it landed in front of the strange lad. Not lad really, man was he, but as he sat next to Emerson who had gray hair and gray beard that swept the ground and was wrinkly like a newborn, the lad seemed really young.

Mr Mondragon pushed the beer closer to the tall man and asked, "You rented the apothecary?"

"Yes," answered the stranger and Emerson felt a liking towards him instantly. He seemed quiet, keeping to himself and over the next weeks this presumption did not change only solidified in every person in the town. Severus Snape fitted perfectly in with the town folks, he could have been one of the original settlers even, he fitted in so nicely.

Two years went by until the next big change. They were quiet and peaceful years, and though Severus' arrival brought several changes, they were rather good changes so the town folks decided they could get used to the weird, quiet man who gave them the best potions for every illnesses and maladies they might get.

The next important change came directly from George Selkirk one evening. He pushed a draft towards Emerson when he said, "I'm old."

Emerson nodded. They both were. George and him used to go to Hogwarts together, one a Hufflepuff, the other a Ravenclaw. This wasn't the surprising part, but what came next, that was what pushed the whole bar into silence again.

"I'm selling the pub."

Emerson raised an eyebrow. "Who's buyin' it?"

"I lad from London."

"A Londoner?"

"A stranger?"

Questions were shouted into the silence like cries of the foxes in the moor but Georgie disregarded them. He just watched Emerson, his oldest friend and waited to be judged. Change was coming and he was the one bringing it on the town this time, he was sure, people would judge.

But not Emerson. "A tad bit of rest will do good for you now," said Emerson, drinking half of his beer. "What do you know of the lad?"

There wasn't much to know about the lad. He was young, about twenty. But he paid a good price and was more than willing to keep the bar's name that didn't change in the last three hundred years. He would also take the room upstairs and probably rent the rest of them out for that few relatives who came around once a year to visit a grandmother or a grandfather or a cousin perhaps.

George touched the tip of his wand to the tap and sent out a pitcher of good brown to everyone. It was his way of apologizing.

Harry Potter, the young lad, arrived the next day. He had a trunk with him and two other people. A ginger haired lad and bushy haired girl. George knew he wouldn't come alone and he also knew the other two wouldn't stay the night. He showed the boy around the pub, introduced him to the kitchen and told him about the spells he usually used to clean and arrange everything before closing. He gave him the keys, the boy paid, and he was suddenly retired. So he sat down and ordered a pint. Potter was more than happy to serve him and didn't take his money, had never after this first time either.

He knew who Potter was, of course, the moment he had seen the round glasses and lightning shaped scar. But never mentioned it, nor did anyone else it the town. They knew very well that if a man like Potter came to a town like Mull it wasn't to talk about the past.

Potter was a good man, Georgie thought. He liked the boy, as much as Emerson liked Severus. The problem was, Potter and Severus didn't like each other. As it later turned out, they knew each other, long ago. During the first month it was rough for the whole town. It was almost a war between the two wizards. But then slowly as fall turned into winter the tempers started calming and cooling like the weather and the order came back to the small town of Mull.

Harry and Severus kept on not liking each other, but one needed the potions, the other needed the food and the good beer so they shut up and served each other with a bit more snarls and frowning than was generally accepted.

Another two years went by like this: in peace and calm. The dragons grew and sometimes came in the town for a sheep or two or three, but no one minded. They made the land fertile and kept away the wolves, so Mull just collectively shrugged. The Merpeoples in the lake that was bigger than the whole town had finally agreed to work together with the fishers and exchange for driving the trout in the nets, the wizards set up wards to keep the water pollution at bay.

Then in one single day, four people almost managed to ruin the whole town of Mull.

o.O.o

It was a cloudy and dim and misty summer morning when Harry Potter opened his pub for another no doubt busy day. His first guest would come shortly. He expected Leonora Potts to fall through the threshold within about five minutes after he unlocked the door of the Sleeping Doe. Leonora was an early riser; she owned the mill in the edge of Mull. She made the best bread around and with one morning as an exception every month, she always brought Harry a fresh basket the second they were out of the oven, in exchange for a mug of Harry's best elfish coffee.

The first sign that this day wouldn't be an ordinary one occurred, when she didn't come at the regular time. Harry waited and waited, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, nine o'clock went by but no one came only Emerson and George were there sitting right in front of Harry, playing exploding snaps on the counter, bickering.

Suddenly, all three men looked up when noises came in through the open window. Shouts and cries, obviously in distress made the gentlemen drop their cards and beers and pick up their wands, while Harry, too, flicked his own towards to coffee machine to turn it off, then towards the old dishtowel to finish cleaning the glasses and finally he stopped the plates that were cleaning themselves in the sink. Then he looked up towards the old door too. The noises were coming from closer and closer and they were even louder but there were so many people talking that Harry couldn't distinguish between shouts.

Then all of a sudden the door banged open and half of the town advanced in like an unregulated army. Harry became busy right away, everyone was demanding beer, thronging galleons onto the counter, but their distress remained a mystery.

Then Emerson, exasperated by the loud noise, the buzzing, the unexplained excitement of the many people around him roared up. "What is the matter with ya' people?" Though the voice was old and raspy, everyone went quiet when a ninety-six year old wizard started grumbling. "I was about to win. Ya' better explain what's goin' on here!"

The tap continued to pour the beer out of itself while Harry reached for newer glasses. His brooms were sweeping the farther corner, upsetting some of the guests who were swiftly cleaned along with the ancient stone.

Patty from the grocery spoke but only after she downed her pint. "Muggles," she breathed devastated and the whole bar gasped as if they had heard the news only now as well.

"A whole family!" A boy shouted from somewhere in the middle.

"With a car!"

"They're muggles," George groaned, "of course they have a car."

"But it's broken!" Cried the boy again. "I saw it myself. Their... their wheels or what went wrong and they run up a hill and into a tree."

"Tires, you dafty!" Shouted a witch.

"Are they alright?" Harry asked as he levitated ten pitchers for someone to grab.

"Aye, old Macready's boy and couple other loons are helping them out as we speak," said a woman, Harry didn't recognize. "But what's this fuss about? It's just one family."

"Oh hush you, Irene, you know nothing," Betty chided her. "This is a wizarding town, you girl."

"So what?" She asked.

Harry shook his head lightly.

"Visitors," Georgie murmured and Emerson snorted into his beer.

"So what? Look around yourself, lassie. Do you see electricity here? We still use candles. There's no water in the mill, yet it goes. Well not now, poor Leonora had to stop it because they crushed near her place. We don't have medicines just potions, we don't use fences to keep in the sheep, we use wards, we don't fish, we just wait for the fish to swim into the nets, we use magic for everything. The pictures move in every home, the post arrives by owls, the cleaning is done by magic, the cooking is done by magic, we wouldn't even know how else to stay alive. We don't even have a single telephone in the whole town! How long do you think it would take for a muggle to realize this? Even if they have a concussion?"

"And? The ministry sends someone here and deals with it. Have you never heard about obliviation?"

"Oh aye," Betty answered snappishly. "And do you have an idea about the fine they will issue on us for not spelling the town unplotable and not warding it against everything that moves and isn't a wizard or a witch and for using all these magic just to keep this place together?"

"Why didn't you set it unplotable?" Asked the girl quietly now, sensing her defeat.

"Have you not seen the four dragons we are raising in the forest. Oh you girl, stop haverin' or go back to Cardiff!"

She did stop talking. But all the others started shouting again. Worried people all of them, afraid of the consequences of Muggles spotting magic and the Ministry's retribution. Since the second war, when the Muggles had come the closest to realizing there was another world besides theirs, the Ministry had punished everyone harder who risked the exposure of the Wizarding World.

Harry tapped the thick bottom of one of his pitchers to the counter, making everyone quiet again.

"Okay, why don't we all just calm down and think?" Harry advised.

"Oh that is rich coming from you," said a silky voice to his right. He would never not recognize that voice. "Why do you not just keep serving beer, Potter, and leave the thinking to people who actually have a brain."

Harry smiled at Snape as sweetly as he could. "Well, you're clearly not one of them, are you, Snape."

"You little-"

"Enough, you two!" Emerson stood up and collected his beard. He pushed it over his shoulder as he murmured, "Like weans, I swear." He disregarded Snape's snare and went on, louder this time. "People, go home, go to you shops, go all over the town and make sure there's no magic around that can be spotted by the muggles. Severus, you go and make some medicine for them. Can you make those... pills?"

"I can attempt to compress the potions. But some will have to remain in liquid form to be affective," Severus answered, stroking his chin.

"Good. Muggles has bottled medicine too, don't they? They will have now. Potter, boy. You go and make a room ready for them. How many are there?"

"Four, Mr Mondragon!" Shouted the boy in the middle. "Two kids and two grownups. A boy and a girl."

"Teens?"

"Children, sir. Younger than me. About seven, right ma'?"

His mother nodded, so did Emerson. "That's good. They can be tricked easily if they see somethin'. Okay folks! Go and hide the magic!"

"I hate muggles," grumbled old Georgie. "This is our place. We should just chase them away on brooms and dragons."

"They are injured," Snape said softly, putting a palm on George's shoulder. "And that would just get us into more trouble."

"But it would be fun..." George grinned and so did Snape.

Emerson watched him for a moment then as Severus turned towards the door, he spoke again, "Wait, son. You stay for one more moment." He waited for the bar to empty out before he went on, this time looking at Harry. "You, boy, come out here too."

Harry did so, giving a confused look to George who shrugged.

"Shake hands," ordered Emerson strictly.

Both of them snorted, one louder than the other and stepped a bit further away.

"We're in this together," the old man warned them. "You will work together. You both started a new life when you moved here and we welcomed you. This is your chance to finally prove you're one of us. Set aside your old hostility. We need your help now, help from both of you. We need you to work together. And I need proof that you can. Come on, shake on it, lads."

Reluctantly, Harry held out his right and looked into the black eyes. Even though they had met regularly during the last years, he had never looked Snape directly in the eyes. The endless ink black gaze seemed warmer than ever as the man took Harry's hand and shook it softly.

"Potter," said the deep voice and Harry smiled slightly.

"Snape," he said the name almost kindly. It was new, enunciating it without any bad feeling at all. "Snape..." he said it again, tasting it on his tongue.

"Yes, you managed it correctly for the first time as well," Snape sneered.

Harry rolled his eyes and was about to give a retort, when Emerson lifted a warning hand and groaned "Lads!"

Harry swallowed back whatever he was about to say and let go of Snape's hand. The older wizard turned around, robes flaring as always and with two steps he was already at the door.

"Wait!" Harry cried after him. His gaze shifted from Snape to Georgie, then to Emerson, then back on Snape. He rubbed his forehead than looked up with a pained expression.

"What?" Snape barked irritated.

"Look at yourself," Harry sighed and Severus' black eyes turned from Harry onto his own body. Then he snapped it back at Potter, revelation clear on his face. Harry just nodded, laughing anguished.

"Dear lord," Snape groaned, "this will be one crazy long day." With that he was out of the door.

Emerson looked from the spot Snape had been standing to Harry, than back at the spot. "What was this about?"

"Most of us are wearing robes," Harry stated.

Both gentlemen looked down on themselves, one was wearing blue the other black robes. Half of the town walked around in similar outfits. "Good Gracious, I better go and warn the town."

"Leave it to me," Harry offered. "You go home and change. You too, Georgie. If I am to run this pub as a muggle one while they're here... I'm going to need more people helping out."

o.O.o

Harry had sent out a patronus with a message for everyone to pay extra attention to details, specially clothing. He only hoped the town folks would do better than the people at the Quidditch World Cup. He didn't want to see anyone in nightgowns and such.

Harry tried consciously to avoid doing things with magic, or at least pay attention to all the magic he was using. He realized just how dependant he became of it over the years. Setting the fire in the room, making the bed, heating the water – usually these were just a flick of a wand, now he had to do them all manually so if he ever needed to do it in front of the muggles he wouldn't make it obvious that it was his first try.

It took the Macready boy and his friends about a half an hour to steer the muggles to the Sleeping Doe. Harry waited for them at the door and was happy to see that the wizard boys were all dressed in muggle clothing, simple shorts and t-shirt as it was rather a nice morning outside now.

"Welcome," Harry said with a smile, holding out a hand towards the unknown man. "Harry Potter. This is my pub. I prepared a room for you upstairs. Someone will be here shortly, with some medicine if any of you are injured."

"Thank you so much, Mr Potter. I'm Peter Addams. This is my wife, Caroline and my children, Noah and Edith. I think her arm is broken and Carol has some bruises too. Noah seems okay."

"And you're head is bleeding," said Roy Macready.

"Alright," Harry motioned them upstairs, "I'll take you to your room, Roy, please go and fetch Snape for me."

"No need," said deep tone from the door. "I brought the medicine; let's go upstairs so you all can lie down."

"Are you a doctor?" Addams asked eyeing the lanky man.

"No, Mr Addams. I am a ... chemist. The nearest doctor lives two hours away."

"Oh, alright Mr... ?"

"How about we do the introduction later, after I had a chance to check your daughter's arm, your wife's bruises and your head?" Snape snapped, ushering the muggles towards the upper levels. Harry couldn't help but smile as he led the way.

The room was old but clean and brightly lit. Two king sized beds were in the middle, there was a small bathroom to the left and a huge fireplace at the right wall. The children were laid down on the one closer to the fire while the wife sat on the other as Snape examined Edith.

Meanwhile Mr Addams turned to Harry. "Mr Potter, I'm sorry but I-I think I left my wallet in the car." The man stuttered, hands searching his pocket but his eyes kept returning to his wife and kids.

Only then did Harry realize he didn't have a single penny in the pub. He hadn't need it once since he became the owner and he was pretty sure George didn't even know what muggle money was called.

"Oh, uhm... never mind, Mr Addams. You stay here as long as you wish. With the accident and all... I really wouldn't feel okay asking you to pay. I'm just happy I could help," Harry smiled reassuringly. He caught Snape's eye roll, but luckily no one else did.

Snape smeared some salve around the bruises while murmuring about "traditional medicines" and "going back to the roots". Caroline seemed alarmed the first moment when the smelly healing salve touched her skin, but soon the pain ebbed away and she relaxed, smiling at her husband.

Severus quickly applied his best remedial potions on Peter as well, then turned towards Edith. The little girl didn't seem to be in pain though her thin arm was twice its size. He carefully held it in his hands and drew his fingers over the bone. He didn't need the knowledge of a healer to feel the break in the ulna. The little girl hissed and he smiled at her reassuringly. "It will be all right," he murmured, patting her blond hair, then stood and walked to Potter and motioned him with a snap of his head to follow him.

"I know nothing about muggle bone mending," he confessed when they were out of earshot.

"Lockhart knows more about muggle bone mending than any of us around here, Snape. How about a mending spell?"

"One nonverbal will not be enough, two they might notice. And she will notice, that is for sure."

"Tell them it's not broken, give the girl a Calming Draught and we cast the healing charm together."

Snape snorted. "Nonverbal, Pott-" He couldn't finished the sentence as his tongue was stuck on the roof of his mouth. He snarled wildly and Harry lifted the jinx wordlessly.

"Trust me," Harry said smiling.

"Why wouldn't I?" Snape sneered, sarcasm pouring out of him as he turned around to go back inside.

Harry caught his arm before he could though. "I mean it, Snape. Emerson was right. We both love this place. We need to work together. Can I trust you?"

Snape frowned suddenly and he seemed almost as angry as on the day Harry had arrived. He caused a thunderstorm that day, so Harry got a bit scared and stepped back letting him go.

"Have I not proven time and time again that I am trustworthy?" Snape growled like a mad dog. "Have you forgotten what I did to save your arse during the war? Better question is, Potter, can I trust you?"

Harry took a deep breath and tried to put a hand casually on Snape's shoulder but the man shrugged it away with another frown.

"Hey, sorry, you're right," Harry apologized. "And yes, you can trust me. I'll do what you say, no brash Gryffindorness."

Snape considered him for a second then nodded. "I give the sign when we cast the spell but we have to wait for the Draught to reach its full effect on her."

They were back in the room in no time and Edith swallowed the bitter potion obediently. Her parents watched her concerned but Severus' statement that it was only swollen and should heal rather fast made them slightly relaxed. They sat down on Edith and Noah's bed and spoke calmingly to the girl who seemed to hear them less and less.

Harry suddenly noticed Snape trying to catch his gaze and when he did he reached to the hem of his white shirt and Potter did the same. They both pulled out their wands while the parents' attention was focused on their daughter and casted Episkey nonverbally at the same time. Edith let out a soft sigh then fell asleep almost immediately.

One crisis averted.

Leaving the family to collect themselves, they all went downstairs, Roy, Georgie, Emerson, Severus and Harry too, about to toast on fast thinking, when George said, "We should get them out from under our roof before sundown."

They all nodded then Roy suggested, "I'll go and have a look at that blasted car. Fix it, let's be done with it."

"Do you mind if I go with you?" Mr Addams asked from the stairs. "I wouldn't mind gathering our stuff and I know a thing or two about cars as well. A bit of a fanatic, me, you see," he smiled.

"Why don't you just rest," Harry smiled back. "We'll take care of your car. I'll get your stuff myself," with that he was on the other side of the counter already, eager to help and even more eager to keep the man at the pub.

"Oh I have some rather sensitive equipment in there... hope they aren't broken," said Peter scratching his neck. "They look like rubbish, you couldn't tell which is broken and which isn't."

The wizards laughed, hoping that was the appropriate reaction.

"What is it that you do, Mr. Addams?" Snape asked carefully. The rest of the guests kept their heads down, scrapping the old wood of the table.

"Oh, after all this kind hospitality, please call me Peter," he held out a hand that Snape accepted and shook shortly as he introduced himself as well. Then Peter finally answered his question looking shy all of a sudden. "I'm...uh... I study the...uhm... supernatural. My wife likes to call me a witch hunter."

The laughter that broke out of Harry was closer to sobs. But he was the only one who laughed. The others stayed quiet.

"Excuse me?" Snape stepped back and Harry noticed that the tip of his black wand slid out slightly from his sleeve.

"Well, it's not like I ever met one," Peter laughed now awkwardly. "I study the possibilities you know, that there are other forces controlling our world not just physics. I found signs and leads here and there, but it's rather an occult science one might say."

"And one is right in that case. There is no proof of magic or anything... supernatural. Especially not in Mull. We are all rather ordinary people here." Snape lied fluently.

"Oh yes, I'm sure," Peter agreed, cooler and a bit more distant.

"C'mon on Snape," Harry said forcing a smile on his lips. "Let the man talk. I for one am interested. What do you mean by magic? Rabbit out of a hat and all that stuff? Fortune telling and... and... flying on brooms?"

"Potter, do not be daft!" Snape growled with a rather fierce look in his ink black eyes.

"Oh no, nothing of that sort," Addams shook his head. Harry noticed that his wound had completely disappeared. Damn, Snape was good. "What I'm looking for is something more... genuine, so to speak. It's rather hard to explain, actually. Something more natural than pulling a rabbit or a dove out of a hat or those silly old stories about brooms and black cats. I like to think of it as a special ability some people might possess."

"Oh," Harry said. He suddenly realized who the man resembled: Arthur Weasley. The same way as his best friend's father was a muggle fanatic, this guy here was a wizard fanatic. "And... khm... what would you do, if you came across a... wizard."

"I prefer the word mage," Peter corrected him.

"Of course you do," Snape murmured. Harry kicked him under the table but kept his eyes on Peter, looking interested.

"Oh I would ask them!" He cried enthusiastically like a seven year old boy. It seemed he didn't hear Snape's remark. "So many questions!"

"Like?" George asked quietly.

"What is magic? Where is it coming from? How is one person magical but the other not? Is it random, or does it have to do with genetics? What are the possibilities? What are the limits of one's power? Do they need something to channel their powers? A ring perhaps or a wand?"

"Okay, we get it," Emerson groaned. "You're a curious fellow."

Peter suddenly calmed down and looked around the other men with a soft smile. "Gentlemen, I know what you think. That I'm mad. And crazy. I have my reasons why I'm doing this and just because my research is frowned upon I won't stop."

"Well, lad," Georgie sighed. "I heard crazier theories. And you know what; your theory might explain why my late wifie was always so weird. Or maybe she was just as radge as you are." He shrugged and Addams laughed.

"So the car," Peter turned towards Roy. "Can we go and take a look then. I can maybe help you with the fixing."

"Hah," Roy giggled anxiously and looked around but no one could suddenly offer him help. "Uhm... sure."

"Great, thanks a lot, Roy."

"Aye. Sure," said the boy with one last desperate glance at the other wizards, before he escorted out Mr Addams.

Snape turned to Emerson and asked, "Does he know about muggle vehicles?"

"Roy?" Emerson snorted. "I doubt he can tell which one is the front part of it."

o.O.o

Not much later, Noah appeared on the stairs, slowly walking down, looking timid, slightly maybe even frightened. Harry walked to him and introduced himself. His blond hair looked ruffled, the blue eyes sleepy and tired.

"How are you doing, Noah? Any pain?"

"Where's my dad...?" asked the boy. "Mom and Edith are sleeping."

"Your dad went back to your car to see if it can be fixed." Harry told him. "So, are you hurt somewhere?"

"No," the boy answered, peaking at the other men over Harry's shoulder.

Potter obviously noticed so he turned around and introduced the others as well. They waved at the small kid who seemed even more frightened as he watched the old men with long beards and Snape wasn't really calming to look at either.

"Are you hungry, Noah?" Harry asked. "I think I have some bacon in the back. Some eggs? Hm? How does that sound?"

Noah's belly answered the question before he could. It rumbled loudly. The boy looked down then stroked it a couple of time as he said, "Yeah. That would be good."

"Why don't you sit down with Georgie and Emerson and I go and make you breakfast with Snape, okay?"

Noah went to old men and climbed up on the high chair. The first thing he spotted, that no one had noticed before was the exploding cards lying long forgotten on the counter.

"Wanna play, laddie?" Emerson asked grinning.

"Do you think that is a good idea?" Snape sneered.

"Oh you just go in the kitchen, son. We keep him entertained," Georgie smirked.

As he went into the back of the pub, Harry prayed that the card would hold on for a couple more hours before exploding. He heard the footsteps and knew Snape was following him. He turned around when he knew no one could hear them.

"What do we do?"

"I was under the impression we are about to make breakfast," Snape replied raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, we are," Harry said with two flick of his wand – one set the fire roaring the other sent the eggs to beat themselves. "I meant the car. What do we do about the car?"

"Potter, we did just agree not to use magic and now here you are using magic to make a simple omelette. What is wrong with you?"

Harry rolled his eyes and grabbed the bowl of eggs to beat them himself. He pulled out a plate of bacon from the cooled pantry and pushed it towards Snape who looked at him waiting for an explanation but not moving a muscle. "Well, you're here to help, aren't you? The bacon need to be fried."

Snape gave him a murderous glance but started putting the thinly sliced pig meat into a pan which he then held over the fire.

Harry pulled out a jar from one of the upper cabinets and pinched out some salt for the eggs. "Cheese? Do you think he likes cheese?"

"How am I supposed to know? I have known him as long as you do," answered Snape snappishly.

"So what about the car. Any idea?" Harry asked while grating some cheddar over the eggs.

"One crisis at a time, Potter." Snape replied watching the bacon sizzle. Harry added the eggs and cheese to the pan and then they waited.

"You can hardly call this a crisis. We're making breakfast."

"Knowing your potion making skills, I do have my doubts about you in the kitchen."

Harry threw some chive on top of the omelette, then shifted it off the fire, pulled the eggs and the bacon onto a plate, folded the omelette, put a tad more chive on it and held up the delicious looking plate in front of Snape.

Snape inhaled the scent of fresh bacon and licked his lips. Harry smiled. "Does this look good enough for you, professor Snape?"

"Definitely edible," Snape answered looking directly into Harry's green eyes.

Harry laughed, not understanding where the sudden blushing and this heat came from and grabbed a napkin and a fork for Noah.

He was glad to see that the cards were still in one piece when he entered the front again. Caroline joined the merry group in the meanwhile, with Edith sitting on her lap. All three of them were sitting at the counter, George and Emerson on the side bickering about something again.

"Harry," Caroline welcomed him as he put down the plate in front of Noah, "Thank you so much, you shouldn't have done this for us."

"Oh," Harry smiled at the woman, "it was our pleasure," he nodded towards Snape who just walked out as well, cleaning his long fingers with a dishcloth. "Would you like some as well, maybe? How about you, Edith? Are you hungry?"

Caroline looked at the huge pile of food and bacon on the plate and laughed, "I think one more fork will be more than enough. Noah would never eat so much, she can help out."

Harry gave Edith a fork, and she smiled timidly then dug in. Soon the kids were bickering too, mostly about the bacon.

"I would however bother you for a cup of coffee, if it's not a big problem? I feel a bit... wobbly. I asked George but..."

"Machines," George growled between two sentences to Emerson. "I'm not good with machines, lady. The lads here will help you."

Harry knew the panic was written on his face for a moment. He wasn't good with machines either. He didn't, in fact, brew coffee without magic even once. He forced a smiled though, pressed out a "Yeah, sure," and turned towards the huge silver and black mechanism, studying it, trying to recall in which order did the little thingies fly out, fly back, clean themselves, what needed to be poured where and so on.

He faintly remembered that he needed actual coffee so he pulled out the jar first from the cupboard. He then faced the steal monster again. With shaking hand he reach for a handle that he remotely remembered to see clean itself regularly, he suspected that was where the coffee went. He pulled it out and was relieved that indeed, there was used coffee in there. The next problem was a bin. He usually just vanished the litter.

Luckily, Snape was there with a bag the next moment. "The bin is out in the back. Just use this now," he said softly, given they were being observed by the muggles. Harry swallowed thickly and emptied the waste into the bag. He cleaned the small container with a rug then spooned fresh coffee into it, and then placed it back into the coffee machine. Now the water. Where the hell did the water go?

Suddenly a lean body pressed against him from behind and he felt warm, tickling breath against his ear. His heart went mad and thudded irregularly.

"The water's already in. You just have to turn it on."

"But how?" Harry pressed out between his clenched teeth. They both looked franticly for a button. Harry found it first. It was a switch not a button, big and blue. They moved the same time, pointing fingers meeting over the switch and if he didn't knew there was no actual current in the machine, Harry would have sworn they just caused a short-circuit in it, because something snapped between them like electricity.

Then Snape was two feet away, looking shaken all of a sudden. Harry kept his eyes on the machinery as it hummed and soon black coffee oozed out on the bottom.

Caroline chuckled. "There's no need for such pretences," she said in a soft, kind voice.

Everyone looked at her, except her children. Their focus was still on the food.

"We're not judgemental people," she continued, her eyes wandering from Harry to Snape and back.

Harry swallowed thickly. Did they figure it out? Was it a bit too obvious that a bartender didn't know how to handle his own machines?

"You know...?" He asked hesitantly. He could feel the tension in the wizards around him and saw from the corner of his eyes as Snape slid his wand out again.

"It was hard not to see," she laughed. "You're not very good in hiding it. And as I said, there is no need. The kids aren't bothered by it at all either. Our neighbours are a lovely gay couple too. Love is a good thing, no need to hide it."

There was a sudden, very deep silence in the pub while everyone processed what they had heard then Emerson and Georgie roared up with laughter.

Harry saw as Snape was about to raise his wand so he grabbed onto the long fingers and entwined them with his own, the wand now trapped between their joined hands. "Well..." he said smiling softly now. "I guess our secrets is out, Severus."

His ex-professor looked at him tensely, black eyes burning no doubt with anger then he leaned to Harry's ear as he muttered smiling, "I will murder you in your sleep." Then he looked at Caroline and said, "We apologize for the secrecy, Caroline. One has to be careful in this world, not everyone reacts as acceptingly as you."

"Well," Emerson said, barely able to repress his sniggering, "some people definitely have a problem accepting love."

"But not us. When it comes to our Harry and Severus we're ready accept even the impossible." Georgie snorted next to him.

Harry and Severus just paled.

o.O.o

Harry knew a bit of teasing would be in order, but what Emerson and George were doing was more than just a bit. The two old coots enjoyed this situation more than anyone in the town probably. After the kids finished with breakfast and Harry handed Caroline her coffee, Emerson put a hand on Severus' back and pushed him closer to Harry.

"No need to hide your love anymore," he said giddily.

The many murderous glances were lost on the bearded fools.

"Not used to public displays of affections, they are..." Georgie explained to Caroline with a sigh. "The relationship is quite new, you see."

"How long have you been together?" The woman asked from Harry but George answered.

"Two weeks. But I'm sure it feels like only two minutes for them lovebirds."

"Oh yes, the early period. I couldn't get my hands off my Peter during those times."

"Yes," Severus agreed reluctantly as he put his arm around Harry's waist. "It is rather hard to keep my hands off Pott- Harry."

"Not used to first names either, they are," George said in a merry tone. "There was something between them in the past, something nasty. But they don't talk about it."

"Though we're all rather curious," Emerson looked at them intrigued but smiling innocently.

Harry sighed before he said, "He was my teacher. We didn't get along well in school." He felt a pinch on his back but he went on. "I didn't trust him, but as it later turned out, he just wanted to help me during the years. I made it really hard for him, to be honest, and he didn't really like me for that. In the end, I got into so much trouble that I nearly got both of us killed. He saved me one last time, after that, he disappeared. I didn't get to apologize, I didn't get to explain, not that I knew what to say. We met again two years ago, when I moved here, too. He wasn't happy to see me."

"That would be an understatement," Snape groaned behind him.

"So what changed two weeks ago?" Caroline asked smiling at the entwined men.

"The circumstances," Harry answered. "I apologized. I told him how sorry I was that I made his life so hard. That I was sorry for not listening to him and sorry for being like my father." Harry turned aside, and looked into the black eyes. "I really am sorry," he said softly and honestly.

The eyes on him were hard and intense and almost understanding. Until Harry added with a teasing smile but not looking away, "And he said he was sorry for being an utter arse."

Snape laughed his arm around Harry's waist tightened and he tilted his head all of a sudden, leaning down and placing a soft kiss on Harry's temple. It was chaste enough to fool the muggles around, show affection, an appropriate reaction to such a confession between lovers, but it was not nearly enough for Harry. He wasn't thinking as he turned around in Snape's arms, placed a hand gently on the long neck and kissed the man full on the lips.

He knew he shouldn't.

He knew he stepped over a line; a line so thick and massive it was almost a wall.

He also knew he didn't care. He felt the tense body against his relax slightly and Snape's thin, sweet lips moved against his. In that moment, he truly forgotten about the past and started a new life. With kisses like this he could start over here in the small town of Mull. With none other than Severus Snape.

"Grumpy Gargoyles, look at that!" Emerson laughed and Harry pulled away swiftly, cheeks red as an apple, legs quivering, hands still grasping into white shirt and holding onto to long neck for staying in balance.

Crystal clear astonishment was on both of their faces. Lips still slightly apart and wet and just a bit redder and swollen, ink black and emerald green eyes wide open, both of them panting, they just stood there facing the other as if seeing him for the first time.

Then Snape cleared his throat and said as if nothing had happened, "We forgave the other and we have been together ever since."

"Lovely story," Caroline smiled. "And don't worry, you'll get used to each other in no time and then it will be all 'my darling' and 'dear' and all that nonsense."

"Oh the sulky one," Emerson pointed at Snape, "is already calling the other Pumpkin. Potter, Pumpkin, I guess there's no difference."

Harry heard the snarl that broke up from Snape's throat and he was rather tempted to swallow it with another kiss but he was too afraid that he had already taken this too far. Instead he just caressed Snape' chest before he turned his back on the man again and leaned against him, mostly to keep him back with his whole bodyweight.

"How is your lumbago, Emerson?" Snape inquired with a sarcastic tone that was only evident for Harry. "Hope you are not running out of your medicine." Emerson gave him a nasty look, but finally shut up, for which Harry was really grateful. Then Snape moved behind him, his lower body shifting against Harry's arse and the young man felt rather uncomfortable once again. "Harry, Pumpkin," said the former spy with acerbic glance towards the old fools, "may I have a word with you in the back?"

Harry followed the man into the kitchen, ready for any kind of retribution but when Snape leant against a counter he didn't seem angry in the least. "The car. Do you have any idea what we should do about it?"

Harry shook his head. He wasn't willing to admit, he completely forgot that they had a bigger problem than his confusing feelings for Severus Snape.

"We could try to switch the broken parts," the other wizard suggested then.

"Switch them?" Harry echoed with raised eyebrows. "You can't just make an engine out of thin air, Snape."

"No, not thin air. We repair the broken one. We go there, make sure no one sees us. When Peter is not watching, we take out the broken parts and put some fakes in it. We transform something to look like whatever part we might need. We fix the original parts with a Reparo and appear with them good as new. We put them back in and say a certainly tearful goodbye to the Addams'."

Harry thought for a second. It seemed too easy, but if something was to come up on the way, surely he and Snape could handle anything. "Okay. Let's go."

That moment a very loud bang sounded up in the front, as if someone had just launched a canon. They ran out and saw only smoke and dust. They heard coughing and Caroline shouting for her children. Someone cried but Harry couldn't tell if it was Noah or Edith.

"Is everyone alright?" Harry rushed there, trying to wave away the smoke and debris. Emerson was lapping at his smouldering beard, Georgie had a few bruises, while Caroline was nursing her bleeding arm. Noah's face was black with ash but he was otherwise unharmed. Edith was the one crying but it seemed not from pain. She just got surprised by the loud bang but was calming down slowly.

"We have to get them out of here," Snape said coughing too.

Harry nodded inhaling shallow breathes then started ushering wizards and muggles outside. He helped Georgie and Caroline, while Snape escorted the kids and Emerson.

"The card exploded," George whispered contritely. "I managed to shield to kids, but the mother was on the other side. I don't think they noticed anything."

"Let's take them to my place," Snape instructed and they all started walking towards the apothecary.

o.O.o

The front of the apothecary was a small place. There was just enough room for all seven of them to squeeze in before Snape opened a door and let them upstairs to his own quarters. Before the muggles could reach even his threshold he had already locked most of the doors, Harry was sure. After all, the place must have been full of potions, magical plants and all kinds of weird ingredients never to be found in the muggle world, and Severus Snape wasn't the kind of person to take risks.

This being Harry's first time in the flat as well, he looked around curiously. The sitting room wasn't much bigger than Harry's but it was a bit darker, the walls were lined with books and Harry prayed none of the kids wanted to even touch one of these heavy, no doubt dangerous volumes. The colours were mostly brown as the whole building was made out of wood and stone. The fire was roaring here as well, but the air was nice and fresh and not at all warm. All in all, Harry thought it was rather cosy here.

Snape disappeared without a word and came back with several jars in his hand. He pointed with long fingers towards the settee, pulled his hair back into a ponytail and kneeled in front of Caroline to see her wound. One of the glass shards buried itself in her white skin and Snape had to pull it out first. When she pressed her lips together and nodded firmly, Severus yanked out the sharp crystal piece that was once a wine glass.

The wound started bleeding even more and Snape quickly smeared heavy, orange coloured cream on it, then wrapped bandage around Mrs Addams whole lower arm. Harry watched as he made her drink something that smelled like a dead cat even from five feet away then left her to rest a bit.

Harry went to look for a towel and managed to find the bedroom first. It was dark in there, the heavy curtains shut out the sun. The air was cool and the bed looked soft. As he walked by it, he caressed the blanket with his fingertips. Harry watched it almost mesmerized. He could clearly see himself rolling around in those sheets with Snape. He was surprised to actually comprehend what he was fantasizing about but even more astonished by the fantasy's arousing effects on him.

There was a door to his left, and as he slowly opened it, he was relieved to see it led to the bathroom. That part of the house was much brighter with big windows that had smoky glass in them so no one would see in. There was a smaller shower in the corner and a bigger bathtub right in the middle. The tub was lined with many jars most likely Snape's own creations in them. As Harry opened one of the pots he spotted a magazine on the towels next to the bathtub. The jar with its forest smell was long forgotten when Harry took the wizard magazine in his hands, sat down onto the edge of the tub and paged into it.

Naked, male wizards winked back at him, smiled at him teasingly, licked cocks while looking directly into the camera, groaned in clear ecstasy as a huge dick slid smoothly in their arse. Just the thought that at one point in time Snape was in this room, naked, taking a hot bath while reading this magazine and holding his own cock in his hand, slowly stroking himself with those long fingers until he came grunting, made Harry harder than any wizard in the magazine could.

"Found what you are looking for, Pumpkin?" Came the silky voice from the door.

Harry looked up at the man, somehow not feeling embarrassed for being caught doing and thinking something he certainly wasn't allowed to. He stood up and held up the magazine. "This explains why you didn't freak out completely when I kissed you a while ago," he said calmly. "Where do you keep the clean towels?" He asked then with the same tone.

"Under the sink," came the reply just as calmly. Harry walked there and placed the magazine on the edge of the basin, while he fished out a fresh towel to clean Noah's ash covered face. He wetted it, watching Snape in the mirror. The older wizard still didn't move from the doorway.

Harry turned around and strolled there evenly though his heart was thundering against his ribcage. "Thanks," he said with a smile just as he was about to slip out next to the man. For a second, he truly believed that he would get away unharmed but when was it ever that simple with Snape.

Severus pushed him against the doorframe and thrust his tongue into his mouth at the same time he pressed his thigh between Harry's legs and directly against his hard cock. Harry moaned not knowing what made him do so: the ardent kiss, the wild teeth biting his lower lip, the strong hand grabbing into his hair, the muscled leg that rubbed against his erection or all of these together. He just moaned and arched away from the frame, pressing his lower part closer to Snape.

"It's just good old me, lads. No need for any convincing," Georgie said somewhere in the bedroom. "Unless of course... you two need to be convinced about something."

Snape pulled away with his mouth as he answered, "We will be right there, George." His leg however remained where it was. He leant to Harry's ear. "And this," he whispered as he thrust his thigh against Harry's cock firmly one more time, "I assume explains why you kissed me in the first place."

The days, when Harry let Snape tease him were long behind them. "It could be just the magazine," Harry said, pushing Snape away and finally walking past him. "I thought you're the kind who doesn't assume but likes to be certain."

"Oh, Pumpkin, I am," Severus replied in a low tone, just before they returned to the others.

By the time the clock chimed one o'clock, everyone was bandaged and clean again. Harry was sure, Caroline was already healed under the straps but he didn't want to call any attention to that. She had a very deep cut that generally took weeks to heal. She was up for a big surprise when she would finally get home and try to change the dressing on the injury just to see, there was no sign of it.

Edith was at the moment busy with a book she found about gruesome medieval deaths, while Noah was sniggering as he braided the two old fool's long grey hair and beard. Or at least what remained of them after the cards had exploded.

Harry knew Snape wouldn't let the coots here with the Addams family unattended, so they had to come up with something that would get the muggles out of the apothecary and Harry and Severus somehow nearer to the car. Harry was feeling more and more anxious that there were no news about Roy, Peter or the fixing. What if some of Mr Addams' equipments were actually working? What if his sensors signalled magic? What if he was already questioning Roy about the theory of magic? He wanted to get there as fast as possible, but he was afraid that if they acted foolishly, the whole family might want to go with them.

Snape must have been thinking about the same.

"Emerson," Severus said with a meaningful look. "Why don't you take Mrs Addams and the children for a walk in this nice weather, show them our lovely town perhaps?"

Emerson and Georgie nodded clambering up from their chairs, both groaning as their backs cracked.

"Where are you going?" Edith asked pulling on Snape's leg. She seemed to grow a fond attachment to the man with the gruesome books.

"Back to the pub," Severus said, ready with the next lie. "We need to check what happened. And tidy up a bit."

She considered the answer then nodded seriously as if giving permission. Snape raised an eyebrow and she giggled then grabbed her brother's arm, ready for the tour. They said goodbye in front of the apothecary, the old wizards and the muggle family going right, while Severus and Harry headed left.

o.O.o

The sun had come out from behind the clouds a long while ago and the day was rather hot again. Snape tucked up his sleeves, revealing a leather wand holster around his lower arm. He quickly unbuckled it and vanished it, before he put his right leg up on a bigger rock and slipped his wand into his boot, folding the bottom of his black jeans back over it.

Harry didn't fail to notice how tight the pants were on the round arse. He felt like slapping it, just to see how it would feel. He was sure he would come out of that stunt with a broken hand so he just walked past Snape and waited until the man caught up with him again.

When they were close to Leonora's mill, Harry casted a Disillusionment charm on them and they continued towards the smoking wreck not far from them. Peter was chiding Roy over something, but Harry couldn't hear what. He could imagine though, it being about a car and mechanic related wisdom.

The Addams' baggage was ten feet away from the car. The luggage was neatly packed into one pile, while the other pile was mostly unrecognizable scraps. At first Harry thought these were the rubbish from the crush but then a low beep-beep-beep noise caught his ears. As he walked closer the beeping became louder and more frequent. When he stood right next to the big heap it turned into a continuous high pitched buzzing.

Snape dragged him away quickly.

"Witch hunter," he muttered then and Harry realized that must have been the magic sensing equipment Peter had mentioned. And it was still beeping like a maniac, loud enough that Peter heard it too and turned confused towards the pile.

Harry and Severus had to back away at least twenty feet so that the beeping would return to a barely audible one, but even so, it didn't stop. Harry suspected it was because Mull hummed with low and ancient magical currents.

"It is because of you," Snape stated and Harry frowned at him. Only when there was no response to the annoyed face he had pulled, did he realize that Snape didn't in fact see him.

"I know you're under the delusion that if anything goes wrong, it's my fault. But that's not always the case."

"It certainly is now," said Snape calmly. "It does not give a sound when it is Roy around it, though he is a wizard. It reacts to you. You seem to have a habit of irritating things and people, it would seem."

"And what did I do this time to irritate a thing that has never met me before," Harry snapped.

"Your existence, for starters does irritate a lot of us," stated Snape. Harry found it rather hard to be angry at a man he couldn't see but he tried none the less. "You are a very magical being."

"That... does not sound like an insult." Harry said hesitantly. "That was almost like a compliment."

"It was not an insult, Potter, nor a compliment. I simply stated the truth."

"So..." Harry smirked, knowing Snape wouldn't see. "You think I'm magical."

He almost heard the eye roll that came as a reply before Snape said, "You are one of the most powerful wizards in the country, Potter. We cannot go near the car, because that thing will alert Peter and he will investigate his mystic mage, or whatever nonsense that object is sensing."

Harry thought for a second and finally a plan started to form in his mind. "We'll do just that."

"Oh it is clear now. You are mad," Snape huffed. "Did you forget we do not want Peter or his lovely family to find the magic? Even if we obliviate him, I am in hiding here, Potter. I do not want Ministry Officials around this place."

"Neither do I," Harry grinned. "And they won't come if we do this right. Here's the plan. I'll be the bait, while you and Roy fix the car. I let that thing angrily beep-beep-beep at me, Peter notices and starts looking for the magic. Leonora has a very old, huge apple tree in her garden, surrounded with old huge stones, looking almost like..."

Harry waited for Snape to finish it, which he did within a second. Harry could hear the man was smiling. "An ancient, sacred Celtic spot."

"Exactly," Harry went on. "While I'm away with Peter, you and Roy can fix up the car. Make sure you leave some parts damaged, and let him see you actually work on it for a moment or two. Just to make it a bit believable. I know it's risky. But it's either this or we take them in the next town, let them call someone who can actually fix it, and whoever knows how long that would take. I'm pretty sure it won't take minutes, though."

"Days possibly" Snape agreed sounding horrified. "Perhaps even a week."

They both shuddered. "Alright, Snape. Let's get to it."

Harry heard for a few more seconds as Snape walked fast through the high grass. He waited a bit more, giving the man time to get nearer to the crash site. As he stood idly the angry beeping suddenly got to him, quieter than when both of them were around, but still signalling where Snape was. He saw Peter look up again, wrinkling his eyebrows, but then the weird machine quieted again.

Harry started walking towards it. When he was in its ten foot radius again, the annoying sound started up once more. Harry walked closer looking at the thing condescendingly. "You want me?" He taunted and the beep-beep-beep became frantic all of a sudden. "Then come and get me." The sensor was now buzzing too as Harry stood right next to. It reminded Potter of his Sneakoscope. As he squatted next to it and stretched out a hand to poke the maddening sensor the tooting went so high pitched, he could barely hear it anymore and the metal thing started smoking.

Peter finally broke into a run to get to the machine as fast as possible. Harry backed off grinning from ear to ear. "Let the game begin," he whispered, slowly and quietly backing away.

Peter fished out the annoying thing from the pile and held it up. It looked like a brick made out of metal, with a blinking red light on top, and a long antenna like rod standing out of it. Harry had no idea how it made the irritating beep-beep-beep, but right now, he was rather happy it did.

He had to move slowly; the disillusionment charm only reflected the area around him, and Peter could still spot him or rather the disturbance in the scenery. Harry hoped the beeping would be distracting enough.

As he moved away from the car and Peter slowly shifted through the high grass, almost unconsciously as if being dragged by an invisible thread, Harry gave one last look over his shoulder and saw Snape spell himself visible again. The tall man started explaining something to Roy, who nodded enthusiastically, then looked towards Peter, gaped for a moment, then looked back at Snape and pulled out his wand. With that, the two wizards started working on the car.

Harry grinned and made sure to lure Peter away on a rather wibbly-wobbly road towards the back of Leonora's place. Peter climbed rocks and almost fell over in bigger tussocks as his eyes were mostly on the little red light and his attention on the beeping that drove Harry mad. They fought their way through heavy bushes and Peter fell onto his knees when Harry took him in a smaller brooklet that ran about thirty feet from the mill. Once it had been a bigger river that propelled the mill, but for hundreds of years, there wasn't any need for water as there was magic and so the owner of the estate let it slowly dry out.

"Oh hogswallop," Peter said, brushing mud off his kneecaps and Harry almost laughed imagining Caroline looking reproachfully at her husband for occasionally swearing in front of the children, who then started using words like this, just to the calm his wife. Blessed married life, Harry thought for a second.

Peter was back on track and his sensor covered in mud but still frantically beeping followed Harry's trail like a hound. A twig snapped under Harry's feet and Addams looked up, expecting to see his magic creature. He stared through Harry though he was only five feet away.

"I don't want to harm you," Peter said suddenly. "I just need to know if you exist. To make sure... Not to study... or to... experiment... and I wouldn't tell anyone." His voice seemed sad and desperate and Harry frowned, wondering for a moment about the tale behind the man's obsession.

Brown eyes roamed the backyard of the estate, searching for clues then Peter spotted the ruins and the old apple tree with its bent, twisted and scourged trunk. He started walking towards there slowly, the beeping machine forgotten in his hand. He didn't even perceive that the sound slowed down when he got further away from Harry, but the young man noticed so he rushed along the muggle, who started at the bare tree mesmerized. Though it was summer the apple tree was long dead and therefore stood naked in the midst of the vivid green. Solemn and lonely.

Peter touched the stones softly, fingers skimming it as if he tried to feel the vibration of the magic. He seemed almost lost to Harry, so keen to find some evidence. Harry had never felt so sorry about having to keep his magic a secret from the muggles. He wondered how they would react if they knew. He was sure people like Peter would be relieved and would accept them without any problem; magic after all was part of their world. But there would be some, as there had been in the earlier times, who would never understand magic and the Wizarding World, who would try to enslave the wonders, bend them to fit into their own little world and kill those who weren't willing to accept the new order. He knew the Ministry would go to any length to prevent muggles to know of the wizard kind and Harry felt immensely sorry for Peter for never having the chance of understanding and certainty.

He wanted to do something, but revealing himself would be almost suicide. He watched the man standing humbly under the huge apple tree, looking at long lost signs of witches he had been searching for years more likely.

Harry didn't know what possessed him when he sneaked behind the tree and pulled his wand. He touched the tip to the bumpy trunk. The annoying beep-beep-beep voice escalated even more, the machinery whizzed and buzzed madly, making Peter look up then suddenly it went quiet with a last dying whoosh.

But Peter had forgotten about it already. He was watching as one of the branches of the old tree groaned heavily as it reached towards him. Tiny green sprouts grew out of the twigs and thrived into lush leaves. On the very tip of the old, burnt branch a tiny pink bud developed then it grew bigger and bigger before it blossomed into a flower. Its pure white petals were as big as a butterfly's wings. Then it flourished even more, opening up completely and stayed that way for a moment before it started shrivelling. Where the blossom had been, a tiny green apple formed and slowly started swelling. It became bigger and bigger until it could barely fit into Harry's palm. A ray of sunshine struck it as the leaves moved and its pale green colour deepened to yellow then turned into a rich, deep red.

Peter reached out, unsure and completely in awe and plucked the fruit. The branch croaked as it moved back to it its original state; the leaves started turning yellow then red, the slowly fluttered down, now dusty brown and black. Some evaporated before they touched the green grass, some landed and the ground embraced them.

Harry watched the man, his wand at the ready, wondering what now? Would he have to obliviate him? But Peter smiled brightly at the apple, then leant against to old trunk with his back.

"Thank you... thank you... thank you..." he muttered as he slid down onto the ground slowly. At first Harry thought he was laughing and although he was smiling, the sound Harry believed to be chuckles were sobs in fact.

Harry watched astounded more than ever as Peter Addams cried from happiness, holding that one red apple close to his heart, voicing his gratefulness in a hushed, broken tone. Harry knew he shouldn't have done this, showing magic to a muggle was a serious crime, yet he knew he shouldn't be afraid of Peter. This man was good and he would never betray this knowledge.

He left the man there and walked slowly back to Snape, deep in his thoughts.

o.O.o

Harry sat next to Snape, picking single blades of grass and tearing them apart one by one. Snape watched him for a while, then got bored and lay back, enjoying the warm sunshine on his face. Harry slapped the man's thigh when he spotted Peter coming out from next to the mill. He was still carrying the smoking sensor in one hand and the red apple in the other.

"Roy, he is approaching," Severus said to the third wizard, who started working on the car right away. It was perfectly working again already, though looked rather tattered. They agreed to leave it like that, it was enough that it was driveable. Even now, Harry hoped no one would ask about the completely fixed engine that was previously almost in two parts.

Roy shouted at the man enthusiastically even though he was still several feet away. "I think I got it!"

The sun glimmered on Peter's balding head as he reached them. He still seemed slightly disoriented, though Harry wasn't surprised. It took him a while to get used to the fact that magic was real. He imagined hearing it at forty didn't make it any easier to accept.

"You want to turn it on?" Roy asked, pointing towards something on the back seat.

Peter didn't seem to notice the mishap, nor Snape's frown, but sat on the driver's seat none the less. "Have you seen my wife and the children?" He asked turning the key.

The engine hummed and everyone let out a long exhale. Peter just got out and looked towards Mull as if hoping to spot Caroline somewhere.

"They went for a walk. We can look for them. I think all's done here, right? I don't think we can do anything else on it. You'll need a proper mechanic for that."

"Yeah, yeah..." murmured the man. "Let's go look for them." He smiled down at the apple and climbed out, turning expectantly towards the three wizards.

"You two go ahead," Snape said then, "I would like to have a word with Harry."

"Harry?" Roy snorted. "Since whe-"

"Now, please, Roy," Snape cut in swiftly. Though Peter wasn't actually aware of the lie about them being together if Caroline even mentions it to him, it might look suspicious. It was easier to explain it to the town, anyway.

Roy grinned but motioned to Peter to follow him back to Mull.

"What did you do to him?" Snape asked as the other two got out of hearing range. "He threw out his machine like it would be some kind of rubbish. It was important to him. Did you Confound him?"

"No," Harry answered shyly. Could he trust Snape with this? Would he understand? He knew Snape would see through any lie he might come up with but he could keep it a secret. The black eyes watched him intently but there was no anger in the endless gaze, which in the end, made Harry speak. "You should have seen him. He was so humble when he thought something might be there. He was completely in awe when he saw the tree. He earnestly believed it was a magical place... there was no malevolence in him, he just wanted answers."

"You talked to him," Snape stated coldly but Harry shook his head.

"I made the tree give him an apple, that was all. He didn't see me but I watched him, Snape. He... cried of happiness. He didn't harm the tree, he didn't look for anything else. Seeing the magic was enough for him. He won't be searching anymore. I don't know why he was doing this, but it's over and he won't talk about it to anyone, I know that. I don't know why, but I know that."

"You are mad, Potter. There is a reason why Muggles are not allowed to see magic. It corrupts them. They will want to get it for themselves."

"Magic is power Snape, and it can corrupt wizards too," Harry reasoned though. "You know well enough even the best can be corrupted by the promise of more power, but there are people, people like me who don't care about that."

"What makes you think Peter is like that? That he will not come back with a group of other muggles and more of those sensors? It worked, Potter. That thing was working, it signalled magic. Do you know what kind of trouble our world would get into if muggles could find our magically hidden places? Just think about the platform, Diagon Alley, the Ministry! These are all in plain sight, in the middle of London."

"That thing is broken, Snape. When I used magic it went bonkers. It's worthless now and I swear Peter won't rebuild it. I swear, please believe me. Please, trust me," begged Harry.

"Trust, Potter? Do you not think this is the worst time to ask for my trust? I can lose my home over this. I told you, if the Ministry comes here, I will need to leave. If I trust you with this and you mess it up for me, I will lose everything I have built in the previous years because of you."

"Trust me," repeated Harry taking Snape's wrist. "He's a good man. I don't know what drove him, but he won't be any more trouble, I promise. And if the Ministry ever comes here, I'll help you, I'll draw them away, even if it means, I can never come back. You have to stay here, these people count on you," he finished passionately.

Harry stroked the slim wrist with his thumb while resolutely staring into the black eyes. He didn't look away, not even when Snape stepped closer. "And I count on you to keep serving me beer and those famous fish and chips of yours every Friday evening. So you better value my trust, Harry."

It didn't escape Harry that Snape used his first name. It was the first time, when they weren't under any pretence, when it was just the two of them.

"I do value it, Severus," he smiled softly.

Snape nodded then pulled his hand back from Harry's. "Shall we then... Pumpkin?" He motioned towards the town.

"So you like my fish and chips?" Harry asked feeling giddy as they walked down on the small hill.

"One of my weaknesses, I am afraid. The other is your treacle tart," Severus confessed.

"Come over tonight, after the muggles are gone and I'll make you some," said Harry, his heart fluttering all of a sudden.

"I could never resist a good dessert," Snape answer with a smouldering side glace.

There was a loud crack right in front of them and suddenly Emerson stood in there. He eyed them both suspiciously for a moment then shook himself and said, "There's trouble."

Harry groaned, "What now?"

"They are at the lake. They want to swim. Blasted sun. It was supposed to be a rainy day," the old man grumbled looking at the slightly cloudy sky. "Joe and Clyde are itching to get the nets up, but they can't pull them out without magic. The trout will go away."

"Who cares about the trout," Harry cried tearing at his own hair. "We're talking about the lake full of merpeople and Grindylows!"

"Who cares about the merpeople and the Grindylows," Severus cried. "The bloody dragons go there to drink!"

The three wizards looked at each other, horrified for a moment.

o.O.o

"Get Daisy and the kids a couple of sheep to play with," Snape directed Emerson as they apparated behind a group of trees near the lake. "Keep them occupied. Do not let them out of the forest! We will go and talk to the merpeople."

"Why do I have to go? You go and make four tons of impenetrable scales and spikes with burning acid comin' out of its gob sit still!" Emerson argued back. "I'm an old man, laddie."

"Do you speak Mermish?" Snape asked looking at the man.

"Nay," came the answer.

"Then there is your answer to why you go to Daisy. Take Leonora and Patty with you. The children love them."

The old man disappeared with a pop and took his rumblings with him as well.

Harry turned to Snape, "Do you speak Mermish?"

"As it happens, yes I do. Being Albus' right hand for twenty years rubs off on you, it would seem."

Harry and Severus jogged towards the lake as Harry said lightly, "So, you're gay, have been liking my fish and chips for two years, you're an avid fan of my treacle tart and you speak Mermish. Anything else I should know?"

"And I very much enjoy- fuck!" Snape cried, all of a sudden running faster.

Harry on the other hand almost fell over. "You enjoy a fuck?" he asked back as Snape grabbed his arm and hauled him forwards.

"No! I mean, yes." Snape was stuttering. "Oh for the love of Salazar, look ahead of you, Potter!"

Harry did look and saw as Edith and Noah was running into the lake both in shirts and underwear, giggling and squirting water at each other.

"Fuck," Harry groaned. They were late. Things, many of them, were already stirring the water in the middle of the lake.

"Now, that is what I meant," Snape sighed as he broke into running again. Harry followed him then the man spoke again, this time, smirking. "Change of plan, Potter. Are you up for a swim?"

They got rid of their shirts while sprinting, pulled out their wands and kicked off their boots and shoes as well. They dashed into the water on the eastern part while the kids and Caroline were on the southern edge of the lake. Before they ducked under the water, both of them cast a Bubblehead charm.

It'd been ages since Harry went underwater like this. He followed Snape as they swam fast towards the middle of the endless deep lake. The water was brownish but clear in front of them. They could spot the myriads of fishes that avoided them with a sharp turn, the sunlight still strong enough down here to cast sparks on their shiny scales. The water was nice and cool on Harry's skin, his heavy jeans uncomfortable as they stuck to his legs but he kept pushing forward. Snape dictated a rapid pace.

They had barely reached the middle of the lake when two merpeople showed up right in front of them. Their spears were long and looked very sharp as they threatened Severus and Harry with them.

"We came to ask for your help," Snape said tucking his wand away, holding up both his hands. Harry did the same and showed his empty hands.

"What do you need?" Asked one of the mermen.

"Grindylows, a group of them. We only ask you to keep them and all the other dangerous creatures to the northern part of the lake. Muggles are swimming here. Children."

The merpeople hissed angrily. "We thought you do not allow the magicless here."

"We don't," Harry answered. "Their transportation went wrong and they cannot go away. But they will be gone from the lake soon. If you help us."

The weird creatures ducked their heads together and spoke fast. Harry and Severus shared a look, not understanding a word.

"We help you. But we have a condition."

"Name it," Snape said.

"Follow us," The merpeople said together and turned, swimming away with the wizards on their fins.

They were lead to the western part of the lake and by the time they reached it, Harry felt the muscles in his arms and shoulders and thighs sore and burning. He would be sweating hard were he not in the water but he was still panting. Luckily, the Bubblehead charm was still holding on.

The mermen motioned towards a dark blotch far away as they said, "We can not go closer. Make it disappear and the magicless will be out of harm's way as long as they are in our waters."

Harry swam closer, pulling out his wand and felt suddenly very naked without any protective layer. The dark substance felt offensive and harmful around him, though there were no actual marks. It was thick, pitch black and Harry could see dead creatures and fishes trapped in it among the many debris and old nets and other weird, unknowable things deeper than they could see.

It felt like a tumour in the lake's fresh water.

Harry pushed himself to the edge of the material. Even though he was breathing clean air, it felt heavy and polluted all of a sudden. He could barely suck in air as he held out his wand and touched it to the black miasma to siphon it like spilled pumpkin juice. Snape joined him, holding one arm in front of his mouth as if that could shield him from the smell of death.

It was a slow work as they had to swim away for a fast break every minute or too. The pressure, the darkness, the bad sensation that tingled in them when they were close to the substance was pure toxic to them. Soon Harry could feel himself move slower and slower though his muscles didn't burn anymore. The thick blackness got to his skin and darkened it, made his limbs feel heavy as if the mysterious stuff had weighted tons even in the water.

As they made progress the murk let go of the dead carcasses which drifted towards the bottom of the lake to finally attain eternal peace. Harry felt physically sick by the time they reached a point when the blotch became so small he could see Snape on the other side. The other man was pale too, paler than ever. The wand trembled in his hand and his dark eyes lost their glimmer.

The second he felt the heavy, hurtful aura disappear he pushed away from the spot where the substance had been and rubbed frantically at his skin, trying to get it off from there, too. It was slippery and no matter how hard he tried, it wasn't working. He looked around and spotted the mermen swimming towards him.

"You have done a great service to us. This darkness had been tainting our world like cancer. We will protect the magicless." One of them, slightly older than the one who spoke first, pushed some weird green plant in Harry's hand and with that they whirled away in the brown water, hopefully to rally the others.

Harry looked at the plant in his hand. It was like seaweed, dark green but more rough to the touch. He rubbed it against his skin and was relieved when he felt heavy dark fluid being scrubbed away. He pushed himself towards Snape, and though he felt like he weighed as much as a boulder, the thought that in a second this toxic stuff would be off him gave him strength.

He found Severus toiling with the miasma on his skin, desperate to get it off from himself, too. Harry touched his shoulder and showed him the plant with a smile. Then he brushed it across Snape's arm.

Severus let out an audible moan under the water.

Harry pushed his wand into the older wizard's hand as he swept the plant firmly over his shoulder, pushing him accidentally down a foot or so. Deciding on a different approach, he drew his legs around Snape's waist, grabbed into his already unsoiled shoulder and started cleaning the man systematically. He started with the long neck, and then went down onto the slightly hairy chest. Severus gasped again then took a deep breath, finally able to do so. Harry smiled softly and moved to clean the other shoulder and arm too.

When he was done with that, he looked at Snape. The wizard was watching him avidly. He reached between their bodies and unbuckled his belt. Harry's eyes widened, excitement taking over the dullness caused by the darkness only for a second, then he realized, Snape' jeans must be soaked in that stuff just as much as his skin was. He pushed himself away from the man and looked down on him as Snape unbuttoned and unzipped his pants and then pushed them down. Feeling his own jeans slippery as well, he did the same.

Severus was hovering upside-down almost naked in the middle of a lake, his legs reaching towards the sky several feet above them. His hair floated around his head eerily, as if time had slowed down around him. He brandished both their jeans, sent them probably where the shirt and boots were then looked expectantly back at Harry.

Harry grabbed an ankle and pulled Severus up, who came with a content smile on his face, all but laughing, sliding smoothly against Harry's body. The younger wizard hooked his legs around Snape's thighs this time, continuing the cleaning. Chest, sides, belly, he made them all spotless. He tilted his head a bit as his hand with the green plant followed a heavier hairline downwards. His thumb managed to sneak under the waistband of the dark blue, tight boxers but then long fingers stopped him.

He shrugged and slid lower on Snape's legs until he could reach the thighs. He cleaned those too, caressing one firmly with the plant, while the other with bare hands. Snape tossed his head back, his long black hair floating around his face like spilled ink. He looked gorgeous.

Harry slipped even lower. He hugged a long leg to himself, while cleaning the foot. He was surprised when Snape jerked suddenly, then he realized the man was ticklish. He ran his hand over the bottom part once more, and this time Snape instinctively kicked. Harry had never seen anything so amusing. He grinned up at the former spy smugly, which earned another kick, softer but this time directed right at Harry.

Harry pushed against the water and skated back up but this time on Severus' back. That was the only part that still needed to be cleaned. He hooked his legs back around Snape's waist. He looked like he was sitting on the older wizard as the surface ran parallel with the older wizard, but they were still both weightlessly drifting in the velvety, cool water. He drew the plant over Snape's spine and the man arched back. As he cleaned the white skin, Harry buried his head into the black mane that glided enticingly around him. The strands caressed him, soft as silk; it was amazing. When Harry removed the last of the dark material he felt Snape's body tense for a moment then suddenly relax. Severus didn't have a bed to grasp into, so he clawed at Harry's thighs instead, who in return tightened the grip around his hips.

Snape still managed to slide out of his hold and even steal the plant. He manoeuvred behind Harry and handed him the wands; it seemed he worked in reverse. Harry didn't move, he spread his arms for easier access and relaxed under Severus skilful touch. He closed his eyes as he felt the first strokes of rough weed on his skin. Every stroke lightened his body; it was like cooling balm to an itching spot. He didn't even realize how stiff he felt until Severs got all of the stuff off his back. He breathed deeply and though it was still harder, it was much better than before. Then came his legs, shins first then the sides, back and front, then his inner thighs.

Harry groaned, his hands fisting. He didn't know where he was. He was nowhere and everywhere at the same time. The pressure of the twenty feet high wall of water hummed in his ears, his eyes were still closed, and he didn't know where was up, where was down, which way was fresh air and where waited eternal darkness. There was only his body being lighter and lighter and of course, the hand that stroked him, the other body that slid against him: Severus Snape.

He felt the tickling of the smooth hair first, then a face pressed to him and an arm went around his back, legs entangled with his. Severus slid the plant on his arms first, brushing them clean. Harry felt strong again, the hair on his arms danced with the water, drifted with the currents like Snape's long curls. Then came his belly; Snape moved up on the dark treasure trail until he reached Harry's navel. He drew a circle there, then turned to the sides, right first, then the left, up until he reach the armpits then back again.

A fervent groan broke out of Harry when Severus slid his hand over his chest, up to the left side of his neck then down, up again, cleaning the right side, brushing away the last of the dark material. Harry felt lightheaded, he felt the blood pump through his veins, refill his whole body, he felt the coolness of the other body, he felt the fingers in his hair, he felt everything. It was like his senses had been dampened and now he could finally feel again. He felt energized and renewed, full of vigour.

In this awakening, it took him a moment to realize, that though the hand wasn't moving anymore, Snape was still holding him firmly against his body. Hand resting over Harry waist, forehead pressed against his temple, Snape waited for him the come around.

He recognized the buzzing in his system as something close to an orgasm, yet more elemental and sensual. When he finally turned towards Snape and looked into the black eyes, he knew the other man felt the sensation too.

Snape let him go and pointed a finger towards their feet; that was up. They turned around and started pushing towards the surface. They had no idea where in the great lake they had drifted so they needed to go up for directions.

Harry didn't talk, not being sure what the underwater equivalent of a pillow talk was.

o.O.o

They came out of the lake relatively close to their clothes. Harry all but climbed out on all fours, suddenly drained of all the energy he felt down below. The second he didn't feel the water surround his body, he was convinced he weighed tons. He dragged himself onto shore like a shipwrecked sailor and definitely staggered around like one. Snape wasn't in any better state either.

After they summoned clean and dry jeans and wand holsters, they pulled on their shoes and dressed again, leaving the shirts hanging open. They could hear the children's laughter even from this distance and other jolly shouts wafted towards them in the wind, too. They turned towards the small crowd at the edge of the lake and started off with heavy limbs.

The kids were running in the shallow water, giggling madly as their father chased them barefoot, the bottom of his pants wet and a bit muddy. George watched them sitting on an old rock, while Caroline was swimming over the deeper parts. No Grindylows, no merpeople around. Some of the other town folks came out too, no doubt the laughter drew them out. There weren't many little children in Mull. They settled a little further away, some hanging their feet in the water, some just watching the new folks.

Harry waved at Peter, who greeted him as well then crashed in the shadow of an oak. He heard the thud of another body falling to the ground too; Snape's arm rested against his. It was suddenly really peaceful.

His stomach made a load rumble and Severus snorted next to him. "Have you eaten anything today?"

"Does a mug of coffee count?" Harry groaned.

"No."

"Then no."

"It's not much," said a voice above them. "But I'm happy to give it you."

"Peter!" Harry exclaimed, sitting up, watching the big red apple that was held out for him.

"Take it, Harry. I owe you and this town a lot," the man smiled. Harry hesitated but Peter nudged the apple closer. "Don't make me throw it at you."

Harry laughed finally and took it, "Thank you, Peter." He watched the lush red fruit, which was born from his own magic. "Wait, do you happen to have a knife on you?"

"Yes, there should be... Here it is," Peter said and Harry took that as well. He cut the apple in seven parts kept two and gave the rest back to Addams. The muggle grinned as he turned around. "You're a good man, Harry."

Harry gave the other piece to Severus and lay back down, placing a hand under his head. "It's really sweet," he mused after he bit into the apple. It was crispy and juicy, wetting his lips.

Severus inspected the apple between his fingers for a moment, and then bit off a tad bit from the very tip. Harry watched the smile grow on his lips as he chewed it.

As Harry swallowed the rest of his piece, Severus leaned up on his elbow. "It is remarkable," he said in a low voice. "But I am not all that hungry." He bit the apple between his teeth and bent over Harry, holding it out for him. Harry lifted his head, his mouth open and took the gift, sinking his teeth into fresh flesh, stroking his lips against another's. Severus licked off the juice that gushed out then drew back with a soft sigh. "I'm rather just thirsty."

Harry chewed fast and swallowed even faster just so he could say, "There's more where that came from," but the words got struck on his throat. He heard the distinctive sound of apparition coming from right behind them and knew who it would be before Emerson stepped out.

"The dragons!" He whispered hysterically.

"What?" Harry cried feeling rather desperate himself as well now.

"Hush!" Snape growled at him, standing up, buttoning his shirt.

"Dragons!" Emerson repeated now a bit calmer. "They are coming!"

"You got to be joking," Harry groaned, getting up too.

Snape grabbed his arm suddenly. "Summon your broom, Potter. I have a plan," he smirked.

They started running towards the nearest group of bushes and trees that were high enough to hide them. The buttons on Harry's shirt were only half way made and even those were in the wrong order, but he didn't care. He pulled out his wand and said the spell the moment they were hidden. They kept running towards the forest though, hoping that Leonora and Betty could hold off Daisy before she took off with the kids.

"Any moment, you can tell me about your plan," grumbled Harry, looking over his shoulder, searching for his Firebolt.

"You will know when you need to!" Severus said. "C'mon, Potter, faster," he urged him then.

Harry ran. He ran and almost spit out his lungs while doing so. He would kill Snape for this.

When he heard the zooming, he let out a relieved sigh. The next moment the polished wood was next to him. He grabbed it and jumped onto the Firebolt, happier than ever to be off his feet.

"And where's your broom?" He shouted at Snape with a mocking tone.

"I do not require one." Snape shouted back and with that he pushed himself away from the ground.

"You can fly!" Harry exclaimed excitedly, watching the man shooting up from the ground, fast like a spell. Black haze surrounded his lower body which looked smudged slightly, as if it had troubles keeping up with the front. But the man's face was clear and looked smug. "How are you doing that?" Harry asked, now recalling the first time he had seen Snape flying right before the battle when Minerva and the other Heads chased Severus away.

"It is not that complicated. Naturally, you have to understand elemental magic first. I am basically just manipulating the air around my body," he explained.

"Blimey, you have to teach me that," Harry breathed.

"When this day is finally over, I will attempt," promised Snape.

"So what's the plan?"

"I ride the dragon. You will be the bait. There is a smaller lake at the eastern edge of the forest, we'll steer them there. Then we ward them for the night. "

They met Daisy and the kids some time later over the forest. Daisy had the size of a smaller hill, she was rather lizard-like, had four legs plus a pair of wings, unlike the Hungarian Horntail Harry had to fight during the Triwizard Tournament. Her green colour was rather beautiful even if her body was covered in spikes. She had two big horns on her head, which was where Snape aimed for as he went in for a landing. He manoeuvred perfectly right over her head then dropped onto her. Harry flew in front of her, but she kept her eyes on the big lake. Snape grabbed the horns and tried to steer her with them. He managed to turn the head and almost forced Daisy to turn but then she shook herself and roared loudly, spitting venom at Harry.

Quidditch reflexes coming back fast, Harry eluded the acid. Snape tried the steering a few more times but each ended the same, the only difference was that on which side Severus would almost fall off.

Harry had enough after a good twenty minutes and they were getting rather close to the lake so he dragged behind a bit without mulling too much over his new plan. He heard Snape's cry but he didn't have time to explain. He started circling around the heads of baby dragons faster and faster. It was rather hard to keep up the pace while Daisy's wing flaps caused quite a disturbance in the air but Harry still managed somehow. Soon, the little ones, with the size of an elephant, were slowly steering away from their mother.

The next time, when Snape tried turning he made sure that she would see her offspring flying further away. She made another roar and Harry wondered if they could maybe later pass it off as a train's breaks in one of the canyons down south, if the muggles heard it. She turned finally but Harry was surprised to realize she was all of a sudden flying much faster. When they came closer, Snape shouted something but Harry wasn't sure what it was until another spit of venom almost fell into his neck. He paid much more attention to his former professor after that.

"You angered her! She's attacking you, because you steered the children away from her!" The man shouted.

"Great, I pissed off another mommy dragon," muttered Harry to himself, then urged his broom to fly a tad bit faster. The Firebolt zoomed to the front and Harry lured the little welsh greens towards the lake far away that glinted orange in the sunset.

Harry considered himself lucky, because as long as the three dragons were between him and Daisy, she didn't attack, just roared and whined in a deep throaty voice. But as they were getting closer and closer to the water, Daisy managed to work off from the distance between them as well. With a nice upper curve and a few extra flaps of her huge wings, she ordered her brood behind her and launched a full on venom attack on Harry.

Snape managed to drag her head to the side just in time so the acid burned only a small clearing into the forest and not Harry.

"We need to land them, Potter!" Snape cried. "If she keeps chasing you, we never put them down."

Harry grunted loudly but no one heard him. Then a sudden idea came to him. It was crazy. Borderline insane and suicidal. Very Gryffindor.

"Get off the dragon!" He screamed back at Snape, who slid off from Daisy with a last pat of her head, then flew to Harry.

"What do you want to do?" He asked Harry when he was close enough that they didn't have to scream at each other. Acidic spatters rained around them.

Harry just looked at him. "I make her land. You wait at the lake. Be ready to start casting the wards the moment she touches ground. I gather she will be a tad bit angry." He saw Severus wanted to ask more so he added, "Trust me."

It was evidence of how much their relationship had changed during the day, that Snape just nodded and flew away, towards the northern edge of the small lake.

Harry started descending slowly until he reached the middle of the lake where he imagined the water to be the deepest. Then he fell into a sheer drop. Daisy followed her as if they were tied together. She wailed loudly then roared and spurted more acid. Harry saw as it sizzled when it fell into the water. He plummeted towards the clear reflection of the orange sky beneath him and the mirror image of the huge common welsh green right on his heels.

"Almost," he muttered to himself. He had never done this over water. The distance was harder to figure out when the surface was reflecting everything. The air shrieked in his ears like the whistle of the Hogwarts Express, his eyes were teary from the speed. He let the gravitation pull him in and speed him up even more.

"Almost..." he groaned again, his fingers flexing on the smooth, polished wood. The Firebolt vibrated under his hand from the amazing speed but it handled the exertion without as much as a tremor. It slipped through the air straight like an arrow.

"NOW!" He screamed grinning from ear to ear and pulled up the handle with as much force as he could. The Firebolt took the ninety degree turn with amazing easiness and Harry felt a rush of adrenaline being released into his system. The tip of his shoes grazed the water for a moment, then he pulled the broom higher and he looked back at Daisy. The dragon spread out her great wings to dampen the force of the impact and she managed to fall in legs-first into the lake. The loud splash shook the area, but by that time Harry was over dry land.

Daisy swam easily out to the nearest shore much like a big, scaly, green dog and called down her children, who came to her making happy noises. Harry couldn't watch them any longer because Snape grabbed his arm, turned him around and kissed him hard on the lips, claiming his mouth in a sweet, demanding kiss. Before Harry could respond, Severus backed away and slapped the back of Harry's head.

"That was the best Wronski Faint I've ever pulled!" Harry said grinning proudly.

Severus scowled at him then stalked off to cast the wards.

o.O.o

Daisy was lying on the beach curled up around herself. She looked like a big rock in the evening darkness. Only her tail moved as one of her children was playing with it, trying to catch it, while the other two were chasing each other. Occasionally, Daisy would lift her big head and look up the sky, tilting her head from left to right. Then she would spit acid seemingly random, but it always managed to hit something, though neither Severus nor Harry had seen what. But they heard the splash and saw as one of the kids ran into the water to retrieve dinner.

They seem so happy, Harry thought. He couldn't take his eyes off the dragon family and given Snape was still mad at him, he didn't even want to. There was nothing else to see around in the dark just Snape, the dragons, the full moon and the stars. All looked rather nice but none seemed to notice Harry's presence.

"Let's go back," Harry said quietly not able to handle Snape's sour mood any longer. The man didn't answer but stood up and pushed himself away from the ground. The next moment he was flying across the sky, just a dark blotch among the myriad of stars.

"Bat," Harry grumbled and grabbed the Firebolt and sat on it.

The evening breeze felt nice on his face, cooling and caressing. It ruffled his hair and made him smile as he swooped across the darkness.

He wondered where the Addams' would be now. At Snape's flat? With Georgie and Emerson? This reminded him that he still needed to clean out the pub. He hoped they weren't back in their room because then he couldn't use magic. He felt tired; at the very end of his powers. Even his reserves were deplated by this day. He was hungry and smelled of bitter burning acid.

And Snape was once again angry with him.

He didn't want to analyse how their relationship had changed in a single day. He knew that would require most of his brain capacity but now all he could do was to recall those few peaceful minutes at the lake. He wished no one had come. He wished he could have leant over Snape and kissed him, while savouring the sweetest apple. He wished he could have sat on the man and licked his sun-warmed skin.

There was light in the apothecary's upper windows and for a moment he considered barging in and just grabbing that infuriating man and pulling him in an ardent kiss. But instead, he heaved a sigh, shook himself and headed home. He landed behind the Sleeping Doe and left the Firebolt there, hidden behind some boxes.

He barely managed to take a look at the mess that was his pub, he didn't even notice the broom shaped hole on the window when he heard footsteps thudding on the old flagstone and then a quiet, hesitant knocking.

"No," he said immediately as he turned around. He had enough. This day was madness. There was simply nothing else that could go wrong in this town.

The tall man with his shoulder length soft hair and endless black eyes stood motionless at the door for a moment longer then turned to leave.

"Wait!" Harry cried after Snape. "What happened?" he groaned when the man stopped. Onyx eyes roamed around the pub, taking in all the rubbish. It would take Harry about two flicks of his wand to correct everything, but he wasn't willing to take the risk. In fact, knowing how this day went so far, Harry was absolutely certain, that the moment he would pull out his wand, one of the Addams would come in and Snape would berate him once again.

"You recall how we told everyone to hide the magic?" Snape only went on when Harry nodded. "Well, some believed it is easier to cancel the magic all together and not just hide it."

"What did they..." Harry was aware that half the houses in the town were only still standing because of magic.

"Oh nothing much," Snape waved nonchalantly, but Harry could detect when he was sarcastic. "A few wards here and there. Mostly property, that mad Tappet even screamed at someone for walking through his grass, and, you know, fields and... the sheep."

"No!" Harry moaned. "Not the sheep."

"Roy's little brother let out the crup for a run and the sheep got frightened. And of course the whole Addams family had to witness it. There was a bit of an argument about a crup qualifying as a dog. Did you know, Caroline was a biology teacher at some fancy muggle University? She was rather convinced that a dog could not possibly look like that. Emerson told her there was more other in that dog than dog. That made her finally leave the matter."

"No," Harry just groaned again. He looked at the destroyed bar and the dust and then back at Snape. His green eyes were begging.

"Half the town is out there in the forest with the Addams to get all the sheep back in one place."

"In the forest?" Harry breathed, running ten fingers through his hair, tearing at it. "Please tell me it's not a full moon. I beg of you. I'll do anything just tell me it's not a full moon."

"It is not a full moon out there," Snape promised. "Now come with me and let's stop a werewolf while the others hunt the sheep, shall we?"

Harry let out a strangled moan but walked towards Snape. "Does this mean you're talking to me again?"

"For now," Snape huffed. "But one more idiotic stunt like that and I will throttle you with my bare hands."

Harry looked at the long fingers then let his lips pull into a teasing smirk. "As long as I can have them on me..." He shrugged.

o.O.o

"I provide Leonora with the Wolfsbane potions every full moon," Snape explained as they apparated to the edge of the forest. "She drank it today as well, I presume, but she could still be dangerous, if threatened. She was supposed to hide in a cave beneath the Dragon Cliff. We need to go there and make sure she cannot come out or be seen."

The Dragon Cliff was one of the most peculiar hills around Mull. It didn't have anything to do with Daisy and the kids but did have the form of a sitting dragon looking wistfully up at the sky. The legend said that there was a witch who once encountered an injured dragon in the forest. She nursed him back to health and stayed with him for years to come. They lived in peace, raised their own sheep and the people living around them didn't have to be afraid of the once vicious beast. But one fateful day a muggle came, a knight in shining armour, who had heard about the beast that hid in these forests and he wanted to fight the dragon. The witch tried to help her friend, but the knight killed her. The dragon's heart turned into stone and he killed everyone and everything he came across. He burned down the towns and villages all around, leaving only scourged bodies behind. Merlin cursed the dragon and turned him fully into stone. He would only be free if all the wizards and witches were once again safe. Until then, he was doomed to sit on the top of the mountain, look up at the star of his long lost friend and protect those who were in danger.

"Not much protecting he's doing," Harry noted nodding his head towards the stone.

"Silly tales told to entertain the children." Snape answered. "You can hardly believe any of it."

"Yeah but..." Harry hesitated for a moment, "Doesn't it feel nice to think, that if you're in danger, he will come and help?"

"Oh yes, indeed, very reassuring. Except when you are in danger and you are waiting for that piece of stone to come to life but it does not, leaving you there to die."

"You know how to kill optimism, don't you, Snape?" Harry grinned.

"That is foolishness not optimism, Potter." Severus shook his head. "However, I promise you now, if you ever encounter a situation where your only remaining resort would be to wait for that dragon, I most certainly will be there with you."

Harry stopped, leaves rustled around them but the forest was otherwise calm. He looked up at Snape with a kind expression. "You would promise that?" He asked as he stepped closer to Snape.

Severus moved closer too and put a hand on Harry's neck, his thumb caressing the young man' jaw. "Yes I would. And I also promise to sit next to you until your last seconds and then lean to your ear," as he spoke he did lean into Harry's ear, who shuddered wildly when soft lips touched the sensitive cartilage, "and tell you," he whispered, his breath tickling Harry, making his heart drum more fervently, "that stone dragons do not come to your rescue."

He laughed as he moved on, leaving Harry behind just as motionless as said dragon. "I don't need a stone dragon, when I have you," Harry mumbled but Snape must have heard him because he stopped and looked back.

"You do not have me." He stated.

"Oh, don't I?" Harry grinned. He shrugged as he walked past Snape, his arm brushing against the other man's. The moment he was in front of his former professor he stopped suddenly and leant back. Strong arms caught him as he fell against Snape's chest. He looked up at the man, who held him firmly. "Don't I?" He repeated with a sly grin.

"No," came the answer but Snape was smirking as he let Harry go and the young man slid on the ground with a yelp.

All of a sudden, something moved in front of them. Severus stopped and reached a hand to Harry to grasp, while the other pulled out his wand and panned the area.

"Baaaa," said the sheep, stumbling out of the nearby bushes. It seemed slightly tattered and Harry wondered if it encountered the werewolf, or perhaps managed to escape from a fight with the wizards and witches hunting it.

It walked closer to them. It was shaking wildly and its white wool was darker on the other side. Severus cast a Lumos to make sure what the dark splotch was, though Harry suspected they both knew perfectly. And indeed in the bright wand light the spot was deep red and still glimmered slightly.

"Fresh blood," noted Snape as he raised his wand higher to bring light to a wider circle.

"Baaa," agreed the sheep.

Something growled just outside the circle of light.

The sheep let out one last frightened "Baaaa," and ran off, before Harry could touch it with his wand and send it back to its flock. The next grumble sounded behind them. He pulled his wand and pushed his back against Snape's.

"Nox," the man whispered and suddenly as the light disappeared, the darkness was overwhelming. They were both blinded by the abrupt change in their surroundings and Harry prayed to Merlin that Leonora wouldn't attack them. Or at least, not yet.

There was another feral snarl, now from their right. The werewolf was circling around them, yet they could hear her footsteps or the rustling of the leaves as she moved.

"Severus?" Harry whispered.

"Hmm?" Came the answer the same time when Leonora growled again.

Harry knew she did this to make them move apart. She, or rather the wolf, couldn't take on two adult wizards armed with their wands. But she would be just enough to take them out one by one.

"Just so you know," Harry said still very quietly, "I expect you for dinner even if you turn into a werewolf. I can make a killer steak, too."

"How reassuring," murmured Snape but Harry could hear, or more likely he just hoped, that he was smiling.

"Leonora! It's Harry!" Harry cried then.

"Potter!" Snape snapped. "What on earth are you doing?"

Harry ignored him as he went on with a soothing tone. "Severus is with me as well. We don't want to hurt you. But there are muggles in the forest. You have to go back to the cave." Growling came again from right in front of Harry. It sounded more feral than all the others put together. "Leonora, you did drink your potion tonight, right?" Harry asked in a hesitant voice.

The next moment the werewolf launched at Harry and missed only by mere inches. Harry felt her saliva dribble on his arms as she snarled while trying to tear into human skin. Severus grabbed him and hauled him forward, to run as fast as they can.

"I think it is safe to assume that the answer is no," Snape cried jumping over a tree trunk.

"You don't say," Harry shouted squeezing himself through two very prickly bushes.

They were dashing through the forest, zigzagging between huge pines and oaks, barely knowing which way they were heading. But the sounds of drumming paws were coming closer and closer so they didn't dare stop to check for directions.

They should have, Harry realized when he came face to face with a huge stone wall, covered in moss and small flowers but nothing growing out of it that would help them climb up. They hesitated only for a moment, then Snape pushed him to the right and they were running again, panting hard. They looked through the darkness, frantically searching for the cave they were supposed to lock Leonora up, but Harry wasn't sure this was even the right hill. It was dark; the moonlight gave them enough to see their steps, but no other help came from up there. Harry felt as Snape became more and more sluggish next to him. He tried encouraging words but Snape had enough of the running.

"I am too... old... for this," Severus wheezed raising his wand once again. "I'll hold her up... you... make a fucking hole... into this hill. Make it... big enough to... fit her. I don't... care."

Harry drew his wand and Leonora came at Snape. He watched helplessly as she snapped her jaw at Snape and pushed him on the ground. They rolled around, Harry could hear the sound of the fight. Spells flared, curses boomed, the werewolf whined, there was a thud and Harry heard Snape's loud cry.

He was shaking with anger and worry as he sent the most devastating Bombarda against the old stone. The whole hill shattered and trembled, there was almost a roar as rocks dropped against rocks. Although the hole was there, dust particles and stone powder still lingering in the air around him, Harry didn't care as he turned around and ran towards the sounds of struggle. The rage in him was almost animalistic and his mind had to scream at him that the werewolf was actually his friend.

If Snape was hurt... Bit... or worse... mangled...

Harry whimpered desperately then he finally saw them: Snape on the ground, backed against an old, crumbling, oak trunk, his wand two feet away from him, holding his shoulder that was bleeding heavily while the werewolf, Leonora, Harry reminded himself, stood over him, snarling, baring sharp teeth, froth seeping on her jaw, only a moment away from attacking.

Harry sent a Stunning Spell at her but he knew the second he had seen them he was already late. Leonora launched and Snape looked at Harry one last time.

Then something gigantic dropped from the dark sky.

It landed with such an enormous thud some of the trees nearby turned out of the ground. Harry's legs shook and he fell on his knees before he let out a desperate, strangled cry. The grey stone fell right to where Severus was. Rock grinded against rock and suddenly the massive thing moved.

The full moon cast light on the creature and Harry, even though was shocked to his very core, gasped as revelation hit him.

The Stone Dragon advanced forward, every step making the earth quiver, the trees shudder and the rocks tremble. Leonora, Harry only noticed her now, was backing away, shaking too. The Dragon stretched out his great marble wings, that shined like pearl in the midnight light and roared, the sound not in the least animalistic. It was more like grating stone on stone, heavier and deeper, making the hair on Harry nape prickle.

As Harry watched the huge creature, unable to look away, he noticed something else. Snape, staring almost blindly in front of himself. Not dead just utterly traumatized. Harry darted there, sliding under the legs that were twice his size in both length and thickness. He crushed against Snape who groaned, his eyes focusing on Harry.

The werewolf whined in fear not far and they look at Leonora, her tuft tail between her legs, ears flat against her skull, she moved until there was nowhere else she could step. Her back was against the wall of the hole Harry had created, and she shrank there in the corner, terrified.

The Stone Dragon moved in front of the small cave and lay down. The movement sounded like falling rocks. The Dragon looked like the first statue of a sculptor; all rough edges and imprecise, yet mesmerizingly beautiful in its size. Harry was certain by the first touch of sun on his marble skin, he would be back on his cliff, watching the sky.

Snape continued to stare at the creature and was motionless once again. His mouth was hanging slightly open. It was almost funny, Harry thought, seeing Severus Snape this surprised.

Harry pried the fingers off the bleeding wound and was about to speak, to tell Snape that... he didn't even know what he wanted to say, he just wanted to talk to make sure the man was responsive and alive.

But Snape was faster. "Don't you dare!" He snapped turning his head towards Harry. He wasn't gobsmacked now, more like irritated.

"What?"

"You know well, Potter. Don't you dare! I know you want to say it but don't you bloody dare!"

Harry watched the man, wondering for a moment that maybe the shock made Snape a bit bonkers. The expression must have been written on his face. "Is it not what you wanted to say?" Severus asked suddenly uncertain.

"What?" Harry cried. "What do I want to say?"

"That you told me so!" Snape growled back angrily.

"Oh, yes, of course," Harry shouted annoyed but still managing sarcasm. "one minute ago I was under the impression that a werewolf had mangled you and then a stone dragon dropped on you and that you died a painful death and when it turns out you didn't, oh yes, all I want to do is mock you! Are you out of your mind?!" He asked punching into Snape's still unharmed shoulder.

The older wizard groaned but his hand snapped out and grabbed the hem of Harry's shirt as he asked heatedly, "Then what did you want to say?"

"Oh for fuck's sake," Harry cried, crushing his lips against Severus', his hand gripping Snape's nape to hold him there. Not that Severus wanted to move away. He pulled Harry on top of him and thrust his tongue into Harry's mouth, exploring the hot cavern. Harry groaned passionately and drew ten fingers through the long black hair, tugging at it wildly as Severus caressed the inside of his mouth.

They parted, breathless, all but trembling for more. "Eloquently put, Mr Potter," breathed Severus smiling against Harry's lips, licking at the wet lower lips, before slowly driving his tongue forward, pushing it inside between teeth to taste Harry once more.

Heart drumming, Harry rested his head against Snape's forehead. "Don't you ever do that again..." He whispered fully aware that the relief, the fear, the worry were almost tangible in his voice

"What? Let a legendary dragon made out of stone drop right in front of me from the sky? Not among my immediate plans, I can assure you."

"Make me think you're dead," Harry corrected looking into the black eyes. "I can't..."

"Neither can I," Severus said softly, waving his arm around Harry's back or at least attempting to do so. He winced and took a sharp breath as he tried to move his injured arm. Harry backed off immediately, drawing his wand. He carefully stripped the shirt from around the wound, taking a look at it. It seemed rather deep and was still gushing out dark blood. He placed the tip of his wand over it and started chanting a melodic healing charm.

Severus dropped back his head, his eyes closing as he let the magic wash over him and heal him completely.

"There's no sign of it..." Harry muttered, caressing the mended skin. It looked as white and spotless as the rest of the arm. "I thought it would leave a mark... Bill's did."

"It would have left a mark, if it had been from Leonora," said Snape. "She pushed me against a tree and a dry branch pierced through the skin. That was when I lost my wand," he explained. "It was almost like she was careful not to attack me with her fangs."

Harry let out a grateful sigh and buried his head into the curve of Snape's neck. "I'm just glad stone dragons do come to your rescue."

"I told you not to dare," growled Snape softly and slapped Harry's head lightly before pulling him into a tight embrace.

o.O.o

It was way past midnight when Harry finally got back to the Sleeping Doe. Tired didn't describe the bone deep exhaustion he felt as he stepped through the open door with the Addams family trudging behind him. Peter was carrying, Noah who fell asleep on their walk home, while Caroline had Edith in her arms, though the little girls, bright blue eyes still shined. The whole family was very helpful with gathering the sheep back to a field enclosed by an impromptu fence, which barely managed to keep the sheep inside. After the last one – the injured one Harry and Severus had encountered in the woods – had found a place in its flock, they were finally able to convince the Addams to go back to the pub.

All Harry hoped for was that Caroline would not once more offer to help him clean the debris. He wanted to do it with magic. He needed to do it with magic because he simply couldn't stand one moment longer. But of course, he knew his luck by now.

He lit two candles as they stepped inside. He had found some old matches that weren't working but the muggles didn't have to know it wasn't the match that lit the fire, but Harry's finger. He escorted the family upstairs and wished them goodnight. Before he could close the door, however, Peter showed up, pulling it open.

"Let me help you downstairs."

Harry almost started crying right there. "No," he said, all but begging. "You just stay up here. Have some rest. Tomorrow, you can go home as soon as the sun gets up and leave behind this crazy day. You just rest now, Peter, please. You'll need your strength."

Peter laughed as he said, "You make it sound like I have a Tolkien journey ahead of me. It's just a five hour drive."

Harry didn't ask what that was. Asking meant explaining. Explaining mean more minutes spent standing here instead of down there cleaning, which meant he could go to bed only later. He did not want that.

"Go to bed, Peter. You had an accident today and you hit your head. Just go and rest. You and your family helped enough today," Harry pleaded aiming for a caring tone.

Peter nodded finally then took a deep breath. "Thank you, Harry. For everything. The Gods guided me to this place, I swear to you."

"What do you mean," Harry asked, damning himself but at the same time, curious about Peter's story. Maybe the man would tell him why he was so keen to see the magic.

"Never mind," Peter laughed then, awkwardly.

They said goodnight and Harry finally went down. He looked around once again. Two swishes of his wand, he contemplated but he still heard the voices from above, footsteps drummed quietly, floorboard creaked.

The bar was a mess, the tap was leaking, the chairs were broken, and the glasses that once hung from above were all in tiny pieces. The other parts of the pub were in better shape, but still dirty. Dust and debris settled onto the oak chairs and huge, heavy ebony tables.

His legs hurt and he yawned widely, stroking his empty belly. He should eat something but he didn't have any strength left to even make a piece of toast not to mention dinner that would maybe fill him up.

Speaking of filling up, he owned Snape a dinner too. Tomorrow, Harry promised himself. When this place was in order one again, he would close early and invite Snape, not for a dinner but for a date. A proper one, Harry decided. With candles and all those crazy things he had never done for anyone. Then he would firecall Ron and Hermione and tell them about this day and his date with Severus Snape and the kisses too. Just imagining Ron's gobsmacked expression made him energized.

He pulled his wand just when he heard tentative steps from behind him. He tried to hide it behind his back but it was too late.

"What's that?" Edith asked trying to look behind him. Before Harry could come up with a lie, she provided it. "Are you a magician?" She asked excitedly.

"Yes," Harry agreed gratefully. "That's exactly what I am. Please don't tell anyone. I'm not really good at it." As he talked, he reached behind himself and conjured a hat that he had once seen a muggle performer use in the telly. It was a tall and black bowler, with a white ribbon just under the brim. He showed it to her. "I was practicing."

"Can you pull out a dove from that hat?"

Harry laughed as she watched Edith move closer. "A hat is hardly a place a dove would like to be, don't you think?"

"How about a bunny?"

"Bunnies don't live in hats," Harry said.

"What lives in a hat?" She asked, eyes bright blue and wide open. Not even a faintest hint of tiredness was in those pools.

"How about hair?" Harry asked, donning the hat. When he lifted it from his head, his hair turned pink.

Edith giggled. "How are you doing that?"

"It's magic," he whispered conspiratorially, his hair fading back to ink black.

"Can you do more?" She begged, her voice full of childish awe.

"Tomorrow," Harry answered. "I'll practice some new tricks for you."

"With bunnies," she said quickly.

Harry acquiesced with a nod of his head then put away his phoenix wand.

"I'm thirsty," said the girl then. Harry looked for a clean glass and poured her some tap water. She downed the whole glass then held it out for Harry. "Thanks." With that, she was upstairs.

Harry heard the door close but another one opened behind him.

"That was close," said the well known silky, deep baritone.

Harry turned around so fast, he almost fell. Snape stood in the door for one more moment, eyes lingering on Harry's form, and then he moved in. He was carrying a plate.

"What's that?" Harry asked but the scent of roasted meat and spiced potato already wafted into his nose. He inhaled deeply and moved closer as if dragged on yarn. Snape was smirking as he lifted the top and presented the plate. Beef, gravy and chips.

Harry had never felt so grateful in his whole life. Until he had seen Snape pull out his wand.

Two flicks. That was all it took and the oak chairs reformed and organised themselves noiselessly, the tap fixed itself, cloths flew out to wipe the tables and all the dust, brooms swept the old stone, glass shards mended and formed pitchers and wine glasses again. Plates flew back into the cupboard in organised measure, the glasses were all rinsed in hot, bubbly water and dried and levitated back to their place in neat order, the coffee machine cleaned itself with a bit of humming and Harry could even hear the kitchen being organised and scrubbed spotless. At last, dustbins collected all the dust and dirt and the pub was once again pristine.

"I," Harry said looking intensely into the onyx eyes, "could kiss you right now."

Snape smirked and lifted his hand. Between long fingers was a silver fork. "I assure you I had no such hopes when I prepared this meal for you."

Harry hopped onto the massive ebony table, snatched the plate and the fork from Snape and started eating in a rather barbaric fashion.

Snape, not able to watch Harry devour half a cow, roamed the pub, looking around as if this were his first time here. "You kept the name," he said quietly, looking at the painting of a sleeping doe. Luckily, though the painting was magical, the doe was always sleeping on it so at least that one thing meant no harm while the muggles were around. "I was convinced you would want to change it."

Harry swallowed the malleable meat and answered, staring at his plate, "Why would I? A doe reminds me of mom. And you," he added quietly eyes fixed on a potato wedge.

"My exact reasoning for the need to remove it," Severus reacted coolly.

Harry pulled his legs beneath him and sat the plate on his lap. As Snape was somewhere behind him, he couldn't see him but he was glad for that now, "I liked to be reminded of you," he confessed. "Don't ask why. I don't know why. But it felt... nice... having this place and being reminded of you."

"I live about five houses down from this place, Potter."

"I didn't want to see you," Harry laughed between two bites. "I just liked... thinking about you."

"Why?"

Harry felt the table budge slightly and he knew Snape had at least leant against it on the other side, or maybe even sat up on it.

"I told you," Harry huffed, "I don't know." There was silence for a few seconds and Harry ate quietly. His plate was emptying fast and soon he had no excuse not to answer. With a snap of his finger he sent the plate to the sink to be washed and dried and stored in the cupboard. Then he lay back on the table. "You confuse me."

"Do I now?" Snape reacted gleefully. It made Harry smile. "I am but a simple man, Potter."

Harry snorted. "No you're not. You're complex. And frightening. And mean. And you saved my life. And I like thinking about you. And you like men," he added the last one on a whimsy thought because really, all this day, full of crazy things and that was the craziest of them all. Or at least what seemed to matter Harry the most.

Snape reclined as well. His head rested right next to Harry's, his long raven hair tickled Harry's ear. "Yes, I do."

"I'm a man," responded Harry.

"Clearly, you are," said Severus softly and turned towards Harry. "I would not find you this attractive otherwise."

Air seemed to have left the small pub suddenly. "You find me attractive?" Asked Harry staring at the ceiling. He knew, Snape did. But there was a vast difference between knowing and hearing it from the man directly.

"As I said, I am a simple man. I do not save someone I do not deem worthy. I do not kiss someone I do not find attractive. If I do not want someone to kiss me, I do not let them. No matter how many muggles or old fools are around."

"Yeah but..." Harry hesitated for a second, not knowing how to phrase what he wanted to ask without being too blunt about it.

"Where is that famous Gryffindor courage when you need it," Snape taunted.

Harry cleared his throat, suddenly not caring about being too honest at all. "And do you kiss someone you don't intend to keep?"

"Keep, Potter? I do not keep my men. They may choose to stay with me. I hope you see the difference."

Harry saw the difference; he saw it clearly as he, too, turned his head. Black eyes, endless and seeing into the depth of his soul looked back at him.

This wasn't just for tonight. This was serious. This was also Severus Snape, the man who had always confused Harry.

He inched closer and whispered, "Why?" Then he kissed Severus softly. It was the weirdest kiss he had ever shared, with Snape being arse over tip. Everything was at the wrong place, his nose touched chin, his eyes saw white skin not onyx eyes. And yet it was the sweetest too.

"Who knows why?" Snape said into his mouth. "Ask me again in ten years. When I woke up to you snoring, when you drive me up the wall every day, when I still want to sleep beside you every night, ask me again. And I may have an answer for you."

That was enough answer already for Harry. He leant on his elbow and kissed Severus again slow and languid and innocent, lips caressing lips softly like feathers. Long fingers slithered in his hair covering the back of his head. The fingertips caressed his nape, right at the hairline, making him shudder. His own hand went to Snape's cheeks, stroking the high cheekbones, the pale skin.

He manoeuvred on the table, not breaking the kiss until he lay face to face, body to body with Severus. He opened his eyes and looked up at the man. Snape watched him too, black eyes intent and full of desire. Harry slipped his hand from the face, that was handsome probably only for him. He caressed the long neck, his thumb ran along the jaw line and he turned Severus' head upwards.

As Severus swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbed. Harry bent over it, tongue darting out licking tenderly over the injured skin.

Severus moaned and suddenly Harry lost all control. He sucked in the skin, knowing well that tomorrow there would be a red mark there, showing everyone that the man was taken. Severus groaned again, a deep low rumble in the middle of his chest, and he grasped into the back of Harry's shirt, tugging him right over himself. Harry obeyed and straddled the older wizard, his mouth moving upwards again. He nipped on tender skin, licked and sucked and every motion sent a tremor down Snape so wild, even Harry could feel the man shudder.

Obsidian and emerald connected for a second before Severus lifted his head and kissed Harry wildly, like when they had thought they lost one another. Tongue thrust into his mouth and Harry moaned as it caressed the roof of his mouth, and then danced with his. Harry followed it back when it retreated and explored the sweet mouth, still almost tasting the apple with the tip of tongue.

He became suddenly aware of hands sliding on his body, when they grabbed his arse and pushed him down, while Snape arched his waist away from the hard table. They kiss broke when hard erection crushed to his and he inhaled deeply not to cry out, waking the muggles. Snape smirked.

"Disrobe," he commanded.

Harry ran his hands over the heaving chest beneath him, still covered by a thin white shirt, halfway unbuttoned. Whenever did that happen, he couldn't recall.

"I won't let you bugger me on a table," he answered with the grin. He knew himself well enough – he would be too loud, too keen, people would hear.

Wand flicked, black as the night then knocked loudly on the table. Harry felt the magic, but only suspected it was a Muffliato or another Half-Blood Price creation.

"No, you indeed will not," said Snape, smirk unwavering, hooking his legs around Harry's waist.

Harry watched the man incredulously, sheer yearning cursing through his veins, filing up his cock even more.

Snape looked almost whorish beneath him, Harry mused. His black hair fanned out on the massive ebony table, his white shirt parted, revealing scarred marble skin, black eyes glimmered with lust, pink lips were swollen by their sweet hard kisses, a small blush colouring the sharp cheeks.

"You want me to...?" Harry asked not able to finish the sentence. Even just saying it would make him undone, he suspected.

Snape nodded. "Disrobe," he repeated.

Harry didn't though. He just stared down at the man. Older than him, twenty years his senior, once his professor, once his enemy, once his ally, once his saviour. His green eyes caressed the high cheekbones, the large beak, the thin lips that he lived to taste. This man was everything, Harry realized.

His hesitation only strengthened Snape. He cupped Harry's chin with two fingers and pulled him down. He tipped his head up just enough to reach the sensitive ears.

"Yes, Potter. You heard me right," he whispered in a deep voice. "I asked you to fuck me." He leant on his legs and free arm to push his hips up, pressing his hardness to Harry. "I want to feel you against me. I want to feel you pressing inside me. I want to feel your cock stretching me," every sentence was followed by thrust of his slim hips. "Will you give me what I want, Harry?"

The last word, his name, was only a sigh, and Harry gave a shaky nod. He would give anything Snape wanted.

He pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor. Long fingers reached for buttons undoing them rapidly, and then muscles clenched on hairless stomach as Snape sat up to shrug out of it. Severus Snape shirtless, was a sight Harry would not forget in a millennia. Splayed out on ebony wood, all white skin and even whiter scars and just a dust of jet black hair, wiry muscles and rosy nipples, already erect.

Harry wanted to say, "Beautiful," but he knew Snape would laugh at him. Instead, he bent over him and said it in other words. He adored the body beneath his, showered it with kisses, teased it with licks. He tasted every inch until he knew drawing his tongue over the rigid nipples would make Severus sigh, while sucking them would make him moan. But licking his pale skin two inches below his right nipple and then biting it, sucking it in just over the winding, small scar, that would make him writhe in pleasure, groin budging up, begging to be touched.

Harry smirked as he tongued that one spot, driving the tip of his tongue over and over it. He knew where Snape wanted him already, even though the ten long, thin fingers that ruffled his hair and grabbed into his raven locks, never pushed him downwards.

The black eyes never left him either. They stared, eyelids half lidded. They may have sometimes fluttered closed but only for a moment then they kept their relentless gaze on Harry and his ministrations.

"My arse is a bit more to the south," Snape groaned suddenly. "Why don't you put that tongue of yours to good use down there, hm?"

Harry laughed into the alabaster skin, and felt the muscles move as Snape huffed too. Instead of moving further down, he pushed Snape a bit up on the table. The older wizard made indignant sound, then looked up at Harry, one eyebrow raised.

Harry didn't speak but dragged his mouth over Severus' right thigh, moving from outside to inside but not yet touching the straining erection, so keen to be out of its confinements. He switched to the other leg, small bites marking his way.

"You are killing me." Severus stated with a fierce growl. Even yet, his hands didn't push Harry.

"And you fucking love it," grinned Harry at the man. There was no answer, no objection, not even a harrumph.

When Harry finally touched the belt buckle and slowly slid the leather free, Snape's head fell back calmly. Then Harry mouthed the hard cock through the thick jeans, pressing his tongue against it and sucking it in and Snape jerked vehemently, and the fingers this time pushed Harry's head down hard. For a second Harry thought he made Snape come, but when he pulled off the trousers and the shorts, the cock beneath was still needy and hard and wet with precome.

"Merlin..." Harry muttered watching it twitch in response. His own erection burnt and he palmed it absentmindedly.

"Sure, go ahead and masturbate. I'll just wait here," Snape taunted but his mouth was curving slightly.

Harry looked into the blazing black eyes, feeling guilty but in the same time, there was a sudden wild ache in his groin too.

Snape read him like a book, "Fuck, you would like that, wouldn't you?" He asked, lips turning into a smirk. "Do it then. But do it properly. Let me see you."

Harry obeyed this time and shoved off his pants and briefs. He sat back on his heels between Snape's long legs and grabbed his cock. He stroked himself slowly, his eyes darting between his former professor's weeping erection and his obsidian eyes. He reached out his other hand and slid it around the other manhood. Severus groaned and leant up on his elbows.

He kept up the matching rhythm, both hands working on both erections. Snape was longer than him but a bit thinner and Harry's cock was darker in colour but the feeling was all the same, he knew as he watched Severus' expression, sharp features blunted by pleasure.

His own flesh ached when he stopped and given Snape's low whimper, he didn't like that either. Harry grabbed the back of the wizard's knees and lifted his legs, all but folding him in half. "Hold your legs," he said in a commanding tone that surprised even himself. He didn't feel strong at all.

Severus did as he was told, their fingers brushing as he took hold, spreading himself for Harry.

Harry almost came at the sight. "God, I need to fuck you," he breathed, a low moan, a whisper of his heart.

"That is what I have been begging for you in the last hour," Snape said, his eyes rolling.

Harry slithered two fingers gently over Severus's hard cock, down over his balls, over the perineum and then circled them slowly over puckered skin. "Begging?" he asked with an evil grin. "I didn't hear you begging."

Head falling back on the table, Snape moaned, "Put your tongue where your fingers are and you'll hear me begging in no time."

Harry did. And Snape begged, something Harry had never heard him do before. As he pushed his tongue against the sensitive skin, deep rumbles broke up from Severus throat immediately and by the time Harry thrust it inside, the low moans turned into words.

"Fuck, Harry," Snape cried, "Ahhh... please..."

Harry grinned against the skin and licked and sucked, his saliva wetting Severus' arsehole slippery enough for one of his fingers to thrust past the first ring of muscles and push deep inside. He moved the finger in and out and licked the wrinkly rim and Snape begged over him, pleaded for more, for harder, his fingers holding his legs almost bruising tight.

When Harry had two fingers and his tongue inside that tight, hot cavern the begging meant only his name, "Harry," being repeated over and over in a broken, breathless voice, deeper than the midnight darkness, yet caressing and silky.

Harry kneaded the taught arse, his tongue fucking Severus' hole, reducing the brave, strong, confusing, sneering man into a whimpering, groaning, sweating bundle of sensitive skin.

So human, Harry thought pushing three fingers inside, which slid in smoothly, making Snape groan wildly, open mouthed, head pressed back against the ebony table. He curled his fingers, searching for that little spot. He found it and brushed the tips softly against it. Snape cried ardently, toes curling, cock twitching, and leaving wet spots on the white skin.

Severus wasn't confusing in the least now. He begged for what he wanted; he begged with words and with his whole body and Harry, even if he were blind and deaf, would understand it. For a second, fingers knuckle-deep inside Severus, Harry wondered if it would always be this simple, but then realized he didn't want simple. He wanted the confusing man, mean and sneering one minute, kissing him, tasting like the sweetest apple the next. That was the man he grew to like, his wits wrapped around him like a cloak, mean and arrogant, with his snarky rebukes and nasty comments and yet beneath that all, caring and passionate and even sometimes, funny. He knew he could grow to even love this man, sooner rather than later.

"What?" Asked Snape, his face suddenly guarded.

Harry only now realized he had stopped moving and was staring at the well known face for minutes perhaps. He removed his hand and lay on top of Snape, drawing the long limb around his waist. Now that he didn't have anything to hold on to, Severus grasped into his shoulder, his other arm moving around Harry's back.

Harry positioned himself, his eyes closing as he pushed slowly inside. Severus gasped and Harry forced his eyes open. There was no pain on the sharp features just sheer pleasure. Inching deeper and deeper, he leant to Severus' ears. "I will fall in love with you," he warned Severus in a soft, affectionate tone.

He felt Snape stiffen beneath him, but then the arms and legs grew tighter around him and the older wizard relaxed. "Don't worry, Potter. I will be falling with you," Severus whispered against his ear and Harry pushed fully in, heart almost bursting.

They moved so slowly at first the massive table didn't even budge beneath them. The feeling was amazing. Buried to the hilt inside the hot channel, Severus convulsed around him, trying to get Harry's cock even deeper inside, sweating bodies pressed against each other tightly, the scents, the mix of musk, sex and forest. Harry was breathing against Severus' neck, though the air only came in short gasps. He was leaning on his elbows, one hand under Snape's back, grasping into his shoulder, the other one on the slim neck, caressing his nape, his hairline. While he was touching Snape lightly, his former professor was grasping into him. The arms around him and legs were tight around his back, heels digging into his flesh, pressing him down, wet cock trapped between their bodies, sliding slickly between them, fingers clawing his skin, wet lips brushing his ears, deep growls and moans breaking up from his throat.

No one urged the other for faster moves and Harry thought it was perfect. The previous tiredness was long gone from his body and mind, he was bursting with energy but he didn't wish to go faster or thrust harder. Neither did Severus, it seemed, as he was bucking up with matching strokes, never speeding up, never missing on the rhythm. They were so close, almost just one body, burning with pleasure.

Harry captured the swollen lips with his teeth, then slid his tongue inside Severus' mouth, tuning his strokes to the moves of their bodies. Suddenly, Snape was groaning into his mouth and Harry's groin turned ablaze.

He slithered a hand between their bodies and folded it around Severus' heavy cock. The firm manhood was moving between his belly, wet from precome and his hand, fingers gripping it tightly. Severus sucked his tongue in his mouth, a hand in Harry's hair, pulling him down, pulling him closer, the other on his arse, rubbing, thumb stroking him between cheeks, the tip sliding against his arsehole.

Severus started writhing beneath him uncontrolled, right on the edge of completion and Harry moved faster, fucked him in earnest, clutching him wherever he could. The table shook beneath them and squeaked but their bodies slapping against other and their fervent moans were much louder than that.

Wide open, fire green and obsidian eyes connected and Harry came with one last shove, feeling the already tight channel tense around him. Severus came with him, spurting his spunk between Harry's fingers and belly while Harry filled him up with hot semen.

He wanted to roll off Severus, knowing that he was deadweight on him, but the arms didn't let him go even though the legs fell off from around his waist. Severus was still writhing slightly, his orgasm cursing through his body. Harry kissed him softly, or rather just pressed his lips lazily against sweaty, salty skin that still smelled like a forest.

He was once again drained of his energy, boneless, almost sedated and in the same time satisfied, like never before. He realized, his soft cock was still inside Severus, he pulled out, Snape groaned again, his head lifting slightly from the table, then he rolled off the other, trapping one of Severus' arms between him and the table.

Severus must have missed the heat because he absentmindedly curled around Harry. Harry smiled softly and buried his head into the curve where the long neck met the shoulder.

"Bed," Snape muttered against him. He sounded so tired it made Harry laugh.

"C'mon then," replied the young man, forcing himself to sit up. "This is a pub, not a whore house. We can't sleep on the table."

One eye creaked open. "As if I could move." Severus still rolled around, lying once again on his back. He stretched languidly, back arching from the ebony table, arms twisting, toes curling. He drew a hand over his chest, up his no doubt sore thigh, down on its inner side, thumb and pointing finger brushing his bollocks and cock. He sighed sounding needy and pleased at the same time.

Harry watched the display with an open gob, desire waking up inside him once again. "Damn you," he muttered.

Severus smirked and moved his legs off the table. Harry was satisfied to see he was rather wobbly when he stood on them again. None the less, he went there and placed his hands on the slim hips. He kissed the collarbones and dragged his lips on the pale, scarred neck, up the jaw until he found sweet, sweet lips.

"I need a bed," he said against them, "I need to sleep."

"Shall I leave?" Snape asked coldly.

"The pub? Yes," Harry laughed. "My bedroom's upstairs. That's where you should be heading."

He pulled Severus towards the stairs, who grabbed his wand from the table, then followed Harry, their fingers intertwined. "Clothes?" He asked, eyeing Harry's firm arse.

"You need clothes for sleeping?" Harry looked back over his shoulder, grinning.

Severus suddenly pulled him to his body, pressing Harry's arse to his soft cock. "And miss feeling this?"

Harry arched his back, reaching behind him, grasping long, raven hair. "Fuck me in the morning," he moaned wantonly.

"As you wish," came the answer.

o.O.o

Harry usually opened the pub at seven every morning. Leonora would come as his first guest, needing her usual coffee, a basket of fresh bread steaming on her arm. This morning, Harry knew she wouldn't show until late afternoon, as she liked to sleep in after the full moon.

Therefore he was rather surprised to hear noises from downstairs. His stirring must have woken Severus too. He turned around and faced the man who was buried in warm blankets to his nose, even though the summer mornings in Mull weren't in the least cold. He moved closer under the covers, and pressed himself against the other, warm body. He felt a hand move over his thigh and hip, pushing him back onto the bed. The next moment the warm body was splayed across him, hard cock pressing to his. He moaned, remembering what he had asked of Severus just about an hour before dawn would break.

Severus must have been thinking about that too. "Not yet," he said softly, his long nose caressing Harry's neck. "Go check your pub, get rid of the Addams, close up for the day and then come back to me. And I shall give you everything you want."

The young man sighed. Damn whoever was downstairs, damn the Addams, damn this whole town. He could be robbed of all he cared, the town could burn down, the Addams could learn to do magic, he didn't care; he wanted to stay where he was.

But it seemed, the town didn't care about him either. Someone knocked on his door.

Harry got out of the bed, put on some jeans, and opened the heavy, thick oak. Two piles of clothes welcomed him, folded neatly, behind them Georgie and Emerson grinned.

"We found these downstairs," Emerson said, eyes roaming on Harry's bare chest. "Scattered on the floor," he added, his grin all teasing now.

"We thought you might need it back," George offered with a twin grin. "You and... Severus? This is his, right?"

Before Harry could say something, deny or confirm any suspicion these two might have, Severus shouted from the bed, "Emerson leave my clothes with Harry and get out, will you?"

"Oh," Emerson said slowly, chuckling. "Someone's havin' a hard morning."

Georgie laughed and pushed the clothes at Harry chest. "Dress up and come downstairs. The Addams are leavin' and they want to say goodbye."

Harry nodded and was about to close the door when old wrinkly hand grasped the edge for a moment, not letting him. "It was about time, son." Georgie grinned then they were gone and the door slowly closed.

It took them only a couple of minutes to dress and then they were downstairs, but no one was around. There were noises outside but as they walked out they saw only their neighbours and friends, the Addams or the old fools weren't around.

"They're down at the mill," Patty informed them. "They didn't want to come in here with that vehicle of theirs."

And so, Harry and Severus started off towards the mill. They walked quietly, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. The sun wasn't high yet and the hills around them made the morning nice and cool but the cloudless, blue sky promised another hot day.

They met Leonora, who seemed awkward and almost frightened when she noticed them. She ran towards them shouting apologies.

"Why didn't you drink the potion?" Severus asked her immediately.

The young girl blushed. "I was about to collect it when Patty sent for me to help her out with shop and then there were the dragons and just so many things came up, and I completely forgot," she said abashed. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Harry saw she was scared of their answer, and Severus' tone turned kinder when he answered her. "Luckily, you did not. But it wasn't your or our merit."

"So I do remember it correctly," she gaped. "The dragon and all? It was gone when I woke up and I couldn't decide if it was all real or... just a dream."

"A nightmare," Snape muttered but only Harry seemed to hear him. "Are you hurt?" He asked then louder.

"Just a few bruises," she shrugged. "Nothing I'm not used to already."

"Salve in the second drawer," Severus nodded. "The door should be open."

She grinned happily at them. "Thank you Severus. And I'm sorry. I really am sorry. I was stupid, I know."

"Yes, you were," Snape chided her, but it wasn't really a scathing remark. It only made her smile embarrassed, before she said her goodbyes and headed towards the Apothecary.

The two wizards continued towards the car that stood on the road now, not far, its engine running already. The Addams family was waiting for them already, Emerson and Georgie walking towards them.

"Thank Merlin," Emerson said nodding towards the happily smiling family, "This town wouldn't be able to handle one more day like yesterday. It would fall into pieces."

"I don't know..." Harry said hesitantly as they walked by the old men. "I kind of grew to like them."

"They do have a certain muggle charm," Severus agreed.

Peter shook their hands and Caroline hugged them tightly, both grateful for the food and lodging and the medicine as well. Harry made them promise to come back if they ever drive around this part of Scotland again, which earn a rather painful elbow in his ribs when the muggles weren't looking. Peter walked away for a moment then came back with a box full of some rubbish. Harry was anxious to notice it was his witch hunter equipments.

"Would you do me one last thing, Harry?" The man asked holding the box out. "Would you throw this away for me?"

Harry took the box hesitantly but nothing made a noise. "With pleasure," he said then.

"If I may ask," Severus said, "did it break or..."

"Oh no," Peter laughed. "I just finally realized how mad I was to spend time on this. Magic doesn't exist."

"What convinced you?" Severus asked seemingly truly interested.

Peter just shrugged. "This town, I think. You people... you are just so ordinary and yet wonderful. Why look for something that doesn't exist when there are people and places around you, enchanting like Mull."

Harry laughed loudly. "A lot of thing has been said of Mull, but no one ever had called it ordinary."

"It is no doubt a wonderful place. You're lucky to live here," Caroline smiled at them then shouted back at the children, "Noah, Edith, come here and say goodbye to Harry and Severus."

The kids came running and giggling, while Caroline and Peter sat in the car.

"You promised me more tricks. With a bunny," Edith said the moment they reached them. Her voice was almost demanding. It made Harry smile. So eager, he thought. She reminded him of Hermione.

"Just one," he said, putting down the box. "Then you have to go." He kneeled down, so did Snape and Edith and Noah, too. There was a bigger, white rock in the middle of the road, Harry pulled out his wand and touched the tip of it to the stone. It turned into a small white bunny. Its long ears rose slightly from its fluffy fur as it listened, pink nose moving as it scoured the air. Harry touched it again and it turned back to stone. The children gasped in awe.

"Can we try?" Noah asked enthusiastically.

Harry looked at Snape who shrugged. His wand just a stick in muggle hands, so Harry gave it to him. He gasped with amazement and watched the holly wand with admiration, then he offered it to his sister. Edith took it too, two small hands held the wand as they touched the stone with it.

Harry stared down where to rock had been.

Red eyes stared back. Long, fluffy white ears prickled.

Harry's arm shot out to grasp at Severus' so vehemently he pushed the man off balance and Severus fell on his bottom. Peter honked and the kids dropped the wand and ran off, shouting their goodbyes, waving back at them. The next moment they were in the car. Four arms reached out through open windows and waved at them, but Harry and Severus weren't able to move a muscle. They just stared at the bunny what slowly hopped towards smelly fresh green grass.

"Muggleborns." Harry breathed, still squatting over the furry animal.

Snape lay back in the dirt and pebbles and cover his face with both hands. He didn't speak. He didn't know what to say.

"That's why Peter wanted to know if magic existed. The kids... they must have shown involuntary magic." Harry looked after the car but he only saw the dust cloud that followed the muggle vehicle. "They still have like... four years till the Hogwarts letters will come."

Severus just grunted next to him.

Harry started laughing loud and cheerful. He couldn't seem to stop, not even when Severus grasped his shirt and pulled him over himself. They lay on top of each other in the middle of the dirty road, Harry grinning, Severus looking severe.

"Why are you so happy?" Severus asked with a frown. "Everything we did yesterday... they could have seen all the magic, the dragons, the mermen. Someone from the Ministry would have come and explained it to them. It was all in vain."

Harry smiled and kissed Severus. "Not all," he said softly.

The End