AN: Thanks so much for all the reviews and follows! Thank you mzperx for writing a review only a few minutes after I had posted! I was so happy I decided to update now (sorry it's so short). Hope you enjoy!
~GreenEyes
Albus Dumbledore was woken up in the early hours of the morning by the wards he had placed on Harry; letting him know that the young man had at last regained consciousness. He got up and made his way to the Hospital Wing.
What he found there surprised him –a feat not easily achieved.
"You are my Master," said Harry calmly.
Albus saw Severus' eyes widen in shock, his face even paler than usual.
"Master?" Harry asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"
Albus didn't think so. In fact he would've bet his entire collection of odd, fragile-looking objects (half of which he didn't even know the use of) that his Potions Master was about to faint.
"Severus?" Albus said, making his presence known.
The man in question jumped out of his chair and whirled around fast as lightning, a panicked expression on his face.
"Headmaster!" He exclaimed, "I swear, Albus, I didn't do anything!"
If the situation wasn't so serious Albus would've chuckled at the man's behavior. Honestly, he sounded like a guilty first-year who had been caught sneaking around after curfew.
"Calm yourself, Severus," Albus said soothingly, "I would assume this is the effect of the curse Lucius cast on the boy?"
"How can you be so calm about this Albus?" Severus was still quite agitated, "The boy thinks I am his Master!"
"Well technically you are his Potions Mas-" Albus began
"Don't!" Severus snapped "This is not the time for bloody jokes, Albus!"
"No," sighed the Headmaster, "I suppose not."
"But you are my Master!" The boy in question piped up.
Severus turned back to face the boy. His expression was one of shock and disbelief, as if the two wizards saying that Severus was not his Master was like saying Voldemort had enjoyed wearing pink floral dresses.
Severus sat back down on the chair and put his head in his hands.
"Albus," He mumbled through his fingers, "Do something, please."
Albus nodded –though Severus couldn't see– and sat down on the chair that he had vacated a few hours previously.
"Harry?" He addressed the boy.
"Yes, Sir?" The boy turned his attention to the Headmaster, but his eyes still kept flicking to Severus, he seemed genuinely worried about the man.
"I'm going to ask you some questions, I would like you to answer them as best you can, okay?" Albus asked him, doing his best not to seem like a threat to the boy.
"Master?" Harry turned to Severus, who cringed at his new title.
"Yes, Mr. Potter?" The man sighed, looking up at him.
"Should I answer this man's questions?" He asked, oblivious to the gaping Headmaster behind him.
Severus just stared at the boy for a moment, then he gave an small, uncertain nod.
Harry smiled and turned back to Albus, who tried to keep a poker-face.
"Okay, sir," He said, as if what he had just done was the most normal thing in the world, "I will do as you ask."
Albus cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Good, Harry," He said trying for a smile, although it looked more like a grimace, "First of all, what do you remember from the battle?"
Harry frowned in confusion.
"Battle?" He asked, "What battle?"
Severus groaned from his chair.
"Honestly, Albus!" he said rolling his eyes, "The boy doesn't remember anything, not even his own name!"
"You told me my name is Harry Potter, Master," Harry said, smiling "And so it is."
Albus looked like he was about to faint. Harry didn't remember anything. The-Boy-Who-Lived didn't remember who he was, or what he had accomplished. The entire world knew this boy's name and he only said it was his name to please Severus!
"Albus," begged Severus, "Please tell me you can do something!"
"I think we should call in Poppy to take a look," Albus said.
"Poppy!" Shouted Severus, impatient to get answers.
Albus frowned at the man's behavior, but didn't say anything. Merlin knew how stressed the man must be.
"What is it?" Poppy asked bustling into the room, "Is he awake?"
"Yes," answered Albus, "He is exhibiting strange symptoms we think are related to the curse.
"What symptoms?" Poppy , examining the boy critically from where she stood, "He seems fine"
"Well-"started Albus, but Harry cut him off.
"Master?" He said to Severus, "Who is that?"
Poppy's jaw dropped.
"Oh Merlin!" She whispered.
"Do you recognize the symptoms, Poppy?" Albus asked.
She bit her lip and avoided the man's gaze.
"I do…" She said in a small voice.
"Well go on then," Severus said impatiently, "What is this?"
"It's very old magic," Poppy explained, "I've never actually seen it myself, but my grandmother told me about it once."
"What is it?" Severus repeated.
"Patience, Severus," Albus warned, then gestured for the witch to continue.
"The incantation is 'Obeditus'," continued Poppy, "but it is known more commonly as the Slave Curse."
Severus gasped in recognition of the name.
"Severus," Albus asked, "You know of this?"
Severus nodded numbly. He knew of this spell, and of its possible fatality.
"Lucius told me of it once," Severus admitted, "Said that he used the spell on all of his House-Elves, after Potter tricked him into freeing one."
"So you know then what you must do, Professor?" Asked Poppy.
Severus nodded. Albus looked confused.
"What do you mean?" Asked the headmaster.
"If I do not accept Ha-Potter as my… slave," Severus said the word as if it left a bad taste in his mouth, "He will die."
AN: Mwahaha cliff-hanger! I'll try to update soon, promise. Maybe the next chapter will be longer(?)
Reviews are always welcome! :)