Authors note: I was tired of waiting to write the 'smut' so I moved things along. I was originally going to have a couple more chapters where they are still at Snape's house, but I was ready to get their relationship started. Well.. you know. Anyways. Snape will now be more in character now that he is outside his muggle home and back at Hogwarts, but there will be moments where he shifts back into the personality that I created for him. I do not own anything except for a fierce love for Alan Rickman and everything he is associated with. My fav character of his is… ding ding Severus Snape. Onward my ducklings.
I did not know that dogs could Floo. Somehow Severus did though. He is very thorough in his packing. His various suitcases were filled with everything from potion ingredients to his.. more personal belonging. Apparently he has many different 'boyfriends'. He looks slightly uncomfortable unpacking them. His cheeks are a slight pink as he puts them in what I'm assuming is their usual home.
"This was one of two stipulations I had when Albus hired me. I told him I would only agree to be his head of Slytherin if this would be my room. It was ours. The only place I've ever felt home. If he's too much to handle. If I can't manage then I'll have to leave my home." His hand is flat against the wall. "Our field is going to be replaced with a parking lot, and I'll have to leave the only safe place Lily and I have left. No. Lily isn't alive anymore." He exhales.
A house elf pops into the room.
"Severus, Sprinkle is seeing that you are back." The elf is much different than the others. I know that all of the teachers have their own personal elf, and little is questioned about the individual's elf, but this one is in clean fresh clothes and addressing the potions master by his first name. I watch as thin twiggy arms wrap around Severus. "Sprinkle was missing you lots that he was." I'm surprised when a very happy toothy grin splits Severus's face.
"Seeing you is always the best thing about coming back."
"Pardon my asking, but if Severus is hating going to his other home why go at all."
"Oh even I need a place where I don't have to pretend to be sane." Both laugh a bit.
"Severus, who is your pooch friend."
"I've been calling him Sirius, but that stays between us."
"Can't have anyone thinking that Severus is liking that new teacher. Sprinkle was checking that Severus doesn't need any help."
"No, I'll be alright unpacking on my own." The elf disappears with a muted pop. He turns to me. "Now don't go telling anyone that I'm nice to my house elf. That was my other request. That Sprinkle be my house elf. He was always nice to me when I was a student. I hated eating in the dining hall and I would often go hungry just so I wouldn't have to sit alone. Sprinkle would always bring me food down here." He pats me. "I'm going to lay down for a nap. There aren't any students right now, so feel free to explore the school, but be careful." He scratches behind my ear and goes into the adjacent room and closes the door. I slide out of the door and go to see my favorite teacher.
I love this building. I love how effortlessly I can maneuver the halls. I remember all of the trick steps and I remember all of the hidden passageways. I shift and my muscles pull and stretch until I am back in my normal body. If feels good to be normal height. The dungeons are cold as they always are. I'm going to have to remember to wear warmer clothes when I visit him down here. That would explain why he wears such thick robes. Hell he lives down here ninety percent of the year.
Standing outside of the headmaster's office I feel a wave of nostalgia. How often did I stand outside these doors waiting for punishment, and now I'm waiting to find what room will be mine. I say the password half believing it won't open up. After all, Albus isn't alive anymore, but the wall shifts and I'm allowed in. I guess Minerva hasn't changed it.
"Sirius, I wasn't expecting you until later. Granted I also wasn't expecting you to arrive with Severus." I greet the old witch and she offers me a seat. The magical portraits of all the headmasters over the years line the back wall. At the end is Dumbledore. He still has that twinkle in his eyes.
"Minerva, that's because, Severus doesn't know that the stray he took in is Sirius. Our boy is in quite the predicament." Dumbledore is laughing slightly. "Of course I am worried what this could do to Severus. He seems to have latched on to you to keep himself stable."
"Albus, he isn't stable. At first I wanted to hurt him, I'll admit. But I don't want that anymore." Minerva pours me a cup of tea.
"What do you suppose he should do Albus? He's in too deep to just come clean."
"I don't think either of you are giving Severus enough credit. I'm not so sure that he doesn't know already. But I'm not so sure he's willing to admit it either. Severus is difficult even on a good day. He came a long way and confided many things in me, but he will always be the type to lick his wounds in private." I sip my tea having actually missed the taste.
"He will not willingly believe anything you tell him. In all likelihood anything you say to force his companionship will likely chase him away, but you equally can't wait for him to come to you." The cat states simply.
"He has not been stable since Lily was killed. It shattered him."
"He told me a lot of things- well he told the dog me. He said he was raped several times." The portrait nods. Minerva looks sick, but not surprised.
"I would have preferred it not happening, and I only knew after the fact. He is a sweet child. Desperate to be accepted, and willing to do anything for it. Yes, there were nights he was raped and then mornings when he taught the children of the same men who violated him. I would tell him to take the day off, but he said he needed the distraction." Minerva wipes a few tears from her eyes.
"I swore I wouldn't let it happen to him again. I found out when he was a student what his home life was like. I swore to him that as his teacher I wouldn't let it happen again. But it did, and I failed him." The wall opens and Severus walks in. What will it be like to talk to him after all this time?
"Severus my boy, you are looking well, though a bit thin. Don't tell me you went the entire vacation without eating." Severus cuts his dark eyes to me in disgust.
"I lost my appetite when a werewolf informed me you encouraged Minerva into hiring that imbecile. Are competent adults actually that difficult to find or do you just enjoy hiring brainless Gryffindors." His mouth is in a thin scowl and I have to remind myself how he was just hours ago.
"Good evening Severus." His eyebrow rises at me in suspicion.
"Black." So he's not going to completely ignore me.
"Would you mind calling me by my first name? I really don't like being associated with my family." Yes, get him on a first name basis. This will be easy. I've spent the last few weeks with him. I know the things he likes, the things he dislikes.
"Why would I care what you don't like Black?" His arms are crossed tightly. His eyes closed off. I see Dumbledore and Minerva watching closely.
"You're right Severus, I spent a lot of time not caring about your opinions, and I apologize about that."
"Sod off." He turns his attention from me. "Minerva, I only came up here to request that his room be as far away from my dungeons as possible. I would prefer his idiocy to stay isolated." His eyes cut to me again. His dark eyes lock with mine. "Lest there be an epidemic." He turns to leave and his long robes bellow after him.
"Well, this will be fun." Dumbledore actually laughs. Minerva shows me to my room, most of my belongings are inside, someone must have sent a house elf. I bathe quickly having missed the feeling of being washed as a man. I'm anxious to go back. If he did know all this time, why would he have let me continue staying with him? Or let me find out such personal things. I watched him jerk off to me. The hot water does little to vanquish that thought from my head. Surely he wouldn't have gone that far if he knew. I try to ignore the discomfort while I remember his flushed face. It was relaxed from pleasure, and his sounds were sweet. I have to go back. I just don't know if it would be better for me to go back to his room as a dog or as a man.
I change into my dog form just before making it to his room. The hidden room lets me in immediately. I'm not inside a minute before Severus tackles me.
"Sirius, you're back. I was worried about you." He's smiling widely. "Such a good boy." He scratches my back and belly. Will I ever be able to get him to smile like that in front of me? Sprinkle brings Severus his dinner and I notice the elf puts an extra plate down for me. The elf's thin fingers scratch into my fur and then he pops away. Severus pushes the food around and glances back and forth before casually pushing the food onto my plate. I'm about to make a fuss when Severus makes several pained noises. A belated poping sound and I notice Sprinkle griping the potions master ear forcefully.
"Severus eats Severus's food, and mister Sirius eats mister Sirius's food." A fresh plate is put in front of him and he grimaces.
"Sprinkle, I'm really not hungry." I've never seen a house elf glare at it's master until now.
"Sprinkle isn't believing Severus. Severus has gone and done something to upset his appetite. Sprinkle isn't letting Severus up until all of the food is gone." I like Sprinkle.
"I'm not eating." Severus says matter of fact. I watch the back and forth between them. Sprinkle's eyes water slightly.
"Severus isn't likeing Sprinkle's cooking. Sprinkle doesn't do good enough for Severus to eat." Sprinkle is panicking like house elves tend to do. The food has been abandoned while Severus tries to quiet the screaming elf. Sprinkle is hitting his head over and over. "Bad Sprinkle."
"Shh. No. I love your cooking. It's really good. See I'm eating. I'll eat all of it." Severus finally says. Sprinkle stops immediately.
"Sprinkle is glad to be hearing that Severus." After serving Severus for years now it would make sense that the elf knows how to manipulate the difficult potions professor. And that gives me an idea. I finish my own food while Severus reluctantly cleans the entire plate. Sprinkle pats his head approvingly like a parent would.
"I'm going back to sleep." Severus mumbles. He clearly has a headache. He pats me and goes to lay down. Once the door is closed I shift back. Sprinkle looks at me.
"Sprinkle was wondering when you would change."
"You could tell I was an animagus?" The elf nods and then hits me on the head with a spoon.
"Sprinkle did that because you use to make my master cry. Sprinkle doesn't think Severus knows who you are, and I wasn't going to be the one to hurt him after Severus was looking so happy."
"I don't want to hurt him. He can't know that I'm his dog yet. He won't trust me, and I need him to trust me.
"Sprinkle is not stupid." He looks to the room. "Sprinkle cares vary much for Severus. Severus is very kind to Sprinkle. Severus has confided in Sprinkle much about Sirius Black. Since master was a student here Severus has been attracted to Sirius Black."
"I would like to get on good terms with him. But there is so much bad between us, I don't even know how to get him to talk to me."
"Pardon Sprinkles bluntness. The only way Severus will stay in the same room as Sirius Black is either obligation or manipulation. If Sirius Black were to ask Severus who is an experienced teacher for advice then Severus would be obligated to help Sirius for the student's sake."
"He would help me." Sprinkle nods.
"But Sirius Black should not be hasty. Severus is very cautious and easily startled. If Sirius Black makes Severus uncomfortable then Sirius Black may have spoiled his only chance." I nod understanding and I shift back into my dog form while the elf pops away. I make my way into Severus's bed. After all this time it would feel strange sleeping alone.
In his sleep he curls against me. His hands grips my fur softly. Tomorrow I'll give Sprinkle's plan a shot, but for tonight I just want to sleep next to this man.