DISCLAIMER: I own nothing you recognize.
WARNING: This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.
SUMMARY: This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With The Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!
Previously:
Draco smirked, bowed mockingly, and waltzed out.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Harry turned to Severus.
"You know he's not your son, don't you?"
Chapter 7
"What are you talking about?" Snape quirked an elegant eyebrow and tried to took indignant.
"You know," pressed Harry.
Severus shrugged and pulled out his wand, starting a fire in the fireplace, and talking all the while. "...I can assure you that in the wizarding world it is entirely possible for two males to have a..."
Harry stopped his wordflow gently. "That's not what I'm talking about."
Snape sighed and slumped down in his armchair, covering his face with his hands.
"How do you know," he whispered. "How do you always know?..."
Harry smiled sadly and sat in front of Severus on the fluffy rug. "Tell me," he urged.
Snape swallowed heavily and began. "Months after Bill and I got married we found he was pregnant." He smiled. "Our marriage was arranged, you know, but we weren't against it. We did like each other. Perhaps we even..." he paused. "Lusted after each other. In any case, we were fairly content. Er..." he smirked ruefully. "I was fairly content."
He stood up suddenly and walked over to a small cabinet near one of the walls. Opening it, he pulled out a bottle of scotch and poured himself a bit. Taking a sip, he continued, not quite able to meet his young Apprentice's eyes. "When I found out... I was so happy. I've always wanted a son, someone whom I could raise right, not like my father treated me, someone I could watch grow and mature...
"All of that crashed when Dumbledore asked me to join the Death Eaters. I could never refuse. Voldemort was happy to have me. Said I'd bring corruption into the Weasley family and ultimately, starting with my son, begin a new Weasley-Snape dynasty loyal to the Dark Arts." He smirked and took a big chug of his scotch, almost choking. "But I digress..." He looked Harry in the eye, suddenly almost defiant.
"You're right," he said softly, with a barely noticeable trembling in his voice, "Draco isn't mine. Bill has been secretly spelling Drake's hair black ever since he was born. Couldn't do anything about the eyes. He still naively thinks I don't know...but I do," he looked down, clutching his glass so hard Harry was afraid it would break. For a while they were silent.
"Lucius Malfoy," spat Snape through his teeth finally. "Bill had an affair with him not even months after we got married! Lucius doesn't deny the fact. But he would never acknowledge Draco. So I pretend...pretend I don't know...It's better this way...I do love Draco...but with Voldemort hovering over my shoulder, I have to teach him all the wrong things...and it's too late to change anything...it's too late..." he finished, studying his drink intently.
Finally, uncertainly, Severus looked up and met Harry's gaze. What he saw shocked him once again. He'd expected pity and hated the thought of seeing it, expecting it nevertheless. What he saw...was compassion...empathy... he knew the difference now. Harry's gaze didn't pity, but said, 'it's okay. I'm here for you. You're okay.' Like hours ago Snape had helped Harry get over his fear of entering Ollivander's shop, now Harry, with a simple gaze, was helping Severus get over his pain.
Harry smiled tenderly, sad, and understanding. There was nothing he could say.
Fleetingly, reassuringly, he touched Severus' knee, before rising from the rug and stretching his legs. "Are you hungry?" he asked softly. "I'm starving."
Severus nodded mutely, and rang the house-elf bell for some food.
Pushing the now-empty plate away from himself, Severus watched his young Apprentice gracefully wolf down his food. He chuckled silently at the paradox. He'd always thought one could wolf, or eat gracefully, but never at the same time. Harry once again proved him wrong. Chuckling out loud this time, he rose from his chair.
"If you don't mind," he said, "I'm going to my study for a while. I need to inform the Headmaster of the latest...developments."
"What developments?" asked Harry, finishing the last of his pumpkin juice and yawning contently.
Severus snorted. "Staff?" he reminded. "White Mage? Remember?"
"Oh," Harry blushed. "Right."
Still chuckling, Snape retreated to his study, opening a private floo-line to Dumbledore's office.
Minutes later, he returned, hands laden with books, mumbling under his breath. "The old git," he muttered. "'Remind me to thank Ollivander, won't you, my boy?' " he mocked. "He could have at least had the decency to act surprised. 'Excellent! Step through for a minute, dear, I have some books for young Harry.' " Still grumbling, Severus stopped short as his fireplace came into view.
Curled up in front of it in a very cat-like manner was Harry.
Afraid something was wrong, Snape set down the books quickly and ran to the boy. As he saw Harry's face, however, he slowed down and just listened. The soft, regular breath of the boy told him what happened here.
Harry was...asleep. No doubt tired out by the day's adventures he'd curled up in front of the fire, probably at first just wanting to be closer to it and away from the cold dungeon drafts.
Snape chuckled softly and gazed upon his student with fondness. The boy was beautiful. A bit of hair had fallen across his face, partly covering it up. But his scar was visible, its lines smoothed down by the dim lights in the chamber. His face was relaxed, the flickering of the fire dancing across it, giving him an almost mystical, magical, mesmerizing appearance. Severus smiled, and reached out, brushing the hair away from the boy's face. He paused. It would be so easy now to discover just how long his hair was...All he had to do was... But no. He could not and would not invade Harry's privacy like that. Sighing softly, he got up and retrieved his sketchbook from his studio.
Settling down in his armchair, he began to draw the beautiful creature in front of him. For a while, all was peaceful.
Then, suddenly, Snape had to stifle a hiss as his left forearm was filled with liquid fire. Cursing softly, he sprang up, Accio'd his Death Eater robes and ran for the Apparation room. This was an unscheduled meeting. He could not afford being late.
"It's time to have some fun, my dears," cackled a high-pitch voice. Harry cringed. This was one of Those dreams... horrible dreams that made him wake up in cold sweat.
"Lucius, Bella," the voice continued, "show my loyal followers what we do to my not-so-loyal men."
Two tall, hooded figures bowed and stepped forward softly, out of a circle of similarly dressed figures.
For a while the air was filled with screams as the figures attacked a bloodied man who lay limply in the center of the circle. As Harry watched, unable to close his eyes, he suddenly could not help thinking that the man seemed familiar. He came closer, straining to see his face, but all in vain.
Soon, the owner of the high-pitched voice himself joined in the torture. "Crucio," he hissed, pointing a wand at the man.
The man threw his head back and screamed, loudly, and terribly. Some part of Harry was aware that he, too, was screaming. He, too, was feeling the effects of the curse. But he didn't care. Stunned, he looked at the man's face, unable to move, frozen in time.
Finally, after what seemed like years, the curse was dropped.
"Apparate him to Hogwarts," hissed Voldemort. "He won't live long enough for them to save him."
With a start, Harry woke up. "Severus!!" he cried out, his body shaking from the after-effects of the curse. "No, no, please, God, no," he cried, staggering to his feet.
Forcing the pain to the back of his mind, Harry ran to his room, grabbed his staff, and sprinted out, praying to God that he wasn't too late.
RF'S NOTE, VERY IMPORTANT:
Guys, I am announcing a voting opportunity for all of you. It is a way for you guys to help me out and influence my story's development. The voting will go on for a couple chapters. SO, please, in your review, answer the following question:
Which Animagus form do you think Harry should have?
a. Unicorn
b. Mini-Dragon (A real dragon, only not-so-huge)
c. Phoenix
d. Other. (Please specify, and remember that it must be a mythical/magical creature).
Thanks!!
RF's Note #2: HUGE THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED MY STORY!!!
People who reviewed Chapter 6: athenakitty, aikidobrat, IncubusSuccubus, Aulili, Tigris T Draconis, Dib Human, oracale, Ruth01, starangel2106, Flo, Crissy Potter, shiroiryu144, websurffer, AmarieJ, E.A.Saraby, MaraWeaves, Kiyomi22, Rory, Miki23, Sothis Black, Freestyle-death, KDay2, LdyKiya, ambrezwenko, texasjeanette, Elebereth, ldypebsaby, Y.D.K.W, Kaaera, SheWolfe7, clarence, ahappyjtm, dablksaiyangurl, OrestesMyPet, Hekate101, SerpentSlaveChik, lambentness, dramalzgal, baby chaos, Kathleen, Wolflady, sillysue, and kirrdis!!!
Thanks much!
And please review this chapter? Don't forget to answer my question! Thanks!
