A/N: So, yes, it's past midnight, but I figured I'd update just before I go to bed and that way I get to wake up to all your wonderful reviews. :] :P This one is shorter again but enjoy anyways. Review and thanks so much. :]

Warnings: Nothing much.

"Harry, you should do it and you know it," Jack was telling him at dinner. It was the last day that Jack and Benji would be at Hogwarts. They had gotten a letter from Milo four days earlier saying he had passed his Potions test and had only been about five marks away from being perfect. He had said to tell Severus how thankful he was and hoped he could return again to get the Potions master's help to review for his exam. Severus had given a nod before returning to his book but Harry had seen the pride in the man's eyes.

"Jack, there are about three major things that I should do right now. Get my voice back, fight for Teddy, and take Elijah as my apprentice," Harry said. "I've had to make big choices in my life but they've always seemed easier because I've had someone else help me. I'm doing all of this on my own this time."

"What in the world makes you think you're doing any of this on your own?" Jack said. "The boys and I will be behind you on everything. Your other friends, Kingsley and all of them will be there too. And you cannot forget about Severus. He will be there to help you. He's the one who can give you your voice back. He's the one who told you to fight for your godson and he'll help you. He'll help you if you take an apprentice. You are definitely not on your own for any of this, Harry."

"It feels like it," Harry said, poking at his lamb chop.

"Why is that?" Jack asked, knowing there was something else holding the younger man back from making any of these decisions that could possibly make him so happy. Harry just shook his head, taking a small bite of his potatoes. "Harry, I know there's something."

Harry sighed and looked at his friend. "These choices, my choices, are being made for me. Before when things were decided, they were decided for everyone else. They were made to affect everyone else, not me. When I chose to do something, I didn't think of me or how it would affect me. I only thought of what would happen to everyone else if I did whatever I chose. This time, though, it's for me."

"Like it always should've been," Jack said. "Harry, you've told me all about how your life was and I've read your book. I know how things were and it's not how it should've been. You never should have had to go through all you did, you never should have had to make the choices you did, and you should have always been able to put yourself first. However, no matter how much anyone says that, it doesn't change the fact that you did go through it all. Now, though, you can do what you want. Isn't that one reason you left England? So you could live how you wanted and to make the choices you wanted without having to think of anyone else? Do what you want, Harry, just like what you've been doing for the past five years. These are your choices and you know what's right. It's far past the time for you to choose things because it's what you want."

Harry stared at Jack, letting his words register and sink in. He knew Jack was right and he knew he wanted to accept the decision to do all three things he had been considering. He wanted his voice back. He wanted to try and get his godson. He wanted to take Elijah Sann as an apprentice. Just because he wanted to do all these things, it didn't mean he wasn't absolutely terrified about doing them.

"If you weren't scared then I'd be worried," Jack said as if reading Harry's thoughts.

Harry looked at him with narrowed eyes and a smile. "Has Severus been teaching you Legilimency when I'm not around?"

Jack laughed. "You were taught Occlumency by the man. I think you're fine even if he did teach me."

Harry nodded, chuckling. "Yeah, he taught me well. It took a long time since he was a complete git in fifth year when we started the first time."

"Don't you always say that he's still a git?" Jack said with a grin.

"When he wants to be, yes, he is a git," Harry nodded.

"Ah, but he's your git now," Jack said and Harry blushed but smiled nonetheless.

"I never thought it would happen," Harry said. "Benji had a good point though. He said, 'why should things matter for dating when they didn't matter for friendship?'. It was like I had an epiphany after he said that."

Jack chuckled. "He has a way of getting to people like that."

Harry laughed. "That he does."

"Anyways, do what you want and what you think is right for you. You are the only one who can make the choices in your life now," Jack said and Harry nodded.


"Well, we must be off," Jack said the next morning. He and Benji were all packed and ready to return to Spain.

"I'll miss you, Jack," Harry said, hugging his friend. "You've been really helpful."

"Be sure to write. If I hear nothing within two weeks, I'm coming back to interrogate you," Jack threatened and Harry laughed, hugging him again.

"I'll write, I promise," Harry said, pulling away from Jack and drawing Benji into a hug. "I'll miss you too, Benji. Be good and do well in school."

"Bye, Uncle Harry," Benji said and then ran to Severus who was standing away from the friends to give them space and time. He was shocked when Benji ran up to him and threw his arms around his waist. "Bye, Uncle Sev'rus."

Blinking, Severus put a hand on top of Benji's head. "Goodbye, Benji," he said and Benji ran back to his father. Harry smiled and walked over to Severus who met him halfway and Harry took his hand.

"We'll come and visit again sometime," Jack said, "since it seems as though you'll be here for a while." He looked pointedly at Severus with a smile.

Harry looked at Severus beside him and smiled as well. "I'll be back in Iceland during the summer holidays but for the year, I'll be here."

"Until then," Jack inclined his head and stepped into the fireplace with Benji.

"Bye, Jack. Bye, Benji," Harry said.

"Goodbye," Severus said and the two Catellas disappeared in the green flames.

Harry sighed as he watched his friends leave. Severus pulled him over to the sofa in Harry's rooms and they sat down. They stayed silent as they sat together, Harry leaning on Severus' shoulder and their hands entwined.

"I've made my decision," Harry's voice box broke the silence.

"About what?" Severus asked his voice quiet. Harry pointed at his voice box. "And what is your decision?"

"I want my voice back," Harry said and Severus pulled away slightly so he could look at his partner.

"Are you sure?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I've thought about it a lot. It's what I want to do."

Severus smiled and kissed his forehead. "When would you like to?"

"Tonight after dinner. I'll have the weekend then," Harry said, resting against Severus' chest.

"I'm glad you decided to do this, Harry," Severus said quietly and Harry smiled, nuzzling Severus' chest.

"Me too."


"So, what do we do?" Harry asked, sitting on the edge of Severus' bed nervously.

"Well, first, you relax," Severus said with a smile, sitting next to him.

"Sorry, I know," Harry said, taking a deep breath. "What if it doesn't work?"

"It will. I've double checked everything," Severus said. "I'll be removing the spell from your neck first. You will probably feel some tingling; maybe some pressure but do not panic. These are strong spells and very dark. I will have to put quite a bit of magic into the counter curses."

Harry nodded, swallowing thickly.

"Lay down. You'll be more comfortable," Severus said and Harry obeyed though he lay stiffly. Severus chuckled lightly. "Relax."

"Sorry," Harry said and Severus shook his head. He leaned over and held his body up by placing a hand on the bed on the other side of Harry.

"It'll be fine," Severus said, running his free hand through Harry's hair. "There is nothing to worry about."

"Easy for you to say," Harry muttered and Severus chuckled again.

"Try to relax, love," Severus said and kissed his forehead before taking out his wand. He saw Harry tense and jump slightly and lowered his wand to the bed beside the Gryffindor.

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered.

"It's fine, Harry. Just know that you can trust me. I won't hurt you and I've checked this many times to make sure it's safe and will work," Severus told him.

"I do trust you and I know you won't hurt me," Harry said.

"Then hold onto that. It'll be fine," Severus said and Harry nodded, biting his bottom lip. Severus smiled at the action and tapped Harry's lip with his finger. Harry blushed and let go.

Severus raised his wand again and waved it over Harry, cancelling the glamour that hid the marks on his neck. He pointed his wand at the 'S' in the middle of Harry's neck. He waited until Harry had released some of the tension in his body before chanting the counter curse.

"Narro," he whispered and the 'S' on Harry's neck glowed a bright blue and the line connecting the 'S's on his neck and the 'S' on his lips appeared. He whispered it again and the light dimmed. Saying it a third time had the letter completely disappearing. The line shimmered but remained visible.

"Severus?" the voice box whispered and Severus met Harry's green eyes. He smiled.

"It's working. Did you feel anything?" Severus asked.

"Yeah. It tingled at first but then it felt like someone was pushing on my neck slightly. The pressure was building but then it stopped. It was almost like Apparation but less intense," Harry told him.

"Is it bearable?"

Harry nodded.

"Good," Severus said. He raised his wand again and repeated the same thing with the 'S' on the left side of Harry's neck.

"It was worse that time. It felt more like Apparation that time," Harry said, his eyes wide and Severus could see the hidden fear in the green eyes.

"Do you wish to stop?" Severus asked.

"It'd be kind of pointless, wouldn't it? It's halfway done already," Harry said.

Severus nodded and took Harry's hand in his. Harry gripped it tightly and Severus could feel it trembling slightly. Holding Harry's hand, Severus proceeded to rid Harry of the third 'S'. By the time he had finished, Harry was nearly crushing his hand and was shaking ever so lightly.

"It's like the first time I ever Apparated," Harry said and Severus saw the tears in his eyes.

"It's all right, Harry, you're fine," Severus said, stroking Harry's cheek with the back of his fingers. "The first spell is broken, the spell that was on your neck. When the second spell was cast, did anything happen?"

"I think it hurt. I don't remember too well. I was more focused on the fact that my voice was nearly gone and that I was currently being raped," Harry said and Severus cringed. He still couldn't believe that this young man had gone through the experience of being repeatedly raped in order to save him. "Sorry," Harry said, seeing Severus' reaction and the way he paled.

Severus shook his head and gave Harry a smile. "It's all right, Harry. In all honesty, I'm glad that you are able to talk about it so freely even as horrible as the experience was."

Harry smiled. "Jack helped a lot."

"And I'm very grateful to him for taking care of you," Severus said.

"Severus, you make it sound as though I was incapable of looking after myself," Harry said.

"I know you were able to look after yourself but I'm glad he helped you," Severus said and Harry smiled. "Anyways, breaking this last spell might hurt. I can't say how much but it's very possible that it will hurt."

"It's fine, Severus. I'll manage," Harry said, trying to hide his fear even though he knew Severus had already seen it.

"It'll be over quickly," Severus said and raised his wand again. "Narro iterum," he muttered and an 'S' glowed brightly on Harry's lips. He squeezed Harry's hand, trying to give comfort. "Narro iterum," he said again and Harry gripped his hand tighter. He put his wand aside, knowing he didn't need it for the final casting. He stared into Harry's pain filled eyes that had a few tears leaking from the corners. He leaned down and whispered over Harry's lips, "Narro iterum," before kissing the younger man.

Severus could tell that Harry was trying to enjoy the kiss but was suffering through too much pain. He pulled back and watched worriedly. Harry's eyes were clenched shut with tears pouring from behind them and he was crushing Severus' hand but Severus didn't care. Harry's lips were glowing a bright blue and they had parted as if Harry was screaming.

Suddenly Harry's lips went back to normal and he fell limp. Severus was nearly panicking.

"Harry?" Severus said, cupping Harry's damp cheek with one hand. "Come on, Harry, open your eyes."

What have I done?

"…ev…" a faint voice said and Severus stared at Harry whose eyes were flickering and his lips were moving. "S—Sev—Sev'r—"

"No, don't push. Just stay at 'Sev' for now," Severus said as Harry struggled to say his name. "Use your box as well."

Harry gave a small nod. "You hate being called 'Sev'."

Severus gave a choked laugh that he would never admit to. "I don't care." Severus caressed his cheek and Harry leaned into it with a smile.

"How long do you think it'll be until I'm talking normally?" Harry asked, still using his voice box.

"A few days as long as you practice but not too hard," Severus told him.

"Okay," Harry nodded and relaxed, closing his eyes. "M'tired. Come to bed."

Severus nodded and quickly changed into his sleep pants. He slipped into the bed and once again pulled Harry to him. Harry rolled over and laid his head on Severus' chest, an arm across his waist and a leg between his own. Harry fell asleep quickly but Severus remained awake, holding Harry close. He had been terrified to think something had gone wrong and that he had seriously hurt Harry. However, it had worked. Harry had his voice back though he would have to take some time to make it strong again after being silent for so long. Severus held Harry tightly and kissed the top of his head before falling asleep.

A/N: Short and not too exciting but Harry's getting his voice back, so yay. :P Hope you liked it. Please review and I will go to bed happy with the knowledge of having all your reviews to read in the morning. Lol. I'm exhausted. I need to sleep. Lol. Review and thanks again. :]