TITLE: In The Silence

NAME: Jack Quaker

SUMMARY: When Snape goes to what he believes to be a typical death eater meeting he is surprised to find himself caretaker of Voldemort's newest "toy"; a silent young man with the most beautiful turquoise eyes. What secrets does this man hold? Can Snape save him from the Dark Lord?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or anything pertaining to the world of Harry Potter.

WARNING: Slash (Snape/OMC and Harry/Draco), mentions of torture and rape. AU, completely ignores books 6 & 7, OOC.

A/N: OMG!!! Is this another update? Why yes, yes it is!!! I'm so proud… two updates in less than a month!

The next morning Harry woke aching all over. Even his eyelids seemed to hurt as he blinked sleepily up at the red blur shaking him awake. Despite this a large smile bloomed on his face as he remembered the evening before. It had been wicked, not only being allowed to hex his potions master, but actually being encouraged to do so by the man himself. Ron would turn positively green with envy when he found out. Speaking of Ron, Harry glanced back up at the red blur that was his best friend. The boy was currently snapping his fingers in front of Harry's face.

"Hey mate, are you there? Blimey, what did the bastard do to you last night?" Frowning in confusion Harry reached over for his glasses. Ron's concerned face came into focus. "You okay there Harry?"

"Of course Ron, why wouldn't I be?" Ron shrugged.

"I don't know. I was trying to wake you but you just laid there with this grin on your face. I though maybe Snape had done something to you last night." Harry tried to laugh but he was so sore it quickly became a moan.

"Crickey mate, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just sore from my lessons last night. Snape had me running and moving all over the place. It was even more exhausting than quiddich. It was great though, spent over an hour trying to curse Snape at his encouragement." Ron's eyes grew to the size of saucers.

"Wicked. You don't suppose he'd allow me to join in these extra lessons, yeah?" Harry chuckled at Ron's obvious enthusiasm for the idea.

"Sorry mate but I can't see him agreeing to that." The red head seemed to deflate though the wistful look never left his face.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. How amazing would that be though?" Harry just laughed as he got up and got ready for the day, leaving Ron to his daydreams.

Quiet whispers and furtive glances met Harry as he entered the Great Hall for lunch. Yesterday he had been so wrapped up in his personal drama with Snape and Terren he had completely forgotten that he and Draco had gone public with their relationship over the holidays. Now that he was free of distractions, there was nothing to keep him from noticing all the whispers and stares. He blushed from the attention and walked to his seat as quickly as his aching body would allow. A quick glance around the hall showed the Slytherins to be the only one's seemingly disinterested, even the teachers, aside from Terren, Snape and Dumbledore, looked curious. Harry looked for Draco and breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted the blond in his usual seat at the center of the Slytherin table, surrounded by his year mates. He knew his boyfriend had been worried about his house's response to their relationship, especially after Lucius had disowned him.

Doing his best to ignore the rest of the hall, Harry began to eat. Or, at least he tried to. However, such a simple task was proving quite difficult to Harry's sore body. He was just about to give up with a blue potion bottle appeared before his eyes. He looked up to see Terren standing over him, holding the bottle.

'It's a muscle relaxant and pain killer.' Terren answered his questioning look. Harry quickly snatched it up and chugged it down, ignoring the awful taste. He gave a happy sigh of relief as he felt the potion immediately take affect.

"Thank you."

'Don't thank me; I'm just the delivery boy. Severus thought you might need it after last night's lesson.' Terren said with a smile before walking off. Harry glanced up at the head table in shock where Snape was eating his breakfast and scowling at the students. Their eyes met and Harry sent him a timid, thankful smile. Snape stared intently at him for a moment before nodding in acceptance and returning to his breakfast. Harry couldn't help but wonder at the change in their relationship. However, he didn't ponder these thoughts for long as the delicious smells of breakfast penetrated his consciousness.

After breakfast Harry met up with Draco to walk to their first class, transfiguration, together. "I notice you're still in one piece." Draco said by way of greeting. "Apparently your lesson wasn't as horrid as you imagined it be." Harry smiled at the good-natured teasing.

"It was a lot of fun actually, if not exhausting. I spent most of the time trying to hex Snape." Draco raised his eyebrows at that.

"Did you manage to hit him at all?"

"Not even close. I'm not sure I ever will. That man is amazing at dueling. It's a shame really that he's never been allowed to teach DADA." The blond gave him a weird look at that.

"You don't believe those rumors do you?"

"Shouldn't I?" Draco shook his head.

"Uncle Sev has never gone after the DADA position. Even if it wasn't cursed, which it most assuredly is, Uncle Sev's passion has always been potions. Defense is more something he mastered out of necessity."

"Where'd the rumor come from then?"

"Where do any rumors come from?" Harry conceded point.

"So how are things with your house?"

"Good," Draco smiled. "I got some flak for dating the Boy Wonder, though most agreed you were a good catch." Harry blushed. "As for my change in alliances, it was generally seen as a wise move, especially in light of our Head of House's reveled allegiances."

"They know about that?"

"Harry, most of their parents are Death Eaters, of course they know and while we do have some strong Dark Lord supporters most of the Slytherins see him for the crazed psychopath he really is." Harry smiled brightly.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it, we can use all the people we can get on our side. And I'm really glad you still have your friends. I know how hard it can be to have everyone turn their back on you." Draco reached out and grabbed Harry's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"If you want I can go and hex all those Gryffindors who've ever turned on you. I'd start with Weasley." The blond had a wicked grin. Harry laughed.

"Thanks for the offer but I think I'll pass. Besides, I thought you and Ron had settled your differences?"

"We did. Doesn't mean I'd pass up the chance to curse his freckled ass." Harry was denied a chance to respond because they had arrived at class. The two took their respected seat, Harry by Hermione and Draco with Blaise, and waited for class to start.

Severus was more than happy for classes to end. The brats had been intolerable as usual and his third years had ruined nine cauldrons between the two classes. He was fairly certain third years were his least favorite age group. Maybe second least favorite, he thought as he saw a group of sixth year students in the hallway ahead of him. The younger Potter seemed to be the center of attention, no surprise there, surrounded by an odd assortment of Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors with even a few Ravenclaws. Removed from this group but still within hearing distance were a few of his Slytherins watching the proceedings intently. Blending into the shadows, Severus drew near.

"We all know you've gone dark." A Hufflepuff accused. A Mr. Ernie MacMillan if remembered correctly. Severus blinked in surprise at the angry accusation. Where had the blundering idiot gotten such an idea?

"You're mental." Was Harry's mature response. Not exactly eloquent but true nonetheless, Severus thought.

"Am I?" Yes. "You're the one who's dating a death eater." Ah, so that was the root of the issue. Students were so simple minded. Severus noticed his Slytherins stiffen in displeasure.

"Draco's not a death eater." MacMillan scoffed.

"He's a Malfoy, everyone knows the Malfoys are dark."

"Dark doesn't necessarily mean evil, it's just a different type of magic." Severus couldn't help but be surprised by Potter. While what he said was true it distinctly went against the beliefs of those in the Lion's house, one of the reason's Gryffindors and Slytherins rarely got along. Stupid, naive Gryffindors. MacMillan stared at Harry as though he had gone mad before smiling with an evil glee.

"That's exactly what a death eater would have us believe! You've just proven your guilt!" Harry opened his mouth to retort when another person beat him to it.

"Please, St. Potter going dark? As if that'll ever happen." Pansy Parkinson stepped forward. "Even if Potter ever wanted to go dark the Dark Lord would never let him. He wants Potter dead to much to do anything less than kill him on sight." The rest of the Slytherins stood united behind her. They were a formidable sight; their expressions ensured they were taken seriously. Not having a comeback, MacMillan and his supporters quickly fled. Severus highly doubted this was the end of speculations on Harry's nature but maybe they'd think twice about voicing their opinions.

"Thanks." Harry said once only he and the Slytherins remained. Pansy gave him a long, assessing stare before answering.

"We look after our own. I just hope you're worth it." Harry just smiled as he watched the Slytherins walk away.

"Well Potter, you seem to have won over my house." Severus smirked when the boy jumped at the sound of his voice.

"I suppose, at least as much as anyone can." Harry sighed. "Its nice to know at least one house will support me. Just seems strange that it's the one house that's always been against me." Severus couldn't help but agree.

"Come Potter. I'm on my way to retrieve your cousin. I'm sure the sentimental brat would love to hear how your day has gone." Harry looked surprised by the offer but that look quickly transformed into a smile.

"Okay."

Terren woke up in a marvelous mood. However, since then it seemed as though the world was trying its best to ruin that mood. The stairs had been most incorporative that morning, sliding and moving until he had no idea where he was. By the time Terren had found his way back to the infirmary half the morning was gone and Madam Pomfrey was in a right fowl mood. As a result she left Terren to care to a group of first years, who had somehow gotten a hold of an entire box of Weasley's Wizarding Whizzes, by himself. He had had to work through lunch and doubted he'd ever get that bloodstain out of his shirt or the smell of puke out of his hair. When Severus and Harry found him he was hiding in one of the private rooms in the back of the infirmary after cleaning the entire hospital wing, top to bottom. Madam Pomfrey was not one to forgive and forget easily and Terren was sure she was still sore about his behavior when he'd first arrived

"Bad day?" A warm, dark voice interrupted his self-commiserating. He glanced from his sprawled position on the bed to see Severus and Harry standing in the doorway. "Poppy says she'll let you go if you promise not o be late again." Severus had barely finished speaking before Terren dragged him and Harry out of the hospital wing. Terren didn't slow down or glance at either of his hostages until he was safely ensconced in their rooms where he proceeded to collapse on the first available surface. Thankfully it was the couch. Harry immediately sprawled next to him while Severus took a seat on an adjacent chair with a half-heated sneer at the cousins.

"Care to share what has you acting like a dramatic fool? Severus asked.

'Pomfrey is a she-dragon!' Terren exclaimed. 'She was absolutely horrid!'

"I doubt your day was as bad as mine." Harry countered. "Everyone was staring at me and whispering behind my back."

'I had to clean the entire hospital wing!'

"I was accused of being a death eater!"

'I had a kid bleed all over my shirt!" Severus watched in half amusement, half exasperation as his lover and his young cousin were reduced to the childish game of 'my life is worse than yours'. He quickly grew tired of it.

"I had nine cauldrons explode in class today." He interrupted. Okay, so maybe even Severus Snape wasn't above a little childishness. Both Potters turned to look at him.

'I got puked on!"

"I was accused of cheating on Cho!"

"I had my classroom filled with noxious gas."

Harry left Terren and Snape's room later that evening with a large smile on his face. He walked up to dinner, happily ignoring the looks and whispers, feeling better than he had for the past few days. Ron and Hermione looked up in surprise as Harry sat down, still grinning.

"Where have you been?" Hermione immediately asked.

"I've been with Terren and Snape in their rooms."

"We were looking all over for you this afternoon." Hermione began to lecture. Luckily Ron interrupted her before she could get going.

"Wait, what do you mean 'their rooms'?"

"They live together Ron. They're lovers." Ron's face immediately lost all color.

"Your cousin's shagging the Greasy Git? That's disgusting." Hermione just rolled her eyes having suspected such a thing on the first night. While not unexpected, Ron's response made Harry a little uncomfortable along with the inexplicable desire to defend Snape.

"Snape's really not that bad. He can actually be kind of nice sometimes. I mean there are times when I can see what Terren sees in him." Ron gave him a look of pure disbelief.

"Okay, Harry, whatever you say." He said in the same tone one would use to reassure a crazy person.

"Anyway." Hermione cut in, looking quite annoyed that she'd been interrupted. "We were really worried about you. There was a rumor gong around that you'd been countered by a group of students accusing you of going dark and we couldn't find you anywhere." A wave of guilt washed over Harry at having made his friends worry.

"I'm sorry Hermione, there was no need to worry though."

"I know. I just don't like not knowing where you are, especially with all the trouble you manage to get into."

"Hey, its not like I go looking for trouble, it just seems to always find me. And today, I was in such a bad mood, especially after being accused of going evil, again, that I just needed someone to talk to."

"I think its great you have Terren now Harry but just because you've got him doesn't mean you can't come to us. You know that don't you Harry?" Harry smiled.

"Yeah, I know."

"Good."

The rest of dinner passed quickly and before he knew it Harry was saying good-bye to his friends to meet Professor McGonagall for his first animangus lesson. He was very excited, having dreamed of becoming an animangus ever since he had learned his father had been one. He said the password to Dumbledore's office and rode up the stairs. Knocking on the door, he was promptly told to enter. Upon doing so he almost immediately noticed a school desk that had been brought in and was currently covered in several ancient looking tomes.

"Well Mr. Potter, don't just stand there. Come in and sit down." McGonagall gestured towards the book-laden desk when Harry just stood in the doorway. Harry hurried to comply.

"What are the books for?"

"To read Mr. Potter, surely you're acquainted with such a thing." Harry blushed slightly; hardly believing his strict head of house was teasing him. "I want you to read these books."

"All of them!"

"Yes. They are all on the theories and magic behind becoming an animangus."

"But-"

"No buts Mr. Potter. Becoming an animangus is very advanced magic. It is essential that you understand the magic behind it before attempting a transformation." Harry sighed and nodded his understanding. "Good. As soon as you finish those books we can begin working on the transformation." With another sigh Harry began to read, suddenly feeling much less excited about becoming an animangus.

A/N: One last thing. I'm trying to plan out the next several chapters, that way there won't be anymore long waits between chapters. What is your guys' opinion of m-preg? Is there anything you'd like to see in the story? Please let me know, it would really be a big help and also ensure that you got updates faster.