Chapter 10: Fanning the Flames

Avoiding Harry was an impossible feat, Lord Snape soon found out. Upon returning to Spinner's End, Severus was greeted by none other than the boy in question as he barreled half-naked down the hall as though the hounds of Hell were at his heels. The boy thrust himself full force against Severus' chest and buried his face in the lord's shoulder. "Bloody Christ!" he swore as his fingers wrapped around Harry's slender arms.

Harry's eyes locked on Severus imploringly.

Severus sighed. "What trouble have you gotten into now?" he muttered.

"My lord, thank goodness you are here! Perhaps you can make him hold still!" Mrs. Figg cried. She gathered her skirts and moved as quickly as her short legs would carry her.

"Exactly what in heaven's name is going on here?" Severus roared.

The stunned housekeeper was soon joined by Miss Granger and another young woman. Miss Granger held out an unfinished garment. "We were only trying to get Harry properly fitted in new clothes," the impertinent nursemaid said with a hand upon her hip. "He seems to believe that we are about to torture him."

Severus managed to pry himself from Harry's grasp. His eyes fell to the shrinking form of the newcomer. "And just who might you be?"

The girl gave an awkward curtsy. "Lavender Brown, my lord."

"And your purpose here?" he demanded.

"Really, my lord, what does it look like she's doing? Miss Brown has come to help Mrs. Figg and me get Harry in clothes that actually fit him properly." Hermione took Harry by the hand. "You shouldn't run off. We are making you new clothes," she told him slowly using exaggerated gestures.

Severus found himself amazed by how attentive Harry seemed to be. Though he made no sign that he understood, the boy was so obviously trying to comprehend what Miss Granger was telling him. Harry eventually frowned and pointed to the bit of fabric in Miss Brown's hands. "NUH!" he said firmly.

Now that had Severus completely taken aback. He had never heard Harry's attempted speech before, and it proved that (much to his chagrin) Miss Granger had not lied.

Miss Granger was quite oblivious to the pensive nobleman. "Miss Brown didn't mean to hurt you. If you would hold still, you wouldn't have to worry about the pins. Now, come along Harry."

When the women led Harry out of the hall, Severus simply stood there like a simpleton. How did things manage to change so damned quickly? He had been gone less than three days, and his house was in utter chaos once again. It felt as though Severus were being pulled in several directions at once. He was quite torn between strangling the nursemaid and screaming at the top of his lungs until the whole lot of them—the boy, the nurse, the housekeeper, and the seamstress—were running from his property. As it was, Severus settled for a brandy in his study. With Harry in residence, Severus was fast becoming a drunkard.

In the evening, Miss Granger appeared in his study. "My lord," she said in an uncharacteristically soft tone, "might I have a word?"

"With you, Miss Granger, it is never just one word," he quipped. He rose and motioned for the girl to take a seat.

"Thank you," she replied as she sat. "You left before we could discuss how to educate Harry."

"I entrust Harry's education to your capable hands, Miss Granger. However, I do wish to discuss the seamstress. Miss…" Severus tried to recall the girl's name.

"Brown," Miss Granger supplied.

"Yes, Miss Brown. Exactly why did you feel the need to bring her here? I was under the impression that you understood the importance of keeping Harry's presence a secret. Why would you disobey me?" he asked sternly.

Miss Granger shrugged unrepentantly. "I took Harry to see Dr. Lupin. Though I don't think either of you were willfully negligent….I simply believed that Harry should be examined again. My acquaintance with Miss Brown is quite accidental, I assure you."

That night, the lord and the nursemaid formed a rather strange bond. They swapped bits of information and theories about the Dursleys and the boy in the rooms above. Miss Granger's thoughts did not differ much from Severus' own. Both were committed to seeing Vernon Dursley hanging from a noose of his own making. The bits of information Miss Granger had gleaned from Durlsey's former staff did not go unappreciated. She was much more astute than any other woman he had met—with perhaps the exception of his own mother. Severus was beginning to think that perhaps he would not even need Mr. Whit with this mere slip of a girl on his side. The pair began to formulate a plan that evening in the study.

When Lord Snape poured himself a brandy, he poured a slightly smaller amount into another glass. "I do believe this partnership deserves a celebration of sorts," he said with a mocking lilt to his words.

To his amazement, Miss Granger did not hesitate to accept the liquor. Instead she raised her glass to his and downed the drink without so much as a shudder. A proper lady would have swooned after such a strong indulgence. Miss Granger had again proven herself to be nothing like the women in Severus' experience.

Miss Granger set aside the glass. "My lord, there is one more matter I wish to discuss with you. Remus and I have discussed contacting a school for deaf children. Though I wish I could, I know that I cannot help Harry as they can."

"I will think about it," Severus replied curtly. "It seems that perhaps I should go visit Dr. Lupin in the morning."

When the household was abed and the last candle had been put out, Severus walked the halls like a specter. Though he was once again in his own home, he felt no more at ease than he had in London. The restlessness that haunted him had not subsided inside his own walls—if anything, it only deepened. He wished that he could plead ignorance. His life would be much simpler if he were not plagued by desire for the young man in his protection. As his journey continued, Severus' resolve to avoid Harry weakened. He soon found himself standing outside of the boy's door.

Severus no longer worried that his footsteps would wake Harry. He snuffed out the candle and stared at the lad sleeping in the moonlight. God, the sight of him made Severus' loins harden! An unwelcome urge to reach out and touch the boy seized him. Before he could stop himself, his fingertips grazed against Harry's forehead as he pushed at the raven black strands covering his face. Severus didn't dare breathe. What had he done? Harry's eyes fluttered open, and Severus was greeted by a very sleepy smile. The wise thing to do would have been to turn and leave, but Severus was not longer a wise man. Lord Severus Snape was the greatest fool ever born. As if he were frozen to the floor, he simply stood there staring Harry.

Harry moved with a graceful innocence as he shed the covers. It took naught but an instant to realize that he wore no dressing gown. Severus' mouth went dry as he took in the pale, albeit scarred shoulders and slender arms. In a moment of clarity, he managed to secure the sheet about Harry's waist. Sadly, the process of keeping Harry somewhat covered forced him to settle himself on the bed. Harry moved in like a hawk, taking advantaged of their closeness. The boy wrapped himself around Severus.

"Bloody Christ! You will be the death of me!" Severus swore.

Pulling back just a bit, Harry worked his hand between them and rested it upon Severus' throat. His eyes looked up at the lord imploringly. "I am sorry, Harry," Severus said shaking his head. "I don't know what you want."

Amazingly, the simple words were met by a blinding smile. Harry bit his lip intently and moved his fingers across Severus throat. Only then did occur to the lord what the boy was doing. He was feeling the vibrations produced by Severus speech. "You are trying to make sense of it, aren't you?" Severus asked allowing the boy to continue his exploration.

Harry brought his hand to his own throat and began making simple, guttural noises. All Severus could do was stare. After each attempt, Harry would frown and cast Severus a frustrated glance. Harry was trying to learn to speak. It took a few more tries before the boy gave up, wrapping himself around Severus once more.

Guilt—that feeling that never left him these days—ate at him. "I must admit that I am truly a sad excuse for a scholar having thought you to be simpleminded," Severus told him. "I've been so busy with my own depravity that I never paused to think that you could wish for more. But you know what you've lost, don't you? I wonder if you truly remember what it was to be able to hear? To speak?"

Harry's shoulders trembled in Severus' grasp. A ragged sob tore through him as he looked up at the lord with tears falling from his perfect emerald eyes. In an uncharacteristically soft gesture, Severus brushed away the tears. "I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to make this right."

In years to come, Lord Snape would replay what happened next in his mind. He never did pinpoint exactly when Harry moved, exactly when their lips met. All he could remember was the simple perfection of the feeling. Harry's kiss was intoxicating. At first, Harry kept his lips closed. It was the kind of kiss that one gave to one sister. Severus, however, wanted more. He was not satisfied with a chaste kiss. His tongue forced apart Harry's lips, and before long they were entangled in a moment so erotic that it nearly brought Severus to his knees. Harry was a fast learner. He soon turned the tables on the lord, dominating nearly as much as Severus had only split seconds earlier.

Finally, Severus managed to regain his senses. He pulled away from Harry. "Enough," he rasped. "I have no intention of holding you to something that you cannot understand." Harry tried to reach after him, but Severus pulled back even farther. Severus held up his hands, willing Harry to stay where he was. "You are not safe near me, and someday you will realize that."

Not long after dawn, Severus strode into the stable, demanding that Hades be saddled. The stallion was the color of midnight with not a speck of white to break up the perfect black of his coat. He had been told once that a pure black horse was an ill omen, but he had dismissed the foolishness immediately. Hades was of the finest bloodline Tattersall's had to offer. He had been Severus' one extravagant indulgence after his marriage. There had been something about the animal's disposition that Severus liked. Racing across the hills of his ancestral land, Severus was ever glad of his purchase. Horse and rider moved in perfect unison at a break-neck speed. It was almost as if Hades understood that his master was trying to outrun his own emotions.

Severus rode for nearly an hour before he was ready to make his way to Dr. Lupin's home. Though Severus had never been to the physician's home, he had been keenly aware of its location for some time. In a moment of vindictiveness, he had almost considered telling the old doctor that he would pay him triple what Lupin could so that his former lover would be forced to go elsewhere. The cottage was just shy of his property.

As Severus approached, a man who had passed ancient by at least a century appeared from the barn. He lifted a shaking hand to shield his eyes from the earlier morning sun. "Good day, mi'lord. Is there somethin', ol' Jasper can help ye with?" he asked, bowing as low as his gnarled spine would allow.

"I am here to see the doctor. Take my mount to the stable and see that he is well cared for," Severus ordered. He handed Jasper the reigns.

As he turned to go, he heard a low chuckle from the old man. Severus eyed the old man curiously. "Is there something amiss?"

Jasper shook his head. "Nothin' amiss, mi'lord. Just ol' memories. Why I remember when ye were naught but a boy as high as my knee! A fine man you turned out to be, if ye don't mind me sayin'."

It took a moment, but he eventually recalled Jasper—in his much younger years—tending to his wastrel father's horses. If memory served, Jasper had always been kind to him. Jasper had been sacked when Severus was away at school, and he had not given the stableman a thought afterward.

"It has been many years, Jasper," Severus said in way of apology.

"That it has, mi'lord," the old man agreed. "I will see to yer mount."

"Thank you," the lord replied stiffly before going to the house.

He was led into the dinning room where he found Lupin drinking his tea. The doctor stood as soon as he saw Severus enter. "Good morning, my lord. What brings you here at such an earlier hour?" Lupin asked with a kind smile.

Severus remained silent for a moment while the housekeeper left the room. With a predatory growl, he crossed the space between them in but three steps. He didn't give Lupin a chance to refuse as he captured the smaller man in a bruising kiss. Remus' kisses used to make Severus weak. They used to make him forget everything. This kiss was nothing like that—which could be largely due to the fact that Lupin was struggling against him. With a harsh shove, Dr. Lupin sent the lord back.

"Are you mad?" the physician cried.

"More than you could possibly realize," Severus mumbled. "But for this—no, I am not. The kiss was but an experiment."

"You could have warned me." Lupin dropped back into his chair haphazardly. He gave Severus a sad glance. "You and I both know that time between us has passed."

Severus gave a curt nod. "I do. I apologize for my behavior. There is no excuse for it."

Lupin sat up straight in his chair. "By God! You're in love!" he cried

"I should have known better than to come here. With all your ridiculously feminine thoughts, it is a wonder that you haven't a—" Severus began to rage.

Of all things, Remus Lupin began at that precise moment to laugh. He shook his head and brushed away tears of amusement. "So that was where you went in London," he said thoughtfully. "I knew in my gut that you must have been seeking something there that you haven't here."

It was quite amazing how one could be so right and yet so very—and moronically—wrong at the same time. Severus was still seething with anger, but he decided that it was best to allow Lupin his womanish notions of romance. It would serve no purpose for him to see that Severus was in lust with a deaf boy half his age.

Severus clenched his teeth. "This is not what I intended to discuss with you, Lupin."

"So this visit wasn't for the sole purpose of accosting me?" Lupin quipped with unusual snark.

"Touché, doctor," Severus murmured. "I came to discuss this school you told Miss Granger about."

"Oh, yes. I had hoped that you would consider it. Hogwarts is a well run institution. They take in children who would otherwise have no place to turn to for education…not to mention providing other necessities. The headmaster is quite dedicated—despite being rather eccentric—and the staff is very capable." Lupin went on to detail the schools numerous charitable endeavors before Severus stopped him.

"Do you believe they can help Harry?" Severus asked plainly.

"I do," the doctor replied earnestly.

"Contact the headmaster. Promise him whatever ridiculous sum it will take to have him send his finest tutor to Spinner's End." With those words, Lord Snape turned on his heel and left a very befuddled Dr. Lupin behind.