AN: I hope you forgive me if I won't answer each very short review like "update soon" in future ;) But thank you for all reviews. It's always a big motivation to receive them^^ So up to the story:
Disclaimer: as usual not mine beside the story plot.
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X-x-x-x-x chapter 10 – a step forward and another step into chaos x-x-x-x-x-x
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In the evening after their first lessons Severus and Harry ate alone in their rooms – after Hermione had been shown the kitchen as proof that they had the means to cook for themselves. The kitchen was even stocked. Harry mixed up a nice lasagne.
Severus had known since last year that Harry could cook and why, but he did not know how well and that he liked it.
"This is good." He complimented curtly and tuck in.
They did not speak any more during their meal but it was not uncomfortable.
"The soul crystal revealed that we're soulmates... but why did you not notice earlier that I'm your mate, I thought magical creatures have their own ways to identify them?" Harry asked after they had finished and a house-elf cleared the table for them.
"Nightshades once used the soul crystal as a protection because they can only feed off their mates despite being able to consummate other foods. Actually it had been one of my kind who created it to find their soulmates, the best match possible and to seal the inheritance until they find their mates. As you know nightshades are the only sexual beings that are able to prevent their inheritance to come through due staying virgin. Once registered the seal of the artefact protects us from temptations. In rare cases it goes as far as suppressing any sexual desire. It even protected me during the wizarding wars because Voldemort wanted the best potions master on his side and the only step up that I still missed was sexual potions. He knew about my registration, the sexual magic and my inheritance so he left me out of any sexual punishments or rewards. As soon as the soul crystal found my soulmate it lifted the seal on my instincts."
Harry nodded at this and made them a cup of tea. He did not want to dwell on the image of anything Voldemort related and least of all Voldemort combined with sex. That would be a very disturbing picture.
"Won't your instincts push us into completing the bond? I've read that a lot of sexual beings are trying to claim their mate immediately after they found them."
"It depends, some would say that only desperate incubi and vampires are forcing the consummation. Often when their mate is threatened or in danger. Especially vampires can heal their mate through the mating ritual. But as every human not all sexual beings are the same. You will find a veela who relishes in giving pain as you will find an incubus who has only one mate and stays faithful even if it could kill them slowly due the lack of nutrients. And while my instincts are pushing me, they will stay calm as long as you allow me to touch, don't choose another or are in danger."
"Well, usually I'm a trouble magnet but Voldy and with him one major issue to my health gone – I don't take DADA any more and the professor is my soulmate, so the defence professor will not try to kill me this year hopefully. That should make my timetable the greatest danger." Harry winked.
Which was actually not so far off considering how his workload was piling higher and higher.
Later they sat together on their settee in front of the fireplace and talked more. This time about interests, favourites and their lives. They felt more comfortable with each other as they got known the other better. Lying in bed together became less awkward than the first nights and Harry cuddled gladly up to Severus.
"I am not certain I should ask, but why are you being that docile to be in my arms? That's not quite the behaviour I would expect – neither with the image of Gryffindor's golden boy nor of the boy who is unused to physical affection." Severus questioned but signalised with tightening his arms around the younger male that he was quite pleased with him where he was.
"No nightmares. Long and peaceful sleep without taking dreamless sleep is rare for me. I don't care if it's our incomplete bond or some pheromones you extract or a spell on these rooms but there is something about your presence that comforts me and keeps the nightmares away..." Harry muttered shyly not used to speaking with someone else about his problems. He closed his eyes.
The arms around Harry squeezed lightly and he felt the older male nuzzling his shoulder.
"I understand. I too, have slept better the last nights. The war has left its marks on each of us..."
Harry nodded and sighed with relief. Despite the war not everyone could understand the effects that it had on him. But Severus understood the dread of memories and nightmares only too well.
*.*
The last two mornings Harry had been spared from the embarrassment of being a young man, but this morning Harry's body made him painfully aware that he was young, healthy and had an attractive male in his arms. Slowly he took in his situation without opening his eyes. One of Severus' arms was over his waist and held him close, the other was at his head shifting slightly over his scalp. Their legs were intertwined and left Harry pondering how to leave the bed without waking Severus.
"Don't be embarrassed." The velvet voice was still hoarse from sleep. The hand at Harry's scalp made him tilting his head up. Black eyes filled with desire met lightly confuses, green eyes.
They stared at each other without uttering one word. Finally Severus closed the gap between them and captured Harry in another gentle kiss.
Harry returned the kiss just as gently. They shifted positions till Severus lay on top, pressing their clothed erections together. Harry gasped and Severus deepened their kiss. With slow movements the older man mapped out Harry's mouth with his tongue and coaxed him into action.
With uncertain gestures Harry moved along with his partner, rubbing their bodies together. He let one hand move up and scrapped softly over the other's scalp while he caressed with the other hand the naked back. Severus own hands were not idle either and explored his exposed skin.
Harry moaned into the mouth that still held him captive when he reached completion. He grasped for air and heard Severus' heavy breathing. After another short and much chaster kiss Severus grabbed his wand and spelled them clean.
"Too soon?" Severus whispered into his ear, caressing Harry's flushed face. Obviously he was afraid that he had spooked Harry with his actions.
But Harry shook his head.
"It felt great." He confessed smiling despite his embarrassment. "Beats wanking myself in the cold shower."
Harry jumped into action to override the intimacy of the situation. It was just half past five in the morning but minutes later they were showered and clothed.
"Early riser?" He asked the older man. Neither of them had set an alarm but they had both been awake around five.
"Indeed. What are you usually doing this early?" Severus inquired.
Harry explained his training last year as the other wizard had only seen a part of it and that he was usually still keeping fit in the morning in the gym at his home. Severus offered to give him sword lessons as he too liked to stay fit but did not have a sparing partner and at Hogwarts the possibilities were rather limited.
This morning though they only prepared for their classes. Severus had Ravenclaw and Gryffindor fourth year first while Harry had potions.
The whole first week the professors recapped the last years but pushed already ahead and gave them lot of homework. Suspiciously, they gave for the seventh year the assignments not verbally but written for each student and they had to make rather portfolios and projects spread over the term than weekly homework essays. The professors said it was for their own good to be able to spread their work as they saw fit. The portfolio had to be handed in a month before their NEWT exams.
Friday afternoon of the first week found Harry sitting in the common room of the seventh years waiting for his friends to turn up after their lessons. They had DADA, Divination/Ancient Runes last on Fridays.
"Mate, your soulmate is a sadist. A great defence teacher but a sadist..." Ron groaned in greeting right after he had entered together with Pansy the privacy ward that Harry had already spun around them.
"The best defence teachers often are, Ron. I had him, Moody, Kingsley, Tonks and Moony on my case last year. They don't know mercy. Be happy you don't have any of them one-on-one training for a war. I did not pass my mastery on nothing..."
They were interrupted by Hermione and Draco who banged their folders noisily on the table. Hermione was already shifting between her portfolios and held three out for Harry to take.
"Here, someone snitched to Professors Babbling, Vector and Burbage that you got Os in your retaken OWLs in their subjects and they think you should get a chance to try for NEWT as well."
"I want the past years back... then it has been at least only the DADA prof who was out to get me..." Harry complained but took a look into the portfolios.
"Maybe I should turn in my project it should get them off my case... I would have done the required work...Here take please a look at my other folders, I want to know if they are really giving me more or other work than you..." Harry took his other folders out of his satchel and read his Ancient Runes assignment.
"Whoa mate... that's even worse. Our works are in the end only minor projects and essays spread over the year. You will have your work cut out for you this year..." Ron blinked at the charms folder the other three of the quartet and even Neville, Seamus, Blaise and Dean who had joined them read together through his files.
"Create or enhance a potion. Create or change a spell, Harry are they trying to kill you due to overwork?" Dean glanced at his friend.
"Transfigure a stone and/or jewel into an animal and observe length and stability of the transfiguration and behaviour of the animal in comparison to the used power-level and quality of the stone. Well we have to do the same but not with a jewel and just for a few days."
"All professors have gone mad!" Harry exclaimed annoyed, "Even subjects I don't even take here at school. What's next? Additional mastery in Defence? Writing a book about the true history of Slytherin?"
"Probably not, you have already a mastery in Defence and you're planing to write that book somewhere in the future." Neville commented absently while browsing through the next folder – Herbology.
Seamus, Dean and Blaise turned around, they had not known that little detail yet.
"Master of Defence already? Harry, could you not teach us instead?" Dean pleaded.
"Nope, not happening. I'd like to survive this term."
"Did not Professor Sprout say that you don't have to attend her class any more due to the different behaviour of the plants to your magic? Why do you have to do the folders though?" Neville asked still looking at the folder.
Harry groaned in remembrance of the disaster class the day before.
*** Flashback***
"Morning Harry. Ready for more interesting plants? We had theory and revision last lesson so we'll do something practical today." Neville greeted him enthusiastically.
"I'm looking forward for a class where I'm not expected to do differently as in other subjects." Harry snorted and joined his friends in front of greenhouse six.
Professor Sprout greeted them cheerfully and in the same tone she started her lesson about the shy Kilian vines. Their flowers and the essence of their vines were highly curative but would lose any positive effect as soon they were harvested violently. The better they liked you the higher the quality and they could read your magical aura. It was said that they could also grow wonderful fruits which can be produced very expensive wine but the chance to get the rare fruits were very low.
Harry and Neville stepped into the greenhouse and chose a corner. They vines were shy so they had to find them first.
"Professor Sprout? I thought the vines were shy?" Neville asked ten minutes later while the other students were still searching.
"But they are, Mr. Longbottom..." She had to stop at the unusual sight.
Harry was covered in Kilian vines and even other plants in the greenhouse seemed facing the young wizard.
"Oh dear, Mr. Potter. Let's see... have you been after attaining your animagus, the ritual or your maturity in a greenhouse or near plants or animals?" She chuckled as Harry shook his head and swatted a vine that tried to wind around him.
"No filled greenhouse, professor, and in Care of magical Creatures we had theory only because our projects were not born yet. What does it have to do with this?" Harry pointed annoyed at the vine that winded around his arms.
"We all know that you are the most powerful wizard of your time. If we ever had want to see a proof this would have been it. Flora and Fauna magical and mundane are attracted to pure and high magic. I'm afraid you are exempted from your Herbology NEWTs and ComC as well because not the same rules in handling are working for you. While others would probably not even find a vine it will try to feed you to prove it has the best fruits to offer. You will get for these subjects a note on your certificate without a mark. Every master would take you as apprentice but I can't let you stay in classes you would disturb the usual behaviour of the plants. All your works would probably have the sentence 'normally the plant x would be quite dangerous but towards my person it was very friendly' somewhere in it. You can't be tested with standard exams, I will notify the headmaster, who will explain it to the department of education. They will note it in your NEWTs file."
After her lecture she helped Harry out of the vines and offered to tutor him Thursdays before lunch to learn to control the plants.
***Flashback end***
"Has Hagrid spoken to you about this as well?" Hermione inquired.
"Yes, I'm exempt there as well but I get a newborn Lythim as a project to take care of. Where did he find a Lythim? I could not even find out what a Lythim is."
"And in Herbology you have to write a small essays about the different plants and how your power level influence them. Essays to cease the curiosity of herbologists." Neville commented still flipping through the folders.
"Ah... lucky you. The portfolio will be submitted as your Herbology work instead of the exam at the end of the term...The department of education will hand it over to an examination board of Herbology masters to check if you could gain your NEWT despite not being able to do the standard tests. In the end you only have to write ' Kilian vines liked to wind around me.' The mandatory minimum length is one inch. They just want to satisfy their curiosity. No textbook work, just personal experience." Neville showed him the note from Madam Sprout at the end of the folder which contained the requirements.
"ComC as well." Blaise held up another note that he had found in the folder.
"I don't know if I should envy or pity you. At least our work won't be torn to pieces by a jury full of masters." Dean commented.
"Oh, I don't know. I would like to write just a few inches about my own experience without comparing textbooks." Ron looked a bit enviously at the folders.
"Don't you dare to take the easy way out, Harry Potter. You will do the research properly." Hermione bristled.
Neville shook his head and handed over the note.
"No, here it's written down in the requirements. Only personal experiences. It's really just to satisfy their curiosity and by giving him school work they found the easiest way to get the information."
"Hermione, I have to do enough in other classes. Why should I not exploit this? It's not as if I would gain a normal NEWT with or without the folder." Harry placated the witch and let her even copy his assignments.
"Hermione, you know that the professors would not accept this if you turn this in instead of your own work?" Draco pointed out.
"They would not ignore the better work." Hermione huffed.
"No, they are only allowed to give you a Troll for this. Because these are not your assignments." Pansy answered.
"And how would you know this?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"Easy, he did try it once in Transfiguration." Pansy poked Draco in the ribs.
Hermione sighed and stopped copying the assignments. She had to believe her Slytherins about this as she had always done more than required but never other assignments in school work and Harry's portfolios looked very differently in some part. They collected their things and decided to spend a bit time in the common rooms of their respective houses. As seventh years they had not spent much time there lately. Harry chose to go back to his own room instead. He did not feel like being stared at today.
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A few hours later Severus found him bowed over his timetable and folders. In the faculty meeting earlier he had been told the newest developments and Harry had been a topic on his own. Dumbledore had also the affinity to animals, but he had been much older than Harry when he had acquired the ability and he had confessed that they had not talked to each other in private since their disagreement the year before. He was also not as healthy as he had once been. The old curse on him and his high age and stress were killing him slowly.
"Trying to figure out a new study plan?" He finally asked after observing a few minutes.
"Yes... trouble has found me again, two classes less but more workload how could that happen?..." Harry shook his head and pushed his folders aside. The workload with Herbology and ComC might have been lessened but the additional folders for Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes and Arithmancy was piling on his timetable.
"And why is it that, despite knowing that the headmaster shares the same problem with the magical fauna, you did not seek him for help?"
Harry looked down his face closing off.
"I've never felt more betrayed as right after Sirius' death. Instead of informing and teaching me he kept his secrets and raised me like a sheep for slaughter. He had never planned for me to live further than the last battle. He had everything planned. Last year he wanted to feed me bits about the Horcruxes and lead me on a scavenger's hunt, this year which should have ended with the great battle where I confront Voldy and die in the end for the greater good. He did not even try to look for an alternative way to get rid of the Horcrux in my scar. But I pushed back too far in my very first occlumency lesson with him and got into his memories instead. The rest you know. I haven't talked to him any more after this and I don't intend to. I had made it clear that I won't speak to him until it was school related and even then only in presence of my head of house."
"The headmaster wanted just to give you a good childhood." Severus knew that the ancient man was manipulative and a fool but by no means evil even if it would look like from Harry's perspective.
"What childhood? My relatives were convicted of child abuse and neglect. I think that tells everything about my so called childhood." Harry snarled, "Which child is led by a manipulative old bastard into traps and riddles followed by life-endangering adventures in the name for the greater good as test if I will be able to handle my fate that he had planned for me. That I will walk willingly into my death for the greater good. And he can't tell me that the wards did not tell him about Voldemort who possessed Quirrell, the dark and evil artefact that gave Riddle through Ginny the chance to sic the basilisk on us, the Dementors and animagi in third year, the whole disaster of the Triwizard Tournament or even the blood quill in my fifth year. The Philosopher's stone in my first year was not even warded. We got in with a first year spell the whole thing was nothing but a bad joke."
Harry ranted and did not even notice that Severus had already gone very pale at the mention of child abuse but as Harry recapped his past school years he was horrified. While Harry kept on ranting he stepped in and enclosed him into a tight embrace holding his young mate close.
"They were that bad? You have become quite the occlumens if you were able to show me that many memories without showing too much about your childhood. Are they in prison now?" Severus asked soothingly and stroked Harry's back and neck, calming the phoenix animagus down.
"They are not in prison only community services and a very high fine. The judges made clear that they were only spared prison because I wished so. They have to pay me back. All of the money from the government and from my parents vaults that they got to take care of me but never spent on me. They even had to correct my image as they liked to spread around my parents were the worst of kind and I could not be any better. Marge Dursley has lost her dogs and the worst had to be put down. My mundane barrister works together with a squib, a witch and a goblin to keep the wizarding world out of the loop. I have even gone as far as to sign them on. As I'm unfortunately a very public person, everything goes through them now. A hint of slander or using my name without permission and they are on the case. But I don't think I have to be afraid of the Daily Prophet, my name is a bit dangerous to anger." Harry managed a small smirk though he was still a bit upset.
"A bit dangerous?" Severus snorted. His mate held the combined power of the houses of Potter and Black that was political suicide to go against two ancient houses and the saviour to boot.
"I've never told you my full name, have I?"
"Harry James Potter-Black, I assume." Severus replied emotionless. Harry snorted.
"I wish... my full name is Harry James Rhys Evan Potter-Black-Flamel-Gryffindor-Slytherin-Ravenclaw-Peverell. I had to do an inheritance ritual at Gringotts because the mixed mundane-magical contract for my law firm did not accept 'Harry James Potter'. I had simply assumed I had a third name which someone forgot to tell me..." Harry sneered.
Severus could not help it he laughed out loud.
"Oh, Harry, only you. You know if someone wants to impress you they would announce you at official functions with your whole name and titles, I assume with each of your names you have one?"
Harry nodded not really happy about this aspect.
"I think you would be safer to introduce me as Harry or you would need hours to recite every name, title and house..." Harry chuckled weakly and leant further into Severus' arms. He took his timetable back into his hands and stroke out Herbology and ComC and added the additional hour with Madam Sprout and Hagrid.
Mo: NEWT Potions, free– Lunch- free, free, (after 17:00)Warding, SP
Tue: NEWT Transfiguration, free – lunch – free, free
Wed: free, NEWT Potions -lunch – NEWT Charms, Healing
Thur: free, Sprout– lunch – free, Charms
Fr: Transfiguration, free, lunch – Hagrid
Sat: 13-15 ancient arts, 15-19 healing
Sun: 10-11 BSM and 13-14 Rituals
"Nice if someone would look at this they would think you were doing only three NEWTs and with the one you already have it would be four NEWTs." Severus glanced at Harry.
"Not listed are the portfolios for Herbology and ComC which will be graded by a board of masters and Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Muggle Studies, the latter because it is an easy NEWT for a muggle raised wizard and you won't be able to do anything muggle related without it. The magical world is that backwards that they can't imagine that a muggleborn or raised would be able to do anything muggle related without a NEWT in muggle studies. I need it if I want credibility for my plans for education, orphanage and a few other ideas."
With a heavy heart Severus left his mate on the settee where he was editing his timetable again and walked over to his own desk to grade the summer essays. The first week was always a bit slow in work but his leisure time was different to other years before. He spent time with Harry and their sexual lessons now. Their Sexual Potions professor did not mince matters and had told them very bluntly about the different flow of magic during various pleasuring techniques. They had a month to hand in their first potion. As the actual brewing could not proceed in the lesson it was a purely theoretical one. In the two hours they learnt about techniques, ingredients and the potions. The first one was personalised lube. It was the easiest one and did not specify the positions and did not require penetration during the brewing. He would try to convince Harry to turn in two – one for each of them as brewer and partner – and as potions master he would not agree to turn in something less than a perfect potion. Considering the unusual distraction while brewing it was possible that they would not succeed on their first try.
Severus glanced up as he heard the other desk chair scrubbing over the floor.
His soulmate offered him a smile while sitting down at the desk opposite to his. Together they worked in comfortable silence. Harry on his folders and Severus reading and correcting essays. Two hours later Harry decided that he had enough and distracted the older man away from the papers.
He stepped behind the nightshade and started to caress the stiff neck. Like lightning Severus grabbed the teasing hand.
"Harry, you should not tease an unbound nightshade if you are not planning to take it further." He warned softly.
"And if I want to?" Harry leant forward and whispered seductively into his ear.
With a low growl Severus pulled him onto his lap and kissed the willing mouth.
Harry's arms embraced his neck carding his fingers through the long black strands. Emboldened through Harry's responses Severus explored the still clothed body finally cupping the younger man's behind. Harry moaned and broke the kiss to breath.
Severus kissed and licked his throat and shoulders getting frustrated with the amount of clothes.
"May I propose to take this into our bedroom?" He asked huskily between scraping his teeth over the exposed neck. Harry high due to their actions (and probably nightshade pheromones too) nodded.
Severus carried Harry to their bed where immediately the spell banished their clothes as soon as they lay down.
Severus took his time teasing and exploring his mate. Kissing and licking his way down till he reached the boxers. He hesitated and looked up. Harry's eyes were dilated in lust and the teen nodded his consent. Instincts took over. He teased, licked and sucked the exposed erection while he reached down with one hand and slipped a finger inside of Harry's virgin hole.
Harry gasped and whispered the cleaning and lubrication spell. Severus' chuckle gave him a short break.
"You might want to train your wandless magic. It's rather disconcerting to feel not only my lover's anus cleaning and lubricating but mine as well."
Before Harry could answer Severus kissed him again while entering the next finger. The magic that surrounded them was humming and destroyed any doubts in their minds.
"Relax, that might hurt a bit for your first time." Severus lifted Harry's legs over his shoulders and pushed as gently as possible his throbbing penis inside the stretched anus.
Severus waited for Harry to relax around him distracting him with small nips and kisses.
"I'm fine. Please move." Harry whispered and moved a bit. Severus did not need more encouragement and thrust into him. They moved together in their intimate embrace. They did not last long and with one final thrust Harry tensed up as he came with a soundless cry. Severus exposed his fangs and sank them into his mate before he followed suit.
Gasping for air they lay next to each other with a sated smile on their faces. When Severus could think again he licked the bite wound clean which closed instantly.
"And what are you intending to do with my cleaned and lubricated posterior?" Severus breathed teasingly into Harry's ear after he had caught his breath. Harry moaned when the magic of youth kicked in. With a swift motion he exchanged positions and lay on top of the older nightshade with the solely intention to return the experience.
X-x-x-x-x-x-x chapter 10 end x-x-x-x-x-x-x