— CHAPTER TEN —

Somehow, someway, the news got out about them and it managed to make first page news. Because Fate despised Harry. Harry supposed that in lieu of stories about the war, the press was desperate for juicy news stories to keep people buying their papers.

All of the students and even some of the teachers were whispering about the salacious articles. Many people were casting speculative looks at Harry and Severus. Some were staring outright. More than a few girls looked absolutely heartbroken.

The only one who didn't seem the least bit surprised was Albus Dumbledore. He knew about Harry and Severus's relationship, of course, that wasn't the immediate issue. No, the problem was that Albus wasn't surprised the story had gotten into the papers. Harry had the sinking suspicion that maybe the person who had leaked the story to the papers was Albus himself.

He glared at Albus until the man looked his way. Harry's thunderous expression seemed to give Albus some pause but then the man narrowed his gaze, ever so slightly. His expression said - 'You left me no choice, Harry.'

Harry was going to follow him up to his office after breakfast and strangle the man to death with his own beard. Albus knew exactly what kind of obstacles this would create for his relationship with Severus. It was calculated sabotage. Albus obviously hoped that bringing things into the public eye like this would be enough to break them apart.

Based on how negatively Severus was reacting right now, Albus might be right.

Severus's face was blank but his skin had taken on an ill shade of pallor. His knuckles were white on his utensils but he was refusing to eat. Harry knew the only reason Severus hadn't left the room was because his pride would never allow him to appear so weak. He would not allow anyone to think he was running away.

Harry was particularly worried though because Severus was refusing to look at him.

The titles on the news stories were all similarly awful. One read: 'Ex-Death Eater Severus Snape Involved in Torrid Affair with Popular New DADA Professor at Hogwarts!' Another article was embellished with a cracked black heart: 'Is Ex-Death Eater Severus Snape Even Capable of Love?'

Harry wondered in askance if it really necessary to constantly put 'Death Eater' in front of Severus's name. They added the 'Ex' only because they had to in order to avoid accusations of slander. Severus was right, as far as most people were concerned he would always be a Death Eater.

All anyone really read was that a Death Eater had managed to seduce Hogwart's new rising star of a teacher - possibly through nefarious Death Eater means. Like illegal love potions or the imperious curse. The speculations were truly wild and ridiculous. To make matters worse, every picture of Dominic Wake portrayed him in the best possible light, smiling winsomely. The pictures of Severus Snape were comparatively unflattering - he was either glaring menacingly or curling his lip to deliver some cutting remark.

Harry wanted to rip out his hair as he tried to think of some way to fix this. If he was still Harry Potter he could make use of his considerable influence but as Dominic Wake he had no such pull with anyone. He was a popular up-and-coming professor with bold new teaching ideas who was also producing superior results, as measured by his classes' performance evaluations compared to previous years. He was nothing more than that, even if he was being portrayed in the best possible way. He was no one, really. He'd literally never thought he would ever regret losing his influence but right now he did. There really wasn't much he could do as Dominic.

He could only imagine how much Severus was hurting right now. Severus was being portrayed as some sort of monster, yet again, and it was so unfair it was unbearable.

Harry whispered, "Severus, please look at me."

"Don't," Severus gritted out without looking at him. "Not now."

"Ignoring me now isn't going to convince anyone that we're not in a relationship," Harry pointed out gently. "It only makes you look like you don't care about me. If you want to prove the papers wrong, I need you to take a risk and show just a tiny bit of vulnerability."

Severus's jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed but Harry recognized it as a reaction to pain rather than an expression of anger. Severus looked down at his lap and whispered, "Dominic, I told you how they would react. You cannot change their minds and they'll never let this go. This will be the end of us."

"Only if you let it be," Harry replied firmly.

Severus looked at Harry then and Harry could see the conflict in Severus's eyes. Harry said, "Severus, I don't care if everyone knows. Maybe they'll only ever believe lies about us, but you and I, we know the truth. I don't blame you for letting it bother you. It bothers me too and I'm going to do my best to change everyone's mind about you… but in the end, if it's only you and me against the world… I can live with that."

Harry leaned forward and kissed Severus sweetly. Severus hesitated only for a moment before he kissed him back. Harry felt Severus relax under his lips, even as the students watching them audibly gasped. In shock and in horror, no doubt.

Harry broke the kiss then smiled at Severus and winked, "The best part is, I can kiss you anytime I want now."

Severus slowly smiled in return. There were more gasps and Severus scowled again, glaring at the students until they all looked away and pretended to be interested in their breakfast. Harry chuckled and said, "I don't think they've ever seen you smile, love."

Severus looked amused and somewhat satisfied. It was clear that he was already feeling significantly better than he had been just minutes previously. Harry was grateful he'd been able to get through to him. Severus hadn't been willing to shut him out entirely, he'd just needed assurances from Harry that Harry would stay by his side.

A single straggler owl appeared and slowly made its decent. It looked exhausted and frazzled and weighted down by the heavy package it was carrying. It weaved a bit then flew straight to the staff table and landed in front of Severus. It nearly dropping the package in his food but Harry saw it coming and hastily moved Severus's plate out of danger.

Harry grabbed some bacon and extended it to the unfamiliar owl in a peace offering, "There you go, little guy. Don't take my fingers with it, mind you."

The owl grabbed the bacon greedily then took off immediately after, as if afraid Harry would try to take the food back. Harry watched the bird until it was out of sight, thinking it was strange it hadn't wanted to stick around for a few minutes. It'd obviously traveled quite a ways.

Maybe it just preferred to hang out in the owlery with the other owls. It could be heading there now for all Harry knew.

"It's from you. Did you order something for me?"

Harry was confused and he turned his attention from the rafters to try to look at the package, "What? Are you sure it's not for me? Let me see that. You never get mail."

Severus had already torn off the wrapping, "Neither do you and it was definitely addressed to me. If it was meant to be a surprise it's far too late now."

Harry had a sudden pang of unease - a feeling that bordered on panic. He didn't know what was causing it and he needed a minute to calm down or he was going to be at risk for another breakdown. He desperately tried to force down the feelings. At the same time, he tried to get the package away from Severus. He should have been more worried about his emotions but the package seemed critically important for some reason. Things were happening way too fast and Harry couldn't think.

Severus moved the package determinedly out of his reach, just as intent on opening it as Harry was intent on getting it away from him. Harry finally managed to grab one of Severus's hands after several frantic seconds. He pleaded desperately, "Severus, wait!"

Severus opened the box and raised an eyebrow at Harry, bewildered by the sudden and clear alarm he heard in Harry's too-loud voice. Then there was a concentrated explosion and Harry was blown backwards by the concussive blast. His head smacked on the stone hard but he was back on his feet and racing back to Severus's side, faster than thought. He got to him just a second after Severus fell to the ground. Distantly, Harry could hear everyone screaming.

Severus looked fine until Harry rolled him onto his back. A huge chunk of Severus's torso, including his entire left arm, was missing. The face that Harry knew better than his own had been rendered unrecognizable. The smell of flesh, seared in the explosion, was gut-wrenchingly foul. Harry recognized the smell from the battlefield.

He couldn't even remember where he was right now. With all the noise and movement around him it could have certainly been a battlefield. All he knew for sure was Severus had been hurt terribly and if he didn't act quickly, he might not be able to save him.

Albus's voice cut through the cacophony of noise, "Dominic, stop, Severus is dead!"

Harry's mind rejected the words vehemently.

"No!" Harry screamed, "He can't be!"

Harry hadn't even been aware that he was sobbing until he heard his own broken voice. He sounded absolutely hysterical. Maybe even insane. He'd heard other people like that before. He knew how hard it could be, to convince grief-stricken people that their loved ones were dead. Was that what was happening now? Was he in shock?

Was he currently experiencing some sort of unbearable truth and choosing instead to believe in a lie? Harry looked up, trying to ground himself. He was in the great hall. The students were being evacuated. Albus was kneeling beside him.

Albus was staring at Harry and Severus. Stunned disbelief was clear on his features. It was obvious that the old man finally understood what Severus meant to Harry but it was much too late now. Grief and regret crumpled those aged features, "Oh Har-… I'm so sorry, I had no idea- no idea that you loved him. I'm so, so very sorry but Severus is beyond healing now. There's nothing to be done. Can't you see that? There's- There's barely anything left… He's not suffering and he's not dying."

Albus was crying now and he whispered brokenly, "Severus is dead."

It didn't matter what Albus thought or said. Nothing mattered anymore, except one thing.

Harry focused fully on Severus once again. He gathered up every last bit of magic he had within him and forced it through what remained of Severus's body. It was like trying to perform surgery but with concentrated lightning. His magic was as bright and blinding as the sun and it was almost impossible to control. It was physical agony for Harry to wield it like he was, in such infinitely complex and delicate applications. Harry focused on what he wanted to achieve rather than how exactly he was going to achieve it.

This sort of thing was more theoretical than anything. No one had ever reconstructed a body like this. No one had that kind of raw power at their disposal. No one thought it should be done, even if it could be.

Yet, Severus's body was quickly coming back together under Harry's hands. He knew that if he could fix Severus's body then he could restart his heart and rebind his soul.

He could and he would return Severus to life.

Albus screamed, "You'll only kill yourself, Harry!"

The warning seemed to come from far away now and Harry didn't care at all. He would gladly use everything he had to save Severus. Absolutely everything he was. If that still wasn't good enough to save the man he loved, then Harry would be dead soon either way.

— END OF CHAPTER TEN —