Greetings! Thanks everyone who reviewed. favorited etc...here is a slightly longer chapter. I hope you enjoy as always let me know what you thing!

Chapter 9: Conflict and Confrontations

"Another mission, the powers have called me away
Another time, to carry my colors again
My motivation, an oath I've sworn to defend …
And now my unfortunate friend, you will discover
A war you're unable to win"-indestructible by the disturbed

Of all the things that Severus Snape had been expecting for his first official event since his return, it had most definitely not been the face of his least favorite mortal….Harry James Potter. Ok, so possibly his fifth least favorite mortal, only losing out to Voldemort, Sirius Black, James Potter and Dumbledore.

No, in all honesty (something that he generally did his best to avoid) he truthfully had not been expecting this. Severus could feel himself losing control of his normally unflappable, blank countenance, as those damning green eyes stared back defiantly, filled with challenge.

How in Tetanus's beard was the boy here of all places? This was Severus's sanctuary from the accursed mortal realm. That, and the fact that he was fairly certain that the boy was supposed to be safely tucked away in the loving arms of his disgustingly muggle relatives. Somehow, the fact that the boy had once again disregarded all rules (which were in place for his own blasted good) and managed to find himself in the middle of trouble again, did not surprise him.

Still trying to process this shock Severus momentarily forgot the company that they were in, "What the hell are you doing here Potter? Were the instructions you received too simple for your tiny, idiotic brain to comprehend? Or do you simply enjoy placing yourself above all others and disregarding their sacrifices on a lark?" Severus spat at the admittedly elegant looking teen in front of him.

He barely heard the delighted cackle of the Princess and the gleeful murmur of "Oh, absolutely delicious….such fun," he was so caught up in his anger.

Once again the insolent child went out of his way to vex him and did not rise to the bait, Severus noticed however the angered flex of his jaw and whitely clenched fists in his lap. Severus had always enjoyed pushing the child's buttons, he was so like his idiotic father…and like his father he had played a key role in getting dear Lily killed.

"What? No comment for once? Have you stooped so low you cannot even manage words now? I am curious of your plans… Are you running away, abandoning your so called friends? I somehow thought for all your faults, you would not be a cowardly liar….then again we all know that there are many of those in the Great house of Gryffindor" Severus continued finding a small amount of satisfaction at the hate present from his last comment. He was of course commenting on Peter, a most obvious sore spot for the youth.

"But Professor, would that not be the pot calling the kettle black? I believe as a half blooded wizard you would be familiar with that muggle saying….oh wait apparently Professor, you aren't really a wizard at all…" Harry replied his voice barely above a whisper, but given his company it was easily heard. Severus sneered and was about to reply before Harry continued, " and speaking of cowards…surely someone as apparently powerful as you would be able to rise above such things as petty school boy rivalries" his voice shaking with barely contained rage.

Severus could guess what he was alluding to of course. Of course the spoiled brat blamed him for the death of his disgusting godfather; it was just like the little twerp to deny responsibility for his own failures. He was about to make comment to this when he was once again interrupted, this time it was by one of his least favorite immortals….Leonor.

"I think that is enough….both of you" Leonor stated his voice hard and firm as both of the men opened their mouths to protest.

Severus recognizing his rank grudgingly closed his mouth and swallowed the insult fighting to get out; the dark haired teen however was not so wise.

"But Leonor…" Harry protested quietly looking for all things his young age.

"Harry, I said enough" Leonor replied firmly staring forcefully at the teen. Severus fully expected the annoying child to let his quick fire temper goad him into ignoring the command. He prepared himself for a major headache, as much as he hated the child he had made a promise….one he would keep even if it forced him to fight with his own.

Surprisingly the dark haired teen closed his mouth and stared down at his lap in obedience. While this saved Severus from his initial fear, it brought another one to the surface. Just what was Potter doing here?

He had promised himself long ago he would protect the blasted child, not out of concern for the boy but as repentance for her. He felt a silent dread fill his stomach as he studied Leonor's possessive hand on the frail shoulder….his mind wanted to deny the possibility. Unfortunately, he had been an immortal far too long to not do so.

There were only two ways for a mortal to enter the immortal realm, and only one was regularly practiced…which would mean that Lily's child was now the concubine of an immortal. Not only an immortal, but it would appear one of the most powerful ones. Severus closed his eyes in revulsion; it was one of the practices of immortals that he absolutely detested.

And now he had somehow failed in the last promise he had made his best friend….he had failed to protect her son. He fought back the bile and managed to wrestle his expression back to one of cold indifference. He may be an immortal but he was a relatively young one, that and he really had very little standing in the face of the court.

Severus had been an immortal for the past two centuries. His human life had been far from idle and if Aah had not decided to remove him from his loving father's care, he likely would not have survived even ten years. It was both luck and a curse that Aah had seen him as a son and had used one of his two natuurlijks (gifts) to change him.

It had not been an easy or smooth transition for him… he had never known love or kindness, he did not understand magic and therefore the very basis of immortal society had not made sense to him. After more than a century and a half of struggling in this realm (in reality only 3 years in the mortal realm) his sire had decided that Severus needed to truly experience childhood if he hoped to adjust.

It was this insane thought that had resulted in his sire using a most painful blood magic to de-age him to eleven (the age that most muggle raised children, which he was essentially since his mother had died at childbirth and his abusive father was very much a muggle, learn of magic) and send him to Hogwarts. The magic used would allow him to naturally age to the approximate physical age of 25 before ceasing.

It was at Hogwarts, that he met and befriended his first true friend, Lily Evans. Severus would admit that he did indeed love that fiery, redheaded mortal, he thought of her as the sister he never had. And that ignorant, cruel idiot, James Potter all but led her to her death. Yes, deep down he knew that this in-proportional hatred was really just disguised guilt but he did not care.

It was better than letting the guilt tear him apart for eternity…it was much easier to hate another then oneself after all. Yet, the guilt was there. It was he after all who had told that vile creature Voldemort about the prophecy…or half prophecy.

At the time he had done it in order to gain insight into the darker aspects of the mortal realm, he had plenty of chances to understand the light. He was a student under Headmaster Dumbledore after all. But if he was going to please not only his sire, but his prince he wanted to have a comprehensive view of both sides to report. So, he had needed an in with the dark lord.

At the time he had not realized that the prophecy referred to his friend's child. If he had, he would never have opened his mouth. But it was too late to change the past…not even immortal's could do that. So he had vowed to protect the last reminder of her…her son. This did not stop him from blaming her son for her death however…for if it had not been for Harry, Voldemort would have had no reason to go after Lily.

So, yes his feelings towards Harry James Potter were rather complicated to say the least. And now to complicate things further it would appear that his most hated immortal had laid claim to the child.

Okay, hate was perhaps a little strong to describe how he felt about the damn ancient. Severus's own sire, Aah was the brother of Leonor's deceased wife. The whole situation with her murder had caused no small amount of bad blood (no pun intended) between the two of them, and his sire's hatred for Leonor had transferred (albeit to a lesser degree) to Severus. Ironically, it was rather fitting that these two were now connected.

Severus was pulled from his musings by the sinister chuckle of the Princess, he smothered the desire to shudder. He had never been a fan of the slightly sadistic Princess.

"Oh dear brother, it would appear your little mortal may be worth keeping after all…such excitement he has brought us" Princess Selene purred, her lips in a twisted mimicry of a smile.

A quiet muttered, "I live to please" came from the boy in question.

The princess's face twisted into one of pure hatred and rage but went no further as her husband let out a truly delighted laugh, "Oh Leonor he really is a treat."

Severus decided, as he silently sat down in the offered empty chair across from the teen, that the Prince and he had decidedly different definitions of the word treat.

Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Harry found himself grinding his teeth and digging his nails painfully into his palms to stop himself from responding to Snape's cruel jibes. It would be a lie to say that he had expected his former professor to show up here of all places, but his shock was quickly being replaced by a burning anger and betrayal.

Was there no one in his former life that had not lied or deceived him? He had come to terms with the fact that Severus and Sirius hated each other, and nothing and no one would have ever changed that. He had even forgiven the sneering man for his indifference and dismissal of the possibility of Sirius being in danger that fateful day last year.

But he had to admit, to himself at the very least, that the fact that Severus had outright deceived him…well, hurt. Where Harry had accepted the fact that Dumbledore often lied and skipped important facts, he had thought that the dour potion master did not. No, he was not a fool, he knew that the man had his secrets but he generally believed that they were none of his business as they did not things that effect him.

He knew the man hated him, and while he did not understand this hatred exactly, after first year it was not one sided. So while he knew that Snape hated him, he had always thought the man had some regard for his safety or at least his life. Now though…he was not so sure.

The remainder of the rather opulent meal (most of which harry pushed around his plate, he really was not used to rich food…especially this MUCH rich food, then to add the company of a snippy rude dungeon bat to the mix…safe to say he did not have much appetite) passed with cutting remarks and barbed comments.

Finally, the other's seemed to have finished and Harry could not take it any longer…he wanted, No…he needed to get some space at least for a few moments. He could take Severus ragging on him but the man had started to make degrading comments about Sirius, and Harry knew if he did not get some air he would do something he would later regret.

"Your highnesses, thank you for the delicious meal and…um lovely company, if you would excuse me for a moment?" Harry asked trying his best to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

He apparently was somewhat successful because Prince Kiran shot a ear splitting smile his way (honestly what was up with this man? No one could be THAT happy, especially married to the Princesses of misery), and answered "Of course my young one. It will take a few moments to move everyone to the dance floor anyway"

Harry ignored Leonor's frown and gave a quick nod before moving as quickly as he could (which for a mortal was rather speedy) towards the now open patio doors before Leonor could order him to stay.

He took a deep breath as the cool night air hit his lungs and unconsciously relaxed his hunched shoulders, while wandering distractedly further into the twisted garden. He let his eyes gaze at the almost violently colored sky. That was one major difference in this realm, the night sky was neither black nor did it contain stars…instead it was a volatile mix of clashing colors and shapes, depending on the happenings inside the realm and the realms that surrounded it.

At the moment it was a blood red with dancing flames of yellow, white and dark blue. Harry did not know what this meant in regards to happenings, but he thought the dancing flames looked rather like the northern lights of the muggle world….if not a tad more showy.

His silent contemplations were interrupted by the not so welcome arrival of another. Harry dragged his eyes from sky to look at the man in front of him. As he took in the medium build and cruel blue eyes he unconsciously took a step backwards. He recognized this man….he had seen him before.

Harry desperately cast back in his mind trying to find the memory that would tell him where he recognized the man from. When he did he felt no comfort at the knowledge. This was the immortal that he had seen holding the hopeless looking boy's leash yesterday.

Harry however did not need this knowledge to recognize the cruelty in those blue eyes.

"Well…well what do we have here? Where is your owner pretty? If I were him I would know better than to let my property going wandering off all alone" the man sneered, his lips curling to reveal sharp, elongated canines.

Harry cast a desperate glance around him and realized with despair that the man was right about one thing…he was very much alone at the moment. He steeled his nerves and answered in an only slightly wavering voice, "I really do not see how that is any of your business." At the same time the words left his mouth, Harry cursed his damn impulsive words.

The man took another step forward effectively pinning Harry between him and the twisted tree behind the teen. "You should learn to show more respect to your betters whore, if your owner refuses to teach you then I am more than happy to oblige" he spat grabbing Harry's hanging hair roughly and yanking so that the teen was forced to look up at him.

Harry struggled against the grip on his hair and the confines of the man's body futilely, "Let. ME. Go." He growled, "Leonor will not let you get away with this!"

The man leaned forward so that his face was inches from that of the struggling boy "No? I am not sure of that….if you were as precious as you seem to believe you are he would have actually laid claim to you. But from the smell of you he has not done so….why is that I wonder? Perhaps he has changed his mind? In that case I am doing him a favor in claiming you instead….after all what is the plebian phrase you insects use? Ahh yes…finders keepers" he sneered and shifted his hips so that Harry could feel the immortal's arousal.

'Fuck' Harry thought desperately, his mind frantically grasping for a way to get himself out of a situation he most definitely did not want to be in, "Let me go!" he yelled at the immortal hoping that the noise might attract others.

When the man simply smirked and shifted his hand lower, Harry's mind started to short circuit with panic. He struggled wildly against the immortal to no avail. Suddenly a third voice interrupted the confrontation.

"I believe Edwand, he told you to release him" a dark sinister voice snarled.

Harry could not help the relief he felt flooding him as he looked up to see the voice of his savior. Green eyes locked with furious crimson eyes.

'Fuck' He thought to himself