OKAY-
Reposted by Netrixie on Wednesday, July 9th, 2008.
Mistakes are fixed, things are added, and if you need to reread it, go right ahead.
Disclaimer: Not mine, what can I say? But I do cry over that fact every night, I promise you.
Title: The Ties That Bind
Beta: The one, the only, the awesome... Shadowfax999!! Woot for beta's who rock!
Summary/ Warning: Dom/ Sub, HGRW, PPBZ, RLSB, LVBL …and of course HPSS.
Chapter 11: Friends and Enemies
:Parseltongue:
"Conversational thoughts"
Private thoughts, shared memories
:The big one is not as smart as may first be assumed.:
: In that you are correct, Speaker. How did you come to be here? I had heard tales of a Master Speaker, he who courts the darkness. Yet I sense that you are not one and the same.:
Harry hesitated. His relationship with Voldemort was convoluted enough that he didn't understand it half the time. How would he explain it to this volatile creature? The patiently waiting Manticore cocked her head as to prompt his answer.
:It is complicated, how I came to be, but suffice it to say that I am his Magical Heir.: Harry paused, reflecting on the sentence, and nodded. That would work, however sick it made him feel to admit a possible relationship with that thing.
The amber eyed monster rippled her shoulders, and titled her head. :Relationships are always uncertain. I certainly would never have seen myself in any form of willing contact, much less conversing, with a human Speaker more than half my age.:
Harry settled down into a cross-legged position, and smiled as the Manticore lowered her body down to rest in front of him.
:Your family has put away their twigs: she said, amused. :I do not believe they could have stopped me anyway, the children that they are, had I not chosen to listen to you.: Harry chuckled. It was only the truth, and he faced death everyday, so in the end such trivialities didn't bother him. After a moment, the Manticore dug her chin into the ground. :My manners have escaped me, I apologize. I am Nekiakentakivadeni.:
Harry rolled the name around on his tongue, and said sheepishly, :I don't think I can remember that. Can I call you Nikita?:
Her chuckle sounded in a combination of hisses and gasps. :Of course, Speaker.:
They sat in silence for a little while before the Manticore raised her head. :The big oaf is coming up behind you, young one.: Harry looked over his shoulder at Hagrid, and smiled. "Hey, Hagrid. What's up?"
The big man looked from Harry to Nikita, and back. "Um, 'Arry? What did you do to Janny?"
Harry did his best 'I didn't do nothin', I'm as innocent as a lamb' face and said, "Well, um, Nikita looked a lot like a snake to me, Hagrid. And I'm a Parseltongue; I guess I just couldn't help myself."
Hagrid grunted, and then shrugged, clearly dismissing the matter. "I dismissed the class, but your friends and a few others wouldn't leave. I think they want to talk to you." Hagrid turned around and grumbled sourly about how anyone could ask to leave Care for Magical Creatures to be early for something as dull as Astronomy. He lumbered off towards his hut as Hermione, Ron, and Neville came over slowly, leaving Pansy, Seamus, Dean, Blaise, and Draco over on Hagrid's lawn.
Hermione could hardly contain her amusement as she came near. "Did Hagrid just leave us here, alone with a Manticore?" She was more aghast at that fact than anything else, and Harry was glad of it.
Nikita said with distain clear in her voice :He does not value the lives of his little ones. Foolish half breed.: Harry grimaced.
"He certainly isn't the sharpest tool in the shed."
Nikita caught his tone, if not his words, and agreed. :Tell your family to come near and have a seat. It is disrespectful to harm a Speaker or his family unless they have done you grievous wrong.: Her tail whipped about her shoulders again, and she added mischievously :I will not bite.:
Harry laughed and gestured from his sitting position to the rest of the crew. They trudged over, Draco looking disgusted that he had to ruin his clothing but not wanting to miss out.
When they were all arranged in a circle around Nikita, Harry started the introductions.
"Everyone, this is Nikita. I'm going to point you out to her so she knows who you are, so this might take a while." They nodded, and he shrugged helplessly. "I guess you can talk while I'm doing this?"
"It's fine, Harry. Do what you have to." Hermione said, and Seamus added, "Besides, this is our last class and there are two hours till dinner. Take your time." And he proceeded to jump Dean, who laughed at his mate's antics.
Harry shook his head and turned back to the waiting Manticore. :Okay. I'll tell you who they are one by one.: Nikita rolled her head, and he started.
:Seamus is the one who just jumped the other guy, Dean. They're mate's. Draco- the one fussing with his hair- and Neville- the one who's helping him with his hair- are mates. Pansy- the girl with the black hair- is mate's with the boy with no tie, Blaise. Hermione and Ron, the bushy haired girl and the red head, are mates.:
He stopped to breathe, and Nikita asked :They are all mated pairs. Is that the basis you judge family by?: Harry shook his head emphatically.
:I don't know why, but it just turned out this way. All of my friends became halves of pairs, and we just absorbed their mates.: Harry fell silent, watching his friends relax on the ground, kept warm by Hermione's perfect Warming Charm.
Nikita watched him, and asked slowly :Where is your mate? Don't try to deny it, I can smell him on you.: Harry blushed fiercely, and Hermione raised an eyebrow, but he just waved her concern away.
:Um, he's not here.:
Nikita snickered at his nervousness, causing the others to look over warily, wondering what all the hissing and gasping was. :I know that, Speaker. Where is he? You are restless without him.:
Harry made a sour face at Nikita, and said :He's inside the castle. Teaching probably.:
She titled her head. :Your mate is your mentor?: she asked quizzically.
:That's close enough.:
Harry slumped back against Nikita's side and sighed, taking comfort in the heat emanating off of her. :I want him now.: He whined, and Nikita wrapped her neck around his torso in a facsimile of a hug. He stroked the scales glinting in the fall light, and sighed. :I hate having to hide from everyone who he is. I want to scream it from the rooftops and make sure no one hurts him ever again.:
:So why don't you?: Nikita asked.
:He is a spy. He is a teacher. He is twenty years older than me. Everyone hates him. He's got a facade to maintain. He has- including me- three ties that bind him. He has no control over his life but what he can steal from his Masters. I do not want to burden him anymore than he already is.:
Harry buried his face in Nikita's neck, thankful for the feel of cool scales against his flushed cheeks. Nikita started vibrating, a faint buzz under her skin, really, but somehow it calmed Harry right down.
It was like listening to the echoes of an ethereal music that was never meant to be heard by human ears. It reached into him and caused all his cares to seep away.
When the hum died down, Harry whispered :That was amazing.:
Nikita replied smugly, :It was a bit of the calming song we sing for our restless young.: She let that sink in, then added, :Inadvertently, I have just become your mother.: Harry bit his lip to keep from laughing aloud, then wrapped an arm around Nikita's neck. When his arm brushed over a spot that was too cool to belong to the Manticore physically, he reached down and picked it up.
It was the chain from when Hagrid had tied her to the tree. Harry frowned in distaste even as he reached for his wand. It had huge links, the kind that leave a mark even if they've only pressed against the skin for a second, and filthy. Harry aimed very carefully and Nikita, who had gone still as soon as his hand touched his wand, froze. "Reducto." The chain splintered into pieces, and Nikita's eyes widened as the chain evaporated from her neck.
She stood slowly, rearing up to her full height, and stretched as far as she could, reaching for the darkening sky. Falling down onto her forepaws with a definite thud, she flattened herself in front of Harry and slid her forelegs around him, drawing him close until she was almost hugging him. Harry ran his arms around her neck and squeezed her back, the others watching with awe and amazement.
"What a touching sight." A droll voice said from the edge of their clearing.
Nikita tensed in surprise along with the other seventh years and pushed Harry behind her, but the wind changed even as Harry said :Nikita! He's my mate!: and she caught his scent. She relaxed, and stretched out on the ground, rolling over to rub her back into the frozen dirt.
Draco had lowered his wand almost immediately, as had Pansy and Blaise, but Seamus and Dean didn't stand down until Hermione had, taking her cue from the Manticore's unusual behaviour. Snape glided over to the purring Manticore and stopped a few feet from it, frowning at it's abnormal behaviour. Nikita did one last roll and flipped to her feet, the dirt falling from her scales without any effort. She wrapped her tail around Harry and hissed at Snape, who stood there watching the whole thing expressionlessly.
:I like your mate. He smells of serpents and spices and you. You may keep him.:
Harry burst out laughing, ignoring the withering glare he was receiving from Snape and the odd glances from his friends.
:I can keep him! Well that makes things a lot easier Nikita seeing as I'm bound to him for life already.: He reached down to hug Nikita, and said :He was just saying I can keep you because he needs your shed scales for potions he needs to make.: Harry subsided, still chuckling.
"What do you find so funny, Potter?" Snape spat, and Harry sobered quickly as he looked at his Professor.
"Well, you see Sir, Nikita decided that she wants to stay here-" Nikita cut him off, and he grinned briefly as he listened. "Nikita wants to stay because she thinks- she seems convinced- um-"
"Oh, stop fooling around Potter and spit it out." Snape's voice could have frozen Hermione's warming charm, and most of the students flinched, including Harry.
"She says you remind her of her cousin, Sir." Harry spat out, and his eyes immediately opened wide and he looked terrified. Snape didn't look to happy, either, and that was confirmed by his next sentence.
"Detention, Potter. Tonight."
Snape turned and stalked away, calling over his shoulder "If you are not following me right now, you will receive detention with Mr. Filch for the next week." Everyone sprang after him except Harry, who stayed behind a bit to talk to Severus about Nikita.
"Severus, what do I do with Nikita?"
The answer made him sigh.
"She can take care of herself, Harry. Let her loose in the forest."
A quick conversation with Nikita and Harry was back. "She doesn't want to be alone, Sev. What should I do?" Severus sighed imperceptibly. He did not want to deal with this right now. Hagrid's newest pet had been set free by his mate, and now Harry was giving him the 'it followed me home, can I keep it' speech. Harry interjected "But she says once she gets used to everything she'll be fine in the forest."
Severus thought for a minute. Should he tell the boy about Hogwarts? "Shove out of my mind for a moment, Harry. I really need to think."
"Uh- huh. Sure." Came the distracted answer, and Severus bit his lip slightly. Hogwarts was very malleable, very willing to obey a strong willed witch or wizard. It would literally re- structure its very blueprint to please someone. Which was why the school had never run out of dormitories, and also why there are such strong wards protecting it. He made up his mind.
"Harry, walk up to one of the walls of Hogwarts and beg for a door that leads to Severus Snape's Private Rooms. A hole or door should appear. Open it or go through it and you should end up in my living room. If it doesn't work, tell me."
"Right. One second."
Severus waited nervously as he left the children in the Entrance Hall, heading towards the dungeons as fast as he dared to go. "Awesome! We're in Sev. Where are you?"
"I'm coming. Don't let her touch anything."
Ten minutes later Severus opened Ssselevesssa's door and stepped into his living room, unutterably relieved to see his furniture was still intact. A quick glance revealed Nikita curled up on the floor in an intent conversation with Sscazzs, and no Harry to be seen.
He had just shut the door all the way when familiar slim arms wrapped around his waist and pressed his back against a flat chest. "Harry," Severus said as small hands slid beneath his cloak and started to slide it off his shoulders, "There really isn't any time for this." His cloak fell as gentle hands undid the clasp, skimming lightly down his front to start undoing the small buttons.
"We only have just about an hour, Harry." Severus said, grabbing hold of the busy hands and stopping them. Harry pressed against his mate's back, using the leverage to stretch up and kiss the back of Severus' neck, sending shivers through the other man, making him loosen his hands for one crucial moment.
Harry made short work of the last buttons and slid his hands inside the tunic to move it off Severus' shoulders. Harry licked the first stretch of skin to show from under the black silk, laving his spine and shoulder blades with swipes of his tongue and small, gentle nips, drawing in sections of skin and sucking on them. He slid the shirt down his mate's arms, following the path of exposed skin, and let the shirt slide to the floor, forgotten as he knelt behind his mate.
Harry turned Severus so the man was looking down on him and bent at his feet as he took off the older mans shoes and socks, tossing them aside carelessly. He ran his hands up the outside of Severus' legs slowly, watching the standing man through hooded eyes.
His mate was watching him, following every move his hands made, gaze flicking to Harry's eyes once in a while. Harry's hands reached the top of his mate's trousers, and flitted teasingly over the expanse of snowy skin on display above the waistband. His hands dropped to Severus' belt and started to slowly undo it, enjoying the way his mate's eyes darkened at the sound of the belt slipping through its loops. Harry stood on his knees as his hands found the uppermost button clasping Severus' trousers closed, and brought his face as near to his mate's stomach as he could without touching it.
He let his breath ghost over Severus' abdomen, toying with the button, not letting it slip through the hole just yet. He brought his mouth closer to the delectable skin of this man, delighting in the erratic breathing he had caused his mate, as he bore down on his flesh.
As he let the button slip through its confining hole, he plunged his tongue into Severus' bellybutton. He revelled in the startled gasp he had produced from his mate, and swirled the hot, moist appendage around the narrow dip in his mate's otherwise flat abdomen. Harry let his lips flutter around the edge of the depression, skimming his hands over his ass for a moment before returning to work.
Harry let his hands idle as he kissed and licked his gradual way down from Severus' bellybutton. He undid the next button as he skated over to lave his hip, pressing short, promising kisses to the area, releasing the next button as he glided his lips over to the other hip, leaving slight indentations where teeth met skin. Another button as he came back to the centre, lapping at the sensitive skin he was unveiling.
He pulled back as he came to the last button, wanting to watch as he unwrapped his present. It came undone easily, and Harry peeled the cloth away reverently, his avid gaze taking in every detail of the straining cock as it was freed. He licked his lips involuntarily when it finally stood, proud and erect. Harry reached around it and took the top of Severus' trousers in his hand and slowly pulling them down until they pooled at his mate's feet, and helped the black- eyed man step out of them.
Neither man noticed that the hissing had stopped, or that they were the only ones in the room. Frankly, they didn't care.
Severus watched as Harry tossed his clothing to the side, green eyes blazing up at him, capturing his gaze. He wondered vaguely if he would always be able to respond to Harry as fast as he just had, still staring into glowing green eyes, marvelling that he had never gotten this hard, this fast in his life. Harry moved closer to his straining erection, and let his breath ghost over it again, teasing Severus into a higher state of arousal. Harry dropped his eyes to take in the eager erection, and as he raised his gaze back up to meet Severus' he slid the head into his mouth.
Severus groaned as he was encased in the moist heat. A hand fell to Harry's head as he slowly began to move back and forth, tasting the velvet softness, feeling the hard core underneath, letting his mouth serve his mate. Harry dragged his teeth lightly towards the knob, relishing the moan that had come from his mate, scraping his teeth gently over the slit, tonguing it afterwards, waiting for anything. He drew on Severus hard, sucking and pulling back for all he was worth, being rewarded with Severus' precious whimpers.
Harry drew Severus in till his cock touched the back of his mouth, then relaxed his throat and drew him even further in, reaching one hand up to cup his sac, massaging the balls, pulling them down and corkscrewing them back up.
Severus' hand gripped Harry's hair, guiding the kneeling man in his movements, his eyes down turned as he watched his cock disappear into Harry's mouth, only to reappear, glistening with his saliva. He felt Harry's free hand sliding it's way up his thigh, onto his stomach, and up to his chest.
The command "Suck them," filled his mind, and he bent down to suck hard on the two fingers presented to him. The sensations bloomed through him, as he mirrored Harry's movement, and as the command ended his head fell back from the pleasure, eyes rolling shut, trusting Harry to keep him upright, a low moan escaping his throat.
Harry smiled slightly when he saw the two fingers covered in saliva and, still bobbing his head up and down on Severus' cock, still teasing his balls, he reached between the older mans legs and put one finger to the entrance. He slid it in easily, and slid it out. Severus gasped as he felt the added sensation Harry had given him, fucking his ass with one finger- no, two fingers- opposite to the motion of his mouth, and complete with the corkscrewing hand.
Severus came, hard, and his head flew back as the orgasm slammed through him, holding onto Harry for balance, while the boy just sucked harder, intent on taking all of it, on sucking him dry. Even when Severus had stopped pumping his seed into Harry's mouth, Harry still knelt before him, swiping his tongue over everything, sucking up every last trace of Severus' pleasure.
Harry wrapped his arms around Severus as he stood, slithering up the man's body, catching him in a hug as weak knees trembled. Harry backed Severus up until they hit one of the couches, and laid them down on it, Harry on his back cradling Severus to his chest. It was a few minutes before Severus raised his head, but it only took one look at Harry's complacent grin to make him sit up. Harry watched as his mate repositioned himself so they were laying chest to chest, and looked up at him mischievously.
"Did I get it all?" He asked, and Severus licked a thumb and reached out to rub at a spot on the edge of his lips. When he made to wipe it off, Harry caught the thumb in his mouth and moaned in delight as he sucked it slowly, swirling his tongue around, sucking the thumb as if it was a mini cock, smiling as he felt Severus' breath hitch. Releasing the captive digit, Harry leaned back and asked "Any more?"
Severus shook his head. "That was it."
Harry reached up and dragged the blanket off the top of the couch and covered Severus with it. Harry cast Tempus and smiled. "We've still got forty-five minutes before we have to get ready, Sev. What do you want to do?"
The muffled reply made Harry grin. "Sleep."
"So, sleep, Severus. I'll wake you up in time." Apparently, no further invitation was necessary, for Severus was sound asleep seconds after Harry's words. The emerald- eyed boy smiled at his charge, and shifted slightly so they would be more comfortable.
Harry walked into the Great Hall as wide- eyed as a teenage boy was going to get on a Monday night. He took his seat between Hermione and Dean and poured himself some of the pumpkin juice, watching along with the rest of the pairs as the unfortunate students went up to the staff table to hand in McGonagall's essay. Snape was watching with a faint sneer, and Hagrid was very upset about something.
"I don't think Hagrid's happy with you mate." Ron whispered to Harry.
Harry glanced at the CoMC teacher and winced. "No, I don't think he's happy with me either." The food appeared on their table, and Ron eagerly dug in, along with everyone else in the Hall. Harry picked up a piece of Treacle Tart and ate it absentmindedly. Hermione noticed this and whacked him on the arm, pointing when she had his attention to the chicken and beef.
"Eat that, Harry. Geez, no wonder you're so skinny." She piled the food onto his plate, over his protestations, and pointed her wand at him. "Eat it or I will hex you. And you've got to live through detention tonight also, Harry! Eat!"
"Hermione, I already ate!"
"That hardly counts as food. Eat the chicken. Now." Harry grumbled about know-it-alls and witches who were to smart for their own good and ate the piece of chicken, ignoring the puzzled stares from the other pairs.
Seamus suddenly started choking, and when he could breath again, he leaned past curious ears to whisper to Harry "You gave someone head?"
Harry just shrugged, and turned back to his meal, refusing to give away any details that might narrow the search for his mate. And you give head to guys, not girls. Seamus wrinkled his face in frustration, and went back to eating.
Harry snuck into Severus' mind to drop in the comment "Apparently, giving head doesn't count as eating." It was fascinating to watch the Potions Master get up and leave that fast, the other teachers staring after him with concern, the students with fear and puzzlement.
Harry inhaled the rest of his food, and sat at his table waiting for his cue, tense with excitement. Finally he heard what he'd been waiting for float through Severus' head.
"… Goddamn Potter with his goddamn timing and his goddamn sexy body. If you're listening to me, POTTER, GET DOWN HERE NOW!!"
And Harry happily obeyed.
It was much later when Harry finally re- appeared in Gryffindor Tower. Hermione had waited up for him, and gave him an appraising glance when he came in. "Had fun?" she asked, and smiled when he grinned and plopped onto the seat next to her.
"Yup," he said contentedly, "I like detention." Hermione laughed at his statement, and put her book down to give him her full attention.
"I never thought I would hear that sentence come out of anyone's mouth, let alone yours."
Harry just shrugged. "If you got to do what I got to do in detention, you'd like it too." He smirked at his friends face, and added, "Right?"
Hermione giggled. She could only imagine what they had done. But she got her thoughts back under control and composed her face. "So, Harry." She waited until she had his full attention before going on.
"We need to discuss what we're going to do with the other pairs."
Any errors in this chapter are soley the reposibility of ManhattanWitch, as Netrixie is under house arrest and is not allowed computer access for another couple days.
So no nasty reviews, people! Send them all to ManhattanWitch!
Ta!
MannyWitch
Hey, all. It's Netrixie, back to clutter the internet with hot steamy Snarry Slash (at least, I hope). I fixed this chapter up a bit, added my usual touches, made essentail corrections and pretty much just prettied up the chap. Thank my sister for posting this thing for me, otherwise you would have gotten it today. Okay- you can go and read the next chapter now (or as soon as I put it up), and thanks for dealing with the mistakes that were here before I got to them,
Netrixie
09 July, 2008
