Summary: Severus has never done anything for anyone, but what will he do for one small boy named Harry.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot
A/N: Of course it is AU. I also would like to thank my beta Nita
Chapter 35
Lucius Malfoy paced in front of the kitchen. His wife had been on yet another shopping spree; one, no doubt, to leave a huge hole in his finances.
"Have I not told you to check with me before you go out shopping?"
Narcissa stuck her nose in the air.
"I'll have you know that I bought all of these things to feel better about myself. Do you not want me to look my best when we are out?"
"No man would dare look twice at you even if you were dripping with diamonds. They know that you are my wife," Lucius said, as if that ended the conversation.
Narcissa stood up in a huff.
"I'll have you know that Severus did, in fact, look at me, and even tried to seduce me! There goes your so called theory on how I look."
Narcissa was planning to go upstairs with her new things when Lucius grabbed her arm.
"What did you say?"
Narcissa sneered at him then, snatching her arm from his grasp.
"I said, Severus is not so droll as to not notice a woman who is beautiful. He told me so, and even tried to seduce me at the party last week."
With this, she sauntered up the stairs, feeling that she had just burst her husband's huge ego.
Lucius paced the floors. Severus had always been a thorn in his side. He found the man to be overly critical of anything he suggested. Often during raids, he refused to participate, saying he needed his hands for potions. He had even brought that ungrateful whelp into his home, and dared to hex him in front of his own family. Yes, Lucius would make Severus pay, and pay dearly. He just had to figure out a way to get to Severus, for he was a cautious man. Hours he sat and thought it over, and at last, knew the perfect way. He would stroke Severus' ego; that always worked with him. Sitting down, he brought out a quill and parchment to write the letter.
hshshshshshshshshshshshshshshshshshshshshshshshshs
Severus was busy in his Potion's lab when Gertrude entered unannounced.
"Have I not told you to knock?" Severus said, without turning around.
"Gertrude is knowing the rules, but Gertrude is bringing you this letter."
"What letter could be that important?"
Gertrude handed Severus the letter and returned to the kitchen to finish making lunch. Severus ran his wand over it, and saw that it was indeed from Lucius. Sighing, he lowered the fire beneath his potion and opened it. As if right on cue, Harry bounded through the doorway to tell him dinner was ready.
From out of the letter flew a mist of something and Severus dropped it instantly. Harry also stopped in his tracks as he watched a strange look come over his father's face.
"Are you all right, Dad?"
Severus shook his head, trying to rid it of the feeling it had, and turned to Harry.
"I will be fine. Come, let us see what Gertrude has for lunch."
Harry sat down at the table, reaching for the baskets of rolls. His appetite was back, and he was starving. Severus, on the other hand, didn't feel much like eating. After only a few bites, he pushed his plate away, and spent the rest of the meal sipping his coffee.
"Aren't you hungry, Dad?"
Severus looked up from his newspaper and answered.
"I am not feeling quite myself. It seems Lucius' invitation has put me in a rather foul mood."
"An invitation to what? We aren't going are we?"
Harry was now frightened, remembering his last trip to Malfoy Manor.
"I shall consider it. It is not in his home, but rather, an outing to the beach. He feels we should try to reconcile our differences. He even wished to apologize for his actions against you."
Harry mumbled something underneath his breath then.
⌠What was that, Harry? I didn't quite catch it."
When Harry didn't answer right away, Severus prodded further.
"I said I don't trust him, no matter how many times he says he is sorry."
"You perhaps have the right idea, but I have learned to never toss aside an invitation by Lucius. He has too many Death Eaters at his beck and call. It could make for an unbearable life."
"But I thought you said Voldemort was dead┘"
The mere mention of the name sent shivers down Severus' back.
"Do not use his name here!" Severus shouted.
Harry cowered in his seat, and Severus tried to still his anger.
"Though he is dead, his followers still do his bidding. They would love nothing more than to kill the one who destroyed him, and that, Harry, is you. I would not put you in such a situation, but it would arouse suspicion if I did not attend. You would, of course, have to go as Henry."
"I don't want to go, but if it keeps you out of danger, then I will."
Harry, too, was now not hungry anymore, and pushed his half eaten plate away. He went to his room and played with his knight and dragon figures Severus had bought him. When it was time for dinner, he again found that his Dad didn't eat more than a little bit.
"Dad, are you sure you aren't sick?"
Harry stood from his chair and went over to Severus. He put his hand on Severus' head and found no fever, but still the man didn't look well.
"I feel a bit off; perhaps an early night would do me wonders. Tomorrow, we are to go to the outing. Please be ready in the morning."
Harry watched as Severus went off to bed. It wasn't even eight yet, so he and Gertrude played a game of Snap, and then Harry went to bed as well.
The next morning, Severus appeared in Harry's room to find the boy already dressed.
"Come here so I can place the glamour on you. We won't stay but a couple of hours, as I don't want it wearing off while we are there."
Harry waited while his hair changed and his eyes were changed from green to brown. He thought he looked more like his dad this way, but he missed his old looks. Sighing, he grabbed up his bag, and followed his father to the floo.
"We shall return in a couple of hours, Gertrude."
The house elf nodded that she understood and in a whoosh of flames, Severus and Harry were gone.
Usually they were not in the floo very long, but this time seemed to take forever. Grate after grate passed by and Harry's stomach started to churn. Closing his eyes and putting his head against his father, he prayed they would get there soon.
Severus and Harry stepped out of the floo inside a small cottage, and when they opened the front door, they could see several umbrellas and people wandering about the sand.
"Severus, welcome," greeted Narcissa.
Severus nodded his head in greeting, then took Harry by the hand, leading him away from her.
Harry wanted to go home the second he saw Lucius Malfoy. Cringing and squeezing the hand of Severus, he let him know just how afraid he was.
"Severus, so good of you to join us. I was just telling McNair here about Henry. Come and join us and tell us a bit about his family if you will."
Severus looked down at Harry, and motioned that the boy was next to him.
"Ahh. Henry, why don't you go and join the other children by the water?"
Harry didn't want to go, but Severus gave him a little shove.
"Do not leave my eyesight," he called out as Harry walked away.
Harry knew he wouldn't dare leave his eyesight, as he didn't want to be here anyway. He found Draco soon enough, as the boy's boasting could be heard for a good distance.
"My father says that all Mudbloods should be killed, not just the men."
Harry was appalled at the idea of killing anyone and he spoke before he could stop himself.
"Women and children too?"
Draco turned and glared at Harry.
"This is Henry, everyone. Someone that Professor Snape has taken pity on. I know he seems a bit daft, but even a slow witted pureblood is better than nothing."
"I am not slow witted!" Harry yelled out, and Draco came to stand in front of him.
"Oh no? Then how is it the logic has escaped you? If we do not kill the women and children, then they will just have more of those inbred Mudbloods."
Harry's mouth fell open and soon all the children were laughing at him. He hated these children, because they acted just like Dudley and his friends. They didn't want to be his friend; they wanted to ridicule him. Walking over, he put his towel down and took a seat.
"Aren't going to put on your swimming trunks and go swimming?" Crabbe Jr. called out to him.
"I don't know how to swim," Harry said, before turning away from the others who were laughing at him.
Severus watched as the boys made fun of Harry and his blood began to boil. He was about to go to him when Lucius asked him a question.
"Were you alone when you read the letter, Severus?"
Severus turned back around, wondering why Lucius would ask something so strange.
"I was in my Potion's lab and Henry was present, not that it concerns you in the least."
Lucius and the others smirked.
"You see, dear Severus, it does concern me."
With a wave of his hand, he sent the others away. Once he was sure that no one else would hear, he leaned in closer to Severus.
"You see, I found out about your flirting with my wife. Honestly Severus, even you should know better than to try to seduce a man's wife."
"I was under the influence of a Love Potion. Even you must know, Lucius, that your wife is without a doubt undesirable to most men. She is conceited to the point of no return, not to mention she has deplorable taste in clothing. If I did not know she was of good breeding, I would swear she was nothing more than a hooker."
Lucius' hand was on his wand in a flash, but not before Severus.
"You dare to draw your wand upon me? I do hope you plan on killing me, for I will kill you," Severus said.
Lucius removed his hand from his wand, and smiled again, putting Severus on alert.
"You see, dear Severus, my wife may be foolish but I am not. For your transgression, I have found it within my right to punish you. It was not my intention for anyone else to be involved, but I am afraid young Henry there will have to be a part of it."
"What are you talking about, Lucius?"
"It is quite simple. The letter was written on a parchment that I found just recently in our Lord's things. You read it and now you will die. Not anytime soon, mind you, oh no, that wouldn't do. It is a Slow Death Hex, one I am sure you will enjoy. I am sorry to have found out Henry will also die. I thought with a bit of hard core discipline he could be molded."
Severus drew his wand again, this time pointing it at Lucius.
"How dare you!" he yelled, bringing everyone's attention to the pair. "You will tell me the antidote now!"
Lucius backed away as everyone came running to them, wands drawn.
"Make one move and Lucius here will die before I do."
The others backed away, but Harry pushed his way through the crowd.
"Dad?" his eyes questioned, not knowing what was going on.
"Get to the floo, Henry, and wait for me there."
Harry was scared but he ran back to the floo, just like his father asked him to. Severus turned around, grabbing Lucius by the throat.
"You will pay for this. One way or another, you will pay."
Severus kept walking backwards until he, too, had reached the floo.
"How do you propose to do that, Severus? You should be gone within a month. Plan on scaring me from the grave, do you?"
Severus couldn't stand it any longer, and sent the curse from his wand. Lucius Malfoy sank to his knees as the curse hit him. His insides were on fire, and Severus knew he would not be able to get up for several minutes. That was all it was going to take, as he grabbed Harry and jumped into the floo, calling out Snape Manor as he did.
Within a few minutes, he and Harry fell out of the floo, and Gertrude was there to meet them. Severus jumped to his feet, whirling his wand several times over the floo and incanting in Latin. Only after he was done did he sit down, and that is when the reality hit him. Lucius Malfoy had hexed them both. How was he going to tell Harry that they would die? How was he going to explain that to an eight year old? Severus wasn't. Standing up, he told Harry and Gertrude to meet him in the kitchen. He would explain everything to them both, and maybe with the luck of the Gods, they would survive.
A/N: See you next week!