He walked up and up and up the stairs to Severus' bedroom. Without needing to confront his fears, he knew in his spirit what he would find.

"Severus?" he said, knocking and pushing open the door.

The room was bare.

There was no evidence anybody had ever lived here.

"Kreacher?" Harry whispered in horror. He appeared with a crack. "Wh-where is Severus?"

Kreacher narrowed his eyes. "Gone."

Nodding, he said, "Leave me, please."

Harry curled up on the bed in the unlit room. He trembled. A few minutes later, he heard the pad-padding of four feet. His tears soaked into Hades' fur. "He left you behind," he sobbed. "Why? Why would he leave you?"

The sheets smelled of Severus. He couldn't stand it. He couldn't bear to leave.

He descended the basement staircase the next morning, cradling Hades in his arms. No longer awash with tears, his face was pale and clammy. Kreacher snapped his fingers and hovered a bowl of porridge across to the table, and went into the pantry.

Phineas idly examined the fingers of his silk glove, and said, "I see you have decided to stay, then."

"What?"

"It appears you have made the decision to remain," he said slowly and loudly.

"I live here!"

"Forgive me—I surmised you would wish to follow the Headmaster."

"I would follow him anywhere. He's just—went. I-I don't understand…" he trailed off, his throat choking with grief.

"He intended to take you with him to that godforsaken place. The reading comprehension skills of Hogwarts graduates leave much to be desired."

"Reading skills?"

"Reading skills. A requirement for the comprehension of the written word."

Harry pointed his wand at Phineas with a shaking hand. "I swear. I'll do it. Tell me—tell me what you mean."

Phineas looked unruffled and raised a thin black brow. "Professor Snape left you a message, and plainly intended you and that infernal cat accompany him to that blasted country. As I am being threatened, I shall take my leave."

His voice cracked as he said, "Please." Perhaps it was how broken he sounded, but Phineas didn't go. "Please tell me." He shook his head in dismay. "I haven't had my letter."

Phineas fixed him with beady eyes. "Call for the elf." He left his frame.

"Kreacher!" he roared. The house-elf appeared. "What's going on?"

"Master Harry mustn't be angry with Kreacher. Kreacher did it for the best—" he croaked.

"Have you been stopping my letters?" he said, aghast.

"Of course, sir." He pulled a thick wad of envelopes from the inside of the towel he was wearing. Horrified, Harry could make out the spidery scrawl of Severus, in addition to Hagrid's untidy handwriting and Hermione's neat hand. "Kreacher's orders—only his Wheezy and Mrs. Tonks are to write." He puffed out his chest. "Headmaster Snape is making Master upset. Kreacher is loyal to Master Harry, and not Headmaster Snape," Kreacher said, flapping his ears.

Harry put his hands on his head and tried to remain calm. "I understand. Thank you. Please, it's very important I read Severus' letter." Kreacher handed it to him and his eyes filled with tears. "It's not your fault. You did your best. Please leave me while I see to it."

He hungrily read his letter.

Harry,

Forgive me for writing, but as you are well aware, I struggle to keep my head when speaking with you.

You should, by now, have a rational idea of my high regard for you. Nevertheless, this cannot work. You must absolve me for allowing this foolishness to commence.

And yet, I cannot compel myself to stay my hand from penning this: to ask you to come with me, or to beg me to remain.

Say the word, and I will.

As you are upset, I will lodge at the Hog's Head tonight to allow you space to consider. I will be gone by eleven in the morning. Do not feel compelled to meet me—I am accustomed to disappointment.

Does love make one a fool, or do only fools fall in love?

Whatever happens, I will take comfort in the fact we will be under the same moon.

-S.S.

Harry's heart faltered. He checked his wristwatch. Ten minutes.

Severus was leaving, battered suitcase in hand, as Harry skidded up to the entrance to the Hog's Head. He looked as though he hadn't slept a wink. It thunked to the ground as he held out his arms. Harry buried his head in his chest. "Thank God," he sobbed. "I thought you'd be gone." He began to shake. "I-I-I didn't get your l-letter."

"Shh," whispered Sev, tightening his arms. "It will be all right."

He didn't care that people were staring. "Take me home," he whispered.

Harry was barely aware of Severus Side-Along Apparating him to the front step of Grimmauld Place, and carrying him up the stairs. He deposited him onto Harry's bed.

Perhaps it was his terrible night's sleep, but Harry found it difficult to express himself. "You're here. You've not gone."

"I am here." He grasped Harry's face in his hands.

"You left," Harry said dumbly.

"You must understand I am incapable of loving partway." Harry did not understand. "I am not an easy man, so do not come with me unless you can bear this." His thumbs traced Harry's cheekbones. "There are no half measures when it comes to my devotion. Say that you'll be by my side if I accept the post."

"To Durmstrang?" he said blankly.

"I intimated that if I were to accept, a sports instructor post would be open to you, should you wish."

"A sports instructor," Harry repeated. He couldn't comprehend that Snape was here, inches from him. "Me? I don't know if that's a good idea…" he trailed off, thinking about how his lycanthropy had ruined his life forever, and how he couldn't have a normal job, or a relationship, or friends, or family, or safety, or stability…

"Breathe. Concentrate." Severus gripped his face. "Take deep breaths. Look into my eyes."

The windows stopped clattering, as though a gale had finished battering them. It seemed he had conjured some snowflakes. He released Severus' wrist from his painful grasp. "Sorry." Severus dropped his hands, and began to back away. "Wait. I want to be with you. But I'm scared."

"There is no reason to stop you pursuing this, should you wish. Nor do you have to decide today."

Severus went into Harry's en suite and ran the bath. He silently undressed him and lifted him in like a helpless child. Severus joined him, and Harry leaned his forehead on Severus' back.

Tracing a scar on his left mid back, Harry asked, "What happened?"

"Hm? Oh, a Cutting Curse. I thought it was a Cutting Hex, and by the time I'd worked it out, I'd lost a lot of blood so mispronounced the counter-curse."

"And these?" Harry brushed his lips lengthways on long thin raised ridges.

"My father."

"Your body—it's remarkable. Is there anyone alive who—hurt—"

"I don't believe so."

"Good."

The mood was subdued, and Harry reached across for the shampoo to gently wash Sev's hair. He rarely saw him like this—powerful yet wandless, dangerous yet at his mercy. As Harry washed away the suds, he kissed the spot between Severus' shoulder blades.

"I want what's best for you," Harry said at long last.

Severus pushed his sopping hair off his face, and twisted around so that dark eyes met green. "Then I stay."

Tears pricked Harry's eyes. He huddled nearer, wrapped his arms around Severus' waist, and said, "Tell me more about Durmstrang. What's it like?"

Sev turned to sit cross-legged and their knees bumped awkwardly. He held Harry's hand as he was considering what to say. Harry interlinked their fingers.

"It is in the north of Norway. The castle is nothing like Hogwarts. It is square, white, and with four towers. There are no school houses; they group the children alphabetically. The punishment for rule breaking is very severe, and I am told the children are largely well-behaved. There are rumours surrounding the promotion of the dark arts: an unfair presumption based on the rise of Grindelwald and on Igor Karkaroff as a recent headmaster."

"A Death Eater," Harry said, nodding. "Did Voldemort have a big influence at Durmstrang, then?"

"I do not believe so. Igor was slain, and then a neutral headmistress replaced him. It is true that the youngsters learn more curses, but as you are well aware the Defence curriculum at Hogwarts is woefully lacking. It seems disingenuous to compare the schools in this regard."

Harry wandlessly performed a Warming Charm on the bathwater. "And they play Quidditch? Viktor Krum went there."

"He did," agreed Severus. "The lessons are not simply flying; as the children are not split into houses, they create teams based on age for their sports classes. I believe they hold running races, and fitness is taken seriously as a regular part of the curriculum."

"How do you know this? I know the schools are secretive about how they are run."

Severus cupped water in his hands and trickled it over Harry's knees to keep him warm. "You are being remarkably obtuse. I found out for you."

"But why?"

Severus grit his teeth. "Need I say it aloud?"

"…Oh."

"'Oh', indeed," said Severus. "You would create the timetabling as you see fit, and as the Potions master there is no reason why I cannot continue your Wolfsbane. Nobody need ever know. If it doesn't work out, we resign and return to England in June."

Harry nodded. "Take me with you."

Severus brought Harry's hand up to his lips and kissed it. "Good. That is good." He twisted Harry's hand around so he could kiss the inside of his wrist.

A vague forgotten dream woke up Harry. The streetlamps outside silhouetted the room, and he was warm. Last night, they drifted off to slumber in each other's arms after Severus chastely kissed him on the cheek. They had shifted, and Severus was now wrapped around him like a vine. He revelled in the freedom to just listen to the peaceful sound of his lover breathing gently in his ear. The house was soft and still.

He nestled his face into Severus' neck and tried to drift back towards peaceful oblivion. Legs tangled, skin to skin. Sev snuffled and angled away from him, pushing back into Harry. His arse was now pressed against his length. A need within him appeared like a lit match. It overpowered his will to sleep. Severus felt warm and pliant in his arms, and Harry grew hard. He released kisses onto his shoulder, neck, hair, and breathed in the scent behind his ear. Severus' breath changed its cadence. Harry froze as Severus reached to stroke Harry's thigh.

Conscious that he was practically nude and inches of him pressed into Severus' soft skin, he felt himself swell. Severus let out a small sigh. Closing his eyes against the dark, Harry gently pushed forwards experimentally. Sev turned his face to the side and kissed whatever part of Harry's face he could reach first. He curved his leg backwards over Harry's.

Harry stroked Severus' chest with the backs of his fingers, and felt a gust of Severus' breath on his cheek. He reached down to find Severus half hard. Harry kissed the crook of his neck, and rubbed him through his underwear. He lived for Severus' contented little sighs, and slipped his hand under the elastic waistband. Sev was rocking back, lost in the pleasure. His length was slick with pre-come. Then, Severus' fingers wrapped around Harry's wrist to guide his hand back, back, behind to that position. There could be no mistake.

Harry bit back a moan and gently, gently, pressed a finger between his buttocks. He would never have requested this of Severus. He encircled Severus' entrance; Severus sighed happily into the night. His cock twitched as Harry pressed the tip of one finger in.

He was so hot and so tight. Severus pressed back against him, slowly and drowsily accepting him in. He concentrated on tonguing Severus' neck, whilst gently pressing in and out, in and out. He enjoyed the patient preparations, and drank in every breathy little moan.

"More," Severus whispered. Harry went to fetch lube, then added in a slicked second finger, which quickly became a third as the kisses on his neck became harder and more urgent. He resolved to take at least as much care of Severus, as he had with Harry. His head was swimming, and his cock was aching. His other arm tightened the gap between them as he pulled him nearer.

Sev reached back to squeeze his thigh, grasp his hip, and then tangle his fingers in Harry's hair.

Harry replaced his fingers with the blunt head of his cock, and pressed gently forwards. The tight resistance was maddening. The tip slipped in and they both gasped quietly. He let Severus impale himself, and Harry wrapped his arms around him. His moan was answered by a deep groaning from Severus' chest. He buried himself deep inside his lover, and released his grip on Severus to run his hand down his chest to grasp his thigh. Severus arched his back and twisted his head to look at Harry's silhouette.

He took time to pause, not wanting the overpowering sensations to tip him over the edge, desiring to draw as much pleasure as he could for Severus. Harry used this moment to kiss up and down the height of Severus' throat and gently stroke his cock. He clenched his muscles and rocked back. Harry let loose a moan he couldn't contain. Severus reached up to link fingers with Harry's other hand and kissed its back and knuckles. He was helpless to stop himself thrusting deeper and faster. He didn't think making love in this way to Severus could feel better than being claimed two days ago. Severus matched him, and let go of Harry's hand to grasp the bedsheets. Harry wasn't going to last, and gasped into Severus' ear.

Harry had the presence of mind somehow to still his hips and stroke Severus' cock, harder and faster. Sev cried out, and Harry rolled on top to grab his hip, using it as leverage as he rutted into Snape, animalistic grunts bursting from him with each thrust, as Severus came all over his hand. Maddened by bliss, Harry bit the nape of his neck, licked every part of him he could reach. With a shuddering groan, anchored within his lover, he arrived at his peak. Every muscle seemed to tense up in unison, his toes curled, his back arched, and a low moan was forced from his throat.

A few seconds later, his mind returned to action, and he slipped out. He drew Severus close to him, to make up for their lost communion. Severus gently held his hand drowsily as they drifted into depths of sleep.