After the vision from Voldemort, which through quick intervention from Harry saves Arthur's life, Harry is asked to learn occlumency from Snape.
After the second unsuccessful try, Harry puts his foot down. But Severus was not ready to listen to him. So, he does what he has to, to make the git listen to him. While Severus is berating him for not clearing his mind, Harry stupefies the potions master and makes him listen.
"Now listen here you big old dungeon bat. I pretty much know how to clear my mind. We are taught meditation in primary school in the muggle world. I am trying to make a point here. You think you saw what YOU wanted to? No dear potions master. You saw what I wanted you to see. That's what I am trying to tell you. What if instead of blocking the Dark Lord, we show him what we want him to see? Now if you will consent to listen and discuss this in a civil manner, I will release you, otherwise, I am leaving and never returning back."
Severus blinked his eyes in consent and was released. He instantly demanded, "How can I believe that you are showing me what YOU want and not what I want to see?"
"Let's see. How about I tell you before what you are going to see in my mind and you try to see something more and see if you can?"
"Write it down on this paper and we will compare notes after I come out of your mind." Harry quickly did so. He wrote three scenarios, just in case Severus took longer and he needed extra memories.
As a matter of fact, Severus stayed in Harry's mind way longer than any other time, exhausting all three memories, so Harry had to create another one. After watching the four memories, Severus came out and read the parchment. He took a deep breath and said, "Now, if you are so intelligent, why do you not employ your brains in studies?"
"It's simple really. I don't want to attract any more attention to myself than I already have."
"And how long have you known occlumency?"
"Since the summer after second year. After seeing the sudden flip in attitude from people after the snake incidence, I understood people here won't be any different than my old school. It was not much different than before actually. I just had to smile and show how happy I was, and keep all my secrets to myself. Knowing meditation from before did help to accomplish it sooner."
"Hmm… that means no one in school really knows you."
"No one in this world really knows me the way I really am."
"Dumbledore is a master legilimence you know?"
"Even you know that if he pokes too deep, I will get headaches and feel the intrusion. I keep my surface thoughts unimportant."
"So you don't trust Dumbledore?"
"I have reasons not to."
"Why are you telling me this? What if I tell him?"
"You don't trust him entirely either."
"There's more to you than I thought."
"Trust me you don't know even a sliver of it yet."
"Once again. Why are you telling me this?"
"Well several reasons. Most important being you have never treated me as a celebrity for something I didn't even do. I trust if given a chance you will try your hardest to train me because you will want me to fail in front of you though not in front of Voldemort. Sorting through your memories does let you see what you otherwise miss you know."
"And how do you know that?"
"I know it was you who had come to me each night whenever I lay unconscious in the hospital wing, though it was always Dumbledore I first saw when I woke up. Give me some credit. I am a good observer. The thing I want to know is why do you hate me so much even when you are always saving me?"
"Some things should remain secret Mr Potter."
"How about this; we exchange memory for a memory. A real memory. I will let you see the real Harry Potter and you let me know the reason of your hatred towards me."
"Fair enough. But how do I know those memories are not made up like the ones you have been showing me?"
"Pensieves don't lie Professor. I know you have borrowed one from Dumbledore. We can put it to good use."
"Very well. Come along. You first."
"Okay." Harry pulled out a white mist from his temple and dropped it into the blank penseive. It was his earliest memory that he could clearly remember. He was five and had been cooking in the kitchen and he had burned an egg. His uncle had pulled his hand directly over the burner. Severus came out of it shaking. Harry gave him some cold water.
Severus pulled out a memory and put it into the pensieve. Harry dived right in. It was the first time Severus was spotted with Lily in school by James. He had not liked it and had tripped him on his leg. That was probably just the beginning. Harry wanted to know more.
He pulled out his own memory and waited while Severus watched it. It was of a seven year old Harry who had not been fast enough and had been caught by his cousin and his friends and beaten bloody. When he returned home, his relatives had done nothing for Harry while they tended to Dudley's tender knuckles. They had made Harry clean the mess he had created by dripping blood on the floor. Severus' expression was outrageous. He would have time for questions later. He pulled out his own memory and put in.
Harry came out of it shaking. There were several short incidences of bullying, his father and Sirius being the main instigators and Dumbledore letting them go with a pat on their wrists and Severus often loosing points in Transfiguration for no reason at all. Harry did not say anything. No apology could correct the wrong done to this man. He did not know the bigger things were yet to come. He decided to give in a bit more this time, though he was feeling nervous. He put down three wisps of memories into the pensieve and let Severus watch the most embarrassing moments of his life.
Severus watched in shock as Vernon insinuated a much older, maybe 13 years old Harry that he would love to break him, mentally, physically, sexually, while Harry remained calm and only listened. He could hear his thoughts, they were so loud, that he was no match in physical strength to his uncle and he could not use magic without getting expelled, or threatened to be, like last year. He became pale when Harry said this to his aunt, that Vernon was threatening him of sexual abuse, and his aunt just replied, "You could at least try to satisfy your uncle for all the trouble he goes through for you, to provide you with food cloth and shelter." Harry goes about his work, dejected. He starts to train himself physically after that, in secret of course. The last memory though, it's utter horror. Severus watches as Harry has to give his uncle as well as cousin a blowjob to be allowed to leave home for school just this last summer, after the whole ordeal with Voldemort. His aunt is in the same house but does not leave the kitchen even when she hears the noises of Vernon holding the boy down by his hairs and fucking his mouth till his throat is raw, and instructing his son to do the same. Severus could feel Harry's anger and resentment. He doesn't blame him.
As soon as he comes out, he says, "If I would have been in your place, I would have killed them."
"Oh I intend to. But in such a way that it cannot be tracked back to me. Will you like to help?"
"Well our relationship is quiet a give and take one. How about I help you to torture then kill these vile beings and you help me finish off my own sire?"
"I would love to. It would be better though, if I know for what transgressions he is being punished. It makes planning easier."
Severus smirked. "Oh you will know. But not today. Today our deal is different. Though, as of now I cannot bring myself to even resent you, let alone hate."
"It's okay. I would like to know more about the lies I have been told."
"Lies?"
"Yeah. I am the son of the great James Potter who could do nothing wrong. From my memories you must know that I don't hate anything more than I hate bullies."
"Very well. Here you go." Severus poured everything into the last memory. His humiliation in fifth year. His estrangement from Lily and how he regretted it. The shack incidence. Even him begging to his mother for forgiveness. Finally the reason he became a spy. Severus thought the tentative truce formed for the last hour or so will vanish now.
"I don't blame you if that is what you are worried about."
"How do you know I am worried?"
"In your unguarded moments, you wear your heart on your sleeves like a Gryffindor."
Severus sighed and got up. "It's late. You should go. Next week, I will test your occlumency shields for a final time, then we will use this excuse to get you some training. You need it. I want you to start on wandless magic. They are non detectable. You will tell me about the true extent of your ability and I can tell you about why I want to torture my sire."
"Deal then. Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead."
"Why do you address him as sire and not father?"
"To me, he is only the man who donated his sperm to make me. You will know the reasons soon enough."
"Until next week then."
"Until next week."
In the next one month, Harry came to know that Severus' father was also abusive, both physically and sexually. His mother always saved him. In his drunken rage one day, he hit his wife with a vase, on her head. She died instantly. Stepping over his dead wife's corpse, he approached Severus, with a predatory look in his eyes. Scared, Severus had thrown a chair at him and ran away, never to return back. Just a few months ago, he had got to know that the man was still alive. Long suppressed rage had bubbled up again. Harry promised to devise the most painful punishments.
They discovered that even though they both loved Dumbledore like a grandfather, they did not trust him at all. They decided to keep up their resentment in public and train amiably in private. Harry even convinced him to teach him Dark Arts, and Severus agreed, saying he cannot win against the darkest of Dark Lords ever to grace the face of the earth without knowing a few tricks himself. Severus came to know that Harry was not only good but exceptional in Potions and magic came easy to him. Potions was his best class followed by DADA. He said he saw the resentful look on Ron's face when he had answered in Transfiguration. He subsided into his old habits after that. He had not wanted to lose his first and probably the only friend back then. Now things were different but he had to keep up pretences. Severus promised to charm a fake report for him for OWLs and asked to do well in them. It will help in any profession he chose in the future. He also said to arrange for him to take his Arithmancy and Ancient Runes OWLs during the summer. Harry was pleased by this turn of events.
The next vision of the Dark Lord hit Harry in the mids of his OWL exams. He could feel it was a fake memory but had to do something. Dumbledore was not there, and he had no intention of going to the Ministry. So, he sent a note to Severus about everything that was happening and to warn Dumbledore as if Harry believed in what he saw. He intentionally got caught by Umbridge and pretended to tell Severus something in code words. After that, the others were sent to their common rooms and Harry was still bound in Umbridge's office.
Elsewhere, Aurors closed in on unsuspecting Death Eaters, because of the tip given by Severus to Shacklebolt. After a fierce fight, eleven death eaters were captured and Bellatrix was killed by another death eater's spell, when an auror pulled her in the line of fire while she was cackling like a mad women. How ironic. Now that prominent members like Lucius Malfoy, Avery, Crabbe and Goyle were caught red-handed, the Ministry could not deny the return of the Dark Lord anymore. Fudge was being frowned upon. The reporters were having a field day at work, publishing sensational stories. To Harry though, nothing of these things mattered. He and Severus had a plan. He was coming to Privet Drive the very next day and taking Harry away for a week. On the third day, Harry was to take two tests. Then they would train in Severus' well warded house. After a week, they would think of something to solve the problem of going back to the Dursleys.
The Harry that arrived for his sixth year, was a very changed person. He had filled out and gained some height, due to the strong nutritive potions, a few bordering dark, a healthy diet and lots of physical exercise. He showed his confidence now, no more the approval seeking boy of last year. Severus had made him see the error of his ways. He should not have held back on his intelligence any way. If Ron and Hermione felt jealous because he was more intelligent than them, then they were not the best friends he should have. Severus said he did not want Harry to end up like him, bitter and cold, just because his best friend had not accepted his apology for something he had said in the heat of the moment while being humiliated in front of the whole school. He asked Harry to learn from his mistakes. And Harry did just that.
He now knew all the Dark Arts that Severus could teach him and then they had gone shopping for more obscure books, disguised as foreigners. Severus had practically bought half of Knockturn Alley, as he already had the other half at his own library. Harry knew Black Library would have had many useful books but that would raise Sirius' suspicions and they could not have that. Not only Severus, but even Harry was not comfortable talking to his godfather right now. Severus said that whatever James did out of jealousy was totally unfounded. Lily was his best friend. She could not have ever been his love interest as he was gay. Well, that opened a can of worms that Severus did not want to open. Harry had questions. Many questions.
Checking that his occlumency was good enough, Harry entered the Great Hall. Ron was the first to spot him as usual. "Harry mate! What happened to you?"
"What?" Harry pretended to be confused.
"Oh don't you pretend to be innocent. How did you get so tall and muscular?" asked Hermione.
"Well, the nutrient potions we had learned last semester, I brewed them at home during the night and took them daily for the two months vacation. It somehow reversed the damage done to my body." Harry said. It was the truth, though not the full one.
"Harry don't be stupid. It's not strong enough to do that."
"Well it did for me."
The next few days, Ron and Hermione kept a close eye on him. Thank god he was much advanced in his training. He could not deceive them easily because of their suspicions. So, when Dumbledore called him up and told him that he had to continue his occlumency, he gave a token protest so as not to raise too much suspicion. Twice a week, he met Severus and they planned. They were trying to device a method to see through the Dark Lord's mind without his knowledge. It was risky but worth a try. He first practiced on Severus, to enter his mind without him realizing. Slowly, he began to improve.
In October, Severus was asked to go to headquarters and keep an eye on Sirius till Dumbledore could arrange for someone else. Grumbling, he left Dumbledore's office. Sending a quick note to Harry, Severus flooed to Grimmauld Place. As soon as he stepped out of the floo and Sirius laid eyes on him, he tensed and started shouting profanities. As he did not have a wand yet, hexes were not an issue. Frustrated, Sirius stormed up the stairs. That's what Severus had wanted. He quickly went to the library and went through the books, collecting what he found on the mind arts. He had added a new shelf to his own library for Harry. In it, he would keep all the Black library books as they rightfully belonged to Harry, being the heir of Black.
Almost all the books there were rare. Nobody visited the Black library so no one will know. With some carefully placed charms, Severus shrunk about hundred books and put them in his deep robe pockets. Then he placed a glamour to make it look like nothing had changed. He will get more when he will get a chance.
After a few more minutes, Tonks arrived to spend some time with her cousin. Leaving the household to her, Severus went back. Harry was waiting for him in his office, it was a training day. Severus led him to his house through the floo and they both filled the new shelf. Picking up one book each, they went back to the office. The books Severus had chosen were as near the mind arts as he could find. After a week of constant reading through various books, Harry finally found something. It was a three step process. First was a ritual and a spell to connect the two minds. Then there was a modified legilimency to either enter the other's mind unsuspected or plant false visions into them. This was probably what the dark Lord was using.
Severus said they would have to take the risk and use it directly on the Dark Lord as they did not know what the effects would be if they try to forge another connection with Harry. At midnight, Harry came back to Severus's office, under his invisibility cloak. They sat together when Harry cast the new legilimency spell. He closed his eyes and dived in deep into the mind of the Dark Lord. He was astonished to see most of the things he found there. When he pulled out after about half an hour, he asked for a parchment and began explaining to Severus what all he saw.
"He suspects you. You need to be careful. I would have said not to go anymore but you won't listen. Malfoy is the one who fills him in about your activities for the light, though he had some niggling doubt that you do it all to keep the headmaster appeased and spy on him. You will have to give some sort of news in the next meeting or else he plans to end you, loyal or not. His most trusted right now are all in Azkaban and his beloved Bellatrix is dead, gone through the veil. It is actually very good, because she was pregnant with his child. He plans another mass breakout in Azkaban in a few days. No one knows about it yet.
The main thing that we were looking for; why is he alive? And what Dumbledore knows but is hiding? Voldemort has made Horcruxes. We read about them in passing in one of the books, we can peruse them later. There are a total of six of them. One is destroyed. The diary from my second year. We need to find the rest before we proceed to plan anything.
His first horcrux was his grandfather's ring and it is in the gaunt shack. You will have to devise a method to take me there. It is protected by parseltongue password and anyone who touches or tries to move it without the password will get himself a nasty curse which will slowly and painfully take his life. Second was the diary and is destroyed. Then came the Hufflepuff cup, then Slytherin's locket, then the Ravenclaw Diadem. That one is in the school itself. I know the location. I will get it tomorrow night. These are the ones he created before his death in 1981. He created a horcrux of his pet Nagini in 1994. She was made after Voldemort resurrected himself from my blood that is why I think I could see the attack on Mr Weasley through her eyes.
Do they make any sense to you?"
"Actually they do. And about the gaunt shack, we will have to act fast. I suspect Dumbledore is up to something. Now that we know how Voldemort can be defeated, I think he must be searching for the same. In that case, he will receive the curse as he is not a parseltongue. We need to devise a plan to get you out for a couple hours. How about I make you all brew a cloth repair potion and you botch it and make a cloth eating potion instead, and let it spill on your cloths. I know you have only one pair of school dress, the other having eaten by a plant of all things last year. I will volunteer to take you to Madam Malkins' to get two sets of school robes. While she makes it, we can apparate to Little Hangleton, do our job and get back with the dresses."
"I want to buy a wardrobe."
"What?"
"All I have are cast offs of my oversized whale of a cousin, the one who… it disgusts me to wear them. But I did not have a choice so far. Now I have."
"Very well. You don't have a Potions class tomorrow. Day after, we will execute out plan. What about how to destroy the horcruxes?"
"The first one I destroyed by piercing it with Basilisk fang. Do you reckon they could be used again?"
"Yes they could. After you retrieve the Diadem, we will go and collect some."
"That is good. Well, good night then professor."
"Good night Harry."
When Harry brought Severus to the chamber, the potions master had a field day. He extracted anything of value from the rotting carcass of the enormous Basilisk, the fangs, venom sack, the shedded skin in the outer chamber, the spine of the snake, some scales from the crown which had not yet spoiled. He also found the remains of an egg sack, proving that the giant snake was a female, but alas! There were no eggs to salvage. If he would have gotten here just after the incidence, it would have been a path breaker in his career. Nonetheless, it was not wise to cry over spilt milk. He would work with what he had.
They explored for sometime more, trying to find if there was anything else, like a library. Due to it being late at night and a horcrux waiting for them in the office, they left, with a promise to come explore later. Harry decided to see if the Dark Lord can know when a horcrux is destroyed and entered his mind while Severus stabbed the Diadem in a well warded room. After it was done, Harry said, coming out of his trance like state, "He knows something is wrong but not what exactly. How about we collect all the stuff and destroy all together? That way a huge amount of his power will diminish at a time and he would take a longer time recovering. We can plan an attack at that point. What say?"
"A good idea indeed. Let us retire for today. We will execute our plan tomorrow and hopefully by tomorrow night, we will have our third Horcrux. Can't you find the location of the others?"
"Well. The others are hidden quiet deep in his mind. It's after about half an hour, his mind protests. It will take some time but I will find out. We just need to be careful. By the way, he is still trying to enter my mind. Thank god for that book, I can identify the intrusion. All he sees is mundane things of everyday life and of course my hatred of you and trust for Dumbledore. It would be an understatement if I say he is frustrated. Tell me, do you want someone to be tortured by Voldemort? I don't want to give him that pleasure over my dear aunt and uncle. Wanna do it myself."
"I would say the same about my sire. How about Mr. Malfoy? It may look like I adore the brat but I don't. It's only pretences. Though I wouldn't want the wrath of the Dark Lord on anyone, especially not a teenager. Can you regulate how much he may get punished?"
"Actually I got a very good idea out of it. How about I make the Dark Lord believe that I like Malfoy but he hates me. That will protect him, somewhat, and may give the Dark Lord the idea that through Draco, he can bring me to himself. If Draco tries to be nice and befriend me, we know that we are on the right path. What say?"
"Hmm… though I don't like the idea of you being involved with the brat, it's a fairly good plan."
"Are you jealous Sev? It could be you instead of Malfoy but he already suspects you to be a spy and I would not like to put you in that danger."
"Don't call me by that vile name. I have a perfectly acceptable name. And no, even if it's for pretences, I will not hit on a student."
"Oh! Okay! I will wait till graduation. I am a patient man you know."
"Shut up brat."
"As you say Severus."
The plan went without a hitch. Harry bought as many clothes as he thought he might need, and then some. He had the money. He even convinced Severus to let him gift the man a non-black robe. It was a formal robe in deep forest green, with silver lining the inside of it. The cuffs came halfway over the back of his palm, as he liked it. He looked practically dashing. After giving the order, they apparated to little Hangleton. Due to the presence of a parseltongue, the ring was retrieved without a hitch. They finished the task at hand with some time in hand, so, Harry dragged Severus into muggle London to do some more shopping. They also visited Knockturn Alley for some time.
Severus carefully stored the ring in a specially constructed container box to lock the magic in. Now, two Horcruxes were destroyed and one was in their possession. Severus was trying to create a potent potion to destroy any dark magic and the soul shard in these containers with all the ingredients he had harvested. He wanted to experiment with the ingredients he could not tell anyone he possessed. They would try it out, if it did not work, they always had the fangs.
Harry was permitted to go live with his godfather for Christmas this year, something about apologizing for making him work with Snape. Harry wasn't happy at first. He would miss some nice training. They were just being able to find some clues about the other Horcruxes. But when Severus said that he could slip some books from there to Severus via Hedwig, he got excited. Severus had claimed the heirship of Prince line some 10 years back, but nobody knew about it and he wanted to keep it that way. The prince Manor had a huge library, where now was an empty back chamber for all Black library books. Severus had already moved the hundred or so books on mind magic he had got from there earlier to the new chamber. Now that it was the order headquarters, Severus knew there won't be anything left ones Mundungus determined the monetary value of the books. So, it was better off where it would be valued. Harry decided to empty the whole library little by little. Severus taught him the glamour required.
While in the headquarters, Harry crept down to the library silently, after Ron was fast asleep. The whole Weasley clan was staying there for this Christmas. The whole order would attend the Christmas dinner. Harry had somehow convinced Severus to come. He thought Severus agreed only with a token protest. That was good. So, in a moleskin magic resistant bag, Harry packed around 200 books and sent it off with Hedwig, with a feather light charm on the package. By the time Christmas rolled in, Harry had emptied more than half of the library. He found an interesting thing though, while exploring the library.
When Severus arrived that night, right on time as usual, Harry cast a thought in his mind. It was a reverse legilimency which they had developed during their mind training. He showed him that he wanted him to meet Harry in the library, discreetly. When everyone was having drinks in the living room, Severus slipped away. Harry took him to a book shelf towards the extreme right, near the back wall, and removed the glamour. There was a muggle safe behind what earlier was a wall of books. Harry cut his finger and let a drop of his blood drip on the lock. It clicked open. Harry explained that as he was a legal heir, it worked for him. Inside was an amber locket with a twisting snake on it. Severus' eyes popped out, almost literally. He quickly took out another moleskin bag from inside his inner pocket and put the locket into it, then warded the bag for extra precaution. Locking the safe and re-applying the glamour spells, they slipped back into the living room, without anyone noticing.
Each and every member of the Weasley clan as well as the order was present. Harry talked to everyone amiably, spent time with his godfather, played indoor games with the younger Weasleys and avoided the flirtations from the second oldest brother of his best friend. He did not talk to Severus publicly, but he was glad the man came. These days, he preferred the old bat's company over his best friends' or his godfather's. The rest of the vacation was boring, though, Harry managed to empty the whole library by the end of it.
The first training day after the vacation, Harry was confused about Severus' dry behaviour. He was not showing anger as he used to before their truce, neither was he relaxed like he had become in the past months. Harry was nothing if not straight forwards. He asked, "What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
"Yes there is. Are you still stuck on the whole Malfoy thing? He did enter my brain on Christmas you know. Finding I was thinking of Draco while with the whole family would have gone well I suppose. Malfoy did give me a small smile at breakfast."
"Good for you."
"Okay enough now. Tell me what is the matter? Now."
"I am not your lap dog to be ordered around. Don't take that tone with me."
"Okay fine. I am sorry. Just tell me what I did okay."
"Flirting with another while planning to make the Dark Lord believe you like Malfoy is not a good idea."
"Flirting? I did not flirt with anyone."
"Oh! Then what was it with that dragon tamer?"
"HE was flirting with me. I was very clearly avoiding it and him. I even left the room when he tried a bit too hard. You saw it right? Severus I swear I was not flirting with him."
"You don't need to give me explanations. Just be careful. There is a war to be considered. After it's done, you can… indulge with anyone you like."
Harry blinked back tears. He didn't even know why it hurt so much. "I will… keep that in mind" he said, before leaving.
The next few days, it became clear that Harry's plan had worked. He just needed to stretch it till he located and brought in all the Horcruxes. He still had one to find, the Hufflepuff cup. Nagini will have to be destroyed while in the presence of Voldemort. That night, Harry tried to dive deeper, and saw a few disjointed flashes of memories related to the cup. He saw Hepzibah Smith being murdered, stealing of the cup and locket, creating the Horcrux, retrieving it from its hiding place after coming back, hiding it in the hollow of a hornbeam tree. The location is not clear. It had a small lake and a children's park in the background, far off, he could see factory smoke. He had wanted to put it into Bellatrix's vault, but that could not be done anymore. That was all he got.
He explained the whole scenario to Severus. Severus, though still grumpy, listened. Maybe they did not have much time. If Harry played it well, they could be invited to visit the Dark Lord this summer itself. Harry decided to push the plan a bit faster, now that they knew something about the cup. Severus decided to visit all industrial areas and their surroundings, one at a time, and find the cup.
Harry's plan was proceeding well. He was now exchanging small notes with Malfoy. The day they decided to meet at the astronomy tower after midnight, Harry went to Severus, nervous. He sat in front of him and said, "I want you to teach me how to kiss."
"And why would I do that?"
"So that Malfoy doesn't think I am a blushing virgin."
"And you are not?"
"I am. But he doesn't need to know that for the plan."
"And how, prey tell, am I going to teach you that?"
"A practical demonstration would be good."
"That's unacceptable Mr Potter. I am your teacher."
"Just this once Severus. I won't ask for anything for a long long time I promise." Saying that, he came and kneeled directly in front of Severus and said, in a whisper, "Please"
Severus lost it at that moment. He bent down and kissed Harry tenderly, full on his lips. Within moments the kiss heated and Harry climbed on his lap. When they broke apart, they were both panting.
"I shouldn't have done that." said Severus, with guilt.
"I promise I would not push you until I graduate Severus. But I could not let someone else have my first kiss, even if it is vital for us winning the war."
Harry climbed down his lap and quietly left the office. Harry took a major step towards victory that night. He pushed Draco against the wall and kissed him senseless, murmuring words of endearment which meant nothing to him, at least not for Draco. He had given his heart to another and he knew it would be cherished. This was to free his love as well as to avenge his parents.
Two weeks later, Severus came back with the Hufflepuff cup, finally. He said he should have taken Harry along, as the hollow was filled with snakes, which most probably were protecting the cup. Severus had to stun hundreds of them to finally extricate the cup. The next morning, he was called by the headmaster to his office.
That evening, Severus did not look well. Harry was worried. Nothing he said could make the man speak his mind. Even his mental shields were the strongest he had ever seen. Frustrated and upset and worried, Harry went back to the tower to think. He came up empty. He went back the next evening, after a meeting with Draco, to find the same. This time though, Severus requested for Harry to let him run some tests. He did not even share the results or what the tests were for. After about a week of not knowing, Harry could not take it anymore. He yelled and shouted and punched Severus. But Severus did not relent. He somehow looked sadder and paler each day. Something was bothering him. Then suddenly Harry thought of something, "Sev! Do… do you have to… have to do something you don't want to? Is he making you do something that will put you in danger? Sev please tell me. I cannot afford to lose you."
"It is not me who is meant to die Harry. He said… he said…" He could not continue. How could he say that Dumbledore wanted Harry to die willingly? Instead, he chose to show. He cast his memory into Harry's mind.
By the end of it, Harry was shaking, and didn't know when he had climbed into Severus' arms. He cried himself to sleep in Severus' arms that night. Early in the morning, before anyone could wake up, he went to his dorm and woke up with his mates. Everyone accepted when he said he returned late at night. Harry thought about the memory hard and long. Something was there, yet it eluded him.
Examinations came. The potion was ready. Draco had invited him to stay the first two weeks with him. He had not said that to anyone. They would stop him. Only Severus knew. He would be there. They would destroy the Horcruxes just before leaving. Severus would target Nagini, and then when Harry would be gone, he would kill Voldemort. He did not say or show anything but Harry could still hear the unsaid words. He was worried and upset and angry on the gods for doing this. Harry did not know but he was working in secret to find something.
In the middle of the exams, Harry thought of something. Finishing exams for the day, he rushed to Severus under his invisibility cloak. He slipped in quietly when he saw Draco there.
"Professor Snape, can you please show me the application of jimsonweed? We have potions tomorrow." His tone was seductive, Harry could bet. Seeing Severus' expression, he knew he heard it too.
"Mr Malfoy, I assure you, this is a NEWT level question which you will attend next year. Please don't distract yourself with this right before the exams."
"As you say professor. I just wanted to spend some time with you. It has been such a long time. I am sure you miss me like I do." Saying that, Draco moved near Severus, who backed away to peruse some book in the far wall. Harry was boiling inside. He cast a confundus charm on him, which made him confused and Severus easily sent him on his merry way. Locking the door and putting a silencing charm, he said, "Come out Harry."
"He was trying to flirt with you." Harry said, coming out of the cloak.
"Indeed he was, a poor try though." That eased Harry's insecurity a bit.
He took a deep breath and said, "I have a theory. I want to discuss it with you."
"Go ahead."
"The only other way to destroy a Horcrux is when the creator kills it by his own hands."
"Yes we read about it. What do you mean to say? We ask the Dark Lord to Avada Kedavra the locket, ring and cup?"
"Dumbledore said Voldemort must kill me himself and I must die willingly."
"Harry! You don't mean to say…"
"I have suspected it for some time now. Why would Voldemort stop at six when one more is a magically powerful number. Though unintentionally, he made a Horcrux out of me, out of the murder of my own parents. I think even he doesn't know it. The scar, which connects us, is a Horcrux. There is no other way. I have to die Severus. Either he kills me himself, or I drink Basilisk venom, death is going to take me anyway."
They remained silent for a few minutes. "I would like to try something though. Whatever the result may be."
"I will let you. I trust you. I…"
"Don't say it Harry. Not yet."
Harry just nodded, and left. Severus sat there for several hours, contemplating his options.
The evening before their departure, Harry arrived at Severus' office. He was taken to the lab. Severus warded and silenced the door. There was a couch laid on the far wall. Severus asked Harry to lie down. "This may hurt Harry. But I hope it will work." He pored five drops of the potion he had developed over Harry's scar, which absorbed it. Nothing happened. Then suddenly, Harry began to convulse and scream. A black mist started to pull out of the scar, as if it was pulling Harry's very soul along with it. When the mist finally dissipated, Severus quickly poured a pain relief into his mouth and asked him to sleep. Within a moment, Harry was passed out on the couch.
Severus proceeded to destroy the other three Horcruxes. Two were easy. The locket did not dissolve nor did stabbing it do anything. There was a serpent on it, so Severus guessed he would have to wait for Harry to get up. Harry did get up about three hours later. Dinner had come and gone and his friends were not too worried. He had told them he was going to meet someone special. If everything went well, he would introduce them later.
Severus held the locket on a wooden ladle (better to let the cheap one dissolve than the expensive metal ones). As soon as Harry hissed at it, the locket popped open and out came smoke which formed two figures, Harry and Charlie, who were kissing and groping each other. Severus was stunned into inactivity. Harry just pulled out the ladle and let it drop into the cauldron, before the replicas could say something to complicate the matter. The first time Severus getting jealous was hard enough.
"You realize it just showed your fears to prevent you to destroy it right?"
"Yes… yes I know. Now, aren't you to meet Mr Malfoy in the astronomy tower?"
Harry made a face, "Yes."
"Why that face?"
"He always tries to get cozy with you. I don't like it."
"Well, I don't like it either." They both smiled, or rather Harry smiled and Severus looked a little less tense.
After getting down on the platform, Harry went to the washroom and took the portkey to Malfoy Manor, after bidding goodbye to all the Weasleys, with promises to spend the last week at the burrow. Draco was there to welcome him at the gates. The Manor looked dark and evil. Harry knew for sure that not only the Dark Lord but his loyal followers would be there too. At least there will be twelve less. Harry was glad Voldemort got distracted enough due to his thoughts of Draco to put the Azkaban Breakout on hiatus. He had the potion in his pocket. He just had to pour it over Nagini when he gets the chance.
True to his prediction, all the loyal death eaters were present in the hall he was taken to. On a throne in the middle of the ballroom sat Voldemort. Harry pretended to look shocked and betrayed. He also managed to bring some tears in his eyes when he looked at Draco. He sent out his magic to search for Severus. When he did not find him there, he felt worried but did not show it. He started to breathe again when Severus entered from a back door and presented Voldemort with a veil of some potion. He projected to Harry that he was to make an energizing potion but what he had made would give energy for an hour at most and then it would drain whatever was left. He had forgotten to mention the side effect to the Dark Lord.
Harry had to hold up for that one hour. Slowly, the dear pet of the Dark Lord slithered into the room, frightening everyone but creating a sudden anticipation in Harry and Severus. They both had the potion in their pockets. They just needed a small chance to kill the last remaining Horcrux. Only then would the Dark Lord truly die. While Harry was following the movement of the snake, Voldemort kept on boosting his own ego. "The boy who lived, come to die. Tell me Harry, do you have any last wishes? I am a generous man. I will grant you any wish…"
Harry had had enough. He cut him off mid sentence. "bla bla bla bla… you only talk big Tom. If you have the guts, then order your men to stay out and duel with me, alone."
"You dare challenge me boy? Well I accept. You will realize your mistake in challenging me soon enough." He swished his wand and a transparent film appeared around them, with the others out of it, even his pet. Oh what a mistake. "Nobody will disturb us now. Shall we begin?" and they began to duel. Harry had a new wand that Severus had got him from a seedy store in Knockturn Alley, during their visit when they had gone for dress shopping. It was birch with adder scales and soaked in snake venom. This wand won't create the priory effect like the last one had. Voldemort was shocked when Harry did not stop on school level spells or even light spells. Slowly his spells were becoming dark. They both sported bruises and cuts. Voldemort was bleeding profusely but the euphoria from the potion he had taken half an hour ago held.
On the outside, while everyone was watching avidly, Severus kept an eye on the snake which was encircling the arena. He got the potion ready for when she would crawl near him. Beside him, Draco was standing as close to him as he physically could, without climbing into his lap. He suddenly came near his ears and said, "Pretty isn't he? Petty I could not take him before I had to deliver him to die." Severus saw red. He silently cast a curse on Draco which he did not even feel. He would though, when he would search for his penis to pee anytime soon. He had permanently distorted his genitalia into a female one. It was a very dark curse from the times of the famine when population of witches had reduced and they needed women to reproduce to re-establish a respectable population of wizarding folk. He then filled his bladder and cast a lust spell on his two cronies who tagged along to the washroom. Within seconds, there was a shrill cry from the washroom, followed by the door being closed and warded.
Taking advantage of the distraction of the crowd, Severus stepped towards the snake. Sensing someone trying to get near, she turned to attack but could not reach her target. Severus poured the potion on her crown before she could get to him. His heart was pounding in his chest. It was a narrow escape.
As soon as the snake fell on the floor, writhing and a black smoke coming out of her body, people froze outside the arena. Inside, Voldemort screamed. He lost the last ounce of energy as his last horcrux was destroyed. Harry took advantage and cast a spell designed by Severus, on the man in front of him; the sectumsempra. The man lay on the ground, bleeding. As soon as Voldemort fell, the wall surrounding the arena fell, and all hell broke loose. Death eaters cast spell after spell on Harry. Severus fought back beside Harry, shocking some of his fellow death eaters into inaction and causing them to be stunned or blasted away. There was no time to get distracted now. The duo fought like honed warriors, which they were.
When Harry was taking out the last of the death eaters, Malfoy came staggering out of the back door, followed by two very smug looking slytherins. Harry was confused, but stunned them nonetheless, before they could even process that something was wrong. After contacting the order, Harry asked Severus, "What happened here? Malfoy looks different."
"Well! Let's say I was not very willing to let pass his ridiculous claims at flirtation." He then showed Harry the memory of what happened. Harry laughed. The room filled with his laughter. Severus' heart filled with warmth. The Dark Lord was dead. Harry was alive. Malfoy would never come in between them. The death eaters would be rounded. They will all be happy.
The headlines next day was a picture of Harry and Severus with the caption, "THE DARK LORD GONE FOREVER, THANKS TO POTIONS MASTER SEVERUS SNAPE AND THE BOY WHO CONQUERED, HARRY POTTER"
It explained that Severus had developed a potion which concentrated all of the remaining power of the Dark Lord and gave him extreme power for a short period of time, after which, all his power drained away as a side effect of the potion. He had also trained Harry Potter the whole year to hold his own against the Dark Lord. Hence, when the time came, Harry Potter did his part and duelled the Dark Lord till he lost that last ounce of his energy and then a simple cutting curse did the job.
The Horcruxes weren't mentioned, and neither that it was not a simple cutting curse. They did not know who transformed the now pregnant Malfoy into a partial girl, at least not according to the papers. Severus had suspected that after Harry killed Voldemort, they would hail him dark. So, he had trained him to resist Veritaserum, by giving him a drop each day, slowly increasing the dose, till his body no longer reacted to it. When in the Wizengamot, Severus demanded Harry and himself to be questioned under Veritaserum, to avoid twisting their words to suit the needs of the wizengamot.
Both Harry and Severus came out unscathed after the wizengamot was done questioning. Harry demanded that out of the death eaters captured was Peter Pettigrew, to be questioned under Veritaserum. As the death eaters were still in the Ministry holding cells, Peter was brought out. Sirius was finally pardoned and free. That too was published the next day in the papers, along with a vicious article against the Ministry for harassing war heroes as well as incarcerating a Lord without a trial. All was well… so far at least.
After all the interviews etc. Harry refused to go back to Privet Drive. He did not need the blood wards anymore, even though he was not 17 yet. He would be of age in a month anyway. So, he was sent to Grimmauld. The environment was tense there. Sirius, Harry knew, would not accept that he worked closely with Severus. And honestly, Harry did not want Sirius anywhere near Severus. He did not want to open old wounds. He had accepted that they won't heal. He could not confess his feelings just yet. It would jeopardize Severus' teaching career, though Severus wouldn't hold it for long. He had agreed to stay only till graduation. After that, he would be accepting a research position offered to him by the Potions Guild, after hearing that it was HIS potion that brought about the downfall of the Dark Lord. He had already accepted it part time.
The last week, at the Burrow, Charlie was extra clingy. He was always near Harry and always flirting. Mrs Weasley seemed to approve, so he kept trying to get closer. In a few days, Harry had had enough. So, when Charlie tried to corner him, just the evening before they had to depart for Hogwarts, Harry pulled his wand and placed it at his jugular vein. "Take the hint Charlie. I am not interested. I love someone else. You are like family to me that's why I tried to be polite but you did not take the hint. I say it clearly now. Stay away. There can never be anything between me and you."
With that, Harry left. He did not meet Charlie before boarding the train. Ron, on the other hand, was distant, so was Hermione on the train. Harry understood. He did not share the spotlight with them this time. He had understood during his fourth year that it was not about friendship, it was about the spotlight. He had become closer to the twins and Neville in that time after he had realized this. When Neville joined them on the train, they talked about all sorts of plants with medicinal values. They discussed what they wanted to be after graduation. Neville, surprisingly, wanted to be a healer. Everyone had thought he would become a herbologist, but, after OWLs, when Snape admitted him in NEWT level classes, he gave his all. He liked Potions now, and wanted to heal people with his knowledge of Herbology as well as potions. Harry hadn't decided yet. He was not becoming an auror for sure. Ron made a face on that and Hermione scoffed. He was thinking about healer himself, though teaching has its own appeal. He doesn't want to teach at Hogwarts though. He wanted to be able to go home every evening. He was also considering business, shopkeeping. He was fairly good at potions. He could start an apothecary. Neville liked the idea. He said he could buy good quality potions from him for his patients then. The discussion went on and on.
The year passed in a blur of activity. He attended his classes, studied hard, prepared for not only his NEWTs but also his masteries in Potions, DADA and Ancient Runes. He was excellent at these subjects, though he was fairly good in all the others. Dumbledore kept away, again, the whole year. He may have thought Harry would go to him but that did not happen. McGonagall was not pleased either. But Harry did not care anymore. He had done his duty to the wizarding world, now it was time to live.
So, on graduation, when the Head Boy was called for the annual speech, after the distribution of degrees, He turned to Dumbledore and asked, "Professor, as of now, I am no longer the student of Hogwarts, but an alumni right?"
"That's right my boy. Why do you ask?"
"You will know soon enough."
Harry walked to the head table and went around it. He stood behind Severus and said, "Professor, will you stand with me for a moment please?"
Severus' heart was pounding. He knew what Harry was about to do and he both wanted it to happen and stop Harry at the same time. When Severus was in front of him, he held his hand and led him to the front. Kneeling down in front of him, Harry said, "Professor Snape. That doesn't sound right. Severus. We have worked with each other to bring down the Darkest Lord to live on this earth till date. You know that I had fallen in love with you sometime during the training but never confessed due to our student-teacher relation. As of this moment, I am no longer your student. Will you accept me in your life?"
Severus did notice the choice of words which made it clear that it was due to Severus' sense of propriety that Harry and not approached him before. "Yes" he intoned clearly for everyone to hear. Harry smiled beautifully and got up from his knees to give Severus a hug, which was returned whole-heartedly. Then he turned to the crowd.
"Yes. You heard it right. I am in love with Severus Snape, the snarky potions master. Don't make a mistake that he has gone soft just because he accepted my proposal. If anything, I think I would have a hard life ahead, no pun intended. He is after all a perfectionist and I will have to work hard to make him proud of me. For those who are still looking like they are going to accuse him regardless, let me tell you, he never laid a finger on me when I was a student. He was my mentor and behaved like one. Neither did I ever show my feelings as I did not want him to lose his job and reputation. If anyone pesters him because of this, they will answer me. For those happy faces I can see in the crowd, thank you for always being by my side. For the rest, Harry Potter is out of the market, so is Severus Snape. Keep your hands to yourself please."
Harry climbed down the dais amidst cheers and catcalling and laughter. Among the happy were Fred, George, Neville and Luna. Among the angry were the other Weasleys, Hermione, Sirius and Prof Dumbledore. The rest were either indifferent or did not care at all. Harry went and sat with the twins and Neville and Luna. They talked amiably, with Harry being teased on his blushes, all through the meal. After the meal, Sirius cornered Harry.
"Harry you cannot think you love that git. You must be under some spell. Come with me to St. Mungo's. We will have you examined."
"Sirius! I love and respect you a lot. Please don't make me choose between love and family. It will kill me. I don't expect you to be civil to him; neither do I want to bring back bitter memories for him, so just stay away from him for me."
"You can't be serious Harry."
"I am. Two years I have kept it within myself Sirius. Two years since I fell in love with him; may be even earlier than that. He never touched me Sirius. You don't know the real him. He is not a fun loving happy go lucky person. But I need him anyway. If you love me, you will respect my decisions."
Harry turned and left, without waiting for a reply, leaving a dumbstruck Sirius behind. Harry quickly packed his bags, all his clothes and books and everything he had, and went down to the dungeons. They were not waiting for the morning as they were not taking the train. Harry had convinced Severus to let him move in with him. It was a long discussion. He will be studying and experimenting for his potions mastery all summer and take the test in the fall. The idea of an apothecary had stuck. Severus was looking for a suitable location. All felt well. He was finally going somewhere he could call home.
Epilogue
Two years later
Harry and Severus were at a Ministry Ball. It was to commemorate three years of the defeat of the Dark Lord. Severus was talking to a few members of the potions guild on the other side of the ballroom, and Harry was fidgeting in front of Neville, Luna and the twins. They had become a constant in his life after he left Hogwarts. True to their deal, Harry had opened an apothecary after getting his mastery and supplied the most sought out healer Longbottom with all the potions he required. Neville had a girlfriend who was also a healer. She was busy in an emergency today, so could not come. The twins' shop was blooming in leaps and bounds. Luna had married Ralf Scamander who was now the Care of Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts while she had taken over her father's magazine and newspaper line.
"Relax Harry. Everything will be fine." Neville assured him.
"What if it's too soon? What if he doesn't want it at all? What if he will leave me because I am too clingy or pathetic? What if…" suddenly, there was a hand on his mouth.
"Stop it Harry" said Luna, "He loves you and will be ecstatic. Everyone loves a public proclamation. Now get ready. It is almost time for the speeches."
Harry took several deep breaths. He looked around; at a corner of the ballroom stood Ron and Hermione. They were engaged and still bickered like they used to. Harry did not know how it would work out between them. When ever he became angry and ranted, Severus kept mum and listened. When he cooled off enough, he explained. Harry did the same for Severus. That's how it worked for them, and it HAD worked perfectly for the past two years. Then why was he feeling so nervous?
Hearing his name being called to the dais, Harry stepped up with nervousness colouring his face. He took a deep breath and began, "May I please request Severus to join me on the dais?"
When Severus was beside him, looking at him with worried eyes, he took a deep breath and began, "Three years back, we both defeated the Dark Lord. It was not an easy task and had taken more than one year of rigorous planning and training. Severus was by my side all the time. You all know that I took a chance two years back, after my graduation, or rather on my graduation night, and proposed to the man standing beside me. We have lived together ever since. Today though, I would like to ask him something in front of all of you."
Once again, Harry sat down on one knee in front of Severus, raised his head and looked him in the eye, and said, "Severus, I would like to spend my whole life with you, by your side. Will you do me the honour and bond with me?" He pulled out a ring box from his robe pocket and popped it open. Severus could not speak a word. He just stood there, speechless for the first time in his life. He just extended his hand for Harry to out the ring on it. Harry just beamed and did it. Severus pulled him up on his feet and kissed him passionately, in the midst of a Ministry ball, attended by not less than thousands of people. For a man as private as Severus, it was a declaration worth celebrating, and celebrate they did.
Severus apparated them home, as soon as he could get away from all the congratulations. As soon as his feet hit the floor, he pulled Harry into a toe curling kiss. "You have given me the greatest gift of my life Harry. I was so scared to ask you. How about I give you the ring I had bought for you first?"
Harry was shocked, but let Severus pull him to the bedroom. From a warded drawer of the wardrobe, Severus pulled out the ring box. It was a beautiful Platinum band with small emeralds and onyx covering the half of it. Harry eagerly extended his left hand and Severus put the ring on his ring finger. They met in a passionate kiss once again.
Later, when they lay sated on their bed, curled up on each other, Harry said, "I guess if I look at the Mirror of Erised now, all I will see is my reflection as it is."
"Me too" said Severus, carding his fingers through Harry's unruly hairs.
Happy and content, they fell asleep in each other's arms.
