Author's Notes: Not long to go now, folks. Thought I'd be really cruel and leave you another cliff-hanger. I personally think that the whole story is worth reading, just for Harry and Ron's bitch fight at the beginning – but that's just me! Gratitude as ever to my dedicated betas, Ria and Big Momma ::Hands out chocolate covered Snapes:: This chapter is dedicated to Adrienne, in my RS class. It is thanks to her that I stopped being lazy and actually finished!
Sealed With a Loving Kiss
The large, underground courtroom had not changed since Harry first saw it in his fourth year, through Professor Dumbledore's penseive. It was still a large, circular dungeon chamber that was seemingly carved out of black stone and lit by numerous flaming torches. Like an amphitheatre, the circular floor space, which held the desks of each of the opposing speakers and the large, imposing 'prison' chair, was surrounded by wooden benches, which rose up and up. The top-most seat, which was directly opposite the 'prison' chair, was carved in the shape of a phoenix with its wings spread, to represent justice. This was the chair in which the judge would sit.
Harry made his way down the many wooden steps to the bottom of the amphitheatre. Ron was already there, laying out notes and documents in preparation. He didn't look up as Harry reached his own desk, but said, "Harry."
Harry nodded in his direction. "Hello Ron."
There was silence, broken only by Harry rustling his papers and trying to organise them into something that resembled order.
"I heard about this potion you're trying to weave in."
It was Harry, this time, who didn't look up. "And I heard about you trying to intimidate my client."
Ron continued, "I don't know why you're bothering with it, I don't know what you expect to prove and I don't know what he's been telling you. But, Harry," Ron sighed and looked down at his hands. "You've been my friend for a long time. I don't want to hurt you, but I think you're going to be disappointed."
Harry paused in his shuffling and searching to look up at Ron. "You're right, Ron. You don't know what he's told me and you don't know what I'm trying to prove – which is going to make the look on your face even better when we kick yours and Lucius Malfoy's arse."
Ron's face went very pink and his lips grew a tight white. "You can't say I didn't try to warn you. Don't blame me when this all goes up in smoke and it's your name that's dragged through the dirt."
"I think that's fair enough." Harry walked over to his old friend and held out his hand to him.
"May the best man win," Ron said, as he took the hand and shook it firmly.
Harry held onto Ron's hand when he tried to pull away. "And just for the record, Ron. Snape didn't lay a finger on me in school," he leant forward and whispered very quietly on Ron's ear, "but I wish he had."
Ron, if possible, grew even redder and pulled away sharply. "I don't even know you anymore."
Harry shook his head, smirking. "You never have, Ron. You never have."
As people began to file into the large, chasmic dungeon room their voices echoed off of the walls, making it sound like the room was far fuller than it really was. Harry blanked out the sound around him and concentrated on his notes, going through the order of play mentally.
Harry heard the doors creak and then slam closed. His head snapped up to gaze at the Minister of Magical Law Enforcement. He raised his wand, which emitted a loud siren. Everyone was shocked into silence, and he stopped the silence. "The court is in session. Order, please. First case?"
"Severus Snape, charged for improper use of the Unforgivable Curses, of being a follower of the Dark Lord as one of his Death Eaters and of abuse against a minor in his care," said a random MLE official.
"Very well. Bring him in."
Harry drew in a deep breath and switched his gaze to the door. It opened, showing the briefest glimpse of the dark hallway beyond, before Snape walked in, flanked by two MLE guards. His face was drawn and pale, the ugly dark rings under his eyes made vivid by his palid flesh. The black robes hung off of him like rags, and he stumbled on the hem of them once. Still, he sat as gracefully and proudly as he would have done in his classroom, and still held that same air of dignity and quiet control. Even as the chains slid around his arms, he held his head high.
"Severus Snape. Do you understand the charges for which you are tried?"
"I do," he replied.
"Then we will hear the opening speeches from both parties, starting with the prosecution. Mr Weasley?"
Ron nodded briskly and rose. He replaced his papers on the desk and cleared his throat loudly. "Minister Fictus, ladies of the jury, fellow wizards and witches," he sneered at Snape. "Professor. It is my job, in the short time alotted to me, to make clear the charges that this man has been given. Firstly, the fact that he is a Death Eater. I do not say 'might be', because, if I may refer to his earlier trial, we all know that he has had the Dark Mark burned onto his arm. That mark, unfortunately, faded with You-Know-Who's death. His second charge is that of use of the Unforgivable curses. As most in this court should know, these are the three curses punishable by life inprisonment in Azkaban. Specifically, we accuse Snape of the worst of these - the killing curse. Finally, Professor Snape is accused of abusing his authority as a teacher at Hogwarts by physically and sexually abusing a child under his care. What some of you may not know, is that this child is Draco Malfoy, who is now in the psychiatric department of St Mungo's, thanks to the Professor…"
"Objection. Mr Weasley is implying that Profesor Snape did commit these crimes when it has not yet been proved." Harry smiled briefly at Snape, but caught Ron's scowl.
"Sustained. Stick to the facts, Weasley."
Sighing, Ron took a moment to collect himself before continuing, "Draco Malfoy was from a very wealthy family, and a very loving family-" there was a soft snort from both Snape and Harry at this point. "-Who wanted nothing more than a decent education for their child. This was not what they had in mind." Ron walked slowly back to his desk. "I implore the jury to make the correct decision, lest more children be put in danger by this man."
Harry growled softly under his breath. He saw Hermione sat on one of the top benches mouthing 'breathe deeply and count to ten'. He raised a cynical eyebrow, but did as he was told.
"Very good, Weasley. Now, Mr Potter."
Harry rolled his eyes as the usual hushed whispers echoed around the cavernous room. He, too, cleared his throat loudly in attempt to regain some order. The whispers died down, at length. He took a deep breath, and began. "Your Honour, wizards and Witches of the court. Mr Weasley said it was his job to make the charges clear to you. It is now my job to tell you why they are all a load of codswallop. Firstly, the reason for Professor Snape's Dark Mark was made obvious in his first trial. It is an unnecessary waste of the court's time to bring its existence into question again. For those who do not know of this trial so well as myself, Professor Snape was a Death Eater. He does not attempt to deny this. However, it has been many years since he acted under Voldemort's orders. Snape acted as a double agent throughout both wars, and has saved countless lives – my own included.
"Secondly, Professor Snape's use of the killing curse. By doing a Priori Incantatum spell on Professor Snape's wand, we have discovered that the only person he used this curse against was a Death Eater, and from what I have been told by witnesses to the incident, it was done to save a close friend of his." Harry's eyes flicked to Snape's, and he smiled at him briefly, knowing all to well that he was the one who had been saved. "I was at the siege of Hogsmeade. I saw what happened there. I watched as children and adults alike fought to protect what they believed in. When there is war, there is death. If Professor Snape is a guilty man for protecting others, and what he believes in, then so am I.
"Finally, the charge which most surprised me. I was a student of Snape's for seven long years. I say long, because Professor Snape is somewhat famous at Hogwarts for being the most awful slave driver. He will shout, and he will deduct points, and he will give the most hideous detentions he can think of. It is one thing to accuse him of this, but it is quite another to accuse him of laying a finger on a child in any wrong sense. I believe that I know the reason that Draco Malfoy was taken into St Mungo's…but that will come in due course. For the moment, I think that this is all I need to say. I will settle with this point. I look through the jury and I see some faces young enough to have recently left Hogwarts, who were no doubt taught be this very man." There were some nods from the bench of twelve witches and wizards. Harry smiled at them. "You knew this man, first hand. While hearing the evidence on both sides, I would like you to think about the kind of man Professor Snape was, and whether you think he would be capable of committing these crimes."
Harry returned to his seat. Ron leaned over and muttered, "Thanks, Harry. That last line will make my job a whole lot easier."
Harry ground his teeth to stop him speaking, even as a dozen curses scittered through his head.
"Thank you both. Now, if the prosecution would like to call their first witness, we shall begin properly." Fictus was already looking bored.
Ron walked into the centre of the small floor of the amphitheatre. "I call Draco Malfoy."
There were more hushed whispers around the room, as another small door was opened and a small man stumbled in, flanked by a St Mungo's nurse. His hair had be shawn close to the skin, and his arms were tied behind him in something resembling a straight jacket. As Harry caught a glimpse at his eyes, he saw them to be dull and glassy, free now of malice and contempt. The boy was sat in the witness dock.
"I understand that this witness needs to be dosed with Veritaserum?" Fictus arched an eyebrow at the notes before him.
"Yes, Minister," Ron replied.
"Very well."
Ron nodded to the nurse, who took a small bottle from within her medi-robes. She opened it and, holding Draco's head back, administered three drops. Harry heard her whisper, "Swallow it down, Draco."
Draco made a small noise of protest, and wrenched his head from the woman's grasp. He whimpered softly to himself and rocked in his chair as the drug began to take effect.
Ron walked up to the dock, and whispered sharply to the nurse, "Is it working?"
She nodded. "He's always like this. It doesn't matter what we give him. But if you ask him questions, he should answer."
Ron nodded. "Thank you." He turned back to the Minister. "We are ready to proceed."
"Well, get on with it then!"
Ron gave his caught-in-headlights look for a moment. "Yes, Minister." He cleared his throat again, and turned to the cowering, whining boy who sat in the dock. "Draco, for how long were you taught by Professor Snape?"
Draco raised his head a gazed dumbly at Ron for a moment. "Seven years." His voice was as dull as his eyes, but made clear by the potion.
"And in that time, how would you describe your relationship?"
"Professor Snape was my favourite teacher. He was my Head of House and stopped the Gryffindors thinking they were better than we were. He helped me a lot in my last years at school." Draco was now swaying, as though in some kind of trance, and his eyes made frantic glances around the room.
"When you say helped, Draco, what exactly do you mean by that?"
"He gave me private tutorials. He had suggested to my father I take them to up my marks a little."
"And were the private tutorials useful?"
"No." Draco had started whining again, his rocking becoming more frantic.
"Why not, Draco?" Ron's voice had lowered to a saccharinely sympathetic tone.
Draco shook his head and lifted his legs up to his chest. He buried his face in his knees as the muffled words left his lips. "He didn't teach me Potions, and he didn't help me with my coursework, and he didn't help me do better…"
The nurse lay her arm gently around the boy's shoulders and whispered soothing words to him. "Come on, Draco. You're doing really well."
"Yes, just a little longer Draco. I just need you to tell us all what he did do."
Draco was shaking his head as he spoke, making a visible effort to not speak the words that slipped from his lips. "He touched me…And when I tried to stop him, he beat me. With that stick of his."
Harry frowned, and tried to remember when Snape had ever had a stick. Then he remembered the last time he had seen Lucius Malfoy. He had held an ebony cane, with a silver handle moulded into the shape of a snake's head. The mental abuse had made loopholes in Draco's memory. He gave a small smile, knowing for certain, now, that this would work.
"I'm sorry Draco, but we have to be very specific. How did Professor Snape touch you?"
Draco lifted his head completely, showing that his eyes were now red and swollen, rather than glassy. "He stroked my hair, and whispered in my ear…And then he tried to kiss me…Held me down…He touched my…He touched my…"
"It's OK, Draco. That's enough now."
Draco drew a big breath, and wailed, "He touched my cock!" His voice grew quiet again, and his head shook. "And I didn't want it…didn't want it…didn't want…"
"I think the Veritaserum's beginning to wear off. This is what he's like normally," the nurse said.
"That's alright. I'm done." Ron turned back to Fictus, who was sneering down at Snape. "No further questions."
"Is your witness capable of carrying on straight away?" Fictus asked.
Ron looked questioningly at the nurse, and she shook her head slowly. Harry watched as he walked over to her, and they whispered something he couldn't hear. Ron eventually turned back to the court. "A ten minute recess, Minister?"
He nodded. "Granted." He lifted his wand, which emitted a loud Bang!
Harry stood and walked straight over to Snape, who had frowned his way through the entire questioning.
"Did you hear that? About the stick? We've got him, Severus!"
Snape shook his head. "Don't be too sure. Your friend was going for the sympathy vote, and I think he's won it."
Harry frowned. "Draco can have the sympathy vote – Merlin knows, if anyone deserves it it's him. But we'll show them whose really to blame. And I think, deep down, he knows it himself. I think he's got strands of his real memory, they're just buried really deep."
Let us hope, for his sake and mine, that you are right. I take it, from your enthusiasm, that everything has been prepared?"
Harry nodded. "Poor Hermione was up until who knows what time, but yes. The potion's ready and will be used. Then we can get you out of here…"
"Not necessarily. Do not be such an idiot as to forget that child abuse is only one of my charges. You have yet to argue the others."
Harry shook his head. "Won't be a problem. We have good witnesses to vouch for your character – and one that they won't refuse."
"Oh? Enlighten me as to the name of this God-like figure."
Harry grinned cheekily. "Me, of course!"
***
Severus Snape, a fifth year Slytherin, with long oily black hair and a crooked nose, was nothing special. He had an acid wit, was reasonably antisocial with others in his classes, had something of an intelligence, rather mediocre political views and a tolerable knowledge of the dark arts. Nothing special. But as Lucius watched him, just sat by the fire reading a book, he found himself caught in the other boy. In the long, delicate fingers as they turned the pages; in the deep obsidian pools of his eyes; in the unselfconscious flick of his head, as hair fell in his eyes; and in the wicked way his lips twitched as he read something amusing.
Those lips. More than anything else, Lucius could spend hours staring at those lips. They looked as though they would be soft to touch, but the biting remarks that flew from them gave away the steeliness they held. His dark pink tongue flicked out and swiped over the smooth flesh.
"Something wrong, Lucius?"
Lucius' eyes flicked up to Severus' own, which had not left the page. He smiled innocently, and crossed his legs. From his position on the floor, Severus looked a lot bigger than normal, and it unnerved him. "Nothing. I was just wondering something."
The other boy, older by six months, raised an eyebrow and looked up from his book. "And what might that have been?"
Lucius smiled, and looked down at the floor. He tucked his long blonde hair behind his ear, and glanced around the common room. Everyone else was already in bed. They were the only two left. He looked back at Severus. "What's it like to be kissed, Snape?"
Severus snorted softly and smirked at the younger boy. "If this is an attempt at a joke, Lucius, I would be interested to hear the punch line."
Lucius frowned. "I'm being serious. Is it such a strange question?"
Snape shrugged, putting his book aside. "It wasn't the question, it was the choice in person you asked. What makes me the Cassanova?"
"Well...I know that you've kissed girls before, and I thought you were one of the few people who wouldn't laugh in my face."
Severus smiled briefly. "Whilst my experiences in the field are limited, I find the act to be generally enjoyable and occasionally sloppy. Does that answer your question?"
Lucius pulled a lock of hair from behind his ear and played with it. "Not really. I wanted something more specific."
"Maybe you should make the question more specific." Severus slid out of the chair in a single fluid motion, and sat in front of Lucius. He dropped his voice to a silkier tone. "What exactly did you want to know?"
Lucius tentatively looked up into those deep black pools. He flicked his own tongue out to lubricate his suddenly dry lips, and was entranced as Severus mirrored the action. "I wanted to know exactly what it felt like."
"It can't be described."
Lucius pulled his lower lip between his teeth, and watched as his friend's eyes flicked down to watch the movement, then slowly back up again. Lucius began to notice how close they were. Surely they had not been this close to start off with? As he spoke, his own voice was low and soft, "Then show me."
Severus lips twitched in a brief smile, before he leant forward that extra inch until their lips nearly brushed. Lucius' eyes fluttered closed, and he felt the other boy's warm breath drift across his lips enticingly.
He fell forwards into the kiss, and all at once that soft flesh that he had gazed at so often was sliding gently against his. He had never been told how to kiss, but as Snape's lips brushed repeatedly against his own he began to follow suit as though he had been pre-programmed to do so. He felt an alien hand slide across his cheek and into his hair, where calloused fingers brushed his scalp sensually.
Lucius gasped softly as he felt Severus' hot, wet tongue brush against his lips, and retreat. It happened again, and this time Lucius' met it with his own. Small sparks of pleasure zinged through his system, and he lifted a hand of his own to grasp Snape's shoulder. He felt dizzy, as though he would topple from the sensations that assaulted his senses - the taste of him, the touch, the smell. All so unquely him, and yet all so new.
Snape drew away slowly, and Lucius' felt the loss of him immediately. His eyes remained closed and his breathing was ragged.
"How was that for a demonstration?" Snape asked.
Lucius smiled briefly. "I got the main points." His eyes opened again to see Snape smirking at him. His hand was still in Lucius' hair, stroking the soft fibres. "Was I OK?"
Snape smiled - a genuine smile. "You were as excellent as I have always expected."
Lucius frowned. "Always expected?"
Snape shook his head slowly. "Lucius, I have been drawn to you ever since you transferred from Durmstrang. Do you think I just go around kissing random boys at will?"
"But you've always been with a girl."
Snape shrugged. "In such times, in such a house, one cannot be seen to be anything but the norm."
Lucius smiled brightly. "I'm glad...I mean, that you...like me too. You do, don't you?"
Severus smirked again - a look that sent shivers down Lucius' spine - and leant forward to capture the blonde's lips again.
***
AN: You've read…Now REVIEW!!! I crave affection, and I will
have it! Next chapter: We find out if Harry can pull it off (Not
in that way, you kinky sods!), and as to flashbacks…Maybe we'll find out
what really happened between Snape and Draco in the dungeons.