Author's Notes: I hope this satisfies everyone's idea of a happy ending. If you don't want any more angst, I suggest you leave it at this, and ignore the next chapter when it comes out! Thanks to the delectable betas, Ria and Big Momma. This chapter is dedicated to them, for their very hard work and for sticking to this series throughout. Much love to both of you, darlin's! *Glomps*
***
Exodus
"Didn't he have something to do with it in the first place?"
"I heard he secretly poisoned him. You-Know-Who's orders."
"Well, I heard he went mad and they sent him to St Mungo's."
"No, no. The other teachers chucked him out. No one wants him now Dumbledore's gone."
"Forty points from Hufflepuff," Harry growled, coming up behind the small group of third years. "Ten from each of you, for gossiping mindlessly about Hogwarts staff." He scowled at their horrified expressions. "Be thankful. If it were me you were talking about, it would be more than double that. Now go and find something sensible to do."
They scuttled off somewhere. Harry didn't care where. He concentrated on the map he held in his hands, walking through the twists and turns of the dungeon corridors without really knowing where he was going. He concentrated on reaching the small dot that read 'Severus Snape – Slimy bastard'. On a better day, he would be smiling inside at the joke his father and godfather had made.
He reached the door that led to the room Snape was in, and banged on the door. He waited a short while, then banged again. Still no reply.
"Snape, if you don't open this door, I'm going to blow it off its hinges!"
There was a shuffling inside, and the door was opened a crack.
"Piss off, Potter, I'm not in the mood."
The door closed a little way, but Harry wedged his foot in the small space to stop it closing completely. "Do you want to do this in a place where your students can see us, or are you going to let me in?"
Snape grumbled loudly, but opened the door further allowing the boy to slip in. Harry took just a moment to sweep his gaze over the sparsely furnished living room. His eyes rested on the nearly-empty bottle of firewhiskey on the table.
"What do you want, Potter?"
Harry rounded on the taller man angrily. "I am here, because no one else dares. You've managed to scare off anyone else – but you don't scare me. I'm here to pull you out of this slump you've shoved yourself into."
Snape scowled, and pushed past Harry to sit in the chair by the hearth. "It's been two months, Snape. Two months of the staff trying to cover your classes, and explain away your absence. But it can't go on!"
"You don't understand, Potter. Just get lost before I hex you out of my quarters." His voice was void of its usual bite. Harry had a feeling that it had something to do with the firewhiskey.
"If I don't understand, then explain it to me." He stood over Snape, who cowered in the chair.
"I can't." He tried his best to reach for the whiskey bottle without touching Harry, or making eye contact with him.
Harry fell to his knees and took the hand that reached blindly for the bottle. He held it tight, and leant forward to look into the older man's eyes. They avoided his. "Snape, we have all suffered his loss. I know that you think he's the only one that trusted you – but look around you. We're all breaking our backs to keep you from going under. We're all trying to help you. Why won't you help yourself?"
"I can't think about it…Don't make me…"
Harry wasn't nearly as shocked as he should have been to see Snape break down into tears. The man was becoming frantic, and Harry did the only thing he could think of to calm him down. He drew his hand back and slapped his teacher's face sharply.
The silence in the room was eerie, and Harry sat waiting for Snape to punch his lights out.
"You hit me." Snape said quietly.
Harry was breathing heavily. "Are you ready to be rational, or will I need to do it again?"
Snape actually looked scared. "I'll be rational."
This was scary. A distant part of Harry's mind muttered that he should have hit him a long time ago. "Right. Now, what is all this about?"
"I-" Snape began, but he faltered. Harry raised his hands to the other man's face, this time to hold it gently.
"Go on. It's alright. Nothing we say leaves this room."
"I should have saved him. I should have been able to stop it. It's my fault."
Harry shook his head. "He died of a heart attack, Professor. If Madam Pomfrey had been there with all her remedies, there was nothing she could have done. It's most certainly not your fault."
Snape frowned. "A…A heart attack? Not a poison?"
Harry smiled. "A heart attack. There were no poison traces in his blood stream or nervous system. There was nothing you could have done."
"But I thought…"
"You thought wrong. It isn't your fault."
Snape's eyes blinked out more tears, and Harry pulled him forward into a gentle hug. He stroked his back soothingly. "We're all suffering his loss," Harry said again. "But he wouldn't want it this way, would he? You know that. The last thing he'd want is for us all to give up."
"I'm sorry," Snape said, rather pathetically.
"You don't have to be-"
"No. I mean, I'm sorry for wallowing in self pity."
Harry shrugged as Snape pulled away from him slightly. "It's not really me you have to apologise to. It's just me that had the balls to come down and drag you out of the whiskey bottle."
"Then thank you."
Harry could feel himself blushing slightly, and looked down. "You're welcome…I guess."
"I see what you mean, now. Albus would want us to carry on with the plan. He'd want us to see it through, wouldn't he?"
Harry nodded. "He would want to see it finished."
Snape nodded more firmly. "Then that is what shall be done."
Snape stood, and Harry followed suit. He walked briskly to one of the doors that led out of the sitting room. He stopped midway, as though remembering Harry was there. He sneered at the boy, making Harry smile to see the old potions Professor back. "If you don't mind, Potter, I would quite like to have a shower. And pleasant as I'm sure the experience would be, I do not wish to lose my job and earn myself castration by your godfather, I do not wish you to be here while I have it."
Harry grinned. "Of course not, Professor." He turned back to the door, opening it once again.
"Oh, and Potter?"
"Yes, Professor?"
Snape smiled sadistically. "Fifty points from Gryffindor for striking a teacher."
Harry couldn't even bring himself to complain as he left the dungeons. He had a feeling it was worth it.
***
"Are you sure we have enough sandwiches?"
Hermione chuckled, watching Harry flit around the small flat. "Harry, if you make any more sandwiches we'll be swimming in them. Now hurry up, or he'll be standing around outside Azkaban without anyone to meet him!"
Harry stood in the centre of the bustling room, looking around. His eyes had widened comically. "Right. Yes, right. Where's my wand gone?" Harry resumed running around the flat like a blue-arsed fly.
Bill grinned, and slid Harry's wand from his back pocket as he went past. "It's right here, Harry."
Harry smiled at him. "Thank you."
His eyes made one last sweep of the room, before he smiled. "Right. I'm off then. See you all in half an hour."
The room full of past students, friends and colleagues smiled and waved their goodbyes, before returning to the tasks at hand. Harry visualised the dingy grey wall that surrounded Azkaban prison, then flicked his wand and disappeared with a pop.
Once Harry had disappeared, Hermione walked over to Bill and placed a hand on his lower back, making him turn. She lowered her voice as she spoke, "Harry's been getting himself into an awful tiz, don't you think?"
Bill smiled, but didn't stop pouring fruit punch into glass goblets. "Mmm," he said.
Hermione frowned in mild exasperation, and lowered her voice further. "You don't think there's anything going on there, do you?"
Bill's smile widened. He turned around and held Hermione's face in both his hands, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "I love you very much, Hermione, but you really do have to learn to stop snooping into other people's business."
Hermione gave an indignant look. "I wasn't snooping. I was just…speculating, that's all."
"If he is, he is. Would that be so bad?"
"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant…well, look at the age difference."
Bill raised an eyebrow. "You're talking to the man who's been labelled by his family as a cradle-snatcher!"
"Oh!" Hermione slapped his arm softly. "You know it's completely different."
"Not really. Now, stop thinking about it and help me with this." Hermione grumbled softly, but conjured up another ladle. "And I forbid you from asking Harry about it."
"But-"
"But nothing. If Harry wants to tell you about his love life, he will do so. It's not fair to pry."
Hermione sighed heavily. "You just don't want to have to admit I'm right."
Bill returned the sigh. "Between you and me, I think you could be right. There's been something going on between those two for ages. But like I said, it's nothing to do with us, so just be patient." His voice held an air of finality, that made Hermione begin ladling, while smiling to herself that Bill had agreed with her in the end.
***
Harry stood in Mr Arnold Filch's office. Looking around him, he smiled to notice how very similar it was to Mr Argus Filch's office. Being the older of the two brothers, Arnold had obviously attained the better (but equally dismal) job of chief warden of Azkaban.
The door banged open and in stomped Filch senior. He was dressed in a very crusty set of brown robes, with knee-high brown leather boots, which had a small hole in the right toe. Professor Snape, looking much the worse for wear, slowly trailed behind him. His eyes were hollow and downcast. Filch didn't seem to notice. He was waving his wand and conjured a small metal box, like a safety deposit box. He opened the lid. "Come here, Snape."
Snape took a halting step forward, until he reached the desk that Filch had placed the box on. "Your possessions," Filch growled, pushing the box across the desk. "One wand, one leather belt, one pair of dragon-hide boots, one shirt, white, one pair of trousers, black, and three galleons, 5 sickles in change. Is that correct?"
Snape nodded, wordlessly. He still hadn't noticed Harry's presence.
"Sign here, Snape."
A piece of parchment and a quill flew out of the end of Filch's wand. Snape took up the quill, making Harry notice how thin and bony it was, how transparent his skin had become. He tried to remember if Snape had always looked that way. As he signed, his hand shook slightly.
"Severus Snape, you are free to go."
"Thank you," his voice was like a low growl, but thin. His head raised slightly, a frown came over his features. "Should someone be here to take me?"
Filch said nothing, but nodded sharply in Harry's direction. Snape's turned, and his eyes took a moment to focus on Harry's form. He frowned again, in concentration, for just a split second, before his lips twitched into a small smile that Harry was sure would be a smirk if Snape were in his right state of mind. "Potter."
Harry forced a smile onto his face. "Professor Snape. How are you feeling?"
Snape blinked. Harry felt indescribably stupid. "Never better."
"Right. Sorry to break in on this touching reunion, but I have a lot of work to be getting on with, if I could please have my office back." Filch pushed the metal box into Snape's hands, before shooing them out of the office.
"Um…thank you," Harry managed, before the door was shut in his face. "Lovely man!" Harry said sarcastically, turning back to look at Snape.
The smile on his lips was no longer forced, as he watched Snape blink his eyes against the bright autumn sunlight. His face was upturned and relaxed into a wide smile as he breathed in the sweet, fresh air of freedom. Harry was loathe to pull Snape from one of his brief moments of happiness, but he really hated the oppressive grey walls that stood behind them, and could feel the icy affect of the Dementors from where he stood. He stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on Snape's shoulder.
If anything, his smile widened at the touch. He turned to face Harry, and opened his eyes. Although they didn't glitter with repressed anger or annoyance, the way they usually did, Harry was relieved to see that Snape's essence was definitely still in residence.
"I missed you." Harry had said the words without even thinking about it. He bit his lower lip, waiting for the scathing response.
"Thank you." That smile was getting unnerving. He finally turned away again and began walking away from the shadows of Azkaban.
Harry began to walk after him. "I have a portkey with me," he said, "It'll take us to my flat. We can make arrangements to get you back to Hogwarts or Wales from there."
Snape stopped, and turned once again, frowning this time. "Could we not walk for a short while first? As fun as I'm sure the surprise party you have planned will be, I have spent the last two months surrounded by noise. I do not wish to go straight to another prison."
Harry blinked. "How did you know?"
"Because I know you, Potter, and the way your mind works."
Harry sighed. "We can walk for a while, if you want. I suppose it wouldn't hurt you to stretch your legs a bit."
Snape nodded sharply, becoming more and more like himself every moment. "Indeed."
They walked a short way in comfortable silence, standing beside each other and keeping stride. Every so often Snape would pause, to look up at a tree, or at the sky, or to inspect a flower. For an island containing one of the most feared prisons in the wizarding world, the scenery and wildlife in the surrounding area really was quite impressive. Peaceful, almost.
"So, what has the great Harry Potter been doing since his evil Potions Master was jailed?" Snape asked at length.
"Well, first he drank himself into a mild stupor. Then he treated his hangover in the morning. Then he pulled himself together from his introspection, and did some actual work. Then he partially made up with his former best friend – don't worry, he's not at the party. Then he wrestled your book out of Hermione's grip and, after a promise that I would help her persuade you to let her visit your library, took it back to your house." Harry very carefully left out the fact that this was not the only book he had returned on that visit. "Then he arranged your surprise party, and now here he is."
"How very interesting your life is, Potter. Tell me, when are your memoirs due to be published?"
Harry couldn't help smiling at the sardonic comment. "Bastard."
Snape smirked. "Drama queen."
"Slimy git."
"Unruly brat."
"Poofter."
Snape smirked. "Guilty, as charged."
Harry felt a flush raise over his cheeks and looked down at the floor. He cleared his throat, certain his voice would squeak if he didn't. "You remember the day of the verdict – when I came to see you…"
"No. The incident has completely left my memory." Snape raised an eyebrow at Harry. "Stupid boy, of course I remember."
Harry gave a small smile, and picked a leaf from a plant, slowly shredding it to give his eyes something to focus on that wasn't Snape's expression. "Did you enjoy it?"
Snape stayed quiet for a long time, but Harry had promised to himself that he wouldn't look. He stared fixedly at his hands.
"What do you want me to say?"
Harry frowned deeply. "What do you mean? I just wondered, that's all."
Harry felt a finger lift his chin, raising his head to look into Snape's obsidian eyes. Snape sighed heavily. "Yes, I enjoyed kissing you. I enjoyed that you wanted to kiss me. But, Harry…Thing are," he sighed again. "Difficult."
Harry felt like the thing he'd wanted most since he was seventeen was slowly slipping away from him. "I know…Because of you and Lucius, and you have baggage and there's been a lot of angst and bad stuff, and I get that. Believe me, I get that. And I'm not asking for any kind of commitment or anything…"
"Which is a bloody good job, too," Snape said severely. "I do not do hearts and flowers."
The thought of Snape doing anything remotely flowery made Harry smile. "Don't worry. I don't think I do them, either. I just…I've always known that there's a lot to you, and it's interested me. You interest me." He reached up and cupped Snape's cheek in his hand. "I'm not saying 'let's play house', or even 'let's start dating'. I just want to…see how this pans out. Do you think that could be something you want, too?"
Severus smiled briefly, and turned his head to kiss Harry's palm. "I think I want to stop talking and kiss you again."
He leant forward, but Harry pulled away slightly. "Is that a yes?"
Snape's lips twitched, and he hovered inches from Harry. He murmured a soft "yes", before pressing his lips against Harry's and wrapping his arms around the other man.
***
The room was dark and silent, but for the odd hoot of an owl, and the muttered, "Someone shut that bloody bird up," that came with it.
Someone was fiddling with the muggle lock, and eventually the door opened with a clunk.
"Lumos!"
"SURPRISE!"
Snape raised an eyebrow in response to the grinning faces that beamed at him from around the room. "Quite."
There were about twenty people in the room, from red-haired Weasleys, to colleagues, to school friends (and foe), to students and ex-students. Above them all, a glittering green and silver banner floated, reading 'Welcome back, Professor Snape'. He smirked at the fact that not a one of them had thought to write his first name.
The group walked towards him, and began to enfold him. They were all speaking at once, and it made his head spin slightly. He sighed, and resigned himself to the horrifying fact that some of these people might actually like him.
He noticed Harry slip off to one side, and begin muttering to Granger. He narrowed his eyes, guessing that the whole thing was their joint fault. He saw Granger nod to someone, and felt his arm pulled. He looked to the puller. One of the Weasleys. The tall one, with the long hair. The one that was shagging Granger. He frowned, trying to put a name to the freckles.
The boy leant forward and whispered in his ear. "If you come this way, you can be surrounded by gifts rather than people."
Snape smirked. It was the one that had been Head Boy first – the only one whose company he could stand. "My hero," he muttered back.
Snape attempted to reflect the right combination of contempt and disgust to reflect the fact that these people had dared to be grateful he was returned to them.
***
Five hours, twenty presents and several glasses of an excellent port later, Harry and Severus were the last people left in Harry's sitting room. Each was sat at either end of the sofa. Harry had kicked his shoes off and rested his feet in Snape's lap. Snape, for his part, showed surprisingly little resistance (Harry had a feeling he had the port to thank) and was now stroking Harry's right foot idly.
"It wasn't that bad, was it?" Harry grinned at Snape lazily, and twitched his foot as he ran his thumb over a ticklish spot.
"Not that bad? I was forced to be nice!" Snape said with mock indignation. He purposely brushed his thumb over that spot again.
"Mmm. Think they thought Azkaban had driven you nuts."
Harry turned around, pulling his feet away from Severus' teasing touches, and lay his head in Snape's lap. Snape blinked, raising his eyebrows, before giving in and running his fingers through Harry's hair.
Harry smiled vaguely. "It's getting dark outside."
Snape frowned down at the boy, who had obviously has far too much to drink. "Potter, it is half past eleven at night. It got dark outside a long time ago."
Potter wrinkled his nose in a way that made him look like an Essex girl. "Oh, yeah." His face turned serious, and he raised those delicious emerald eyes to Snape's. "Are you going to apparate back to Wales?"
Snape's hand brushed the hair back from Harry's forehead. "Well…I have heard that sometimes it is a good idea to begin with simple spells after being through an experience as extreme as Azkaban."
Harry nodded solemnly. "And you are incredibly inebriated."
Snape raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I'm inebriated? You're the one who can't hold his drink!"
Harry gasped, clutching his chest dramatically. "You slay me with your insults."
"Insufferable child."
"Self-centred prat."
"Intolerable pillock."
Harry smirked. "Sexy beast."
Snape smiled, "Touché, Mr Potter." Snape kissed the boy soundly, pulling him up to meet him half way. Harry scrambled and wriggled into a more comfortable position – that just happened to place him in Snape's lap.
"Don't go." Harry said, as they pulled apart.
Snape nodded. "Not until morning. Then there is…a matter I need to attend to."
Harry rested his forehead against the older man's. "Do I want to know?"
"I won't lie to you. It involves Lucius. I need to…" For what was possibly the first time ever, Snape was having difficulty finding the right word.
Harry nodded, and pressed his lips to Snape. "I understand what you mean. Don't worry. You need to kind of…make your peace."
Snape nodded. "In a manner of speaking."
"But I have you for tonight?" Harry tightened his arms around Snape's neck.
Snape didn't answer. He was too busy kissing Harry senseless.
***
AN: I hope you're all suitably mushed into goo from that! That was to please all of those who were out raged at the prospect of there being no happy ending. See? I'm not as much of a sadistic bitch as you think! The next chapter will include Snape breaking with Lucius and, believe it or not, Lucius breaking with Snape. Confused? You will be! Please review. My pride and joy is nearly finished, and I need to be pulled out of the depression that comes with the thought!