Friendship and Beyond 28/?
Rated: R contains mentions of rape and torture, although not actual scenes. Possible HP/SS in later chapters, also HG/RW.
Authors Notes: I do not own Harry Potter or it's characters, that would be JKR. Subject matter not for children, although nothing too graphic, but be careful when reading just to be on the safe side.
Dumbledore's Reaction
Severus slowed his pace down as soon as he was out of the irritating whelp's eyeshot. He continued walking purposefully, just with less confidence. Although Dumbledore's actions of late had been unthinking, the potions master still held a wealth or respect for the manipulative old coot, which is why he wasn't anticipating Albus' reaction when he told him what he had done.
He would never admit it, but at times Dumbledore was almost Slytherinesque in his planning and execution, certainly Machiavellian. Severus could look upon the events over the last month somewhat objectively, although even this had become more difficult the closer he got to Potter. Severus understood, where perhaps the trio were too involved to see clearly, that Albus only did what he felt was most important.
As the leader of the Order of the Phoenix he needed to put the lives of many ahead of a few favored students. [Although I am sure if he realized that the Wizarding World's Savior would go haring off to rescue them he would have acted differently.] When Albus had questioned their loyalty after the meeting with Lucius however, that just served to further alienate the trio, causing a possible reconciliation in the future to become even more unlikely. That had been a grave miscalculation on the headmaster's part.
Even with the harrowing events and Dumbledore's own questionable actions, Severus still thought highly of him and continued to use his example for a moral compass to his own actions. This is why he found himself marching resolutely but dejectedly to Albus' office so early in the morning, looking to passersby as if he was en route to the gallows. Upon giving the password and entering the headmaster's office Severus assumed Dumbledore would be at his desk waiting. He was not disappointed.
"Ah, Severus my boy." Albus welcomed cheerfully, unaware of the sight he made in his lilac hat and matching sleeping gown. Seemingly unselfconscious, Albus gestured for Severus to sit across from him as he set about serving tea and biscuits. "What can I do for you?"
"Headmaster-"
"How many times must I remind you to call me Albus?" The headmaster interrupted in fond exasperation.
"Headmaster, I have acted in a manner untoward to a student."
"What do you mean, Severus?" Albus asked sternly, the twinkle noticeably absent from his usually jovial expression. "You would no more harm a student then kiss Gilderoy Lockhart."
Severus grimaced in distaste when that blonde tart was mentioned, before taking a fortifying breath and beginning his explanation.
"I will be blunt."
"Please do."
"Mister Potter came to me near a nervous breakdown and I encouraged him to find comfort in my bed."
"You what?" Albus hissed dangerously, the very air crackling with his restraint. He looked ready to attack me, his fury at a malignant of Harry bringing his control close to snapping.
"I am deeply sorry sir." Severus tried to explain softly, his voice full of self-loathing. "I wasn't thinking clearly. I only wanted to ease his pain, comfort him if I could."
"He was willing, then?" Albus questioned him, sounding both hopeful and remarkable old at the same time.
"I had to convince him to lie down properly, but otherwise-"
"Did you use force in any way?" Dumbledore snarled protectively, sounding much like a mother kneazle protecting it's young.
"Force him?" Severus asked cautiously, his usually quick mind dulled somewhat due to his heightened anxiety.
"Did you rape Harry Potter, Severus?" He asked bluntly, looking Severus in the eye as he did so.
"Are you out of your bloody mind?" Severus screamed furiously, pacing the room in his agitation. "Of course not! I would never… How could you even think…He's a student!"
"Stop sputtering and sit back down." Albus commanded. "Now explain in detail exactly what took place between you and Mister Potter. I want no further misunderstandings between us Severus."
"I've already told you." Severus snapped, his patience having reached its limit. "Potter came to me looking for a refill of sleeping draught. He was distraught when I told him that I couldn't give him any more so soon." [Not to mention he almost overdosed on the stuff. Foolish boy.] "He told me that he wouldn't be able to sleep so I suggested he sleep in my bed. He needs his rest in the days to come, Albus. I was just trying to help the boy."
"And that was all you did?" Dumbledore asked. "Sleep?"
"Yes." Severus answered truthfully, forcing himself to forget the sensation of having the boy who lived half-dressed underneath him. "We only slept, Sir."
"Very well then."
Severus raised a skeptical eyebrow in question. Watching the Headmaster for a more overt reaction to his confession.
"I still took advantage of Potter." Severus continued when it became obvious that the man had nothing further to say. "I am his teacher-"
"And as such," Albus interrupted, eyes twinkling merrily at the dark-haired man. "It is your responsibility to look after his well-being. If sleeping with you accomplishes this feat, then so be it."
"What? How can you approve of-"
"Severus, Harry has never been a normal student. At seventeen he had been through more than many adult wizards in the twilight of their lives. If being close to you will give him a small measure of happiness or at least peace, then I do not think it is beyond the pale to accommodate him. I have been the cause of some of his heartache in recent weeks, if I you can manage to help lift some of the added weight off his shoulders lift, then I give you my blessing."
"Sir!"
"Don't misunderstand me Severus." Dumbldore continued sternly. "For the next four months he is still a student at this school, and as such there will be no intimacy between you of any kind."
"What?" Severus gasped, shocked at Albus' temerity.
"Are we clear, Severus?" Albus asked, ignoring the sputtering coming from his colleague.
"Of course, sir." He agreed just to shut the meddlesome old man up.
"Splendid, splendid." Albus exclaimed holding out a small tin across his desk. "Lemon drop?"
Rated: R contains mentions of rape and torture, although not actual scenes. Possible HP/SS in later chapters, also HG/RW.
Authors Notes: I do not own Harry Potter or it's characters, that would be JKR. Subject matter not for children, although nothing too graphic, but be careful when reading just to be on the safe side.
Dumbledore's Reaction
Severus slowed his pace down as soon as he was out of the irritating whelp's eyeshot. He continued walking purposefully, just with less confidence. Although Dumbledore's actions of late had been unthinking, the potions master still held a wealth or respect for the manipulative old coot, which is why he wasn't anticipating Albus' reaction when he told him what he had done.
He would never admit it, but at times Dumbledore was almost Slytherinesque in his planning and execution, certainly Machiavellian. Severus could look upon the events over the last month somewhat objectively, although even this had become more difficult the closer he got to Potter. Severus understood, where perhaps the trio were too involved to see clearly, that Albus only did what he felt was most important.
As the leader of the Order of the Phoenix he needed to put the lives of many ahead of a few favored students. [Although I am sure if he realized that the Wizarding World's Savior would go haring off to rescue them he would have acted differently.] When Albus had questioned their loyalty after the meeting with Lucius however, that just served to further alienate the trio, causing a possible reconciliation in the future to become even more unlikely. That had been a grave miscalculation on the headmaster's part.
Even with the harrowing events and Dumbledore's own questionable actions, Severus still thought highly of him and continued to use his example for a moral compass to his own actions. This is why he found himself marching resolutely but dejectedly to Albus' office so early in the morning, looking to passersby as if he was en route to the gallows. Upon giving the password and entering the headmaster's office Severus assumed Dumbledore would be at his desk waiting. He was not disappointed.
"Ah, Severus my boy." Albus welcomed cheerfully, unaware of the sight he made in his lilac hat and matching sleeping gown. Seemingly unselfconscious, Albus gestured for Severus to sit across from him as he set about serving tea and biscuits. "What can I do for you?"
"Headmaster-"
"How many times must I remind you to call me Albus?" The headmaster interrupted in fond exasperation.
"Headmaster, I have acted in a manner untoward to a student."
"What do you mean, Severus?" Albus asked sternly, the twinkle noticeably absent from his usually jovial expression. "You would no more harm a student then kiss Gilderoy Lockhart."
Severus grimaced in distaste when that blonde tart was mentioned, before taking a fortifying breath and beginning his explanation.
"I will be blunt."
"Please do."
"Mister Potter came to me near a nervous breakdown and I encouraged him to find comfort in my bed."
"You what?" Albus hissed dangerously, the very air crackling with his restraint. He looked ready to attack me, his fury at a malignant of Harry bringing his control close to snapping.
"I am deeply sorry sir." Severus tried to explain softly, his voice full of self-loathing. "I wasn't thinking clearly. I only wanted to ease his pain, comfort him if I could."
"He was willing, then?" Albus questioned him, sounding both hopeful and remarkable old at the same time.
"I had to convince him to lie down properly, but otherwise-"
"Did you use force in any way?" Dumbledore snarled protectively, sounding much like a mother kneazle protecting it's young.
"Force him?" Severus asked cautiously, his usually quick mind dulled somewhat due to his heightened anxiety.
"Did you rape Harry Potter, Severus?" He asked bluntly, looking Severus in the eye as he did so.
"Are you out of your bloody mind?" Severus screamed furiously, pacing the room in his agitation. "Of course not! I would never… How could you even think…He's a student!"
"Stop sputtering and sit back down." Albus commanded. "Now explain in detail exactly what took place between you and Mister Potter. I want no further misunderstandings between us Severus."
"I've already told you." Severus snapped, his patience having reached its limit. "Potter came to me looking for a refill of sleeping draught. He was distraught when I told him that I couldn't give him any more so soon." [Not to mention he almost overdosed on the stuff. Foolish boy.] "He told me that he wouldn't be able to sleep so I suggested he sleep in my bed. He needs his rest in the days to come, Albus. I was just trying to help the boy."
"And that was all you did?" Dumbledore asked. "Sleep?"
"Yes." Severus answered truthfully, forcing himself to forget the sensation of having the boy who lived half-dressed underneath him. "We only slept, Sir."
"Very well then."
Severus raised a skeptical eyebrow in question. Watching the Headmaster for a more overt reaction to his confession.
"I still took advantage of Potter." Severus continued when it became obvious that the man had nothing further to say. "I am his teacher-"
"And as such," Albus interrupted, eyes twinkling merrily at the dark-haired man. "It is your responsibility to look after his well-being. If sleeping with you accomplishes this feat, then so be it."
"What? How can you approve of-"
"Severus, Harry has never been a normal student. At seventeen he had been through more than many adult wizards in the twilight of their lives. If being close to you will give him a small measure of happiness or at least peace, then I do not think it is beyond the pale to accommodate him. I have been the cause of some of his heartache in recent weeks, if I you can manage to help lift some of the added weight off his shoulders lift, then I give you my blessing."
"Sir!"
"Don't misunderstand me Severus." Dumbldore continued sternly. "For the next four months he is still a student at this school, and as such there will be no intimacy between you of any kind."
"What?" Severus gasped, shocked at Albus' temerity.
"Are we clear, Severus?" Albus asked, ignoring the sputtering coming from his colleague.
"Of course, sir." He agreed just to shut the meddlesome old man up.
"Splendid, splendid." Albus exclaimed holding out a small tin across his desk. "Lemon drop?"
