I own nothing of Harry Potter and make no mistake, this is slash. HP/SS
Ok kiddies. Here is the next chapter to this fic. I must say, I'm having way too much fun. I give a BIG HUG to everyone who reviewed. You guys rock my world! *sigh* Again the story as no BATA, so sorry for the mistakes. Read on….! ^_^
Severus Snape and the Boy-Who-Is-Missing
If one was looking close enough, beyond the house of ruble at number 4 Privet Drive , one would see a young man appear out of thin air, right under a dead street lamp. But no one was looking at that end of the street.
Neighbors were out on the street in their night wear. The police blocked off the house of ruble. Half of it was still standing, but was too unstable to walk through. Surrounded by questions from the police was Dudley , wrapped in a blanket, just staring at his shacking mug of coffee.
He knew he was being talked to, but he didn't want to deal with it at the moment. Dudley just wanted the images in his head to go away. The men in black robes, he's mother's screams, all of it, he wanted it gone.
"Wha' do yeh think, sir?" One officer asked his superior. "Yeh think he knows wha' happened?'
"He needs time to adjust." Said the older man. "Let's take him back to the station. Maybe there he'll talk to us."
The younger officer nodded and helped Dudley to the back of the car. As he closed the door, shutting Dudley in, the house started to crumble and cave away completely.
As the dust settled, the young officer picked himself off the ground and took a look at the back seat of his car to see if his ward was all right.
But he was gone.
***
Harry watched as the officers were trying to question his cousin. They didn't seem to get very far. The two officers sighed; one helped Dudley to the back of his car.
That's when Harry made his move. He Apparated to the back of the car, scaring Dudley to death. "I'm going to take you some where safe." Harry whispered as the officer closed the door. It was then that Harry pointed his wand at the house and mumbled something under his breathe. The house began to fall.
"Help me, Harry." Dudley said in a deeply sorrowed voice, not reacting to the noises his house was making as it fell.
"Hold on to me." Dudley did as he was told and hugged his cousin. Then everything went white.
***
The crew of the tall ship Mistrust, jumped in surprise as their Caption appeared on deck with a 'Pop'. "Tell Stratus to meet me in our cabin." Vladimir told the sailor closest to him.
Picking up Dudley, who lost a lot of weight, Harry carried him to his cabin at the stern of the ship. On either side of the cabin were two beds that were imbedded in the walls. A large desk in the middle of the warm colored room and sitting in what was a large window seat at the back of the cabin was a figure in a dark gray cloak.
" Vladimir , you're back so soon?" The figure asked in a smooth mystic voice.
"Stratus," Harry walked over to his bed in the wall and laid Dudley down. "This is Dudley, my cousin."
"Ah, yes. The one you hated when you were little." Stratus stood tall and completely covered in his gray cloak. "What happened to him?"
"I don't have all the details, but Death Eaters attacked his home. They are blaming me for it." Harry sighed and walked over to his desk. "Watch him while I write a letter to an old friend."
Stratus just nodded as Harry began his letter.
Dear Headmaster,
I'm writing to you to ask a favor. A member of my family has been attacked and I'm the only one he has left. I need for him to lay low for a while.
My favor is this. Please allow my ship and crew to temporally dock in the lake near the school. I know this is a lot to ask, but I would not have asked if it was not necessary.
My ship will be far away from the school and my crew will not leave the ship, unless you say other wise.
I am anxiously awaiting your reply.
Vladimir, the Dark Prince of the Seas
***
Dear Mr. Vladimir,
Albus Dumbledore is currently on a leave of absences. However your request to dock your ship in the lake has been granted.
Please give us two weeks to inform the students, staff, and all the inhabitants in the lake, that you are coming.
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Vladimir just finished reading his letter from the Headmistress when a new, sleek black owl flew through the window, hitting him on the head.
"Someone's poplar today." Laughed Stratus as he hovered over Dudley 's bed, still watching him.
"Bloody owl!" Cursed Harry, getting a good look at the red letter tied to its talons, but before he could open it, it blew.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU DID TO THE HEADMASTER!" Professor Snapes voice flowed out of the Howler like a tsunami. "A CHILD!? A CHILD! HE SAYS THAT HARRY POTTER—I CAN'T BELIEVE—OF ALL THE STUPID—GRYFFINDOR!" In the background, Vladimir could hear someone trying to calm the Professor down. "YOU CAN BET THAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE THIS WHEN YOU DOCK YOUR SHIP!"
"HEY VLADIMIR ! NICE WORK!" Draco's voice leaked through.
"YOU!" Harry was assuming that Severus turned to Draco. "SHOULD NOT ENCOURAGE HIM! OF ALL THE TIMES TO DO THIS! YOU HAD TO DO THIS NOW, DIDN'T YOU!? WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU—" However the Professor's voice stopped abruptly as Harry heard Draco place a silencing charm on him.
"Don't worry, Vladimir ." Draco's voice sounded once again. "He's just mad that he didn't think of it in the first place. We hope that you're alright. See you in two weeks. He should be calm before then. If not I'll send you an emergency owl."
With that the letter shredded it's self to pieces.
"Lovely friends you have there." Stratus giggled as Harry picked himself off the floor, his hair in a blown mess.
"What can I say?" Vladimir waved his wand, getting rid of the red shreds. "It didn't wake Dudley did it?"
"No," Stratus sighed. "The boy will likely sleep another day or so."
"Good." Vladimir stood, heading for the door. "Stay with him and let me know if he so much as makes a move. I'm going to go prepare the stables for our horses. We'll pick them up before we go to Hogwarts." With a nod from Stratus, Harry left to go to the bottom levels of the ship.
Just like any wizards tent, the ship was bigger on the inside then it looked on the outside. There were five levels in total, the stables being only one of them.
***
In the time of two weeks, Vladimir stocked his ship, picked up his horses, wrote letters to his allies and calmed Dudley down when he woke up to find a man shadowed by a cloak literally hovering over him.
It was a full two weeks for Vladimir . He was ready to go back to Hogwarts, to Severus… even if he was going to get yelled at.
As Harry sat behind his desk, looking over maps, letters and forming planes in his head, another person far away were making his own plans.
"My lord." A man behind a mask dropped to one knee in front of a more powerful and younger man. "I bring news."
"It better be good," The red headed sneered.
"I have got wind, that a man has exposed you to Dumbledore." The masked man rushed.
"I knew that is would happen eventually." Percy laughed harshly. "I hope that wasn't all, Malfoy. Voldemort did make me his apprentice for a reason, you know. Of course your son was at the top of his list, but he refused. I guess there has to be a bad apple in every family."
"There is more, my lord." Malfoy bowed. "This same man turned Dumbledore into a child. They are saying that it was Harry Potter."
Percy spun around and walked hastily over to Malfoy. Taking a hold of his mask, the new dark lord ripped it off. "I want to see your face when you tell me that again."
"He turned Dumbledore into a child of thirteen. The public won't even say his name. They are calling him He-who-would-not-die." Malfoy sighed in relief as Percy walked away.
"I want you to watch that school very closely." Percy pinched the bride of his noise. "That brat may comeback and when he does, tell me."
***
Students and staff alike rushed outside to the lake when the Headmistress announced that Vladimir was arriving today. Some of the students sat that the waters edge and others stood off to the side.
Severus and Draco stood off to the side, waiting Harry's return. "You're not going to yell at him, right?" Draco asked his ex-professor.
But all Severus did was growl, which wasn't very reassuring.
"Gentlemen." The Headmistress walked to the side of the two professors. " Vladimir owled me a moment ago. His ship should arrive any minute…"
As McGonagall talked to her colleague, a small breeze kicked up that soon turned into a heavy wind. Everyone looked out at the lake, but the water was as smooth as glass. This was strange considering the wind. It wasn't until the trees of the forbidden forest started swaying, that people looked away from the lake.
If they were tall enough to see over the trees, they would have seen a tall ship sailing on the canopy of the forest as if it was the ocean itself. Severus and Draco were still watching the lake, until a large shadow fell over them. Looking up, they both were speechless to see the bottom of a ship sail pass.
Everyone watched in awe as the tall ship descended into the lake, making waves in its wake. The ship didn't stop until it was on the other side, far from the school.
"Well, I think that put Karkaroff to shame." Draco pointed out to Severus who just grunted in reply.
"It did indeed." Said the Headmistress. Again Severus grunted in reply.
"You need to work on your vocal skills, Professor." Draco snorted a laugh. "I know it might be difficult at your age, but I think…"
"If you finish that sentence Professor Malfoy, I will personally see to it that after I'm through with you, all your remains will be feed to the giant squid."
"And here I thought you hated me." Draco bashed his eyes, trying not to laugh.
"Gentlemen, if you please." McGonagall tried breaking them apart. "I have business to attend to."
What Draco and Severus missed was that Vladimir came ashore on a long bout and was standing right behind the Headmistress. "I find that throwing water on them helps." Vladimir laughed as the two male Professors jumped at his voice. "Now," He turned to Minerva. "We had an appointment." With a wink of his red eye, Vladimir offered his arm to her, she took it slightly blushing. Severus and Draco just stood in awe.
"Hey, you didn't get to yell at him." Draco pointed out and that made Severus eyes narrow at the retreating dark wizard.
"Excuse me, sirs." A grungy looking man approached Severus. "The Captain has requested that the both of you join him for dinner on the ship."
"Well, I agree." Draco said without haste.
"As do I." Severus said a moment later.
"Very well." The pirate saluted them. "A long boat will wait for you at seven." Receiving nodes from both men, the pirate saluted again and walked towards his long bout. The two Professors watched as the pirates wooden leg got stuck in the grass, tripping him, as he walked.
The students around him laughed, but helped the poor pirate up. He thanked them by offering boat rides around the lake, until his Captain came back.
***
The sun was getting ready to drop behind the mountains, casting a yellow-reddish glow to the sky. Precisely at seven, Severus was at the shore of the lake. Draco arrived a moment later and they both watched their long boat come closer. Only two figures were on the boat, one man was rowing and the other was sitting, covered completely by a gray cloak. When the long boat came ashore, the cloaked figure was the only one that got out.
"Good evening, Gentlemen." Stratus said, his mystic deep voice catching the two professors off guard. "I am Stratus, first mate on the tall ship, Mistrust." Draco smiled reaching out his hand. "Forgive me if I do not take it." His smile faded as he retraced his hand. "I'm highly allergic to the sun. Perhaps after it sets, I will properly introduce myself again."
"Are you dinning with us?" Professor Malfoy asked, trying not to feel hurt that his hand was refused. Ever since his first year he was rather sensitive about that.
"No, I have already been feed."
Draco didn't like the sound of that.
Their trip to the ship was a boring one. Severus didn't like this Stratus person. There was just something about him that made Severus glare at him. He wasn't a Death Eater that was for sure. No Death Eater would walk around in a gray cloak. Maybe a poor Death Eater, but that wasn't likely.
Once on ship they were met by a lot of grungy looking men, all who were ignoring them. "This way." Stratus told them. The two professors shrugged and followed the gray cloak. Stratus led them to Vladimir 's and his cabin.
Vladimir was seating behind his desk and looked up when he heard the door open. He tried not to grin as he saw Severus' lustful expression. When Severus saw Harry look up, he suddenly didn't want to yell at him any more.
The setting sun leaked through the large windows behind Harry; silhouetting him in a godly glow. His hair tied back in a lose braid, showing off both his eyes and scars. In Severus' mind, there was no one more captivating then his Harry.
"I see you two arrived safely." Vladimir stood and rounded his desk. "Dinner is a bit late, but I'd like to give you a tour of my ship."
Sighing, Draco walked up to him, wrapped his arms around his friend/brother. "You scared me when you left like that."
Harry rested his forehead on Draco's shoulder, mumbling, "Sorry." Glancing back up, he watched Severus' unreadable face. Walking up to him, Harry sighed. "Look, I know you're not happy with me, but I don't regret what I did to Albus. I'm sorry you feel betrayed and—"
"Mr. Potter." Severus used his professor voice to his advantage. Though he felt like he was back at school, Harry looked Severus in the eye. "There are better things you could do with those lips of yours, other then apologies for something I'm not mad for, at least not anymore." Harry just stared blankly up at him. "Oh for God sakes, kiss me, you dunderhead."
Vladimir didn't even have time to move as Severus grabbed the front of his robe and pulled him up to me his soft lips.
"I'd never thought I'd say this," Draco whispered to Stratus. "But that was kind of sweet."
"Yes, they seem to want to devour each other." Stratus replied, giggling a bit. "I think we should get them to come up for air."
"Too right!" Draco pointed his wand at the couple.
A large bubble of water appeared over their heads, not that they would have noticed. Making a slash with his wand, the bubble dropped. Poor Draco, as soon as his bubble dropped on Harry's and Severus' heads, Harry pulled out his wand and flung a curse that hit him right in the face.
"Serves you right." Harry laughed as Draco struggled to stand.
"What the hell did you fling at me?" The young professor asked, holding his head, trying to make it stop spinning.
"A simple color charm is all." Vladimir laughed as Draco looked in the mirror at he's new crimson colored hair. "You're like the long lost Weasley."
"Turn my hair back or—"
"What?" Harry glared. "You'll throw water at me again?" Draco pouted and Harry laughed. "It will only last forty-eight hours." Turning back to Severus, Vladimir mumbled. "Now, I think a tour is in order…"
The tour wasn't a grand one, but nice none the less. The first floor were the cabins, were all the crew slept. A deck below that was the mess hall. Below that, were the kitchens and game rooms. Third were the stables and Harry's horse that he wouldn't let them see. The fourth floor was the expansive armory. Draco found a sword he got rather attached too. Harry let him have it, thinking that the brat would take it anyways. The last floor was the dungeons. It was for the prisoners they rarely captured, but sometimes, when the occasion called for it, they used the cells.
They made their way back up to Harry's cabin when the dinner bell sounded. The meal they had was simply fantastic. Everything was perfect and Severus noticed that Harry hardly touched a thing. "Too much for you?"
Smiling almost viciously Vladimir stated, "I grew up with minimal amount of food. I slept in a cupboard under the stairs and hate sleeping in large beds because of it. It's rather heard to break old habits, I should think." Taking his napkin, wiping his mouth and placing it on the table, Vladimir got up and left, walking out on deck with the rest of his crew.
"Nice." Draco stated, sneering and Severus.
"Don't you look at me that way." Severus glared.
"He's rather sensitive about his life with my parents." Both professors jumped in their chairs at the small voice from one of the in-wall-beds. "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."
"Are you his cousin?" Draco asked the tall, thin blond.
Dudley nodded. "We were horrible to him and still when we were in danger he tried to protect us. Family means the world to him."
Hearing the loud noise out side, Severus threw his napkin on the table and went to find Harry, Draco soon following.
The top deck was crowded with pirates of all kinds. Severus never had seen so mean styles of clothes or designs. Everyone was rowdy and loud, but Severus pushed his way through, trying to find Harry. It wasn't until everyone suddenly stopped that he saw the dark, green and red eyed wizard.
Vladimir was in the middle of a ring that the crowed formed around him. In his hands he held a violin. Closing his eyes, he made the first long note and went into a slow, almost heartbreaking song. The music he played told the tale of a young boy looking for something and not finding it.
Every note he played, chilled Severus' heart. They made him want to weep. There was a sort pause in the music and then Harry started playing faster short notes. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus saw the gray cloaked figure walking over to Harry.
The sun having gone, Stratus removed his cloak. Severus gasped and knew why he didn't like the man. He knew that Stratus was tall, but he would have never guessed what was underneath that cloak. Stratus was paler then pale. His skin seamed to glow in the moonlight. Long ears that came to a sharp point, poking out of straight, long hair. Very pale gray in color, almost white. His sideburns were braided with turquoise beads at the ends, matching his glowing blue eyes. The man was beautiful.
Severus saw red as the man picked up another violin and started playing to Harry's tune, like they knew each other inside and out. Quickly the song became joyous, but it wasn't making Snape happy. Soon other musicians played with them. Some of the crew started to dance, some did a little jig. Draco, who was at his side, started dancing too.
Severus kept watching though. He couldn't tear his eyes off of Harry, even if he wanted to. Soon the song started fading into one violin again and Harry ended the song on the same note he started with, only this time it sounded a little happier.
***
"My lord," Malfoy dropped to his knees in front of Percy. "There is strange activity going on at the school." Malfoy went on to tell the new Dark Lord about the ship on the lake and how this pirate Vladimir seemed to like his son.
"It's him." Percy hissed. "If your son his close to him, I want you to go after your son. Find out what you can from him, I don't care what it takes. You do this or you might find your self dead on the steps of the ministry."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ok, if you want to listen to the song that inspired me to write the Harry-violin thing, then look for a song called… 'Dusty Wine Bottle'. I don't remember who it's by though… *shrugs* tell next time.