Chapter 8
By Corgi
The mystery surrounding his belongings sudden reappearance was driving Harry nuts. He spoke via floo to Fred and George, the Headmaster, Tonks and just about anyone else he could think of. The only person he didn't ask was Snape. By process of elimination the impossible had to be the only possible explanation. Snape must have bullied his way into the Dursley's to retrieve his belongings. Why he would have done so was beyond Harry's comprehension, but he supposed he should send the man a thank you note. Harry truly wished that Snape cared even a little for Harry, not the Boy-Who-Lived, but Harry just plain Harry.
A small sigh escaped his lips as he made his way to the small table he wrote his correspondence at. Who was he fooling? Snape only cared the means of acquiring his freedom remained intact long enough to do so. Harry quickly penned his thank you and gave it to his beloved Hedwig to deliver. Hedwig looked at him in surprise when he told her who the letter was for, but didn't question his request and quickly too off. Harry sat there brooding as he looked out the window. He pondered his future or lack of one for the rest of the day.
Far way in the hills and mountains of Scotland one Severus Snape plotted his revenge against the white bearded meddler in the center tower of the castle he called home. He knew Albus had to be behind this whole thing. First that mystery wedding, which no one knew who was being wed, and then his informant being obliviated moments before his arrival. It made him angrier that he was late for that meeting because Minerva intercepted him before he left, most likely on Albus' orders, about his syllabus for next year and for the first staff meeting of the new term. By the time he brushed Minerva off and made it to the Hog's Head he was already a half hour late.
Finding Vincent obliviated in the tavern and the less than tactful comment the idiot uttered made him lose his legendary cool. He hated the embarrassment it caused him. It made it that much clearer to Severus that this whole thing was Albus' doing, he just knew it. His gut feeling was only confirmed when Albus started to avoid him. His plotting was interrupted when a blur of white came down the owl flue. The blur resolved itself into Potter's owl and the snowy owls had a note for him. Potter writing to him made this whole week seem more unreal than it already was. The snowy owl sat on his shoulder waiting patiently for him to take the note.
"Well bird, did Potter send me a note declaring his undying love for me?" Severus asked the owl sarcastically, wincing internally as the bird gave his a shocked look. "I know, I know, I'm going insane. Not only am I talking to you, I'm also admitting to like the brat that owns you. It's not like he'd ever look twice at me." The snowy owl gave him a look that said 'I wouldn't bet on that.' "Let's see what the brat has to say."
Dear Professor Snape,
Thank you for retrieving my belongings from the Dursley residence. I don't know how you managed to find them while they were wrapped in the cloak, but I do appreciate the effort you went through to find them.
Thanks,
Harry Potter
Surprise rippled through Severus for several moments before fear took its place. He didn't get the boy's things. He didn't even think of cutting the boy's plans short by doing it himself. Anyone of the boy's belongings could be hexed, poisoned or turned into a port-key. Severus quickly grabbed his cloak and made his way to the edge of the castles wards and apparated to Potter's residence with the boy's owls clinging tightly to his shoulder.
Harry leapt into the air in surprise while drawing his wand as he turned in the direction of the crack that sounded out side his flat. When he glanced out the window all he saw was the trailing edge of a black cloak and thought the worst. Harry edged his way towards his kitchen so he had cover when the Death Eaters broke into his flat, but still had a clear shot at the intruders. He strategy forming plans dissolved when someone pounded on his door instead of bashing it down.
"Potter, open the door and let me in!" The immediately recognizable voice growled.
"I'm coming, Professor." Harry walked to the door and check through the peep hole to confirm it was the Professor Snape, who had Hedwig perched on his shoulder. He quickly opened the door to allow the man bearing his owl in.
"Next time confirm it's who you think it is before open the door. I could have been someone using Polyjuice."
"I did. When I saw Hedwig on your shoulder I knew it wasn't anyone else. Polyjuice doesn't fool the owls."
"Oh, you can think. That's a relief. Now did you handle any of your returned belongings?"
"No I didn't I left there were I found them. Why?" Harry looked at Snape in confusion.
"I didn't retrieve them. Did you ask any of your friends?" Worry was clearly seen in Snape's eyes and Harry was surprised to see it.
"Yes, I've asked everyone I could think of and they all deny going to my relative's house."
"I want to scan the items before you touch them. Since you don't know who placed them here. Did you ask Albus if he got them?"
"Albus denies it, Professor. He and everyone else I know are obsessing over that wedding invitation. I do have to say the Headmaster is acting odd and Minerva is being driven up the wall by him. She said the castle told him he can't meddle in anything that has to do with the wedding. I think the man's finally and completely lost his mind." Harry led the older wizard to his room where the missing items were placed on his chair and dresser.
"He may have and now I'm completely at a loss behind everything that's happened to me the past two days. I was sure Albus was behind the wedding and the tampering with my informant. Now I'm beginning to think the Dark Lord is behind it all."
"Planning a wedding to trap everyone? That doesn't sound like Voldemort at all. Usually he has to do a lot of gloating surrounding an elaborate plan to get his hands on me."
"True, but we can't over look the fact that one of the Death Eaters came up with this plan."
Harry watched as Severus check over his things with a fine tooth comb. The tall man was muttering under his breath and Harry decided to give the man some space before he could snap at Harry. Harry sat down at his writing table and looked out the window waiting for Severus to finish examining his stuff. After forty minutes Severus came out of his room and walked over to Harry's table.
"Did you find anything wrong with them, sir?" Harry asked anxiously and watching the Potions Master closely.
"I didn't find anything wrong with your belongings. Are you sure you contacted everyone you know?"
"Yes I'm sure. I talked to everyone in the order, all the Weasleys and the teachers. None of them are taking credit for the retrieval."
"Are they all obsessing over the wedding invitation?"
"Yes, everyone of my friends, the order members, staff members and dorm mates received invitations to the wedding and no one knows who it' for."
"Are you absolutely sure that Minerva said the castle forbade Albus from interfering with this wedding?"
"I'm positively sure. Minerva said he's acting like he's got an itch he's not allowed to scratch."
"That's interesting I wonder who's throwing this fiasco if it isn't Albus."
Both men turned their attention inwards as they thought in silence, each looking out the window, but not seeing anything. Neither man noticed Hedwig as she sidled up to Severus. Harry had started writing the names of everyone he knew hoping to come across someone who may have planned the wedding or returned his belongings. He didn't pay any attention to Hedwig's talons clicking on the wood; he was used to her walking on the table while he wrote.
Hedwig took advantage of Severus' and Harry's preoccupation and picked up Severus' hand in her beak from where it was lightly resting. Before he could pull his hand away from her grip, she quickly pulled the older wizard's hand across the table and dropped on top of her master's. She watched in satisfaction as the two jumped in surprise at the sudden contact. Hedwig fluffed her feathers as she observed the two get caught up in each other's eyes. The snowy owl leapt off the table and flew to her perch, kicking up dust and bits of paper as her wings stirred the air. The little bits of debris settled on the ground around Severus' feet.
Severus was startled when the bird's beak closed around his finger and began pulling. The beast didn't give him a moment to pull his hand away; she yanked his hand across the table and dropped it so it landed on Harry's hand. The contact sent a shock through him and he wasn't able to pull his hand way. He looked up and was caught in the other man's vivid green eyes. In those eyes several emotions swirled, but Severus couldn't identify them. The stood like that for several moments before Harry blushed and looked away, but he didn't remove his hand. Harry looked at the table, still blushing and visibly fighting with himself, before he looked back up at Severus. This time Severus could clearly identify the emotions in the younger wizard's eyes, want, need, affection and fear of rejection. Severus noticed Harry looking away again and the hand beneath his started to pull away. In an instant Severus realized this was something that would make all those years spying worth it. He curled his fingers around that retreating hand and held it in place. Harry looked up in surprise and Severus allowed his mask to slip enough for the other man to see what he was feeling. Harry smiled for a brief moment before looking down at the floor, all the while his face was still a bright red.
A gasp of surprise dragged Severus from his thoughts and examination of Harry. He followed Harry's light of sight until he saw what caused Harry's gasp. On the floor mere inches from his feet was a piece of snake skin. It had to be from a large snake and Severus knelt on the ground to examine it more closely. Something cold and metallic was press into his hand and when he looked at it he saw that Harry gave him a pair of tweezers to pick the skin up with. The pest developed a sense of caution after all. He picked up the skin with the tweezers and placed it on the table. He couldn't identify the species and he noticed that Harry couldn't either.
"Have you heard any snakes recently?"
"No I haven't. Since I've moved in here the snakes from the park make it a habit to come and talk to me. I haven't had one in a week or so."
Severus pulled out his wand and said the incantation that would show an image of the living creature the skin came from. A ghostly image formed around the piece of skin and slowly gained the appearance of solid flesh. The snake looked familiar to Severus though he couldn't place where or when he's seen this type of creature. He looked over at Harry and was shocked to see how pale his face became. Harry must have felt his gaze because he turned to look at Severus.
"That's Nagini," Harry whispered.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am. Positively."
"Then the Dark Lord knows where you live. Pack your things. I'm taking you back to Hogwarts." Severus turned to help Harry pack as the young man stumbled to his bedroom.
Two hours later with Harry's belongings shrunk in their pockets they apparated to Hogwarts. As they walked up the drive Severus thought back to those moments before they discovered Nagini's skin in the living room. Severus knew what he saw in the younger man's eyes and decided it would have to be up to him to make the next move. His opportunity arrived when the reached a bend in the drive that brought them close to the forest but was out of view of the castle. He gently steered Harry into the trees, deep enough to block them from being seen from the drive. He backed the shorter man against one of the tree trunks and looked once again into the other's eyes lowering his own barriers so his own feelings were seen. He shuddered at the vulnerable feeling it gave him and when he saw again the emotions in Harry's eyes from earlier he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Harry's.
Harry froze for a moment before responding with enthusiasm. Severus ran his tongue over the younger man's lips briefly then nibbled lightly earning a gasp of appreciation, which he took advantage of by slipping his tongue in gently. Slowly he explored Harry's mouth and then coaxed Harry's into his mouth. Harry's actions were hesitant at first, but became surer as each man deepened the kiss in turn. Severus felt weak in the knees and shivers ran down his spine as they continued kissing. He felt Harry's hands tremble on his shoulder. Much too soon for his liking the kiss was broken and they both stood there panting for air.
"The room next to mine in the dungeons is unoccupied. No one would think to look for you there." Severus whispered to Harry as they leaned against each other recovering from their exertions.
"You're right. No one would expect to see me in the dungeons, especially next door to you." Harry smiled shyly at Severus and let the older man lead him to the school.
Neither man saw the two translucent figures who were staring at them with their mouths open, shock plainly written across their faces. They both jumped when inhuman laughter rang through the trees. The two ghostly men looked about wildly until they looked up into the branches of the tree above them. A snowy owl was looking directly at them and was the source of the odd sounding laughter. The ghosts of Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin looked at the owl in confusion then looked at the receding backs of the two men they were following.
"I wonder what happened to cause that." Godric asked, wondering what the two of them missed while checking in on the other participants in their wedding plans.
"I don't know. I wonder what Harry's owl thinks is so funny?" Salazar replied looking at the owl that was still doing a credible imitation of laughing.
The owl fluffed its feathers, looked smugly at the two ghostly wizards and then took to the air, leaving two founders staring at her in disbelief.
"Don't tell me that bird isn't taking credit for this latest development?" Salazar asked in a stunned voice.
"It looks like she was, old friend. Rowena's more familiar with birds than I am so we'll have to ask her." Godric replied, just as confused as his friend was. "Let's get back to the school and find out why Harry's here and then we'll talk to Rowena." Salazar nodded in agreement and the two faded from view.
Salazar and Godric reappeared in the school entrance hall just in time to hear Harry and Severus explain about Harry's mysteriously recovered belongings, Severus' obliviated informant and the finding of Nagini's skin in Harry's flat. Salazar and Godric stayed long enough to hear that Harry would be living in the dungeons for his own safety and made a beeline to the secret room where Rowena was working on the wedding arrangements with Helga.
The two men reappeared before their two female counterparts still wearing the stunned faces they had in the forest. They still couldn't believe how things have changed between their victims.
"What happened? You two look like someone hit you in the back of your heads with a plank." Rowena looked at the two men with a trace of concern.
"We left Severus and Harry alone for a bit to check up on the rest of our participants. When we caught up with the two, Severus had Harry pinned to a tree and they were kissing. Yesterday they were ready to tear each other apart." Salazar informed the two women, still looking quite bewildered himself.
"Well, we might not have to spell them into not killing each other for the ceremony then. We'll just have to lock the doors and bind their feet to the floor." Helga replied as she watched the two shocked men.
"The other odd thing was Harry's owl. The blasted feather duster was laughing at us. When we were wondering what occurred between the two she fluffed her feathers, gave us a smug look and flew off." Godric looked at Rowena for an explanation and saw the woman sitting with her head in her hands. He couldn't tell if she was laughing or crying. "Is anything the matter, Rowena?"
"Centuries of planning and weeks of worrying for nothing." Rowena cried as she lifted her head. Tears of laughter streaked her translucent cheeks. "We've been upstaged by a bloody owl!"