Severus glared around the dimly lit bar. Muggles. He didn't hate them, exactly, they had good liquor, he just didn't like any of the ones he'd met. He smirked at this, it was kinda funny. He didn't even know why.
Yes, muggles were good for something. Getting drunk quick.
Laughing pulled Severus out of his thoughts, his eyes quickly found the disturbance's owner. A very drunk man and a small, slightly familiar teen..... Severus' eyes widened. The boy looked almost EXACTLY like James Potter...but, Potter was dead. They had a son.... who everyone ELSE presumed dead, it had been what? Six years? He'd be seventeen now. Severus narrowed his eyes as he looked at the boy. The scar....where was it? Stupid eyes, cant see anything! Probably because SOMEONE, has been 'at the bottle' AGAIN. Great, now, when he was drunk, he wanted to NOT be drunk...
"His name is Severus." A man smiled as he sat down across from Severus, blocking his view of the boy.
"Wha-?" Okay, WIERD!
"Severus, that's his name, Severus," Please, don't end that sentence with 'Snape'. "Snape. Attractive lad, he is."
God, could the world be any more weirder? Severus pushed his drink away. "Really." It wasn't a question, just a statement, of what, Severus didn't know.
"He's a rather odd one, Sev is. Always reading from those weird books he keeps. Potions or something..." THAT caught Severus' attention. The boy kept POTION books! defiantly a wizard...
"Indeed."
"You want me to send him over? He'd love to talk with you.... maybe spend the night." The man smiled.
God, how crude. Practically auctioning the boy off to sleep with him. Well, he could... "How good is he at chess?"
"Well..." the man smiled more brightly. "Chess, Sev...hmm, he was never that good because he always read, BUT! I happen to be pretty good and taught him to the best of my abilities, so he's still a bit of challenge, my good sir."
Severus reached into his pocket and pulled out two hundred dollar bills. "This enough for the night?"
The man's eyes widened slightly. "Y-eah, of course...sir. Here, I'll get Sev over here... SEVERUS!" he pocketed the bills and smiled.
The boy's green eyes lit up as he walked over. The man who'd sat down at Severus' table stood and talked quietly for a minute with the boy, before patting him on the back and walking off. The boy smiled sweetly at Severus as he walked over, draping himself across Severus' shoulders. Severus stiffened.
The boy breathed in deeply. "You smell....familiar...and nice..."
"Get off of me." Severus ground out, shocked into soberness.
The boy, sensing the danger, got off of Severus, sitting in the seat across from him. "So, what's your name, love?"
"Not for you to know," Severus sneered. "Right now." He looked closely at the boy. The Scar. It was there, in plain view. This was Harry Potter. "especially if you don't know already."
Harry shrugged. "Well, I'm Severus."
"So I've heard...Interesting name, any history behind it?" Severus inquired leaning forward so his elbows rested on the table and propped up his chin.
"Well, it... it's from my old life..." Harry smiled meekly.
"What was this 'old life' like?" Severus smirked.
"Very different from this one, things weren't as they were here." Harry smiled at the memory.
"Indeed."
Harry looked at Severus, really looking at him. Trying to place the face, with a name. Nothing came into view. He sighed, another thing to think about while he read. The man was menacingly familiar, but how?
"Are you any good at chess?"
Harry looked up. "Chess, sir?"
"Yes, chess. Because that is what I want to do tonight, play chess. No one I know is any bloody good." The dark man smiled at Harry. Somehow, Harry found it really weird...as if it was something this man NEVER did.
"Yes, Greg's made me and the girls play with him since...forever really?"
"Greg?"
"Yeah, he's my boss." Harry smiled. "I always beat him, even though he seems to always turn that bit around when talking about it. I've totally surpassed him."
Severus chuckled inwardly. "Yes, he does, doesn't he." Severus stood slowly. "Well, the game won't play its self."
Harry stood quickly, offering his arm to his patron. The man sneered at him but took his arm. "You know... you don't look like the type of guy who..." Harry stopped himself before he insulted his customer. Sometimes, these people were too sensitive.
"Not the type to pay a prostitute?" Severus asked.
Harry looked at him, then at the floor. "Sorry."
"No, it's okay, because you're right. It's just, something... about you..." Severus said awkwardly.
Harry nodded and let his patron pull him to his hotel room. They walked out of the bar, out onto the street. Harry paid a bit of attention to his surroundings, in case he needed to leave quickly and get back here. Something about this route was faintly familiar.
Severus smiled. Stupid boy doesn't even realize where I'm going, taking him back. For a while, anyway. Something told him to gain the boy's trust before he tried to get him to come back, it scared him. He was being sympathetic towards the son of his most hated nemesis. Something about this boy...was dare he say it? Attractive. Severus shuttered slightly.
"You cold?" Harry asked, he'd felt the man shiver.
"No." The man barked harshly.
"Oh." Harry blinked.
They had reached a small, dingy looking bar. The Leaky Cauldron. WHAT? LEAKY CAULDRON????? HERE? Harry stopped dead. "Why here?"
Severus looked at Harry, grinning as he gripped Harry's arm. Harry looked genuinely afraid. Severus stopped smiling. "Oh come on, Potter. I'm NOT going to kill you, take you to the Dark Lord or something. I just wanna play Chess."
Harry still looked frightened. "I left there because they'd take me back.... The Dursleys.....I won't go back!"
Severus looked at Harry with a hardened expression. "Potter, just come. One night. I'll tell you what's happened since you left, and we'll play chess, then you decide."
Harry looked up at Severus. Emerald met onyx and held for a moment. Severus nodded and pulled Harry along with him. They entered the bar, Harry kept his face down, Severus nodded to the bar tender as he walked to the entrance to the rooms. The bar tender flashed a suggestive smile and raised his eyebrows. Severus ignored this as he walked past the man, glaring all the way.
Severus Snape. That's who the man was, the REAL Severus Snape. His professor from Hogwarts was taking him to his room, alone. And he'd paid for Harry to 'entertain' him. God, why do you punish me? And... Did I think he was attractive?!?!?!
Severus stopped in front of the door to room 13. He smiled and inserted the key. The door swung open to reveal a large, luxurious room.
Harry looked in awe at the room. Two large seats sat across from each other at a table set out with Wizarding Chess pieces. There was large bed pushed to the side, dark green covers and pillows sat gently laid out on it. A large chestnut wardrobe sat next to it. "Wow." There was a large fireplace beside the chairs. The room seemed pretty bare with the meager amount of furniture in it, but still luxurious.
"Yeah, of course, no other place is like this. I bought this room, sad really. I spend more time here, when not teaching, then I do at my own home." Severus smiled.
Harry looked at him, curiously. "You've changed a lot, sir. You never used to smile."
"You'd smile too if the person missing, who you'd put a rather large reward out for, was found." Severus said absently, then clamped his mouth shut as he realized what he'd said.
Harry was stunned. He sat down in one of the chairs, staring at the chess board as his mind processed everything. Severus was silent, seating himself across from Harry.
After about ten minutes, Harry spoke. "You did what?"
Severus sighed, this would take a LOOOOO-OOOONG time. "I'll start from the beginning. From the time when it was noticed you were gone."
Harry nodded, a sullen look passed over his face, but was quickly pushed away.
"Min-Professor McGonagall was sent to check on you, because there was a disturbance in the magical bond that makes it safe for you to stay there. It was unaccountable for, not birthdays, holidays or anything. She went there and they didn't know who you were, further prying," Severus coughed slightly. They'd actually FORCED them to tell. "revealed that you'd been left in London, at the police station. We got there and no one could find you. No spells worked, nothing. You'd disappeared off the magical face of the Earth. Many looked, searches were sent out, all leads, followed. Everyone was frantic to find you, but as the days turned into weeks, weeks into months, people lost hope. Only a few kept hope, Albus, Minerva, Granger, the Weasleys, a few hopeful fans and me..." Harry looked at Severus with a searching look. "We all looked, and sill nothing. I placed a large reward out, I was found out as a spy by the Dark Lord, for anyone who could find you. There were many who tried to pass someone else off as you, but we saw through the masks. After two years, even Albus gave up. I don't know why... but I didn't want to believe that you were dead. It scared me." Severus' voice was barely at a whisper when he'd finished.
Harry looked at Severus, then down at the Chess board. "So, shall we get this game started or what?"
Severus nodded. "We shall. Since you're white, you go first."
Soon the two were lost in the game, both matching each other's wits with elaborate traps. It was a close match when, Harry won.
"Well, you are defiantly VERY good, Mr. Potter." Severus sighed. "I believe that, this was my first loss in.... years."
Harry blushed slightly at the compliment. "I'm not that good, really."
Severus looked at Harry expectantly. "Well?" Harry looked confused. "Gloat already. You beat the greasy git. Oh yay, go cheer to your Gryffindor friends." He glared slightly at Harry. "You beat the bastard."
"I don't think like that..." Harry whispered. "I never really did."
Severus looked taken back. "Why not?"
"Because, it was just for that purpose, so we'd hate you and so that Voldemort wouldn't be suspicious. I forgave you for that a long time ago." Harry chucked. "It's kinda ironic really."
"What is, Mr. Potter." Severus growled in a subdued voice.
"The one person I liked the least, next to Malfoy, was the one person who I thought of the most. He was the one who found me, the last one standing." Harry said whimsically.
Severus frowned, never one for the sentiments. "I don't understand."
Harry looked at him. "The people who I though loved me, gave up. The one who didn't give up, was the one who hated me."
Severus nodded and looked to the empty fire place.
"Thanks." Harry said quietly as he stared down at the chess board. "I never thought of it that way." Severus reached into his pocket, pulling out his wand. He flicked his wrist and the fire started up, looking as if it'd been burning for hours, not seconds. Harry smiled.
"I guess, if you have nothing else you want from me... I should go." Harry said quietly as he stood, walking quickly to the door. A hand on his shoulder stopped him, just as he reached the door.
"Stay... if you want..." Severus said softly. He straightened out and dropped his hand from Harry's shoulder. "I mean... I don't want you to get hurt or something by some weirdo..."
Harry looked up, into Severus' eyes. Harry smiled. "I'll stay, then... So no one attacks me."
Severus relaxed, falling into his old habit of scowling slightly. "Whatever, Potter." He walked over to his wardrobe, pulling out a pair of black, silk drawstring pants and a large, mismatched shirt. He threw the bundle at Harry. "Here."
Harry looked down at it, slightly confused. "Huh?"
"What? Do you want to sleep in leather pants, a shirt that looks like you fell in a fishing net and got stuck?" Severus sneered. Harry blushed. "Didn't think so."
He pulled out a pair of green silk pj's for himself and walked to, a door Harry hadn't noticed before, the bathroom. He looked back at Harry. "Change here or wait for me to finish."
Harry nodded, waiting for Severus to close the door before slipping quickly into the new set of clothes. He didn't know why, but suddenly he was really shy about his body around this man. Severus appeared a few moments later, holding a toothbrush in his free hand, out to Harry. "Brush your teeth."
Harry took the tooth brush and followed Severus as he turned and lead him into the marble bathroom. He spread toothpaste on the brush and began to brush his teeth. It was weird; he was working, and was being treated like it was a casual night at home.
Severus finished up and walked out of the bathroom, leaving Harry to his thoughts. Harry looked in the mirror at his reflection. 'Lot had changed. Some for the better, most for the worst. He was no longer the same Harry Potter he'd been when he left Hogwarts....Six years ago. He smiled as he spit one last time and rinsed his mouth.
Severus stood, wand at his side, glaring darkly at Harry. "You want me to- What are you doing?"
Harry had walked over and slid into the plush green bed. Obviously, Severus had different plans, but Harry was asleep before he'd even hit the pillow. "Potter! I know you're not asleep. Stop faking....bloody hell."
Severus sighed. Ignorant brat. Severus looked down at the boy laying in HIS bed, and somehow, managed to convince himself that it was big enough for two people, as he slid under the covers next to Harry. "I hope you're enjoying this, god, cause I'm not." He rolled so that he was facing the wall, away from Harry, before he fell into an uneasy sleep.