Title: Captain Snape and the Wizard Pirates

Author: S.Malfoy

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters (sadly); I just twist them for my own amusement. They belong to J.K. Rowling.

Warning! This will be slash between SS/HP later! If you don't like it, don't read it.

This is also an AU – Harry has lived with the Dursleys (who own a bar in between magical and muggle folk, and serve both to their advantage). Harry does have magic, but he has never been trained. They all live in the port town of somewhere -)

Chapter 2

An Issue of Trust

As Snape led Harry on board, Harry took the time to study his surroundings in the dim light offered by magically burning torches. He liked the cheerful way the men worked together even so early in the morning, as well as the protection offered by the higher ranking officers that were spread sparsely throughout the ship.

"How old are you boy?" Snape asked without glancing at the scrawny boy and motioning towards one of his officers.

"Sixteen, Captain. Seventeen in the summer," Harry answered obediently.

"Good, good…" Snape murmured. "Zabini, this is the new cabin boy, Harry Potter. I'd like you to show him below decks to his quarters, let him get his things settled, then send him to my room." Severus enlarged Harry's trunk with his wand before stowing it away in his breast pocket inside his coat.

"Yes sir," Blaise answered shortly, before waving Harry towards the stairs leading to the shelter below the ship's decks, dragging the boy's trunk behind him.

Snape turned to observe the sailors over the ship deck, his face implacable and his mouth set sternly as he barked at them to get back to work.

"This is where you'll be staying, boy," Zabini said, pointing to a rather dingy hammock near the portal way. "You can store your trunk in the floorboard underneath that you share with two other crew," he continued, his instructions flowing methodically.

Harry nodded silently, his glance taking in the cluttered room and the other bunks already inhabited with sleeping sailors off duty. There were small wooden drawers built into the sides of the bed that extended underneath the springs. It was relatively dark inside, interspersed with small magical lights that glowed, its brightness determined by the sunlight, or lack thereof, outside.

As he struggled to slide the bulky trunk underneath his allotted floorboard, he shivered in excitement. He couldn't believe it – he was finally free of his relatives, free to make his own decisions. As he bent down to fiddle the trunk, he heard a faint clinking noise from his pant leg.

Reaching in a hand, he withdrew his broken glasses. As he looked at the glasses he realized something; he had been walking around the entire time without his glasses!

He glanced around the room again, noting he had seen into the far reaches of the room, he could see the details of the ship, he had even seen the flecks of hazel in Captain Snape's eyes…

He was overjoyed. He giggled madly, his face alight in giddiness. He could see! He could actually see without the hindrance of his thick glasses. It must be the Captain's magic, he thought wonderingly. He grinned widely and quickened his pace, stowing away the rest of his meager supplies before heading towards the doorway with a light step.

When he emerged from below decks he found Mr. Zabini and was put to work scrubbing on his hands and knees the upper deck, as the Captain was in a meeting with another officer. With a bucket of water and a thick scrub brush in his hands, he for once happily worked as hard as he could, relishing the brisk air of the dawning morning and the companionship the other workers exuded. While no one bothered to tease him, he could feel the overt glances he was receiving.

He obeyed the orders given to him, wanting no problems while staying on board this ship. What Harry was pleased to notice was the combination of both magical and non-magical workers, and everyone seemed to get along well with none of the prejudices of the outside world intruding.

"Potter, over here!" Zabini shouted, and Harry immediately quickened his pace towards the officer.

"Yes, sir?" he asked, rubbing his soapy palms on his pants.

"The Captain has requested your presence inside his rooms," he replied with a cool glance at the shabby appearance of the young boy. He could only imagine what the stray had been saved from – almost all of the crew had been in dire need, and the Captain had always had a hidden spot for those in trouble not of their making.

"Yes, sir," Harry replied, looking around in puzzlement.

"Up on the landing in the center there will be a set of steps – go down into the hallway, and it's the second door on your right," Blaise murmured, pointing the way.

"Thank you sir!" and immediately scurried to follow the orders.

Harry knocked hesitantly on the door, shifting his feet uneasily, and waited silently before he was roughly bid to enter. Stepping inside uncertainly, he was awed at the sheer size and elegance of the master quarters.

The bed, Harry was quick to notice, was built directly into the side of the right wall, and from the wooden beamed ceiling hung heavy, green velvet curtains. It looked thick and comfortable, unlike the thin cot the workers slept on. All of the furniture was nailed to the floor – the tables, the desk, the bureau, and the dressing screen – but it didn't seem to detract from the overall wealth the simple design of the furniture exuded.

His eyes were captured by the stiffly erect form of the Captain sitting calmly at his desk, watching Harry's inspection with hooded obsidian eyes.

"Is everything to your approval?" Severus questioned dryly once he had Harry's attention.

Harry nodded briskly, standing tall with his shoulders thrown back proudly. "Yes, Captain," he answered shortly.

"Good, good," Severus said softly. He watched the boy underneath his lids intently, and sensed the barely perceptible trembles the boy had shaking throughout his body.

"Do you trust me?" he asked abruptly.

"Excuse me, sir?" Harry returned, startled.

"I did not stutter, boy. I asked 'do you trust me'?" Snape questioned impatiently.

Harry hesitated for a moment before nodding tentatively. "Of course, sir."

"Why?" Snape asked brusquely.

"W-why?" Harry stumbled, his fists clenched at his sides.

Severus did not deign to repeat his question this time, and simply cocked a dark eyebrow in the boy's direction.

"I suppose it is because you have decided to save me," Harry finally said slowly, his back straightened and his eyes staring directly into those opposite of him.

"Ah…because I decided to save you," Severus repeated mockingly, finally standing to walk towards the insecure boy. Harry dimly noticed he had taken off his coat from earlier and felt the urge to fidget in nervousness.

"You should never trust a person simply because they seem to have good intentions," Snape suddenly snapped, reaching forward to grab Harry by the chin. "For instance, you say I have rescued you from your relatives. But if I chose to do so, I could do anything I wanted to you, you stupid boy," he snarled, his dark eyes meeting the worried green ones in front of him.

"And what would you do to me?" Harry returned quietly, his eyes never wavering.

"Anything," Snape hissed menacingly.

"Would you try to grope me, Captain Snape?" Harry sneered coolly, his arms tense beside his body.

"If I had wanted to do so," Snape said dispassionately, watching the boy's body tighten as if it were a bow being strung.

"And are you going to do so?" Harry shot back, his eyes snapping in anger.

"I shall repeat my earlier question now: do you trust me?" Snape asked instead, watching the boy through hooded eyes.

That stopped Harry short, and had a considering warmth his eyes as he watched the Captain stand impatiently in front of him, the long cool fingers still grasping his chin. Really, with the towering demeanor anyone would be frightened of the man, but after having spent the better part of the evening with him, and seen the respect the sailors held for the Captain, it was hard to find a reason to distrust him.

"Thank you for fixing my eyesight," he whispered instead, avoiding the question. Snape frowned and shook Harry's head lightly from side to side in annoyance.

"That was not what I asked you," he reminded before turning his back to the boy and returning to the seat behind his desk.

Harry looked down and scuffed his shoes lightly along the wooden floor, sticking his hands deep inside of his pockets and hearing gold galleons clinking together at the contact. He had never remembered to take them out and give half of them to his uncle in payment for the wine the Captain had ordered. In all the excitement of leaving the Kidney Stone with Severus it had simply slipped his mind and he snickered at the imagined look on his Uncle's face when he realized he was missing the money for the wine. It was the least Harry could do in slight revenge for all the years of missing wages for his services. Unfortunately, he knew the Captain had also heard the noise and was looking at him appraisingly.

With a slightly trembling hand, he silently took out the money and set it on Severus' hardy oak desk. He hoped the man knew what he was giving up when he repaid the money he so desperately needed for new clothing.

"Keep it," Severus barked, startling the scrawny boy. "I paid you for the wine you served, not your Uncle. It is fair for you to take the money."

Harry took a deep breath, nodding silently to convey his thanks for he did not think he could speak around the choked lump in his throat. No one had ever given him as much kindness as this man did, even if the Captain did it obscurely.

"I trust you," he murmured suddenly as he stowed away the money safely in his pocket. "I trust you to do what is right on your ship and for me."

Severus watched the boy tremble from head to foot in tiredness, exhaustion written in his face. He had been working all day and night from what Severus could tell, and needed some well deserved rest.

So he jerked his head towards the bed, saying only, "You may rest there if you desire." He watched with hooded eyes as Harry's shoulders jerked back and he looked as if he wanted to resist. You say you trust me…do you really? Snape thought laconically.

Harry felt uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping in the man's rooms with him present, but he caught sight of the slight gleam in the Captains eye. He knew what Severus was thinking, and he straightened his back proudly. He had given his trust and would not retract it unless it was betrayed.

"I suppose it'll do for now," he said, making his way to the forest green coverlet and his slipping his shoes free from his feet. He shimmied out of his shirt self-consciously and left on his ragged pants before gratefully crawling into the downy bed. It seems much more comfortable than the little cot he had been given below decks, he thought briefly before snuggling deeper into the covers.

He had expected it to be hard to fall asleep with such penetrating eyes upon his back, but surprisingly enough it was a consolation to him as he fell into the deep, rich blankness of sleep.

Captain Snape watched with a detached eye as the boy turned his body away from him, facing the wall, and relaxed almost immediately into sleep. It was not surprising to Severus that the boy would probably need a week's worth of rest to erase the fatigue lining his body.

He sat as his desk in perfect stillness, pondering what exactly he was to do with the boy now that he was in his custody. He knew it was a hard life, living on the sea, but he could imagine it was a sight better than residing under the same roof as Harry's relatives.

The boy was small for his age, as if he hadn't had the room to grow any taller than what he had been allowed. He had the muscle of those accustomed to work, but it didn't lend much to his form, for he was still as lean as a young girl.

But that scar…

Severus had never seen such a scar before. He could have almost brushed it off as an accident, but the shape gave little credence to the excuse. He was sure he had heard of such a scar before, but could not place the rumor. It was probably some sort of strange tale Dumbledore would have told me, and that makes me suspicious, he thought tartly before shrugging silently.

His thoughts were interrupted by a brief knock at the door before it opened to expose Zabini standing politely.

"Sir, I wanted to know…" he trailed off as he caught sight of Harry in Severus' bed. "Oh," he said inelegantly, gaping blindly.

"He is sleeping, Mr. Zabini," Snape informed the man coolly. "He was exhausted from working all day and night for his relatives I would presume."

"Yes, quite so," Zabini blundered, backing out of the portal way. "I shall just come back at a more appropriate time."

Severus huffed in annoyance and beckoned the man closer. "For God's sakes, I'm not going to sleep with the boy," he said candidly. "Now what is it you wanted to see me about?"

"Well, I was wondering what time we would leave the port, seeing as how Mr. Malfoy has not shown up yet," Blaise said, regaining some of his composure after averting his eyes from the soundly sleeping boy.

"I expect Draco shall be missing for some time, which is allowable as we have some time to spare before sailing next. I shall have to purchase some supplies for the boy now that he is my personal cabin servant, I suppose," Snape said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.

"So when should I tell the men we are leaving?" Blaise prodded.

"We will leave in two days. Half of the crew may leave for the city, and the other half shall stay and guard the ship against any looters," Snape said, reaching out smoothly to pick up his eagle feathered quill.

"The half that left last night shall stay behind then, and rotate the next day as well," Blaise said decisively. "I shall alert the men if that is all, Captain."

Snape merely nodded his head, and Blaise bowed and left quickly to finish the rest of his own chores and Severus finished up the ships logs and paperwork. Blaise had his own enjoyable evening to look forward to now that the ship had been delayed in the port for an extra evening.

"You are already causing troubles for me, boy," the Captain murmured before dropping his quill and grabbing his coat to leave the quarters. He would observe the ship details that needed attending to while his charge was sleeping peacefully. Gripping his wand he hesitated outside the door before whispering a locking and protection spell, and left to visit the other officers of the ship.

TBC

A/N: Thanks to the reviewer "a seafaring man" with the help of editing some facts in this chapter! I appreciate the information on ship-life -)