Disclaimer: I wonder if someone is foolish enough to claim this as their own… Rest assure that HP is NOT mine… But hey, I can play with them a little, can't I?

Thank-you list: To Jamie, Jade and Lildove, my super beta-readers! And to: Mistal The Poisoned One(bows) ; ura-hd; MuggleTendencies(Lol! The whip hurts, so here's the chapter!); drivelikebandits; Jolene Kaye; DemonRogue; SuciaBonita; axegurl
(that's what I think too. Harry has been through so much and yet some people want him to pretend that nothing has changed at all.); Angel-Wings6; Viridiana (lovely review! I can't promise you a fight between Bill and Harry, but the one thing I promise is that Bill will appear again.);driven to insanity; silver emerald eyes (lol! If you decide to read this chapter, I hope you like it); Sephyreth Riddle; realizing thestrals; VRENDA-SAN; SeditiousMaverick(I remember Serpencencia! Thanks for reviewing again!); Sakura of the HP world; Goldensong; liliamagnum (you're so sweet! Thanks a lot! I wish your dreams come true too!); Kuraii Koneko(Sevvie-kun it is!); Ralna Malfoy; Silver Salamander(No, it never gets boring at all. In fact, my reviews are my source of inspiration to keep on writing. So keep reviewing! XD); GaiazHeart; hala

Chap. 34 – THE EX-GREASY BASTARD

"Are we there yet?" Harry asked with a yawn. It was almost midnight and they were still on the road. He was tired already, but he didn't have the courage to ask Draco to pull over. He had already done it four times. One more and Draco would use the Cruciatus curse on him.

"Just a little more and we'll be there," Draco said, keeping his eyes on the bumping road. "You aren't going to ask me to pull over again, are you?" There was a distinct threat in Draco's voice.

Harry made a face and then yawned again. "No, I won't. But really, where the hell does he live? We've been travelling for hours! I'm hungry and sleepy. Maybe we should look for a small village or something."

"There are sandwiches in a bag in the back," Draco informed.

"And you tell me this now?" Harry asked angrily, turning to search for the bag.

Draco shrugged. "I didn't know you were hungry."

"Of course I am! Last time we ate something we were still at the station."

Harry waited for Draco's reply, but the blond seemed to be in a world of his own. Harry wondered what he was thinking. Draco had such a poker face that it was hard to tell. With a heavy sigh, Harry took an angry bite from the sandwich and was pleased with its taste.

It was astonishing to discover that Draco not only had a driver's license but also knew a lot about cars. Harry didn't really know why he had been so surprised, after all Draco lived among muggles and these things didn't seem to bother him anymore. Harry was curious about that change in his character, but he was still too much of a coward to ask. Draco was very reserved about his personal life. Whatever happened to Draco must have traumatised him for life.

Harry rested his head comfortably on his seat. Since they had discarded Apparation for matters of security, at least they had rented a very good car at the station and were now heading for Snape's secret haven, a place so hard to find that Harry was beginning to think that: a) the place didn't exist and the greasy bastard was laughing at them by now or b) Snape's place was in the middle of the ocean.

Wherever it was, it was taking too long to get there and Harry was beginning to feel very pissed off. Snape surely broke the record for the world's most unsociable person.

Draco finally pulled over when Harry finished eating his sandwich. Harry let out a happy yelp, but when he got out and saw nothing around him but endless fields, he frowned.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he muttered. He could hear the ocean not so far away. He turned to stare at Draco and waited for an explanation. "Where's the bastard's house? Please, don't tell me we are lost or I'll kill you."

Draco calmly leaned on the car's door and gave him a half-smile. "You know, I was thinking about playing with you a little by telling you that we are indeed lost, but I'm really too tired to argue with you. I have a really good time when we're shouting at each other, but right now I just want a cozy bed."

"Where's the fucking house?" Harry asked in a hiss.

"This is it, Potter."

Harry looked around again and found nothing. "All right. Where's the catch?"

Draco was now grinning widely. He walked closer to Harry, put his arms around his waist and rested their foreheads together. "You're smart, Potter. I know it's hard, but try using your brain a little and you'll come up with the answer."

Harry's eyes were flaming with irritation when he said, "My brain works just fine, Malfoy. Let me guess… The bastard's house is protected so he must have a Secret Keeper. That's a first for our dear Professor. I didn't know he was capable of making friends brave enough to accept being his Secret Keeper. I'm shocked, really," Harry sneered.

Draco made a face. "Well, he has to trust someone. And he isn't that unpleasant when you get to know him."

"I would really like to believe in you, but I have too many unpleasant memories with him and I got to know him more than I wanted with our Occlumency lessons."

"He taught you Occlumency?" Draco asked with a stunned expression.

"Yes, he did."

"Damn you, Potter! How did you get him to do it?" Draco seemed very upset.

"Dumbledore made him do it. Don't feel jealous. It was anything but consensual. He hated those times we spent together as much as I did." Harry left out the fact that sometimes Snape had actually resembled a human being.

"I had to work my butt off to make him teach me. It figures… You always had it easy, Potter," Draco said, sulking.

"Oh, say that again! When did I have it easy, Malfoy?"

"Everybody sucked up to you at Hogwarts," Draco stated, taking a step back and crossing his arms.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh, please! You aren't going to behave like a brat now, are you? You're still jealous of me. Unbelievable! I thought you were too tired to start an argument with me."

"I am."

"It doesn't look like it. And I'm already very pissed off, so…"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" said a throaty voice behind Harry. "You two are more irritating than I can remember!"

"Uncle!" Draco exclaimed happily, leaning forward to give Snape a hug. Harry thought he saw Snape smiling, but with only the moonlight on them it was hard to tell.

"Uncle?" Harry sneered at Snape, who glared at him like the old days. Harry almost felt like he was in potions class again and had just exploded his cauldron.

"Let me take a look at you, Potter," said Snape taking out his wand and pointing at Harry. Harry drew a step back distrustfully. "Lumus."

The whole area brightened up and while Snape stared at Harry with a frown, Harry was absolutely shocked by his ex-professor's appearance. The greasy long hair was gone. It wasn't even pitch black anymore. It was short, slightly spiky and with a perfect mixture of grey and black. And the most stunning thing about it was that Snape looked like a whole new man. He looked younger and handsome. Although Snape was still grumpy and moody at first sight, there was something about him that Harry couldn't quite place, a strange sparkle in his eyes.

"You look like the same twit as always, only thinner," Snape said with a grimace.

"I'm working on that," said Draco, starting to feel irritated with the way Harry was staring at Snape.

"You look… different," Harry muttered without taking his eyes off Snape.

"Hey!" Draco scowled at Harry. "You aren't gay remember? Should I be jealous, Harry?"

"Don't be stupid, Draco!" Harry replied angrily. "I just said he looked different, not that I want to sleep with him. Eww!"

"The same goes for me, Potter." Snape looked at Draco and then at Harry. "So now you're on a first name basis, huh? That's certainly a big change." Harry and Draco flushed. "Well, you can tell me the news inside. It's freezing out here."

While Draco got their bags from the car, Harry still wondered where the house was. He still couldn't see anything but a vast field. He watched Draco and Snape from afar walking away to the emptiness. He cleared his throat, upset. Draco and Snape stared at him questioningly and Harry said slightly irritated, "I can't see the house."

Snape smiled in a nasty way and Harry didn't find him so handsome anymore. "So the great Harry Potter can't break my Secret Keeper spell with his super-powers?"

Harry grunted. "I could if I wanted to, but I'm too tired."

Draco moved forward, leaving their bags floating in the air, and then gave Harry a piece of paper. "I forgot. Please, forgive me," Draco said apologetically.

"It's alright," mumbled Harry. He could never be angry with Draco when he behaved so cutely.

Written on the paper was Snape's address and the name of his Secret Keeper.

"So, it's Professor McGonagall. It makes sense," Harry said to himself.

"You better take this to your grave, Potter," Snape threatened.

Harry smiled in a mysterious way. "I guess you'll have to trust me." It felt good to know so many of your enemy's secrets. Not that Snape was exactly an enemy, but they fought too much to be considered friends. Hermione had had the nerve to say once that Snape behaved like a father to him.

"He does protect you a lot. I think he cares about you in his own distorted way..." she had said.

That comment had sounded so ridiculous that Harry hadn't bothered to retort. But then again, Hermione was the first to notice his attraction for Draco and vice-versa. He shook his head to send those thoughts away.

"Potter!" Snape called him with a frown. "You still daydream even when you aren't taking classes! Don't tell me you're still not seeing the house."

Harry clenched his teeth and then looked up. The vision took his breath away. It was a small castle that combined Victorian, Greek and Colonial Revival influences. Harry was so amazed by its beauty that his jaw refused to close. "I see it alright," he said absent-mindedly.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Draco asked standing next to him.

Harry nodded. "I confess I was expecting something more sober and gloomy. You know, Snape-like."

Snape scowled. "Hey, you little... I'm not your professor anymore but I'm still older than you, Potter. Show me some respect."

"Yeah, yeah," said Harry with a shrug, walking towards the house excitedly.

Snape got his wand and pointed it at him, but Draco quickly caught his arm and lowered it. "No fighting, please."

Snape wrinkled his forehead. "So you're the only one allowed to yell at him?"

"Well, yeah." Draco's cheeks turned red. "He is my lover after all."

Snape bit his lower lip and sighed. "The Daily Prophet was telling the truth, then."

"Yep. I mean, only the part where Harry and I got together is accurate. The rest is just rubbish." Draco waited anxiously for his godfather's next words. Whether he liked it or not, Snape was like a second father to him so his approval meant a lot to him.

"What do you want me to say? He's stubborn, block-headed, impulsive and a Gryffindor..." Draco made a face. "But he has a good heart. And what the hell! He's cute."

"Don't I know it?" Draco smiled and he felt like a weight had been taken off his shoulders. "I love him."

Snape didn't seem to be very happy about that. "I noticed it a long time ago. The way you treated him looked… familiar. You know I don't mind if Potter is your choice, Draco. But does he love you?"

"I don't know."

"Well, make sure you do, because it was hard to pick up the pieces the last time you came to me crying your heart out."

Draco felt the weight return to his shoulders.

-

Draco was amused by Harry's behaviour. The brunet walked around Severus' house as if he owned the place. After dinner, while Draco watched Harry lying down on the couch with a smile, Severus seemed uncomfortable. Draco sat next to Harry and asked curiously, "How can you be so relaxed?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. There's something about this house… something in the air… It makes me feel very peaceful. It's odd."

"Tell me about it!" Draco exclaimed.

Draco glanced at his godfather with a smile, but when he noticed how stiff Severus' body was, he knew that something wasn't quite right. His eyes scanned Severus. Indeed, Harry was right about him. Severus had changed immensely over the years. He didn't even resemble the old Potions Master with the bad hair. Draco remembered the last time he had spent time with Severus in that house. By then Severus had showed some signs that he was changing, but this time Severus was glowing. He never looked so attractive. Draco's eyes kept paying attention to every little detail of Severus' body, and he let out a yelp when something gold shone on Severus' annular finger.

"Did you get married?" Draco asked, stunned.

Harry instantly sat up on the couch and stared at Snape with avid curiosity. "Oh, my god! Is that a wedding ring? Who would be crazy enough to marry you?"

Severus flushed furiously and he instinctively hid his hand behind his back. "It's none of your business."

Draco looked at him a little sad and disappointed. "You can't even tell me?"

Severus cursed Draco under his breath. He was never able to deny his godson anything when Draco made that face. He sighed. "Ok. Yes, I got married a year ago… It was no big deal. We didn't throw a party or anything like that, so we didn't send invitations. At our ages it would have been ridiculous."

"Where is she/he?" asked Harry and Draco in one voice. They stared at one another and then Harry looked at Severus as if he had just made a huge discovery. "It's a he?" Harry asked, amused. Severus just grunted, but Harry persisted by saying, "You're gay? A lot makes sense now. Wait until Ron hears about it."

"Hey!" Draco complained. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Yes, Potter," Severus sneered. "After all, as far as I can see, you aren't exactly straight, are you?"

Harry flushed hotly. "Draco is an exception."

"Yeah, right," said Severus with a smirk. "That's what everybody says."

Draco didn't seem to be happy about Harry's answer either, but looking on the bright side of things, at least Harry had the courage to admit aloud that he and Draco had a relationship. 'I'm an exception… Shouldn't that make me happy?' Draco asked himself with a bitter taste in his mouth. He was getting tired of Harry's constant change of behaviour when they were together. One minute he was sweet and the next he was a total jerk.

"Whatever," said Harry sulking.

Feeling the aggressive vibe between Harry and Severus, Draco decided to intervene and change topics. "Do we get to meet him? Is he someone we know?"

This time even Harry noticed Severus' tension. That made him very apprehensive. "He isn't a Death Eater, is he?"

"No, Potter! For Merlin's sake!" Severus exclaimed tartly. "Would you drop it? You'll meet him later. Right now I want to know exactly why you're both here disturbing my peaceful life."

Harry licked his lips. "Didn't Draco tell you?"

"No. He just told me he wanted some time off because of The Daily Prophet's article and because he was afraid of Lucius' reaction to that St. Mungo's picture."

Harry instantly looked at Draco with surprise. "Are you afraid of your father? You didn't tell me anything. Why? Why are you afraid of him? Isn't he in jail?"

Draco sighed. "My father will know that I was responsible for you getting better."

"So?"

"So? Are you stupid?" Draco couldn't believe Harry wasn't worried about that. "My father will be really angry, Potter. He'll send someone after me, or worse, he might come after me himself. My mother told me that Lucius is appealing his sentence and knowing my father, he'll probably buy the entire jury to be freed. He'll come after us."

"He'll ask for your head on a silver plate, Potter," Severus mentioned with a grimace. "After all, Lucius will never forgive Draco for being with you of all people."

Harry felt his anger rising but he shrugged it away. "So what? Let him come. I'm not afraid of him."

"But Draco is and I won't let anything happen to him because of that sick bastard. Not anymore," Severus stated protectively.

Draco was very touched by Severus' words, but also a little annoyed. They were making him feel like such a coward.

"I guess that your father had a major part in what happened to you after you left Hogwarts," Harry said so accurately that Draco almost choked. "What did he do? Do you really think I'll hate you for something he did to you?"

"You didn't tell him?" Severus asked reprovingly.

Draco felt out of breath and dizzy. "What happened then has nothing to do with this. We didn't come here just because I'm afraid of Lucius. I can handle my father." That wasn't exactly true, but Draco wouldn't admit his weakness in front of them. "We came here because Harry said he was having nightmares with Voldemort and..."

"... because we want to know more about bonds," Harry completed.

Severus went slightly pale at first, but he quickly regained his cold posture. It wasn't in his nature to panic. "Ok. First things first. Let's start with something light. What the hell do you want to know about bonds and why?"

"Draco saved me more than once," Harry started.

"And we think that we were connected with a life and death bond. I talked to Hermione and she seemed to think that bonds can be dangerous," Draco continued. "She also said that these bonds can lead to insanity if one or both parts love or hate each other, and she quoted you."

"Me?" Severus asked, surprised.

"She told me about your bond with Harry's father. James Potter saved you and since you couldn't return the favour you felt so indebted to him that you became obsessed and you turned your anger and care towards Harry instead."

"Hey, Hermione told you a lot, that traitor!" Harry exclaimed angrily.

Severus didn't look so pleased either. "Miss Granger still thinks she knows everything, doesn't she?" he hissed.

"Mrs. Weasley," Harry corrected him. "She married Ron."

"What a lovely couple they must be," Severus sneered under Harry's irritated look.

Severus walked towards the bar and poured himself a drink, then offered it to Harry and Draco. Harry opened his mouth to accept it, but Draco kicked his leg hard making him sulk and refuse it. Severus watched the scene with amusement. Draco and Harry reminded him of his relationship with the man who shared his bed.

Severus sat on his armchair and stared at the fireplace. He knew Harry and Draco's visit would be difficult on him, but he didn't think he would feel this bad. Severus was used to having upsetting things in his life. Surely he could handle a few questions about bonds and Voldemort. He shivered and then placed the glass on the little table next to him. Voldemort and bonds wouldn't be so terrible to deal with. It was another thing that was making him tense and nervous. Or better yet, someone who might show up at any minute.

Severus looked at Harry and Draco and made a face. "Bonds are only dangerous when they are caused by magic. Natural bonds mean absolutely nothing unless you want them to. Natural bonds are created by your own conscience, that's all. I felt indebted to your father because I hated the fact that he had saved me. There isn't any invisible thread linking you two just because Draco saved you, Potter. Even if you do feel like you owe him something, it doesn't mean that anything bad will happen to you or him if this debt isn't paid. This is just stupid."

"But you were so obsessed with the idea of saving Harry..." Draco muttered, receiving a deadly look from Severus.

"Obsession is a strong word..." said Severus tartly. "I expected Mr Potter to be just as reckless and irresponsible as his father and his gang was, so–"

"Blimey! Would you stop comparing me to my father? I hate when people do that! Besides, I thought we had worked that out," Harry said moodily.

"We did, Potter," said Severus crisply. "We resolved our issues about that matter a long time ago. We agreed that even though you have the same taste for trouble as your father, we also agreed that you weren't a bully like him."

"We also agreed that my dad eventually did grow up and changed for the best. You did say my mum was the best thing that happened to him, didn't you? And you also said I had some of her good qualities besides her green eyes. Didn't you?" Harry said defiantly.

Severus made a face. "Yes, Potter. We've been through this before. I don't feel like going through our touching apology scene all over again. The thing is, I couldn't return the favour to your father, so I promised myself that I would do anything in my power to protect you, even if from yourself, which proved to be right since you were such a reckless little brat." Harry and Severus exchanged a dark look. "And I'm glad I could stop you from harming yourself on many occasions. It didn't have anything to do with bonds. It was just something I felt I had to do. Stop worrying about bonds, because unless you cast one upon yourselves, you've got nothing to worry about. Did you cast a magical bond upon yourselves?" Severus felt like he had to ask, after all, it was Potter he was talking about.

"No," answered Draco and Harry at the same time.

"So you guys had a heart to heart conversation in the past?" Draco asked curiously.

"I wouldn't call it that exactly..." Harry mumbled. "It was more like yelling apologies to one another. But it made me feel good."

Severus rolled his eyes. "Then problem number one solved. As for the other problem..." Severus felt chills down his spine. "What exactly is going on?"

"Harry is having nightmares about Voldemort," Draco began nervously.

Severus gulped, but he tried to remain cool about it. "What kind of nightmares?"

"What kind of question is that?" Harry asked with a sneer. "Nightmares are nightmares! They're meant to scare you to death, aren't they? That's the kind of nightmare I have. I keep reliving every painful moment of my life and I can't do anything to stop them. At first I was just watching the same scene over and over, but somehow the nightmares are changing. In one of my dreams, Voldemort looked right at me. In another one, I was him. I mean, my dream self incorporated him or something."

Severus couldn't bear to keep still any longer. He stood up and began to pace nervously around the room.

"And then Draco told me about how Voldemort managed to cast a curse on me just before he died. A curse that would keep me in an endless nightmare. I was so pissed off! None of you bothered to tell me until now!"

"Please, Potter. You wouldn't have believed us back then, no matter how friendly we became after our little chat," Severus pointed out cynically.

"That's what I told him," Draco said.

"But I deserved to know the truth! I mean, look at me now! I'm having these nightmares and–"

"Since when?" Severus asked, cutting across him.

"A couple of months ago. They don't happen every day, just once in a while... But I–"

"Then perhaps these nightmares of yours are a psychological problem, Potter. If they were caused by Voldemort's curse, you'd have been having these bad dreams since you got out of St Mungo's. Did you?"

"No, but–"

"I made your healing potion myself, Potter. It took me a lot of time and effort. It worked brilliantly."

"Not so brilliantly if I'm having nightmares now!" Harry exclaimed grimly.

"And what makes you think that your nightmares have anything to do with Voldemort's curse? Curses don't just die away to emerge again years later! This is probably the product of your own fears. Perhaps something inside you is telling you to face your deepest traumas once and for all."

That was what Harry thought, too. But he needed to make sure that it was really that and not a leftover from Voldemort's curse.

"How can I make sure of it?" Harry asked.

Severus looked at him quietly for a long time, pondering what to say. There was a way, but it would be too risky. He had worked so hard to keep Harry away from trouble. He wouldn't screw up by sending him to a dangerous place. Besides, Severus wondered what he would have to say about all of it. But if there was a way, Harry had the right to know and make the decision himself. After all, he wasn't a kid anymore.

Severus sighed. "There's this wizard who lives in Tibet. He's known for being one of the wisest men alive, even wiser than Dumbledore was. He lives reclusively, even more than I do. It is said that only those who are meant to see his whereabouts will see them. You have to earn your right to see him and that's the tricky part. I can point you in the right direction, Potter, but I can't help you face the obstacles that you'll find along the way, because I honestly don't know anything about them. I don't know how dangerous they are, but they are said to be quite difficult to pass."

Harry and Draco shivered. Draco reached out for Harry's hand instinctively and squeezed it. Harry squeezed back, needing Draco's support. He was so absent-minded that he didn't even notice Severus' look of surprise.

"What can this guy do for Harry?" Draco asked in a whisper.

"He can read your soul. He can bring troubled souls their peace of mind back. Maybe that's what you need, Potter. But like I said, it's quite difficult to get to him. Some say he's not even real."

"But you believe that he is, right?" Harry asked.

Severus seemed disturbed. "I do... But that's only because Dumbledore was one of the rare people who met the guy."

"Then he is real," Harry stated. "I'll go after him. I'll find him."

Severus sighed, annoyed. "Didn't you just hear what I said? It's bloody impossible to get to him. You're going to Tibet! Not only muggles have political problems there, but wizards too! You can't just enter Tibet! Besides, you might face many magical challenges, Potter, and I don't think you're ready for that. You've been away from action for quite some time. You need to prepare yourself first."

"I'll go," Draco said resolutely.

Severus shook his head. "I'm sorry, Draco, but you can't. Only Harry can do it. It's his problem, not yours."

"It is my problem! After all, I was the one who made him drink that healing potion. If it didn't work the way we thought it would, then I have a responsibility to it and..."

"You can't go, Draco," Severus said firmly.

"I'll go with him, then," Draco stated.

"Draco..." Severus began, but was interrupted by Harry's firm voice.

"You can't." Harry looked at Draco. Suddenly things seemed very clear to him. He knew that he would have to face this journey alone. "This guy... Snape says that only those who are meant to see him will meet him. I am that person. I'm the one who's been fighting with myself ever since I can remember. I'm divided in two. I need to put myself together again. He'll help me, I'm sure of it. But you can't go with me, Draco. This is my task alone. I can't let you go with me. Sorry." Draco was about to complain when Harry turned to Severus and said, "Tell me how to get there."

Severus felt his heart get stuck in his throat. He could only do so much. There was another person who was better fit for the job, but Severus wasn't sure how Harry was going to react when he found out.

"I... There's..." Severus felt his hands shaking and he clenched his fists. "Dumbledore wasn't the only person I know who met him. There was someone else... Someone you know quite well, Potter. He should be your teacher, not me."

"Who?" Harry asked curiously.

"It's me, Harry," said a hoarse voice from the door.

Harry felt like time had frozen and he only had eyes for the tall man who had suddenly appeared in front of him.

TBC…

A/N: Hehehe. Evil cliff-hanger! Place your bets. Who's the mysterious person? Who was brave enough to marry Severus? The secret will be revealed on the next issue!