Thanks for all your reviews. I'm sorry I left you with a cliffhanger for a while; I'd been planning to update quickly but then I got a couple of ideas for new HP fics and ended up writing them instead...
Quick plea – I have yet to come up with a suitable punishment for Snape, and I'd like people's opinions on it. Do you think corporal punishment should be used? Or does anyone have any good ideas for ones that Harry would be a bit happier about?
Also, I have already started heading towards the end of this fic. I estimate there'll probably be another 3 or 4 chapters after this one; maybe a couple more if they're short chapters like this one.
--------------------
Hermione dashed past a couple of first years talking about Quidditch, only narrowly avoiding knocking them over in the process.
"Harry!"
"He's not here," said Ginny. "I think he and Ron went to get a book out of the library for that Transfiguration assignment you all have to do. What's up?"
"I found something, on the slave bond. I need to speak to him. And Snape, too. If I go get the boys, can you fetch Snape please?"
"Um, sure. Where should we meet? You know if it's important and to do with the slave bond, maybe Dumbledore should be there."
"True… we could meet outside his office I suppose. He'll probably be in there."
"Okay I'll see you in a few minutes."
They both left the Gryffindor common room, separating as soon as they had stepped through the door.
--------------------
Snape heard the knocking on the door to his living room, and growled. Couldn't anyone leave him in peace and quiet anymore?
He strode to the door, and flung it open, only to feel the effects of the slave bond as he realised his anger was directed at his master's girlfriend.
"Miss Weasley," he greeted, bowing slightly.
Ginny felt uncomfortable. Maybe she should have been the one to fetch Harry and Ron, instead. "Hi, um, Hermione sent me to fetch you. Apparently she's found something out about your bond. I don't know what it is."
Snape just nodded, reluctantly leaving his sanctuary and closing the door behind him. "Where are we meeting her, ma'am?"
"Dumbledore's office."
They headed there silently, arriving outside the gargoyle at around the same time as Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"Master," he acknowledged quietly, bowing as low as possible without risking losing his balance.
Harry just nodded to him, and quietly uttered "Aniseed balls." The staircase was revealed, and the group walked up, thankful to find Dumbledore present when they reached the top.
"And what might I do for all of you?" asked the Headmaster curiously.
All eyes turned to Hermione and she was suddenly nervous. Her eyes flicked to Snape and then back to Dumbledore. "I – I think I might have found a way to keep Professor Snape here at Hogwarts when Harry leaves."
Hope flickered in the eyes of many in the room. At present it was not impossible for Snape to continue teaching after his Master left school, but it would mean Apparating to Harry's home every weekend and a number of evenings, so as to continue his personal servitude.
"You think?" asked Snape, not willing to take her words for granted without further explanation.
"Yes, this book –" she held up the tome clutched in her left hand – "refers to a spell that allowed Masters to send their slaves on long-term assignments without having to have any contact with them. It doesn't give the details, but it does say where they can be found, so if we can find a copy of that book..."
"Indeed."
Hermione faltered. "There's just one problem, sir, and it's pretty big. It mentions a consequence, something that would have to happen at least once every year. I think because the slave would miss out on personally serving their Master for so long, and receiving punishments for any mistakes, that it would have to be… made up for."
Snape's head lifted. "In other words, I might have to spend some of each year debasing myself in front of my Master and being tortured."
Hermione flinched.
"Never mind. I would gladly suffer such a fate if it would allow me freedom for the rest of the year, provided that it were not publicised."
"It's not like we'd tell anyone, Severus," said Harry quietly.
He glanced at the teenager, and simply bowed in reply.
"We don't really know what it means yet though," said Hermione quickly. "I mean, this book only has a couple of paragraphs on the spell. The 'consequence' might not be as bad as you think, sir."
Snape just rolled his eyes. "I am quite sure it will be, Miss Granger. No matter. Dumbledore, you no doubt stand the best chance of finding this book."
"Of course Severus, I will begin looking into it immediately."