Bound and Broken
Chapter 8
I don't own Harry Potter. I don't want to own Harry Potter either. Now Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) I wouldn't mind owning him, but sadly I don't own him either. I do however own other soon to be known Characters. I also own the plot of the story. I adopted this fic from SpikesWoman77, and I hope to do her some justice. I posted this fic on my web groups. If you would like to check out the groups go to my profile. Summary—This is an abused Harry bonds with Snape fic. Harry is kidnapped by Death Eaters, tortured and raped. Severus happens upon him and alerts the Order. Harry is brought back to headquarters where he has to face what he's gone through while dealing with the death of Sirius. Dumbledore is his usual meddling self and finds a way to "help" his two most important "friends". Features a slightly OOC Snape and dark Lupin. This will be HP-SS slash. I hope it's original enough for you all and I hope you enjoy. And don't forget to review!
Warning—this chapter contains mentions of Rape and Torture though I will not be describing much of it. Be warned! I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. I would also like to suggest if you like Flaming then light a match. No one is perfect so please be nice constructive criticism is one thing but to be rude is not.
Thanks,
Serena
(Rena)
Severus stormed into Dumbledore's office without pausing to knock. The loud bang sounded through the small office as the door slammed against the wall. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk and looked utterly un-surprised to see Snape.
Severus' face was a mask of rage as he stalked towards Albus' desk, a feral gleam in his beetle black eyes.
"Severus," Dumbledore said, the usual twinkle shining through his blue eyes. "Good of you to visit. Can I offer you some tea?"
Severus placed both palms on top of Dumbledore's desk and leaned forwards. "What the bloody hell is going on with me?" he growled in a low voice.
Dumbledore sat back and clasped his hands over his stomach. "I'm afraid I may need you to elaborate. Why don't you sit down."
Severus glared harder but sighed and turned to sit down stiffly. "Don't play stupid Albus. You know full well what's wrong with me and I want to know. Now."
It was highly unusual for Severus to be so demanding of Dumbledore but the old man understood the stress that was now affecting the surly Potion's Master. "Could you please elaborate Severus," he said again. "Are you ill?"
Severus leaned forward again. "I'm experiencing symptoms of a bonding...a soul bonding Albus. Why?"
"A soul bonding," Dumbledore mused, stroking his beard in thought. "Interesting. Are you certain of the symptoms?"
Severus let out a harsh chuckle. "Of course I am you fool! I'm constantly plagued with the feeling that I've lost something and my dreams..." he trailed off and shuddered. "Albus, I know the symptoms...I'm a Potion's Master for Merlin's sake! I make the sodding potion required to place the spell! Why the hell am I experiencing the symptoms?"
Dumbledore sighed. "Has anyone else near you started to feel the same?"
"No," Severus snapped. "Well not that I've..." he would have finished the sentence but he suddenly remembered Potter. He remembered the teen collapsing in the Great Hall and...from what Draco said...shaking his head, it all suddenly made sense. All of it.
Severus turned his cold eyes on Albus, his jaw clenching tightly. "You didn't...you...wouldn't." Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed and looked deep into the old man's eyes. The answer was there. "You doddering old fool! You couldn't have! He's a bloody teenager! I'm...I'm a spy Albus! I'm a Death Eater! This is insanity!" His voice was near hysteria as he tried to rationalize the insane mind of the old man. "What is the bloody point to that! It's bloody well permanent! If I don't...if he and I don't..." but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Not that...not with a teenager young enough to be his own son. "No. I won't."
"Then you subject Harry to a fate worse than death," Dumbledore said softly. "Worse than what Voldemort could ever do to the boy."
"Boy," Severus shouted slamming his hand on the top of the desk. "He's a boy! It's..." he snapped his jaw shut angrily, knowing that nothing was getting through to the old man, not to mention that the damage was already done. If the bonding had been cast...it must be completed or...the consequences were too intense for Severus to contemplate at the moment. "Albus...please tell me there is a way out." His voice held a note of desperation as he searched his brain for something, anything that would get him out of this. "Did you even take into consideration what the boy has gone through during his holidays? He was tortured and raped...raped Albus! Do you know what that's done to him? And you expect me to..to..." he trailed off again, growing more irritated by Dumbledore's silence then anything.
Dumbledore pulled off his specs and cleaned them with a small cloth he extracted from the pocket of his robes. Tucking away the cloth, he pushed the golden rimmed glasses back over his nose and looked carefully at Snape. "I do not need to justify my actions to you Severus."
"You damn well better when they involve bonding me to another...for life!"
Dumbledore's eyes lost the twinkle and he leaned forward. "I have my reasons and perhaps someday I will share them. For now all you need know is that the bonding has been cast...and if something isn't done you and Harry are doomed to suffer the same fate. It's up to you Severus. But please...do think of what Harry would want."
Severus paled as the gravity of the situation hit him fully. "It truly is done," he whispered. "I must..." he trailed off growing angrier than before. "Harry doesn't deserve this you mad old man! He's just a child! He doesn't deserve to be bound to me for life! Do you realize that should he and I survive the the war, not to mention the rest of the wizarding world when they find out Harry is bound to me...he won't be able to take another lover...ever? That is unfair."
"Sometimes we must do things for the greater good Severus."
"How the hell is this for the greater good?" Severus bellowed. "You do realize that I will not be able to hide the bond from the Dark Lord, do you not? I cannot block a person who has bonded to my soul with simple Occlumency! He will see it straight away."
"I'm sure you will come up with something, Severus," Dumbledore said up with something?" Severus sputtered. "You...you're mad! You truly are mad!"
Dumbledore chuckled despite Severus' obvious anger and confusion. "Perhaps I am. But I also want to the two of you survive this war and this may be the only thing that does it."
"Binding me to Potter? That makes no sense!" Severus yelled. "No bloody sense!"
Dumbledore shrugged. "Perhaps it doesn't now...but I'm sure it will." He continued on without giving Severus a chance to comment. "Now...it seems Mr. Potter has fallen quite ill. He had intended on visiting with you however he's now lying unconscious in the hospital wing. Perhaps it's time for you to see him."
Severus frowned. "I am not as ill...yet. Why is he?"
"He is younger, he does not have the amount of will power it takes to fight it," Dumbledore explained easily.
"How long?" Severus asked, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
Dumbledore sighed softly. "Another day...though perhaps less. One cannot be too sure about these things. They're different for everyone really."
Severus glared and stood up. "I will never forgive you for this...and neither will Harry."
He stormed out of the office, but not before he heard the soft sigh of Dumbledore and the quiet words, "I am well aware...but we all must sacrifice something for the sake of the wizarding world in times of war."
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Severus stormed into the hospital wing and found Mme Pomfrey tending to Harry. She was bathing his forehead with a cooling potion while the boy lay unconscious on the bed. Severus approached quietly, clearing his throat softly to alert Poppy to his presence.
"What happened?" Severus asked though he knew full well.
"I cannot be certain," Poppy said, continuing to press the cooling cloth to Harry's head. "His fever is far too high, his movements before he went unconscious were slow and his speech had become slurred. At first I thought it was something relating to the trauma he suffered but...this looks far too like a sickness. Perhaps a poison? A time release poison Malfoy gave him while he was still in custody?"
Severus shrugged. "Perhaps. I think it might be best if I took him to my chambers and looked him over. I know of a few spells I can use to try and detect a poison but I will need complete silence for proper concentration. I can't chance doing it here where one of his idiotic Gryffindor dormmates could come bursting in demanding to know what the greasy git is doing to the saviour of the wizarding world."
Poppy sighed but nodded. "I know he will be in good hands. Use the fire in my office if you should need any assistance, Severus."
Severus' eyes widened a fraction. He was expecting an argument, a fight...something, but Poppy seemed too willing to let Severus take the boy. He knew it was most likely Dumbledore's doing and that thought only infuriated him more. But...he had to do this. He certainly didn't want to suffer the effects of an uncompleted bond and he would die before he let Harry be subject to that fate.
It was wrong...it went against every moral he held dear, but he would do it. Gathering the unconscious teen into his arms, he pushed away the feeling of sudden comfort and went swiftly down to his chambers. After using several locking charms and resetting his wards, Severus placed the teen on his small couch and began to prepare what he would need to complete the bond.
A short incantation and a He shuddered at that thought as he rummaged around his potion stores for the ingredients. The potion would take mere moments to complete, the incantation just seconds to say. But then...he would have to...he shook his head. He wasn't sure if he could. He was not sexually drawn to the boy, not even now, not even under the influence of the bonding charm. Debating whether he should take an arousal potion, he decided against it just in case it counteracted the bonding potion.
He would do what he had to...and it would be just the once, then it would be over. Severus completed the potion and quickly placed it in a small crystal phial. Wand in hand, he walked back to where Harry still lay motionless and he knelt beside the teen's head.
Reaching out, he pet Harry's hair lightly and shook his head. "I would never have done this to you had I any other choice Harry. I hope someday..." he didn't finish the thought because Harry suddenly stirred.
The teen's head moved to the side and his eyes fluttered open. "Mme Pomfrey?" he croaked out. "It's dark."
Severus sighed. "It's Prof Snape Harry," he said softly. "Mme Pomfrey sent me to fetch you. I have something that will heal you but it will be...difficult."
"Mmm," was all Harry could manage before he started to slip off into oblivion.
Realizing that time was slipping, Severus reached around the back of Harry's neck to guide the teen's head upright. "I need you to drink this Harry." With his other hand, Severus took the phial and helped Harry do drink half the contents. Lying the teen back, Severus drank the other half and grabbed his wand. "If I can help it...this won't take long." Taking a deep breath, Severus raised his wand and began the spell.
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Harry's eyes snapped open and he blinked against the harsh light. He was lying on an unfamiliar couch in an unfamiliar place. The air smelled slightly mossy and it was quite chilly. Harry found himself wearing his robes and wrapped in a thick blanket. His face was half buried in a poufy pillow and his legs were stretched out behind him.
Giving a jaw-cracking yawn, the teen sat up and rubbed at his eyes. His memory was muddled and he was feeling slightly groggy. He remembered talking with Malfoy...talking to Dumbledore and then attending classes. He had started towards Prof Snape's quarters when he suddenly lost consciousness and woke up in the hospital wing. Mme Pomfrey was talking to him, explaining to him that he'd developed a fever and she was trying to bring it down. Then...nothing.
No...something else...someone telling him that he was going to get better. Prof Snape. He remembered opening his eyes but he hadn't been able to see anything. Then Prof Snape's voice sounded through his head. It sounded kind and...safe.
Looking around again, Harry realized that he must be in Snape's quarters. "I wonder what time it is?" he mused aloud.
"It is exactly seven-thirty in the morning Mr. Potter and I have a class to teach in a few short hours," came Snape's silky voice from a room very near by.
Harry craned his neck over the back of the couch and he was able to make out the shadow of Prof Snape moving about. A moment later, Snape came walking into the room carrying a silver tray with a cup of tea and a plate of toast.
"I thought you might feel a bit peckish considering you've not eaten anything in the past two days."
Harry's stomach gave a loud rumble right at that moment and the teen blushed. "Erm...yeah that would be nice. Thanks."
Severus raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he set the tray down on the table next to the couch. "I suggest you eat quickly and then head to your rooms to gather your books. I daresay you're well enough to attend classes now. You may not be my student directly but I still insist you do not fall behind."
Harry couldn't stop himself from raising an eyebrow in curiosity. Sure, Prof Snape had been much kinder since...well since the incident but this was almost too much. "Prof Snape...what was wrong with me?"
Snape stopped and stared at Harry. "That is a conversation for another time Mr. Potter. It's a long story and unlike you, I cannot dawdle in my morning rituals."
"Can I by later on and we can talk?" Harry chanced. "And...well maybe not just because of my sickness. I just...something happened and I wanted to know if you could help me."
Severus nodded. "That would be fine Potter. After dinner, assuming that my dunderheaded students can manage to stay out of detention for one night, we can meet in my office."
Harry chuckled and nodded. "Okay." The teen quickly downed the cup of tea and grabbed a slice of toast. "I'll see you Prof...and...well whatever you did to cure me...thanks."
Severus said nothing. He merely nodded and watched as Harry bounded out of the room.
Harry left the dungeons, not pausing to think about how queer it was that he'd woken up on Snape's couch and quickly made his way back up to Gryffindor tower.
"Feeling better then, are we dearie?" the Fat Lady asked with a small smile.
Harry nodded. "Knightmove," he said and quickly entered the common room.
Hermione was already awake, sitting at a small table and helping Neville with his Charms paper. "You see Neville, it isn't the spelling you've got wrong, it's where you've accented it. If anyone had taken your paper and tried to cast the charm they'd likely turn the cup yellow, not make it shrink. It's accented here..." she used her quill to re-mark his paper, "and here."
Neville nodded and was about to ask her a question when he spotted Harry. "All right Harry?" he asked with a smile.
Hermione turned around and her face broke out into a huge grin. "Harry! Oh we were so worried! When did you wake up?"
Harry shrugged and walked to their table and took a seat next to Neville. "I guess sometime last night but I went right back to sleep."
Hermione frowned. "Ron and I went to the hospital wing to visit you after dinner but Mme Pomfrey said you'd been moved to another place for better treatment. We thought they'd taken you to St. Mungo's."
Harry shook his head. "No, Snape's quarters actually. I guess he had some potions to cure me cos when I woke up I was better and I had slept on his couch."
Neville paled at the thought and shook his head. "Sounds like a nightmare."
Harry chuckled. "Actually it was...quite nice. He made me breakfast and told me he'd figured out the cure to my sickness. I have to meet with him in his office tonight and he's going to tell me exactly what was wrong with me."
"Sounds dodgy," came Ron's voice from the stairway. "That greasy git has been a right wanker the past two days! I don't see how he could have possibly been cheery with you...hell, I can't imagine the git to be cheery ever."
Harry shrugged. "Dunno Ron but he honestly was. He didn't snap at me once."
"Dodgy," Ron said with a confirming nod. "I don't like it. Maybe I should go with you tonight."
Harry snorted. "Oh I'm sure Snape'll enjoy that. Two of the most hated Gryffindors to ever cross his path in his office not in detention. That'll likely send him over the edge."
Ron sniggered but Neville paled. "This is just too strange Harry. Why would he suddenly start being nice to you?"
Harry swallowed and bit down on his lip. He knew exactly why but he wasn't sure if he was ready to tell. He was about to open his mouth to make an excuse when Hermione spoke up.
"What does it matter? Harry's fine and Snape didn't kill him...obviously, so maybe we should just head to breakfast. I'd like to get something in my stomach before a day full of classes."
"Snape could've poisoned him," Ron offered as the four students headed for the portrait hole. "Or he could've charmed him to be his slave when Snape says a word...like...a trigger word or whatever it's called."
Hermione rolled her eyes as she marched in front of the group towards the Great Hall. "Honestly, you lot are so...retarded."
The three boys burst into laughter as they lagged behind, making up outrageous stories of what Snape might make Harry do if Harry really was under a, as Ron dubbed it, hypnotic-slave spell.
Most of the students were already in the Great Hall eating and Harry spotted Malfoy looking decidedly peaky, not touching his breakfast. He was sitting at the end of the Slytherin table obviously not listening to Pansy's loud, incessant prattling on about her hair colour and what she could do to give it more highlights and a bit more bounce.
Harry felt a pang of sorrow for the teen and when no one was looking, he shot Malfoy a small smile. It wasn't returned but the look in Malfoy's eyes was enough for Harry. Turning back to his friends, he saw that Luna had joined the Gryffindor table and was speaking animatedly to Ginny about the different things her father had seen in his travels and the continents she'd been to.
As Harry tucked into his eggs and bacon, his eyes wandered to the staff table. All of the teachers save Prof Snape were present and he caught Dumbledore staring at him with a small smile. Harry wondered for a moment if Dumbledore knew Snape had cured him, but he realized that of course Dumbledore knew. The old man always seemed to know everything.
Harry felt a strange pang in the pit of his stomach and realized that he was missing Prof Snape's presence. Strange, he thought but of course he reasoned that it was because the Potions' Master had cured him just the night before.
"Harry!" Ron called and prodded the raven-haired teen.
Harry turned his attention to Ron who was staring at him pointedly. "Hmm?"
"I've been calling you for the past two minutes mate," Ron said and frowned. "What's wrong?"
Harry shrugged, not really wanting to tell Ron that he'd been thinking about Snape. "Oh I s'pose I'm still just tired from being sick."
"Is Mme Pomfrey really sure you're ready to get back to class?" Hermione asked, crossing her arms.
Harry shrugged. "I don't think I'd be here right now if she didn't. You know how she gets."
Those in earshot laughed at the idea of defying the motherly nurse. "Well..." Hermione said slowly, "if you start to feel off-colour you'd better go and see her."
"I promise," Harry said with a nod.
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The day passed quickly for Harry who had so much make-up work that his thoughts couldn't travel further than his assignments. His Profs were all understanding enough, though they kept reminding him that if he was going to make his NEWT's he'd better be sure to keep on top of things.
Grumbling about how it was barely the start of term, Harry walked back to Gryffindor tower before dinner, his arms laden with books and parchment listing off his missed work. Harry managed to make it up the stairs and he kicked the door to his room open. Walking to his bed, he dumped the lot on the duvet and sighed.
"I've got so much to do," he complained to himself. Waging an inner battle between working on his assignments and heading to the common room for a game of chess with Ron, Harry sighed when the assignments won.
He collapsed onto his stomach and immersed himself in the work until Ron came to fetch him for dinner. "I can't believe you're still working on that rubbish," the redhead admonished.
Harry laughed. "Well...I do have to keep my marks up this term. Next year is going to be bloody insanity and I don't want to fall too behind before I get there."
Ron laughed and shook his head. "Hermione is rubbing off on you...scary."
Harry laughed and threw one of his trainers at Ron. "Ah shut your face."
Finding the common room empty of students, Ron and Harry decided to head for the Great Hall for dinner. Most of Gryffindor were already seated at the table and Harry spotted the spaces that Ginny and Hermione had saved for them. The two teens took their seats and began to fill their plates.
As Harry tucked into his dinner, his eyes drifted to the staff table where he saw Prof Snape for the first time all day. He hid his smile behind his fork as he felt a surge of happiness course through him. Odd, he thought as he continued to eat. Honestly, he saved me but should I really be this happy to see him?