Sweetest Sin

Chapter 5

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Westin Convention Center... Pittsburgh, PA

Harry carefully drove the black minivan into the parking garage under the Westin Convention Center. Professor Earnest Von Knobelsdorff had left a message with Oliver, saying someone would be waiting. As he parked near the delivery doors for the banquet areas, he searched the area for the staff member that would assist he and Emmett in moving the cake and other pastries to the convention area.

Not initially seeing anyone, he placed a hand on Emmett's arm to forestall him from exiting the delivery van. Old habits died hard and he wanted to make sure there would be nothing or no one to mess up all their hard work. Slipping out of the van, he closed the door quietly, as he sent out a burst of his magic to sense the area. When it came back clear, he nodded at Emmett then moved to the back of the van and opened the doors.

About the time Emmett joined him, two young stewards in kitchen uniforms came bursting through the doors, giggling, as they pushed a couple large food carts. The empty steel carts rattled loudly on the concrete, and Harry glared at them. They could certainly mess about on their own time--not his.

He wasn't too happy with this Von Knobelsdorff, anyhow. The man kept calling and adding to the order. He also wanted five dozen each of pumpkin chocolate chunk scones, espresso cannolis, triple mocha chocolate brownies with a nut mix, loganberry tarts with créme fraîch, and almond cream puffs as well. He knew the Dizzy Bean Cafe', down the street, was catering the beverages so there would be plenty of international coffee and tea to accompany the sweets.

Emmett was dying to ask if he was feeding an army division instead of a group of international scientists.

Harry ended up making the scones himself because Ana's kept coming out hard as bricks. Not light and fluffy. The woman really needed to learn to leave her problems at home so they didn't affect her work.

Harry wandlessly charmed the metal carts to roll smoothly as he and Emmett reached in and pulled out the large cake. He surreptitiously cast a spell to secure the cake while they moved it.

Oliver arrived just as they settled the cake and began pulling out the boxes of pastries and cookies. "There's so much sweet stuff here, my teeth would hurt for a month."

"Wouldn't you like to feed one of those cream puffs to your friend?" Leaning over towards Harry, Emmett whispered, "Or at least lick it off of him."

Harry flushed and turned toward the carts, putting his back to the tall queen. He was half-hard as soon as Emmett spoke, creating a most realistic and unsettling mental image. "Come along, Em. We need to get this all set up so I have time to finish the finer details of the cake."

"And make sure you look delicious for that gorgeous man. How did you sit in class with that voice?"

"Well, for the first five years, it was ripping me apart verbally, so I just wanted to get away from it. It wasn't until the middle of my sixth year, that things changed." Harry wiggled a bit trying to ease the tightness of his uniform pants, since his hands were currently full.

"Was there any other gorgeous men at that school? I love red heads."

Harry snorted. "I've told you about the Weasley's. All of them red heads."

"Isn't the little sister the one who is trying to make your life hell by trying to make you straight?"

Harry shuddered. "Yeah."

"Well, though I do love redheads, any strong body with a nice arse and a big--" Emmett glanced around and lowered his voice,--cock, will do."

"Oh, then you would have liked Oliver Wood, especially since you like accents so much. Then there was Cedric Diggory, poor sod. Such a waste of a gorgeous body and a talented mouth..." Harry looked wistful for a moment, until Emmett poked him in the ribs. "And then there was Viktor."

Emmett sighed. "So many men and not enough Emmett to go around."

Oliver snorted in amusement from behind them. "Oh, I think you'd manage somehow, Em!"

Fifteen minutes later, Harry was setting up the cauldron cake. He had done the knives and vials up in sugar. A few ingredients as well, only not anything that would be considered too slimy or bloody. A mortar and pestle with a set of dragon hide gloves were also a part of the display, all done in sugar as well. Harry was quite proud of himself.

"Impressive. I do believe, Mr. Potter, that you have finally found a knife worthy of chopping potions ingredients. It certainly appears sharp enough."

Harry pulled his hands away from the cake before the startle caused him to bump something out of place. It also didn't help that the velvety flow of that voice over him, had him hardening in his trousers again. Turning his head, he noticed Severus standing right behind his left shoulder. Merlin, the man was so close, he could smell the scent of him!

"Professor!"

"That is quite an impressive display."

"These," Harry pointed to the gloves and other items, "are done in sugar. Took me most of the week to get the gloves done right. The Moonflowers are my favorite. As are the Blood Roses."

Severus stepped around Harry and leaned in to get a better look. He seemed to be studying the 'books' in the 'bookcase'. "Myrrdin's Potente Tinctures and Draughts, Encyclopaedia of Master Potions Acadaemia, and Hypocrates Physicus Medici. I shall have to revise my assessment of you, Mr. Potter. It seems either you were paying attention in class after all, or you learned something of research from spending so much time with Miss Granger."

Harry rolled his eyes and went back to putting away his tools and closing the case. "I'm not sure if that was a compliment or not, but I will take it as such."

"As you should." Severus eyed the various pastries, especially the chocolate ones. Von Knobelsdorff had out done himself in making the arrangements for the get together. A local confectionery had finishing setting up plates of truffles. And if his nose was right, there were white champagne truffles somewhere in that mix.

"Severus, by the way, you're looking at Jean-Marc's truffles, I take it you still have a weakness for truffles in any shape or form?"

The older man groaned low in his throat. "Albus found and cannibalized my stash before I left."

Harry pinned him with a stern look, raising an eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest. "This is the man who uses the names of candies from around the world as passwords. You're slipping--going soft now that you are no longer a spy."

Severus opened his mouth to utter a scathing retort, and changed his mind when he saw the barely suppressed grin tugging at the corners of Harry's lips. He rolled his eyes instead and nodded.

Harry turned so he was leaned close to Severus' ear, "Sample all you want over there. I'll take you to his shop and you can buy to your hearts content. I may even have one of his order forms at the bakery. You can place a custom order. And I'll send a box of his lemon drop truffles back with you for Albus. He should leave yours alone, but only if you hide them better!"

A shiver ran through Severus' body, as he turned towards Harry, "I can hardly be held responsible for the actions of an old candy-obsessed wizard with an uncontrollable sweet tooth."

"It's clear Albus has no genuine appreciation of the finer attributes and experience of fine European gourmet chocolate and it's accompanying ingredients. Finely made chocolates must be savored. They should melt in your mouth slowly as they are eaten and savored, so the flavors mingle and burst, tantalizing your taste buds." Harry purred, then turned back to the table, speaking in a normal tone over his shoulder. "Not gobbled like Raisinettes at an Saturday afternoon matinee."

With his back to Severus, he had missed the sudden dilation of Severus' pupils, and the catch is his breath. Noticing that Emmett and Oliver had finished laying everything out, he waved at Em to start taking their stuff back to the van.

Clearing his throat, Severus regained his composure. "I had forgotten you were helping with this event."

"Oliver and Emmett are going to take care of the cake and pastries along with the staff provided by the hotel. So I'm all yours for the evening." Harry smiled. "I have my change of clothes in the van."

Severus shifted a bit thinking of a naked Harry nearby changing clothes. "I'll be waiting, Mr. Potter."

Harry grinned. "Can't keep a man waiting can I?" The young man swept from the room, leaving Severus waiting for his return and trying to not think about a naked Harry Potter, since he wasn't wearing robes.

Harry returned twenty minutes later, strolling casually up to Severus. The taller man's eyes raked over him as he approached and humming in approval of his attire. Under a deep charcoal European cut suit, Harry wore a deep silver linen shirt, complete with silver cuff-links and tie-bar. A deep plum silk tie was knotted at his throat, and he wore deep grey leather dress boots. His hair had been touched up with a bit of styling gel, giving it a bit more of an organized chaos look. Harry smiled, and Severus was reminded of how startlingly green his eyes were without the glasses hiding them.

Back in England...

Minerva was sipping her tea quietly, thinking of the send off they'd given Severus. The sputtering the man did on the shopping trip to London. Grinning, she remembered how the man blushed when they were picking out new underthings.

Poppy gushed over the black silk briefs.

"Minerva, you look like the cat who stole all the cream." Albus dropped another sugar cube in his cup of steaming tea. "Care to share?"

"Reliving Severus' shopping trip."

Albus snorted. "Was quite fun. Never saw the man so flustered before, but he needed a good shove into the current world, and not in those old teaching robes he's always wearing. Had Dobby remove them from his rooms and replaced them all."

"Oh dear! Severus will not be happy when he returns!"

"That's if he returns, my dear."

"What do you mean?"

Albus sighed. "I have information from a reliable source that the Head of the Department of Potions at the University of Pittsburgh is retiring. They have several candidates in mind, and Severus is at the top of the list. He would have a lot of time to devote to research, and very little teaching, but a level of teaching that he would actually enjoy."

Minerva lowered her cup and narrowed her eyes at the Headmaster. "Albus Dumbledore... Are you meddling again?"

"For the first time, I'm not. Now, Minerva--don't look at me like that. I know that Severus has the ability to teach those who truly appreciate the art of potion making. And we know that he's always had a soft spot for our Harry. Both those young men deserve happiness. And if it's away from England and the busy bodies that live to make their lives hell, so be it. I won't stop Severus. I'll encourage him."

Minerva sighed. "That means we might need to search for a new Potions Teacher."

"Not a problem. I've already contacted the International Potion Masters' Guild. There are some very promising candidates available. Newly qualified Potion Masters and Mistresses. And even one or two from Hogwarts itself."

Ron's Flat...in Muggle London

Ron shook off his jacket and placed his keys on the counter. His wallet, his badge, and other identification came out of his pockets as well. Tossing his jacket over a chair, he pulled an ale from the coldbox and dropped onto the couch with a sigh. It had been a long full day and he was exhausted, but happy.

Ron took his current job, at New Scotland Yard, a year after his wedding to Hermione had fallen through and Harry had disappeared to parts unknown. A representative from the Yard, came to the Ministry of Magic, and asked for a few recruits to work with them in a new division they were setting up. It would initially be on a trial basis for one year, to see if it would work as planned.

The concept was to pair off Muggle Police Officers and specially selected Aurors from the Wizarding MLE, and use skills, techniques, science, and magic, to better investigate crime in any shape or form. Sadly criminal activity was bridging the gap between both worlds more frequently as time went on. New tactics needed to be developed to deal with it.

Ron jumped at the chance. His Father was all for it. His Mum, well, she was wary of the change. The red head knew that he needed different direction in his life and this was it. So change it was, and Ron had never doubted his decision since.

He was lost at first. He didn't have Hermione to help him with the Muggle side of things or Harry to share his fears. He had to do this on his own and stand on his own two feet. And he did. He was respected in his division and got the job done right.

Since his talk with Ginny at the Ministry, he had been doing alot of thinking. He needed to make peace with Harry and Hermione. Pulling the envelope from his pocket, he stared at it. It was from Ginny and he had received it at work. He'd been too busy to open it, and he was thankful they'd been staked out in the park, or he'd had a right awful time explaining the owl. Luckily, his partner was a Squib and understood.

What could she have found now? Taking a deep breath, he opened it...

Ron,

I have heard that Snape has traveled to America for some convention. I think he's visiting Harry. I know he is. Can't they stay away from my Harry? Don't they understand, that he's waiting on me to find him?

Could you use your resources to see where he's gone? Even better, search for Harry? I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner? Or you? We could have saved so much time.

Owl me back soon, Ron.

Please!

Ginny

Ron groaned. Bloody hell! He was not going to be used this way by her or anyone for that matter!

He needed a plan. And he knew who he could go to.

Albus Dumbledore!

Back at Hogwarts...

Albus set his tea cup down as the Floo activated and out stepped a familiar red headed man. Tall and gangly, but now a man in his own right, Ronald Weasley had gone out into the Muggle World to make it on his own.

"Mr. Weasley," Albus began looking over his glasses. "This is a surprise. What can I do for you?"

Coming to stand in front of the large desk, "I apologize for not making an appointment or calling first, but things have gotten entirely out of hand. And you are the first person I could think of to help."

"What is happening, Mr. Weasley?" Minerva asked.

"My sister. She's obsessed." Minerva snorted.

"Have you just noticed this? Because, Mr. Weasley, you are behind the times. We have known your sister is not just obsessed, she has one thought in her mind. And that's to possess Harry Potter any way she can. By any means. She does not have any remorse for those she has hurt or cares who she destroys."

"I know that now, Professor. But when this all first started--when Ginny found the marriage contract, I was hurt as well. I loved Hermione. I had planned on spending my life with her. And in one moment, a piece of parchment... A Five-Hundred-Year-Old Parchment changed My life and my best friends' lives. But I didn't see that. Only my pain."

Blue eyes warmed with empathy as they gazed at the young man. "Your reaction was to be expected initially, but you did move past it, as most would. So, you didn't see what others did. But now, you do, and you have come to me to help. In what way, Mr. Weasley, do you think I could assist in this?"

Ron took a deep breath, "Ginny has been at the Ministry Archives every chance she gets, looking for any link she can to make herself the next Lady Potter. She combs through the parchments and family histories. I thank the Gods that she has no idea how many families Harry is related to or has inherited from, or she might use those connections to catch him. But today, she sent me a missive saying that Professor Snape was across the Pond and she knows that he's visiting Harry. That everyone is working against her, keeping her away from HER Harry. And now she wants me to use my job and resources to help her find him. She insinuated that I should have done that long ago."

"She also told me I was better off without the M-Mudblood. She would find me a proper Pureblood to marry."

"It is even worse than I feared then." Albus steepled his fingers in front of him as he began to think.

"How did she know that Severus was traveling to the States? It wasn't common knowledge."

Sighing, "It seems Miss Weasley has friends or resources we don't know about. Are your parents aware of the extent she has gone to thus far?"

Sitting down in the empty chair beside Minerva, Ron sighed. "Dad was never mad at Harry in the beginning. But Mum... she was different. Ginny is the only girl, and Mum only wants what is best for her. And Ginny has only had eyes for Harry. When we were kids, Ginny always said her Prince was Harry and he would come and ride away with her on his white horse, just like the fairy tales. Mum just went along with it. She was proud that Harry asked her to step in and be his Mother when he and Malfoy were planning their bonding, but Ginny would rant and rave at home. It became second nature to all of us--even Mum--to just blot her out when she did."

"Hmm... Yes, I can see that. But that still doesn't answer my question, dear boy. Do they know the extent of what she has done since Harry left?"

Shaking his head, "I don't know, Sir. But I have a sinking feeling it's bad. And it's only going to get worse before it's gets better."

Albus sat back in his chair, "I was afraid of that." The aging man looked every bit his age at that moment. "I do believe it would be for the best, if you informed your parents and brothers. They, as well as you, will also be affected by whatever she does."

All Harry wanted was his life and Ginny Weasley was bound and determined to be a part of it, no matter what. The young man had done his duty to the Wizarding World, suffering many losses along the way, and then to have his happiness stolen from him again. Albus refused to allow Harry's quest to build himself an independent happy life, to be thwarted by one obsessive unbalanced young witch.

Ron had a determined glint in his eye. "Where do we start?"

"Start, Mr. Weasley by calling me Albus."

"Ron please, Albus."

TBC...