CHAPTER 26
twist3dlust: Severus most fortunately and wisely believes in safer sex. If you end up with a sexually transmitted disease because you didn't use condoms and proper hygiene (among other things), then I am sure that your anticipated sense of freedom will be gone with the wind…
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dmitri: thanks for pointing out the error :-D
xxx
Severus sat on the edge of the bed after his shower, staring at the box of condoms and the jar of water-based lubricant he and Marius had always used. He decided to throw them out. It was a waste, but he felt that the room would be cleaner without all those reminders. He stood up and performed several Scourgifying Charms all over the bed. After a few minutes, the bed collapsed with a dull thud due to the force of Severus's magic. Severus tried to perform a Reparo Charm, but the bed, which was very old – Severus did not want to think how old it was exactly – refused to obey, simply quivering and collapsing again with a doleful twanging. Swearing eloquently, Severus decided that he would have to pay a visit to Hogsmeade's furniture shop. For now, he would just have to sleep on the floor. He dragged the mattress onto the tiles and fetched a blanket. The mattress, however, had suffered from the full blast of the Scourgifying Spells; it was scratchy and rough. Cursing some more, Severus pummeled it with a forceful fist and retired to the sofa in his hall. He was sure that there were other beds in the castle, but he was just as sure that they were as ancient as his; there was only so much magic could do.
The next day was a Saturday; Severus set out in the morning and terrorised the furniture shop, prodding beds, studying mattresses and bedclothes and snapping at the wizard who offered to help him. Severus gave the four-posters a wide berth, searching instead for a more practical and down-to-earth bed. He finally found one which was to his taste. It was out of maple wood and magically extendable. Severus considered this feature useless, but it was a standard charm which was included with all the beds. The staff of the shop heaved a sigh of profound relief when Severus pointed at the bed and rapped out:
"I'm taking this one."
"Transport is included," a witch said eagerly. It was obvious that they were just waiting for Severus to get out of the shop – he had done a great job scaring away the other customers, too.
Severus marched back to his rooms, and his new purchases were delivered via Transferring-of-Goods-Floo to a huge storage room which was outfitted with this special Floo system. This type of Floo system was extremely secure, containing several spells to automatically check the items before they were disgorged into the storeroom, which was conveniently situated on the ground floor. People who Transfigured themselves into items in an attempt to use the Goods Floo were Stunned, reported to the Ministry and had to pay a heavy fine. Severus tapped the bed and it glided behind him docilely to his rooms, much to the curiosity of the few students who watched the ill-tempered Head of Slytherin march through the corridors and down the stairs to his solitary abode with a bed, of all things, in tow. Dumbledore happened to be among the spectators. Marius was fortunately nowhere to be seen.
"Nice bed, Severus!" he called, beaming.
"Four-posters are most impractical," Severus said curtly.
"Why, Severus, they are so charmingly old-fashioned, spacious enough to accommodate two people most comfortably and…" Severus missed the rest of the Headmaster's sentence as he passed beyond earshot, his lip curling with contempt. He was going to spend the rest of his life alone in bed anyway. He decided not to think of the Headmaster sharing a bed with someone else. The bed shrank whenever it had to pass through a doorway or narrow passage; once installed in Severus's room, the Potions Master adjusted the size and cleaned it with some magical spray. He also cleaned the mattress and sent the bedclothes to the laundry room. He asked for the help of five house-elves in order to wash the tiles, rub down the furniture and even scrub the walls. By Saturday evening, his quarters were gleaming. There was a muffled shout of pain from the fireplace sometime in the afternoon when Marius attempted to Floo into Severus's quarters, but the vindictive Slytherin had foreseen such an attempt and had taken precautions in the shape of a grate which blocked the entrance of the fireplace. Severus had his office cleaned out as well; many of the jars with their contents were thrown out, shelves were renewed etc. The hard uncomfortable chair which Harry usually occupied during his Occlumency lessons was replaced with a more comfortable and posterior-friendly model; and when Monday arrived, Harry stepped inside looking appreciatively at the room.
"Well, Potter, I am dying to hear your feedback," Severus's sarcastic tones drifted over to him.
Harry smiled.
"There seem to be fewer jars," he remarked, "and more books."
"Indeed. I see that you have brought back the book I lent you."
Harry handed him the book on Greek and Roman legends with his thanks.
"Well, then, let's get started," Severus said. "You will attempt to repel me without your wand. You will probably automatically try to extract it during our mental interaction. I must therefore ask you to give me your wand."
Harry drew out his wand without delay and gave it to Severus. He watched the tapering fingers slide over the wood as the Potions Master placed it on his desk, next to his own ebony wand. He looked at them for a moment, lying side by side on the table.
"This demands utmost concentration, Potter, and utmost concentration is what I expect from you."
Severus stared into Harry's green eyes, this time without uttering the spell; and Harry knew that it was time for the subtlety of silent magic. Severus was, if possible, more demanding than ever.
"You still take too much time to block me," he snarled impatiently, striding up to Harry and glaring into his face. "You have to block me out immediately! Without delay!"
Harry's temper sparked.
"That's easy for you to say, you've had years of experience."
"How very right you are, Potter. Yes, I have got years of experience on my side – thanks to the Dark Lord."
There was an unpleasant silence.
"Let us continue," Severus snapped. Thirty seconds later, he was hissing into Harry's face again.
"Have all these lessons been a waste of my time? You have to block me at once!"
"I need more time! You are too impatient!"
"Time? Do you think that the Dark Lord is sitting around doing nothing? You are seventeen. Your blood protection has ceased. Hogwarts is protecting you now, but it will not remain a haven forever, Potter!"
"I know all that! I'm not stupid!" Harry flared.
"I have my doubts," Severus sneered.
Harry flushed and opened his mouth, but the chiming of the clock reminded teacher and pupil that the lesson was over.
"Leave. And don't forget your wand," Severus said curtly.
Harry grabbed his wand and opened the door angrily.
"Hey!" he said as Marius Rivers shouldered his way past him into Severus's quarters. The Healer had obviously been waiting outside. There was a peculiar humming sound and a flash of blue. The office door crashed closed, and Marius was lying on his back, cursing. Harry hesitated. He disliked the man's arrogant attitude, but he felt that walking away would be wrong and immature.
"Are you okay, sir?" he asked, approaching the angry wizard.
Marius got up with an effort and brushed past him wordlessly.
"Whatever," Harry muttered as Marius stamped out of sight around a corner, "you two sure have a screwed-up relationship."
xxx
The next day, Severus shot Marius a taunting look and smile when he found himself face to face with the Healer on leaving the Great Hall after breakfast.
"So tight," he murmured. Marius stiffened with anger.
"Are you trying to pick a quarrel with me, Snape?" he asked loudly.
Several heads turned.
"You astonish me, Rivers. You are not worth picking a quarrel with," Severus answered casually. More heads turned.
"Some things simply never change, do they, Snape?" Marius said, raising his voice.
"I agree with you, Rivers. You still grunt like a constipated pig when you ejaculate," Severus said impassively.
Marius went white with shock and rage.
People gasped. Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were standing nearby, exchanged wide-eyed looks. Marius's face was working.
"You….you…!" he spluttered.
Severus glanced at his watch.
"Your articulation is appalling, Rivers," he drawled.
"We had better go," Harry said, touching his friends' elbows.
"What does a constipated pig sound like at all?" Ron wondered thoughtfully.
"I know after living for so many years with someone like Dudley," Harry remarked.
Hermione glared at them indignantly.
"It's not funny! It's not exactly ideal to do that sort of thing in front of the students, it's setting a bad example! Merlin, what are they doing?"
The teachers had drawn wands; there was a flash of white from Marius's wand; Severus responded with a Shield Charm. Harry started forwards to separate them somehow or the other, but a loud bang made Marius jump backwards and drop his wand; Minerva McGonagall was standing in front of the two teachers, livid.
"What is this nonsense? I never…! Such shameful behaviour from two teachers….is this supposed to be setting a good example for the students?" she thundered.
"He started it!" Marius shouted.
"Do not shout at me, Mr Rivers. Did you provoke him, Severus?"
"He definitely interpreted it that way," Severus said coolly.
"What did you say?" McGonagall demanded.
"That, Minerva, is too personal."
"Not if it is going to affect everyone!"
She swivelled around, glaring at the students.
"Out!"
The students obeyed her without delay. Harry glanced over his shoulder at Severus, and their eyes met for a moment.
"Professor Snape, Professor Rivers, I want you both in my office. Now." Dumbledore's deep voice was stern.
"I feel sorry for Mr Rivers," Hermione said as they hurried along, "Professor Snape really does not seem to ever get on well with a new staff member."
"Rivers is an asshole," Harry said. Hermione gaped at him. Ron, too, raised a set of questioning eyebrows.
"Harry! That's really mean!" Hermione exclaimed, shocked
"Mean? He sure knows what mean is!"
"How do you know?" Hermione asked bossily.
"I told you that I cannot divulge anything I learnt during Occlumency," Harry said sharply.
"In other words, you know something about that bloke in connection with Snape," Ron said.
"Yeah, but I made a promise."
"Come on, it involves Snape. Surely you don't want to keep a juicy secret about Snape to yourself? He'd be on the receiving end of his bullshit for once."
"Ronald Weasley, I sometimes wonder why I'm your girlfriend," Hermione said.
Ron rolled his eyes.
"He's awful, 'Mione."
"He's not," Harry said nearly fiercely.
Ron stared.
"Huh?"
"Well, the lessons are helping me now," Harry said quickly, wondering what had happened that the two men were quarrelling so violently.
xxx
Albus Dumbledore was staring penetratingly at Marius and Severus as they sat in his office. The former was glowering at his feet while the latter was studying a picture behind the Headmaster with great determination.
"It is very important to me that guests are treated with respect and hospitality in this castle, especially in times of disquiet. Now, what did you say to Marius, Severus?" Dumbledore asked. It sounded more like an order than a question.
"I made a comment concerning a personal aspect of our lives," Severus said.
"I want an exact answer, Severus."
"I said that he was tight," Severus said succinctly. The previous Headmistresses and Headmasters of Hogwarts frowned in their portraits, confused. Dumbledore, too, did not seem to understand.
"I was referring to the size of Rivers's anus," Severus added. Marius leapt up from his chair while the portraits gasped and whispered in the background. Phineas Black, however, was snickering loudly.
"Phineas, hold your tongue. Marius, please sit down again. Severus," Dumbledore said crisply, "your behaviour is unacceptable."
"I agree. Rivers has been such a saint, after all," Severus said, his voice dripping with animosity.
"You are living in the past, Severus!"
"As is Rivers, Headmaster. He wanted to refresh our bygone trysts. I agreed. I was refreshed. Rivers is displeased because I am no longer interested in his company."
"Ah. Revenge. I should have known," Dumbledore murmured.
"I shall, naturally, take the entire blame while Saint Rivers, absolved from all sin, may float out of this room."
Dumbledore rose with astonishing speed. Marius's face was very pale and tense.
"Enough, Severus!"
"It is never enough," Severus said softly.
Dumbledore's features seemed to sag with sudden sorrow.
"Severus, why must it be like this? Why such resentment and so many grudges?"
Severus bowed his head and didn't answer. Dumbledore looked into Marius's grey eyes.
"I know what happened between you and Severus when you were at Potions school," he said without compassion, "and I know that you long for fame to cover your insecurities. You are choosing the wrong path to the wrong goal, Marius. You long for trumpets and fanfares of glory. Fortunately, you have had the sense to avoid seeking triumph as a pawn of Voldemort's. I do not wish to judge you. I want to ensure your well-being. But you are both responsible for your own happiness or unhappiness. I am very disappointed in such an embarrassing display of temper in front of the students. Go."
Marius and Severus obeyed, ignoring each other until they were outside in the corridor.
Marius turned and stared into Severus's black eyes.
"I never realised how full of hatred and bitterness you are, Severus."
"What an astute observation."
"You are still wondering why…"
"Do you really think that I believe your lame excuses about a despotic home and fear of poor grades?"
"I…" Marius's voice sounded thick.
"I'm waiting," Severus said testily.
"I felt sorry for you. That is why. You were this lonely unattractive kid. And you were a closet gay. You were always blushing around me, and you'd fool around with yourself at night when you thought that I had gone to sleep."
"Ah. A mercy fuck."
Marius winced but nodded slowly.
"Yes, yes, I see the problem. You regarded me as your little stray dog, didn't you? You thought me pathetic. Humiliating for both participants, isn't it? Well, you have confirmed my suspicions. You are disgusting, Rivers."
Marius remained silent. Then he turned and walked away, his shoulders hunched. Severus felt drained and dead. Life had no hope, no joy, no charm for him. He, too, walked away, heading towards the stairs.
Severus went to bed early. He tossed and turned for a while, longing for sleep and at the same time fearing it. Merlin knew what nightmares sleep might hold in store for him. He finally fell asleep. It seemed to him that he could see Harry standing in front of him, looking at him with calm green eyes.
"I know that you are protecting me. I am protecting you, too."
Severus woke up with a start, shaken by the vividness of the dream.
In Gryffindor Tower, Harry was entrusting the dream he had just had to the pages of his diary by the light of his wand.
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