Chapter Eight -

Captivates my soul

Harry was late again.

After shoving his feet into his shoes and sweeping his fingers through his sleep-tousled hair, he seized his school bag and slung it over his shoulder as he tore from the dorm at lightning speed.

He had collapsed onto his four-poster over two and a half hours ago. Despite the myriad of worrying thoughts and emotions wreaking havoc inside his brain, sleep had taken no time to procure him. His mind had been eager to let go, opting for the blissful void of slumber rather than the distress of his oppressive reality.

Glancing down at the battered face of Fabian Prewett's watch for the second time in the last minute, Harry sprinted through the empty dungeon halls, cursing his stupidity. What would Severus say if he knew that Harry had once again, fallen asleep without casting an alarm spell?

The word dunderhead immediately came to mind. Harry smiled despite himself, then schooled his features as he neared the familiar Potions classroom.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor Slughorn!" he managed to vocalize as he burst in, his breaths coming out in a series of labored puffs. "I... missed lunch... and I..."

"Relax, my dear boy!" said Slughorn, his avid grin huge as he greeted his newest student, "I would have found it simply astounding had you managed to find all your classes on your first week here! Why, I recall being half an hour late to Transfiguration class on my very first week at Hogwarts. Of course, that was due to that nasty trick step on the third floor staircase, you know. I waited there nearly twenty minutes until Professor Tofty came along and freed me from the blasted thing. I'll never understand why that step hasn't been fixed. Oh well, that is neither here nor there…"

Harry breathed a huge sigh of relief as he listened to Slughorn's lighthearted, albeit rather long-winded greeting, feeling reassured by its lack condemnation. After this morning's public reprimand in Charms class, he was grateful to be welcomed by the man's buoyant tone and cheery demeanor.

"Come in, Mr. Skye, and take your seat beside Mr. Snape. He has graciously agreed to let you shadow him for the remainder of the term as you are so late in joining us," Slughorn continued, gesturing toward the back corner of the classroom.

Harry followed his direction and saw a scowling Severus glaring at him. A mere second after their eyes met, Severus' gaze dropped down to his own hands, his attention fixed on the meticulous slicing of a flobberworm, his features becoming more and more rigid with each downward lash of the silver knife.

Harry gulped as he approached his assigned workstation, feeling his stomach drop a little further with each step he took. It was obvious that Severus was seething, and after all that Harry had been through that day, he really didn't think he could endure the other boy's displeasure too.

Severus' autonomic slicing and impenetrable focus only ended when Harry came to stand right beside him. After a brief hesitation, he abandoned his silver knife in favor of his Ebony wand, raising it a small degree and pointing it toward the front of the classroom.

"Muffliato," he whispered before turning those narrowed, tenebrous eyes towards Harry, his expression grim.

"I'm sorry, Severus. I missed lunch and..."

"Where were you?" Severus interrupted, "And what the hell is going on with you? For God's sake, Gray, you attack that cretin, Pettigrew... then you get sent to the Headmaster's office, which by the way, was hours ago... you didn't turn up in Transfiguration... you skipped lunch... where the fuck were you?!"

Harry's eyes widened as he listened to the furious rant, noticing Severus' pale complexion turning a deeper shade of scarlet with each angry word he uttered.

In the silence that followed Severus' admonishment, Harry took a moment to scan the room, imagining he would see several faces turned toward them in confusion. He knew that Muffliato would keep the sounds of the boy's venting down to a low, inconspicuous hum, but he was certain the rest of the class must have noticed Severus' abrupt change in demeanor, as well as the irate gesticulations of his wand as he waved it around without caution, several gold sparks issuing from the tip every time it slashed through the air.

Somewhat to Harry's chagrin, he saw the room was all but empty. Only three other students were in attendance and they were all seated at the front row of the room with their heads facing away from them, engrossed in their own potions.

Harry did a double-take and his heart leapt when he caught sight of the shiny crimson ponytail of the girl nearest them, her head lowered as she studied the steaming contents of her cauldron. He couldn't see her face from where he was standing, but he had no doubts as to who she was.

The fact that Lily Evans took Mastery Potions should not be surprising, Harry realized, since Slughorn had sung her praises to him last year. He felt the corners of his lips turn up a fraction as he watched Lily grab a piece of parchment and a quill from her bag and with feverish motions, drive the quill across the blank sheet, filling its surface with her ardent note-taking.

"Are you going to answer me, or are you going to continue to stare at Lily?"

Harry swung back to Severus.

"Wh-what? No... I mean, yes. I'm going to answer you... I..."

"And I wouldn't bother if I were you. She's spoken for, in case you haven't already realized. Besides, she hates you right now more than she's ever hated me!" Severus spat. He turned away from Harry, slamming his wand onto the worktable and grabbing another flobberworm and his knife.

"Wait a minute… what? Hold on!"

Harry snatched Severus' knife away from him and placed it next to the discarded wand. Grasping the boy's empty hand in his, he dragged it off the table, out of sight from the others. When their fingers wove together as was their habit, Severus' focus strayed to their clasped hands for a brief moment before lifting to lock with Harry's.

"Listen to me, Severus. Please. I didn't mean to worry you, OK? Professor Dumbledore sent me to my dorm for the rest of the morning to... collect myself. I had intended to come to lunch, but I fell asleep and... well, you know what an idiot I am... I forgot to cast an alarm spell. So, I slept through lunch, and…"

Harry chanced another quick glance at Lily who was still busy writing out her Potion notes, then turned his gaze back to look into those anxious, ebony eyes again, relieved to find a hint of exasperated mixed with the anger now.

"…and the only reason I look at Lily sometimes is because I sort of... know her... in the future. That's all, Severus. Were you thinking that I… I mean, you didn't actually think that I had… um… feelings for her… did you?" Harry asked, the tentative edge to his voice revealing his own nervousness.

The swift drop of Severus' gaze and the way he hunched a shoulder in a defensive move was answer enough. Harry stared at him, a part of him balking at the absurd idea, but judging from those angry words and actions a moment ago, it certainly seemed that way.

Harry swallowed hard and took a deep breath as he waited for Severus to answer him, suddenly curious as to whether his apparent jealousy was because of his growing feelings for Gray or because of his previous longing for Lily.

After a long pause, Severus responded, eyes still downcast, cheeks still red, his voice no more than a whisper.

"I wasn't sure what to think... I just... You stare at her so often, and you defended her yesterday against Avery. I guess I started to think that perhaps…"

"No! No, Severus. It's not like that. I swear to you," Harry urged. "Look at me, please."

Severus clamped his eyes shut, his face taut with tension as he took several deep, tremulous breaths. Gradually, ebony eyes emerged, locking with grey ones for a brief moment before shifting downward to stare at their clasped hands. As if the sight of their laced fingers brought repose from his unease, Severus' breathing slowed and his features softened, his deep flush receding.

After another moment, he squeezed Harry's hand, sweeping his thumb along his scar, and spoke again, his words hesitant.

"I'm sorry. I got carried away… I.. I was just so worried about you."

Dark eyes snapped up to meet Harry's again, sincerity radiating from their depths, filling Harry with warmth and putting his fears to rest. All his tension seemed to melt away as he gazed into those caring eyes, losing himself once more in their resonating fervency.

Reciprocating Severus' earlier gesture, Harry tightened his grip the boy's trembling hand and pulled it close so that their clasped hands rested against his stomach, compelling Severus to edge nearer. When Harry spoke again, he kept his eyes fixed on Severus', hoping to convey by the depth of his gaze, that he was the only person in the room Harry felt this way for, the only one who had ever made him feel so comfortable, so safe, so cared for.

"I'm sorry I worried you, Severus. But I need you to believe it's not Lily I have feelings for," Harry stated. He took a deep breath, gathering his courage.

"It's you."

In an instant, the insecure look in those tenebrous eyes transformed into one of profound relief. Thin lips curved into a shy smile just as a solitary quavering breath escaped them. Harry's heart warmed at the sight and he found himself unable to look away. He was drawn in even further when Severus' easy, contented expression changed again, placated dark eyes becoming ardent, sultry as they pierced Harry with an almost hungry look.

The world around them seemed to fade away as they stood motionless, staring at one another, lost in each other's eyes. At length, a slight movement drew Harry's focus downwards, catching sight of Severus' lower lip held between those crooked teeth again. Harry's breath caught in his throat as he fought the sudden burning desire to press his own lips to the captured lip, to coax it away from those worrying teeth… to soothe it… taste it…

Terrified he had been staring at those lips too long and shocked by his own intrepid compulsion, Harry's gaze shot back up, hoping his intentions had not been as obvious as he had feared. A rush of heat coursed through him when he saw those obsidian orbs focused on his own lips now, which suddenly felt parched under the intensity of his gaze.

When Harry's tongue darted out to wet them and ease their trembling, a quiet, breathy moan of longing issued from Severus. Heart racing, waves of excitement rippling through his body, Harry heaved an anxious breath and held it. His brain felt dizzy, numb, his only thought the nearly overwhelming need to feel that hushed, eager moan and surge of hot breath brush against his lips. He yearned to draw that heady breath in, devour it while those soft, warm lips moved against his in a searing kiss.

"Oh, Mr. Skye…I almost forgot..."

"Shit!" Severus cursed under his breath, jerking away from Harry as he flung his arm onto the worktable, his long fingers fumbling for a second before closing around the thin stick of ebony.

"Finite Incantatem," he whispered, canceling the Muffliato just as Professor Slughorn approached them.

The professor appeared not to have noticed their fervid interchange or the agitated scrambling that followed. He was too busy trying to locate something inside the front pocket of his robes as he neared them.

"Now where did I put it? Ah, yes, here we are… Professor Flitwick asked me to deliver this to you."

Slughorn had pulled out a small scroll of parchment bound by a red ribbon and an official-looking wax seal. Harry averted his face as he took it, certain the intensity of his previous thoughts would be evident by his flushed cheeks.

"Thank you, sir," he replied, hoping his breathless tone wasn't too obvious. He unrolled the parchment and scanned its missive, Severus leaning over his shoulder to read along with him.

Harry felt the lingering vestiges of excitement and elation he had been enjoying just moments ago vanish the instant he finished reading the stern pronouncement.

Mr. Skye,

As a result of your behavior in my class this morning, I have decided that your punishment will be best served in detention. You are to report to my office every Saturday remaining in this term, beginning this Saturday, at 8am sharp. Do not expect to be dismissed until well after noon.

Do not be late.

Professor Flitwick

"This day just keeps getting better," Harry mumbled as he rolled up the parchment and stuffed it in his bag.

Severus said nothing. His only reaction was the brief wry smirk of amusement on his thin face as he grabbed his knife once again, renewing his efforts with the flobberworms.

They were quiet for a while, a heavy silence stretching between them. Harry wondered if Severus was reminiscing about what had just transpired or if the boy's detailed preparations for whatever potion he was creating was enough to monopolize his thoughts. The persistent tinge of pink to Severus' cheeks seemed to indicate the former was true.

Their strained reticence was broken several minutes later when something Severus had mentioned during his angry outburst came rushing back to Harry, chipping away at his resolve until he could no longer remain quiet.

"So… Lily hates me?" he asked, cringing at the childlike question and the vulnerable edge to his voice.

Severus gave Harry an exasperated sideways glance, but answered him.

"Well, what did you expect would happen after you attacked one of her boyfriend's best friends? She is a Gryffindor, and as I'm sure you know, they happen to be quite stubborn in their loyalty toward their friends, as well as rather vehement in their hatred for their enemies. You, Gray Skye, have succeeded in catapulting yourself to the top of the Gryffindor enemy list in two short days. You said you know Lily in the future, then you should know that she is a very forgiving person. However, you may have just crossed a line with her this morning. Once that line is crossed, there's no going back... I should know."

The last few words were tinged with bitterness, Severus turning away when he uttered them.

"Wonderful," Harry murmured. His tone was dripping with sarcasm, but his insides convulsed and twisted as he considered the fact that his future mother despised him. The very idea made him sick to his stomach and he gritted his teeth, brimming with frustration again. The dull ache just behind his eyes resumed its torment, and Harry pushed his fingers and thumb into his eyelids to soothe the pulsing pain.

Taking a deep breath and resolving himself to ignore the throbbing in his head, Harry rummaged through his bag for his Advanced Potions book. After locating it, he pulled it open to a random page and plopped it down on the desk just beside Severus' work area. He had no clue what Severus was working on, and was just about to ask him, when he caught sight of the ingredients laid out in neat piles alongside the already bubbling cauldron: flobberworms, daisy roots, salamander tails, sopophorous bean, skinned shrivelfig and unicorn hair.

Harry couldn't help but smile when he realized that he actually knew which potion required this combination of ingredients - an Elixir to Induce Euphoria! He recalled making this particular potion just last year as a desperate attempt to get Slughorn to divulge the untampered horcrux memory he so desperately needed. That attempt was a failure, but his execution of the potion had been flawless, thanks to the Half-Blood Prince's comprehensive modifications.

Emboldened by that memory and eager to prove himself, Harry watched as Severus carefully placed the sliced flobberworms into the cauldron, one slice at a time, the fluid within turning from a dull green hue to more of a pastel pink with each addition. Severus stirred the pale potion clockwise four times, then paused.

"Unicorn hair," he instructed, pointing to the pile of fine, silver strands.

Remembering the detailed notes from the Half-Blood Prince's book about the importance of adding just a few hairs at a time for best results, and rather surprised that he remembered this much, Harry plucked three hairs only from the pile and placed them on Severus' outstretched palm.

"Hmm," Severus murmured as he took the offering, his left eyebrow elevated and an expression of mild surprise adorning his features as he added the hairs to the cauldron.

Harry continued to assist Severus, handing him each ingredient, one by one, until at last he asked for the final component.

"Just the daisy roots left, then it needs to simmer for fifteen minutes," Severus explained.

Harry gave him the roots, then looked around the workstation in confusion, feeling as though they had forgotten something. He could have sworn he had added another ingredient to this potion last year… something that, judging by the heavily underlined handwritten passage in the margin, had come highly recommended by the Prince… something to counteract some crazy side effect.

What was it?

"Oh, yeah!" Harry exclaimed as the elusive memory returned to him. He left a very bemused looking Severus behind as he took off for the potions cabinet and returned a moment later with a fresh sprig of peppermint in his hand.

Severus eyed the item with an inquisitive look.

"Peppermint? Why on earth would you want to add...?" his voice trailed off before he had even finished his inquiry, an introspective, far-off look in his eyes. All of the sudden, the deep ruminative expression transformed into a massive grin, his dark eyes alight with excitement.

"Of course… the peppermint will interact with remaining blood in the salamander tails, neutralizing the side effects of singing and nose-tweaking! Brilliant, Gray!" Severus exclaimed.

With his beaming smile illuminating his pale face and unbridled zeal radiating from his eyes, he grabbed the herb from Harry and began to slice each leaf into long slivers. He dropped the thin pieces into the cauldron one at a time, each one hitting the surface of the bubbling yellow liquid with a quiet hiss, the invigorating aroma of peppermint in the air increasing with each addition.

Harry was mesmerized by Severus' rapt state, the Slytherin acting almost as though he had already taken a dose of his own Euphoria Elixir. His eyes were fervent and spirited, his motions so animated, so purposeful, Harry couldn't help but grin as he watched him put the finishing touches to the elixir.

The potion finally complete, Severus turned to Harry, his wide smile still in place.

"How did you come up with the idea of adding peppermint to counterbalance the side effects? You gave me the impression that you were not good at potions," he said.

"Me? Severus! I didn't come up with the idea of adding peppermint. You did!" Harry insisted, bewildered by the odd question.

He was certain he had read that tip in the Half-Blood Prince's book. It was written right beside the instructions on how to brew a proper Euphoria Elixir. He remembered that much of the book's directions had been crossed out, with several handwritten corrections crammed alongside the original instructions. In the margin beside them, there was a lone directive scripted sideways, underlined three or four times with heavy, bold ink strokes...

Add sliced peppermint leaves to kill side effects.

Harry was just about to explain this to Severus when he noticed him scribbling something in his Potions book. Peering over the taller boy's shoulder to get a better look, a bizarre feeling of shock and deja-vu seized Harry as he saw the heavily corrected text on the page and read the familiar words Severus was writing sideways along the margin...

Add sliced peppermint leaves to kill side effects.

Severus finished his scripted instruction by dipping his quill into his ink bottle once more, returning to his book, and underlining his addendum three times. Each long swipe of his quill seemed to increase Harry's incredulity and utter bafflement.

"There. Now I will never forget your suggestion," Severus praised, turning back to Harry, his smile wider than ever.

"No, I won't either," Harry added, his own smile emerging. The relentless ache behind his eyes that had plagued him throughout most of the day had receded now, seemingly chased away by the sight of that wide, beaming smile and those spirited black eyes.

Harry reveled in its absence, a curious sense of serenity washing over him as he considered the sheer irony of this bizarre paradox of time.

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o -

In comparison, the second half of the day was far better than the first. Not only did Harry manage to avoid attacking any more future Death Eaters or revealing his identity to any more family members, he also succeeded in understanding the subject matter in all three of his afternoon classes. Most of the credit, once again, went to Severus. If it hadn't been for the studious boy's insistence that they read ahead in all their textbooks the night before, Harry was sure he would have been lost.

True, Mastery Potions had started out rocky and a bit awkward, but after that extraordinary incident with the Euphoria Elixir, Harry found himself much more at ease and able to concentrate in all his classes. He supposed that just understanding that the timeline was pliant enough to engender such an ambiguous twist gave him hope that one way or another, everything would fall into place.

The future was set; it was just the process of getting there that was full of surprises.

Their second class of the afternoon, Care of Magical Creatures, was probably one of the most informative lessons in that subject Harry had ever experienced. Hagrid would always remain one of Harry's closest friends for his staunch loyalty and warmhearted temperament, but as a teacher, Harry had to admit he was lacking. The half-giant's fanatical zeal for savage beasts had always instilled more fear than enthusiasm in his students, thus creating a less than adequate learning environment.

In contrast, Professor Kettleburn was interested in teaching them about all types of magical creatures, not just those endowed with fangs, claws and venom. Harry knew from his reading the night before that the class had been learning about several different species of magical birds. Today's lesson dealt with the mannerisms and inherent magic of a flightless bird known as the Diricawl.

Harry found it fascinating that Muggles were aware of its existence but knew it as the Dodo bird, a species that they believed to be extinct simply because they were unaware of its magical ability to vanish when threatened.

The class got the opportunity to observe this phenomena first hand when Professor Kettleburn brought out a live Diricawl. The bird took one look at the eager faces gawking at it and promptly disappeared with a faint pop and a puff of feathers.

The lesson was interesting, but Harry had to admit that his enjoyment was heightened by the absence of the Marauders. Since Severus mentioned that both James and Sirius took this class, Harry theorized that both boys had opted to ditch class to either discuss that morning's unbelievable revelation or to avoid him.

The final class was Herbology and it too was bereft of the two brash friends. The only Gryffindors in attendance were Lily and Remus, both of whom, it seemed, went out of their way to avoid even looking at him. Harry cringed when he noticed the empty workstation right next to Remus in Greenhouse Five where they were working, realizing that it was probably Pettigrew's usual seat. Despite the overt reminder of his thuggish behavior that morning and the cold disdain radiating from the Gryffindor side of the greenhouse, Harry made it through the entire class without too much trouble.

Harry's only real concern throughout their afternoon classes and during dinner, was that with the exception of their time together during Mastery Potions, Severus appeared to be agitated and aloof. At first, Harry wasn't too worried, figuring that Severus was just stressed out from the day's events. Considering how both their emotions had fluctuated between panic, anger, jealousy, passion and finally exhilaration in only a few hours, this was quite understandable.

It wasn't until they emerged from the spiral staircase leading to the Astronomy tower for their evening class that Harry's mild concern for Severus escalated to full scale trepidation.

As soon as they stepped onto the open platform and drew closer to the school telescopes, Severus stopped dead in his tracks, his whole body stiffening. Harry noticed the faint tremble of Severus' hands as he pulled his school bag closer to him and reached inside, emerging a second later gripping his wand, the act itself odd since wands were rarely used in Astronomy.

"What's wrong?" Harry whispered.

"Black," Severus responded.

The desperation in that hushed tone sent shivers down Harry's spine. Following his fixed gaze, Harry turned his head, searching for his godfather.

Sirius stood near the edge of the tower's balcony, one hand clenching the iron rail in a strained grip, his fierce blue eyes piercing Harry with an icy glare of loathing. Never had Harry imagined that his future godfather, usually so good humored and easygoing, could look at him like this with such abhorrence, such absolute hatred. It filled Harry with intense dread, as well as a profound sadness to look into the eyes of the man who would be like a father to him in the future and see nothing but revulsion and contempt.

When those hate-filled eyes abandoned Harry and slid over to fix Severus with the same deadly stare, narrowing further, Harry's foreboding escalated. Sudden fear for Severus surged through him, overcoming his initial sadness.

Perhaps the two warnings he had received from James and Severus earlier that day, pertaining to Sirius' propensity to avenge his friends, was warranted. Harry had hoped that because Sirius was privy to the knowledge that Harry was the son of his best friend, the rash Gryffindor would refrain from instigating anything, but the depth of pure malice permeating from his angry gaze made that a doubtful prospect.

After a long, tense moment, James approached Sirius from behind, gripped his shoulder and whispered something into his ear, hazel eyes darting up to meet grey ones every few seconds while he spoke. Whatever James said to persuade Sirius to abandon his psychological assault seemed to work. Sirius turned away and began to prepare his telescope for the evening's lesson.

Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Harry turned to Severus and found the Slytherin sickly pale and trembling. His eyes were clamped shut and he was bending over slightly as if trying to catch his breath.

"Sev–"

Harry hadn't even finished vocalizing Severus' name before those dark, shadowy eyes snapped open and fixed him with a desperate, pleading look, as if begging Harry to let this go, to ignore the fear and pain radiating from within those obsidian orbs. Harry succumbed to the silent request and resisted the strong urge to comfort Severus, to pull him close, wrap his arms around him and ease his tremors, calm his fear.

The next hour and half felt like an eternity to Harry, his attention split between Severus' heightened state of anxiety and the endless stream of noxious glares directed at him and Severus from the other side of the platform by his future godfather. The tension was so great that Harry hadn't even attempted to create his map of the Andromeda galaxy that they were supposed to be working on. He spent the entirety of the class trying to figure out how to persuade Severus to disclose why his reaction to Sirius' hostile glares had been so severe.

Severus didn't give him that chance.

The instant Professor Menkar dismissed the class, the Slytherin stuffed his map into his bag and made a mad dash for the stairway, descending it with record speed. Harry hastened to follow him, struggling to keep up with his hurried pace and calling out for him slow his progression.

At long last, Harry neared him just as they passed the fifth floor stairwell, their proximity close enough that he was able to reach out and grab the sleeve of Severus' robes.

"Severus! Stop… please… just stop!"

Severus stilled his frantic pace, coming to a reluctant halt. His head remained lowered, dark eyes cast down, as he whispered another eerie warning.

"Gray, we need to get back to our dorm. We are not safe right now."

"Severus, look… I know Sirius is furious because of what I did to Pettigrew, but I'm sure it will blow over. I'll admit he seems angrier and more forbidding than I had expected, but I know Sirius, OK? He may throw some stupid hex at us or something if he sees us, but it's not like he's going to…"

"…going to what, Gray? Kill us? You may know Sirius Black in the future, but it is obvious that you know nothing about what this Sirius Black is capable of!"

"You can't really think he would to try to kill us!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yes! That is exactly what I think!" Severus raged, his face contorted in desperate anger and frustration, before abruptly changing into an expression that emanated deep suffering.

Lowering his head again, he resumed his speech, the words coming out shaky and hesitant.

"He… he's tried to kill me before..."

Then it hit Harry.

The Shrieking Shack. Sirius' horrible prank during their fifth year to lure Severus down the secret passage that led to the dilapidated building and right to a fully transformed werewolf – the scheme that had only been thwarted because James had risked his own life to save Severus from a violent end. The adult Professor Snape had mentioned it to Harry more than once.

No wonder Severus thought Sirius capable of murder. Loath as Harry was to admit it, Severus had every right to be frightened. The prank was reprehensible, shouldn't have even been referred to as a prank, but Harry had always assumed it to be horrible judgment on his godfather's part. He had believed, or maybe needed to believe, that Sirius' intention had been only to scare the Slytherin, not to maim or kill.

There was just no way Sirius truly wanted Severus dead.

Harry grabbed Severus' trembling hand and pulled him down the corridor and into an empty classroom, bent on easing his fear by trying to explain that Sirius may be livid with them right now, but he would never attempt to kill them. Somehow, he had to make Severus understand that his future godfather had made a huge mistake that night, that he was not capable of murder.

The classroom they entered was small and dark. No light shone in through the windows, the new moon depriving the night of illumination. Harry lit a nearby candle with a flick of his wrist and a wave of his wand, then returned his attention back to Severus.

"Severus, I know what he did to you. And it was horrible… unforgivable…. but I honestly believe he did not intend…"

"Did not intend…? And what exactly do you think his intention was when he left me alone and paralyzed, bleeding to death in the Forbidden Forest?"

"What? Wait a minute… I thought… the passage leading to the Shrieking Shack… I thought James stopped you before…"

"Just forget it!" Severus turned away from Harry and reached for the door.

Harry's heart was pounding in his chest, his thoughts racing, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead as a horrid understanding struck him. That prank on Severus was not Sirius' only attempt to harm the Slytherin. There was more to their violent history… much more.

In one swift move, Harry leapt between Severus and the closed door, grabbing his outstretched hand before it could reach the doorknob. He was trembling and so was Severus, Harry discovered as he leaned closer to him, their fingers lacing together once more.

"Please," Harry whispered, "Please… what don't I know, Severus? What did he do to you? Please tell me."

Severus started to pull away from him, but Harry reacted without hesitation, seizing his other hand and pulling him closer, their bodies almost touching now.

"Please tell me," he urged, his voice soft, pleading.

A strangled, gut-wrenching cry issued from the taller boy, his body shaking with the effort to staunch his tide of anguish. Harry strengthened his grip on Severus' hands, comforting the trembling boy until his emotional release subsided.

After a moment, Severus spoke in a hushed, timorous tone.

"It was near the end of last term. I was in the forest with my raven, Solus. I had been in there for a while… looking for a safe place to house her. She had just come to me the day before and I just… I just didn't want to keep her in the Owlery.

"I remember hearing a noise, like the snapping of a twig under someone's foot. I knew I wasn't alone, but… but I couldn't see anyone. Before I could even draw my wand, I was hit with a body-bind curse. The next thing I knew, I was on my back, paralyzed, and… he was kneeling next to me."

Harry could feel his emotions unraveling, flitting between blinding anger at Sirius and absolute terror at what Severus was going to tell him next.

"As soon as I saw the dagger in his hand and felt him pull up the sleeves of my robe, I remember thinking that he was going to carve something into my forearms… something reminiscent of the Dark Mark… just to humiliate me for my past associations… but… but that was not his plan…"

"What did he do?" Harry whispered, fear starting to suffocate him. Tears were beginning to fall from his stinging eyes, but he made no move to wipe them away. He refused to curtail what comfort he could give Severus by removing his hands from the trembling ones squeezing his in an almost painful grip.

"He… he sliced b-b-both of my wrists…" Severus choked out. His whole body was quivering now, anguished tears cascading from his closed eyes as he tried to continue, "I c-c-could still feel the cold blade of the knife... even after he left…"

"Oh God. He left you there… still in the body-bind… didn't he?"

Severus nodded, tears streaming down his pale cheeks as he squeezed his eyelids together. Harry withdrew his hands from Severus' desperate grip, moving them up to his wrists, wrapping his fingers around them. He believed every heart-wrenching word Severus had uttered, knew without a doubt that this horrible incident occurred just as Severus said it had, but he still needed to feel the evidence of his godfather's attack first-hand. He needed this final confirmation that Sirius was not at all the person he thought he was.

With gentle movements, Harry skimmed trembling fingertips along the skin of Severus' wrists and swept them across the soft flesh of his forearms, searching for the scars. They did not take long to find. He was certain Severus must have had applied his scar-fading potion to them, for he had never noticed them before by sight, but the raised flesh remained intact.

The very fringe of both slashes started just below each wrist's pulse point. The thin lines felt smooth to the touch as Harry traced the long blemishes with the pads of his thumbs. They extended all the way up to the inside of each elbow, and as he followed their morbid path, he felt more pain in his heart than he had ever thought possible. His throat closed up, raw and painful, his heart aching fiercely as he imagined the immense panic and fear Severus must have felt while he lay on the ground alone... bleeding… dying.

Harry too, had been the victim of a body-bind at the start of his sixth year, but the pain of a broken nose from Malfoy's heel could hardly compare to this callous, cold-blooded murder attempt.

"Severus… how… oh God, how did you survive?"

"Solus… she flew to Hagrid and led him back to me."

"Did you tell Dumbledore?"

Severus just shook his head, still looking down, "No, I never told anyone who did it. I didn't think it would make a difference, anyway. The last time I accused him of trying to kill me, nothing was done."

"I just… just can't believe… how could he have done this?!" Harry raged, brain reeling in shock, anger pulsing through his veins.

"I'm sorry, Gray," Severus whispered, eyes still leveled at the ground.

Harry blinked in shock.

"Sorry? Why are you sorry? Severus, none of that was your fault! He tried to kill you! You have NOTHING to feel sorry for!"

"Black obviously means something to you… for you to be this upset at hearing what he did…"

"Oh God... is that what you think? You think these tears are for him?"

Unable to hold back his emotions any longer, Harry withdrew his hands from Severus' forearms and placed them on his pale, tear-stained face, applying gentle pressure, coaxing the boy to look into Harry's own watery gaze. When their eyes locked, Harry was astonished at the amount of pain and doubt he saw emanating from those fathomless, dark eyes.

Driven by the overwhelming need to comfort Severus and a deep yearning to make him understand why he was crying, Harry slid his hands past those damp cheeks. He threaded his fingers through the long strands of ebony hair and then wrapped his arms around the taller boy's shoulders, pulling him close to his own trembling body.

Harry rested his wet cheek against Severus' and placed his lips along the shell of one delicate ear, whispering the reassurance he so desperately needed Severus to understand.

"These tears are for you, Severus. Not him... you... just you. I'm crying because he hurt you."

Something seemed to break inside Severus. Harry felt it when the boy's arms clung to him, his grip tightening, those long, elegant fingers grasping at the material at the back of Harry's robes. An anguished choking sob filled the small dark room as Severus' legs gave way and he collapsed onto his knees, Harry holding on to him as they fell, embracing him, clutching him.

Harry hugged Severus' thin, quivering body as he leaned against the classroom door, drawing him closer, allowing him to rest his head on Harry's shoulder as the he wept. Severus' warm tears mingled with his own, drifting down the nape of Harry's neck where he could feel the labored breaths flitting across his skin.

Running the fingers of his left hand through the soft, black hair, now damp with tears, Harry wrapped his right arm around the slender waist, holding him against his body, wanting to be closer, needing to ease the boy's pain in any way he could. He had no idea how long they stayed like that, entwined on the cold, stone floor of an abandoned classroom, holding each other, comforting each other.

As the anguished sobs started to cease at length, the only thought whirling around Harry's over-burdened mind was that this was probably the only time anyone had ever held Severus like this since his mother died. The only time anyone had bothered to show this beautiful soul any kind of comfort.

Any type of affection.

Any sort of love.

That last thought made Harry gasp, his aching heart now pounding so hard it felt like it was trying to break free from his chest. Turning his head slowly to the side, he glanced at Severus who was now relaxed and tranquil in his arms, his breathing beginning to even out, his dark eyes unseen behind heavy lids.

Reality struck Harry hard, filling his heart and body with warmth and excitement and wonder like he had never felt before. Never had he guessed that this could happen so fast. Never had he imagined it would be so intense, so encompassing, so clear and real, so undeniable.

In fact, a part of Harry thought it might not happen at all, despite the memory the adult Professor Snape had implanted in his mind, of the two of them in a strikingly similar pose as they were right now.

But it did happen. It had already happened, and as unbelievable and crazy as it seemed, Harry knew it was the truth.

This was love.

He was in love with Severus.

Chapter End - TBC

A/N: Just a note of clarification. I got a few comments after my last chapter was posted that indicated some discontent about Sirius being portrayed negatively in this story (which of course, has been intensified by this latest chapter). In light of those comments, I would like to explain my thoughts about Sirius…

My intention with this story is not to bash his character, or to make him into a bad guy. Believe it or not, I am actually a big Sirius Black fan. In fact, after Harry and Severus, he is my favorite character (I've always favored the characters with the more complex personalities!).

I see the teenage Severus and the teenage Sirius as similar, at least in one way. They both had horrible childhoods. Rowling doesn't ever really touch upon Sirius' upbringing, other than he ran away when he was sixteen and he hated his family, but it can be inferred that his childhood must have been quite traumatic… he was a member of a Dark, pure-blood family who supported muggle domination, his parents loathed him for not adopting that ideology, his own brother was heavily favored by his mother… I can only imagine Sirius was very unstable as a teenager. I also see him as very easily becoming obsessed with a deep, vengeful hatred of Slytherins, after years of harboring rage towards his family and not being able to express those feelings.

This is my take on the seventeen year old Sirius Black. This is my point of reference. Understand… he will eventually become the man Harry knows in the future. But in my story, he's not there yet. He is lost, unhinged, bitter, angry and blinded by hate incurred by childhood injustices. He'll change… just as James will… just as Severus will... but not quite yet.

So, if you're irked by Sirius' current role in this story, I implore you to see it through. My intent is never to bash characters… only to show that they are fallible… that they make bad, sometimes horrible mistakes, but that they learn from them and through their experiences… that they're human just like all of us.

The next chapter will take some time. I'm giving myself until October 15th. I hope you'll all return for that chapter as it will include Harry and Severus' first kiss… and more.

Thanks again to the very talented YenGirl, for Beta-ing this chapter. I'd also like to thank the nearly fifty reviewers who took the time to comment on my story since my last post. Your words of praise and encouragement are the spark that keeps me going! :)

Please Review.